The Black Excellence Series

Feature 1

For Black History Month in February of 2022, NIA Centre hosted a historical overview, presented by retired Grand Rapids Community College, Professor Gertrude Croom. She did a riveting presentation on 5 of the African American women whose portraits were featured in the My Story 4 event that NIA Centre held in October of 2021. The event turned out to be very successful and was well-attended by the community.

Feature 2

NIA Centre participated in a cultural collaboration with Opera Grand Rapids in the months leading up to the world premiere of Stinney: An American Execution on Friday, February 25, 2022.

As conversations unfolded, NIA Centre suggested that the song Lift Every Voice and Sing (arranged by Dr. Roland M. Carter) would serve as a galvanizing/inspiring selection, reflecting the themes of social justice and historical significance.

While the story of George Stinney, a 14-year-old boy accused of rape and murder in South Carolina in 1944 and sentenced to death by electrocution, is a brutal reminder of America’s dark past, it was also important to lift up that story in the context of collaborative cultural engagement.

Feature 3

Virtual/Physical CONNECT EVENTS

NIA Centre hosts Virtual/Physical CONNECT events. The purpose of these events is to connect African American leaders and others from the areas of cultural arts, entrepreneurship & wealth building, and health awareness to the local community. The virtual/physical audience is provided with access to successful African American leaders who have made a difference within their communities.