A Make it Different Foundation Production

“What is Color? What is Race? -A Presentation of Black  is designed to help our communities ask and answer two important "leading" questions about race and race relations in America; "How did we get here?" and "Where are we going?" The Make it Different Foundation in collaboration with Southington Community Cultural Arts (SoCCA) will offer a series of community presentations that examine the nomenclature of Black America and explores those accompanying issues and themes of color, ethnicity and national origin impacting our perceptions and conversations about race today. 

Can the very "systems and institutions of racial injustice and inequality" procure accurate conceptualizations and conversations about race and color today? Will change come from behind the walls and within the confines of white decision-makers or those sterile spaces that redirect equitable outcomes?  Do we have a moral responsibility to examine --"Who's in charge and why?"  Finally, "How do we identify our own 'mind bugs' and socially imposed perceptions of reality --as the United States is reckoning with centuries of racial injustice?"

This project will engage the critical humanities disciplines (history, art, literature, language, and belief systems) to help unpack these questions in a series of compact learning experiences that bring to light the historical origins of race and color - and why these human constructs even exist. We understand that the patterns of historical and cultural revisionism and the inversion of racial narratives and social information continues to be an effective method at keeping systemic racism and inequality firmly in place today. Changing these paradigms, therefore, more often times than not, must occur outside of these racial frameworks.

We are very pleased to create a "non-judgmental and a culturally inspiring learning environment" for our community participants to examine our shared human legacy. We believe that creating safe, supportive, and independent spaces for a "free community exchange and learning" to happen is absolutely essential for those dynamics to both occur and be successful. 

Some of the best conversations about race and color today are being directed and led by those persons affected by the problem. They're happening on park benches, in shopping  lots, and with neighbors walking their dogs and playing with their children - in micro environments not controlled by presumptuous racist elites and the agendas that keep them there. We invite you all to come in and join us! 

This event was made possible in part by the Graustein Memorial Fund and the KAWFY Memorial Fund at Main Street Community Foundation.