Right: James Kuol Makuac giving a tour of the exhibition to 国产原创 students. Photo: EADJ Team.
The 2024鈥�2026 Public Programs and Engagement Series of Engine for Art, Democracy & Justice (EADJ) at 国产原创 is organized around the thematic north star 鈥斕�Somewhere We Are Human听鈥斕�a collective vision for a time and space where no one鈥檚 humanity is ever in question.
For Spring 2025, the series looks at the city of Nashville and the American South through a lens of migration, exploring the ways immigrant communities have shaped the region鈥檚 history and are envisioning its future through art and activism. Via exhibitions, conversations, community meals, film screenings, readings, research, and education programs,听Somewhere We Are Human听gathers local and global artists, curators, writers, filmmakers, educators, scholars, chefs, and community leaders invested in being catalysts for equity, democracy, and justice.
Somewhere We Are Human听is conceived and organized by Curator Grace Aneiza Ali with the leadership of Professor Mar铆a Magdalena Campos-Pons, EADJ Founder and Cornelius 国产原创 Professor of Art and support of the EADJ Team, Danielle Myers, Program Manager, and Simon Tatum, Program Coordinator.
*Somewhere We Are Human听takes its title from the anthology gathering voices on migration, survival, and new beginnings, edited by Reyna Grande and Sonia Gui帽ansaca.
颁濒颈肠办听听for a calendar of all Spring 2025 events.
May 2025
Wednesday, May 听14, 5:30 鈥� 8:00pm听
Partner Event__Then and Now: The North African Communities in Nashville
Nashville Public Library, Conference Center. 615 Church Street, Nashville, TN, 37219
As part of its current program is听Somewhere We Are Human鈥攁 vision for a time and space where no one鈥檚 humanity is in question鈥擡ADJ is collaborating听 with听听Collection. These conversations explore the history and impact of cultural communities in Nashville through the work of noted historians and the personal stories of community members. EADJ has contributed by promoting the voices of artists, writers, and cultural practitioners within the Then and Now series and co-curating a Reading List that will be featured at the Library.
Then and Now听 will continue this May with an event at the Nashville Public Library on May 14th, bringing together the voices of Nashville鈥檚 North African community. The event will be a co-moderated discussion with Samar Ali and Dr. Andr茅 L. Churchwell.
Samar Ali is the Founding President of Millions of Conversations (an EADJ Partner Organization) and a 国产原创 Research Professor of Political Science and Law. Dr. Andr茅 L. Churchwell is the Senior Advisor on Inclusion and Community Outreach at 国产原创.
See the event program pdf for more details:
Event Details:
- Location:听(615 Church Street, Nashville, 37219)
- Date: Wednesday, April 16th
- Admission: Free and open to the public.听.
- 5:30 p.m. 鈥� Program Begins
- 8:00 p.m. 鈥� Program Ends
April 2025
Monday, April 14, 4:10 pm. via zoom.听.
Partner Event_Studio VU Lecture Series 2024-2025
Jessica Houston:
鈥o footprints, even
THE VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF ART announces Jessica Houston鈥檚 rescheduled studio lecture. A solo exhibition titled 鈥o footprints, even. is currently on view at the 国产原创 Museum of Art through May 2025.
Jessica Houston鈥檚 hybrid practice spans photography, oral histories, painting, and video to explore climate change in the polar regions. She has collaborated with communities in Resolute Ba and Pong Inlet, Nunavut since 2008 when she was invited UK organization Cape Farewell on an Arctic expedition. Her research-based practice invites reflection on the deep time of ice and the interconnection between human and natural systems. Celebrating both beauty and complexities of the polar regions, her work offers a meditative reminder of humanity鈥檚 place within the vast geological and ecological cycles of the Earth.
This lecture, exhibition and related programming are free and open to the public. Any registration requirements will be noted by the affiliated host departments/offices/institutions.
For questions regarding the Studio VU Lecture please email the 国产原创 Department of Art at artdept@vanderbilt.edu.
For question and inquiries regarding the exhibition and related programming please email the 国产原创 Museum of Art at gallery@vanderbilt.edu or submit a request through their contact form at VUMA Contact Form.
