NEWS FROM DIRECTOR

Charmaine Jefferson, Executive Director, California African American Museum

FROM THE DIRECTOR...

Though CAAM has been ramped up since the beginning of the year, it seems as though now that it’s summer we’re taking it a notch higher with a slate of wonderful exhibitions and exciting, engaging, and always fascinating programs and events––ranging from our franchises such as Target Sundays at CAAM to our Shorts at CAAM to hands-on art workshops and discussions all designed to foster dialogue, build intellectual capacity, understanding, and creativity. We continue to grow our audience with increased visits, add to our membership rolls, and present compelling artistic work––such as the Manuel Mendive exhibition Things That Cannot Be Seen Any Other Way. This full-scale, career retrospective of Maestro Mendive’s oeuvre speaks to our core mission while clearly demonstrating that the California African American Museum has both a regional as well as a global perspective in serving as the platform for artists who might have been overlooked by the larger art community. At the same time, the exhibition promotes an appreciation of art and humanities––in all their myriad manifestations and disciplines. If you have not yet taken the time to come and see what we’ve created with Things That Cannot Be Seen Any Other Way, I invite you to do so before it closes in October and travels east to Miami’s Frost Museum.

Several weeks ago, CAAM opened its doors to the 2013 class of Young Docents who will learn and gain strong job skills applicable to their ultimate careers of choice. We also have in our midst two new Getty Interns who are assisting our Visual and Education curatorial staff with research for future exhibitions, and developing lesson plans and resources for teachers of African American history. With this eager-to-learn and engaged group of young people so desirous of knowledge, so open and receptive, I believe our community and the museum profession can be assured that when the time comes to hand them the baton they, too, will wear the mantle of ‘Caretakers of The Culture’, and carry on and do so splendidly.

We have grown so much over these past six months. CAAM has made, and continues to make, an enduring impact upon our beloved city. Though we are committed to maintaining and providing a platform for African American arts, history and culture, we are also primed to be a “Third Place” for our expansive and diverse community. For example, we recently honored the life and achievements of Civil Rights Attorney Leo Branton, Jr., who happened to have passed away the same morning his former client, Angela Davis, spoke at the Urban Issues Breakfast Forum hosted at CAAM.

Coming up, we’ll celebrate America’s birthday on Thursday, July 4th, which we think of as a “special edition” of our Target Sundays at CAAM. We are grateful to Councilmember Bernard C. Parks who, even though we are no longer in his council district, makes certain that CAAM is never forgotten and graciously invites our visitors and patrons to experience the annual fireworks display in Expo Park. We welcome to Exposition Park State Senator Curren D. Price, Jr., as our new Councilman beginning July 1st, and his wonderful staff. We look forward with anticipation to working closely with them in the coming months. We also look back with gratitude as well to Councilwoman Jan Perry for her past service to our great park.

The Save The Date cards have just been posted for our annual An Artful Evening at CAAM Gala slated for Saturday, October 12th. We hope you’ll make every effort to attend this black-tie event and support your Museum.

We certainly have a lot going on at CAAM––and I have to give kudos to our staff––many of whom wear a number of hats just so that the Los Angeles community has the best of what we offer.

Yes…we’ve got so much going on at your Museum, and we’ve been really busy; but the truth is, we wouldn’t have it any other way.