For this program, Creative Assembly Cohort member Jourdan Barnes will share a selection of photography from his Black People Be series, which aims to portray the vibrancy of Black existence. 

The evening will end with a panel discussion with thought leaders exploring how artists define and celebrate Blackness through their work. The program will include topics such as the concept of celebration in Black communities, the role of art in representation, and personal experiences of joy and resilience.

In the words of Barnes, “This program is an opportunity to reflect, appreciate, and engage in meaningful conversations about Black identity and culture.” 

Schedule

3–5 pm | Art Presentation with Jourdan Barnes and Mixer

5–6:30 pm | Panel Discussion

This program is free and open to the public.

About the Speakers

Shana M. griffin is a feminist activist, researcher, sociologist, abolitionist, artist, mother, and geographer whose work engages history and memory as sites of resistance, rupture, and protest. griffin’s work attends to the lived experiences of the Black diaspora, centering the particular experiences of Black women most vulnerable to the violence of poverty, incarceration, polluted environments, reproductive legislation, economic exploitation, housing discrimination, and climate change. 

griffin is the founder of PUNCTUATE, a feminist initiative integrating critical research methods with activism and art to address the intersecting forms of everyday violence and subjectivity Black women, their families, and communities experience; and the creator of DISPLACED, a multimedia feminist and public history project tracing the geographies of Black displacement, dislocation, and containment through racial slavery and the violent formation of New Orleans and the surrounding region as a carceral landscape and colonial enterprise. griffin has an adjunct position in sociology at the University of New Orleans.

Dr. David J. Wallace is a dedicated culture influencer and the creator of Dream House Lounge, a haven for mental and spiritual wellness nestled in the heart of New Orleans’s Central Business District. Dr. Wallace’s commitment to amplifying culture and fostering community drives his relentless pursuit of wellness advocacy.

As an initiated priest of the IFA tradition, specializing in Lucumi practice, Dr. Wallace serves as a conduit for intuitive healing and a channeler of the Orishas and ancestral wisdom. Additionally, he is the luminary behind Awakening Minds Consulting, where his passion for justice manifests in transformative endeavors reshaping dialogues on racial and social equity.

Dr. Wallace has a bachelor’s degree from Morehouse College, a Master’s in the Art of Teaching from Relay GSE, and an Educational Doctorate from St. Thomas University. Currently, Dr. Wallace is spearheading the development of an innovative EdTech platform called Teacharmony, bridging cultural heritage with educational institutions to enrich students’ learning experiences.

About Jourdan Barnes

Born and raised in New Orleans, Jourdan Barnes has always been influenced by art. Completing his education in art and psychology at Xavier University, Barnes is a freelance artist and also works with those affected by STIs and HIV through his work with the Louisiana Department of Health. Barnes creates art that highlights Black communities by amplifying their voices and truths. Barnes has exhibited works in well-respected museums throughout the country, including the Guggenheim Museum in New York. He has also been a part of art initiatives in New Orleans like Prospect New Orleans and White Linen Night. He mentors youth artists with YAYA, a program of which he is an alumnus. Barnes aspires to become a pediatric art therapist, where he would utilize his talents to serve his community and children who are in need of artistic expression for therapeutic purposes.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CREATIVE ASSEMBLY