CALL TO ACTION FOR ASIAN AMERICANS - TRAN NGUYEN-WILLS

Fight for more Black and AAPI History education and books in schools. Elect more Black and Asian community leaders for political office. Seek out and request meetings with your City and State representatives to prioritize more resources for BIPOC and marginalized communities.

Listen to Black activists and community leaders. Diversify your social feed and what you read online. Learn from all perspectives so you don’t get stuck in an echo chamber -- when more people are aware of what’s happening in our country is the only way we can disrupt the oppressive systems.

Being an ally is messy, uncomfortable, overwhelming, and will trigger big complicated feelings. However, we all need to do better for our Black community. We owe our time, our hearts, our ears, and our humility.

Keep educating yourself. Keep others and yourself accountable. Keep donating. Keep growing. Keep supporting Black owned-businesses. Keep disrupting. Keep sharing Black stories. Keep protesting. Keep using your voice. Keep your foot on the gas.

Allyship is built with trust, which doesn’t happen overnight. To create this trust, we have to educate ourselves, and we have to show up. We must take the time to understand why the Black American experience is unique and different from the Asian American experience. Then we can recognize the forces that keep us divided and work to eliminate those divisions.

Local Black History Month Events

Passages: Bound and Free Exhibit

WHEN: Through Feb. 25

WHERE: Blair Caldwell African American Research Library

The free exhibit portrays artist, Verline “Mijiza” Geaither’s personal interpretation of the experiences of many black men, women, and children who live and have lived in the US. As you look at and experience this artwork, consider what it might invoke inside of you about your personal journey.

The time has come for us to step forward with unprecedented conviction. It is not enough to only focus on our own people. It is not enough to only speak our own truths. We must act. We must challenge our parents to learn and grow. We must hold our siblings and friends accountable for their complacency. We must invest our time, money, and power into communities, organizations, and leaders who look and feel different than us, in particular, black and indigenous people. We must protest. We must resist. We must fight.

Colorado

Black Arts Festival –Understudy Artist Showcase

WHEN: Feb. 4 to 28, 6:30pm - 9pm

WHERE: Colorado Convention Center This free, curated show highlights the work of six artists. The exhibit will be a “fishbowl-style” display, allowing visitors to view the works through the Colorado Convention Center windows from the sidewalk.

The History of African American Music

WHEN: Feb. 11, 12, 18 and 26

WHERE: Multiple locations

A musical performance accompanied by a narrated history of blues, jazz, gospel and soul music between 1920 and 1970.

Same Cloth

WHEN: Feb. 25, 6pm and 9pm

WHERE: Dazzle @ Baur’s Same Cloth is a Denver-based project led by prolific keyboardist Solomon J. Chapman Sr. and inventive vocalist JoFoKe. Performing original music and creative cover arrangements, Same Cloth’s musical vision is intensified and rounded out by Will Gaines on bass, Callum Bair and James Tré on guitar and Matt Campbell on drums. As a unit, Same Cloth combines the diverse traditions of Black American Music to create an energetically eclectic and emotionally elevating live music experience.