Museum Directors Trevor Schoonmaker and Franklin Sirmans on How the Early-Aughts New York Art Scene Shaped Them

trevor-shoonmaker-franklin-sirmans
Trevor Schoonmaker and Franklin Sirmans. Photography by J Caldwell and courtesy of the Nasher Museum of Art.

Music and sports are two unifying cultural forces that play a significant role in how we identify ourselves, tap into emotional memories, and relate to others. Museum leaders Trevor Schoonmaker and Franklin Sirmans blazed parallel paths while forging a strong friendship based on their love of the two pastimes.

As directors of the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University and the Pérez Art Museum Miami, respectively, the soccer enthusiasts arrived at their current positions after vibrant careers in independent curation, writing, and institutional work. Their professional worlds first collided in early-aughts New York, during a curatorial boom that gave way to a more inclusive art historical canon.

By 2006, they were co-curating “The Beautiful Game: Contemporary Art and Fútbol” at Roebling Hall in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood. In the years since, the pair has cultivated a connection grounded in their shared passions: Up next, they’ll team up to present “Spirit in the Land,” curated by Schoonmaker and opening at PAMM in March. Here, they discuss their long-standing friendship, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, hip hop, and the World Cup.

CULTURED: Trevor, you moved to New York in 1998. When did you meet Franklin?

Trevor Schoonmaker: Definitely by the time I curated “The Magic City” in 2000 [at Brent Sikkema]. We got to know one another a lot better during “Freestyle” with Thelma Golden.

Franklin Sirmans: The beautiful thing is that we didn’t meet at an opening. It was probably at a bar or a club.

Schoonmaker: Chances are high. After every opening at the Studio Museum in Harlem, a group would gather at the Lenox Lounge.

Sirmans: There was a confluence of things happening at the same time. “Freestyle” opened in 2001 at Studio, then “One Planet Under a Groove: Hip-Hop and Contemporary Art” at the [Bronx Museum of the Arts] at the end of 2001, and “Black President: the Art and Legacy of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti” at the New Museum in 2003. Christian Haye opened the Project, a commercial space that invited many artists including Bili Bidjocka, Sanford Biggers, Odili Donald Odita, and Julie Mehretu. There was a real sense of collective effort. 

Sirmans standing within the exhibition “Marcela Cantuária: The South American Dream” at the Pérez Art Museum Miami. Photography by Lazaro Llanes. Image courtesy of the Pérez Art Museum Miami.

Schoonmaker: Those were important times. Wangechi Mutu was also a key figure within that community. Franklin named a lot of great people who we were close with, and it was such a different world then. Physically being together to build community and strong bonds was critical. A lot of our ideas certainly came together in a bar, a restaurant, or a club.

CULTURED: You are both strong stewards of artists’ legacies. Franklin, I read an essay you wrote about museum director and curator Walter Hopps where you describe curators as “cultural architects.” How do you balance these elements of your work?

Sirmans: When you’re in positions that are so artist-centered, you’re not objective. You’re committed to helping them present the work. With Hopps, it was, “Find the cave, hold the torch.” That kind of artist-driven relationship in terms of the curatorial sphere was paramount for me.

Schoonmaker: The trust you build [with an artist] over time allows you access to work that others don’t have. With someone like Barkley [L. Hendricks], there’s still work coming to the fore that is tucked away in his home. Franklin’s early shows like “One Planet Under a Groove” introduced me to artists like William Cordova and others I worked with really closely over the years. His own relationships have influenced some of mine.

CULTURED: You both left NYC in the mid-2000s. How important was it for you to create new curatorial paths by foregrounding your personal interests in your work?

Sirmans: The curatorial landscape began to open up in the ’90s, and I think a lot of that was because of independent curators. The curators we admired in the ’90s didn’t work in New York institutions—or American institutions for that matter. They were all making it happen from a very different viewpoint. It’s about connecting places, and then being able to connect people.

Schoonmaker with Radcliffe Bailey’s Vessel, 2017. Photography by Cornell Watson. Image courtesy of the Nasher Museum of Art.

Schoonmaker: You have to carve out an identity as an independent curator, because you don’t have the identity of the institution. Your identity is that you excel at working with living artists, you excel at pushing the canon, you excel at bringing popular culture into your group shows, and supporting Black artists and artists of the diaspora.

Music, without question, draws a much larger audience—the possibilities open up extensively. Franklin was curating “One Planet” [when] I was curating “Black President,” and at that time people questioned the validity of the enterprise. “Why would you bring music into a visual arts realm?” It has inspired the two of us so much in our personal lives, so it’s obviously in our work.

CULTURED: How do you maintain your professional relationship?

Schoonmaker: We’re frequently drawn to the same events where we support one another. We text pretty often—art or soccer or something that makes us think of each other. We’ve had the luxury of meeting in Venice a couple of times. Once, we actually planned our family vacations to overlap.

Sirmans: The love of fútbol is always there. We’ll send each other an image of something that can relate to a potential exhibition in 2026. The Venice meet-up was priceless, and also having daughters and seeing them in those pivotal moments; seeing them evolve and change is amazing. To share that with somebody you care about is really special. 

CULTURED: Does this mean we can expect to see something from you two in 2026?

Sirmans: The World Cup! One part of “The Beautiful Game” that fits into the curatorial apparatus is a humanist streak. Where do people meet? Where are the bridges? Venice is a bridge—it was meant to be that way since 1895—and the World Cup is meant to be a bridge no matter how commodified it gets. It is meant to be this place to celebrate. 

Schoonmaker: It speaks to the broader issues that Franklin’s getting at—humanism and internationalism. The World Cup was there before it was intellectualized in the academy and in galleries, before everybody was throwing around the term “globalism.” Those are arenas where people don’t necessarily know each other’s affiliation. They may identify with a specific team or a certain artist, but it brings people together more than it separates them. Franklin, as a friend and colleague, is someone I can have these art world and intellectual conversations with. That’s one of the unifying elements in our work.

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CARE More Foundation funding helps students of color aiming to become mental health providers

A big part of seeking mental health treatment is the search for understanding — something that, for some clients, can be tied to their provider’s race or ethnic background.  

“There’s relatability that comes from a certain walk of life,” said Molly Jockheck, a clinical counselor at CARE Counseling, a practice with locations around Minnesota. 

“At the height of the pandemic and when George Floyd was happening, we had a lot of clients calling in, saying, ‘We just really want a clinician of color. We don’t want to have to explain what it’s like to be a person of color,’” she said, referring to Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis police officer and the subsequent unrest in the city.

Though Jockheck, who is ethnically Indian, does not have the same cultural background as all the patients she works with, being a person of color herself can make her clients of color feel comfortable speaking with her. 

Molly Jockheck
Molly Jockheck

“I can relate on a different level than … a clinician not of color,” Jockheck said. “They can cognitively understand, but they can’t emotionally relate in the sense that some clients would find more comforting or more relatable.” 

Finding a mental health provider of color in Minnesota can be a difficult task, however — especially when a client is looking for a provider who is racially or ethnically similar to them. 

According to a 2022 document from the Minnesota Department of Health’s Office of Rural Health and Primary Care, only 2.8% of mental health providers were African or African American despite this group making up 7% of Minnesota’s total population. This discrepancy — where the percentage of providers of a racial/ethnic group in Minnesota was lower than the percentage of people belonging to that group — was also present for people of Asian, Hispanic/Latino, and Native American descent. 

The only instances in which the provider percentage of the population was higher than the racial and/or ethnic group’s percentage was in the case of white people, people of multiple races and people who identified their race as “other.” Notably, white providers made up 88% of Minnesota’s total provider population in 2022.

The document also showed that mental health providers of color in Minnesota were more likely than white providers to work with certain populations of underserved clients, such as people requiring interpreters, people with disabilities and low-income patients or patients without insurance. Most notably, providers of color in Minnesota were more likely to see other members of racial and ethnic minorities than white mental health providers were.  

More demand than supply

CARE Counseling Chief Executive Andrea Hutchinson and Chief Operating Officer Josh Hutchinson, Jockheck said, saw “a gap in our field” in 2020, where there was increased demand for providers of color, but a limited number of providers of color. Observing this gap led to the founding of the CARE More Foundation, which then identified barriers preventing people of color from becoming mental health professionals. 

One identified barrier, said Jockheck, was the educational cost of becoming a provider. 

“So CARE More set out to do one specific, yet tangible goal — to help pay for books for emerging clinicians of color,” Jockheck explained. 

Though the foundation began with an endowment that provides funds to graduate and doctoral students at the University of St. Thomas, it also, according to Jockheck, raises funds for graduate students of color at St. Could State University who are preparing to enter the mental health care field.

