The African American Heritage Center at the Jefferson School City Center will have a new exhibition in the Contemporary Gallery this week. The Caesar Morton show has come down and is being packed up, and Lola Flash’s photography will soon grace the walls. The show is called (sur) passing and will be on view from June 7 to August 30.
Flash’s imagery confronts pigmentocracy, which is a term that relates a slave’s socio-economic position to their skin color. Flash analyzes the impact of this condition on contemporary society with her larger-than life photographs.
Like the previous exhibition, this show has a Charlottesville connection. Flash’s family has done extensive research and concluded that they are direct descendants of Sally Hemings, one of Thomas Jefferson’s favorite female slaves. Some of Flash’s relatives still live in Charlottesville.
In the exhibition, Flash’s models, both male and female, are posed in front of undefined skylines of London, New York, and South Africa and represent an array of skin color. According to Flash, these portraits represent a new generation of people that is above and beyond “passing,” because they represent pride and strength.
Flash will speak at the gallery located upstairs at the Jefferson School City Center on June 14 at 5:30 pm. The lecture is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 am to 6 pm, Saturday 10 am to 3 pm, and Sundays from 1 to 4 pm.
“Challenge Into Change” contest winners to be announced
The Women’s Initiative at the Jefferson School City Center will be celebrating the Challenge into Change Essay Contest winners on Saturday June 15th from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. Prizes will be distributed to the winners and the celebration will include door prizes and refreshments. This event will honor women who have transformed challenging life circumstances into opportunities for growth and change. As usual at the Jefferson School City Center, free parking is available on site. For more information, please contact Lesley Foster at lrfoster@comcast.net or visit The Women’s Initiative online.
A successful zoo trip
Participants at JABA’s Mary Williams Community Center enjoyed a day at the Virginia Safari Park last month despite the rain. “The rain made things a challenge, but we had a good time anyway,” said activities director Karen Bieber. The center is open Monday through Thursday from 10 am to 2 pm and hosts a variety of activities for seniors. Their next major outing is a picnic at Darden Towe park on June 13.
An evening of jazz at the Carver Recreation Center
Charlottesville Parks & Recreation will host “An Evening of Jazz” on Saturday, June 29 from 8:30 pm to 11:30 pm at the newly renovated Carver Recreation Center at the Jefferson School City Center.
The Riseband and Show is a Washington D.C. area band, led by Ernest Bennett, which has been making music together since 1978. The 9-member ensemble performs oldies but goodies from the 1950s through 1990s as well as jazz and Motown.
This program is open for anyone ages 18 and up for a cost of $15 per person. Included in the cost is heavy hors d’oeurvres by local favorite, Mel’s Café. Pre-registration is required as there are a limited number of seats available. To register online, please visit www.charlottesville.org/parksandrec. Registrations may also be processed in person at Carver Recreation Center, or by calling (434) 970-3053.
Kids in the Kitchen
Kids will have the opportunity to see how things cook in the Jefferson School City Center’s state-of-the-art demonstration kitchen this summer. During the week of July 15 through 19, Mr. Tom Cervelloni, Director of Food and Beverage at U.Va’s Darden School, will teach rising third through sixth graders how to prepare a healthy salad, make meatballs, and scoop muffins and cookies. Kids will learn basic rules of kitchen safety and food preparation and practice teamwork skills. Students will create a lunch to share with parents at the end of the week. Space is limited to 10 students. More information is available by calling 434-961-5354. Registration form available is available online.
Jefferson School City Center is a voice of the nine nonprofits located at Charlottesville’s intergenerational community center, the restored Jefferson School. We are a legacy preserved . . . a soul reborn . . . in the heart of Cville!
