Alumni Gathering 2023: A Recap
Thank you for joining us in New Orleans, Alumni!
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About the Gathering
Prior to the Alumni Gathering 2023, for seven years artEquity had been building a base of individuals working toward culture change in their organizations and communities and we had been engaging discrete cohorts of artists + activists. We wanted to bring these groups together in Bulbancha ("Land of Many Tongues" and present-day New Orleans) where we previously had a powerful gathering of the National Facilitator Training cohort in 2018. It had been nearly four years since we convened an in-person event of this size and artEquity chose this time to reunite, exchange knowledge, experience one another, and connect across regions and organizations.
The Alumni Gathering brought everyone together, strategically overlapping fellow alumni from artEquity’s BIPOC Leadership Circle, National Facilitator Training, National Board Training, and many other community members for collaboration, wellness, and visioning the future of justice from April 20–April 23, 2023 in New Orleans full of in-person moments in service of strengthening this base of changemakers in the arts and culture sector (and beyond)!
Thanks to Our Partners in New Orleans
We are grateful for the artEquity alumni community, our new connections in New Orleans, and generous New Olreans-based partners: Le Museé de p.f.c, André Cailloux Center for Performing Arts & Cultural Justice, Ashé Cultural Arts Center, Know NOLA Tours, No Dream Deferred NOLA. Click the images below to learn more about these organizations and venues.
Events + Photos
The Alumni Gathering seeded rich conversations, questions, and insights into collective liberation. We invite you to view the events and photos of our time together.
DAY 1: Welcome Reception
We began the Alumni Gathering at Le Museé de p.f.c, by welcoming artEquity Alumni to Bulbancha with an opening reception filled with joy, laughter, and grounding. The evening began with a land acknowledgment by Jeffrey Darensbourg and the pouring of libations by Dr. Denise Graves who challenged us to be "shoulder ready” as we move into a new era of activism. We were then welcomed by Lauren Turner Hines, founder, and artistic director of No Dream Deferred NOLA. The evening ended with a lion dance performance by Southern Lotus Lion Dance. Being in person reminded us once again of the power of human interaction and the immense joy of this community.
Photos by Alina Allen
DAY 2: Who Am I?
Day 2 took place at the Ashé Cultural Arts Center, where we set the tone for our time together which centered Black liberation as the gateway to liberation for all people. We invited community members to dream into collective action by asking: "What does liberation look like and feel like to you?" In the afternoon, alumni journeyed to many parts of the city connecting with local history, artists/activists, and culture led by Malik Bartholomew of Know NOLA Tours. We closed out our NOLA city tour reflecting on the power of art at Studio BE. That evening many alumni attended a production of Where the Suga Still Sweet at No Dream Deferred NOLA’s We Will Dream Festival.
Photos by Alina Allen
DAY 3: Who Are We?
Alumni returned to the Ashé Cultural Arts Center to gather in racial affinity groups as a way to build power and solidarity, share resources, hold each other accountable, heal, and dream into what is needed for movement building. After these powerful conversations and a delicious meal by Gr8teful Events, alumni transitioned to the André Cailloux Center for Performing Arts & Cultural Justice (home of our partner No Dream Deferred NOLA) for the premiere screening of artEquity's Talking Back Season 2, a three-part web series centering Black creatives including playwrights, founding artistic directors, newly appointed leaders, and activists. The screening was followed by a powerful panel discussion where alumni and local guests engaged in dialogue with many of the Talking Back Season 2 participants. It was fire! And, if that was not enough, many alumni were present for the performance of Drapetomania: A Negro Carol at No Dream Deferred NOLA's We Will Dream Festival.
Photos by Patrick Davis
DAY 4: Collective Action, Collective Closing
The culmination of the gathering took place at the Tate, Etienne, and Prevost (TEP) Center, a Black-led community space built on antiracist principles and restorative justice. Sixty years earlier, this space was McDonogh 19, an all-white school integrated by three Black girls, Leona Tate, Gail Etienne, and Tessie Prevost, and has now been reclaimed and under the leadership of Leona Tate. Alumni spent the day in song, dance, and reflection on their commitment to community and collective action. Alumni experienced the healing gifts of Hood Healer Chelsea Kenya Hunter of Divine Essentials Magic (who led a sound mediation); the TEP Center program director, Tremaine Knightley-Riley (who shared the history of the space); and Wendi O’Neal, a cultural worker, activist, and founder of Jaliyah Consulting (who led the group in freedom songs). The final moments were a jubilant Second Line march led by Kings of Brass.
Photos by Alina Allen
Our time in New Orleans was profound. We are deeply grateful to all who could attend, the local artists who graced us with their gifts, and all of our on-site partners: Le Musée de f.p.c., Ashé Cultural Arts Center, the TEP Center, and No Dream Deferred NOLA.