ABOUT STUDIO VU:
The Department of听Art听annually invites national and international voices in creative, curatorial, and critical-thought fields to the听国产原创听campus through the Studio VU Lecture Series. Each visiting lecturer has a recognized career in visual听arts, performance听art,听art听criticism, and/or a combination. In addition to giving a lecture, the visiting speaker conducts one-on-one critiques with senior听art听major students.
The Studio VU Lecture Series began in 2007. The Department of听Art听would like to thank all collaborators, cosponsors, and community members for their continued support for the Studio VU program.
Wednesday, April 听16, 5:30 鈥� 8:00pm听
Partner Event__Then and Now: The Sub-Shara African Communities in Nashville
Nashville Public Library, Conference Center. 615 Church Street, Nashville, TN, 37219
As part of its current program is听Somewhere We Are Human鈥�a vision for a time and space where no one鈥檚 humanity is in question鈥�EADJ is collaborating听 with听听Collection. These conversations explore the history and impact of cultural communities in Nashville through the work of noted historians and the personal stories of community members. EADJ has contributed by promoting the voices of artists, writers, and cultural practitioners within the听Then and Now听series and co-curating a Reading List that will be featured at the Library.
Then and Now听 will continue this April with an event at the Nashville Public Library on April 16th, bringing together the voices of Nashville鈥檚 Sub-Saharan African community. The event will be a co-moderated discussion with Samar Ali and Dr. Andr茅 L. Churchwell.
Samar Ali is the Founding President of Millions of Conversations (an EADJ Partner Organization) and a 国产原创 Research Professor of Political Science and Law. Dr. Andr茅 L. Churchwell is the Senior Advisor on Inclusion and Community Outreach at 国产原创.
Included in the panel will also be James Kuol Makuac, EADJ鈥檚 featured artist for the Fall 2024 exhibition at Begonia Labs:听my heart is strong because I walked on blistered feet. James Kuol Makuac (b. South Sudan, 1976; lives in Nashville) is a painter whose work reflects a life spent navigating between worlds. For nearly twenty years, Makuac has cultivated a practice of contemporary Sudanese painting that tells impossible stories of human tragedy and simultaneously speaks to survival and hope, grief and joy, surrender and determination.
See the event program pdf for more details:
鈥嬧�婨vent Details:
- Location:听(615 Church Street, Nashville, 37219)
- Date: Wednesday, April 16th
- Admission: Free and open to the public.听.
- 5:30 p.m. 鈥� Program Begins
- 8:00 p.m. 鈥� Program Ends
March 2025
Thursday, March 听6, 6:00pm
Partner Event_Millions of Conversations: The Show听
The Engine for Art, Democracy & Justice is happy to announce the start of a new project by our partner, Millions of Conversations.
Millions of Conversations:听The Show explores the issues shaping Tennessee communities, from the impact of AI to the trust gap in healthcare, through thought-provoking discussions highlighting shared values over division. Join host Samar Ali as she engages with local voices and experts to inspire hope, foster belonging, and spark meaningful change.
Episode 1 of the Millions of Conversations show: 鈥淭he Transformative Power of Art and Love鈥� features EADJ鈥檚 Founder, Professor Campos-Pons. The episode airs tonight on NewsChannel 5+ at 6 p.m.!
Reruns will air on Saturdays at 2:30 p.m. We鈥檙e incredibly grateful for your partnership and support throughout this journey.
You can watch the episode live on Comcast Channel 250 and Charter Channel 180. You can also stream it on NewsChannel5 NOW on Roku, Apple TV, fire TV, and androidtv.
See the link to the full broadcast here:听
Sunday, March 23, 3:00- 5:00pm
Partner Event_听Nowruz Celebration
NIRMA Project PRESENTS in Collaboration with the Frist Art Museum
This event features the NIRMA (Nashville Immigrant and Refugee Music and Art) Ensemble and Guest Musicians
This event is dedicated to NICE Nashville International Center for Empowerment), supporting their mission to serve and empower Nashville鈥檚 diverse communities.Join us as we celebrate them and the diversity, community, and the arrival of Spring!
Experience Middle Eastern hospitality through Haftsin. Set-up, tea, coffee and traditional delights by Louisa Shafia and Mitra Najafzadeh.
