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The following was submitted by the Network for Social Justice:
The Winchester community came together last week at the Griffin Museum of Photography for the inaugural Black History and Culture Celebration, an evening filled with music, student creativity, and powerful messages about equity, unity, and the enduring legacy of Black history.
Left, Prize winner WHS senior Dawson English and Kurt Heisler, representing the Rotary Club of Winchester, at the celebration. Right, Contest prize winner WHS sophomore Max Apostadero delivering his poem at the event. COURTESY PHOTOS/NETWORK FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE
Winchester High School senior Carson Sarpong, president of WHS’s Black Student Union, is the leader behind this new Black History Month initiative.
On Feb. 25, Carson reflected on the 100th anniversary of Black History Month and acknowledged it was this pivotal anniversary that sparked his idea for the student contest and celebration.
Black History Month has evolved from a week-long observance into a nationally recognized month celebrating Black contributions across all facets of society.
Last November, Carson reached out to Rebecca Slisz, executive director of the Network for Social Justice, and proposed a Black History Project with this rationale: “Both we in the Black Student Union and our peers have limited knowledge on the vast African cultures that span from the shores of Brazil to Japan, and even less knowledge about our own African American culture here in the United States. It seems imperative that something must be done to fill this gap.”
With National History Day as a model, the BSU students conceived and documented details of the Black History Project contest. They invited peers to submit projects that would ultimately be judged by WHS teachers.
At Wednesday’s event at the Griffin, attendees gathered in the main gallery to look at student art including photography and a contest submission of WHS junior Sarah Fromm, listen to WHS senior Dawson English speak about The Cleveland Summit, a transformative event of Black Athlete Activism, and hear WHS sophomore Max Apostadero deliver an unforgettable rendition of his poem The Count Keeps Adding.
Visitors could also read the essay submitted by WHS junior Emma Russo entitled Sampling as Cultural Preservation: The Influence of Black Music on Contemporary Artists.
The audience welcomed award-winning poet, educator, and equity leader jamele adams — also known by his artistic moniker Harlym 1Two5. adams is renowned for his ability to bring unity and healing in schools and communities following racial incidents using a framework he developed built on principles of Love Inclusion and Trust, or LIT. adams delivered a compelling keynote filled with passion and purpose.
Adams will return to Winchester on Thursday, March 12 for a workshop on Conversations, not Confrontations, from 6-8 p.m. at the Winchester Unitarian Society. The workshop is free, registrations are required here.
Emcee Zahara Pless kept Wednesday’s program on schedule, introducing each speaker and their role in the event. Amanda Lewis, president of Winchester A Better Chance, offered her remarks and welcomed guests into the spirit of learning and celebration.
Kurt Heisler, representing the Rotary Club of Winchester, awarded prizes to student contest winners. Awards ranged from $250 for first place to $50 for fourth place, acknowledging creativity and thoughtful engagement with Black history and culture.
Rebecca Slisz, representing the Network for Social Justice, spoke about Creative Learning Haven, an initiative of WHS 2018 graduate Lulu Tian to set up libraries and learning centers in refugee camps in Uganda. Slisz emphasized the importance of spaces that encourage artistic expression, multicultural learning, and student empowerment.
Throughout the evening, a talented band of Winchester High School students and alumni played music that resonated with the theme of the event.
Attendees were encouraged to mingle with one another, enjoy the music and the Griffin’s Manifest Destiny exhibition (hanging through March 15), chat with Winchester resident Vince Dixon and learn about his Short History of African American Culture, and appreciate the Black Student Union’s hard work and successful Black Culture Celebration.
