CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As a nod to its national prominence as the leading nonprofit advocating for the protection and human rights of the Black transgender community, the Marsha P. Johnson Institute (MPJI) will lead a panel discussion for the "The Color Is: Renaissance Weekend" event at the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center.
“The Color Is: Renaissance Weekend” is a two-day experience this weekend with a symposium and closing ceremonies to celebrate the Nick Cave/Jack Cave: The Color Is Fashion Exhibition.”
“The Color Is” is a celebration of learning, fellowship and community bonding, bridging a myriad of artists, thinkers, and students for a final engagement to explore the layers of Black culture, history, innovation, and overall artistry the exhibit evokes.
On Friday, Dec. 9, MPJI Founder and Executive Director Elle Moxley will be in conversation with Danny Dunson, director of curatorial services at DuSable Museum, for “The Power in Presentation” discussion about resistance in fashion. They will discuss personal style as an act of resistance and how self-identity, Black art and power, Black Lives Matter, hip-hop, and the integral part fashion plays in other pivotal Black movements.
“Artistic expression has been central to my life and identity,” Moxley said. "My experiences and identities have given me access to a multitude of understandings about how I see the world. This symposium is a celebration that we can be many things if we accept the invitation life gives us to tell our own stories. That is where liberation begins and I am proud that the Marsha P. Johnson Institute could play a role in this expression and our collective joy and resistance."
On Friday Dec. 9, to close out the symposium, Moxley will moderate a panel with Nick Cave, Jack Cave, and Michaela Angela Davis. They will discuss the power and intersection of art in all its mediums, including fashion, film, TV, production, and more.
”The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center is thrilled to have The Marsha P. Johnson Institute as a sponsor of The Color Is Renaissance Weekend," said Danny Dunson, Director of Curatorial Services and Community Partnerships at DuSable. "This event celebrating the multi-layered elements of Black culture is not complete without the voice of the Black transgender community that has been in the forefront of so many fashion moments and movements."
Moxley is a renowned Black liberation artist, model, storyteller, director, producer, community organizer, and speaker from Columbus, Ohio. Currently, she is the CEO of Forever Free Productions and the Director of the short film documentary “Black Beauty,” in addition to serving as leading MPJI. A freedom fighter advocating for Black Trans Lives and Black women’s stories, Moxley has led campaigns including “Raise The Debate,” #SayHerName National Day of Action, and the first-ever National Day of Action for BLACK Trans Women in 2015. As a thought leader, she has delivered Keynotes at The Movement for BLACK Lives inaugural convening, Harvard University, Columbia University, and the Schomburg Center for Research in BLACK Culture.
Davis is an award-winning producer, magazine editor, activist, and writer. Most recently, she collaborated with Oprah Winfrey and Tracee Ellis Ross as Executive Producers to create a six-episode docuseries called The Hair Tales. Moxley’s connection to her hair as an extension of her identity was also featured, along with stories from Issa Rae, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, CHIKA, Marsai Martin, and Chloe Bailey.
"The Color Is” exhibition has been curated for the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center by Dunson;. The exhibition has been developing since 2021 and was initially shown as a live performance at The Art Edge Gala produced and presented by the MCA and held at the historic Daniel Burnham-designed Roundhouse of the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center. "The Color Is" is a companion exhibition to "Nick Cave: Forothermore," a city-wide celebration of the Chicago-based artist.
MPJI seeks to eradicate systemic, community, and physical violence that silences our community from actualizing freedom, joy, and safety. In part, this mission is addressed through locating culturally competent resources for basic necessities like housing, food security, legal and financial support, health/wellness, employment, social support, and more. Learn more at marshap.org.
