Presented in an interview and discussion format, this talk brings together two practitioners whose work bridges art, history, and community memory.
In addition to “Nia Panes” Harris has produced several other public artworks that memorialize Rochester’s lesser-known African American history, giving form to the lives and legacies of local leaders and activists whose contributions have often gone under-recognized. “Nia Panes” reimagines the tradition of memorial stained glass to honor Anna Murray Douglass, Hester Jeffrey, and Austin Steward, foregrounding their lasting impact on abolition, suffrage, and community organizing in Rochester. Leading the conversation with Harris, Amanda Chestnut, co-founder of In This Moment, brings to the program their ground-breaking commitment to honor living elders and influential figures in the Black community. Together, the conversation explores how past AND present narratives are preserved, interpreted, and carried forward through art and storytelling.
