Symposium explores healing remedies by black communities

Jean-Paul Weaver will be performing as part of a multi-session UIC symposium. Photo by Kitoko Chargois

The University of Illinois at Chicago’s African American Cultural Center’s multidisciplinary “Year of Remedies” program concludes with a multi-session symposium, “Possessing Remedies: Restorative Practices in Black Communities.”

WHEN:

April 6

11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Sessions 1-3

5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Keynote Performance “PastForward/In Black”

WHERE:

Sessions 1-3
UIC African American Cultural Center
Addams Hall Rooms 200 and 209
830 S. Halsted St.

Keynote Performance
Gallery 400 Lecture Room
400 S. Peoria St.

DETAILS:

The UIC African American Cultural Center is concluding its “Year of Remedies” that focused on inter-generational workshops to provide healthy, creative and empowering practices to creatively frame and sustain future generations. The symposium offers four sessions to continue healing practices to offer remedies to the pain of violence.

Session 1: “Invocations and/In the City” is an introduction to the discussion of spiritual and/or religious culture and open spaces for healing and restoration.

Session 2: “Collaborative Healing Practices” offers an opportunity for researcher-practitioners to discuss how communities draw from cultural practices to promote healing.

Session 3: “Religion and Remedies” examine how members of black and brown communities use biblical scriptures to heal.

Keynote Performance: “PastForward/In Black,” cosponsored by Gallery 400 in the UIC College of Architecture and Design, uses dance, spoken word and performance art as remedies.

Symposium presenters and performance groups include:

• Fehinty African Theatre Ensemble, Chicago
• Jean-Paul Weaver, Haitian-American dance artist
• Cynthia Blair, associate professor, UIC African American Studies & History
• Lori Baptista, director, UIC African-American Cultural Center
• UIC Student Organization Black Campus Ministry
• Johari Jabir, associate professor, UIC African American Studies
• Rohan D. Jeremiah, assistant professor, UIC Community Health Sciences
• Mario LaMothe, postdoctoral associate, UIC African-American Cultural Center
• Meida McNeal, arts & culture manager, Chicago Park District
• Honey Pot Performance, Chicago

The symposium and keynote performance are free and open to the public. More information about the symposium and other cultural center events is available at (312) 996-9549 or online.