Broadway Advocacy Coalition Presents 'The Fellowship Hall' Festival Beginning May 20

The Broadway Advocacy Coalition will present "The Fellowship Hall" celebrating the inaugural class of the BAC Artivism Fellowship, created this year to support Black femme identifying artist-activists using their craft, tools and care for others to have an impact on the world around them.

Inspired by the familiar southern Black church, "The Fellowship Hall" will spotlight the dynamic and varied voices of the Black women from this year's Fellows and the artistic advocacy projects they have been developing over the last six months. "The Fellowship Hall" includes an Opening Night Celebration, the Fellowship Festival and the release of the online Fellowship Hall featuring the work of each Fellow.

The Opening Night on Thursday, May 20 is a night of celebration and reflection featuring BAC Co-founder Amber Iman, Artistic Director Chesray Dolpha, Program Managers Dria Brown and Nia Akilah Robinson and the full cohort of Artivism Fellows. The event will mark the official launch of "The Fellowship Hall" website spotlighting each of the Fellows and their work.

"The work of our Artivism fellows has produced the potion, spell and essence of Black girl magic personified," said Artistic Director Chesray Dolpha. "They have poured endless ingenuity, love and joy into their work and it is evident. I stand as a witness to these Black women's commitment to justice and equity. Through their work, I can imagine a world where Black women and our humanity is fully seen and affirmed."

The Festival runs through Sunday, May 23, with a focus on each Fellow and the debut of their Artivism project both at the festival and online.

"This glorious community of Black women has completely transformed me as an artivist and as a human being," said Fellow Andrea Ambam. "I feel surrounded, uplifted and propelled forward by a group of people who inspire me to hold a multitude of truths; to be both critical and gentle, radical and tired, joyful and furious, reactive and proactive, and all of the endless possibilities in between."

OPENING NIGHT

Thursday, May 20; 6:30 p.m. ET House Opens with Amber Iman, 7pm ET Show Begins

NIGHT ONE - Friday, May 21

Featuring:

FAYLITA HICKS at 6 p.m. ET
CHELSEADEE HARRISON at 8 p.m. ET

NIGHT TWO - Saturday, May 22

Featuring:

KAYLA STOKES at 2 p.m. ET
ANDREA AMBAM at 5 p.m. ET
NICOLE DAVIS at 7 p.m. ET
JASMINE EILEEN COLES at 8 p.m.ET

NIGHT THREE - Sunday, May 23

Featuring;

DEJAJOELLE at 2 p.m. ET
Daniella Carter at 5 p.m. ET
Courtney Jamison at 7 p.m. ET

Admission to the festival is free. To learn more or reserve your ticket, CLICK HERE!

This year's fellows include Andrea Ambam (performance artist and writer; Brooklyn, N.Y.), Daniella Carter (creative producer and co-founder of Daniella's Guestbook; Forest Hills, N.Y.), Jasmine Eileen Coles (storyteller, story seeker, storykeeper; New York), Nicole Davis (visual artist; Coralville, Iowa), DejaJoelle (healing artist and cultural healing curator; St. Paul, Minn./Charlotte, N.C.), ChelseaDee Harrison (theater-maker; Washington, D.C.), Faylita Hicks (poet, essayist and multidisciplinary artist; San Marcos, Texas), Courtney Jamison (multi-hyphenate; Los Angeles) and Kayla Stokes (storyteller, director and producer; New York/ Seattle, Wash.).

The BAC Artivism Fellowship provided financial support, mentorship, networking opportunities and education workshops for the group of Black women using narrative or stories in their work in order to impact systemic racism and criminal justice reform.