Celebrating StoryCorps: Join Us for the Launch of Brightness in Black!

The Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts is proud to partner with StoryCorps: a nonprofit dedicated to fostering belief in each other by highlighting our shared humanity! We are ecstatic to help StoryCorps introduce their new major initiative, Brightness in Black. Over the next three years – with support from Michael Jordan and the Jordan Brand’s Black Community Commitment – Brightness in Black will collect and amplify stories that showcase the nuance, complexity, and richness of the Black experience, challenging the pervasive narratives of Black life in America that are often limited and deficit-framed.

Each year, Brightness in Black will work intensively in two different Anchor Communities, collaborating with local media and community organizations to capture asset-framed stories of the Black community, working with partners on content co-creation and distribution, and hosting local events. The goal of the regional effort is to build capacity to sustain narrative change work in these communities long-term. This year’s Anchor Communities are Philadelphia and Atlanta, with the remaining four locations to be announced. Stories also will be collected at pop-up events across the country. In addition, Brightness in Black will launch a national content distribution effort, in collaboration with Black media outlets, inviting Black Americans across the country to record their stories, virtually and in-person.

The initiative will officially kick off with a launch event on September 14th at the Kimmel Center’s Commonwealth Plaza from 12:00 - 4:00 PM! The family friendly event is free and open to the public and will feature a recitation of an original poem for the occasion by Kai Davis, Philadelphia's Poet Laureate. Additional activities will include community activations; the opportunity for attendees to record an interview in the StoryCorps airstream mobile booth; a host of live performances by artists including Seraiah Nicole; a panel discussion; multimedia displays; and more. RSVP here.

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For more information on the Brightness in Black initiative and programming, visit here.