Program funded by a grant from the City of West Hollywood through its Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission and sponsored in part by the Black LGBT Project and presented by California LGBT Arts Alliance. While Black Is...Black Ain't rejoices in Black diversity, many speakers bare their pain at having been silenced or excluded because they were perceived as "not Black enough" or conversely "too Black." Black Is...Black Ain't marshals a powerful critique of sexism, patriarchy, homophobia, colorism and cultural nationalism in the Black family, church and other Black institutions. Cornel West concludes, "We've got to conceive of new forms of community. We each have multiple identities and we're moving in and out of various communities at the same time. There is no one grand Black community." Riggs' own urgent quest for self-definition and community, as a Black gay man dying from AIDS, ties the multiple perspectives together Hooked up to an IV in his hospital bed, Riggs takes strength for his struggle against AIDS from the continual resilience of the African Americans in the face of overwhelming oppression. As his death nears, he conjures up the image of a Black community nurturing and celebrating the difference and creativity in each one of us. Admission is free. Parking available at the West Hollywood Park 5-story Parking Garage. To RSVP and for more information, please email calgbtarts@gmail.com TTY for the deaf and hard of hearing at (323) 848-6496.
