Live Webcast: Unleashing the Power of Art, Culture, and Media to Transform Black Communities

Please note that the RSVP list for in-person attendance of this event is now full. However the event will be webcast live on FORA.tv.

The Harlem Children’s Zone, American Values Institute, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and the Open Society Foundations Campaign for Black Male Achievement host a community town hall discussion to kick off Black Male: Re-Imagined—a national summit to address the negative perceptions and associations of black men and boys in American society.

The town hall conversation will feature an intergenerational group of artists who live at the intersection of culture and social change, who will explore questions such as:

• What role does art and culture play in advancing social justice? 
• Does the desire for social change drive what we see in culture or do cultural shifts bring about social change? 
• How does media impact the way we see each other and ourselves?
• What role can media influencers like Sean "Diddy" Combs and Kanye West play in transforming and challenging the misperceptions of black youth and our own self-image?

Our hope is that this rich dialogue will empower black youth to use art and culture to transform self-images and empower communities to create change.

Speakers

• Sean "Diddy" Combs, CEO, Bad Boy Entertainment
• John O'Neal,  Founder and Artistic Director, Junebug Productions
• Nick Cannon, Actor, Comedian, Musician, Writer and Producer
• Anna Deavere Smith, Playwright and  Founder, Anna Deavere Smith Works (invited)
• Janelle Monae, Artist (invited)
• Reverend "Run" Simmons, Artist (invited)
• Diggy Simmons, Artist (invited)
• Ann Beeson, Executive Director, U.S. Programs, Open Society Foundations (moderator)

Live Webcast

View the event live at FORA.tv.

Location

Harlem Children's Zone
35 East 125th St.
New York, NY 10035