Berklee and Can We Talk Celebrate Healing Power of the Arts in BIPOC Communities Arts Activation 2024: Harmony and Healing (October 19) unites artists, thought leaders, and healthcare professionals to explore the arts' ability to heal and connect.
By
Daniel Pesquera
October 3, 2024
The Berklee Music and Health Institute and the Can We Talk initiative are proud to host Arts Activation 2024: Harmony and Healing, a BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) community-focused celebration of the arts as a force for human connection and healing, Saturday, October 19, from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building in Roxbury.
The event, which is free and open to the public, will convene artists, thought leaders, healthcare professionals, and arts-focused organizations from greater Roxbury and Dorchester for an exchange of innovative ideas and personal stories focused on the intersection of arts and health, as both a response to trauma and a means to foster individual and collective resilience.
Several keynote speakers, performing artists, educators, and health and well-being experts will be featured throughout the program, which includes live performances, interactive workshops, and discussions. In response to global conversations about creative expression as a tool for coping with and confronting trauma, the event aims to elevate local efforts in this space, specifically the arts' long-standing role as a unifying and healing force in BIPOC communities.
We don't know the power we already have. This event is about tapping into who you really are and what's inside of you, said Reverend Liz Walker, community activist and founding director of Can We Talk , a community-based, clinically supported initiative aimed at creating a safe space for those suffering the effects of violence to share their stories and express their pain. When you are traumatized, you are disrupted-your thinking process, your brain, your body-but expression and movement, it frees you. It's the discovery of what we already have as people to empower ourselves, and tapping into that inner joy through the arts. That is why I'm so excited about this collaboration.
The arts have been used for generations in communities of color as a way to heal and connect, said event cochair Brenda Ross, community and partner engagement director for the music therapy ecosystem at Berklee. That's what this day is about-raising up and celebrating the great work happening in our community and linking it to the health benefits that scientific data supports.
Notable participants include Wyatt Jackson, event cochair and expressive arts coordinator for Can We Talk ; Ron Savage, vice president and executive director, Berklee College of Music; Ellice Patterson, founder and executive/artistic director, Abilities Dance; music industry veteran DJ Hustle Simmons (Brandon Arthur); percussionist Stephen O'Neal; and dancers from Urbanity Dance and the Stajez Cultural Arts Center. Singer Carrie Johnson will also give a special performance of the song Harmony in Healing by Latin Grammy-winning artist Gen Rubin.
Themes to be explored at the event include intergenerational trauma, decolonizing creative expression, cultural legacies of healing through the arts, and accessibility and inclusion in the arts and health fields.
This event is an opportunity for us to gather, exchange, connect, take time to truly see and hear each other, and share a smile-reminding ourselves of the work we're doing, individually and collectively, to uplift the health and wellness of everyone in our community, said Shea Rose, assistant professor of performance, who will facilitate a conversation on music, health, and spirituality in BIPOC communities. It's also a moment to explore where our efforts intersect, engage in meaningful dialogue about innovations and possibilities, and weave these advancements into the spiritual wisdom that is foundational to our community's healing journey.
Find more information and register for the event.
About Can We Talk
Can We Talk is a network of concerned community members who abide by people who are hurting and provides a circle of peer support to protect against the isolation and stigmatization often associated with formal mental health treatment. Neighbor offers neighbor a compassionate, judgment-free presence that says: You are not alone. This is a space where we can all be heard, touched, and moved. Formed in response to the tragic death of Cory Johnson, who was killed by stray gunfire outside his father's home, Can We Talk has grown into a nationwide network of therapists, community activists, and caring citizens dedicated to addressing the collateral damage caused by the epidemic of violence in urban communities.
Related Categories
News
Most Popular
Jim Lucchese
Image by Kelly Davidson
Jim Lucchese Named Berklee's Fifth President A 20-year music industry veteran and a committed artist advocate with deep Berklee roots, Lucchese sets the tone for a new era at the institution.
Latest
Gail Wilson has been named Berklee's vice president of finance, a role she began on September 30.
Kelly Davidson
Berklee Announces Gail Wilson as Vice President of Finance Wilson will oversee Berklee's budgeting, financial reporting, controller's office, and campus services, managing the Finance Department and operating and capital budgets.
Farayi Malek
Image by Najee Visuals
Signature Series Presents Country Music: Black Roots and Branches New Dangerfield, Dom Flemons, Donna McElroy, and Farayi Malek headline this October 29 concert spotlighting Black artists impact on country music.
Students from X-change and B-Girls, two groups formed out of the K-Pop Idol Project, pose at Berklees 2024 fall K-Pop & Beyond Summit.
