Our Father’s Day celebration titled “Dad Love” was inspired by Unboxed: Black Fathers Are Present.
People told stories about their fathers. Some were funny, some bittersweet, some full of gratitude. There were stories about fathers who worked tirelessly, fathers who were strict, fathers who loved in their own way, and fathers who are no longer with us. The conversation moved easily from one person to another, and before long, people who had arrived as strangers were sharing really personal memories .
Visitors posed in front of their favorite works from Unboxed: Black Fathers Are Present, choosing images that spoke to them and telling us why. The exhibition by Dáreece Walker continues to really matter to visitors.
Dáreece was there too, along with his wife and young son. While the adults talked, his son quietly made a beautiful drawing of his own, a lovely example of creativity in the family, translating in lovely father pride!
We had on our side the dream team: Quiana Dumas, our gallery manager who oversaw the event, Makeda Mellat who MCed the evening, and Débora Michèle who was taking portraits of people.
Our gathering felt very much in the spirit of the exhibition itself: appreciating the people who shape our lives, often in ways we don’t fully recognize until later.
And for that, we are grateful.
