LIVING BLACK WORLDS: A BLACK HISTORY MONTH TO REMEMBER

Aug 3

Looking Back on A Weekend of Art, Joy and Collective Imagination

This past Black History Month, Black River Life had the privilege of partnering with Phoenix Center for the Arts to present Living Black Worlds—a free, two-day cultural arts symposium that invited hundreds of community members into a celebration of Black creativity, memory, movement and belonging.

Over the course of the weekend, families, artists, elders, students and first-time visitors gathered to experience the richness and diversity of Black cultural expression. From dance workshops and author conversations to film screenings, visual art, music, and shared meals, Living Black Worlds transformed Phoenix Center for the Arts into a space where learning, celebration, and community unfolded side by side.

Workshop attendee stitches an Adinkra symbol onto a tote bag. // Photo: O’Shea tometi

Guests stitched stories through Adinkra Quilting with Kena Tangi Dorsey, moved their bodies during hip-hop and Amapiano dance workshops led by Lotus and Didi Moloi, and joined thought-provoking conversations around migration, identity, and belonging during Arianne Edmonds' author talk on We Now Belong to Ourselves, featuring Retha Hill, Carla Lyndale Bishop and moderator Dr. Treya Allen.

The weekend also featured the community premiere of Black Emergence: Traveling Mercies to the Desert Sun, a short documentary and community dialogue project developed in partnership with Instituto. Ahead of the event, the film was featured by KJZZ in a conversation with Shelley Jackson, Instituto's Executive Director, highlighting the project's exploration of Black migration, belonging, and collective memory. Following the screening, attendees participated in a facilitated discussion that invited deeper reflection on the themes of the film.

Post-screening panel discussion in the Third Street Theatre at Phoenix Center for the Arts // Photo: Courtesy of Instituto

Rounding out the lineup was a ReVision Board Party led by Brian Watson and Sean Avery Medlin. Throughout the activation, percussionist Israel Solomon provided a joyful musical backdrop, while King's Plate Food Truck and Lasgidi Cafe nourished guests with soul food and Nigerian cuisine that reflected the cultural richness of the gathering.

Perhaps most memorable was the atmosphere itself. Between spontaneous conversations in the courtyard, dancing to percussionist Israel Solomon and DJ MyGodComplex, plus quiet moments inside the galleries and workshops, Living Black Worlds reminded us that cultural spaces can be places of both celebration and restoration.

Angelique Kane, Executive Director, Phoenix Center for the Arts:
"Living Black Worlds is more than a weekend of events. Black folks carry generations of creativity, resilience, and brilliance, and it’s an honor to create a space where that shines freely,” said Angelique Kane, executive director of Phoenix Center for the Arts. “This is an invitation to experience, learn, and participate in a cultural exchange that honors and celebrates the African diaspora in all its depth and beauty."

For Black River Life, the activation reflected our belief that Black history is not simply something we remember—it is something we continue to create together. Every workshop, conversation and performance became another opportunity to repair narratives and imagine futures abundant with liberation and care.

Shelley Jackson, Executive Director, Instituto:
"We all have a responsibility to show up for each other. And we have a responsibility to reshape what the future of our community looks like. Not only did my family and team get to be reminded of this through the making of ‘Black Emergence: Traveling Mercies to the Desert Sun,’ we got to share that sentiment with our Phoenix neighbors at Living Black Worlds, which was an amazing opportunity and experience.”

As we reflect on the weekend, we're filled with gratitude—for every artist who shared their gifts, every partner who helped bring the vision to life, every volunteer and every community member who chose to spend time with us.

Living Black Worlds was a reminder that when Black stories, art and imagination are given room to flourish, entire communities are invited into deeper connection.

We can't wait to gather again.