The Black Perspective: April 16, 2026

This week on The Black Perspective, Misty Jordan chats with industry veteran Aiyisha T. Obafemi, whose work has connected her to legends like X-Clan, Tupac Shakur, and Ludacris. Aiyisha reflects on her most meaningful accomplishments and what she’s building next.
 
Amber Payton speaks with Leatrice Ellzy, Executive Director of the National Black Arts Festival, about the festival’s enduring legacy and its upcoming celebration of artistic greatness taking place on Wednesday, April 29, at the Atlanta History Center. 
 
Alexandria Ikomoni interviews the host of a new PBS series highlighting pivotal moments in Black history throughout the Deep South.
 
And Esther Dillard sits down with Yolanda Renee King, granddaughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as she shares her hopes for college and her concerns about the future ahead.
 
Listen Now!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's April twenty sixth, the last Sunday of the month,
and on Today's show, with it being April and International
Black History Month and celebrating the accomplishments of Black women,
mister Jordan talks to Aisha t Oba Fami, an industry
vet with ties to x Clan Tupac and Ludacris. She
will share her biggest accomplishment to date and what she's
working on now. The Black Information Networks Amber Paydon talks

(00:22):
to Leatrice Elsie, executive director of the National Black Arts Festival,
to talk about the legacy of the festival and the
event that honors greats in the arts. Wednesday, April twenty ninth,
at the Atlanta History Center, Alexandria Ekimoni talks with the
host of a new PBS series focused on historic Black
history moments in the Deep South. This week, Bin anchor
Esther Dillard talks to the granddaughter of Martin Luther King, Junior,

(00:45):
Yolanda Renee King. She shares some of what she looks
forward to headed to college and her concerns about the
future ahead. We replay news anchor Terry McCready's conversation with
Nicole Johnson during this Autism Acceptance Month about the successes
and challenges of black people living on the spectrum, and
we get commentary from Rolandez Martin and James T. Harris.

(01:07):
These stories are coming your way. On today's program, Welcome
to the Black Perspective. I'm your host, Mike Island.

Speaker 2 (01:13):
Welcome to the Black Perspective, a weekly community affairs program
on the Black Information Network featuring interviews and discussions on
issues important to the Black community.

Speaker 1 (01:22):
Good Sunday and Welcome to the Black Perspective. April is
International Black History Month. All month we have celebrated the
accomplishments of black women making history in their own way. Today,
news anchor Mister Jordan will sit down with Aisha t
Oba Faming, an industry event with ties to x Clan,
Tupac and Ludacris. Sure share her biggest accomplishment to date

(01:42):
and what she's working on now.

Speaker 3 (01:43):
It is Women's Black History Month and the Black Information
Network has spent some time highlighting Black women in the
business and lots of businesses. And today I'm honored to
have Ayisha t Oba FAMEI with us today.

Speaker 4 (01:56):
How are you welcome to the Black Information.

Speaker 2 (01:58):
Network, y, thank you for having me.

Speaker 3 (02:00):
So you are CEO and founder of the Blue Nile Group.
You have done a lot of things. Your accomplishments are along.
You've been in the industry several different places like disturbing
the peace with music a connector, and I.

Speaker 2 (02:14):
Actually started out with X Clan and music in nineteen
ninety What.

Speaker 4 (02:18):
I did not know that? Yes, tell me how that
came about.

Speaker 5 (02:22):
Well, I am a child of revolutionaries, black nationalists, So
I grew up in you know, in that realm and
in that sphere. Sonny Carson, who was one of my
parents' comrades, his son was Professor X founder of X Clan.
So when I left and I was here in Atlanta

(02:45):
and went back home to New York, which is where
my roots are. My parents were born in New York,
I connected with Sonny and the family and immediately got
immersed into all things explan and I became an executive
for Black Watch and for all of the artists who
were signed to the label, and that's when they were

(03:07):
at PolyGram.

Speaker 2 (03:08):
Wow.

Speaker 3 (03:09):
Do you feel a sense of responsibility because you have
so many actually family members and because your family history
is what it is, do you feel a sense of
responsibility to kind of carry the torch and continue your
name and lineage this way.

Speaker 5 (03:23):
I do feel a sense of responsibility, but in the
way that I do it my way. And my parents
always said that, you know, they paid at the door.
My parents, my aunts and uncles. They always say, if
anybody ask you, you tell them your family paid at the door,
and they did. You know, we all, you know, my cousins,
my siblings, we all went years, sometimes at the same

(03:43):
times and sometimes at different points where we didn't live
with our parents because either they were underground. They may
have been incarcerated for different things. You know, my mother was.

Speaker 2 (03:55):
For years.

Speaker 5 (03:56):
She was a victim of cointelpro and because she refuse
to give handwriting samples, information about her comrades and different things,
she was jailed. And then for a time she was underground,
and that was after the Brinks incident in nineteen eighty one.
So yes, I do feel a sense of responsibility in
that I've never shied away from sharing who I am

(04:21):
and where I come from and people, you know, you
can take it or leave it, you love it or
hate it, but it is what it is.

Speaker 2 (04:29):
I'm proud of who I am.

Speaker 4 (04:30):
Absolutely.

Speaker 3 (04:31):
So you are also the mother of twins. Yes, twin
young ladies.

Speaker 2 (04:35):
I'd enjoy. Yes.

Speaker 3 (04:37):
So you feel like you've kind of carried this torch
on with you. What have you passed down or what
do you believe you've passed down to your daughters.

Speaker 2 (04:43):
Wow.

Speaker 5 (04:45):
One of the main things that I tell them all
the time is that nobody can be you with you,
So I don't want them. I've always tell them I
don't want them to feel like they have to live
up to someone else's standards or do something because this
person is doing it.

Speaker 2 (04:59):
Yeah, you know, your own path. Just build your own path.

Speaker 5 (05:03):
If you don't feel like there's a path forward for you,
come talk to me and let's talk about it, and
let's see how we can, you know, get you to
the point where you need to be. But they are
very proud of who they are. They're still learning about
their grandparents' history, different things, because one thing that I
think happens when you go through something, you sometimes suppress

(05:27):
a lot of it when sharing or not sharing, you know.
And I think it was kind of like a protection
thing for us, protecting our children in certain ways from
certain things. So they're starting to ask more questions, which
is good, And I tell them all the time.

Speaker 2 (05:43):
I tell my.

Speaker 5 (05:43):
Nieces and nephews, y'all need to ask us questions, you know,
talk to us, write it down, record it, you know,
because there's a lot of things that you know, I
have up here that may not be on paper that
I need to share so that it goes somewhere. Because
my parents are gone now and my aunts and uncles
so them are gone.

Speaker 1 (06:02):
Thank you.

Speaker 3 (06:03):
It's a you know, it's it's interesting, interesting to navigate.

Speaker 2 (06:07):
It is interesting.

Speaker 5 (06:08):
Interesting, it is the time, you know, like that's the
you know, natural progression of things. Absolutely, yeah, you never
get prepared for it, you do kind of, but yeah,
here we Yeah.

