This report is part of WTOP’s coverage of Black History Month. Read more stories on WTOP.com.
The Anacostia Arts Center in Southeast D.C. is closing out Black History Month in style.
It’s hosting the special series #BlackOwned: Celebrating Black History in the Making.
It starts Thursday with the virtual panel “Running Your Race: Resilient Creatives in Action.”
“We invited a couple of really dope Black creatives,” Associate Creative Director Jess Randolph told WTOP. “We have Shedrick Pelt, a photojournalist; Jay Sun from Anacosita, a filmmaker who has a piece showing in Cannes; … Jay Coleman, an amazing muralist … then Lee Perine, founder of Black in Space, programs celebrating Black queerness.”
The series continues Friday with Regina Shaw Small’s “Popup Black History Museum.”
“She’s doing everything she can to bridge the issues of yesterday and tying them into today. Some of the artifacts our elders might recognize, but folks under 25 might not. … You’ll see artifacts from the 1910s and ’20s, you’ll see things from the ’50s and ’60s. This gives people an opportunity to see what has changed in Black culture and what hasn’t.”
Saturday brings the monthly “Open House” event featuring tunes by DJ Artis.
“We’ve been doing our Open House event since June or July of 2021,” Randolph said. “I wanted to figure out how to get people back into the Arts Center. We have tons of Black-owned stores and storefronts that need community support. … Since we started having the open mic, I’ve seen all types of creatives and actresses and musicians just come to jam.”
Sunday is the virtual panel “Black Women in Philanthropy: Women of Fire Fireside Chats.”
“Black women are thriving in so many arenas professionally, and the philanthropic world can be mysterious,” Randolph said. “I’m so excited to have the women that are going to be joining us. … What’s exciting for me is being able to partner with EWOC, Enterprising Women of Color, to put on this great fireside chat. It’s going to be a good time.”
Located on Good Hope Road, Anacostia Arts Center has serve the community since 2013.
“We are super-close to the new Capital One Cafe that just opened up on the corner; we’re also right next-door to the Open Crumb, an amazing Black-owned African restaurant,” Randolph said. “Anacostia Arts Center is a sister program of The Hive 2.0, one of Ward 8’s only coworking spaces. We have tons of small businesses running out of our space.”
Listen to our full conversation here.
