Fredericksburg Area Museum to Launch New Program to Connect and Support Black Women
"A Space of Our Own: Black Women in Community" debuts on Thursday, January 16.
By Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
Email Adele
With its newest program offering, “A Space of Our Own: Black Women in Community,” the Fredericksburg Area Museum hopes to honor and support the long history of “talent, ingenuity, and activism of African American women” in the area.
Starting this Thursday and continuing on the third Thursday of every month, the program—developed and led by Gaila Sims, FAM’s vice president of programs and curator of African American history— “aims to provide an inclusive space for Black women of all ages and backgrounds to come together for conversation, relaxation, and support,” according to a press release from the museum.
“I count myself among an incredibly long and deeply important legacy of African American women,” Sims said in the press release. “From the Black women from whom I am descended, to the Black women who taught me how to do historical research, from the Black women activists who have done so much for this country, to the Black women I count among my family, friends, and colleagues in Fredericksburg, I have been the beneficiary of so much love and support, and I hope that this program conveys even a small amount of my gratitude for the community of Black women of which I am part.”
Throughout local history, Black women have worked together to benefit the community, from clandestinely teaching local children to read, to organizing the sit-in movements for civil rights, to leading local arts, education, music, business, and nonprofit organizations, the press release notes.
“There is a long legacy of Black women’s community work in this area, and the FAM is honored to be able to give back just a little to those who have given so much,” it states. “Intergenerational dialogue, networking, and communal care will be at the heart of each gathering.”
The museum will provide light refreshments, craft supplies, and conversation starters, and attendees are also welcome to bring their own snacks and activities to share.
“Trusted allies are welcome, but the program prioritizes Black women’s experiences and needs,” the press release states.
For more information, contact Gaila Sims at gsims@famva.org.
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