Support the LAPL Palisades Branch Recovery Fund

Branching Out:
Edendale Branch Library

Featuring performance by Amir Kelly
and additional performance by Futa toro West African Dance Ensemble
Date: Saturday, Aug 24, 2019
Time: 3pm
Location: Echo Park Lake
Event-Image_Branching-Out-FINAL

 

Two pillars of the Echo Park community—the library and the lake—unite for a lively neighborhood gathering. Hear live music from Amir Kelly, the “self-crowned Blindian,” and listen in to an inspiring reading by Patrisse Cullors, an L.A. artist, organizer, freedom fighter, and co-founder of Black Lives Matter.

Frequently asked questions

ALOUD on PLACES This summer the Library Foundation of Los Angeles in Partnership with the Los Angeles Public Library are presenting 5 different programs in parks adjacent to libraries.  We’re bringing in music, speakers, performers, book bikes carrying curated books that reflect the entertainment that afternoon, library sign-up, and local food trucks.  We’re hoping that families picnic and enjoy the music and readings in a beautiful public space.  These events are meant to bring joy and fun to the community!

 

Co-presented with the Los Angeles Public Library

Patrisse Cullors

Patrisse Cullors is an artist, organizer, and freedom fighter from Los Angeles, CA. Co-founder of Black Lives Matter and Chairperson of Reform LA Jails, she is also a performance artist, popular public speaker, and a New York Times bestselling author. For her activism and movement building, Cullors has received many awards including being named by the LA Times as a Civil Rights Leader for the 21st Century and the Sydney Peace Prize. Currently, she is an Associate Professor at Prescott College as well as completed an international tour for her new book When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir. This year Patrisse teamed up with digital media company blackpills to produce RESIST, a docu-series following her Los Angeles grassroots community’s efforts to stop a $3.5 billion jail expansion plan.


Amir Kelly

Amir Kelly is a Pop/R&B artist from Riverside, California. Incorporating classical Indian melodies and 90’s R&B, he draws from his Black and Indian heritage to deliver both a compelling modern sound and a message that empowers listeners to reclaim their crown.


Futa Toro West African Dance Ensemble

Futa Toro West African Dance Ensemble shares the customs, attire and lifestyle of the people of West Africa. Their performance is a celebration of color, sound, movement and spirit. The group’s leader, Malik Sow, is from Dakar, Senegal, who studied drumming and dance as a young boy and later became the lead drummer—and eventually the Musical Director–for the Ballet d’Afrique Noire. Sow has traveled worldwide and is now a California-based educator as well as in demand for TV/film, having composed music for most notably Stephen Spielberg’s “Amistad.” Recently, he has performed on the Academy Awards and made an appearance on a new Oprah Winfrey Network show.


Location
This program will take place at the Echo Lake Park, at 751 Echo Park Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90026.

Parking
There is a free street parking at Echo Park Lake and surrounding neighborhoods. Please note: give yourself ample time to find street parking as it often takes time to find a free space on the weekends.

Photo Credit: Patrisse Cullors © Dana Washington


Stacy-Lieberman_headshot_President-and-CEO_LFLA

Stacy Lieberman

As President and CEO of the Library Foundation of Los Angeles (LFLA), Stacy Lieberman is an innovative and inclusive leader whose career dwells at the intersection of arts and culture, lifelong learning, storytelling, and equitable access. Stacy guides the Foundation’s philanthropic and public-facing priorities to serve the Los Angeles Public Library, embracing the notion that libraries are beacons of democracy where everyone is welcome. She works intentionally with community leaders, donors, and internal and external strategic partners to raise awareness and resources for the Library and its life-changing initiatives.

With more than 20 years of experience as a senior executive, Stacy has left an indelible mark on iconic L.A. arts, non-profit, and educational institutions such as The Broad, the Autry Museum of the American West, and the Skirball Cultural Center. Building on an early career in book publishing, she has dedicated her professional life to sharing stories and broadening the reach of public institutions to welcome visitors and students of all ages and backgrounds to experience educational, arts, and cultural opportunities.