Keepers of the Culture: Our Journey, Our Stories Through Words, Pictures, and Melodies.

Mar- Jun ?22: Detailed planning by AGC Team on coordination of activities/personnel, logistics, liaison, etc. Due to the later distribution of funds, team planning started in July ?22, a bit later than what we hoped, but we were able to regroup and begin essential planning to start programming during late Fall.

Jul ?22-Apr ?23: Monthly, 10 x 1-hr, recorded Coffee & Conversationvirtual gatherings engaging AGC members/individuals from 3-5 senior living facilities Led by Al McFarlane, local Black journalist/radio host/social media content creator focus on participants' memories/experiences around (but not exclusive to) gospel/its role in Black culture in MN. PENDING | This project will be adjusted to July-Sept ?23: Project will shift from 10 x 1hr recorded Coffee & Conversationvirtual gatherings to 2-3 sessions due to team capacity and organizational schedules. This work will be done in collaboration with AGC Program Director/AGC Team.

Sep-Dec ?22: Partnership w/ Music Dept, Concordia Uni, St Paul. AGC Music Director, will work with 4 Composition major students to interview 4 AGC elders about their life experiences, This project was adjusted to Spring 2023 due to schedules of collaborators and team capacity.. Four AGC elders were interviewed by 2 composition major students who produced very warming tribute pieces that captured the Black cultural lived experiences of the elders.

Sep/Oct ?22: Partnership w/ Barack & Michelle Obama Elementary School, St Paul. Katie Sample, AGC participant/retired educator/poet This project will take place July-August ?23 and will be led in collaboration with Elder Katie Sample and community performing artist, Jamela Pettiford.. Barack & Michelle Obama Elementary School was scheduled to close during Summer 2023 by St. Paul Public School district. We pivoted and are looking to partner with Jimmy Lee Community Center in the Rondo neighborhood and a University/Dale Senior Living complex with which Ms. Pettiford has a longstanding community relationship.

Jan-Apr ?23: Series of 4 community education events (sites TBD) on gospel & individual/cultural memory led by AGC Program Coordinator. These events have taken/will take place during Spring and Summer 2023. AGC presence as Black cultural memory amplifiers in the community will exceed the four education events we proposed. Greater Friendship Baptist Church Health and Info Fair | March 2023; Progressive Baptist Church Brain Health Event | April 2023;Volunteers of America Culturally Responsive Caregivers | Brain Health Resource Fair | July 2023; Morning Star Baptist Church's 33rd Anniversary event | July 2023; Progressive Baptist Church Health/Resource Fair | August 2023; Urban League Family Day Presenters | August 2023

May ?23: AGC public/recorded concert. Led by AGC Program Director: showcasing 30-voice chorus; 4-person AGC band (AGC Prog. Director/WWMA co-founder/2 WWMA staff); 6 clinician/musicians (who'll have helped prepare AGC via 6 short clinics on gospel's origin/history/preservation); instrumentalists/accompanists; & featuring call/response language of African drums, led by professional musician with deep knowledge of African drumming. Venue TBD. We successfully implemented our Spring Concert and also featured 8 culturally responsive or culturally affirming partners and organizations at a resource fair. The concert featured 6 professional musicians including MCs who carried attendees on a cultural journey through the roots of Black gospel music. Also included were testimonies about the cultural, social, and positive health impact of AGC

Jul ?22-Jul ?23: Bianca Rhodes, Emmy award-winning filmmaker whose work is dedicated to advocating for the Black community, will record above activities/edit & produce documentary. She'll provide her existing WWMA footage for free.

Aug-Sep ?23: Documentary disseminated via WWMA's YouTube/Facebook/website; churches/schools/senior communities; Mayo Clinic/MN Board on Aging/Alzheimer's Society & similar; Giving Voice (another chorus). This activity will take place July-September 2023. The program is expanding to include assistance from media veteran and Emmy Award winning video/audio production and Karl Demer in collaboration with Bianca Rhodes to accommodate capacity and grant timeline. Additionally we will work collaboratively with the Walker|West Marketing team to share the final product widely in the Twin Cities metro area and beyond.

Activities were chosen to engage variety of audiences (AGC/other Black elders/caregivers/youth/students ,etc.) in meaningful way to preserve/honor Black Minnesotans' rich cultural heritage; offer education/outreach on this heritage; empower Black elders/others in maintaining/building their identity/culture. ; Jul ?22-Apr ?23: Monthly, 10 x 1-hr, recorded Coffee & Conversationvirtual gatherings engaging AGC members/individuals from 3-5 senior living facilities Led by Al McFarlane, local Black journalist/radio host/social media content creator focus on participants' memories/experiences around (but not exclusive to) gospel/its role in Black culture in MN. This project was completed during the latter part of our grant.