Speaker 3 (06:18):
So what do you think that your daughters. We are
in Black Women's History Month and you have navigated a
space that's been predominantly male dominated for in music specifically,
and I'm sure many other fields as well. So what
do you think your daughters have learned by watching you?
Not something you've told them, but what do you think
that they may have picked up subtly and said, oh,
we need to move like this because we got this

(06:39):
from our mother.

Speaker 5 (06:40):
I'm not intimidated by anybody. I don't care who it is,
I don't care what their title is I'm here to
do what I'm here to do, and I don't let
anybody stop me from doing that. So being truthful, the
only thing you owe anyone is the truth. And so
whatever that truth is, you have to walk in it

(07:01):
and and just be that. Don't let anybody sway you
from what you're You know, if you have a certain position,
your people say, oh, well maybe if you thought about
it this way, you know, you could you know, trying
to sway you over to their opinion. No, we can
agree to disagree. Yeah, and you can respect. You might
not like what I have to say, but you're going
to respect it, and you're going to respect me. So
I think that when they see me and they know

(07:24):
who I am, like they know like their mother, don't
play so and that's you know who I am, and
that's who I've always been.

Speaker 2 (07:30):
And if you ask anybody in this business, there's no
dirt on my name.

Speaker 3 (07:34):
I love that because to stand on it and to
still be able to do absolutely.

Speaker 4 (07:38):
Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (07:39):
So you've authored a book and it's titled A Light
on the Hill. Yes, talk to me more about this
book and who it's about. Talk to me more.

Speaker 2 (07:48):
About the book.

Speaker 5 (07:49):
So, This book is, you know, because it is my
first work as an author, very very special to me
for many reasons. This book is comeing essays and anecdotes
honoring the life, legacy, and cultural impact of tupakamorow Shakur,
who is my cousin. And when he first died, I

(08:12):
was very quiet. You know, it was a lot I
wanted to say, you know, and I didn't, and I
just felt like, you know, I just held held onto it.
So probably just emotions and just you know, wishing he
was still here and he is still here, but you know,
the physical just wishing that he was still here, but

(08:33):
then also knowing that he wasn't meant to be here
for more than a time that he was, you know,
understanding what the creator's plan is. You know, the creator
has a master plan. And I couldn't really talk about it.

(08:54):
So when it was coming up on the twenty fifth
anniversary of his passing, in his fifty birthday, I was like,
what can I do to honor this because it's such
a momentous occasion. You know, like people still love him,
which is amazing, you know, like they just it's so
funny because you never know the true impact of a

(09:15):
person until they're gone, I feel like and just to
see the love that he gets is just amazing to
that's the gift to the family. Yes, it is the
gift of the family and especially to his sister. My
cousin said, because you know that's a big brother.

Speaker 3 (09:29):
Okay, So Paul, so you say cousins. So it's just
like play cousins. Tell me the tell me how cousins.

Speaker 2 (09:35):
Okay. So I will say this.

Speaker 5 (09:39):
Growing up as a child of black panthers, so our parents,
our grandfather, Saladin Shakur, who walked with Malcolm.

Speaker 2 (09:50):
He was a father figure to.

Speaker 5 (09:55):
Several young adults, including my parents, including Asada, including Matulu,
including Seku. And he had two biological sons, Lamumba and
zay Zay Malik Chicour was on the turnpike with Asada.
Lamumba Chakour was a panther twenty one. And he took

(10:23):
these young people and he taught them the importance of
being proud of who we are.

Speaker 2 (10:31):
And he built a family community. Yes, and that family
became the Shakur family. Oh wow, And so.

Speaker 5 (10:38):
That's a Shakur legacy. So I know a lot of
people only know certain Chakurs. Yes, but you know this,
it's bigger story than that. So it's bigger than a
fam in Tupac. And that's in this book also because
I actually write about it, and my Baba Balau talks
about it too and what it meant to be under

(10:59):
you know, and that that lineage core line. So we
were raised as family. That so, yes, that is my
cousin and even his blood cousins.

Speaker 2 (11:13):
I'm their cousins, you know, we are, so we grew
up together.

Speaker 5 (11:17):
There's no yeah, delineation of it. Yeah, like we're all family. Yes,
tell me about the book.

Speaker 2 (11:26):
So this book.

Speaker 5 (11:28):
Interestingly enough, when I thought about writing a book, I said,
you know what, I don't want it to just be.

Speaker 2 (11:33):
Me because I felt like it could be more. Yeah,
And so.

Speaker 5 (11:37):
I asked friends who are family to me to contribute.
And some of those people there's a few people in
here that didn't know Pac but who were influenced by
him younger, like a mac.

Speaker 2 (11:49):
Wilde, Childish Major and other artist. And then there.

Speaker 5 (11:53):
Are several people in here, of course, who you know,
had relationships with him and you know, talked to him
and knew him. My good friend Sway Calloway did the
forward for me, and my cousin set Chikor did the afterword.

Speaker 2 (12:06):
And so there are.

Speaker 5 (12:09):
Contributions from Angie Martinez, d Nice Bunbee, Omari Hardwick, David Banner, Jackazulu,
Ralph McDaniels.

Speaker 3 (12:18):
So is it kind of like a history book around Tupac?
Would you call it that ish.

Speaker 5 (12:24):
Ish because they're sharing like stories and what he meant
to them and how they saw him and how they
feel the world saw.

Speaker 3 (12:32):
Him, an inner look that maybe people may not have known. Yes,
I feel like we all feel like we know maybe
the same.

Speaker 5 (12:38):
Facts because there have been other books that have been
out that people have talked, but this is this is Yes,
I feel like this is more intimate and it gives
you another perspective, you know, and who he was and
a light on the hill, because.

Speaker 3 (12:55):
He definitely was a light set on a hill. Speaking
of was this book emotional for you to write?

Speaker 2 (13:04):
Not as much as I thought it would be.

Speaker 4 (13:06):
I'm surprised to hear you say that it.

Speaker 5 (13:07):
Brings me more joy to do Really, then, I mean
I knew that I that it would be joyful to
do it, yes, just the thought of even doing it,
But it wasn't as emotional as I thought.

Speaker 2 (13:17):
I thought, oh, I'm going to be crying days and days.

Speaker 5 (13:20):
But it was beautiful, like most of the interviews I
did on Zoom and you know, talking to everybody and
face to face me and Bumbee, you know, and just
talking and him talking to me about how Pimpsey was
the one who really you know, turned him onto pot
like that, and he said because Pimpsy loved him, you know.

Speaker 2 (13:39):
I was like yeah.

Speaker 5 (13:40):
And then me and on Mario Hardwick, we're on the
phone for I don't know how long. I was like,
don't you have something to do? And we're just just
talking and just so you got.

Speaker 3 (13:49):
A chance to actually know Tupac from another lens, because
we're actually learning about him through friends and you knew
him obviously his family. Yeah, but it actually may have
been another gift to you. Yes, that's wonderful.

