Dr. Treasure Shields Redmond and Yonci Jameson will be speaking about their experiences in writing their first pieces for the Fellowship and the interconnections between their practices: history, ancestors, and home.

Treasure’s work centers East St. Louis, Illinois, an all Black township on the eastern banks of the Mississippi river. Through the story of the Sunshine Cultural Arts Center, and its founder Sylvester “Sunshine” Lee, Treasure explores how arts institutions can be a model of community care in the”rust belt.” Yonci melds memoir, first-person narrative, and an expansive sense of history to tell the story of the Cottman family; whose legacy as artists and educators spans over fifty years in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and whose impact is profoundly present to this day. This talk will be moderated by Annette LePique, one of the Fellowship’s managing leads.

This is a free event but registration is required. Zoom info will be provided upon registration.

Sixty’s Midwest Arts Writers Fellowship is a 6-month program for writers to develop, refine, and publish writings on topics that are relevant to Indigenous, trans, queer, diasporic, and/or disabled artists and arts workers in our region. The intention is for the Fellows to reflect upon the complexities of Midwest life and the artists who help define and articulate its culture through their writing, and explore how the politics and culture of our region intersect within their chosen topics.
About the Fellows

Dr. Treasure Shields Redmond is a dual citizen of Meridian, Mississippi and East St. Louis, Illinois. She is a published poet, master educator, community arts organizer, and culture keeper. As a teen, she was signed to M.C. Hammer’s label as a hip hop artist and writer. She is the author of chop: a collection of kwansabas for fannie lou hamer (2015) and is the co-founder of Fannie Lou Hamer House, an artist’s retreat located in Illinois. Dr. Shields Remond is also the founder of The Community Archive, a non profit where she teaches communities how to collect their elders’ oral histories. Treasure’s work centers East St. Louis, Illinois, an all Black township on the eastern banks of the Mississippi river. Through the story of the Sunshine Cultural Arts Center, and its founder Sylvester “Sunshine” Lee, Treasure explores how arts institutions can be a model of community care in the”rust belt.”

Yonci Jameson is a Cultural Curator, DJ, Musician, and Writer born/raised/based in Minneapolis. Yonci’s practice is an intricate exploration, experimentation, and expansion into the past, present and future of Black Queer traditions. With over a decade of experience in traditional West African percussion & jazz instrumentation, radio programming, arts education & community organizing, Yonci employs performance, the pen & page, bread breaking and a love ethic in solidarity with marginalized communities, in efforts to create a future free of anti-Blackness and queerphobia. Yonci first piece melds memoir, first-person narrative, and an expansive sense of history to tell the story of the Cottman family; whose legacy as artists and educators spans over fifty years in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and whose impact is profoundly present to this day.

About the Moderator

Annette LePique’s writing has appeared in Momus, Hyperallergic, Chicago Reader, Eaten Magazine, New Art Examiner, NewCity, and other publications. She received master’s degrees from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Chicago, and is a 2023 recipient of the Rabkin Prize for art journalism.

This fellowship is made possible with support from Arts Midwest. Arts Midwest supports, informs, and celebrates Midwestern creativity. They build community and opportunity across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, the Native Nations that share this geography, and beyond. As one of six nonprofit United States Regional Arts Organizations, Arts Midwest works to strengthen local arts and culture efforts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, state agencies, private funders, and many others. Learn more at artsmidwest.org.

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Tags: A Conversation with Sixty’s Midwest Arts Writers Fellows, Annette LePique, Arts Midwest, Dr. Treasure Shields Redmond, Online, Sylvester “Sunshine” Lee, Yonci Jameson