Eva Jefferson Day 2018

Date: January 15, 2018

Role: Event Coordinator

Event History and Context: “Every year on MLK Day, Northwestern welcomes children and youth from Family Focus in Evanston for a program of learning about the civil rights movement, exploring themes of justice and allyship, and building relationships. The day is named to honor the first Black president of the NU student body, Eva Jefferson Paterson.” - Northwestern University Website

Infusing Art into Eva Jefferson Day: In 2018, I had the honor of coordinating Eva Jefferson Day as the Vice President of Accessibility and Inclusion of the Undergraduate Student Government. After speaking with JoAnn from Family Focus to learn what the kids enjoyed in previous years, I curated a day of programming grounded in art and expression. From a hip hop dance to improv, the day’s activities touched on a variety of creative outlets. This program was foundational in the development of my approach to imagining alternative Black futures through joy conjuring as both an artist and educator.