Jensi Ocampo Sorto, a St. Cloud State student who received funding from CARE More in 2022, said scholarships are “imperative” when it comes to how she pays for her education. 

Due to her Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, status, Ocampo Sorto wasn’t able to qualify for federal financial aid or loans. The money from CARE More, along with other scholarships, has allowed her, she said, “to focus on my education, instead of constantly having to worry about working and how I was gonna pay for tuition and the escalating cost of books.”

Currently, Ocampo Sorto is working at CARE Counseling as a clinical trainee, where — by assisting people with depression, anxiety and other mental health issues — she is gaining experience needed to graduate from her program. 

Jensi Ocampo Sorto
Jensi Ocampo Sorto

“I truly appreciate what CARE More has to offer because it has that emphasis on the BIPOC community,” Ocampo Sorto said. “One of the ways that we can help tackle (the stigma against mental health care in communities of color) is by making sure that there are more people of color in the field, so that people in society or the community can feel like they’re represented.” 

She added: “Being (a) low income, first generation Latina college student who experienced a lot of barriers to my education … many organizations don’t see the struggle of having to be successful. That’s part of the reason why I really appreciate CARE More’s impact and CARE More’s significance on my education.”

From Awareness to Action: Putting Cancer Disparities in the Rearview Mirror

March 21, 2024, by Elia Ben-Ari

A brightly decorated van with a health care working speaking to several people from the van's side door.

Making progress against cancer disparities will require researchers partnering with the community to build trust “and refine our scientific questions,” said Dr. Robert Winn.

Credit: Used with permission from VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center

Sofia, a married mother of two who lives in New Mexico, was faithful about getting her free annual breast cancer screenings. But when a suspicious finding turned up on a mammogram, Sofia—who didn’t have health insurance and spoke only Spanish—struggled to get the care she needed.

After a biopsy confirmed that she had breast cancer, Sofia (not her real name) was refused an appointment at the local cancer center due to her lack of insurance. Eventually, a doctor at a federally qualified health center connected Sofia with a social worker who helped Sofia get financial assistance and she was able to have a mastectomy—5 months after her abnormal mammogram.

Following surgery, Sofia’s oncologist recommended chemotherapy and radiation treatment. By then Sofia had obtained health insurance, but it didn’t cover the recommended treatments. During this lapse in care, Sofia discovered a new lump in the same area as her surgery, in the muscles of her chest wall.

It was only after asking for help on social media that Sofia found a lifeline, in the form of Cancer Aid Resource and Education (CARE), a nonprofit organization in Las Cruces, New Mexico. With CARE’s advocacy, she was able to get financial support for a second operation as well as the recommended chemotherapy and radiation treatments. 

The organization also helped Sofia’s family with expenses such as her self-pay health insurance, rent, and utility payments during her treatment, when she was unable to work.

Sofia’s story is an example of how factors such as poverty and lack of access to care can cause problems that have harmful health consequences for many in the United States. Long-standing social and economic barriers have created webs of disadvantage for certain groups, including many African American and Hispanic people, people in rural areas, and those in pockets of persistent poverty. 

Taken together, these barriers create conditions that put people at higher risk of diseases like cancer in the first place. And they make it difficult, and sometimes impossible, to get quality and timely cancer care.

Studies have shown, for instance, that Hispanic and Black women with breast cancer are more likely than White women to face significant treatment delays. In addition to being stressful, treatment delays—particularly for people with more aggressive breast cancers—can affect how long people live after their cancer diagnosis.

These and other differences in cancer and cancer care between groups stem from broad inequities and are called cancer health disparities. Such disparities show up in every aspect of the cancer experience, from cancer screening to quality of life after treatment ends.

People from groups that have been socially or economically marginalized not only have a higher risk of developing or dying from many cancers but are also more likely to experience poorer quality of life during or after treatment.

In the past few years, awareness of the effects and pervasiveness of cancer health disparities has grown. Scores of research studies have outlined the many differences in cancer outcomes and their intertwined causes. But awareness alone is not enough, said Robert Winn, M.D., director of VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center. 

“Having more attention paid to the social drivers of health … is the first real step to making progress,” Dr. Winn said.  

“I will no longer accept the [excuse] that it’s hard to address health disparities issues. Those days should be in the rearview mirror.”

He and many other experts say that tackling cancer disparities will require advances and changes that go well beyond the laboratory, doctor’s office, and hospital oncology suite. 

Developing and implementing those advances, they believe, will require a full-court press by people from across the spectrum of scientific research, health care, and public health working in concert with people and organizations in the community.

Even then, there will be more to do, said Angela Usher, Ph.D., M.S.W., the manager of Supportive Oncology and Survivorship at UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. 

Reducing or eliminating cancer and other health disparities, Dr. Usher said, will also require “some upstream solutions on a national level and a policy level.”

Considering the impact of “place and space” on disparities

Traditionally, research aimed at understanding cancer disparities has focused on looking for genetic factors that might account for persistent differences in the rates at which people in certain racial or ethnic groups are diagnosed with or die from some cancers. But it has become abundantly clear that genetics (DNA) and its effects on human biology are not the only contributors to cancer disparities—or even the main ones, Dr. Winn said.

Instead, many studies have shown that a major driver of these disparities is an interconnected set of social risk factors that are beyond people’s control. These factors include lack of access to healthy foods or to enough food, unstable or unsafe housing, transportation challenges, persistent poverty, racism and other forms of discrimination, and limited access to quality health care.

To understand health disparities, Dr. Winn said, it’s critical to consider the impact of what he calls people’s “ZNA—their zip code or neighborhood of association, or ‘place and space.’”

Whether the neighborhood in question is the South Side of Chicago or “a holler in Kentucky,” Dr. Winn continued, the social, economic, and physical conditions in the places where people live, learn, work, and play—more formally known as social determinants of health—“impact [their] health outcomes in ways that we still do not fully understand.”  

In other words, he stressed, disparities are not just about biological differences between racial or ethnic groups. Disparities also stem from rural isolation, education, income, language barriers, and other non-biological factors.

“You wouldn’t say that White people living in rural Eastern Kentucky have poorer cancer outcomes than White people living in other parts of the country because they are genetically different,” Dr. Winn explained. And yet, he said, people have used such arguments to explain why, for example, African American men are more likely than White men to develop or die from prostate cancer.

Disentangling the ways that social risks cause disparities

An important step in addressing cancer disparities, which will require input from researchers in diverse fields, is to “disentangle the ways in which social factors influence the initiation of cancer, the progression of disease, the response to treatment, and the quality of cancer care,” said Chanita Hughes-Halbert, Ph.D., M.P.H., associate director of cancer equity at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The impacts of some of these factors are already known.

For example, studies have shown that financial concerns can force people to make trade-offs between putting food on the table or paying for cancer treatment. And transportation challenges can lead to lower cancer screening rates, missed appointments, and problems completing treatment.

While some disparities are likely to be driven primarily by ZNA, and others more by DNA —that is, inherent genetic differences among different racial or ethnic groups—Dr. Winn believes many will turn out to be due to the interplay of ZNA and DNA. “And I think that’s where the interesting science [in the study of disparities] is starting to move,” he said.

For example, he said, long-term exposure to a type of outdoor air pollution known as fine particulate matter is associated with an elevated risk of lung cancer and may also increase the risk of other cancers, including breast cancer.

This form of pollution, which can damage or alter DNA, disproportionately affects poor Black and Hispanic communities in urban areas due to factors such as zoning laws, environmental policies, and a legacy of discriminatory home loan practices known as redlining.

In addition, Dr. Winn said, living in a neighborhood where fresh fruits and vegetables are not readily available or affordable may contribute to cancer disparities through effects on the communities of bacteria and other microbes in a person’s gut, known as the gut microbiome. And the gut microbiome has been linked to health and disease, including the development of cancer and the response to treatment

Lack of access to healthy food or safe places to exercise also contribute to obesity, and obesity has been linked to an increased risk of certain cancers. Obesity may also increase the risk that certain cancers will come back or get worse.

A close relationship between social risk factors and stress

Research shows that chronic stress may also be a risk factor for cancer disparities. In fact, Dr. Hughes-Halbert sees stress as a common denominator when thinking about the impacts of social drivers of health.

A recent study, for example, showed a connection between racial and ethnic disparities in exposure to neighborhood violence and lung cancer risk in Chicago.

“Living in an area that has high levels of deprivation leads to greater stress responses across multiple levels—including cellular, psychological, and behavioral,” Dr. Hughes-Halbert said.