Speaker 5 (14:02):
And I felt it and it and it you know,
I think everybody can feel it, you know, through this book.

Speaker 4 (14:09):
And it's available. Where can we get the book?

Speaker 5 (14:10):
You can get it wherever books are sold and online,
so Amazon, and the proceeds benefit the Tupaca maroshal Court Foundation.

Speaker 4 (14:20):
I love that. Tell me what you're working on now?

Speaker 2 (14:22):
Oh, so many things clients.

Speaker 5 (14:25):
Uh So, one of my clients to hear a Joy
who's the founder of the Cut Life. She just put
out this podcast called close Cuts. So in this visual
where she's interviewing different people in the hair world, like
big names and uh Shamiah, Derek, j Ms, Lawrence, Gail

(14:48):
Hudson and just talking about their head journeys and different
things like that. So like Shamia, her episode aired a
few weeks ago, right after this season of The Housewives
kicked off. That's awesome, So talked about, you know, her
hair journey and her different things like that. And then
you know, Miss Lawrence talked about his journey and hair.
Miss Gail Hudson, who goes way back to Mary and

(15:10):
you know, back back. You know, she's a pioneer in
this thing, and she talked about what it took to
get her to where she is. So that we've been
focused on that. And then with the Whitley Agency that
I'm a partner at, we have several clients, so we're
working on Pinky Coal is one of them. Nice she's
the newest housewife. So yeah, we're just pushing and putting

(15:34):
in the work and getting out here and doing the
best representation that we can.

Speaker 4 (15:39):
So tell me about the agency. What do you do
at the agency?

Speaker 5 (15:41):
So I am the CXO, which is the chief Experiential Officer,
And I said, that's a good way for y'all to
say I'm old right now, nor experience, seasons and experience. Yes,
we will take that and listen. I am proud, yes,
proud to be almost fifty nine. You look amazing and
you are youthful. Oh I am very much so, yes, Okay,

(16:02):
talk about the agency. So the agency we represent clients
with small to mid size even large scale businesses summer independent,
some you know, are on a larger scale, and we
do all kinds of things brand management, scaling, experiential activations,
we do pr we do, yeah, a lot of different

(16:25):
things we do.

Speaker 2 (16:27):
We did.

Speaker 5 (16:29):
Alan Iverson's book signing, We did Pinky's book signing for
the last two books that she had, and several others.

Speaker 2 (16:38):
So we have some politicians as clients.

Speaker 4 (16:40):
Congratulate a lot of things.

Speaker 3 (16:42):
Yeah, and talking about the ted X this is a
wonderful oh wow.

Speaker 5 (16:45):
Yeah, that TEDx talk that was in twenty twenty one.
It was TEDEX Call Your Heights and it was titled
very very black, so it fits right in line. It
was a great experience doing it. I really loved doing it.
I like to share and talk to people and give
them the benefit of my perspective and how I was

(17:09):
raising who I am because I feel like having all
of those different dynamics, Yeah, definitely made me who I am,
but it also brings a different perspective into how I
look at things and how I carry out whatever it
is that I'm doing.

Speaker 3 (17:23):
You have a lot of experience in a lot of
different areas work wise, life wise, a lot of history
that you're making, and a part of what are you
most proud of so far?

Speaker 4 (17:33):
As Ayisha, Oh.

Speaker 5 (17:34):
Wow, that I'm still able to do all of these
things and that I have so much experience. Everything that
I've done has been special to me. Everything that I
will do.

Speaker 2 (17:50):
And I'm looking forward to doing will be special to me.
I feel like.

Speaker 5 (17:57):
There's nothing that I would say, oh I wish I
had done this differently, or or if this could be done,
Like there was a reason for everything that I did
and every experience, every person that I came in contact with.
I think what I would say is I'm glad I
did it all because you know, sometimes you can scare

(18:17):
yourself absolutely and stop yourself from doing something. But I'm
excited to know that I have all this. Sometimes I
don't even remember all the things done. You are laughing, Misty,
I'm so serious.

Speaker 4 (18:30):
You got to keep your time.

Speaker 5 (18:32):
I don't remember when people ask me, oh, tell me
about yourself. I am so not that person. I don't
like talking about myself. But then I looked at it and
I'm like, oh wow.

Speaker 3 (18:41):
Or someone else will remind you, And so your book
all the Light on the Hill would be people telling you, well,
let me tell you this story about it.

Speaker 4 (18:47):
Yet, let me tell you this story about.

Speaker 5 (18:49):
Or the fact that lou To Day Weekend, which is
an Atlanta staple for almost fifteen years. Our last year,
which was going to be fifteen and twenty twenty, COVID stopped.
Hmmm that I executive for do that for all all
of those years.

Speaker 2 (19:02):
I love it.

Speaker 3 (19:02):
You know that was a black woman behind work, a
black woman behind a lot of work, and something that's
the city. I mean, people outside the city really look
forward to you a stable every year.

Speaker 2 (19:14):
People still say when we're doing the final what were doing,
I'm like, hey.

Speaker 4 (19:18):
Y'all, I do have another question, when are we doing it?

Speaker 2 (19:22):
Ludle Chris, You hear that because they ask it, when
are we doing that? So, yeah, when are we doing it?

Speaker 4 (19:27):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (19:27):
That I've executive produced a few things.

Speaker 5 (19:30):
We did atl Rise years ago that aired on VH one.
My executive produced Rise home Coming twenty twenty for the
third Marshall College Fund under a Bannonvision David Banners company.
He brought me on as.

Speaker 2 (19:49):
An EP for that and we actually helped.

Speaker 5 (19:52):
Them raise over two point five million dollars Wow with
a virtual fundraiser because you know they usually do it
in person a gala, So we did a whole event
that actually we were able to air on Aspire.

Speaker 2 (20:02):
It was on YouTube.

Speaker 4 (20:04):
It was great and raised millions.

Speaker 5 (20:06):
Yes, and I traveled in covid during that time to
Wow here, DC, North Carolina twice in La Okay.

Speaker 4 (20:16):
So what's next? What is next for you?

Speaker 5 (20:18):
Well, I'm still not done because I also am a
co host of a podcast that I do with two
of my younger sisters. I'm the eldest daughter of a
lot of children because we don't have in step in
my family, so I have a lot of siblings, but
I'm the oldest girl. Okay, so two of my younger sisters.
We do a podcast called Daughters of the Whirlwind Seeds

(20:40):
of Revolution seed Z, and that's based on who we are,
where we come from. We are the Seeds of Revolution
and we're daughters of the Whirlwind because the whirlwind is
a place where you can find these people who you
may not see, but they're always there in the whirlwind.
And on this podcast, which we are getting ready to
start our fifth season, I can't even believe that, and

(21:02):
we can be found on all the platforms.

Speaker 2 (21:06):
We talk about how we were raised.

Speaker 5 (21:08):
We do interviews with you know, a lot of people
who were raised like us, and then people who you know,
just understand who we are and who we want to
amplify what they're doing.

Speaker 2 (21:21):
So that's what we do.