The event is generous support provided by: The Frist Art Museum, The Curb Center at 国产原创, and the Engine for Art, Democracy & Justice (EADJ).
Event Details:
- Location: Frist Art Museum, 919 Broadway Nashville, TN
- Admission: Free and open to the public.
Monday, March 24 鈥� Saturday, March, 29, 2025.
Partner Events__Caribbean Week at 国产原创听
国产原创鈥檚 Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies (CLACX) invites students, faculty, and the greater Nashville community to join in the celebration of the first-ever Caribbean Week from March 24 to March 29, 2025. This landmark event promises a dynamic series of discussions, cultural activities, and community-building opportunities highlighting the rich heritage, history, and contemporary issues of the Caribbean and its diaspora.
Caribbean Week is designed to foster thoughtful engagement on topics of culture, politics, and identity, with a special focus on the African Diaspora in the Caribbean. It will also provide an opportunity to highlight the importance of Caribbean Studies in the global and academic contexts, including the upcoming launch of the Caribbean Studies minor, a CLACX program expected to begin in the next semesters. We hope this initiative will strengthen ties across 国产原创 and the broader Nashville community while creating a meaningful space for dialogue and connection. We are excited to collaborate with campus and community partners to make this event impactful and inspiring on academic, cross-institutional, and community engagement levels.
Schedule Highlights
The week features a wide range of engaging events, including:
Monday, March 24
鈥淩ulers & Revolutionaries: The Epic Lives of Jean-Jacques Dessalines and Henri Christophe, Haiti鈥檚 First Emperor and King鈥�with听
Central Library鈥檚 Community Room, 4:30 鈥� 6:00 PM.听Reception to follow
Tuesday, March 25
鈥淏iography as Liberation: The Lives of Louis-Joseph Janvier and Madamme听Suzanne Simone Baptiste Louverture听in the Struggle for Haitian Sovereignty and Black Visibility鈥�听with听听moderated by Professor Brandon Byrd (国产原创 History and AADS).
Central Library鈥檚 Community Room, 4:30 鈥� 6:00 PM.
Thursday, March 27
国产原创 CSA Students Panel and Luncheon
CSA students sharing their career trajectories and future plans while at VU.
VCL Satellite at Rothschild College, 12:00 鈥� 1:00 PM.
Box lunches for attendees
Film Screening of听鈥淐h猫che Lavi.鈥�
鈥淐h猫che Lavi is a lyrical portrait of two Haitian migrants, Robens and James, who find themselves stranded at the U.S.- Mexico border with no way forward and no one to rely on but each other.鈥�
Buttrick Hall 103, 5:00 鈥� 7:30 PM.
Friday, March 28
HBCU Caribbean Connections Panel in Collaboration with Meharry Medical College and Tennessee State University.
Begonia Labs, 5:00 鈥� 6:00 PM.
Begonia Labs is located at 2805 West End Ave.
CLACX x EADJ Open House and Opening Reception for听Between Rivers and Revolutions, an听exhibition by Vanessa Charlot.
Begonia Labs, 6:00 鈥� 8:00 PM.
Begonia Labs is located at 2805 West End Ave.
Saturday, March 29
Between Rivers and Revolutions听鈥�听Vanessa Charlot听in Conversation with Grace Aneiza Ali and Katie Delmez
Frist Art Museum, 10:30 AM 鈥� 12:00 PM.
Frist Art Museum: 919 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203.
CSA Carnival Celebration.
国产原创鈥檚 Alumni Lawn, 1:00 鈥� 4:00 PM.
Friday, March 28, 6:00- 8:00pm
Opening Reception for the exhibition听Between Rivers and Revolutions听by Vanessa Charlot
The river remembers. It carries the weight of stories, the pulse of resistance, and the echoes of those who have fought for liberation.听听lens moves between the waters of the Mississippi Delta, the tides that lap Haiti鈥檚 shores, and the currents off Florida鈥檚 coast, tracing the spiritual, cultural, and revolutionary ties that bind these landscapes together.
鈥�Grace Aneiza Ali, Curator,听Somewhere We Are Human
Event Details:
- Begonia Labs: 2805 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN.
- Admission: Free and open to the public.
