2017 AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH CALENDAR AND CULTURAL GUIDE

PRESENTED BY THE CITY OF DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS CITY OF LOS ANGELES 2017 AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATION

CITY OF LOS ANGELES LOS ANGELES CITY CULTURAL AFFAIRS Eric Garcetti COUNCIL COMMISSION Mayor Herb J. Wesson, Jr. Eric Paquette Mike Feuer District 10 President Los Angeles City Attorney President Charmaine Jefferson Ron Galperin Gilbert Cedillo Vice President Los Angeles City Controller District 1 Jill Cohen Paul Krekorian Thien Ho District 2 Josefina Lopez Bob Blumenfield District 3 Elissa Scrafano David Ryu John Wirfs District 4 Paul Koretz District 5 CITY OF LOS ANGELES Nury Martinez DEPARTMENT OF District 6 CULTURAL AFFAIRS Vacant Danielle Brazell District 7 General Manager Marqueece Harris-Dawson District 8 Daniel Tarica Assistant General Manager Curren D. Price, Jr. District 9 Will Caperton y Montoya Director of Marketing and Mike Bonin Development District 11 Mitchell Englander District 12 CALENDAR PRODUCTION Mitch O’Farrell District 13 Will Caperton y Montoya Jose Huizar Editor and Art Director District 14 Marcia Harris PMAC Joe Buscaino District 15 CALENDAR DESIGN VIEW ONLINE AT: Terese Harris CULTURELA.ORG PMAC

Front Cover: Marcellous Lovelace, Intelligent Black Child, Acrylic, paper, paint, ink, and enamel on paper, 12” x 12”, 2014

2 CITY OF LOS ANGELES 2017 AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

ERIC GARCETTI MAYOR CITY OF LOS ANGELES

Dear Friends,

It is my sincere pleasure to lead our city in celebrating African American Heritage Month. The contributions of our African American residents in the arts, academia, business, government, and the nonprofit sectors are immense and well worth recognizing year-round.

Throughout our great city, we welcome the celebration of African American Heritage Month, and I encourage you to experience L.A.’s rich African American culture by participating in its traditions and customs.

I hope you will use this Calendar and Cultural Guide created by our Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) to learn about the many activities happening all over L.A. in celebration of African American Heritage Month. Please join us in this celebration and enjoy all our neighborhood arts and cultural centers have to offer.

I also encourage you to enjoy the work of Los Angeles’ emerging and established African American artists showcased by DCA throughout this publication. These artists keep heritage alive and vibrant in innovative and contemporary ways, providing us with visual treasurers to admire.

Sincerely,

ERIC GARCETTI Mayor City of Los Angeles

1 Talita Long, Angel, Oil on paper, 17” x 20”, 2015 CITY OF LOS ANGELES 2017 AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

HERB J. WESSON, JR. PRESIDENT

Dear Friends, On behalf of the Los Angeles City Council, it is my privilege to invite you to celebrate African American Heritage Month in our great City! People from around the world have made Los Angeles their home, and each culture contributes to the rich diversity that makes it among the foremost cities in the world. This month we continue to honor the achievements of our City’s , and acknowledge their contributions to this great culture. With this calendar, our Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) highlights the work of our artists who keep our shared African American traditions alive and thriving in our communities. DCA offers a wide array of arts and cultural events for your enjoyment. Please refer to this calendar to find the numerous festivals, musical events, theatrical performances, films, poetry readings, and cultural activities in your neighborhood. I encourage you to take part in the special events listed throughout these pages, and welcome you into our Neighborhood Arts and Cultural Centers to celebrate African Americ