Speaker 5 (21:22):
It started out as us talking about how we grew
up and.

Speaker 2 (21:27):
Joking, and we're like, we need to just we need to, you.

Speaker 5 (21:30):
Know, talk about this so let people hear what we
think and how we are because we're very funny. You
know a lot of times you have to laugh through
the pain and things. So you know, we find that
laughter is good for the soul and it's good for us,
and especially in sharing who we are because now people
want to hear our stories. They want to hear you know,
where we came from and all of these things things

(21:52):
we couldn't talk about when we were younger.

Speaker 3 (21:53):
Yeah, I appreciate just a meeting you that. I feel
like sometimes we can be a case to ourselves. So
we can come up with an idea, we can talk
about it with someone, and then when it comes to execution,
a lot of things happen. Self doubt, money, you know,
responsibilities can kind of get in the way.

Speaker 2 (22:12):
Definitely.

Speaker 3 (22:12):
What I appreciate about you is that you get the
idea and you move on it.

Speaker 2 (22:17):
Yeah, and.

Speaker 3 (22:20):
That is next level because to do it for so
many years, because it's easy to lose motivation and to
you know, because I'm sure the doors have not all
been opened along the way, so for you to continue
to push forward and make these big impacts.

Speaker 4 (22:34):
I appreciate that about you. That's that's the power of
a black woman.

Speaker 2 (22:36):
Oh, thank you.

Speaker 5 (22:37):
I mean I feel like, you know, that's the thing.
If there's not a seat at the table, you need
to build a table yourself. So you know it is
that that is something that I think a lot of
people don't think that they can do.

Speaker 2 (22:50):
Yeah, so you know it's even empowering, you know, the youth.

Speaker 5 (22:55):
Specifically for me, I think it's important because they're the
ones watching and I don't know if they really go
back or how farting you're back in history to look at.

Speaker 2 (23:08):
What happened before them.

Speaker 4 (23:10):
All.

Speaker 5 (23:10):
Yeah, you know, with social media, it's kind of hard,
you know, but you need to go back and look.
And you know, that's why it's very important. Mentorship is
important to me. And I feel like they need to
hear the stories of those who came before them. Any
chance that I get to talk to young people and help,

(23:33):
you know, empower them, and yeah, because it's important, and
you just have to let them know that as long
as they believe in themselves, they.

Speaker 2 (23:39):
Can do anything.

Speaker 5 (23:41):
Because the other part of that is not only are
doors not open, but sometimes the people who are right
there with you, who you think are you know, your
biggest supporters, they might not fully get it. And if
they don't fully get it, they cannot fully be present
to support you in a way you may need to
be supported.

Speaker 3 (23:57):
And so because you said you like speaking to the youth,
what is something and closing that you would want to
give to a young black aspiring woman who was looking
to pursue her dreams and maybe they're not conventional or convenient.

Speaker 5 (24:10):
That you can do whatever it is that you want
to do, and don't let anybody sway you from that,
because they might try to deter you and say, well,
what if you try this lane, this you know, might
be more your speed. If that's not what you want
to do, don't take it. And it's okay. It's okay
to say no, I want to do this, and they
keep pressing forward, because then you'll go on this long

(24:30):
roundabout to get right back to that road when you
can just straight ahead and where you need to be
back would never I like that say it again?

Speaker 2 (24:40):
Forward ever backward never?

Speaker 3 (24:42):
Ayisha tea ob Famie, thank you so much for speaking
with the Black Information Network.

Speaker 5 (24:46):
Continued success see me, Thank you, Thank you, mister and Aisha.

Speaker 1 (24:50):
You can find Aysha's book Alike on a hill wherever
books are sold. Earlier this month, PBS launched a limited
series that retraces impactful moments in black history that occurred
in southern Black cities. News anchor Alexandria Kimoni sat down
with Noah Washington, one of the hosts of the series
titled Redefining History, who also shares a special connection to

(25:10):
one of the characters profiled during the show.

Speaker 6 (25:13):
This is Alexandria Ikimoni with the Black Information Network. Here
with the great great grandson of Booker T. Washington, Noah
Washington himself.

Speaker 7 (25:21):
How are you today, bless and highly favorite, ma'am? How
are you doing today?

Speaker 2 (25:24):
Doing well?

Speaker 6 (25:25):
Happy to have you on. You are one of the
hosts of a new PBS show. What can you tell
us about the show? We know it, jess Air, But
for people who are not familiar, what can you tell
us about the episode?

Speaker 8 (25:35):
Yes, Redefining History basically follows me and two other hosts,
doctor Maurice Hopson and Victoria Lamos, as we go out
through historic moments throughout the South and revisit them for
our time.

Speaker 6 (25:47):
And what historic moments can you give us a little
sneak peek on it?

Speaker 5 (25:50):
So?

Speaker 8 (25:50):
Episode one was about the nineteen oh sixth Atlanta Race massacre,
which featured doctor Maurice Hobson. Then episode two I took
over and we talked about Hank aaron An. Episode three
was the Cotton States Exposition, and the next episode with
Victoria Lamos, is going to be on redistricting as well
as if for any Atlanta Natives who know this Grady.

Speaker 6 (26:09):
Hospital, that's exciting. Why do you think it's important to
tell the stories that you are telling in each of
these episodes.

Speaker 8 (26:15):
I would say these episodes are a product of our
times right where a time when books are being banned,
conversations are being entirely erased as a result of the
Donald Trump administration, and we need to go back and
revisit these stories so people can know, and hopefully we
do it in a fun and entertaining way that will
make people want to dive even deeper.

Speaker 6 (26:36):
And when you say a fun and entertaining way, have
to ask from the episodes that you have done, which
is your favorite and which resonates with you the most.

Speaker 7 (26:44):
Man, that's a good question.

Speaker 8 (26:45):
Honestly, I would have to say the Cotton States Exposition
because it features my great great grandfather, as you said,
Booker T. Washington, and it basically follows his journey delivering
the famous Atlanta Compromise Beach and so being able to
get to know him on a deeper level seeing of
the photographs that I have never seen before of him.

Speaker 7 (27:05):
You know, I saw my dad, I saw my brother,
I saw.

Speaker 8 (27:08):
Key people in my life that I see in him
every day, and so it was just it was a
spiritual journey to go through that. Now, the most entertaining
one is you know, America's favorite pastime baseball, And that
one was just super fun. I had to sit down
with the president of the Braves and just talk about
America's favorite pastime.

Speaker 6 (27:28):
I love that, you know, I am a Braves fan myself,
so really cool just to be able to dive deeper
with that episode, but all the episodes are great as well.
And you were just talking about how you were able
to really just understand your great great grandfather a little
bit more from doing that episode. What is the biggest
lesson you personally learned from his story.

Speaker 7 (27:47):
I think that history has treated him unfairly.

