Inaugural Event Combating Racism and Antisemitism Through Omni-American Culture
October 18, 2021, NEW YORK – On the 24th and 25th of October, the Jazz Leadership Project, the American Sephardi Federation, and the Combat Antisemitism Movement will hold its inaugural event to combat racism and antisemitism by exploring and celebrating Albert Murray's vision of "Omni-American" culture, including that culture's great gift to the world, jazz music, and pushing back against racial essentialism in all its forms. The event seeks to build a better American future on the foundations of a substantive, "Omni-American" cultural collaboration between Black and Jewish Americans.
The two-day, online event, to be held on the 24th and 25th of October, will feature live music and discussion by an array of participants, including musicians, writers, scholars and activists. Opening day will feature opening remarks by Greg Thomas and Aryeh Tepper, the two educators and writers who are leading the event. The day will end with a special presentation of the first annual Albert Murray Award for Omni-American Excellence to Murray’s student, Wynton Marsalis – the world-renowned musician, composer, artist and managing director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. The second day of the event will see additional performances and discussions; with a focus on thought leaders’ interpretations of Albert Murray’s work and insights.
The first day will include virtual readings by Chloe Valdary, Prof. Sheena Mason, and Prof. Farah Jasmine Griffin,who will do virtual readings. Additionally, Prof. Robert G. O’Meally, 2022 NEA Jazz Master Donald Harrison, and writer and executive coach Amiel Handelsman will present or engage in discussions.
The following day will feature an array of noted writers and thinkers such as Thomas Chatterton Williams, Jonathan Silver, and John Wood Jr.; author and psychologist Pamela Paresky in conversation with chef and TV personality Andrew Zimmern; Muslim American leader Zainab Zeb Khan; and ASF Executive Director Jason Guberman in conversation with noted scholar of Semitic, African, and African American Studies, Ephraim Isaac.
Both days will feature live music performed by the Itamar Borochov Quartet.
Other participants include Prof. Marla Brettschneider, Matthew McKnight, Dr. Zak Stein, Lauren Gibli, Rabbi Daniel Bouskila, Prof. Daniel Asia, Nick Jankel, Prof. Paul Devlin, Prof. Joel Dinerstein, Loren Schoenberg, and Sacha Roytman Dratwa (CAM Executive Director).
The event is held in partnership with Israel-American Civic Action Network, FAIR (Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism), Institute for Cultural Evolution, Artists 4 Israel, FBT (Free Black Thought), Jewish Institute for Liberal Values, Concordia (Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies), JCC Association of North American, Indian Pluralism Foundation, UKLFI Charitable Trust, Alpha Epsilon Phi, Jazzmobile, the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, IMPAC (International Movement for Peace and Coexistence), Counterweight, and a host of other organizations aligned with the inaugural events intent and purpose.
Website: http://event.omniamerican.org/
Video: https://youtu.be/HHd9XAUBSqc
Register now by clicking one of the images above . . .