FROM THE EDITOR

Over the past year, the significance of celebrating and uplifting Black art has become ever more important at ARTE NOIR. Each month, we hope to share good information and introduce our readers to Black art and artists who are shaping our communities and our world. We seek to elevate the understanding of Black art as it is today, as it was in the past, and the ways that it propels us into a future that no longer sidelines one community of art and artists in order to give promi

June is Black Music Month and while we certainly don't need a special month to drop vinyl onto a turntable and feel the groove, we do take this time to shine a light on Black music innovators and Black deejays who keep the needles moving forward. The thing about Black music is that its roots have influenced every musical genre throughout American history, and modern forms of musical innovation can be traced to Black deejays as well. Here are just a few points of note that i

Gratitude can never be overstated, in my opinion. Each new day brings a new reason to be grateful, especially in these extremely turbulent times that we are living in. I’m grateful for the art and creativity that often helps to process the world around us. Without art, I often wonder what kind of life I would be living. In Elisheba Johnson’s profile in this issue, she points out something that bears repeating. She says, "Bringing art into our home that we love centers us an

Spring is here! With the budding of flowers, this season we are also emerging from an extremely long hibernation and the exhaustion of Zoom meetings that necessarily replaced our in-person gatherings. People are out and about and back to experiencing live arts, and we are here for it all! In fact, the excitement of seeing live theater again led me to New York for a front row, opening night seat to experience for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is en

March is Women’s History Month. Four Black women, in particular, are making history right now - these women are the creators and architects of the Black Future Co-op Fund, Washington's first Black-woman-led philanthropy. They made history when they founded this groundbreaking philanthropy, and they made history again by recognizing twenty-one Black women-led causes in our state with $50,000 unrestricted "We See You" grants. ARTE NOIR is among the twenty-one grant recipients!

As Black History Month comes to a close, I am reminded of the beauty of Black culture. Parallel to that beauty is the loss we've endured of our vibrant culture, due to the impacts of cultural appropriation and lack of institutional memory. On a recent episode of `black-ish , Dre lifted this concept, reminding viewers of the power of Black culture within the sneaker game. Astounded by how one of his white co-workers flaunted access to the latest and greatest new lines of sn

On the eve of Black History Month 2022, my eyes are turned a bit more toward what it means to be in the Age of Aquarius. Being a child of the 60s, “this is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius,” is a memorable lyric from the musical HAIR. We are no longer in the dawning of this age, we are in it! As we continue to share news about Black arts trailblazers, arts leaders, and change-makers, we see a connection to this new age. Recently, I referred back to a 2021 article in ARTnews

Arriving at the end of another tumultuous year, the rearview mirror magnifies an ever-present need to speed toward joy - by any means necessary. We also see the reflections of transitions, change, and loss. Our one foot forward was recently thrown two steps back by the December 7th passage of Greg Tate and the December 15th transition of bell hooks. In my Seattle community, joy ambassador Kenny Joe McMullen claimed his angel status on December 13th. Though no longer physica

I don’t know about you but I am so happy to be entering the holiday season! Seems like everyone I talk with and everywhere I turn, people are tired and feeling burned out. Another thing that is very evident is how much people are taking stock of things to be grateful for. We’ve all been through the absolute wringer lately, but coming out on the other side is great cause for numerous shouts of hallelujah! My gratitude is great for being ensconced in and surrounded by great art

Okay, it needs to be said out loud - Black women are taking arts and cultural institutions to new levels in a wave of leadership that ripples across the entire world! There, I said it! This does not in any way diminish or exclude anyone else's contributions. But we have known for decades that Black women bring the ideas, lead the community engagement and programming in major institutions, volunteer until they are worn and unhealthy, and who are overlooked, denied leadership a

We learn early in life that water is the ultimate sustainer. It is what keeps our environment healthy, hydrates our internal systems, and cleanses our exterior bodies. Fela Kuti says it best, "water you no get enemy." Like water, creativity, you no get enemy. To me, creativity is the ultimate sustainer and motivator. Without it, we are destined to bland, tasteless existences. Just as we learn the importance of water early in life, we also learn the joys of experiencing the s

How many of you have had the opportunity to visit the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture? I see your hands waving in pride. I’ll bet you’ve got the t-shirt, the mug, and the magnet. And why not?! The museum is a treasure to behold and the pride that comes with walking the halls of this monument to OUR history and culture makes one’s chest burst with pride. As travel remains complicated, the museum continues to engage with us and offer virtual

I just watched Summer of Soul…( Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised) . Wow! What a ride – the performances, the narratives, the times! Just a few weeks ago William Greaves’ Nationtime was made available for viewing by LANGSTON . Yet another piece of important Black history that lay dormant in a basement for decades, and was only recently restored and put back into the active volumes of Black cinema. So much of our history is left to languish or intentionally tuc

President Jimmy Carter declared Black Music Appreciation Month on June 7, 1979. In 2009, President Barack Obama gave June its current designation as African American Music Appreciation Month. In his 2016 proclamation, President Obama noted that “a vital part of our Nation's proud heritage, African American music exemplifies the creative spirit at the heart of American identity and is among the most innovative and powerful art the world has ever known.” The creative spirit tha

Letter from the Editor, May 2021

On the eve of Black History Month 2022, my eyes are turned a bit more toward what it means to be in the Age of Aquarius. Being a child of the 60s, “this is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius,” is a memorable lyric from the musical HAIR. We are no longer in the dawning of this age, we are in it! As we continue to share news about Black arts trailblazers, arts leaders, and change-makers, we see a connection to this new age. Recently, I referred back to a 2021 article in ARTnews

Arriving at the end of another tumultuous year, the rearview mirror magnifies an ever-present need to speed toward joy - by any means necessary. We also see the reflections of transitions, change, and loss. Our one foot forward was recently thrown two steps back by the December 7th passage of Greg Tate and the December 15th transition of bell hooks. In my Seattle community, joy ambassador Kenny Joe McMullen claimed his angel status on December 13th. Though no longer physica

I don’t know about you but I am so happy to be entering the holiday season! Seems like everyone I talk with and everywhere I turn, people are tired and feeling burned out. Another thing that is very evident is how much people are taking stock of things to be grateful for. We’ve all been through the absolute wringer lately, but coming out on the other side is great cause for numerous shouts of hallelujah! My gratitude is great for being ensconced in and surrounded by great art

Okay, it needs to be said out loud - Black women are taking arts and cultural institutions to new levels in a wave of leadership that ripples across the entire world! There, I said it! This does not in any way diminish or exclude anyone else's contributions. But we have known for decades that Black women bring the ideas, lead the community engagement and programming in major institutions, volunteer until they are worn and unhealthy, and who are overlooked, denied leadership a

We learn early in life that water is the ultimate sustainer. It is what keeps our environment healthy, hydrates our internal systems, and cleanses our exterior bodies. Fela Kuti says it best, "water you no get enemy." Like water, creativity, you no get enemy. To me, creativity is the ultimate sustainer and motivator. Without it, we are destined to bland, tasteless existences. Just as we learn the importance of water early in life, we also learn the joys of experiencing the s