Speaker 8 (27:50):
Amongst academics and scholars right Booker Washington has looked at
as a controversial figure, and I think that's completely unfair
because here's a guy coming out of slavery right and
recognizing that, hey, not all of us are meant to
be doctors and lawyers, and it's a great aspirational thing.
But some of us are in our forties, fifties and
sixties who don't have skills other than the ones they

(28:12):
learned while in slavery. So he's coming in and saying, listen,
master the skill, right, sell it back into the community, right,
and you could charge a premium for it. And the
reason I say that it was unfairs because if we
look at the trades now, those are six figure salaries,
and so I think history owes him an apology.

Speaker 6 (28:30):
For the most part, I was curious to know also
why you decided to even get involved with this show
to do these episodes from of course your great great grandfather,
but also the other important events that happened in history.
Why did you decide to get involved with this.

Speaker 8 (28:45):
So the way I got to the show was I'm
a bit of a playwright and I did a show
based off of Emmitt Till And in the audience was
a producer by the name of Brianna Siola who interviewed
me for the job and hearing about, you know, the
team and all the amazing work and stories.

Speaker 7 (29:03):
The Cotton Stakes was not actually a.

Speaker 8 (29:04):
Part of the original pitch for the series, and when
I came on board, we had a discussion about the
trying times that we're in and you know, we said,
let's do it. This is the opportunity to tell a
little bit of history that could be well used in
this point in time.

Speaker 6 (29:18):
And through education, empowerment, and honestly, it was so much
more in all that you do, specifically, what is something
you want the next generation to learn?

Speaker 7 (29:27):
I want them to learn the history could be fun.

Speaker 8 (29:30):
I had a lot of fun doing this, and that
it's not a homework assignment, right Like, there's a lot
of pride in knowing your history and where you are,
where you come from, who you are, and all that
it means. I fully believe that melan is probably the
most powerful element on this earth, and so being able
to take pride in that is something I really want

(29:51):
to be instilled to the people watching and the generation
that comes after me.

Speaker 6 (29:55):
Since you are here in Atlanta, does that have an
influence on how these episodes were created? I know we
talked about the Braves episode, but just getting an idea
of how the Atlantic culture, because it's such a big
culture here, If that had any influence on how these
shows were together.

Speaker 8 (30:11):
Atlanta is at the forefront of all of this. The
show wouldn't have happened as a result. If Atlanta wasn't
an element in it at all, Right, it wouldn't be
the same if you ask me, Atlanta is the greatest
city on the planet because it's the convergence of the
movie industry, the music industry. It's the home of this
of Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement here
in America, like Atlanta is.

Speaker 7 (30:32):
At the core of all of this.

Speaker 8 (30:34):
So in all discussions, it was always about how do
we best showcase Atlanta and even the stories and the
episodes we tell I believe or reflection.

Speaker 6 (30:42):
Of that, and the stories and episodes that have aired,
how can people go back and watch and also for
what's to come.

Speaker 8 (30:48):
Listen, y'all, there is no reason not to watch it
because it's everywhere. It is on PBS Passport, it is
airing on PBS thirty, it is on WADE TV, on
WABE YouTube.

Speaker 7 (31:01):
Please watch it on WABE YouTube.

Speaker 8 (31:04):
But I want you to be able to watch it
however best way you can, because it's a lot of
great work. You know, over the past two years, Donald
Trump has made a target out of public access broadcasting
and being able to just for that crew to come
together and do all the amazing work that they did
is a miracle, and so if you don't watch it
for the history itself, watch it for the talent who

(31:27):
wanted to bring this to you and wanted to bring
this to you for free.

Speaker 6 (31:30):
Any last where'd you like to leave with the listeners?

Speaker 8 (31:32):
Yeah, watch Redefining History. Man Victoria Lamos is doing the
next two episodes. You'll see me back for the last
episode of this season, which will be the Atlanta Student Movement.
And so just watch it for the talent, the crew,
all the great people who worked hard on this.

Speaker 6 (31:48):
No Washington, we appreciate you coming on to the show.
Thank you so much.

Speaker 7 (31:52):
Thank you, and have a good one.

Speaker 1 (31:53):
To learn more about the new PBS series Redefining History,
visit PBS dot org. Thanks Alexandria and Noah Washington. It's
nearly graduation season and one young woman who's making that
big step into adulthood is the granddaughter of the late
doctor Martin Luther King Junior. The Black Information Networks Esther
Dillard sat down with her and shares some of her

(32:15):
thoughts about where she wants to go to college, her
experience as a debutante, and what her hopes are in
the years ahead.

Speaker 9 (32:22):
It's a very fun energy, I would say, but then
also like a reflective time and then sort of like
I feel like I'm walking over bridge because it's like
the bridge is like on one side it'side my childhood,
and then on the other side it's like the adulthood
or the next chapter that I'm walking into. So I
think there's something almost beautiful about that because I can

(32:43):
look back and say, well, I had such a great childhood.

Speaker 10 (32:47):
She's a graduating senior and she's headed to Columbia University,
and she carries one of the most recognizable names in
American history. But what you're about to hear is not
about that name. It's about her.

Speaker 2 (33:00):
Dillard. This is the color between alliance and today.

Speaker 10 (33:03):
Yolanda Renee King, the only granddaughter of doctor Martin Luther
King Junior and Coretta Scott King, talked about what it
means to step into the next chapter of your life
when the world is watching. She breaks down what a
black Cotilian really is, why it matters, and what happened
when she sat down to read her grandfather's first book
and found that it changed something in her that she

(33:24):
was not expecting.

Speaker 4 (33:26):
Are you sure where you're going to go for college?

Speaker 11 (33:29):
Well?

Speaker 9 (33:30):
I am going to Columbia.

Speaker 4 (33:32):
Wow, Yes, why Columbia just curious.

Speaker 9 (33:37):
Well, obviously the education is top tier, but then also
I just really I mean, out of all the campuses
that I toured, and I think maybe I'm a little giased,
but I think it's like the prettiest campus scene.

Speaker 11 (33:51):
And I think that also.

Speaker 9 (33:55):
As well, just kind of I think it is like
what I'm looking for. One of the biggest thing that
attracted me there was like they have a human rights major,
and that was like one of the I mean I
remember touring in I was like, oh, that's like a major,
and so that was like one of the things because
like I never even knew that that existed beforehand. So

(34:16):
I think that was like one of the biggest things
that reeled me in.

Speaker 2 (34:20):
And this is your senior year.

Speaker 10 (34:21):
You're going to go for your prom and graduation and
all these college decisions, a lot of things that young
people are really feeling pressure about, you know, during this
time of year, and they're really uncertain about what's going
on in the world.

Speaker 4 (34:35):
What has this time been like for you, you.

Speaker 10 (34:38):
Know, having to deal with all those decisions and what's
happening in the world now.

Speaker 9 (34:44):
Well, I think that for me, it's been the best
way I would describe it is bittersweet, because I do
feel like it is time, and maybe also I think,
especially now, I feel like it's time because I go
into my school building and I'm like the oldest grade there,
which is like so surreal to me, especially because I

(35:04):
think having like friends who are in I guess are
they even in grades anymore being in college, but who
are now in college and somewhere even like out of college.
It's it's really it's different to be like the oldest
grade and to have no one left, and I'm like, well,
everybody else is on the other side, and so it's
kind of like.