Dave Gree
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
29/05/2026
With InfoComm 2026 just weeks away, NDI is giving attendees plenty of reasons to...
29/05/2026
Reaffirming a partnership that has defined Canadian sports broadcasting since 19...
29/05/2026
Mobile/tablet is No. 2 device for watching TV, suggesting that the sports-production industry needs to take another look at the format
Ring Digital's Sprin...
29/05/2026
Berliner Ensemble, one of Berlin's five major theater companies, has expande...
29/05/2026
Solid State Logic will showcase its new compact, fly-away TCA Tour audio product...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, passed away last month on April 12 ...
29/05/2026
Paramount+ will be the English-language U.S. home for Barclays Women's Super...
29/05/2026
Further strengthening its virtualisation strategy to fully support broadcasters ...
29/05/2026
Swiss broadcaster Canal Alpha has deployed Harmonic's award-winning, software-based XOS Advanced Media Processor to modernize playout operations across cant...
29/05/2026
PTZOptics will showcase a new generation of intelligent video workflows at InfoComm 2026, June 17-19, Las Vegas. Visitors to booth N8227 will see how PTZOptics ...
29/05/2026
Arizona's Family has launched the Arizona's Family Sports (AZFS) streaming app, a new direct-to-consumer destination for live, local sports. The app is ...
29/05/2026
Starting in 2027, DAZN will be the exclusive home of The Canadian Football Leagu...
29/05/2026
Comcast Business has detailed the advanced network infrastructure it has deploye...
29/05/2026
In two-day event, leaders from academia and industry explored solutions to chall...
29/05/2026
The Basketball Tournament (TBT), now entering their 13th year of competition, ha...
29/05/2026
Roku has launched FOX One as a Premium Subscription on The Roku Channel in the U.S. Roku customers can now subscribe to FOX One using their Roku account for liv...
29/05/2026
In its sixth year, the broadcaster's coverage has become a global brand and ...
29/05/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent ratings news and is derived from press re...
29/05/2026
The days are getting longer, the temperatures are rising, and playlists are filling up for the season. With summer around the corner, Spotify's global edito...
29/05/2026
New retro-inspired MPC announced
There are few devices that have gained the status held by Akai Pro's MPC range, and in recent years, the company have s...
29/05/2026
Save up to 30 on acclaimed titles
Following a successful launch at Superbooth 2026, Bjooks have revealed that they will be continuing the Kickstarter campa...
29/05/2026
Binaural monitoring application improved
Genelec have just released an update that brings some powerful new features to their HRTF-based binaural headphone ...
29/05/2026
6 June 2026 at SAE Institute, London, UK
IMSTA FESTA 2026 is almost upon us, with some of the biggest names in pro-audio set to descend upon SAE Institute i...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, died April 12, 2026, at his home in...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Comparing 5 AI Video Enhancers for Restoring Old Video Quality
Kate Luvis May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Digitizing VHS, MiniDV, and other legacy formats doe...
29/05/2026
Studio Hamburg Builds New Post Pipeline with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Workflow replaces a patchwork of legacy tools...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
At the Intersection of Music and Dance, an Epic Collaboration Boston Conservatory musicians and dancers found creative parallels in their recent performance o...
29/05/2026
Back to All News
The Official Trailer of Physical 100 Italy, on Netflix From Se...
29/05/2026
At just 20 years old, Sean Melia from Summerhill Co. Meath has been revealed as the winner of Super Garden 2026. Sean is the youngest ever contestant and winner...
29/05/2026
Experimental HIV vaccine achieves a long-sought goal In a first for the field, all non-human primates given a new series of vaccines generated antibodies capabl...
28/05/2026
Thomsons Climate Crisis Toolkit is already being put to work, helping journalist...
28/05/2026
FOX Sports' MLB coverage dominated the night at the 47th Annual Sports Emmy ...
28/05/2026
One of the most memorable postseasons in baseball history would have had no memo...
28/05/2026
NBC's Sunday Night Football is among the most-decorated and most-watched pro...
28/05/2026
The 2026 Sports Emmys marked a watershed moment for Prime Video Sports. After bu...
28/05/2026
Hosted by ESPN Senior Writer Ryan McGee, the ceremony honored winners from athletic departments, conference offices, professional networks, production companies...
28/05/2026
Major rights-holders rolled out their 2026 college football slates today, offering a first look at marquee windows, kickoff partners, and conference distributio...
Berklee and Can We Talk Celebrate Healing Power of the Arts in BIPOC Communities Arts Activation 2024: Harmony and Healing (October 19) unites artists, thought leaders, and healthcare professionals to explore the arts' ability to heal and connect.
