LA COMMONS AND THE LEIMERT PARK ARTWALK present
The 10TH ANNUAL DAY OF THE ANCESTORS: FESTIVAL OF MASKS
A CELEBRATION OF BLACK JOY
AUGUST 30, 2020
A Virtual Tour Around the African Diaspora • Black Joy as Resistance
(LOS ANGELES, CA) – On Sunday, August 30, LA Commons marks the Tenth Annual Day of the Ancestors: Festival of Masks at the Leimert Park Artwalk in this time of the coronavirus pandemic with an exciting focus on tapping the wisdom of our forebears on the continent of Africa and across the diaspora to guide us in creating our future. In virtual space, an international contingent of artists from Los Angeles, Nigeria, South Africa, Brazil, Curacao and Zambia will come together with the people of Leimert Park and beyond to uncover the power of Black joy as resistance in free transmedia event:
A CELEBRATION OF BLACK JOY Sunday, August 30, 2020, 2PM-5PM PDT via Zoom and Facebook Live.
Traditionally, Day of the Ancestors: Festival of Masks is the artistic culmination of months of work to explore art and ideas and connect to the African diaspora through a procession and festival on the streets of Leimert Park Village. Led by artists with expertise in drumming, dance and mask making, workshops engage hundreds of people in making masks and costumes and learning the steps and music to participate in the day of festivities. It is an amazing spectacle and spiritually satisfying experience that puts individual and collective creativity on display, brings the community together across generations and uplifts the people of South LA and Los Angeles as a whole.
This year, we presented a series of transmedia experiences that through technology allowed artistic connections to be made not only in online workshops among local youth and community members, but across oceans to engage in conversation and joint work on a final presentation that speaks to this time. Upholding the values that have always been at the heart of Day of the Ancestors – engaging and supporting local artists and culture bearers and providing them with opportunities for exchange with artists from across the Diaspora; and, involving youth as apprentices in learning from these esteemed creators with a focus on the cultural traditions powering the work and recognizing these young people as visionaries in their own right, with skill in adapting to the current reality and setting the stage for the future. Check our website (www.lacommons.org) for more info.
CELEBRATING BLACK JOY Day of the Ancestors: Festival of Masks
August 30, 2020 at 2 pm (PDT)
This is the 10th year of Day of the Ancestors: Festival of Masks direct from Leimert Park, Los Angeles’ African American cultural hub! Join us in an incredible celebration of 10 years honoring ancestors and uplifting the amazing artists that define our neighborhood and an international contingent of creators from across the African diaspora.
A once in a lifetime experience, come learn about and witness people of African descent coming together to connect with ancient wisdom and to showcase the power of black joy. The program has never been more important as an unapologetic display of Blackness that spotlights the creativity of artists from Leimert Park and around the world in a virtual expression of hope, solidarity and insight.
Highlights from the program
WORLD PREMIERE – 8:46, Dance of the Queen Mothers by local elder and internationally renowned choreographer Nzingha Camara
Ritual for Healing performed by S.H.I.N.E. MUWASI
A Virtual Tour of Leimert Park black-owned businesses with We Love Leimert
featuring SIKA • RIDE ON • HOT AND COOL • HARUN • FERNANDO PULLUM
Celebratory Performance from across the Africa diaspora
Wezi (Zambia), Kuenta featuring Diamanta (Aruba/Curacao), Adunni & Nefretiti (Nigeria), Viviam Caroline – Banda Dia (Brazil), Jimetta Rose and the Voices of Creation (Leimert Park)
And featuring:
BLESSING • VIRTUAL PROCESSION • BABA IMODOYE • NAJITE AGINDOTAN • METABRAFOR AGINDOTAN • KEHINDE • SANKOFA YOUTH ARTISTS • LULA WASHINGTON DANCE • DEMBREBRAH • WE LOVE LEIMERT HOMIE TIME with Verbs and Kaya • RONIEKA PINKNEY • MARIA ELENA CRUZ • BARRON LIGHTNER • RENE FISHER MIMS at THE WORLD STAGE • VIVER BRASIL • LINAFORNIA • MELANESIA HUNTER • DON MATTERA (SOUTH AFRICA) • ZOSUKUMA KUNENE Honoring MASIZI KUNENE (SOUTH AFRICA) • KUTULA by AFRICANA • DJ ADE • BEN CALDWELL KAOS NETWORK • PASTOR KELVIN SAULS • NONI OLABISI • Co-hosted by TASHA HUNTER and BRUCE LEMON
ABOUT LA COMMONS
Twenty years of Celebrating the Community and Cultural Connections! LA Commons, a project of Community Partners, works in neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles facilitating issue-driven public art projects that inspire creativity in everyone. The resulting highly visible public art that reflects dynamic neighborhood stories. LA Commons builds community by validating the importance of local narratives, enhancing the sense of belonging felt by a broad range of stakeholders, and encouraging strong ties between the people of Los Angeles and the places they call home.
ABOUT LEIMERT PARK ARTWALK
Leimert Park Village has a long history of being the center of African American arts and culture. Held on the last Sunday of each month, Leimert Park Artwalk invites the public to share a day of art exhibitions, music, fashion, food, drumming, spoken word, and local shopping. Throughout the day, cultural spaces, artist studios, and storefronts in the village also have offerings ranging from free computer seminars and specialty vendors to film screenings, youth theater performances, and live bands.
To request interviews or for additional information, please visit www.lacommons.org