A B O U T
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T H E B E N E F I T. . .
"From Emmett Till to SNCC & Beyond: Words + Music + Art" is a special benefit to support Highways Performance Space & Gallery as a cultural arts nonprofit, amidst the national headline-grabbing blindside of devastating cancellations and cuts to allocated public funds for the arts across the country---funds that nonprofits like Highways rely on... And this benefit is the organic result of renowned performance and visual artists coming together to help---especially "alumni" of Highway’s acclaimed 2005 and 2010 Emmett Till artists collective series, originally curated by Highways legacy artist, Kevin Spicer. But more importantly, for 2026 this encore of Vol. III's live performance, multimedia and visual art presentations by the special collective of renowned performance & visual artists (some '05 and/or '10 "alumni"), will recognize two 2026 landmark commemorations—The 100th Anniversary of Black History Month and the U.N. World Day of Social Justice, held annually every February 20. And these two commemorations will be addressed through the lens of three historic milestones that galvanized the Civil Rights Movement. The first milestone is the white supremacy-driven Mississippi murder of Black Chicago teen Emmett Till, as well as the unflinching decision of his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, to allow not only an open-casket funeral, but published photos of his tortured body, for all to see racism’s wrath. While the next two milestones relate to 2026 also marking the 65th Anniversaries for both SNCC’s Jail-No-Bail protests and famed Freedom Rides. Also, ironically, SNCC was founded in 1960—five years after Till's death—by college students who were around his age in 1955, and they went on to organize the historic sit-ins, voter registration campaigns, and of course, the Freedom Rides in the Jim Crow South. Notwithstanding, that they called themselves the “Emmett Till Generation, including future SNCC Chair & revered Congressman, John Lewis.
T H E W O R D S. . .
“From Emmett Till to SNCC & Beyond: Words + Music + Art” will not only include formidable pieces performed by real life history-makers SNCC member/artist-activist, Peggy Trotter Dammond Preacely and Freedom Summer student-activist/CORE advocate, David Crittendon, but powerful original works performed by award-winning theatre icon, Brian Freeman*; performance artist-director-choreographer, Joyce Guy* (also a LA Drama Critics Circle choreographer winner); and Gia Scott-Heron, renowned spoken word artist/star of the Off-Broadway hit, “Gil Scott-Heron Bluesology”, that showcases her legendary father’s work. Stage stalwart, Babe Evans* will also play a gripping character that manifests throughout the evening. In addition, special performance videos will feature revered multidisciplinary performing artist/writer, Paul Outlaw* and celebrated L.A.-based poet/L.A. Dept. of Cultural Affairs' Trailblazer Writer, Pam Ward*.
T H E M U S I C. . .
The evening will be infused with moving and empowering live music by: esteemed international all-female voice & drum group, ADAAWE; lauded singer-writer-performance artist, Marc Broyard*; and "Gil Scott-Heron Bluesology" cast member, Art.Us Mansoir, who will also join Gia Scott-Heron for a riveting piece of spoken word and song. There will also be a special multimedia music piece by performance/visual artist, Derek Shields, as well as a compelling video of music and original prose by musicians’ musician and popular L.A. singer-songwriter, Jason Luckett*. We're also pleased to announce that performing will be yet another popular vocalist and Highways creative artist alum, Lura Daniels-Ball, who is also the president of Our Authors' Study Club (OASC) founded by Vassie Davis Wright, and chartered by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the "father" of Black History Month, which will make her performance very poignant.
T H E A R T. . .
Highways is also honored that in the Highways Gallery will be work by preeminent visual artists: Charles Dickson*, Candace Hunter* and Toni Scott*. In addition, established artists Robert Stuart Lowden* and Lori-Antoinette* will show special pieces available for purchase with proceeds to Highways, as will Marc Broyard and Derek Shields. Also, in a nod to the youth that started SNCC due to Emmett’s killing and the ongoing injustice that surrounded them, in the Gallery will be a work by late teen aspiring artist, Justin Carr (courtesy of the Justin Carr Wants World Peace Foundation). Finally, in the live program a thematically compelling work by fêted artist, Hana Ward, will be digitally incorporated as a story throughline for what will be an extraordinary evening of words + music + art.
There are three Benefit ticket levels now available for purchase at Early Bird rates: General Admission and Student/Senior Benefit tickets (incl. post-show dessert reception), as well as a limited-quantity of VIP Benefit tickets (which, in addition to the post-show dessert reception, includes the pre-show reception and the evening's first look at the art installation, as well as a listing in the Souvenir Program). Also available are sponsorships, for details on sponsorship opportunities click here or call/text (424) 248-9794.
This special benefit is being co-curated by Spicer and produced by MoSamp Productions, as well as directed by Phylliss Bailey Brooks and special material for select segments written by WGA member, J.M. Morris, who is also co-curator with Spicer. Executive producing are Spicer and John Sampson, along with Brooks and Morris.