Facing Change: White-Adjacent
Monday, April 19, 6 – 7:30pm
Writer Anne Ishii will join the next conversation in our new series about race in America. Photo by Lucas Michael
Free; registration required
About the Event
“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” —James Baldwin
Join us for Facing Change, our new online speaker series. Every other month, the Barnes is bringing together artists, scholars, and community activists virtually for a multicultural and intergenerational conversation about race in America.
Today’s conversation focuses on the term “white-adjacent,” which describes a person who is part of a minority group but has access to, utilizes, or benefits from white privilege. The panel features writer Anne Ishii, filmmaker Rey Miranda, and musician Mel Hsu, with producer Loraine Ballard Morrill as moderator. During the program, you’ll be encouraged to use the chat function to submit your own questions.
Registrants will be emailed a link to the program by 5pm on Monday, April 19.
Panelists
Anne Ishii
Ishii is executive director of Asian Arts Initiative, which has operated with a mission to “create community through the power of art” in the Chinatown North neighborhood of Philadelphia since 1993. She is a writer and editor, with a background in Japanese arts and culture. In 2013 she cofounded Massive Goods, a fashion and publishing house that works with LGBTQ and feminist artists from Japan. Ishii also serves as a translator and agent for queer artists. Her translation of Gengoroh Tagame’s My Brother’s Husband won a 2018 Eisner Award. Her writing has been published in Nylon, Slate, Publishers Weekly, the Village Voice, and the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Rey Miranda
Miranda has over 25 years of experience in motion pictures and television as a cinematographer and camera operator. He has filmed countless projects, including scripted series, documentaries, features, and commercials. In his own words, his focus is to be “as diverse as I can be with the stories I help tell.”
Mel Hsu
Hsu is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and performer with roots in classical cello. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with dancers, filmmakers, rappers, poets, and visual artists to create powerful audiovisual experiences. Hsu is also codirector of Girls Rock Philly, where she works to amplify the voices of girls and trans and gender-expansive youth.
Loraine Ballard Morrill, moderator
Morrill is news and community affairs director for six iHeartMedia stations in Philadelphia (Power 99 FM, WDAS FM, ALT 104.5 FM, The Breeze 106.1, The Gambler 1480, and Q102). A veteran producer and broadcaster, she has received recognition and numerous awards for her reporting and community affairs contributions, including six National Association of Broadcasters Crystal Awards for Service. Morrill is also the host and producer of Insight and What’s Going On, about local and national issues impacting Philadelphia.
Upcoming Talks
Cultural Appropriation
Monday, June 14, 2021
Panelists: Quentin Williams, Colette Fu, and Alex Shaw
Moderator: Loraine Ballard Morrill
Identity
Monday, August 16, 2021
Panelists: Ernel Martinez and Daniel de Jesús
Moderator: Francoise Thenoux
About the Series
Facing Change is a speaker series and community conversation grounded in the belief that all people are created equal and all systems need to be regularly assessed for equity. Every other month, leading scholars, artists, and activists will engage in important discussions, guided by guest moderators and you, the viewer, to ensure we examine the nuances that are sure to arise in conversations about race in America.
The Barnes has a history of working alongside the Black community. This series, along with other initiatives, continues our practice of working toward equality for all. Created in partnership with Loraine Ballard Morrill, OneHunted, Small But Mighty Arts, and the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival.
Past Talks
Facing Change: Colorism
Scholar-activist Dr. Yaba Blay, performing artist Madhusmita Bora, and workforce development advocate Sean Robinson. Moderated by producer Loraine Ballard Morrill.
Recorded October 12, 2020.
Facing Change: Race as a Social Construct
Film and media scholar Rob Buscher, writer and arts administrator Kalela Williams, and performing artist Ani Gavino. Moderated by producer Loraine Ballard Morrill.
Recorded December 14, 2020.
Facing Change: Anti-Racism
Writer Vanessa Julye, musician Doug Hirlinger, and poet Nina “Lyrispect” Ball. Moderated by producer Loraine Ballard Morrill.
Recorded February 15, 2020.
Go Further
Private Virtual Tours
Visit the Barnes without leaving home! Book a custom online tour for your friends, family, or colleagues
Private Collection Tours
Explore highlights of the collection and learn the history of the Barnes. This tour is a private one-hour experience for you and up to three guests.
Barnes from Home: Family Art Time
Kids and their adults can create art and learn from artists and objects in the Barnes collection.