Whether it’s not having enough money for food, not having reliable transportation to get to your appointments for cancer care, or experiencing racial discrimination, all these things cause stress, she explained.

Dr. Hughes-Halbert still remembers a comment from a woman in a focus group she held early in her research career, for Black women going through breast cancer treatment: “Cancer is just one of the things I have to deal with today.”

Some evidence from laboratory studies suggests that chronic stress may cause cancer to get worse and spread. For example, results of a 2021 study suggest that stress hormones may wake up dormant cancer cells that remain in the body after treatment. Chronic stress may also be linked to the development of cancer, although studies on the issue have had varying results.

To tease out the possible links between ZNA and DNA, some researchers are exploring whether and how persistent poverty and high stress levels cause epigenetic alterations—changes in the chemical structure of DNA that do not affect the actual sequence of DNA but can sometimes be passed down from parent to child. Epigenetic alterations can affect a person’s risk of disease, including cancer. 

Stress is a prime suspect, Dr. Hughes-Halbert said, when it comes to figuring out “how the environment gets up under our skin.” 

Still, she cautioned against assuming that “if you live in a certain community, you’re destined to have poor [cancer] outcomes.” She noted that some communities, even those with high levels of poverty, may “have resources and assets that lead to resilience and [the] capacity” to lessen the impact of stress, a concept she’s just begun exploring in her work.

Partnering with the community is key to understanding and tackling disparities

To make headway in disentangling the connections between “place and space” and biology, Dr. Winn believes strongly that lab scientists at cancer centers need to partner with the community.

Researchers at VCU Massey have been working toward this idea of “flipping the script from the traditional ‘bench to bedside’ model to a ‘people to pipette’ model,” he explained. In other words, “understanding the communities in which people live and looking at what happens within those communities to help refine our scientific questions.”

For example, through an NCI grant, researchers from VCU, USC, and City of Hope in California have launched a program to better understand and address racial disparities in lung cancer. The program includes getting input from and working in concert with community members in the three states, including people from local health departments, faith-based organizations, and civic activists.

Partnering with the community, Dr. Winn said, isn’t easy. It requires patience and time to build trust, which is something he is actively engaged in.

Working with the community will be important in other ways as well. To help reduce disparities and advance health equity, “cancer centers are [also] actively working with community partners” to address social risks affecting their patients, such as food insecurity and transportation barriers, said Brenda Adjei, Ed.D., M.P.A., associate director of the Office of Healthcare Delivery and Equity Research at NCI’s Center for Cancer Research.

Partnering with the community will be critical for “taking us beyond just identifying social risks to thinking about the best ways we can address them … for each individual across different cancer care settings,” Dr. Adjei said.

A provider workforce that can better address social risks

Some doctors and hospitals are already using questionnaires to screen patients for social risks.

And as of 2024, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services began requiring that all beneficiaries be screened for five specific social drivers of health, including food, housing, and transportation insecurity. 

But while this type of screening is important for addressing some disparities, Dr. Hughes-Halbert said, it is only the first step.

“We need to be thinking about the best practices and models for screening and for delivering interventions that are focused on addressing social issues,” she continued. “We need a [provider] workforce that is in the best position to address social factors.” And she doesn’t think that responsibility should fall to physicians.

Dr. Usher agrees. Expecting oncologists to screen their patients for social risks and figure out how to address their social needs “is a hard sell when you have patients coming in for 20-minute appointments to treat their cancer,” she said. 

And that’s where professionals like patient navigators and social workers come in.

Every cancer center already has at least one social worker, and “social workers literally have a master’s degree in social risks and ways to address them,” Dr. Usher continued. But often there are not enough people in these positions to meet the needs of every patient and psychosocial care is often not integrated into routine patient care, she said.

On the flip side, Dr. Hughes-Halbert noted, not all people with cancer who are faced with social risks will feel comfortable accepting help—or even need help at all. “Someone might have certain challenges in paying their rent, or with transportation, but they may [already] have resources to deal with those issues,” she said.

Indeed, Dr. Adjei said, providing equitable cancer care will not involve a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, cancer centers and other cancer care providers will need to “tailor cancer care delivery and leverage the community’s strengths to meet the needs of patients where they are.”

And when it comes to addressing those needs, Dr. Usher said, social workers and others should “partner with people [and groups] in the community who are already doing good work, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel.” The organization that helped Sofia is just one example of such a group.

In addition, Dr. Adjei emphasized, “we want to be evidence based” when it comes to addressing disparities in cancer care. “And we want to understand where our opportunities are for most impact.”

Some cancer centers have already piloted or implemented evidence-based ways of working with each patient to identify and address any underlying social risk factors. And some of these efforts have succeeded in reducing or eliminating certain disparities. Future Cancer Currents stories will highlight some of these efforts and the challenges that remain.

Things to do in the San Fernando Valley, LA area, March 21-28

Amelia Jacoby is all smiles as she places eggs in her Easter basket during The City of Costa Mesa's annual Springfest held at Lions Park in Costa Mesa. The event featured Pirate Adventures, games, Easter egg hunts, petting zoo, food trucks, photos with a Pirate Easter Bunny, and entertainment. It was held on Saturday April 8, 2023. (Photos by Karen Tapia, Contributing Photographer)
It’s “egg hunt season” 2024 at area recreation centers. Check to see if your local or favorite center is holding a spring festival that includes a children’s egg hunt. In the file photo: Amelia Jacoby is all smiles as she places eggs in her Easter basket during the city of Costa Mesa’s annual Springfest held at Lions Park in Costa Mesa on Saturday, April 8, 2023. (Photo by Karen Tapia, Contributing Photographer)

Here is a sampling of things to do in the San Fernando Valley and the greater Los Angeles area.

EVENTS

Tomatomania!: Choose tomato seedlings and get advice on planting and caring for tomato plants, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. March 22-24. Also, Tomatomania’s “Store,” 10 a.m.-4 p.m. March 25-April 21. Tapia Brothers Farm Stand, 5251 Hayvenhurst Ave., Encino. Check the website for upcoming Tomatomania events and locations: www.tomatomania.com

Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve: Call the Poppy Reserve Hotline to find out information about the 2024 wildflower bloom and tips for visiting the reserve. Hours of the reserve: sunrise-sunset daily and year-round. Visiting rules include: stay on official trails; no wildflower picking; no drones; no dogs except service dogs (recommended to have distinguishing marker on service dog). Also, the Jane S. Pinheiro Interpretive Center is open now through Mother’s Day (May 12 this year), 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Parking $10. Check the website for a live stream view and a trail map (tinyurl.com/yv7h2rz4). Directions to the reserve (15101 Lancaster Road, Lancaster) and more information on visiting the reserve: tinyurl.com/yv7h2rz4. Poppy Reserve Hotline: 661-724-1180.

Wildflower Hotline – Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers and Native Plants: The Sun Valley-based foundation presents its 2024 hotline on the best locations for viewing spring wildflowers in Southern and Central California. The weekly reports, narrated by actor Joe Spano, are updated on Friday from March-May (depending upon this year’s bloom season). 818-768-1802, Ext. 7. theodorepayne.org/learn/wildflower-hotline/

SoCal Museums Free-for-All Day: The event is on March 23. The offer is for general admission only (it does not apply to specially-ticketed exhibitions). Some museums require a timed admission reservation in advance and some museum suggest making a reservation in advance to the popular free-for-all event. Regular parking fees apply on March 23. Check the list of participating museums and their requirements for their “free-for-all” day here: socalmuseums.org/annual-free-for-all-2024/

Topanga Vintage Market: Find collectibles and new treasures, 7 a.m.-2 p.m. March 24. Admission $5; free for ages 12 and younger. No pets allowed. Pierce College, Victory Boulevard at Mason Avenue, Woodland Hills. 310-422-1844. Updates: www.facebook.com/TopangaVintageMarket. topangavintagemarket.com/visit

EGG HUNTS

Here is a sampling of upcoming spring events that include egg hunts. Check two listings on March 23 that require a reservation in advance to attend.

