The Gun Violence Memorial Project (2019–present) creates space to gather, remember, and act in light of the ongoing gun violence crisis. In this public program moderated by Barbara Lee Chief Curator Ruth Erickson, hear from Jha D Amazi of MASS Design Group and artist Hank Willis Thomas of Songha & Company as they share their expansive creative roles on this project. They will be joined by Chaplain Clementina Chéry of the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, a community partner in the Boston presentation of the Gun Violence Memorial Project.  

Join us for a community reception following the program. 

About the Speakers

Hank Willis Thomas is the chief artistic officer of Songha & Company which practices in the area of conceptual public art by working primarily with themes related to perspective, identity, commodity, media, and popular culture. The company was named after Thomas’ cousin, Songha Thomas Willis, who was a victim of gun violence on February 2, 2000.

Jha D Amazi is a Principal at MASS Design Group who leads the Public Memory and Memorials Lab, engaging communities to design projects such as the Emmett Till & Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument Project (Chicago, IL), the Gun Violence Memorial Project (multiple locations) and the Sugar Land 95 Cemetery Memorial Project (Sugar Land, TX).  Jha D is also a spoken word artist, event producer, and self-proclaimed SpaceMaker for the LGBTQ+ communities of color.

Chaplain Clementina Chéry is the Founder, President, and CEO of the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute in Boston. The Peace Institute is a center of healing, teaching, and learning for families and communities impacted by murder, trauma, grief, and loss. Chaplain Chéry and her family founded the Peace Institute in 1994 after her 15-year-young son Louis D. Brown was murdered in the crossfire of a shootout.

Accessibility

  • Accessible seating is available first-come first-served and may be selected upon theater entry. Please contact our Visitor Services team at visitorservices@icaboston.org or 617-478-3100 for more information.
  • Assistive listening devices are available for all theater programs at the theater entrance.
  • A link to live captioning will be shared by the day of the event and will be available in the theater.
  • ASL interpretation is available by advance request; please contact our Visitors Services team at 617-478-3100 or visitorservices@icaboston.org to make a request.

Are there other access accommodations that would be useful to help you fully participate in this program? Let us know at accessibility@icaboston.org or learn more about Accessibility at the ICA at icaboston.org/accessibility.