Ending Slavery’s Legacy of Racism: The Imperative for Strengthening Justice and Resilience in Afro-Descendant Communities in the Americas

Begins online
Tuesday, November 1

The Organization of American States (OAS), through its Art Museum of the Americas (AMA), and the Office of the OAS General Secretariat in Saint Lucia join forces with the Headphunk organization and artists of the Caribbean to relaunch the activities held to commemorate the Fourth Inter-American Week for People of African Descent in the Americas in 2021.

From November 1st to 17th, several Caribbean artists will be showcased by the Art Museum of the Americas. This program is exemplary of the museum’s mission to exhibit and study modern and contemporary art of OAS member states, as a culturally diplomatic instrument in promoting cultural exchange and advancing the OAS four pillars of democracy, human rights, security, and development.

The program will feature the work of Kendall Barthelmy, Fiona Compton, La Tasha N. Nevada Diggs, Quince Duncan, Chevy Eugene, Khadijah Halliday, Jason Haynes, Christian Kristof Joseph, Black Kalagan, Geena Mc Phee, Yasmin Solitahe Odlum, Kishma Serieux, and Gemma Weekes. They emphasized the importance of the topic Ending Slavery’s Legacy of Racism: The Imperative for Strengthening Justice and Resilience in Afro-Descendant Communities in the Americas, through their artistic contributions.

Similar to the current exhibition Afro-Caribbean Motifs of the Art Museum of the Americas Collection, this exhibition offers an artistic component to the OAS’s Plan of Action for the Decade of Afro-Descendants in the Americas (2016-2025), in recognizing the Victims of Slavery, and the struggle against racism.

OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro has applauded the initiative in favor of tolerance and cultural diversity in Saint Lucia, and the OAS Resident Representative, Lilly Ching-Soto has expressed her interest in the promotion of Saint Lucian artistic expressions. AMA’s Director, Adriana Ospina highlighted that the Museum strives for greater awareness and respect for diversity and cultures in all their richness and that AMA is pleased to serve as a platform for this collection of artistic voices of Saint Lucia.