Thursday, October 1, 2026
Throughout this summer, I have attended several events hosted by Rebecca and Alexander Howard (RAH) Community Engagement, each one deepening my personal passion for learning more about our Black community and its rich culture.
I am especially excited for "Black Arts The Park" on Sept. 12 at Rebecca Howard Park from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will feature:
There is still time to have your work featured or sign up for the competition. Email RAHcommunityengagement@gmail.com or message them on Instagram for more information.
I am delighted that we get to dive deeper into this event with RAH’s Stephanie Cholmondeley.
Benton: “You just mentioned you have an exciting update to share. I’m all ears!”
Cholmondeley: “Recently, I had the opportunity to go to an art exhibition at Stafford Creek Corrections Center. I had imagined there would be grayness, darkness, and anger. When I was presented with light, joy, color, and tenderness, I was amazed!
“I could not understand how these individuals, who have no access to any beauty, color, softness, or gentleness, could draw from their imaginations and look outside their cells and the center’s walls. These are real people with loved ones who have dreams beyond incarceration. They had a range of perspectives, subjects and contexts, all radiantly presented on canvas. I was floored!”
“We wanted to create an opportunity to present these works to people who had no idea, like me, that art like this was being created in these spaces. We reached out to the Solidarity Arts Collective, who made this program possible at Stafford Creek and are helping incarcerated individuals experience something positive and life-giving. We will have selected works from these individuals featured at (Black Arts The Park)!”
Benton: Can you paint a picture for me of how this event will be presented in this space?
Cholmondeley: “Our heart is to really invite everyone in, connect to everyone, no matter your age or circumstance; it is all available and open! This event will have the distinct theme ‘OUR Story in the Park.’ We are branding that initiative. It will have the photographs, artifacts, the furniture, and the feel that was so evident at ‘Read the Park.’ We have not decided whether we will do the red carpet again, but that is part of the signature of ‘OUR Story.’
“We’ve invited the youth dance group Fearless Dance Team to come out again and perform. We will have two Humanity Washington authors, including Tara Campbell. Dr. Lakeya Afolalu will be doing the workshop ‘Art: Creativity and Immigrant Youth. Terrance C.A.U.T.I.O.N will be coming back to do spoken word.”
Benton: Tell me more about the Foodways Dessert competition.
Cholmondeley: “The categories will be best pound cake, peach cobbler, sweet potato pie, pecan pie, fresh homemade pie crust, and we might add tea cakes. We will be having judges who are familiar not just with these dishes but understand what goes into baking these dishes. Participants must sign up in advance by emailing RAHcommunityengagement@gmail.com or messaging us on Instagram no later than Wednesday, Sept. 9.
“We (the Black community) are the actual foundation of American cuisine, and these recipes were taught, cherished, and passed on. We will tweak recipes here and there, but we always go back to these old faithfuls. There is something about the tradition.”
Benton: The culinary arts really are a form of art, so if you’re going to have an event dedicated to the arts, it makes sense to have this there.
Cholmondeley: “Exactly! We also want to highlight and present what I call ‘BlackAss Foodways’ with artist Betye Saar, who passed away just this year. Saar used found objects to create her artwork. She was connected with the Los Angeles art movement, which is where I am from!
“Sarr took Aunt Jemima and took the legacy of ‘always being happy to serve the Mr. and Mrs.’ and flipped it on its head by presenting her as a revolutionary. She has Aunt Jemima with a rifle and created a whole exhibit around food and how Aunt Jemima had been manipulated as ‘Mammy.’ Of course, when you think of ‘Mammy,’ you would never think of someone dangerous.”
Benton: Aunt Jemima with a rifle sounds like my kind of party!
Cholmondeley: “Yes, thank you!
Benton: I mean that’s resilience right there!
Cholmondeley: “I want to reframe that word because it is resistance! Resilience is just surviving oppression without action. It’s docile … passive. I like resistance because we had to resist! We had to be strong and invent a way where there were none. It says, ‘I am going to do something about this.’
Rebecca Howard Park is located at 911 Adams St SE, Olympia, WA 98501.
Rachel is a writer, arts advocate, performing arts enthusiast, and passionate about our beloved Thurston County. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in History and Political Science and a minor in Music. You can enjoy more of Rachel's writings by visiting her website. All inquiries for Rachel can be submitted here.
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Snevets
Sounds like a beautiful time! Thank you for sharing!
Friday, September 4 Report this