Just like that folks, 2015 is tick-tocking to a close and 2016 is just around the corner. During this moment of ball drops and countdowns it is important for us to reflect upon the important work that was done in 2015 and what needs to happen to ensure that those ripples of change that were created in years past are built upon in this unknown future that we are about to embark on.
Tis the season of resolution setting! Usually this tradition is confined entirely to the individual (what is it about yourself that you want to change in the New Year?). What would it look like if we were to expand the borders around this idea of resolution setting and change making to be focused not just internally, but also externally? What would it mean to start the New Year thinking deeply about the new worlds you dream of and how you will fuse creative energies with others to mobilize around seeing the change that you want to see become reality.
The day after New Year’s, the Brooklyn Museum invites you to our first Target First Saturday of 2016 intentionally themed “New Years, New Futures”. Taking inspiration from our special exhibition Agitprop! and the courageous activism that occurred during 2015 (and the past more generally) during this First Saturday the museum space will be transformed into a site of recharge, a site of agitation, a site to dream up new worlds and connect with others who too are dreaming, mobilizing and working to see those potential futures become reality.
DJ collective Discwoman will spin some femme power fueled sets speaking truth to patriarchy. Singer Tamara Renée will croon soulful melodies infused with revolutionary narratives. Bring the whole family and engage in Agitprop! inspired art making in our education gallery, then stop by Vh1′s The Breaks Phhhoto booth and strike a pose. The Police Reform Organizing Project will facilitate a discussion exploring strategies for organizing social justice actions in our communities and Octavia’s Brood contributor, Vagabond will explore how unlocking one’s imagination is necessary and an important source of power for fighting for social transformation. Watch Mikaela Shwer’s recent documentary Don’t Tell Anyone that exposes the realities and activisms of undocumented youth in NYC and later join The U.S Department of Arts and Culture in interactive activities that harness your creativity to imagine social change. At the end of the night join Congolese performer, Young Paris for some body-moving, electro-infused afrobeats that are sure to get your blood pumping and spirits ready to mobilize for new worlds.
This is not a night that you are going to want to miss and…. IT’S FREE! On January 2, 2016 join us at the Brooklyn Museum and kick off the New Year readying your mind, body and spirit for the change you dream of and will work towards with others in the New Year!
Posted by Omololu Babatunde