Spring Egg-Stravaganza: City of Burbank present the event that includes an egg hunt, games and pictures with the Bunny, 9 a.m.-noon March 23. Timed egg hunts by age: “Parent and Me” for ages 4 and younger, 9:30-10 a.m.; ages 5-7, 10:30-11 a.m.; ages 8-10, 11:30 a.m. Registration $5. Must be registered for the hunts. Register in advance. No registration available on the day of the hunt. No standby line for any of the hunts. Pictures with the Bunny, $2 donation. McCambridge Park, 1515 N. Glenoaks Blvd., Burbank. 818-238-5353. www.burbankca.gov/eggstrav. Details and to register: tinyurl.com/2ux7j75t

Breakfast with the Bunny: The City of Agoura Hills presents the event with light breakfast snacks, springtime crafts egg hunts and photo opportunities with the Bunny, 10 a.m.-noon March 23. Free to attend but a registration in advance is required. Reyes Adobe Park, 30400 Rainbow Crest Drive, Agoura Hills. www.agourahillsrec.org. Register on Eventbrite: BWTB.eventbrite.com

Springfest Shadow Ranch Recreation Center: The 14th annual event includes activities, entertainment, games and egg hunts, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. March 23. Egg hunts are timed by age group: ages 5 and younger, 11 a.m.; ages 6-12, 11:30 a.m. (Children are allowed to participate only once). Children need to bring a basket. No parking on-site. Location, 22633 Vanowen St., West Hills. Details on the flyer: tinyurl.com/npczx39d

Spring Egg Hunt – Granada Hills Recreation Center: Arts and crafts, photo booth, contests, games, jumpers and pet adoption, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. March 23. Egg hunts: for adaptive needs ages 12 and younger, noon; ages 2 and younger, 12:10 p.m.; ages 3-5, 12:20 p.m.; ages 6-7, 12:30 p.m.; ages 8-9, 12:40 p.m.; ages 10-12, 12:50 p.m. Children need to bring a basket. Location, 16730 Chatsworth St., Granada Hills. 818-363-3556. Details on the flyer: tinyurl.com/3ryd4pm3

Spring Egg-stravaganza – Branford Recreation Center: The event includes games, a DJ, egg hunts and a photo with the Bunny opportunity, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. March 23. Egg hunts are timed by age groups (target ages 2-14). Children need to bring a basket. Location, 13306 Branford St., Arleta. 818-893-4923. Details on the flyer: tinyurl.com/yc6tbxma

Spring Eggstravaganza – David M. Gonzales Recreation Center: Arts and crafts, coloring contest, games, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. March 23. Egg hunt, by age groups, is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m.: ages 3 and younger; ages 4-7; ages 8-11; ages 12-15; ages 16 and up. Children need to bring a basket. Location, 10943 Herrick Ave., Pacoima. 818-899-1950. Details on the flyer: tinyurl.com/3es8pumw

Spring Event – Sylmar Recreation Center: Arts and crafts, games, music and egg hunts, 5-8 p.m. March 29. Egg hunts are timed by age: ages 4 and younger, 6 p.m.; ages 5-7, 6:15 p.m.; ages 8-10, 6:30 p.m.; ages 11-12, 6:45 p.m. Children need to bring a basket. Location, 13109 Borden Ave., March 29. Details on the flyer: tinyurl.com/2p8x7x9a

Spring Festival Lanark Recreation Center: Event includes activities, a car show and egg hunts, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. March 30. Egg hunts are timed by age: ages 3 and younger, 11 a.m.; ages 4-7, 11:45 a.m.; ages 8-11, 12:30 p.m. Children need to bring a basket. Location, 21816 Lanark St., Canoga Park. 818-883-1503. Details on the flyer: tinyurl.com/46bhskc2

Giant Easter Egg Hunt – Our Redeemer Lutheran Church: Event begins with live music and a greeting and prayer by the Rev. Gregory Barth, followed by egg hunts, 10:30 a.m.-noon March 30. Egg hunts are divided by age groups (up to grade 5). Children need to bring a bag/basket. A lunch is held following the egg hunt. Location, 8520 Winnetka Ave., Winnetka. 818-341-3460. www.our-redeemer.org. Details: www.our-redeemer.org/easter-egg-hunt

Spring Egg Hunt – Van Nuys Recreation Center: Arts and crafts and games, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. March 30. Timed-by-age egg hunts: ages 4 and younger, 11:30 a.m.; ages 5-8, noon; ages 9-12, 12:30 p.m.; 13-14, 1 p.m. Children need to bring a basket. Location, 14301 Vanowen St., Van Nuys. 818-756-8131. City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks 2024 Spring Activities: tinyurl.com/4w2sv8u7. Details on the flyer: vnnc.org/event/spring-egg-hunt-2/

Sunland Recreation Center’s Spring Eggstravaganza: Crafts, games and moon bounce, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. March 30. Timed by age egg hunts: ages three and younger, 12:30 p.m.; ages 4-5, 1 p.m.; ages 6-7, 1:30; ages 8-12, 2 p.m.; 2:30 p.m. ages 13 and up. Children need to bring a basket. Location, 8651 Foothill Blvd., Sunland. 818-352-5282. Details on the flyer: tinyurl.com/522f6zku

Also, to find more upcoming egg hunts, go to the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks website, scroll the list of recreation center, click on your local or favorite Los Angeles city park to see if there is a spring event or egg hunt listed on the center’s page. www.laparks.org/reccenter

Los Angeles County Parks & Recreation presents its 2024 “Spring Jubilee” with a variety of activities including eggs hunts, March 21-30. “Spring Jubilee flyer”: parks.lacounty.gov/spring. Find a county park on the list and contact your local or favorite park about egg hunts: parks.lacounty.gov/

ONGOING

Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood: Check the website for tour types and special exhibits. Tours: 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. daily (reservations online recommended; no guaranteed admission for walk-ups). Minimum age: 5. Ages 18 and older must show a valid, government-issued photo ID (security and identification and other rules before you book a tour: www.wbstudiotour.com/info/arrival-information). Admission for Southern California residents through May 31, 2024 is $58; non-Southern California residents $70 ages 11 and older; $60 ages 5-10. Parking $15. Location, 3400 Warner Blvd., Burbank. 818-977-8687. www.wbstudiotour.com/

Descanso Gardens: Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Admission $15; $11 ages 65 and older and student with valid ID; $5 ages 5-12 (purchase online or at the door; cashless venue). Location, 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintidge. 818-949-4200. descansogardens.org

ART

Corey Helford Gallery: “Care Bears Forever,” group show by artists inspired by the colorful bear characters. Gallery hours: noon-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Exhibit runs through March 30. Location, 571 S. Anderson St. (enter on Willow Street), Los Angeles. 310-287-2340. www.coreyhelfordgallery.com

Gallery XII: “Joey Tranchina: Los Angeles in the Sixties,” photography (through March 30). “Paolo Ventura: The Man Who Could Walk Through Walls,” paintings (through May 4). Gallery hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; and by appointment. Location, Bergamont Art Center, 2525 Michigan Ave., Suite B2, Santa Monica. 424-252-9004. www.paoloventura.com. www.galeriexii.com

New Image Art Gallery: “Thirty Years of New Image Art (1994-2024),” group show. Gallery hours: 1-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; and by appointment. Exhibit runs through March 30. Location, 7920 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. 323-654-2192. www.newimageartgallery.com

Thinkspace Projects: “Fresh,” a group show (Gallery I); “David Kaye: Whispers” (Gallery II); “Young-Ji Cha: Dear My Dead” (Gallery III); “Stom500: Alliance Ethnique” (Gallery IV); “Andrea Guzzetta: Glass Houses” (The Doghouse Gallery). Gallery hours: noon-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Exhibits run through March 30. Location, 4207 W. Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles. 310-558-3375. Email: contact@thinkspaceprojects.com. thinkspaceprojects.com

James Fuentes Gallery: “Geoffrey Holder.” Exhibit curated by Erica Moiah James. Gallery hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Exhibit runs through April 6. Location, 5015 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles. 323-380-6199. geoffreyholder.com. Gallery’s Instagram: tinyurl.com/2r8fe8yj. jamesfuentes.com/

Nazarian/Curcio: “Summer Wheat: Fertile Ground.” Gallery hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Exhibit runs through April 6. Location, 616 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles. 310-281-0961. nazariancurcio.com/exhibitions/79-summer-wheat-fertile-ground

Nicodim Gallery: “Tali Lennox: Tremors.” Gallery hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Exhibit runs through April 6. Location, 1700 S. Santa Fe Ave., Los Angeles. 213-265-7166. www.nicodimgallery.com/exhibitions

Lowell Ryan Projects: “Marc Séguin: Icons.” Gallery hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. Exhibit runs through April 13. Location, 4619 W. Washington Blvd., Los Angeles. 323-413-2584. Email: info@lowellryanprojects.com. www.lowellryanprojects.com. www.facebook.com/lowellryanprojects

ReflectSpace Gallery: “Shepard Fairey: Peace Is Radical.” (www.reflectspace.org/post/shepard-fairey). Gallery hours: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 1-6 p.m. Sunday. Exhibit runs through April 14. Gallery is inside the Glendale Central Library, 222 E. Harvard St. 818-548-2021. reflectspace.org