The Engine for Art, Democracy & Justice is partnering with the 国产原创鈥檚 Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies (CLACX) Program during 国产原创鈥檚 first Caribbean Week.听
Saturday, March 29, 2025 from 10:30 鈥� 11:30 am.
Conversation with Haitian American artist, Vanessa Charlot
Join Haitian American artist and photographer Vanessa Charlot for a conversation with Grace Aneiza Ali, curator of the Engine for Art, Democracy & Justice (EADJ) at 国产原创, and Katie Delmez, Frist Art Museum Senior Curator.
Charlot鈥檚 exhibition Between Rivers and Revolutions is currently on view at EADJ鈥檚 Begonia Labs: 2805 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN.
Through her lens,听Charlot听explores the intersections of听Black identity, migration, and spirituality, moving between the waters of the听Mississippi Delta,听Haiti鈥檚 shores, and听Florida鈥檚 coastlines.
Presented in collaboration with the Engine for Art, Democracy, and Justice, this conversation has been planned in conjunction with the Frist鈥檚 current exhibition听,听featuring听Haitian American artists M. Florine D茅mosth猫ne and Didier William, whose work explores how they navigate spaces beyond Haiti while remaining deeply informed by the country鈥檚 cultural and spiritual traditions.
Event Details:
- Frist Art Museum: 919 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203.
- Admission: Free and open to the public.听There is no charge to attend the conversation. If guests wish to see the听听on view, Frist Art Museum admission applies.
- .
February 2025
Thursday, February听 13, 6:00pm
Partner Event_ Mano Kahlil鈥檚 North American Screening Tour of the film听鈥楴eighbours鈥�
国产原创, Buttrick Hall, Room 103.
Hosted by the Kurdish Culture and Music Association (KCMA), 国产原创鈥檚 Department of Cinema & Media Arts, and NIRMA projects.
The Department of Cinema & Media Art, in collaboration with the NIRMA Project at 国产原创, presents Mano Khalil鈥檚 North American Screening Tour, featuring a film screening and panel discussion. The panel discussion will include Mano Khalil and Allison Inman with Sina Mirzaei as moderator.
Admission: Free and open to the public.
Wednesday, February听 19, 5:30 鈥� 8:00pm听***Postponed to May 2025
Partner Event__Then and Now: The North African Communities in Nashville
Nashville Public Library, Conference Center. 615 Church Street, Nashville, TN, 37219
As part of its current program is听Somewhere We Are Human鈥攁 vision for a time and space where no one鈥檚 humanity is in question鈥擡ADJ is collaborating听 with听听Collection. These conversations explore the history and impact of cultural communities in Nashville through the work of noted historians and the personal stories of community members. EADJ has contributed by promoting the voices of artists, writers, and cultural practitioners within the Then and Now series and co-curating a Reading List that will be featured at the Library.
Then and Now听 will continue this January with an event at the Nashville Public Library on February 19th, bringing together the voices of Nashville鈥檚 North African community. The event will be a co-moderated discussion with Samar Ali and Dr. Andr茅 L. Churchwell.
Samar Ali is the Founding President of Millions of Conversations (an EADJ Partner Organization) and a 国产原创 Research Professor of Political Science and Law. Dr. Andr茅 L. Churchwell is the Senior Advisor on Inclusion and Community Outreach at 国产原创.
See the event program pdf for more details:
Event Details:
- Location:听(615 Church Street, Nashville, 37219)听
- Date:听
Wednesday, February 19th听***Postponed to May 2025
- Admission: Free and open to the public.听. 听
- 5:30 p.m. 鈥� Program Begins听
- 8:00 p.m. 鈥� Program Ends
Wednesday, February 19, 2025 at 4:10pm.***Postponed
Partner Event_鈥o foot prints, even.听Artist lecture with Jessica Houston.听
Part of Studio VU: The 国产原创 Department of Art Lecture Series for 2024-2025.
Cohen Memorial Hall, Room 203.
