EVENTS

Saturday, February 22, 2025
6 – 7:30 pm

Join us this Black History Month at the Heckscher Museum for a transformative, intergenerational roundtable discussion. This event celebrates diverse voices and artistic perspectives, weaving together historical and contemporary narratives. Inspired by the museum’s featured exhibitions, Embracing the Parallax: Berenice Abbott and Elizabeth McCausland and Robert Graham Carter: The Art of Reflection, the roundtable invites artists and community members to explore themes of societal transformation and the lived experience of systemic ideologies.

Engage in a thought-provoking dialogue that unpacks how artists capture social, economic, and political catalysts for change while reflecting on their roles as narrators of personal and collective experiences. Together, we will honor the legacies of resilience, creativity, and activism that shape the ongoing journey toward equity and inclusion. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a conversation that bridges generations and inspires action.

Participants:

Kailee Finn – New York native, Kailee (Ky-lee) Finn, is a multidisciplinary artist and illustrator who has a passion for merging her artwork with her interpersonal awareness. While primarily centering her work around the Black experience, she uses social commentary and spiritual motifs to navigate through her pain and consciousness . Her passion for spoken word poetry aided her process of conceptualizing black issues since she believes there is a strong parallel between using metaphors in poetry and symbolism in art. Kailee specializes in chalk pastel portraiture and finds a deep importance in bringing the spirits of her subjects to life.

Herold Alexis – The paintings of Haitian American artist Herold P. Alexis are inspired by his 20 years of work as an NYPD officer, exploring the perceptions that people have of law enforcement and policing in America. Alexis attempts to show what police officers see, think about and fear, and what the public doesn’t always know. In his career as a Black officer working in primarily Black and Latino communities, his work seeks to convey the message that art, like his life and work, is complicated and layered with complexities. Originally from Brooklyn, Alexis now lives with his family on Long Island. He studied communication at Ithaca college and is committed to continuing to tell stories – his own, and those of his fellow officers – through his art. He has one hope for his audience and that is: to approach his work with an open mind.

Maïa Gomis – Maïa Gomis is a young, Queer, Black artist that celebrates her intersectionalities through her art. Hailing from a Haitian and Senegalés household, she has been inspired to express her experiences using bright colors, movement, and many different textures and patterns. Maïa is an activist for human rights and hopes to change the world someday. Her art is a reflection of her journey and is the legacy she wishes to leave behind!

Prof. Bill Jennings, Hofstra University – Bill Jennings is a writer, producer, and director of narrative, experimental, and documentary films, including the acclaimed Harlem Aria, the experimental feature Spell, and the award-winning documentary Brooklyn Roses. He directed the renowned Documenting Diversity Program, producing over 100 student-directed documentary shorts. A tenured professor and Chair of the Department of Radio, Television, Film at Hofstra University, he also serves on the Board of Directors of the Maysles Documentary Center in Harlem. Bill leads Youth Film Day, co-sponsored by Hofstra University and the Gold Coast Film Festival, which draws more than 200 high school students from the NY metropolitan area each year. Additionally, Bill has worked as an Assistant Director on over 50 major studio films and TV series, including Saturday Night Live, Beverly Hills Cop III, New York Undercover, and New Jack City.

Moderator: Dr. Georgette Grier-Key, Executive Director & Chief Curator of Eastville Community Historical Society, the Board President of Museum Association of New York and a board trustee of the Preservation League of New York State. Additionally, Dr. Grier-Key dedicates herself to her community by leading and serving on local and regional boards such as the NAACP Brookhaven Town Branch where she is the President. Dr. Grier- Key is an adjunct assistant professor at CUNY Medgar Evers College and the director of the Long Island History Institute at SUNY Nassau Community College A historian, preservationist, and curator, Dr. Grier-Key uses her skills and experience as an organizer and activist to further the agenda of inclusion in traditional frameworks that have practiced institutional and structural exclusion. She is a not-for-profit management specialist and practitioner with more than 20 years of experience in both business and non-profit organizations. IG – @eastvillechs 

Free Event

Registration recommended

ASL interpretation will be available at this event. If guests need additional accommodations, please contact us at info@heckscher.org