Michael Kohn Gallery: “Rosa Loy: Glade.” Gallery hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday. Exhibit runs through April 20. Location, 1227 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles. 323-461-3311. www.kohngallery.com

Nonaka-Hill Gallery – Melrose Avenue: New: “Saori (Madokoro) Akutagawa: Centenaria,” an exhibit marking the centennial of the artist’s birth in Japan (1924-1966) and her art career. Gallery hours: noon-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Exhibit runs through April 20. Location, 6917 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles. www.nonaka-hill.com/exhibitions/67-saori-madokoro-akutagawa-centenaria/

Hauser and Wirth: “Pat Steir. Painted Rain.” Gallery hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Exhibit runs through May 4. Location, 8980 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. 424-404-1200. www.hauserwirth.com/locations/40274-west-hollywood/

BOOKS

Book Soup: Brent Underwood discusses “Ghost Town living,” 7 p.m. March 21 (ticketed event; event ticket and book, signing after the talk, $33.50; tinyurl.com/pm6yw69m). Rolly Kent discusses “Phone Ringing in a Dark House,” 7 p.m. March 22. Stan Zimmerman discusses “The Girls – from Golden to Gilmore – Stories about all the wonderful women I’ve worked with…,” 7 p.m. March 26. Anna Shectman discusses “The Riddles of the Sphinx – Inheriting the Feminist History of the Crossword Puzzle,” 7 p.m. April 2. Location, 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. 310-659-3110. www.booksoup.com

Skylight Books: Morgan Parker presents “You Get What You Pay For – Essays,” 7 p.m. March 22. Location, 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles. www.skylightbooks.com. www.morgan-parker.com

Diesel, A Bookstore: Jordan Mechner discusses and signs “Replay – Memoir of an Uprooted Family,” 6:30 p.m. March 26. Rebecca Serle discusses and signs “Expiration Dates,” 6:30 p.m. April 2. Free seating is limited at the outdoor events. Purchase a book in advance to reserve a seat (click on the website’s tab for the author’s date). Location, 225 26th St., Santa Monica. 310-576-9960. www.dieselbookstore.com

CHARITY AND VOLUNTEER

Our House Grief Support Center’s 5K Walk and Remember: Singer-songwriter Andy Grammer (andygrammer.com) gives a special performance at the fundraising event on April 14. Schedule: check-in/registration, 6:30 a.m.; “in-memory” ceremonies begin, 7:30 a.m.; the walk begins, 9 a.m. Registration fee $50; $40 ages 17 and younger (through March 31; add $10 to both fees if you register April 1-12; event day fee $65; $55). Location, Woodley Park, 6076 Woodley Ave., Encino. Details on the event and to register: www.ourhouse-grief.org/ourhouse5k/

Volunteers Cleaning Communities: Join the group for clean-up projects in the San Fernando Valley. Find a list of upcoming projects: https://volunteerscleaningcommunities.com/schedule-of-events. Information on the group and how to make a donation for clean-up supplies: volunteerscleaningcommunities.com

COMEDY

Fritz Coleman: The “Unassisted Residency” show, 3 p.m. March 24. Tickets $35; $45 for cocktail table seating (must purchase two tickets for this option). Upcoming shows: April 28; May 26; June 23. El Portal Theatre, 5269 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood. 818-508-4200. www.fritzcolemancomedy.com. elportaltheatre.com/fritzcoleman.html

Phoebe Robinson: The standup comedian and author of essays (“You Can’t Touch My Hair – And Other Things I Still Have to Explain,” “Everything’s Trash, But It’s OKAY” and “Please Don’t Sit on My Bed in Your Outside Clothes”), is taping two shows, 7:30 and 10 p.m. March 30. Minimum age: 18. Tickets $30 in advance; $35 at the door (if available). Doors open, 6:30 p.m. Dynasty Typewriter at the Hayworth, 2511 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. www.phoeberobinson.com. Details and to purchase tickets: tinyurl.com/yckd9vre

Netflix Is a Joke Fest: Check the website for comedians, schedule, tickets and venues, May 2-12. List of Los Angeles-area venues (including Hollywood, Inglewood, Santa Monica; West Hollywood): www.netflixisajokefest.com/venues. Updates: www.facebook.com/NetflixIsAJoke. www.netflixisajokefest.com/

DANCE

Benita Bike’s DanceArt: Contemporary modern dance, 2 p.m. April 6. Free admission. Lake View Terrace Branch Library, 12002 Osborne St., Lake View Terrace. 818-470-5734. www.facebook.com/benitabikesdanceart. www.danceart.org/performances

DINING/WINE

Smorgasburg Los Angeles: The outdoor food and drink market, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. March 24 (and other Sundays). Check the website or Facebook for vendors. Free admission. No pets allowed at this venue. Rain or shine. Row DTLA, 777 S. Alameda St., Los Angeles. la.smorgasburg.com and www.facebook.com/SmorgasburgLA/

San Fernando Valley Food and Wine Festival at the Culinary Arts Institute at Los Angeles Mission College: Tickets on sale for the event on April 27 with this year’s theme “A Taste of Mexico City.” Wines selected by Vinos Unidos Wine Club. Minimum age to attend: 18, and minimum age for wine tasting is 21 with a valid ID. Tickets $85 early-bird until March 27, or while supplies last; $99; $125 for early access to festival at 3 p.m.). Proceeds go to scholarships for Los Angeles Mission College students (www.lamission.edu/). Location, 13356 Eldridge Ave., Sylmar. Details and to purchase tickets: sfvfw24.eventbrite.com

Pizza City Fest: The event includes pizza samples from Southern California pizza makers, demonstrations and discussions, 1 p.m. April 27-28. See details for each day on the website. Admission $125 (per day); $200 per day VIP (enter at noon and other perks).  L.A. Live, Event Deck, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles. www.lalive.com. www.lalive.com/pizza-city-fest-la

DISCUSSION

Burbank African Violet Society: John Hershey, vice president of the club, presents “A Structured Conversation About African Violets,” 10 a.m. March 21. The meeting includes a learning lab and a show-and-tell about African violets, silent auction tables and a raffle. Little White Chapel Christian Church, parish hall, 1711 N. Avon St., Burbank. 661-940-3990. www.burbankafricanviolets.weebly.com

San Fernando Valley Historical Society: Mark Masek discusses “The Buried History of Valhalla Memorial Park,” 7 p.m. March 28. Masek is the author of “Hollywood Remains to Be Seen: A Guide to Movie Stars’ Final Homes.” Free to attend the meeting; donations are accepted and appreciated. Meeting at New Life Church of the Nazarene, 10650 Reseda Blvd., Porter Ranch. sfvhs.com and www.facebook.com/SFVHS/. www.sfvhs.com/blog/categories/events-2

FARMERS MARKETS

Old Town Newhall Farmers Market: A certified market, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays. Location, 24500 Main St., Newhall. www.facebook.com/OldTownNewhallFarmersMarket/

Canoga Park Farmers Market: A certified market, 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturdays. Rain or shine. Location, 7248 Owensmouth Avenue, between Sherman Way and Wyandotte Avenue. www.instagram.com/mainst.canogaparkfarmersmarket

El Nido Farmers Market – Pacoima: El Nido Family Centers and the City of Los Angeles present the market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. Location, Pacoima Family Source Center, 11243 Glenoaks Blvd. www.elnidofamilycenters.org/farmers-market

Encino Farmers Market: ONEgeneration presents the market, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Sundays. Location, 17400 Victory Blvd. (between Balboa Boulevard and White Oak Avenue). Farmers market manager, 818-708-6611 or email: farmersmarket@onegeneration.org. www.onegeneration.org/farmers-market/

Woodland Hills Farmers Market: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. Location, 5650 Shoup Ave. 818-300-3023. Facebook: bit.ly/44cFl0P

Canyon Country Farmers Market: A certified market, 4-8 p.m. Wednesdays. Canyon Country Community Center, 18410 Sierra Highway. www.facebook.com/CanyonCountryFarmersMarket/

MUSEUM

California Science Center: New: “Leonardo Da Vinci: Inventor. Artist. Dreamer.,” a special exhibit (californiasciencecenter.org/exhibits/leonardo-da-vinci-inventor-artist-dreamer). Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Admission is free to the center’s permanent galleries, but there is a charge for special exhibits. Admission to the “Leonardo Da Vinci” exhibit: $22.95; $20.95 seniors and students; $15.95 (timed tickets are required for special exhibits, and also the Imax Theater; californiasciencecenter.org/visit). Location, 700 Exposition Park Drive, Los Angeles. californiasciencecenter.org

