2021 Digital Pittsburgh Humanities Competition introduced
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has announced the full range of programs for the sixth annual Pittsburgh Humanities Festival.
This year, the festival will take place online in a virtual format every Wednesday in April at 7 p.m. EST. The virtual festival, which is usually produced every spring in a lively, entertaining and accessible format in the heart of the cultural quarter, is intended to create meaningful online dialogue. These events connect us to conversation when we need them most. Each event is streamed on the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
While the festival may look different this year, the online format encourages participation from anywhere. The improved accessibility allows the featured speakers to expand their range and potential impact. Randal Miller, director of dance programming and special projects, handpicks the speakers, stating, “The Pittsburgh Humanities Festival is a project I look forward to every year. Each guest speaker is selected according to the festival’s mission to help Discover what it means to be human. We are proud to present four different speakers with diverse backgrounds and awards. “
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust works with community partners to ensure the vitality of accessible and engaging artist experiences for the communities in Pittsburgh. This year, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is partnering with Citizens Bank to create virtual content with wide reach and strong messages.
Daniel Fitzpatrick, President of the Citizens Mid-Atlantic Region, said, “It is extremely important to support programs that create positive connections and impacts in our communities, which is why we at Citizens are happy to support the Pittsburgh Humanities Festival because it provides Meaningful Dialogue and connection – exactly when we need it most. “
This accessible online version features free and fascinating live streaming interviews with artists, scholars, and intellectual innovators on a range of topics – a youthful take on gun violence prevention, baking cookies for social justice, restoring the National Negro Opera House by Homewood and Perceptions of Black Women in Popular Music History. It is wise to talk about things that are important.
2021 Pittsburgh Humanities Festival Special Events
The National Negro Opera House with Jonnet Solomon
Interview with Graham Fandrei
Wednesday, April 7, 2021 | 7 p.m. (est) | Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Facebook page and YouTube channel
Jonnet Solomon will share the rich history of the National Negro Opera House in Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood and the efforts she is making to restore it to its former glory. The house, which has housed eminent figures such as Lena Horne, Joe Louis, Roberto Clemente, Count Basie, Ahmad Jamal and Sarah Vaughan, was recently added to the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s annual list of the 11 Most Endangered Places.
Liner Notes for the Revolution: The Intellectual Life of Black Feminist Sound with Daphne A. Brooks
Interview with Terri Bell
Wednesday, April 14, 2021 | 7 p.m. (est) | Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Facebook page and YouTube channel
Daphne A. Brooks, Yale professor and award-winning critic of black feminist music, takes us on an epic journey through radical sound from Bessie Smith to Beyoncé as she talks about her new book Liner Notes for the Revolution: The Intellectual Life of Black Feminist Sounds speaks.
Cookie activism: Using sugar as a platform for social justice with Jasmine Cho
Interview with Sara Tang
Wednesday, April 21, 2021 | 7 p.m. (est) | Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Facebook page and YouTube channel
Jasmine Cho will talk about her job as a baker in Pittsburgh and how she uses the art of baking and decorating cookies as therapy and promoting Asian-American representation. She creates intricate, hand-drawn cookie portraits of Asian American characters to increase representation and raise awareness of Asia’s history and identity. Her work has been published internationally in a variety of media and she is currently developing a research-based baking therapy program that is rooted in the art therapy field.
Gun Violence Prevention: A Discussion With Young Community Leaders
Wednesday, April 28, 2021 | 7 p.m. (est) | Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Facebook page and YouTube channel
Not My Generation, founded by student Kathryn Fleisher after the Tree of Life synagogue massacre, prioritizes building coalitions and bringing diverse communities together to bring about meaningful, sustainable change. This panel consists of Fleisher and members of Not My Generation who will discuss how to overcome the community’s unique struggle against gun violence and how youth can achieve effective freedom of choice.
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