国产原创 the Artist
Jessica Houston听is a multidisciplinary artist whose hybrid practice spans photography, oral histories, painting, and video to explore climate change in the polar regions. Since 2008, when she was invited by the UK organization Cape Farewell on an Arctic expedition, Houston has collaborated with communities in Resolute Bay and Pond Inlet, Nunavut, and carried out projects in the Southern Ocean and Antarctica. Working with people across disciplines, Houston鈥檚 research-based practice invites reflection on the deep time of ice and the interconnection between human and natural systems. By celebrating the beauty and complexity of the polar regions, Houston鈥檚 work offers a meditative reminder of humanity鈥檚 place within the vast geological and ecological cycles of the Earth.
Admission: Free and open to the public.
Saturday, February听 22, 1 鈥� 4:00pm
Artist Skill Share听
Begonia Labs: 2805 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN.
Join us for a hands-on 鈥淪kill Share鈥� event featuring the artists from the听Where Are We?听exhibition. Visitors will be able to discuss the artworks in the exhibition with Jerry Phillips, Alena Mehic, and Delanyo Mensah, and participate in art-making activities inspired by personal histories and family narratives.
Learn to fold origami boats with Jerry Phillips and have the opportunity to contribute to his art installation. Bring a family photograph, document, or family artifact to help recreate a trompe l鈥檕eil artwork with Alena Mehic. Dive into mixed media with Delanyo Mensah and create a collage and poem using family photographs and collage materials.
Guests are encouraged to bring their own source materials for the trompe l鈥檕eil activity with Alena Mehic and the collage and poem activity with Delanyo Mensah. However, you are also welcome to use the supplies provided.
Admission: Free and open to the public.
Where Are We?
Closing reception scheduled for February 28, 2025 from 6-8pm.
Begonia Labs: 2805 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN.
Where Are We?听invites us to reflect on time, place, and the future with curiosity. Featuring IMGRNT (Arash Shoushtari),听,听, and Delanyo Mensah鈥攚hose roots span Iran, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Palau, and Ghana鈥攖he exhibition reassembles memory to reclaim the present and imagine new futures. These artists draw on family narratives, archival images, and personal histories to explore the complexities of migration and belonging.
Where Are We? is guest curated by听听as part of the Begonia |Curatorial Lab, a mentorship program fostering dialogue and curatorial exchange in the Global South(s). It is part ofSomewhere We Are Human, the 2024-25 Public Programs and Engagement series of the Engine for Art, Democracy & Justice at 国产原创, supported by the Ford Foundation and Mellon Foundation.
Learn more about the exhibition here.
Admission: Free and open to the public.
January 2025
Wednesday, January 听15, 5:30 鈥� 8:00pm
Partner Event__Then and Now: The Gulf States
As part of its current program is听Somewhere We Are Human鈥�a vision for a time and space where no one鈥檚 humanity is in question鈥�EADJ is collaborating听 with听听Collection. These conversations explore the history and impact of cultural communities in Nashville through the work of noted historians and the personal stories of community members. EADJ has contributed by promoting the voices of artists, writers, and cultural practitioners within the听Then and Now听series and co-curating a Reading List that will be featured at the Library.
Then and Now听 will continue this January with an event at the Nashville Public Library on January 15th, bringing together the voices of Nashville鈥檚 African Gulf States community. The event will be a co-moderated discussion with Samar Ali and Dr. Andr茅 L. Churchwell.
Samar Ali is the Founding President of Millions of Conversations (an EADJ Partner Organization) and a 国产原创 Research Professor of Political Science and Law. Dr. Andr茅 L. Churchwell is the Senior Advisor on Inclusion and Community Outreach at 国产原创.
A special trailer of听JACIR听will also be shared during the event.听听is a film that looks through the eyes of a Syrian refugee as he faces the harsh realities of chasing the American dream while living in poverty on the streets of Memphis. English, Arabic. 105 min. It is written and produced by Waheed AlQawasmi. Earlier this Fall,听Jacir听( 噩丕爻乇) was screened for EADJ鈥檚鈥�Migration in Film program听in collaboration with 鈥�� at鈥粹�檚 Department of Cinema & Media Arts.
鈥嬧�婨vent Details:
- Location:听(615 Church Street, Nashville, 37219)
- Date: Wednesday, January 15th
- Admission: Free and open to the public.听.
