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4ce651c4-689c-49da-8590-baa76ea1f703 PRESS ArtsXchange to spotlight Afrofuturism with The Haunts of Black Kirby August 12, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Haunts of Black Kirby Works from the Dawn of Afrofuturism Exhibit Opening Reception Sept. 2, 2023 | 7 - 9 p.m. | Jack Sinclair Gallery https://bit.ly/BKopening ArtsXchange to spotlight Afrofuturism with ‘The Haunts of Black Kirby’ Slate of interactive events surround exhibit of works by California artist duo through Oct. 28 EAST POINT, Ga. — Imagination and liberation will collide at the ArtsXchange Saturday for the opening of The Haunts of Black Kirby, an electrifying exhibition of works from the dawn of Afrofuturism. The opening reception will be from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Jack Sinclair Gallery at ArtsXchange, 2148 Newnan St. in East Point. The gallery is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. The Haunts of Black Kirby will close on Oct. 28. https://www.artsxchange.org/exhibitions/the-haunts-of-black-kirby The exhibit includes various events, from comic book illustration classes to a creative career feedback lab to the ArtsXchange’s fundraiser on Oct. 14— UnMask the Future , a cosplay party. Afrofuturism fuses science fiction, technology, and futuristic elements into literature, music and visual arts. The genre centers Black history and cultural experiences, weaving the past and present into an exploration of a future free from Western ideals and repression. “If together, we could create a world full of beauty and wonder, what would it be?” said ArtsXchange board president Cheryl Johnson. “We believe that the power of art takes us beyond a dream into the light. We are inviting people to dream with us and using art as a tool to get us there.” Black Kirby —the pseudonym of the acclaimed visual artists and professors John Jennings and Stacey Robinson, and a nod to W.E.B. DuBois’ theory of double consciousness—are Alchemists. They take raw materials from Black history, hip hop, and comic book mythology and remix them to create new universes, never-before seen technologies, and biting satires about the world. Each of the Black Kirby images serves as a funky, rare artifact from an alternate universe; fully formed and autonomous from its earthly origins. The artwork is on loan from the Atlanta University Center (AUC) Robert W. Woodruff Library. The exhibit is derived from The Alchemist’s Notebook: The Satire, Remixes, and Haunts of Black Kirby , an exhibition organized by the library in 2019. For more information or to register for events, see artsxchange.org/upcomingevents . SCHEDULE OF EXHIBIT EVENTS: • Sept 13 - Learn more about Procreate software. Bring your iPad, iPhone, or digital tablet. Led by Tracy Murrell. Ages 14+. 6 pm. $10. • Sept 16 - Community Class: Introduction to Comic Book Illustration for Youth. Led by Marcus Williams. Ages 10+. 1 pm. FREE. • Sept 27 - Ekphrastic Poetry* in the Gallery. Wednesday Writer’s Workshop led by Theresa Davis. All ages. 7 pm. FREE. • Sept 30 - Community Discussion: “Afrofuturism, Its Relevance in Today's Environment and the Path Forward for Artists.” Panelists are visual artists Tracy Murrell, Marcus Williams, rEN Dillard, and curator Clint Fluker. Moderated by Ric Washington. All ages. 4 pm. FREE . • Oct 4 - Archival Special Viewing: "Afro-Surrealism, the Negritude Movement, and the Archival Roots of Afrofuturism,” will be at the AUC Woodruff Library Archives Research Center, 111 James P Brawley Dr. SW. All Ages. 5-7 pm. FREE. • Oct 7 - Community Class: Intermediate Illustration Class for Adults. Led by Marcus Williams. Ages 16+. 1 pm. $10. • Oct 11 - Community Class: Experience the process of creating a piece of Afrofuturistic artwork. Led by rEN Dillard. Ages 21+. 6 pm. $10. • Oct 14 - Creative Feedback & Career Lab: For Projects in Progress. Led by Marcus Williams, rEN Dillard, and Tracy Murrell. All Ages. 4 pm. FREE. • Oct 25 - Ekphrastic Poetry* in the Gallery. Wednesday Writer’s Workshop led by Theresa Davis. All ages. 7 pm. FREE. *An ekphrastic poem is a vivid description of a work of art, narrating and reflecting on the “action” of a painting. ABOUT THE ARTSXCHANGE The ArtsXchange, d/b/a the Southeast Community Cultural Center, was incorporated in 1983 and opened The Arts Exchange In 1984 in Grant Park, reshaping the landscape of Metro Atlanta’s arts scene. In East Point since 2017, the ArtsXchange empowers artists, social justice activists, and creative entrepreneurs to engage communities with innovative artistic learning experiences and cultural exchange. Our programming is designed to be inclusive, diverse, and to encourage positive change as participants come to a better understanding of themselves and others. Our art is our activism. Learn more here . ABOUT THE WOODRUFF LIBRARY Constructed in 1982, the Atlanta University Center (AUC) Robert W. Woodruff Library supports the teaching, learning and research missions of the world’s largest consortium of HBCUs: Clark Atlanta University, the Interdenominational Theological Center, Morehouse College and Spelman College. The library is home to the Archives Research Center, which is noted for its extensive and unique holdings of materials on the African American experience, including the John Henrik Clarke Africana and African American Collection and the Henry P. Slaughter and Countee Cullen Memorial Collection. The library also serves as custodian of the Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection. Learn more here . DOWNLOAD THE PDF Press Contact Angela Oliver media@artsXchange.org She/Her

