Donate
  • About
  • Rent College Pads
  • Advertise
  • Privacy
Search
News
Opinions
Sports
Classifieds
Comics
BMA
Events
Subscribe

Tuesday, February 7, 2023
Print Archive

Eastern Echo
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinions
  • Comics
  • Podcast
  • BMA
  • Events
  • Classifieds
  • Search
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinions
  • Comics
  • Podcast
  • BMA
  • Events
  • Classifieds
Search

Subscribe to the Echo

Donate to The Echo

You can support the Echo by donating through the EMU Foundation and selecting to apply your gift to a specific fund. Any of the funds listed below will provide support to the Echo.

01049 -- EMU Echo Editor Endowed Scholarship:  Provides financial support for the current EMU Echo Editor.

02414 -- Scott Stephenson Eastern Echo Scholarship:  This expendable scholarship is for the benefit of student(s) in the School of Communication, Media & Theater Arts in the College of Arts & Sciences.  It will be awarded to a full or part-time junior or senior EMU student majoring in journalism and working for the Eastern Echo.  The student should be working to self-finance their education and not be eligible for need-based grants.

00825 -- Student Media Development:  Provides support for the Student Media program.

Thank you for supporting the Echo and EMU Student Media.

Give Now


1/17/2023, 12:00am

Riverside Arts Center of Washtenaw County hosting art exhibit to celebrate local Black artists

The African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County has partnered with Ypsilanti's art center to showcase the artwork of local African American artists.

By Erin Flynn

Share

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Mail
  • Print
Riverside Arts Center of Washtenaw County hosting art exhibit to celebrate local Black artists

Artwork by Asha Jackson

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month, Ypsilanti’s Riverside Arts Center will host a month-long art exhibit featuring over 20 local African American artists.

The exhibition, sponsored by the African American Cultural and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County and Ronnie and Gloria Peterson, will take place from Friday, Jan. 20 through Tuesday, Feb. 28 with an opening reception from 6-8 p.m. on the first day.

At the initial event, guests will get the opportunity to meet the local artists whose art with be featured and experience their art. There will also be guest speakers and entertainment. 

“The public will witness storytelling done through the visual arts. Stories of joy, love, struggle, history, and self-expression,” Lynne Settles, one of the exhibit’s committee members, said. “Witness for yourself how artists bring their pieces to life through the use of texture, lines, shapes, and colors that harkens back to African roots.”

The exhibition’s theme is titled “Why We Can’t Wait” taken from the book of the same name by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. written in 1964 about the movement against racial segregation in the United States. 

“This exhibit is an example of the diversity of thought and ideas within the culture still dealing with issues of racism, segregation, black identity, and ongoing healing,” Settles said. “It is an outpouring of artistic expression that helps open our eyes to injustice and convey powerful new visions and possibilities.”

This is the first time the African American Culture and Historical Museum of Washtenaw County has collaborated with Black artists to present such an exhibit. The goal is to not only share this art with the public but also raise awareness for local Black artists. 

“Our hope is that this exhibit will encourage people to support black artists and learn something from a different perspective,” Settles said. “Many of the artists featured are female artists and it can be hard to be an artist statistically, but it's even harder for women.”

Asha Jordan, one of the exhibition’s artists, finds her artwork inspired by influential Black women. 

“I specifically picked out three pieces for the exhibition and they're mostly black women,” Jordan said. “Yes, I picked out those pieces for MLK Day. But what a lot of people don't understand is that there are a lot of powerful black women behind every great black man, you know? That's pretty much what I'm trying to express through my art. So I just want to make sure I display that at the exhibit.”

One of Jordan’s art pieces is inspired by singer-songwriter and activist Erykah Badu. She also credits Mahalia Jackson, the woman Dr. King says inspired his “I Have a Dream” speech.

As an artist, Jordan also does some activism of her own.

“Throughout the years, I’ve done marches as an activist holding my own paintings,” Jordan said. “I'm trying to do something even bigger as an activist within my artwork.”

Along with activism, Jordan knows that bringing awareness to a people and its community involves connecting with them.

“There's a lot of people who want to purchase artwork,” Jordan said. "They want to know where you can see and find artists. This is a chance for them to be able to connect with artists within their own community, especially Black artists.”

The public can see more of Jordan’s and other artist's work at the exhibition.

To attend, RSVP at 734-480-ARTS. This event is free to the public.

Share



Related Stories

YpsiGLOW

Annual YpsiGLOW celebration lights up Ypsilanti and showcases local artists

By Zaina Alrashed

Embrace the past with Black History Month!

Upcoming Ypsilanti events to celebrate Black History Month

By Breanna Harris

The Eastern Echo Podcast Logo Fall 2019

Podcast: January 18, 2022

By Tre Briscoe


The Eastern Echo welcomes thoughtful discussion on all of our stories, but please keep comments civil and on-topic. Read our full guidelines here.


Most Popular


2/2/2023, 12:36pm

Michigan's official groundhog predicts early spring in Groundhog Day celebration

By Marie White

Howell Nature Center hosts an annual Groundhog Day event to celebrate the holiday.


2/1/2023, 7:42pm

Makhail Wood: A Record-Breaking Talent


2/5/2023, 4:52pm

EMU football 2023 recruiting class rated first in the MAC by 247Sports


2/4/2023, 12:23pm

EMU men’s basketball defeats Ohio in back-to-back victory, 90-79


Podcast


11/10/2022, 11:35am

TheBlockE Podcast


11/8/2022, 11:35am

Student Interview: Pritish Kokate - The Eastern Echo Podcast Ep. 5


11/3/2022, 5:58pm

Special episode: EMU Journalism Professor Dr. You Li speaks with EMU alumni Nathan Bomey


10/27/2022, 6:03pm

Interview w/ Ronia Cabansag - The Eastern Echo Podcast Ep. 3


Tweets by TheEasternEcho
Eastern Michigan Echo To Homepage
  • About
  • Jobs
  • Freelance
  • Submissions
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Distribution

All Rights Reserved

© Copyright 2023 The Eastern Echo

Powered by Solutions by The State News.