Two Poetry Tributes to Honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
By J. JOY “SISTAH JOY” MATTHEWS ALFORD
Prince George’s County Poet Laureate Emerita (2018–2023)
Saturday, January 18, 2025 (1–3 p.m.)—
“A Drum Major for Justice”—A free in-person poetry tribute honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at National Harbor.
This free poetry tribute to Dr. King is presented by Inaugural Prince George’s County Poet Laureate, Sistah Joy, in partnership with the Prince George’s Arts and Humanities Council (PGAHC) and The Coalition for the Performing Arts, Inc. (CAAPA) at Arts’tination, the PGAHC gallery and performance venue at National Harbor. Arts’tination address: 162 Waterfront Street, Oxon Hill, MD 20745.
“A Drum Major for Justice” will include performances by 5 Guest Poets: Brenda Bunting, Hiram Larew, Janique Muckelvene, Sylvia “Ladi Di” Beverly, Sekeithia Johnson; and Moderator, Sistah Joy. Soprano, Karen Wiggs-Wilbanks and Djembe drummer, Doc Powell will also perform at the family-friendly event, which is open to all ages, particularly youth and teens. Light refreshments will be served. This hybrid event, which includes Featured Poets, also includes a limited Open Mic.
Facebook announcement of “A Drum Major for Justice” and information about the poets and artists can be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/events/1730838804431536
Monday, January 20, 2025 (1–3 p.m.)—
“Collective Voices” Free Virtual Poetry Tribute Honoring The Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr."
January 20, 2025, is the date of the official national celebration of the 96th birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Collective Voices, a socially conscious poetry group, invites poets to share poems honoring the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr at this free virtual poetry tribute, a “hybrid” (featured poet, and Open Mic) event.
Dr. King lived a life of service, fighting for and ultimately giving his life for social justice. Poems should honor Dr. King’s legacy. All ages, especially youth and teens, are welcome to participate in this free virtual family-friendly tribute honoring the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Facebook announcement and Zoom link for Collective Voices’ free virtual poetry tribute honoring Dr. King is available at https://www.facebook.com/events/2320329005004031
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Curlee Raven Holton
Finding a Voice Through Printmaking
By KATE TAYLOR DAVIS
Pyramid Atlantic Art Center
HYATTSVILLE, Md. (Jan. 7, 2025)—“Finding a Voice Through Printmaking” is a retrospective of print work by internationally renowned artist Curlee Raven Holton. The exhibition shares over 50 works that represent a variety of print techniques and subjects.
“Finding a Voice Through Printmaking” opens Friday, January 24. On Saturday January 25, Pyramid will host an artist talk from 3–4 p.m. and a reception from 4–6 p.m. (free, RSVP requested). The exhibition runs through March 2, 2025 in Pyramid’s Helen C. Frederick Gallery. Gallery hours are Wed & Thu, 10–8 p.m. and Fri–Sun, 10–6 p.m. Pyramid is located at 4318 Gallatin Street, Hyattsville, Maryland 20781. For more information and an RSVP link, visit pyramidatlantic.org or call 301-608-9101.
Holton’s work is powerful, tapping into the quiet, subliminal idea of Art as a mighty oracle and artists as sages. Many of Holton’s works ponder flashing visions wrapped up in a single image. Brimming with irony, sadness, and humor, Holton’s titles play narrator to mythological-like action. His compositions are broad and searching; images to lean on, and to lean into. Each grants a great view of all that lies beyond here and often offers answers that bring on more questions. The works assembled encompass nearly 40 years of Holton’s artistic career.
Of the exhibition Holton remarks: “Robert Blackburn the renowned master printmaker would often say ‘that each of us have a log to bring to the woodpile.’ It was his way of acknowledging the validity of each artist's perspective and contribution to the whole. The Printmaking medium and its diverse forms has allowed me a constant potential for change and alteration. The art of printmaking and its dynamic variations provide a creative medium allowing for the intersections of studio based art practices and new technologies. This intersection has the capacity to generate visual awareness in new and distinct ways. This matrix has offered me as an artist the freedom to produce creative mutations and alterations that generate singular or multiple images that speak most effectively to my intellectual, creative and aesthetic concerns.”
An artist-scholar, Holton is an internationally renowned printmaker and painter whose work has been exhibited professionally for over 30 years in more than 60 one-person shows and over 100 group shows in such prestigious national and international venues as the 7th International Biennale in Cairo, Egypt; Taller de Artes Plasticás Rufino Tamayo in Oaxaca, Mexico; the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. His work is in the permanent collection of many museums including the Cleveland Museum of Art, Allentown Art Museum, Philadelphia Art Museum, National Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, The Library of Congress, and Yale University Art Gallery. Holton established the Experimental Printmaking Institute at Lafayette College in 1996 after having studied with Robert Blackburn of the Printmaking Workshop in New York City. In 2006 he founded Raven Fine Art Editions. In 2010 he became the director of the David C. Driskell Center at the University of Maryland until retiring in 2023.
Founded in 1981, Pyramid Atlantic is a nonprofit contemporary art center. Our mission is to sustain and elevate a welcoming arts hub in Hyattsville. MD that champions contemporary printmaking, papermaking, and book arts. We equip, educate, and exhibit while prioritizing artistic integrity, creative growth, and inclusivity. Our vision is to anchor an arts community that recognizes and uplifts the importance of artists, the intrinsic values of working with your hands, and the economy of artist-made work.
www.pyramidatlanticartcenter.org
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M-NCPPC Prince George’s County Planning Department Announces Applications Now Open for Spring 2025 Neighborhood Planning Academy
By PRESS OFFICER
Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
LARGO, Md. (Jan. 7, 2025)—The Prince George’s County Planning Department of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) announces that applications for the spring 2025 cohort of the Neighborhood Planning Academy are now open. The program offers a unique opportunity for community-minded residents to learn about urban planning and actively shape the future of Prince George’s County. The curriculum covers essential topics in urban planning, community engagement, and sustainable development. The program also aims to empower residents to actively engage in planning and decision-making processes in their communities.
The free, seven-week course offered by the M-NCPPC Prince George’s County Planning Department supports residents, municipalities, non-profit organizations, and the business community in understanding how the development process works, how to better engage, and how to advocate for community goals and visions.
The spring 2025 session runs on Wednesdays from March 19–April 30, 2025, from 6:30–8:30 p.m. The first six sessions will be conducted virtually via Microsoft Teams. The final session includes an in-person graduation with capstone project presentations that highlight newly acquired skills and planning knowledge. The application deadline is January 31, 2025. Applicants will be selected from each councilmanic district for geographic diversity.
Since the launch of the program in the fall of 2023, approximately 130 community-minded Prince George’s County residents and stakeholders have been selected to participate in the Neighborhood Planning Academy. Spaces are limited! To apply and learn more about the NPA program visit https://academy.pgplanning.com/. For any questions, please email PGCNPA@ppd.mncppc.org.
The Prince George’s County Planning Department of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is responsible for preserving, protecting, and managing the county’s resources through high-quality planning services and growth management guidance. Our mission is to promote economic vitality, environmental sustainability, design excellence, and quality development that promotes healthy lifestyles in Prince George’s County. Visit our website, www.pgplanning.org, to learn how you can become engaged in shaping the future of your community. Assistance: The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission encourages the participation of persons with disabilities in all its programs and services. To receive a disability accommodation call the Public Affairs Office at 301-952-3038, email PublicAffairs@ppd.mncppc.org, or complete the online form.
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