Carter Gaskins/Lawrence Times
A local collective of Black artists is set to lead an interactive event with poetry and music, including an open mic, to celebrate Black storytelling.
BLACK (Black Literature & Arts Collective of Kansas) Lawrence is collaborating with the Lawrence Arts Center to host monthly open mics on several upcoming first Fridays.
Members of B.L.A.C.K. Lawrence and area Kansas Authors Club poets invite the community to celebrate National Poetry Month, Earth Day and more during an event Saturday called Verbal Transformations.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Black history is integral to Lawrence history, community leaders with the local NAACP branch, Lawrence NAACP Youth Council and B.L.A.C.K. Lawrence discussed during Tuesday’s city commission meeting.
Carter Gaskins/Lawrence Times
Alex Kimball Williams played her baritone ukulele Saturday morning as she sang the protesting lyrics of “Strange Fruit.” Her performance set the scene for a conversation urging the Lawrence community to acknowledge that strides toward racial equity are far from over.
B.L.A.C.K. Lawrence (Black Literature and Arts Collective of Kansas), the Indigenous Community Center and Sanctuary Alliance are collaborating to lead a Racial Unity Event, featuring a program with a free potluck meal.
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The Lawrence Public Library has a series of free activities and community service opportunities — including storytelling and crafts, lunch and a documentary screening, a poetry workshop and more — slated for Monday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Three Lawrence organizations are coming together to bring the community a screening of “Aftershock,” an award-winning documentary, followed by a panel discussion on issues of Black maternal health.
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B.L.A.C.K. (Black Literature & Arts Collective of Kansas) Lawrence this Saturday will host an anniversary show to celebrate five years of being a community collective of Black artists. The group aims to elevate and celebrate Black art, promote Black artists, and foster local education on Black issues.
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A KU student’s hip-hop anthology and art installation have inspired another creative outlet for makers. Pass Me the Mic is the third iteration of Naomi Madu’s ode to the birthplace of hip-hop and a reminder of the power in telling one’s own story.