Judy Conder 2020 Ebon Dooley Honoree Bridge Builder http://www.youtube.com/artemisthedrummer In 2006 when Judy Conder learned that the so-called “weapons of mass destruction” would likely lead to war, she bought a video camera, joined the anti-war movement, and began following the Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition around, documenting their protests and activities. Soon she met Atlanta WAND, Veterans for Peace, Vietnam Veterans Against the War, School of the Americas Watch, the International Action Center and though the years Georgia Detention Watch, Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights (GLAHR), Occupy Atlanta, Food Not Bombs, ATL Grandmothers for Peace, the Moral Monday Movement, Georgia Alliance for Social Justice, the Metro ATL Democratic Socialists of America, the Great Speckled Bird staff, Black Lives Matter, Extinction Rebellion, and many more. Through her fourteen years as an Atlanta videographer, Judy has documented protests, die-in’s, sit-in’s, rallies, marches, press conferences, re-enactments, and acts of civil disobedience in the areas of social justice, racial equality, environment, healthcare, immigration, women’s rights, and gun control, etc. as well as having filmed local creative arts performances including dance, music, and poetry. Her fourteen-year body of work can be found on her Georgia Grassroots Video Youtube channel. Currently, during the time of covid, Judy works from home publishing a daily bulletin of local events, both political and cultural, which features videos and artistic works from younger videographers and creative artists. Her new objective is to form a local community media collective in which members can contribute political and artistic content. Georgia Grassroots Video (formerly Artemis Productions) is a local, independent, community based video production company specializing in political action events and featuring works of local creative artists and musicians. Go to: www.youtube.com/artemisthedrummer OUR STAFF STUDIO ARTIST EBON DOOLEY HONOREES

Theresa Davis ArtsXchange Literary Program Director Studio Artist theresa@artsxchange.org https://www.artisttheresadavis.com Theresa Davis is an educator, storyteller, poet, author, poetry slam champion and the host of the award winning open mic Java Speaks. She has performed on stages across the nation as a poet and keynote speaker. She was a classroom teacher for over 25 years, specializing in cross curricular education. As a slam poet, Theresa has competed individually and on teams for over a decade and in 2011 won the Women of the World Poetry Slam. In May 2013, her first full collection of poems entitled “After This We Go Dark” was published by Sibling Rivalry Press. “After This We Go Dark” became an American Library Association Honoree, and the book can now be checked out in local and college libraries around the world. Her latest poetry collection “Drowned: A Mermaid’s Manifesto”, released with Sibling Rivalry Press, in fall of 2016 received the award“Ten Books All Georgians Should Read”. In addition to being a teaching artist and outreach poetry coordinator for Georgia Tech for 6 years, Theresa hosts and participates in many of the lit events around Atlanta. Her one-woman show “Then They’ll Tell You it’s all in Your Head” Made its debut as a part of 7 Stages Home Brew series in fall of 2017. Artist Statement The nature of my work and my aesthetic philosophy I have been called a poet, slam poet, and performance artist. All three are appropriate and underscore that the voice, the word, the story are my primary artistic tools. My work has evolved over the years from the intimately personal to work that resounds with social and cultural truths that transcend my ethnicity and sexual identity. The ability to create and share my work is very dear to me. My art is my second skin. It allows me to connect with others in a personal way even though in most cases we have just met. Poetry is the portal to initiate dialogue. OUR STAFF STUDIO ARTIST EBON DOOLEY HONOREES

Michael H. Ross 2019 Ebon Dooley Honoree Economic Justice Champion https://mhrinternational.com/ Michael H. Ross is considered a national expert in project management, economic development, small business development, procurement and community revitalization. He is currently a member of the board of the BronzeLens Film Festival, a Southeast Smithsonian Council member and an Ambassador for the Smithsonian Museum of African-American History and Culture. He served as Chairman of the Board of the Georgia Black United Fund for more than 10 years. Mr. Ross worked with or supported several nonprofit organizations in the metropolitan Atlanta area including the YWCA of Greater Atlanta, the National Black Arts Festival, the United Youth Adult Conference, Beat the Odds and Let Us Make Men. OUR STAFF STUDIO ARTIST EBON DOOLEY HONOREES

