Living Room Sessions Blend Artistry And Conversations

Reesheda Graham Washington is the Executive Director of the Kehrein Center for the Arts Foundation. PHOTO PROVIDED BY APPREYPR.
Reesheda Graham Washington is the Executive Director of the Kehrein Center for the Arts Foundation. PHOTO PROVIDED BY APPREYPR.

Living Room Sessions Blend Artistry And Conversations

By Tia Carol Jones

Reesheda Graham Washington, Executive Director of the Kehrein Center for the Arts Foundation, came up with the idea to host an event at the center that would showcase the artistry and creativity that exists within Chicago’s Black arts community.

The inaugural Living Room Session will take place from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7th, at the Kehrein Center for the Arts, located at 5628 W Washington Blvd.

Washington said because the Kehrein Center for the Arts is a beautiful space, it only felt right to use it as a place to pay homage to the literary, musical and artistic renaissance that was present during the Chicago Renaissance, by bringing current artists into the space.

“Many of those artists who were a part of the Chicago Renaissance, that Renaissance took place in their living rooms,” she said.

Graham Washington said the other reason why she wanted to develop the Living Room Sessions, was to harken back to a time when families on the West side of the city would get together in the living room on Saturday mornings, whether it was to watch Soul Train and dance, or to clean the house. She said it was a way to celebrate what it meant to be family and community while connecting to Black culture and Black music. She said on Soul Train, Don Cornelius would interview the artists who performed on the show, which enabled audiences to not only experience the music and see the performances, but to also hear from the artists themselves.

“We were able to hear about our heritage and our culture, from our leaders,” she said.

The inaugural Living Room Session will celebrate Anjanette Young, an activist and leader whose work led to police reform. Young, who is a licensed Clinical Social Worker, has a nonprofit organization called the I Am Her Foundation. The foundation provides access to therapeutic services for Black women and girls who need a safe space to speak about racial inequities and trauma without judgement. At the Living Room Session, creatives who have developed art that celebrate Young, and her leadership will be performing and exhibiting their work. Young will be there and be interviewed during the event. 

Graham Washington said it is important to have brave spaces, spaces where people don’t have to hold their narrative in order to “keep majorative culture people safe.”  She said in brave spaces, everyone is willing to enter the space and to show up as their unapologetic, authentic selves, while recognizing it might ruffle feathers, but there is a commitment to stay present and work through whatever differences or discord might come, be present to the grief that might show up and get to a space of authentic joy as a result of the committment to maintaining a brave space.

Graham Washington hopes that people are informed and get to learn about the work of Young, while being inspired by the artistry, which will always be part of the Living Room Sessions. She also wants the community to be more exposed to the beauty of the arts and leadership that exists on the West side of Chicago.

Also, on Dec. 7th, there will be a Holiday Bazaar, featuring local vendors, as well as health and wellness resources for the community.

For more information about the event and to register, visit  https://brushfire.com/kcachicago/thelivingroomsession/589537. For more information about the Kehrein Center for the Arts, visit www.kcachicago.org.


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