On Earth Day, Sunday, April 20th, yoga and meditation instructor Kia Islam will lead a free, gentle yoga practice, grounding meditation, and sound healing at the Black Panther Museum with sounds by DJ Cavem. Dress for comfortable movement and bring your own mat!

Join AAFR for a conversation on how cannabis dispensaries in the Bay Area have evolved—from grassroots medical collectives with unmarked doors to sleek retail spaces that host game nights.

Join us an artist talk for “This Heavenly Body” featuring artist Seed Lynn, renowned skater Keith Walker, and special guests in conversation with moderator Crystal Marie Young. The night is hosted by curator Ashara Ekundayo, with sounds by DJ Drake Phifer.

Save the date for the opening reception of “This Heavenly Body,” a multimedia exhibition by Chicago-based artist @seedlynn, opening April 5, 2025.

Artist as First Responder is a proud partner to Eastside Arts Alliance in bringing the community this program, which will feature expert presentations on the basic history of Sudan and a breakdown of the current crisis by Dr. Obeid of Sudanese American Physicians. The program, MC’ed by radio host Hana Baba, will also feature performances by the MCShabbal Sudanese Dance group, a Sudanese Arts and crafts exhibit table, and light Sudanese food.

Adelphi University presents Frontline Prophet: James Baldwin, a traveling art exhibition by artist/activist Sabrina Nelson as part of The Fire This Time: A James Baldwin Centennial Celebration. This exhibition, curated by Ashara Ekundayo and Jonathan Duff, highlights James Baldwin’s enduring legacy through Nelson’s compelling artwork.

Free, all-ages short film screenings and conversation in partnership with Artist As First Responder, IDA Stanford, and Jonathan Carver Moore

DJ Cavem, also known as Ietef Vita, will be undertaking a 2-month residency with Xenoform Labs to work on a new project: Breathing Art , which is an innovative fusion of ecological consciousness and creative expression, designed to transform the way we experience art and the environment.

Come wax poetic for her AAFR Founder Ashara Ekundayo’s birthday and listen in as she shares music and sounds that have and continue to influence her passions and politics across genre and the Afro-Diasporic geography and discography.

Inauguration Day falls on MLK Day and we are ready to start the new year building towards liberation together with our Annual March and Week of Action to Reclaim MLK’s Radical Legacy!

Community Mixer Toy and Clothing Drive


Join us for the Sister Hold On: Reclaiming Third World Lesbian Imaginaries Closing Reception on 12/13 from 6-9pm at Eastside Arts Alliance in Oakland!

Expect a vibrant evening filled with live screenprinting with Malaya Tuyay, artist activations, the launch of a New Oracle Tarot Deck created in collaboration with Shreya360 and Artist as First Responder, and deep discussions on themes of resistance, joy, and liberation. Let’s celebrate community, creativity, and the powerful legacies of Third World lesbian movements.

Imagine what would happen if Black artists had no barriers to sharing their brilliance. If their gifts and talents were lauded and supported, as they should be? Black Brilliance, curated by Yodit Mesfin Johnson, builds on the celebration of Black artists and communities in connection with the exhibition “Silver Linings: Celebrating the Spelman Art Collection.”

A conversation, workshop, and panel discussion paired with women and men on various topics surrounding "Black Love" with a particular emphasis on perseverance.

Join us for an Artist Talk & Reception with EAP awardee Jessica Monette for her exhibition Unveiling Histories: A Fabricated Archive. Jessica Monette will be in conversation with inter-disciplinary independent curator and artist Ashara Ekundayo, with a poetic offering by the Director at Stanford University's Institute for Diversity in the Arts A-Lan Holt.

Join us for an inspiring day of remembrance and collective empowerment! At Eastside Arts Alliance, we’ll celebrate Third World lesbian activism with two meaningful events. Community Archive Day invites participants to preserve personal archives and contribute to a collective time capsule, while the "Remembering Our Power" panel will feature voices across generations reflecting on the Bay Area’s role as a center for Third World consciousness.