As part of the first Grand Ave Arts Access celebration in 3 years, LA Commons partnered with the Music Center and several organizations from across Los Angeles to celebrate our Creating Our Next LA campaign as well as mobilize our communities during this critical election season. Our day began with an exciting participatory procession led by choreographer Jahanna Blunt and concluded with a dance circle, which brought together a variety of individuals and communities who had come to Jerry Moss Plaza for a day of collective action and dreaming. Youth, civic leaders, and community members had the opportunity to contribute to our dynamic public art installation, ‘Dream in Ribbons’ which documents our visions for the future of Los Angeles and will remain in Jerry Moss Plaza until October 31.
The celebration on October 22 was both a culmination of our Creating Our Next LA team’s community building activities as well as a catalyst to [literally] drum up support for continued intergenerational, intercommunity conversations about the future of our shared city and county. View the Full Program here.
Below are highlights from the day:
PROCESSION LED BY JAHANNA BLUNT
Multicultural dance groups (Bloco Obini, Mrs. Ko Korean Dance Institute, Le Ballet Dembaya, and Kalpulli Temachtia Quetzalcoatl) led by Jahanna Blunt start the event with a colorful procession around the plaza.
PROGRAM OPENING
Karen Mack gives opening remarks about the importance of sharing our visions for Los Angeles before passing the mic to National Endowment for the Arts Chair, Maria Rosario Jackson, to speak on uplifting the arts.
RIBBON-MAKING
The Creating Our Next LA booth invites folks to write their responses to the question, ‘What is your vision for a liveable, healthy and just Los Angeles?’ on colorful ribbons, which will be upcycled into Creating Our Next LA creative reuse projects, in partnership with the reDiscover Center.
Community responses are tied into the Dream in Ribbons installation, created by architect Mandy Palasik of M/PAL Studio.
PARTICIPATORY DANCE CIRCLE
Our program culminated in a participatory dance circle featuring a variety of different cultures and peoples.
PROGRAM CLOSING
To close the event, friends and family gathered for a toast to LA Commons Executive Director, Karen Mack, to celebrate her 60th birthday.
Photo credits: Marcus Robinson and Blaze Bautista
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