Consistent with this year’s Black History Month theme, African Americans and the Arts, the Kempe Foundation and Kempe Center are excited to highlight some of the most impactful art by black artists and creatives talking about the future generation, childhood, and families.
“The Hill We Climb” – Amanda Gorman
“The Hill We Climb” is a spoken word poem written by American poet Amanda Gorman and recited by her at the inauguration of Joe Biden in Washington, D.C., on January 20, 2021.
“We will not march back to what was but move to what shall be, a country that is bruised but whole, benevolent but bold, fierce and free, we will not be turned around or interrupted by intimidation because we know our inaction and inertia will be the inheritance of the next generation, our blunders become their burden. But one thing is certain: if we merge mercy with might and might with right, then love becomes our legacy and change our children’s birthright.” – Amanda Gorman
Deborah Roberts
Deborah Roberts (American, b. 1962) is a mixed media artist whose work challenges the notion of ideal beauty.
“Wading through my work, you must look through multiple layers, double meanings and symbols. My process combines found and manipulated images with hand drawn and painted details to create hybrid figures. These figures often take the form of young girls and increasingly Black boys, whose well being and futures are equally threatened because of the double standard of boyhood and criminality that is projected on them at such a young age. The boys and girls who populate my work, while subject to societal pressures and projected images, are still unfixed in their identity. Each child has character and agency to find their own way amidst the complicated narratives of American, African American and art history.” – Deborah Roberts
See her work at deborahrobertsart.com
This Is How I Feel: A Playlist By Young Black Listeners
“Days after George Floyd was killed by police, my 25-year-old son woke up on the verge of tears. “It is difficult to find the right words to express the degree of anger, helplessness and pain I feel towards the constant state-sanctioned terrorism toward black people in America,” he wrote. In response, he curated a mix — “Fighting the Anger” — to help him work through his feelings and shared it for anyone who needed the energy.” – Suraya Mohamed
Listen to the playlist here: https://www.npr.org/2020/06/10/872241993/this-is-how-i-feel-a-playlist-by-young-black-listeners *please note that some of the music contains explicit language
“Brown Skin Girl” by Beyoncé
“It was so important to me in ‘Brown Skin Girl’ that we represented all different shades of brown,” Beyoncé said. “We wanted every character to be shot in a regal light… It was important that we are all in this together and we all are celebrating each other.” – Entertainment Tonight
Listen to “Brown Skin Girl” on any music streaming platform (Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube)
“Bright” by Kehlani
“On “Bright,” from her latest mixtape, You Should Be Here, Oakland singer Kehlani takes a similar approach with stunning results. A late-album soft blues-pop oasis, it’s a story about self-love featuring atypical protagonists: A curly-haired girl tells herself “I don’t look like them, I don’t look like her, and I don’t want what’s on my head,” and a young boy with thin arms grapples with ideas of masculinity. Kehlani sees people in 3D. She knows the finer points to these stories but doesn’t belabor the point: “You are what you choose to be, it’s not up to no one else.” What “Bright” does is magnify Kehlani’s songwriting prowess, similarly self-assured and empathetic as Frank Ocean or contemporary R&B great Dawn Richardson with the toughness of Ty Dolla or Jeremih.” – Complex
Listen to “Bright” on any music streaming platform (Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube)
Coming-of-Age Films Featuring Black Lives
“Feel good music, relatable storylines and unforgettable quotes are the makings of a classic. Chances are the indie comedy dope will become an instant coming-of-age classic, as well as seventh grade, essence’s pick for the black women in Hollywood short film contest. However, we can’t forget the originals. From “Cooley high” to “Crooklyn” and “Atl.” here are the coming-of-age movies we’ll never stop watching.” – Essence
See the full list here: https://www.essence.com/celebrity/13-black-coming-age-films-youll-watch-again-and-again/