Discovery Cube Los Angeles: New: “Doc McStuffins – The Exhibit,” based on the Disney Junior series, through May 11 (www.discoverycube.org/los-angeles/events/docmcstuffins-exhibit). The Discovery Cube has ongoing exhibits that aim to make science fun for children. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Admission $18 ages 15-61; $17 ages 62 and older; $16 ages 3-14. Location, 11800 Foothill Blvd., Sylmar. www.facebook.com/TheDiscoveryCube. www.discoverycube.org

Japanese American National Museum: New: “Giant Robot Biennale 5,” an exhibit of art by Sean Chao, Felicia Chiao, Luke Chueh, Giorgiko, James Jean, Taylor Lee, Mike Shinoda, Rain Szeto, Yoskay Yamamoto (co-presented by Eric Nakamura, founder of Giant Robot), through Sept. 1. “J.T. Sata: Immigrant Modernist,” photography exhibit by the late James Tadanao Sata (1896-1975), through Sept. 1. Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday and Friday-Sunday; noon-8 p.m. Thursday; closed on national holidays (www.janm.org/visit). Admission: $16; $9 ages 62 and older and children; free for ages 5 and younger (timed advance tickets are recommended). Location, 100 N. Central Ave., Los Angeles. 213-625-0414. Facebook: www.facebook.com/jamuseum. janm.org

Natural History Museum Los Angeles County: New: “Butterfly Pavilion,” through Aug. 25. Admission to this special exhibit is $8 by a timed ticket (30-minute time slot) and also, a general museum admission is required (nhm.org/plan-your-visit/nhm-buy-tickets). Ongoing special exhibit: “100 Carats: Icons of the Gem World,” the centerpiece of the exhibit is a display of the 125 carats Jonker I Diamond, the “largest stone cut from the Jonker diamond — the fourth largest diamond in the world when it was found in 1934” — through April 21 (nhm.org/experience-nhm/exhibitions-natural-history-museum/100-carats). Hours: 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Monday (closed on Tuesday). Admission $18; $14 ages 62 and older and ages 13-17; $7 ages 3-12; free for ages 2 and younger, but a ticket is required. Location, 900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles. nhmlac.org

Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum: New: “Defending America and the Galaxy: SDI and Star Wars,” through Sept. 8.  Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily (except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas and Jan. 1). Admission: $25; $22 ages 62 and older; $18 ages 11-17; $15 ages 3-10 (purchase online here: tinyurl.com/mry5ne9h). Location, 40 Presidential Drive, Simi Valley. www.reaganfoundation.org

Valley Relics Museum: Take a trip down San Fernando Valley memory lane, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. March 23; 10 a.m.-2 p.m. March 24 (see website for other dates). Admission $15 and up. The museum is located at 7900 Balboa Blvd., Hangar C3 and C4, entrance is on Stagg Street, Van Nuys. Purchase tickets at the door or online: bit.ly/3kWHgjx. www.facebook.com/valleyrelics; valleyrelicsmuseum.org

ONGOING MUSEUM

Academy Museum of Motion Pictures: Ongoing special exhibits: “Outside the Mainstream,” through Aug. 4. “Shifting Perspectives: Vertical Cinema,” through Aug. 4. “John Waters: Pope of Trash,” through Aug. 4. “Significant Movies and Movie Makers,” three exhibits through Jan. 4, 2026: “Casablanca,” “Boyz n the Hood,” and Lourdes Portillo.” Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday and Monday. Admission $25; $19 ages 62 and older; $15 students, age 18 and older with ID; free for ages 17 and younger. Location, 6067 Wilshire Blvd. (corner of Fairfax Avenue), Los Angeles. 323-930-3000. academymuseum.org

African American Firefighter Museum: Artifacts, fire apparatus, pictures and stories about African American Los Angeles firefighters. Hours: timed entry admission, 1, 2 and 4 p.m. on Sunday (make a reservation on Eventbrite here: tinyurl.com/4dx5xxhk). Donation. Location, 1401 S. Central Ave., Los Angeles. 213-744-1730. https://www.aaffmuseum.org/

Autry Museum of the American West: Ongoing special exhibits: “Sherman Indian School: 100 + Years of Education and Resilience,” through May 2024 (theautry.org/exhibitions/sherman-indian-school). “Reclaiming El Camino: Native Resistance in the Missions and Beyond,” through June 15, 2025 (theautry.org/exhibitions/reclaiming-el-camino-native-resistance-missions-and-beyond). Museum hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Admission $16; $12 ages 62 and older, ages 13-18 and students older than 18 with ID; $8 ages 3-12. Location, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles. theautry.org

Bolton Hall Museum: Hours: 1-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Free admission; $5 donation is appreciated. Bolton Hall Museum, 10110 Commerce Ave., Tujunga. 818-352-3420. Email: llhs@boltonhall.org. www.facebook.com/boltonhallmuseum; www.boltonhall.org

California African American Museum: Closed for repairs due to storm-related damage. Check website or Facebook for re-opening and also for off-site programs. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Free admission. Parking $15 before 5 p.m.; $18 after 5 p.m. (in the blue structure parking lot; entrance to the blue structure is on Figueroa Boulevard at 39th Street.). Location, 600 State Drive, Los Angeles (in Exposition Park). 213-744-7432. www.caamuseum.org and www.facebook.com/CAAMinLA/

Craft in America Center: Ongoing special exhibit: “Between the Lines: John Luebtow and Stephen Edwards,” through May 25. Hours: noon-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Free admission. Location, 8415 W. Third St., Los Angeles. 323-951-0610. www.facebook.com/CraftinAmerica. craftinamerica.org/page/center. craftinamerica.org/exhibition/between-the-lines-john-luebtow-and-stephen-edwards

Craft Contemporary: Ongoing special exhibit: “ART IRAN: Falling into Language,” nine expatriate Iranian artists have used forms of the Persian alphabet, handwriting and text in their artwork, through May 5. Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. Admission $9; $7 ages 65 and older and students; free for ages 12 and younger. Location, 5814 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. www.craftcontemporary.org. Details on the exhibit: www.craftcontemporary.org/exhibitions/art-iran-falling-in-language/

Forest Lawn Museum – Glendale: Free admission. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. Location, 1712 S. Glendale Ave. forestlawn.com

Fowler Museum at UCLA: Ongoing special exhibits: “Janyak: Armenian Art of Knots and Loops,” through April 7. “The House Was Too Small: Yoruba Sacred Arts from Africa and Beyond,” through June 2. Hours: noon-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. Free admission. Parking directions: enter from Sunset Boulevard at Westwood Plaza, turn left into the pay-by-space area of Lot 4 (198 Westwood Plaza). Location, 308 Charles E. Young Drive N., Westwood. https://fowler.ucla.edu/

The Getty Center: Ongoing special exhibits: “Conserving Eden,” through April 21. “Drawing on Blue,” through April 28. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. Free admission but a timed-ticket admission is required (bit.ly/2SbTzys). Parking $25 (www.getty.edu/visit/center/parking-and-transportation). Location, Getty Center Drive at North Sepulveda Boulevard, Los Angeles. 310-440-7300. www.getty.edu

The Getty Villa: Ongoing special exhibit: “Sculpted Portraits from Ancient Egypt,” through Jan. 25, 2027. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Monday. Free admission, but a timed-entry reservation is required. Parking $25. Location, 17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades. www.getty.edu/visit/villa/

Grammy Museum: Ongoing special exhibits: “Hip-Hop America: The Mix Tape Exhibit,” through Sept. 4. “Roxy: 50 and Still Rockin’,” through spring 2024 (grammymuseum.org/event/50andstillrockin).”Shakira, Shakira: The Grammy Museum Experience,” through spring 2024. Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday-Friday and Sunday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday. Admission $18; $15 ages 65 and older; $12 ages 5-17 and college students with ID. Location, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles. 213-725-5700. grammymuseum.org

Holocaust Museum LA: Ongoing special exhibit: “To Paint Is to Life: Art and Resistance in Theresienstadt,” artwork from four artists who depicted life in the Theresienstadt ghetto during the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia. Information about the exhibit that runs through Nov. 30 (www.holocaustmuseumla.org/topaint). Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Admission $15; $10 ages 65 and older; free for ages 17 and younger. Free admission on Sunday. Admission is by timed admission ticket. Location, 100 The Grove Drive, Los Angeles. 323-651-3704. Email: info@hmla.org. www.holocaustmuseumla.org