Susan Ross 2019 Ebon Dooley Honoree Bridge Builder https://www.photogriot.com/ Susan “Sue” Ross is a cultural giant. This “photo-griot” specializes in documenting cultural, political, social, and economic images of the African-American community. She is an avid activist whose organizational memberships and community engagements are as extensive as her documentation of many Atlanta cultural and political highlights. She combined her life’s work with her positions in government administration for the City of Atlanta, serving as photographer for Festivals, the Centennial Olympic Games and the annual Dream Jamborees, the 1988 Democratic Convention, the Atlanta Third World Film Festivals, the Atlanta Jazz Festivals, the Nelson Mandela visits, King Week, the National Black Arts Festivals, Paralympic Games, and as a chronicler of activities during the administrations of Atlanta’s five African American mayors. OUR STAFF STUDIO ARTIST EBON DOOLEY HONOREES

Kenneth Zakee ArtsXchange Board Member Studio Artist kennethz.kz@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/kenneth.zakee Kenneth Zakee is an Artist/Poet and community activist. A 35 yr old resident of Atlanta. Born in Cleveland, Ohio. While attending Morehouse College he co-founded America's first African Fraternity; KMT Asen in 1987. He served as Chairman of Metro Atlanta Kwanzaa Assn (M.A.K.A.) and membership.from 1988-2000. He co-founded Klub Kuumba; an open mic poetry gathering (1993-2000) Zakee also worked with the Atlanta homeless population and served as program director for Trinity House-Big Bethel program for homeless men with drug problems. During his tenure there; Zakee established the Kalonji Brotherhood: a rite of passage support group for men in recovery. Zakee has received numerous awards for social and artistic endeavors and appeared on several media outlets for his work. Zakee is committed to serving our youth and inspiring a new generation of artists and leaders. "The inspiration for my work comes from African/African American culture. I consider everything a canvas. I am presently working with clothing, greeting cards, wall hangings, and gourds from West Africa. African symbols state clearly the cultural pride of my work." - Kenneth Zakee OUR STAFF STUDIO ARTIST EBON DOOLEY HONOREES

Thanks to Our Funders The Southeast Community Cultural Center d/b/a the ArtsXchange can thrive and grow because of the generous support from business donors, annual members, and individuals like you. We are deeply thankful for the pivotal role played by the Fulton County Arts & Culture under the guidance of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, Georgia Council for the Arts under the guidance of the State of Georgia Legislators, and support from the National Endowment for the Arts, Fidelity Charitable, The Community Corps, Threshold Foundation, Paul R. Jones Heritage Fund, Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, and Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, and the City of East Point Convention & Visitors Bureau. Partnership for Southern Equity supports our Just Green Accelerator with funds from The Greening of America’s Cities, Shades of Green Permaculture, and Park Seed. We're excited to collaborate with our incredible literary partners, South Fulton Arts and the Atlanta Writers Club! Together, we're fostering creativity and celebrating the vibrant world of writing. Our Official Accommodation Provider is Holiday Inn & Suites Atlanta Airport North. We encourage you to become a donor or member today and participate in our impactful journey! We are grateful for the collective effort of our friends, members, and partners, who generously support our vision and help make our programs possible. This shared commitment allows us to expand our mission and make a difference in our community. Please continue to engage with us as we strive to create a more vibrant and inclusive arts community. Please donate today. Interested in becoming a Sponsor/ Funder please contact us director@artsxchange.org

Jim Alexander 2021 Ebon Dooley Honoree Lifetime Achievement Award Studio Artist info@thejimalexandercollection.com http://jimalexanderphotography.com Jim Alexander is an award-winning documentary photographer, curator, lecturer, and teacher who has spent over fifty years refining what he calls the art of documentary photography. A photojournalist, teacher, activist, media consultant and entrepreneur, Alexander has amassed an impressive collection of images of Black culture and human rights photographs. In 1964, Alexander moved to Ridgewood, New Jersey and started a career as a freelance photographer. He earned a certificate in Business Management from Rutgers University in 1967 and a degree in Commercial Photography from the New York Institute of Photography in 1968. That same year, Alexander began to document the local and national response to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Earning a reputation as a documentary photographer, Alexander was hired by Bruner Productions to shoot film strips from 1968 to 1970. In 1970, he was hired by Yale University’s School of Art and Architecture as a consultant for the Black Environmental Study Team. Alexander completed courses in Communications Psychology at the New School for Social Research in 1974. Accepting a position with the Atlanta Office of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives in 1976, Alexander went on to the Atlanta Neighborhood Arts Center in 1977 as photographer in residence. In 1982, he established the Photo/Media Photography Collective Studio Gallery complex in downtown Atlanta. He was appointed photographer in residence at Clark College in 1985. In 1988, his cultural interest led to the establishment of the First World Bookstores. In 1993, several of Alexander’s photographs were selected for “Beyond Category: The Musical Genius of Duke Ellington” exhibit that continues to tour. Alexander was included in the city of Atlanta’s Masters Series in 1995 and in 2000; his jazz photos were featured in a solo exhibit with the National Black Arts Festival. Having taught and mentored youth and adults at the Carlos Museum, Emory University, the Fulton County Arts Council, TRIO and Upward Bound Programs at Clark, Morris Brown and Atlanta Metropolitan Colleges, Alexander also maintains membership with Photomedia Associates, Inc., Media Arts for Youth, the International Association for Jazz Education, the African American Jazz Caucus, and the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation. He received a 2017 Jus’ Blues Music Foundation Humanitarian Award, for over 50 years of documenting Black music. He is a 2006 inductee into The History Makers. In 1995, the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs began its annual "Master Artist" program and Alexander was the first artist chosen, “for his contribution to Atlanta and the world". OUR STAFF STUDIO ARTIST EBON DOOLEY HONOREES