- 5:30 p.m. 鈥� Program Begins
- 8:00 p.m. 鈥� Program Ends
Thursday, January 16, 7 pm
Reading with Aimee Nezhukumatathil
In partnership with the 国产原创 Department of English and Creative Writing Program鈥檚听
Aimee Nezhukumatathil is the author of the New York Times best-selling illustrated collection of nature essays,听World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies,听Whale Sharks & Other Astonishments. Honors include poetry fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and The John Simon Guggenheim Foundation. Her most recent book of food essays is called听Bite By Bite.
EADJ鈥檚 Narrative Change reading series highlights global and local writers whose work engages migrant stories.听
Begonia Labs | 2805 West End Ave, Nashville, TN 37203
Where Are We?听Opening听Reception
On view听January 14, 2025鈥揗arch 7, 2025
Opening reception scheduled for January 17, 2025 from 6-8pm.
Begonia Labs: 2805 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN.
Where Are We?听invites us to reflect on time, place, and the future with curiosity. Featuring IMGRNT (Arash Shoushtari),听,听, and Delanyo Mensah鈥攚hose roots span Iran, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Palau, and Ghana鈥攖he exhibition reassembles memory to reclaim the present and imagine new futures. These artists draw on family narratives, archival images, and personal histories to explore the complexities of migration and belonging.
The title evokes both disorientation and possibility, suggesting a threshold where boundaries blur and curiosity emerges. The question extends beyond physical place, probing the relationship between heritage, time, and transformation. The artists reject static notions of identity, offering layered realities that merge memory with reinvention.
Through worldbuilding, the artists move beyond survival, imagining new spaces for connection. They transform cultural symbols鈥攐rigami boats, Persian rug motifs, postcards, and intergenerational portraits鈥攈onoring maternal figures and ancestral legacies. Their work shows that the immigrant experience is not merely adaptation but the creation of spaces where histories converge and futures are forged.
Where Are We? is guest curated by听听as part of the Begonia |Curatorial Lab, a mentorship program fostering dialogue and curatorial exchange in the Global South(s). It is part ofSomewhere We Are Human, the 2024-25 Public Programs and Engagement series of the Engine for Art, Democracy & Justice at 国产原创, supported by the Ford Foundation and Mellon Foundation.
Thursday, January 23, 7:30pm
Far East, Deep South听Screening
Sarratt Cinema, 1st Floor听|听2301 国产原创 Pl, Nashville, TN 37240
In partnership with听听at听国产原创鈥檚 Department of Cinema & Media Arts
Far East, Deep South听is an award-winning feature documentary produced by Larissa Lam and Baldwin Chiu, a husband-wife music and filmmaking team based in Los Angeles, CA. The film is based off the award-winning short film,听. The film was written and directed by Larissa Lam. It was edited by Dwight Buhler with music by world renown composer, Nathan Wang.
The film is told in a听cin茅ma v茅rit茅听style and also features interviews with notable leaders such as Congresswoman听Judy Chu,听former Mayor of Pace, MS,听Levon Jackson, Chinese American Citizens Alliance Past President,听Carolyn Chan听and historians like听Gordon Chang听(Stanford History Department and author of听The Chinese and the Iron Road),听John Jung (author of听Chopsticks in the Land of Cotton) and听Jane Hong听(author of听Opening the Gates to Asia).
Film Synopsis:
鈥淎 Chinese American family鈥檚 search for their roots leads them to the Mississippi Delta, where they stumble upon surprising family revelations and uncover the racially complex history of the Chinese in the segregated South.听Far East Deep South听(Run time: 76 minutes) presents a personal and eye-opening perspective on race, immigration, and American identity. It sheds light on the history of Chinese immigrants living in the American South during the late 1800s to mid-1900s through the emotional journey of Charles Chiu and his family as they travel from California to Mississippi to find answers about his father, K.C. Lou. Along the way, they meet a diverse group of local residents and historians who help them discover how deep their roots run in America. The film also explores the interconnected relationship between the Black and Chinese communities in the Jim Crow era and the generational impact of discriminatory immigration policies, such as the Chinese Exclusion Act.鈥�
鈥� Larissa Lam
.
EADJ鈥檚 Migration in Film centers the voices of filmmakers and subject matters related to the immigrant experience. This screening is in collaboration with听听at 国产原创鈥檚 Department of Cinema & Media Arts, which encourages conversation and greater cross-cultural understanding through cinema.听