60 Cove St
Portland, ME 04101
USA
Our Wildest Dreams: A 1619 Project Panel Conversation
Part of the third annual Beautiful BlackBird Children’s Book Festival please join Indigo Arts Alliance in a discussion surrounding the past, present and future of the Black American Experience, inspired by the New York Times Magazine’s award-winning book “The 1619 Project: Born on the Water” by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renee Watson. Moderator Marcelle M. Medford will guide panelists through reframing of American History and explore ways in which audiences of all ages and backgrounds can engage in building a future of hope, celebration and freedom.Audience members are invited to shape a future of hope, celebration and freedom. Through the lens of art, history, politics and academia, as this panel conversation will ignite the sparks of creativity, questioning and pride in our complex identities.This event is free, open to educators, parents, and youth of all ages, and takes place at the Indigo Arts Alliance Studio in Portland, ME.PLEASE NOTE: For the health and safety expectations, all attendees at indoor events and performances are required to provide proof of vaccination against the COVID-19 virus, or a negative PCR test from within the previous 48 hours or a negative ‘Rapid Test’ from the previous 12 hours. It is necessary to also show a legal photo identification along with your vaccination proof, or test result. All proof may be original or digital. Participants are asked to remain masked. There will be extra masks and hand sanitizer stations provided.
The 1619 Project: The New York Times Magazine’s award-winning “1619 Project” issue reframed our understanding of American history by placing slavery and its continuing legacy at the center of our national narrative. This project speaks directly to our current moment, contextualizing the systems of race and caste that still define so much of American life today. It reveals the hidden truths around our nation’s founding and construction—and the way that the legacy of slavery did not end with emancipation, but continues to shape contemporary American life.–The Beautiful Blackbird Children Book Festival was founded in 2020 by Indigo Arts Alliance in partnership with I’m Your Neighbor Books and Diverse BookFinder and is produced with the 2022 partners: The Children’s Museum and Theater of Maine, Center for Maine Contemporary Art, Ridah Ridah, the Farnsworth Museum, LA Arts, and the Lewiston Public Library. This year’s festival spans from September 17th-19th,The Festival was created to honor the legendary and highly acclaimed children’s author and illustrator Ashley Bryan, whose award-winning picture book Beautiful Blackbird is a celebration of Blackness. Maine’s own Ashley Bryan was one of the first Black writers and illustrators of children’s books, opening the doors for Black book creators worldwide to add their contribution to children’s literature and encourage the publication of other children’s books for Black children. The Festival seeks to educate and entertain children, and brings attention to the critical need for more characters from the African diaspora in children’s literature.–Indigo Arts Alliance is a place where freedom of expression and personal transformation through creativity is encouraged. Indigo Arts Alliance embodies a Black-led, multiracial approach to the rich intersections of citizenship, community-building, and creativity. More than ever, our world needs people who can help us imagine more compassionate, generous, and welcoming human societies. Indigo does that work. It is a great gift to the Portland community, to the region, and to our nation!Indigo Arts Alliance is rooted in two principles:- Art is a key resource for healthy human communities. It should be cultivated and celebrated.- Artists play a unique role in strengthening our multiracial democracy. We need their vision and inspiration to help build a more humane, inclusive, and just world.