Angela Oliver ArtsXchange Program & Media Manager media@artsxchange.org Grounded by North Mississippi and South Georgia roots, Angela N. Oliver is a proud native of #OldAtlanta, who grew up in the West End. Her knack for storytelling, passion for celebrating cultures, and duty to expose injustice earned her a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Black Studies from Western Kentucky University, where she also became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She was the first Black full-time reporter (and later features editor) at the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer, 2011-2017, where she challenged erasure by centering Black folks in a range of coverage and editorials. There, she created "In the Margins," a series of in-depth stories about marginalized people and communities, yiedling coverage of local issues such as disproportionate school suspensions of Black K-12 students, the history of a once-thriving Black farming town lost largely to USDA discrimintion, and a sweeping look at judicial and societal responses to the crack versus opioid epidemics. Her beats included Arts & Entertainment, covering a lively community arts landscape; Religion & Values, covering the Diocese of Western Kentucky and beliefs from humanism to Islam to Southern Baptist; and Agriculture, in a thriving farm region with international reach. She was nominated for the Kentucky Farm Bureau's 2016 Ag Communicator of the Year award, and was also selected for the National Press Foundation's 2016 "Future of Food & Farming" Fellowship in St. Louis. A member of the Society of Professional Journalists, she was named a Dori Maynard Diversity Leadership Fellow in 2017. With a heart for helping young people find and their voice, Angela also taught media writing at Kentucky Wesleyan College, 2014-2017, where she advised the Black Student Union through its reactivation. There, she also served in various leadership roles on the boards of the Owensboro Human Relations Commission, Ownebsoro Black Expo, H.L. Neblett Community Center, and the Owensboro-Daviess County Race & Child Welfare Committee. Before coming to the ArtsXchange in February of 2022, Angela was the communications coordinator at Project South, where she grew into nonprofit communications and grassroots organizing — including working on the communications team for the Southern Movement Assembly; facilitating the Community Communications skills-building track at the 2019 Get Ready, Stay Ready Southern Leadership Summit & Organizing Internsive in Mobile, Alabama; as well as co-facilitating the Movement Journalism "Conversation Cafe" at the 2018 Allied Media Conference in Detroit. Angela is also a poet and creative writer who daydreams about seeing her scripts come alive on the big screen. OUR STAFF STUDIO ARTIST EBON DOOLEY HONOREES

Reforming Arts 2019 Ebon Dooley Honoree Social Justice Champion https://www.reformingarts.org/ Reforming Arts ' organizational mission is to offer a liberal arts higher education to people incarcerated in women’s prisons in Georgia to serve as a foundation for building purposeful, meaningful lives. Evidence based studies show that education reduces recidivism and helps returning citizens become productive. Reforming Arts works with volunteer instructors at local colleges and universities to provide diverse, multi-dimensional curriculum at Lee Arrendale State Prison. A sense of community and expanded possibilities develop through intense dialogue and self-exploration. Through reflection, critical analysis, and a deeper understanding of the systems at work in their lives, the students gain a greater insight on how to think critically about their past and imagine their future. Wende Ballew Executive Director- Reforming Arts Wende has a BA in Theatre, an MBA, an MA in American Studies, a graduate certificate in Women's Studies, and is a PhD candidate in Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methodologies at UGA. They has extensive experience as a freelance theatre professional, arts manager, and educator. As a theatre professional she has worked for Georgia Ensemble Theatre, Aurora Theatre, the Neighborhood Playhouse, and the Atlanta Arts Festival. As an arts manager, Wende worked for the University of West Georgia and Cobb County. Wende has taught at Kennesaw State University and continues to teach and direct Reforming Arts classes inside women's prison facilities in Georgia and facilitate their Theatre Reentry Project. OUR STAFF STUDIO ARTIST EBON DOOLEY HONOREES