Join members of the Museum’s Black Lives in Alaska Project Advisors for a first look at the Black Lives in Alaska: Journey, Justice, Joy exhibition. Celeste Hodge Growden, Jovell Rennie, Tasha Webster, and Cal Williams will take the audience on a virtual walk-through and talk about their involvement in shaping the exhibition and related programming.

Celeste Hodge Growden is a civic leader and community organizer advocating for the rights of Black and marginalized communities. She is the president/CEO of the Alaska Black Caucus, and is included in The HistoryMakers, the nation’s largest African American video and oral history archives.

Jovell Rennie is an Anchorage based photographer who was born in Trinidad and Tobago and raised in Alaska. Rennie works with Thompson & Co. PR, and with partners, manages Akela Space, an artist studio and gallery space in downtown Anchorage.

Natasha Webster is a multi-disciplinary artist practicing primarily in painting and mixed media. She is influenced by the Black Arts Movement (or BAM) of the 1960s and 70s, along with the works of Betye Saar, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Nina Simone, James Baldwin, and Maya Angelou.

Cal Williamsis an activist and local historian who has lived in Alaska since 1965. Born in Monroe, Louisiana, Mr. Williams has received numerous honors for his community service and is included in The HistoryMakers, the nation’s largest digital archives of African American video and oral histories.

First Look: A virtual tour of the Museum’s Black Lives in Alaska exhibition