
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 ...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
07/07/2026
Applications are now open for the Validation Booster, a six-month acceleration programme supporting journalists, media organisations, content creators, media in...
07/07/2026
The Universal Talent Identifier (HAND) has issued HAND IDs to 50 top prospects ahead of the 2026 MLB Draft, including consensus top-ranked players Roch Cholowsk...
07/07/2026
Cisco and the McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team have announced an extension of their partnership, expanding the scope from networking and communications to incl...
07/07/2026
LucidLink has announced a workflow integration with Adobe Frame.io that gives production teams unified access to Frame.io projects alongside supporting producti...
07/07/2026
Chyron has announced the appointment of Ahmed Magd as Sales Director for the Middle East. Magd joins from previous senior commercial roles at Riedel Communicati...
07/07/2026
Leader Electronics of Europe has announced that its PHABRIX Qx rasterizer and Le...
07/07/2026
eCLUTCH has announced it has acquired broadcast rights to the Esports World Cup 2026 for EMEA and MENA, covering the Middle East, Africa, the Balkans, Sweden, a...
07/07/2026
Riedel Communications and ARRI supported ORF's host broadcast of the Eurovis...
07/07/2026
ARRI has announced the ALEXA 35 Live Xtreme, a camera that adds high frame rate ...
07/07/2026
LiveU will exhibit at IBC 2026 (Stand 7.C24), showcasing the LU900Q Intelligent Production Unit, expanded Sony collaboration, and additions to its open IP-video...
07/07/2026
Telemundo's coverage is packaged with Multiview, Catch Up with Key Plays, in...
07/07/2026
The Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) has announced a seven-year media r...
07/07/2026
Produced onsite at The Star in Frisco, TX, live coverage of the two-day event airs on ESPN platforms
The season for Football Media Days is here, and the Big 12...
07/07/2026
Rogers Communications Inc. has announced an agreement to acquire the remaining 25% ownership stake in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) from Kilmer Spo...
07/07/2026
End-to-end broadcast solution includes fleet of mobile units, Cloud Control, and...
07/07/2026
Sports-production-tech experts sound off on the state of the industry...
07/07/2026
New mixer aimed squarely at instrument-level sources
Heritage Audio have clearly been busy recently, as alongside their all-new Tubestrip, they've also ...
07/07/2026
New channel strip combines popular hardware designs
The latest arrival to the Heritage Audio line-up brings together a selection of their praised hardware d...
07/07/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
07/07/2026
New Kessler 10 data now available in Nielsen CMI gives brands a deeper view of h...
07/07/2026
New Nielsen Ad Intel and CMV data reveals rising competition in Australia's ...
07/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/07/2026
Riedel Communications and ARRI played a key role in one of the most technically ambitious Eurovision Song Contest productions to date. For the first time in the...
07/07/2026
Berklee Valencia Honors Eric Whitacre at the 2026 Commencement Ceremony The Grammy-winning composer was celebrated alongside this years cohort of masters degr...
07/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/07/2026
The appointment will drive growth and innovation across the Media Business Unit
Fincons Group, a leading IT business consultancy and systems integrator company...
07/07/2026
International broadcast and streaming expert Big Blue Marble has announced a multi-month Proof of Concept (PoC) for Media over QUIC (MoQ) during a major interna...
07/07/2026
Test & measurement innovator, Leader Electronics of Europe, is proud to announce that two of its leading products, the PHABRIX Qx rasterizer and LeaderPhabrix L...
07/07/2026
Clear-Com announced that Ross Production Services (RPS), a leading provider of mobile production solutions for live events and broadcasts, has standardized on ...
07/07/2026
LiveU redefined live newsgathering with the invention of cellular bonding. At IBC2026, Stand 7.C24, the company will show how that foundation is evolving into t...
07/07/2026
LucidLink, a leader in cloud-based file services for content creators, today announced an enhanced workflow integration between LucidLink and Adobe Frame.io tha...
07/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/07/2026
New appointments to Screen Australia board 7 July 2026
The Albanese Labor Government has made new appointments to the Screen Australia board.
Dr Tania Chamber...
07/07/2026
The right team. The right time.' How The Killings at Parrish Station stuck t...
07/07/2026
Berklee College of Music Alum and Faculty Perform at Boston Public Library's...
07/07/2026
UKTV commission with BritBox and Sony Pictures Television and inspired by Deborah Cadbury's book, Chocolate Wars
The six-part series is produced by Fable P...
07/07/2026
Tuesday 7 July 2026
Record audiences tune into the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 on Sky Sports
The ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 was the most watche...
07/07/2026
Tuesday 7 July 2026
Official trailer released for Fightland, a revenge drama fr...
07/07/2026
Wuppertal July 7, 2026
Riedel and ARRI Bring Cinematic Live Production to the Eurovision Song ContestRiedel Communications and ARRI played a key role in one o...