Join the Lewis Latimer House Museum for a fun and educational Juneteenth celebration!
All ages are welcome to join in this joyous celebration of freedom and African-American culture! Activities include:
A poetry and portraiture mini-workshop led by Quentin Felton will encourage participants to draw inspiration from Lewis Latimer’s life as a writer and poet through a creative writing activity, which will highlight lessons on art and literacy.
Artist Dario Mohr will hold a Sow the Seeds workshop where participants will write an ode to ancestors on seed paper sourced from South African-based company called Growing Paper. The seed cards from this workshop (containing African Daisies), will be planted during a public ceremony in April of 2023 at Old Stone House as a way to create new life from the continent of Africa, on the grounds of Old Stone House.
Artist Sophia Chizuco will lead participants in creating “Our Juneteenth Flag Installation” while teaching about our history.
Participants will also get a chance to practice self-care through learning Reiki from Reiki Master Teacher Erica Thomas Collier!
Audience:
All Ages
About the Artists:
Quentin Felton (they/them) is a Brooklyn-based writer, creative consultant, and teaching artist passionate about STEAM Enrichment and Digital Storytelling. A graduate of Brooklyn College, Quentin has continued to teach a variety of remote classes on the Digital Arts. Quentin has worked with PLAY PATTERN since June 2020 as both a Creative and Curriculum Development consultant. They have played an important role in constructing project-based lesson plans meant to promote student engagement and tech literacy. In addition, Quentin has taken part in administrative outreach efforts to bring on-going STEAM programming to community schools and organizations throughout the New York/New Jersey Areas. Above all, Quentin is dedicated to carving space for BIPOC and Queer perspectives within their own teaching ideologies, highlighting the importance of a truly equitable education.
Dario Mohr is a New York City based interdisciplinary artist who creates interactive sanctuary experiences. Born in 1988, Mohr received a BFA from Buffalo State College, and an MFA from The City College of New York. In addition to work created in painting, sculpture or made digitally, he often includes assembled objects to build immersive "sacred spaces". These often exist in unexpected places, using mundane objects. Because objects are endowed with the significance that the viewer blesses it with, his work can provide a lot of space for divergent perspectives and interpretations. The recycling of old work is also fundamental to Mohr's practice. Sometimes a previously used item provides the perfect juxtaposition to enhance or add depth to new explorations. In addition to his individual art practice, he is also the Founder and Director of AnkhLave Arts Alliance, Inc. which is a non-profit for the recognition and representation of BIPOC artists in contemporary art.
Sophia Chizuco is a multidisciplinary artist, born in Japan. She earned her B.A. in Art and Education from Tokyo Gakugei University and a certificate from the Art Students League of New York. She has been working with communities; “Hospital-Based Community Murals Project“ with NYC H+H, art and social practice with projectart, SU-CASA program at senior center, and the Immigrant Artist Program with NYFA. Currently she performs family workshops with NARS Foundation.
Erica Thomas Collier is a Reiki Master Teacher who was bestowed the gift of Reiki from her mother more than ten years ago. As a multi-generational community healer, her eight year old daughter has been Reiki Level 1 for over three years. Erica has conducted workshops/classes for babies, parents and everyone in between. Erica also worked on healing touch through Reiki at New York Presbyterian Hospital, Oncology Outpatient. She brought the Essence of Meditation with Pure Essential Oils encompassing healing through the senses. Erica is a also a Wellness Advocate and certified AromaTouch Practitioner. Through her company, Billy’s Light Inc., current clients are fellow entrepreneurs in the fields of health, wellness, social justice, advocacy, policy and the arts.