Speaker 11 (35:24):
I know that it is almost time.

Speaker 9 (35:26):
But then also I think having this this also this
kind of sadness as well, because I am so lucky
to say that I had such a great childhood that
it will be definitely most definitely an adjustment for me
to be becoming or going into adulthood, which is something

(35:47):
that I've always wanted to do and something that I've
been very excited about. But then also I guess I
wish that I would have listened to the adults more
who were like, oh, you should enjoy being the child,
and I was like, I always thought to miss lf Oh, no,
I want to be an adult. So I think just
like learning to enjoy the moment is what this year

(36:09):
has taught me. And being a senior as I go off,
obviously it's very excited, exciting. I'm very excited, and I'm
a parents and everybody around me. It's a very fun energy,
I would say, But then also like a reflective time,
and it sort of like I feel like I'm walking
over bridge because it's like the bridge is like on

(36:31):
one side it's like my childhood, and then on the
other side it's like the adulthood or the next chapter
that I'm walking into. So there's I think there's something
almost beautiful about that because I can look back and say, well,
I had such a great childhood, and I think though
it's normal for us to kind of miss that because
it's routine, and I think that this next chapter will

(36:54):
be just such a big change in my routine.

Speaker 2 (36:58):
How will you introduce yourself?

Speaker 9 (37:01):
Well, I think that usually when I introduce myself to people,
I usually will just introduce myself as Yolanda, especially if
I guess there we're not in a setting or in
an environment that like, you know, where people might know,
or where we're doing something an event based off of

(37:21):
my grandfather, for instance, but like an everyday setting when
I'm meeting other youth, when I'm meeting my fellow peers,
I would say, in some ways, I don't see too
much of a difference, piece I've already done that and
kind of like I would say, my interactions with my
friends are very much so like in the in the

(37:43):
experience of Yolanda King rather than O or my friends
won't be like, oh, like, you know, this is like
Emilka's granddaughter or whatnot. And I guess they kind of know.
But I think that's what I really like about the
friends that I've chosen, is that they don't necessarily not
that it's not brought up, but that they don't just

(38:04):
see me for that or that, and that they see
me as my.

Speaker 11 (38:07):
Own person and so and I like to keep that up.

Speaker 9 (38:10):
And I know because even my parents have told me that, yes,
that is you. Being related to Martin Luther King Junior
is definitely something unique and just something absolutely wonderful and special.
But not even that is what makes you Yolanda. People
think that another notion is that, oh that like they

(38:34):
I think I remind them how recent the civil rights
movement is, especially like those who are with my peers,
because they're like, oh my gosh, like the granddaughter Martin
Luther King Junior's granddaughter is our age. And I think
that often we have like this sort of tendency to
associate the events of the past, like or the events

(38:54):
of the nineteenth century in general, which I'm or no.

Speaker 11 (38:57):
Not nineteen twenty sixty.

Speaker 9 (38:58):
I make it older than the like than it really
is too.

Speaker 11 (39:01):
But and that's my.

Speaker 9 (39:02):
Whole point that I think we have this like tendency
to make it like further away or older than it
really is. And I must have been kind of a
victim of that. I'll kind of pick on my parents
and be like, oh, so you're born in like the
ancient times.

Speaker 10 (39:16):
For many listeners, the word katillion may call up images
of fancy dresses and formal introductions, but in Black communities
it's always meant something a lot deeper. Here's how Yolanda
explained it.

Speaker 9 (39:28):
I think that the katillion is a significant landmark and
in milestone within the African American community and the United States.
I know, yesterday I was saying, and I've been telling
my mom, and we've been talking how every culture kind

(39:49):
of has their big sort of special age or coming
of age ceremony, like, for instance, in the Jewish community
it's the bar Mitzvahs, and in the Hispan communities the
kin sineta and so on and so forth. And so
I think that for us, the katillion and that the
debutante ball and being a debutante is our big sort

(40:11):
of I guess coming of age and coming into society
and coming into womanhood moment.

Speaker 11 (40:18):
And I think that is so so important.

Speaker 10 (40:21):
What Yolanda just described has roots going back further than
most people realized. The first black debutante ball recorded in
American history took place in New York City in seventeen
seventy eight, more than one hundred years before the Civil
War ended. They were called Ethiopian Balls, and they were
hosted by free black men and their families. By eighteen

(40:41):
ninety five, New Orleans, home to one of the largest
free black populations in the country, held what is recognized
as the first formal African American debutant ball. And here's
what's most important to understand. These were not imitations of
white society. Researchers at the California African American Museum have
documented that where white cotillions were often about matchmaking, Black

(41:05):
cotilions were always about education, scholarship, and uplift.

Speaker 9 (41:09):
I realized that not everybody has the privilege of being
even like just within our community has the privilege.

Speaker 11 (41:15):
Of being a debutante.

Speaker 9 (41:17):
And so what this has really taught me is I
think that it should be something that should be even
more accessible. I think that it's so important, especially being
in a world which can be so difficult. I guess
being part of a oppressed group that we understand and

(41:38):
that we feel like empowered.

Speaker 10 (41:40):
And Yolanda is right to make that connection between cotillions
and empowerment. Historically, black sororities, specifically Alpha Kappa Alpha founded
at Howard University in nineteen oh eight, we're among the
first to formalize the debutante tradition in Black communities, specifically
as a scholarship program. Aka's Alpha. Theta Omega chapter in Raleigh,

(42:01):
North Carolina, launched its Debutante scholarship program in nineteen thirty seven.
The goal was never just the ball, it was funding
black women's education. By the early nineteen hundreds. The number
of black women holding bachelor's degrees had grown from roughly
thirty in eighteen ninety to over two hundred, in part
because of exactly these kinds of organizations.

Speaker 9 (42:22):
And wow, yes, I my school there are kind of
because it is like still an international school, so there
are people from all different cultures, and I think that
that is just so important to also, you know, have
that unity and to have that kind of global citizenship.
But then also I feel like it was so important
and I didn't even realize how important, how much I

(42:43):
needed it until I joined the debutante of having that
space of black girl empowerment and black girl magic and
and so it just truly has just been something that
will forever stay with me, just not even I'm sure
that Katillion itself will obviously be very beautiful, but then
just like the preparation in and of itself has been

(43:04):
so beautiful and has been so great, and I think
I've found lifelong friends. So it's just kind of said
to something like, oh, I'm not going to see you
every weekend anymore.

Speaker 10 (43:14):
Over the summer, ylanda Renee King sat down and read
her grandfather's first book, Stride Toward freedom. She heard about
nonviolence her whole life. She thought she understood it, she
says she did not. If you want to hear what
she said next, head over to the Color Between the
Lines podcast on iHeartRadio, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.

Speaker 2 (43:35):
I'm Ester Dillard.

