Juneteenth Celebration | Heart of Sacramento

The free event will feature an intimate Artist Talk with Unity Lewis and host Faith J. McKinnie, where Unity will talk about his role as a caretaker of his grandmother’s legacy. This will also be the last opportunity to see the monumental exhibitions featuring artworks from three generations of the Lewis family, including Dr. Lewis’ son Claude and grandson Unity, as well as the legendary sculptural works of Dr. Lewis’ good friend, Richmond Barthé.

We also have an extra special treat! The first 200 guests will receive a print from world-renown artist and activist, Elizabeth Catlett. Catlett (1915–2012) achieved international fame for her powerful explorations of race, class, and her own African-American female identity. As a young woman, she studied art in the United States during the Great Depression of the 1930s.

ARTIST TALK | 4PM – 5PM

Moderator: Faith J. McKinnie
Faith J. McKinnie is an independent curator. Her curatorial practice is rooted in the care and prioritization of artists from the margins. Faith has over 10 years of leadership in art institutions such as the Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento Theatre Company, Bigger Than Us Arts, Sojourner Truth African Heritage Museum and is the founding director of the Black Artists Foundry. Faith has independently curated projects for the City of Sacramento, California Governor Gavin Newson, Sacramento Kings, Axis Gallery, Pence Gallery, and several other public and private institutions.

Curator & Artist: Unity Lewis
Unity Lewis began making music, performing, drawing, painting and sculpting as early as the age of three. He started seriously recording music and founded the Napalm Clique, a rap group, in L.A. when he was 13. In the Fall of 2000, Unity moved to the Bay Area where he completed his Bachelors degree in Fine Arts at the California College of the Arts. After attending CCA, he began working on completing his teachers credential for single subject art and his Masters in Education at Mills College.
Since 2001, Unity has taught Hip-Hop, art and life skills in public schools across the Bay Area and on the island of Guam, where the Guam Legislature awarded a Resolution for his contribution to students’ lives in 2005. For over 20 years now, Unity has been creating, releasing and performing his own art and music full time, as well as curating art exhibits and continuing to grow as an art educator. As a musician, Unity has collaborated with artists such as Dead Prez, Sly Stone, George Clinton, Oscar Brown Jr., and Umar Bin Hassan of The Last Poets to name a few. As a visual artist and curator he has exhibited and featured in publications alongside Jacob Lawrence, Elizabeth Catlett, Hank Willis Thomas, Betye Saar, Samella Lewis and many others.

PERFORMANCES
DJ YODECI | 3PM – 6PM
Sita Kali Ma’at | 5:30PM – 5:50PM

BITES & BEVERAGES
Spidermonkey’s Dessert Studio
LemonMobComplimentary wine & water provided by Arden Fair

When: June 19th | 3PM – 6PM
Hours: 1:00pm – 7:00pm with the celebration starting at 3PM
Location: Lower level next to J.Crew

Join us for live music, great conversation and light refreshments as we pay tribute to an icon and rejoice in remembrance of Dr. Lewis on this important and historical anniversary of the emancipation of Black Americans.

To learn more about UnchARTed and The Heart of Sacramento, please visit ardenuncharted.com.