Italian American Museum Los Angeles: Ongoing special exhibit: “Louis Prima: Rediscovering a Musical Icon,” through Oct. 13 (tinyurl.com/mrrb4pbh). Hours: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. Admission free; donations requested. Location, 644 N. Main St., Los Angeles. 213-485-8432. www.iamla.org

Japan House Los Angeles: Ongoing special exhibit: “Design Museum Japan – Bridging Design and Life,” through April 14. Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Free admission. The museum is at Ovation Hollywood, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. 800-516-0565. www.japanhouse.jp/losangeles

La Brea Tar Pits and Museum: Museum hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, except closed on the first Tuesday of the month and national holidays. Admission $15; $12 ages 62 and older and students ages 13-17; $7 ages 3-12; free for ages 2 and younger, but a ticket is required (tarpits.org/plan-your-visit/la-brea-tar-pits-buy-tickets). Parking $18. Location, 5801 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. 213-763-3499. tarpits.org/

LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes: Ongoing exhibits: “18th & Grand: The Olympic Auditorium.” “LA Starts Here!” “Calle Principal: Mi México en Los Ángeles.” Hours: noon-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. Free admission. Location, 501 N. Main St., Los Angeles. www.lapca.org

Los Angeles County Museum of Art: Ongoing special exhibits: “Painting in the River of Angels: Judy Baca,” through June 2. “Korean Treasures from the Chester and Cameron Chang Collection,” through June 30. “Imagined Fronts: The Great War and Global Media,” through July 7. “Dining with the Sultan: The Fine Art of Feasting,” through Aug. 4. “Vincent Valdez and Ry Cooder: El Chavez Ravine,” through Aug. 11. Plan your visit information here: bit.ly/2P3c7iR. Admission $20; $16 ages 65 and older and students ages 18 and older with a valid ID; free for ages 17 and younger (reserving/purchasing an advance, timed-entry online is recommended; prices are for residents of Los Angeles County). Location, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. 323-857-6010. www.lacma.org

Museum of African American Art: Ongoing special exhibit: Metro Art presents “Here: Arts and Culture Along the K,” through May 12. Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. Free admission. Location, Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, Level Two, Suite 283, 3650 W. Martin Luther King Jr Blvd., Crenshaw. 323-294-7071. Email: info@maaala.org. www.maaala.org

Museum of Contemporary Art: Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday and Friday; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Admission is free but an advance online timed-entry ticket is required. Special exhibits are $18; $10 seniors and students; free for ages 11 and younger. Locations: the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, 152 N. Central Ave., Los Angeles; MOCA Grand Avenue, 250 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. 213-633-5351. www.moca.org/visit

Museum of the San Fernando Valley: Hours: 1-5 p.m. Tuesday; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Rancho Cordillera del Norte, 18904 Nordhoff St. (southwest corner of Nordhoff and Wilbur Avenue), Northridge. 818-347-9665. themuseumsfvnow.org/

Petersen Automotive Museum: Ongoing special exhibits: “Inside Tesla – Supercharging the Electric Revolution,” prototypes of Tesla vehicles, historical perspective and design study, through April 2024. “Splendor & Speed: Treasures from the Petersen Collection,” through June 2. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Admission $21; $19 ages 62 and older; $13 ages 12-17; $11 ages 4-11. Location, 6060 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. 323-930-2277. www.petersen.org

Santa Monica History Museum: Ongoing special exhibit: “Unhoused – A History of Housing in Santa Monica,” through Dec. 31. Hours: 2-5 p.m. Thursday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Sunday. Admission $5; free for 65 and older and ages 17 and younger. Location, 1350 Seventh St., Santa Monica. 310-395-2290. www.santamonicahistory.org

Skirball Cultural Center: Hours: noon-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Closed for Jewish and national holidays (www.skirball.org/visit). Admission $12; $9 seniors and students; $7 ages 2-12; www.skirball.org/visit). Admission for the “Noah’s Ark at the Skirball” is an extra charge and by a timed-entry (purchase online). Location, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. 310-440-4500. skirball.org

Wende Museum of the Cold War: Ongoing special exhibits: “Darling Godsonny: Ivan the Terrible Advises the Infant Stalin” and “Visions of Transcendence: Creating Space in East and West” and “Ceija Stojka and Scenes from Roma Life” and “Wende Times,” the work of six Los Angeles high school students, from their internships at the Wende Museum, on the topic of social media posts on conspiracy theories and artificial intelligence-generated fake news stories, through April 7. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Sunday (wendemuseum.org/about-us/visit). Free admission. Location, 10808 Culver Blvd., Culver City. 310-216-1600. 310-216-1600. Email: visit@wendemuseum.org. wendemuseum.org

MUSIC

The Canyon: Shawn Stockman (of Boyz II Men), 8 p.m. March 21 ($28). The Sweet, with opening set by Sullivan Grace, March 22 ($24). Nelson – Matthew and Gunnar Nelson, March 23 ($28). Herman’s Hermits, starring Peter Noone, 8 p.m. March 31 ($28). Joan Osborne, April 12 ($24). Doors open, 6 p.m. Headliners, 9 p.m. (unless otherwise noted). Ticket price listed is for standing-room only; table tickets require dinner purchase. Two-drink minimum. Check website for other concerts, ticket prices, dinner options and reservations. Location, 28912 Roadside Drive, Agoura Hills. 888-645-5006. wheremusicmeetsthesoul.com/canyon-agoura-hills/

A Taste of Jewish Music – Part 2: Neal Brostoff discusses Klezmer, Polish pop, tangos and Sephardic music, 1 p.m. March 23. Platt Branch Library, 23600 Victory Blvd., Woodland Hills. 818-340-9386. Details: tinyurl.com/2w7x6pcr

Messiah 101 – Interact. Sing. Listen. Learn.: The San Fernando Valley Master Chorale and its artistic director Charlie Kim present an audience-immersive performance of selections from Handel’s Messiah, including the less-commonly performed Easter movements, 3 p.m. March 23. Details on the concert — including bringing your own score, if you have one, to sing along — on the website. Tickets $30; $25 seniors, students and veterans (bring a veteran card to show at the box office). Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 6020 Radford Ave. (at Oxnard Street), North Hollywood. www.sfvmc.com

Brass Roots Initiative: The classic rock cover band performs two sets, 7:30-10 p.m. March 23. Doors open, 6:30 p.m. Dance floor. Full bar. Admission $15; $25 couple; cash-only for admission. The band performs on the fourth Saturday of the month at this venue. BH Veterans Hall, 6543 Corbin Ave., Woodland Hills. brassrootsla.com

Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles: A tribute concert, “We Love Boy Bands,” includes hit songs by Backstreet Boys, Boyz II Men, New Kids on the Block, NSYNC, One Direction and BTS, 8 p.m. March 23 and 3:30 p.m. March 24. Tickets $45 and up. Saban Theatre, 8440 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills. gmcla.org

The Scotland Bagpipes: John McLean Allan discusses and plays bagpipes, 3 p.m. March 26. Sunland-Tujunga Branch Library, 7771 Foothill Blvd., Tujunga. 818-352-4481. www.bagpipetamer.com. Details: tinyurl.com/5n77na6h

Learn About the Scottish Bagpipes: John McLean Allan discusses and plays bagpipes, 3:30 p.m. March 30. Granada Hills Branch Library, 10640 Petit Ave., Granada Hills. 818-368-5687. www.bagpipetamer.com. Details: tinyurl.com/yrewtyb5

The Soraya at California State University, Northridge: Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and violinist and music director Joshua Bell, 6:30 p.m. April 4 ($78 and up; www.asmf.org). Location, 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge. 818-677-8800. www.thesoraya.org

Melissa Etheridge – I’m Not Broken tour: 8 p.m. April 5. Tickets $49. Bank of American Performing Arts Center, Kavli Theatre, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. 805-449-2787. www.bapacthousandoaks.com. bapacthousandoaks.com/show-details/melissa-etheridge-the-im-not-broken-tour

The Four Phantoms: Four actors who have performed the title role in “The Phantom of the Opera” — Brent Barrett, John Cudia, Franc D’Ambrosio, Ciarán Sheehan — come together to perform music from Broadway shows, 3 p.m. April 7. Tickets $37 and up. Bank of American Performing Arts Center, Kavli Theatre, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. 805-449-2787. www.bapacthousandoaks.com. bapacthousandoaks.com/show-details/the-four-phantoms-in-concert

The Red Hot Chilli Pipers: Bagrock? Find out, 8 p.m. May 4. Tickets $35 and up. Bank of American Performing Arts Center, Kavli Theatre, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. 805-449-2787. www.bapacthousandoaks.com. rhcp.scot. bapacthousandoaks.com/show-details/red-hot-chilli-pipers

