Reawakening the Afro-American Consciousness: “Beauty within Black Pride & Liberation” Touring Exhibition

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Vibrant Hopes & Forfeited Dreams x AVE (Access Via Exposure) Presents an Art Exhibition
Reawakening the Afro-American Consciousness: "Beauty within Black Pride & "Liberation Touring Exhibition

Reawakening the Afro-American Consciousness, "Beauty within Black Pride & Liberation" will run from May 5th, 2012 through May 29, 2012 at Gallery 1307 in San Francisco, CA. An artist's reception will take place on Saturday May 5th from 5-9pm at Gallery 1307 located in the Fillmore District .The exhibit is
created and curated by Africano Fotografia

Please join Africano Fotografia for a night of exploration into the Reawakening the Afro-American Consciousness: "Beauty within Black Pride & Liberation" An Arts exhibit featuring a collection of photographs highlighting African American pride through the eyes of its curator Africano Fotografia. This collection will feature a diverse mixture of 20 photographs depicting African Americans living in the Bay Area & Harlem. These personalized intimate moments display the richness within our African heritage focusing on aspects such as community, spirituality, family, and inspirational community organizers/teachers.

In today's era, there is limited self-awareness of Black culture within our communities. Our culture is being overshadowed and misrepresented by the mainstream media. However, taking pride in our African heritage is essential towards building solidarity within our communities and furthermore, liberates our awareness and reawakens our consciousness. Realizing this is what defines our personal values, cultural identity and sense of self and is intrinsic to our lives. Everyday we must strive to build solidarity within our communities and embrace the beauty in blackness. Sojari Bradley, a Bay Area native poet, creates a vivid picture regarding about how we must confront the issues plaguing the African American community today " [...] the way that the economy is, certain social movements have been happening in Egypt, Sudan, in all these places in the world there is no time to wait for another Malcolm or Martin. We all as a collective group of individuals need to come together as a cohesive unit with a collective purpose that being to better and enriching our communities and our lives."
African American pride and liberation begins with the embrace of our motherland- Africa.

The heart of African culture and identity has withstood the test of time. Passed down through various mediums including mathematics, architecture, music, dance, dynamic story telling, and art, its influence is prevalent throughout American society and the rest of the world. Yet, our contributions to society are hardly acknowledged, hidden in the depths of America's shadows.
In the struggle to preserve African culture, art forms such as capoeira, break dance, and acrobatics have emerged since our ancestors voyage through the Middle Passage. This evolution contributes to the existence of the African diaspora in the Americas.

In celebration of our African communities, Jarrel Phillips aims to shed light on the beauty of African culture and its resilience that is often overlooked and undermined in American society. His contribution to the exhibit focuses on capoeira, break dance, and acrobatics, as he documented his experience with the phenomenal, self-taught Zanzibar Stones Town Capoeira crew of youth in Tanzania via photography, documentary, and canvas paintings.
Through his personal experience and travels to Ethiopia and Tanzania, Phillips hopes to give his audience a taste of present-day Africa and blacks from a global perspective.

Jarrel Phillips is an African American, Fillmore native and founder of the Zanzibar Stones Town Capoeira project. Having had the opportunity to Africa over the twice in the past couple years, Phillips hopes to share his experiences with Black America. His most recent trip last summer to Ethiopia and Tanzania, where slaves had once been docked and loaded, and his work in Zanzibar with the ZSTC youth transformed his life again.

* Live Music by The Brotha's Duo

* Raffles

* Complementary Food & Drinks

*Black Ivy Book Drive

*Special Guest Performances

* Documentary Premiere of the Zanzibar Stone Town Capoeira Project

*Black Ivy Book Drive Info:

Books will be donated to the A.R.T. (Ambassador Youth Program)

The ART Ambassador Youth Program is a 12-week program that uses classes, workshops, and events to enhance the life skills and creative strengths of youth. Our vision is to see youth succeed by realizing the tools they have within by fostering a caring and creative environment that will help youth enhance their art, life, and literacy skills.

A.R.T.'s vision is to see youth succeed by realizing the tools they have within by fostering a caring and creative environment that will help youth enhance their art, life, and literacy skills.

Curator Africano Fotografia along with Jarrel Phillips hopes to inspire and empower the Black community and raise self-awareness. We must challenge ourselves to dig deeper into the essence of our cultural consciousness. The power lies within our collective voices.
For more information or questions, contact Africano Fotografia or Jarrel Phillips at [email protected]/[email protected]
http://www.africanofoto.com

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