Then and Now
As part of its current program is 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 with 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 shared events at the Nashville Public Library from January-May, 2025, bringing together the voices of Nashville鈥檚 Levant communities, North African communities, Sub-Saharan African communities, and African Gulf State Region communities. These events were co-moderated discussions with Samar Ali and Dr. Andr茅 L. Churchwell.
Program Details:
Location: Nashville Public Library-Main Library (615 Church Street, Nashville, 37219)
Dates for 2025: Wednesday, 听January 15th, 听February 19th, 听April 16th and 听May 14th 2025.
Admission: Free and open to the public.
Featuring catering from chefs in Nashville each night before the discussions.
5:30 p.m. _Program Begins
8:00 p.m. _Program Ends
国产原创 the Moderators:
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.听
Dr. Andr茅 L. Churchwell is the Senior Advisor on Inclusion and Community Outreach at 国产原创. He is also a renowned Professor of Medicine (Cardiology), Associate Professor of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, and Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at 国产原创.
Events and Exhibition Programs
Wednesday, May听 14, 2025, 5:30 鈥� 8:00pm
Partner Event__Then and Now: The North African Communities in Nashville
Nashville Public Library, Conference Center. 615 Church Street, Nashville, TN, 37219
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.
See the event program pdf for more details:
Event Details:听
Location: Nashville Public Library (615 Church Street, Nashville, 37219)
Date: Wednesday, April 16th
Admission: Free and open to the public.
5:30 p.m. 鈥� Program Begins
8:00 p.m. 鈥� Program Ends
Wednesday, April听 16, 2025, 听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
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.
Included in the panel will also be James Kuol Makuac, EADJ鈥檚 featured artist for the Fall 2024 exhibition at Begonia Labs: 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:听
Location: Nashville Public Library 鈥� Main Library (615 Church Street, Nashville, 37219)
Date: Wednesday, April 16th
Admission: Free and open to the public.
5:30 p.m. 鈥� Program Begins
8:00 p.m. 鈥� Program Ends
Wednesday, January听 15, 2025, 5:30 鈥� 8:00pm
Partner Event__Then and Now: The Gulf States
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.
A special trailer of JACIR will also be shared during the event.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, Jacir ( 噩丕爻乇) was screened for EADJ鈥檚鈥疢igration in Film program in collaboration with 鈥�鈥� at鈥粹�檚 Department of Cinema & Media Arts.
鈥嬧�婨vent Details:听
Location: Nashville Public Library 鈥� Main Library (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
Wednesday, December 11, 2024, 5:30鈥�8:00 p.m.
Partner Event__Then and Now: Levant Community
Then and Now听 will continue this December with an event at the Nashville Public Library on December 11th, bringing together the voices of Nashville鈥檚 Levant community. The event will be a co-moderated discussion with Samar Ali and Dr. Andr茅 L. Churchwell.
Event Details:
Location: Nashville Public Library 鈥� Main Library (615 Church Street, Nashville, 37219)
Date: Wednesday, December 11th
Admission: Free and open to the public.听
5:30 p.m. 鈥� Program Begins
8:00 p.m. 鈥� Program Ends
Additional Resources:
- Interview with James Kuol Makuac
- 听 film trailer