The Art of Community is an urgent gathering focused on the importance of the stories that underpin community and culture within the BIPOC community in Boston. Stories have the power to inspire and unify, but they also have the potential to perpetuate limiting and divisive narratives.

A highlight of this virtual event will be a fireside chat that explores the values and needs of strong communities that public institutions, not-for-profit, and philanthropy should prioritize for investment; as well as how to challenge and build new narratives that progress us toward a more equitable Boston. Our guests for this chat will be Nneka Jones (artist, activist, and Co-Founder of Art You Hungry) and Dr. Makeeba McCreary (President of the New Commonwealth Racial Equity and Social Justice Fund); and will be moderated by Jonathan Allen (Co-Founder and Director of Development at Leadership Brainery).

In addition to the fireside chat, this engaging event will feature youth voices and stories from Freedom House scholars, and a special reveal of one-of-a-kind pieces of artwork from Nneka Jones that were inspired by the Freedom House students and community.

During the event, you will have the opportunity to contribute to our community through the purchase of limited-edition hand-embellished prints. Funds raised from the sale of The Art of Community artwork help Freedom House to provide holistic and youth development-centered programming and services which enable marginalized students to overcome barriers to college access and completion. Last year, Freedom House provided more than 5,000 hours of student programming that empowered students in our community to aspire towards and succeed in achieving a post-secondary education. A sneak peek of the artwork for sale is available here.

About the Speakers

Nneka Jones is a Trinidadian multidisciplinary, activist and artist working in mixed media, embroidery, paint, and more. Her work has been featured in TIME magazine, at the Tampa Museum of Art, Florida Craft Art Gallery, The Ferman Center for the Arts, and in Boston (‘Intersectional Environmentalism: Generational Uproot’) located at the Donald McKay School). Nneka uses her artwork to advocate for the protection of women and girls of color. Nneka graduated in May 2020 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Tampa and a Marketing minor. Learn more at: www.artyouhungry.com.

Dr. Makeeba McCreary serves as president of the New Commonwealth Racial Equity and Social Justice Fund (NCF). NCF is a coalition founded of Black and Brown executives from Massachusetts’ leading corporations united to support Black and Brown communities amid the COVID-19 pandemic and in the wake of the brutal killing by police of George Floyd. Makeeba joined NCF following her role with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) as the Patti and Jonathan Kraft Chief of Learning and Community Engagement, where she focused on audience development and integrating diverse perspectives through the lens of art. Under her direction, she expanded the MFA’s annual roster of community celebrations and established the Black Arts and Artists Curators Circle. Before joining the MFA, Makeeba served as the Managing Director and Senior Advisor of External Affairs for Boston Public Schools, reporting directly to the Mayor and Superintendent of Schools. Previously, Makeeba served as Founder and CEO of AbekaM Consulting, as an Educational Policy Consultant for Compass Consulting, and as Director of Philanthropic Services for EdVestors Boston. She currently sits on the Board of Directors for a variety of local organizations including the Executive Committee of The Partnership, the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau, Bridge Boston Charter School Foundation, Boston Plan for Excellence, and the Cotting School. A native Bostonian, Makeeba received her doctorate in education from the Teachers College at Columbia University, a master’s degree in education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

About the Moderator

Jonathan L. Allen, JD, MTS, is Co-founder and Director of Development at Leadership Brainery, a Boston-based company closing wealth gaps by ensuring underrepresented communities have equitable access to master's and doctoral degrees and workforce leadership. Jonathan’s experience building social impact ventures has earned him the inaugural appointment as Innovator-in-Residence at Boston University. Jonathan is also known for his commitment to public service, evidenced by his 2019 run for Boston City Council, and his work with Partners in Health to stop the spread of COVID-19 throughout Massachusetts—helping develop protocols and train teams for equitable data collection. He’s a dynamic and highly sought-after thought leader and was recently named 40 Under 40 by The Boston Business Journal. Jonathan graduated from Grambling State University, Southern Methodist University, and Boston University School of Law. Learn more at: JonathanLAllen.com.

Gisel Ureña (2022)