The John Hay Library will host its first celebration of Black Joy Day on Wednesday, February 15. The Hay invites the Brown community and members of the public to enjoy the full day of activities.
Schedule of events:
- 9 – 10 a.m. – Guided Meditation by Jasmine Johnson (Black Zen co-founder), one of the few Black meditation experts (Lownes Room, 2nd floor)
- 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. – Special Collections Display (Gildor Family Special Collections Reading Room, 1st floor)
- Soulfood bites (snacks and drinks) (Lobby, 1st floor)
- 12 – 1 p.m. – “Celebrating the Joy in Your Journey” presentation by Janelle Clarke-Holley, Strategic Coach (Lownes Room, 2nd floor)
- 1 – 1:15 p.m. – Performance by Becky Bass, Vocalist and Steel Drummer (Willis Reading Room, 1st floor)
- 1:15 – 3 p.m. – DJ D-Wun spinning (Willis Reading Room, 1st floor)
- Light refreshments
- 4 – 5 p.m. – Poetry and Entertainment: Amanda Shea, Rhode Island Black Storytellers, and others (Willis Reading Room, 1st floor)
- 5 – 6 p.m. – Clean Comedy Showcase: Dale Cover, Hay Are Adams, Tooky Kavanagh, Jamie Aird (Willis Reading Room, 1st floor)
- 7 – 8:15 p.m. – “The Rhythms of Black Joy” – Panel Discussion (Englander Studio, Granoff Center). Join artists and scholar-practitioners Enongo Lumumba-Kasongo, Becci Davis, Kiana Murphy, and Deirdre Braz for a conversation about how they engage the spirit of Black Joy in their creative and scholarly practices. This program has been organized by the Black Music Lab at the Brown Arts Institute. (Note: This event takes place at the Granoff Center for the Arts, 154 Angell Street, not the John Hay Library.)