Speaker 1 (43:37):
Thanks esther. Today we celebrate Black art, creativity and excellence.
The National Black Arts Festival celebrates twenty years of its
Fine Art plus Fashion Benefit, where they will honor actress
Lynn Wickfield, fashion stylist Jeremy Haynes, and others. Amber Payton
talks to Lea Trice Elsie, Executive director of the National
Black Arts Festival, about the legacy and the impact of

(43:59):
the festival and how to invest in the next generation
of creatives.

Speaker 12 (44:03):
All right, well, I just want to start off with,
you know, leading with the milestone twenty years of fine
art and fashion. So, yes, when you look back at
year one versus just where you are right now with
even Marcus as your partner, what's the biggest thing that's changed.

Speaker 2 (44:18):
Well, you know, Amber, actually quite a few things have changed.

Speaker 13 (44:21):
Because when we started this this event twenty years ago,
it was a luncheon and that first, very very first one,
it was a beautiful, elegant luncheon. We did it in
a gallery space, and it's a We've come a long
way from a luncheon to an evening event which is
at the Atlanta History Center, you know. And over the years,

(44:43):
as it has continued to grow from those early years,
you know, we've been at you know, at a number
of venues around the city to accommodate the growth, and
now we have found ourselves at the Atlanta History Center.

Speaker 2 (44:56):
Which feels good.

Speaker 13 (44:58):
It's a beautiful space to to be outdoors because they
have gardens and so it's a beautiful space in the
spring to be outdoors. It meets our capacity requirement and
it's a really really lovely event. So a lot has
changed since that very very first one. And also to
your point about markets, when we first started, Macy's was

(45:18):
our partner. So for the first three years we partner
with Macy's and then in year four we moved on
to Neiman Marcus and it has been on and popping
since then.

Speaker 2 (45:29):
On it pop.

Speaker 12 (45:30):
It is a very good way to describe it because,
you know, the next gen piece, you know, that's the
heart of it. The student scholarships, the art exhibitions, the
Design competition. You're essentially you're building a pipeline. So for
a young person who's in Atlanta right now, they love art,
they love fashion, what does the National Black Arts Festival
actually open up for them?

Speaker 13 (45:49):
Over the years, the National Black Arts Festival has opened
up a lot for for you know, old and young,
but for young people in particular. You know, when you
look at the breadth of pro that we do for
young people, you know, we're in schools. We are in
eight schools in a city through the Atlanta Public school System,
and then another six schools with our next Gen programming,

(46:11):
and so we're touching young people daily through those programs.
Then there's opportunities like this with the and and the
young people that have competed for the with the the
visual arts for example, they are actually from our partner schools.
So they're from you know, Drew, They're from Carvard, you know,
so they're from our partner schools that we work in

(46:33):
every day. Then there is our Zion competition, and that
is for college students, and so we have students from
Clark Atlanta University's program, from SCATS program, Georgia State students
participated and so they go through a mentoring process with
top people and top voices in the industry, and then

(46:54):
they're kind of left to their own devices to create
their work, and then they are judged. I mean they go.
It's a pre rigorous judging process to get to the winner.
And so we have our winner. And from what I understand,
this year, it's a little extraordinary because so much of
the work was so strong that we not only have
our winner, but we also have three finalists, and so

(47:16):
each of the three finalists will get some type of
acknowledgement because the work was so strong this year in
terms of the young people and their design for the
design competition. And then after find R plus Fashion the
winner of the design competition, his work will be featured
at even Marcus.

Speaker 12 (47:34):
I do want to ask you something because when I
hear you talk, when we talk about fine arts plus fashion,
the one thing that we know is art and fashion
they don't always get put in the same room together.
So what does it look like when those two worlds
actually collide the right way.

Speaker 13 (47:48):
You're absolutely right, they don't always get put in the
room together. But when you think about design, you know,
we always look at design as an artistic you know,
medium and fashion is design. You know, someone puts together
each of those garments, they think about it from a
color standpoint, they think about it through you know, fabric,
they think about it through all of these different ways

(48:11):
that you know, one has to approach that type of work.
And it is creativity, It is imagination. It's everything that
goes into whether it is a dance or whether it
is a visual arts piece or a theater. Same level
of practice, you know, same level of commitment, same level
of you know, everything that it takes to do and

(48:34):
to create art and to art make and so you're right,
the you know, it does get split up. But I
also think that it's how we do things. I mean,
you know, in the world, you know, we like to
put things in these neat little boxes and say that
this holds a particular value because it's in box A,
and this holds a particular value because it's in box B.

(48:54):
But from a National Black Arts Festival perspective, we look
at creativity as creativity, you know, and and is always
connected also to culture.

Speaker 2 (49:02):
And so it's as creative as the way.

Speaker 13 (49:05):
That Jamma makes that pot of greens that nobody else
can make, you know, or the way that our hair
is braided, or the way that you know, the hips
sway when you walk.

Speaker 7 (49:14):
I mean, all of that is cultural.

Speaker 13 (49:16):
And you know, when I think about Black culture, I
think about it as a continuum. So there's there's never
any stops and starts. It's a continuum. And so if
we think about the drum perhaps as like the through
line you know through Black culture that no matter where
the drum is, there is some level of connection, you know,

(49:36):
with black people, and so especially those of us who
like you know, get an opportunity to travel around the
world that no matter whether we are in Atlanta, Georgia,
or the Bronx or Senegal or London or Jamaica, you
see the through line of the drum and see how
how alike we are, more like we are than we
are different.

Speaker 12 (49:56):
That actually brings me to my next point because I
can imagine that you do a lot of traveling. So
with you being the executive director, what does a day
look like for you? A day for me looks like
a day, a night afternoon because it rolls the deep side.
That's right, because girl, if I could just get a nap,
but it's work that it's worth it, and that and
that is like my days start early in the morning,

(50:18):
you know, checking out the news, you know, sending text
messages from the day before, because I can't always answer
everything in the moment, and you know, just kind of
following up and then also looking at the calendar see
what the day looks like. And then I start moving
around and you know, lots of meetings, lots of connecting
with people, whether it is my team, whether it's artists,
whether it's funders, you know, so it's all those things.

(50:40):
Are you know, board members, community folks, government people. So
it's all those things, and like every day, all of
that is entailed. And then there you know, I also designed,
you know, designed into my schedule and build into my
schedule those quiet moments where I can just kind of
look at work, you know, just kind of see what
are artists doing, what are they think? Having those kinds

(51:01):
of conversations with artists to see like, you know, what
are you thinking about right now, how are you seeing
the world? This thing is happening in the world, how
are you seeing that in envisioning that, and how is it.

