Creatives Connect: The Art of Activism

Join US for a panel discussion that explores art and social justice in African American communities. Panelists will examine the implications of mass incarceration, voter suppression, and policies that adversely affect communities of color.  Panelists include: Jabari Jefferson, Artist; Greta Chapin-McGil, Artist; and Zaki Smith, Activist. #CREATIVESCONNECTBDM Greta Chapin-McGill Chapin McGill studied painting and art history at Howard University and The Corcoran School of Fine Art. She spent time living in Florence, Italy, the birthplace of renaissance art. The museums and churches throughout Tuscany became pivotal influences along with color and “absorbed DNA” of artists of the diaspora, such as Jacob Lawrence, Lois Mailou Jones, and Romere Bearden. Most recently Chapin McGill visited and sketched in the studio of Paul Cezzane in Aix-en-Provence, France. Her international influences have produced an artist finding color, music and sensuality in everything. JABARI C JEFFERSON  Jefferson is a mixed media trained artist born and raised in Washington DC. Expressing creativity since a young child, Jabari confirmed his pursuits in the arts after displaying his work in the Washington Kennedy Center at the age of eight. Jabari later went on to study at Lincoln University PA; but finished his undergrad degree at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago studying advance painting and film directing. Through SAIC, he traveled abroad completing his first residency in Umbria, Italy. Since then, Jabari has been focusing on developing his studio practice, as well exhibiting throughout the east coast. MICHAEL “ZAKI” SMITH Michael “Zaki” Smith is a policy entrepreneur at Next100 and an entrepreneur and activist with more than fifteen years of experience in youth empowerment and social justice. At Next100, Zaki’s work focuses on dismantling the collateral consequences of incarceration. As a formerly incarcerated person, Zaki has felt the full impact of collateral consequences. In 2017, Zaki lost his ability to work in a school he had worked in for five years all because of a past criminal record. In 2018, he co-founded Feast for Fair Chance, an organization with a mission to increase awareness around the 47,000+ policies that continue the silent life sentence of “perpetual punishment” for formerly incarcerated individuals after their terms are served. Feast for Fair Chance aims to change national legislation in the key areas that most impact an individual’s ability to reintegrate into society post-incarceration, including employment, housing, education, and voting.