July-Sept ?23:We adjusted from the 10 x 1hr recorded Coffee & Conversationto 2 virtual gatherings and one in person virtual session. We collaborated with local journalist, advocate, and owner of ShelettaMakesMeLaugh.com, Sheletta Brundidge, to facilitate a community conversation about Program Director Shana Moses as a CNN Champion for Change and the impact of AGCs work with participants, partners and community.

Sep-Dec ?22: Partnership w/ Music Dept, Concordia Univ., St Paul. AGC Music Director, will work with 4 Composition major students to interview 4 AGC elders about their life experiences, This project was adjusted to Spring 2023 due to schedules of collaborators and team capacity.. Four AGC elders were interviewed by 2 composition major students who produced very warming tribute pieces that captured the Black cultural lived experiences of the elders.

Sep/Oct ?22: Partnership w/ Barack & Michelle Obama Elementary School, St Paul. Katie Sample, AGC participant/retired educator/poet The timeline was revised to take place July-August ?23 in community upon discovering that the Barack & Michelle Obama Elementary School was scheduled to close during Summer 2023 by St. Paul Public School district. We pivoted and looked to partner with Jimmy Lee Community Center in the Rondo neighborhood and a University/Dale Senior Living complex with community artist, Jamela Pettiford who has a longstanding community relationship.
Unfortunately this project wasn't completed as planned due to schedule conflicts, however, young people from partnering churches, grandchildren, and neighbors of those impacted by dementia were invited to attend some of the live performances and community conversations. Of the 15 students who attended at least one of the events we hosted 100% reported that the music and stories shared made them more aware of the ways dementia effects their loved ones or community members.
Jan-Apr ?23: Series of 4 community education events (sites TBD) on gospel & individual/cultural memory led by AGC Program Coordinator. These events took place during Spring and Summer 2023. AGC built a presence as Black cultural memory amplifiers in the community and exceeded the four education events we proposed. We ended the year with 8 community education events including Greater Friendship Baptist Church Health and Info Fair | March 2023; Progressive Baptist Church Brain Health Event | April 2023;Volunteers of America Culturally Responsive Caregivers | Brain Health Resource Fair | July 2023; Morning Star Baptist Church's 33rd Anniversary event | July 2023; Progressive Baptist Church Health/Resource Fair | August 2023; Urban League Family Day Presenters | August 2023 | AGC-Walker West CNN Champions of Change Watch Party and Community Conversation Sept 2023

May ?23: AGC public/recorded concert. Led by AGC Program Director: showcasing 30-voice chorus; 4-person AGC band (AGC Prog. Director/WWMA co-founder/2 WWMA staff); 6 clinician/musicians (who'll have helped prepare AGC via 6 short clinics on gospel's origin/history/preservation); instrumentalists/accompanists; & featuring call/response language of African drums, led by professional musician with deep knowledge of African drumming. Venue TBD. We successfully implemented our Spring Concert and also featured 8 culturally responsive or culturally affirming partners and organizations at a resource fair. The concert featured 6 professional musicians including MCs who carried attendees on a cultural journey through the roots of Black gospel music. Also included were testimonies about the cultural, social, and positive health impact of AGC

Jul ?22-Jul ?23: in lieu of Bianca Rhodes, Multi-Emmy award-winning producer, photojournalist, and sound tech, Karl Demer of AtomicK whose work is dedicated to advocating for the Black community, will record above activities/edit & produce documentary. She'll provide her existing WWMA footage for free.

Aug-Sep ?23: Documentary disseminated via WWMA's YouTube/Facebook/website; churches/schools/senior communities; Mayo Clinic/MN Board on Aging/Alzheimer's Society & similar; Giving Voice (another chorus). This recording for this activity took place in September/October 2023. The program is expanded to include assistance from media veteran and mulitple Emmy Award winning photojournalist/sound technician/producer, Karl Demer, in collaboration with Bianca Rhodes to accommodate capacity and grant timeline. Additionally we will work collaboratively with the Walker|West Marketing team to share the final product widely in the Twin Cities metro area and beyond. Because the recording and documentary was a bit delayed the marketing team will disseminate the completed project in Dec 2023.

Activities were chosen to engage variety of audiences (AGC/other Black elders/caregivers/youth/students ,etc.) in meaningful way to preserve/honor Black Minnesotans' rich cultural heritage; offer education/outreach on this heritage; empower Black elders/others in maintaining/building their identity/culture.