Speaker 13 (51:10):
Impacting your work? And so I always enjoy having those
kinds of conversations with artists because it takes you out
of your the day to day grind in a way
and those things that have to happen, and allows you,
as an arts administrator to actually go into another space
because I promise you that I swear the artists will

(51:31):
save us. And the artistic mind is you know, the
thing that whether it is you know, within these disciplines
as we talked about earlier. But you know, also artists
are problem solvers, you know, so when we look at
the problems that we face as a society, you know,
if you bring artists and a lot of people have
done this, but when you bring artists into the conversation,
it also helps you problem solve, but problem solve in

(51:53):
a way that is not harmful to the people. Problem
solve in a way that really raises community. Problem solving
in a way that matters. And I think that as
society you know, continues to move forward, especially our own
society here you know in the United States that you
know we are, we will get to a point where

(52:14):
we understand the we stop putting things in silos and
allow this crossover the same way we cross over find
our plus fashion for this beautiful evening that we're going
to have next week.

Speaker 12 (52:25):
And that's exactly where we're going next. So talk to
me a little bit about the evening and and the honorees,
because you have a range of honoreies, an actress, a stylist,
a visual artist.

Speaker 2 (52:34):
Talk to me a little bit about that.

Speaker 13 (52:35):
Yeah, So we were, you know, very excited about this
year's honorees. You started talking about an actress, So Lynn
Woodfield will be receiving the Cultural Icon Award from us
this year. Lyn Woodfield, you know, obviously everybody knows Lynn.
Lynn has been a you know, just a beacon in
this culture for a very long time, you know, since

(52:58):
her early days and being and for colored girls, who
who who committed suicide when rainbow wasn't enough or who
considered suicide when rainbow is enough? As well as you
know her most recent performance in The Shy. So Lynn
has had longevity. She does it all with grace and

(53:19):
is I mean, it doesn't get more professional than Lynn
in terms of you know, like really really honing in
her craft. So we're really excited to have Lynn with us.
And Lynn has been a friend of the National Black
Arts Festival for years. I was going through and just
like pulling old photographs of her at various festivals over
the years. But so we're you know, just really thrilled
to have Lynn, you know, come on back home and

(53:39):
you know, come hang with the people. Then also the
from the style standpoint, Jeremy Haynes is our style architect
and it is always a joy to celebrate Atlanta based artists.
And so Jeremy is a stylist. He lives here in
Atlanta and if you saw us your super Bowl performance.

(54:01):
He does work with Mary J. Blige and Missy. He
does work with a lot of people that we just
say their first name and you know exactly who we're
talking about, so Nemo, Missy, as well as Ari Lennox
and and also said Mary J. Blige, so or just Mary.
But yeah, so he has worked with all of those
people and you know just kind of continues to you know,
push the envelope and you know and and like really

(54:23):
really grow his practice. And so that's also something that's
exciting about this year is not only working with a
local stylist, but also a local stylist that is fairly
early in his career, and so that's always exciting. And
then finally, our Ratcliffe Bailey Excellence and Visual Arts of
wardy is Michi Miko, and Michi is a friend. He's
someone that I have watched Michi's work grow over the years.

(54:47):
So I was delighted when the when I got the
results from the judging this year and saw that Michi
was the winner. So he's someone that I mean, his
work is just extraordinary. His practice, the way he approaches
the work, all of those things are very exciting. And again,
meet you is someone that has been in Atlanta for
a very long time, and we really have the opportunity

(55:08):
to watch his work grow and watch him mature as
an artist, mature as a man, and the work reflects that.
So yeah, so we are super excited about the people
that we will be honoring.

Speaker 12 (55:18):
This year, and Wednesday night at the Atlanta History Center,
paint the picture for us what does somebody experience when
they walk through those doors.

Speaker 13 (55:26):
This year, for the first time since we've been at
the History Center, we're using more of the building because
our twentieth anniversary, and we are certainly anticipating more people
to attend than we have had in the past. And
so you come in and so the first thirty minutes
or so, we'll be you know, just kind of come
in check in reception in the lobby of the Atlanta

(55:46):
History Center, and then we'll start moving people from the
lobby into the ballroom. And in the ballroom, that is
where dinner will be served, but it's also where we
will provide give out the awards to our young people,
and so they'll receive their awards there. Then we will
move from the ballroom out to the terraces, and the

(56:08):
terraces that's where the fashion show will be, because we'll
close with the fashion show, but that's also where we'll
give out the awards to Land and to Michi and
to Jeremy, and so we'll do that out on the terraces,
and we will close it this year because it's our
twentieth anniversary with a champagne host to twenty years of

(56:30):
a fun or close fashion and then we're gonna get
everybody to just kind of move closer and we're gonna
take a group photo, and so that is how we
will close our evening for this twentieth anniversary. So we're excited.
We are excited about like just our patrons are excited
about being there and coming and it's just.

Speaker 2 (56:47):
Gonna be a beautiful evening.

Speaker 13 (56:49):
So we are you know, it's nights like this that
where people come out to support the work that we
do with young people and to help us, you know,
quite frankly you know, provide funding that support to that work.
And you know, we are always pleased about that that
you know, you know that donors will come out and
we'll you know, purchase a ticket and then you know,

(57:11):
give money through other means and donate additional dollars to
go ahead and support the cause.

Speaker 2 (57:15):
So it's a beautiful night.

Speaker 13 (57:17):
It's a it's a lovely you know party, but it's
it doesn't stand alone. It is for a purpose and
for a cause, and we are just grateful that people
continue to trust us and trust the work that we
do so that we are able to, you know, continue
to provide these services to our young people.

Speaker 12 (57:34):
Lee Trice Elsie, the executive director of the National Black
Arts Festival, I want to thank you for taking the
time to talk to us and give us a little
sneak peek into Wednesday night. Did you have any last
words for anyone who's listening right now, anyone who's aspiring
to one day be in fine art plus fashion.

Speaker 13 (57:51):
Yeah, just do the work. You know I talked about
the continuum. But you know, I talk a lot about continuum.
I talk a lot about practice and developing your practice.
But the only way you can develop the practice if
you just kind of continue to do the work and
then you end up on these type of platforms you know,
like financlus fashion and in other spaces. So you know,
for young people, just keep doing the work as well

(58:14):
as for you know, visual artists as well, because it's
not just young people that we award in this particular instance.
But I do want to share with your audience though, Amber,
that we haven't done a summer festival in about thirteen
or fourteen years, and we will be bringing the Summer
Festival back in July twenty twenty seven, so I want
everybody to stay tuned.

Speaker 12 (58:32):
Well, congratulations on that. That's exciting, Thank you, it is.
We are absolutely excited.

Speaker 13 (58:37):
So we're in mode right now where we are just
kind of fundraising around it and just getting getting the
right people in the right places. But we are super
excited about being able to bring the Summer festival.

Speaker 2 (58:50):
Back well again.

Speaker 12 (58:51):
At Leatrice, thank you so much for taking the time
to talk with us today. I'm Amber Payton with the
Black Information Network, back to you, Mike.

Speaker 1 (58:58):
Thanks Amber and Leatrice, and that's our show for today.
For more on these stories, listen to the Black Information
Network on the free iHeartRadio app or log onto binnews
dot com for all of the latest news impacting the
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(59:19):
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Make the Black Information Network first on your car radio
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Sunday and start to your week. We will see you
next week with a new episode of The Black Perspective

(59:40):
with stories from our great Bion anchors right here on
the Black Information Network.