Juneteenth at Hale—Music, Poetry, and Dance

80 Carby Street,Westwood MA 02090

19 June, 2022

Description

Malick Ngom drums, Zakiyyah Sutton sings, Cole Rodriguez and Art Collins speak truth, and OrigiNation moves to engage community. SUNDAY, JUNE 19Performances will take place throughout the afternoon at the Andrew Cucchiara Learning Center. Limited parking is available in the ACLC lot, and additional parking is available in the Cat Rock lot. Malick Ngom is a master drummer who is a member of the Sing Sing family of griots from Senegal. He was introduced to drumming by his grandfather El Hadji Vieux Sing Faye at around the age of 2. His role as a griot in Senegal was to conduct healing ceremonies through the spirit of drumming, and share Senegalese history through folklore storytelling. While his specialty and strength lies in the use of the Sabar drum, he is also versatile and skillful in the use of other drums such as Djembe and Djundjun. Malick is currently a member of an International Jazz band and an Afro-Celtic band in Boston, MA. He enjoys sharing his passion and expertise through drum classes, workshops and performances. Zakiyyah Sutton is an artist-activist who uses music and visual media to explore themes that centralize marginalized communities. As an actress and classically trained singer who is well-versed in opera, hip-hop, jazz, and R&B, she employs her versatile sound and skills to reach a broad range of audiences and listeners and craft a sound that is uniquely her own—including "hip-hopera." She’s brought these sounds to audiences in places that range from the House of Blues to the United Nations. Zakiyyah also works as a racial equity consultant with Arts Connect International, helping arts organizations reassess practices and address issues of inequity that affect people of color. Her upcoming album, African Import, provides a window into both the beauty and complexity of the black diaspora, and the significance of its consumption by mainstream society. Cole Rodriguez is an internationally recognized spoken word artist (and an avid music appreciator, an occasional Celtics fan, and a beast in the kitchen). Originally from Boston, you may have seen her win any number of competitions at Cambridge’s Lizard Lounge, Roxbury’s House Slam, and Manhattan’s Nuyorican Café. As a six-year participant in the National Poetry Slam, Cole has competed against top-ranked poets thoughout the United States. As a mother, teacher, artist, and friend, Cole uses her poetic work to create community, inspire activism, and speak truth to power. She works with universities, high schools, and in therapeutic settings to facilitate spaces wherein poetry can be deconstructed, celebrated, and created. Bridging the gap between theory and practice, her work with institutions including Harvard University, Berklee College of Music, Boston College, Salem State University, and Bermuda College (as well as a host of alternative and public schools) incorporates activism and poetic voice in classrooms. Art Collins is a Boston poet who believes that there is extraordinary power in words. He considers his poetry to be socially conscious as well as entertaining, and hopes his style will motivate action, provoke thought, and stimulate the minds of listeners. OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center is a nonprofit performing arts organization that uses innovative and culturally significant programming to promote self-esteem, physical fitness, and civic responsibility among youth. Its programs are open to all, but its primary focus is on African American and Latino youth in Boston's Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan communities. OrigiNation uses the arts to raise participants' and audiences' awareness about and appreciation for the influences of African and African American culture in contemporary society. It has five programs that help carry out its mission, including the Youth Empowerment Tour. Through this tour, members of the professional dance division have performed in South Africa; Dakar, Senegal; London, England; Accra, Ghana; Trinidad & Tobago; Kingston, Jamaica; and New Orleans, LA. For more information, visit www.originationinc.org. “If you have come here to help me you are wasting your time, but if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”—Lilla WatsonHale is glad to celebrate Juneteenth with support from the The Margaret Stewart Lindsay Foundation and in partnership with Inclusive Westwood; Westwood Public Schools Office of Equity, Integration, and Community Partnerships; and METCO Inc. Funding for Juneteenth events in particular is provided by METCO HQ in partnership with the Boston Summer Arts Institute and Outside the Box Act 2. From June 17–19, we'll observe the holiday with film, theater, music, poetry, dance, and more. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend these events that commemorate the abolition of slavery and liberation of Black people in the United States. For Black participants, we hope it is a truly joyous experience! For participants of other races and backgrounds, we hope you will celebrate, reflect, and recommit to the work of ending racism in our society. Click here to learn more about why the manner in which we observe this holiday matters. While these events are free and open to the public, if you're willing and able to make a gift, we sincerely appreciate donations to support socially conscious art programs at Hale. Check out our other Juneteenth events:Juneteenth at Hale—Special Film Screening | Fri, Jun 17, 2022 6:00 PM Juneteenth at Hale—Playback Theatre and Discussion | Sat, Jun 18, 2022 4:00 PM