Greek Theater – 2024 Season: See the schedule here: www.lagreektheatre.com/events/all. Location, 2700 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles (directions and parking information: www.lagreektheatre.com/parking-shuttle/directions). www.facebook.com/thegreektheatre/

Hollywood Bowl – 2024 Season: See the schedule, subscription packages (Classical Tuesdays/Thursdays; Jazz Plus; KCRW Festival; Sunday Sunset Concerts; Weekend Spectaculars) and special events: www.hollywoodbowl.com/campaigns/hollywood-bowl-2024-season. Tickets on sale now for: Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival, 3:30 p.m. June 15 and 3:30 p.m. June 16, and also, Roots Picnic: Hip-Hop Is the Love of My Life, 8 p.m. June 29. www.hollywoodbowl.com/

THEATER

Flashes of Light – The Tale of Nikola Tesla and the Goddess Electra: A concert of songs from a new musical by Billy Larkin and Ron Boustead, 7:30 p.m. March 27-28. Tickets $35. El Portal Theater, 5269 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood. 818-508-4200. elportaltheatre.com. elportaltheatre.com/flashesoflight.html

ONGOING THEATER

Cinderella: Storybook Theatre presents a musical by Michael Paul and Lloyd J. Schwartz for children and their families, 1 p.m. Saturdays through June 8. Tickets $15. Theatre West, 3333 Cahuenga Blvd. W., Los Angeles. Reservations, 323-851-7977. www.theatrewest.org

Submit calendar listings at least two weeks in advance to holly.andres@dailynews.com. 818-713-3708.

RankTribe™ Black Business Directory News – Arts & Entertainment

PicoVolt LLC: Villa Rica’s Premier Electrical Service Provider Wins a 2023 Best of Georgia Award

PicoVolt LLC: Villa Rica’s Premier Electrical Service Provider Wins a 2023 Best of Georgia Award – African American News Today – EIN Presswire

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Vasectomy bill proposed in response to Louisiana’s abortion ban

BATON ROUGE, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – A Louisiana lawmaker is bringing forward a bill this legislative session that she said is tough on crime and protects women amid the state’s restrictive abortion ban.

HB166 would require convicted sex offenders to undergo a mandatory vasectomy procedure. Representative Delisha Boyd of New Orleans explained why she believes this is an appropriate response to the state’s new laws.

“What it boils down to is that we are unprotected as women in the state of Louisiana. Women are an endangered species in Louisiana. We’ve been told about our health care. We can’t get equal pay for women. We need a device in place to have some sort of protection,” Boyd said, (D) District 102.

Boyd will introduce HB166 in this legislative session. The bill, as proposed, adds penalties to convicted sex offenses by requiring offenders to be subject to a mandatory vasectomy. She said it’s in response to the state’s highly restrictive abortion ban that does not allow exceptions for rape and incest.

“If we don’t allow women to have some form of recourse, then offenders have to fear something for committing rapes, molestation and incest. You want, in this state, for a nine or ten-year-old child who is just getting her cycle and could possibly be raped or molested, usually by someone they know, to have to carry the pregnancy to term. It is horrifying, in my personal opinion,” Boyd said.

Boyd said those who commit rape should fear repercussions.

Something she believes her fellow lawmakers can support during this what is considered a tough-on-crime session.

“I’m very hopeful. We are with a governor who wants to focus on crime prevention. Hopefully, they will see this as an actual bill with actual crime prevention in it,” Boyd said.

She is also bringing back her bill that would grant exceptions for rape and incest, which failed in committee last year.

“I think it’s insane that a committee that’s mostly men and a House that’s mostly men are making a decision about what a woman can do with her body. I think that’s crazy,” Boyd said.

She said women’s health care access is personal for her because her mother was only 15 years old when a 28-year-old man impregnated her. Her mom passed away when she was young. She said she will continue championing issues that affect Louisiana women and families.

“We love children as long as they’re in the womb. For me, if you’re serious about pro-life, what pro-life means to me is that I’m going to love them from the womb to the tomb. It’s not going to stop once they are born,” Boyd said.

HB 166 will go before the House Criminal Justice Committee. Representative Boyd has also introduced a bill that would require insurance companies to cover mandatory mental health screenings for rape victims forced to carry pregnancies to term.

“I’m going to fight for women’s rights always. I’m going to fight for African-American women always. But we need women to stand up and use their voices,” she said.

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President Biden is protecting and expanding affordable health coverage for Black Americans through the ACA

STOCK PHOTO

For 14 years, the Affordable Care Act has empowered millions of Americans to receive low-cost, quality health care coverage. A record-breaking number of Americans have enrolled in health insurance plans through the ACA marketplace under President Biden and Vice President Harris – a testament to their strong leadership as they continue to fulfill their promise to improve access to care, expand coverage options, and make health care more affordable. Meanwhile, Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans continue to threaten to dismantle the ACA, putting health care coverage at risk for millions of Americans – including Black Americans, who are disproportionately at risk of having their health care ripped away.

DNC Director of Outreach Communications Tracy King released the following statement:

“President Biden and Vice President Harris are fighting every day to bring down the cost of health care and expand coverage for all Americans, particularly for the Black families who have for too long faced barriers to high-quality health care. The Biden-Harris administration is keeping their promises to Black voters and delivering real wins: expanding coverage under the Affordable Care Act, stopping insurance companies from overcharging patients with preexisting conditions, and mandating that insurers cover essential benefits such as prescription drugs, mental health treatment, and hospitalization fees. After the rate of Black Americans without health insurance skyrocketed under Donald Trump and he tried to cut Medicaid and Medicare in every single one of his budgets, he is now doubling down on his second-term plans to rip the Affordable Care Act away from us. As we mark the anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, it’s clearer than ever that our health care is on the ballot this November.”

President Biden continues to make historic gains in health insurance coverage for Black Americans, with millions gaining health care coverage under his leadership.

CNN: “Obamacare sign-ups hit record 21.3 million as Biden pushes his efforts to lower health care costs” “Nearly 5 million more people signed up for Obamacare policies for this year compared with last year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which oversees the Affordable Care Act marketplaces, said Wednesday. Notably, about a quarter of people selecting plans were new consumers.”

The Hill: “Biden touts Affordable Care Act enrollment spike”

“The White House is reporting strong enrollment numbers through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) one week after enrollment began, with 300,000 new customers signing up for plans already.”

Washington Post: “ACA linked to reduced racial disparities, earlier diagnosis and treatment in cancer care” AARP: “ACA Has Led to More African Americans Getting Health Insurance” “The number of Black Americans under age 65 without health insurance has dropped by 40 percent since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), according to a new report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“In 2011 about 7.1 million African Americans lacked coverage, but by 2019 that number had dropped to 4.4 million, according to the report by researchers in HHS’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE).”

President Biden capped the price of insulin at $35 for seniors on Medicare, drastically lowering prices for the roughly 38 percent of Black Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes.

The Root: “Here’s How Biden’s Inflation Act Helps Black Americans With Diabetes”

“Over five million Black Americans live with diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. Roughly 19 percent of all African Americans in the United States over 20 years old have diabetes, compared to just 7 percent of all white Americans.”

“This could be a huge improvement for many Black Medicare recipients who receive drug coverage and also take insulin. As of 2011, roughly 38 percent of Black Medicare beneficiaries had diabetes, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. And nearly a third of Black Medicare beneficiaries reported health care cost-related problems in 2018.”

CNN: “More Americans can now get insulin for $35”

“Congress, the White House and new players in the market have increased pressure on insulin manufacturers to lower their prices. Eli Lilly and Sanofi announced that they would institute $35 caps shortly after President Joe Biden called on drugmakers to do so in his State of the Union address last year.”

Black Americans disproportionately benefit from the ACA’s protections for people with preexisting conditions. KFF: “Moreover, the long history of inequitable health outcomes among Black people reflects the abuses faced during slavery, segregation, mass incarceration and their persistent legacies.”

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: “African Americans live with chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and HIV/AIDS at far greater rates than other racial groups.”

Dept. of Health and Human Services: “Under the Affordable Care Act, health insurance companies can’t refuse to cover you or charge you more just because you have a ‘pre-existing condition’ — that is, a health problem you had before the date that new health coverage starts. They also can’t charge women more than men.”

The Affordable Care Act is reducing racial disparities in childbirth, helping to curtail the Black maternal health crisis.

White House Fact Sheet: “Within just a few years of the Affordable Care Act’s passage, Black uninsured rates dramatically declined — a key factor in ensuring better maternal health outcomes — as did the persistent health insurance coverage gap between Black and white Americans, which fell by more than 40 percent in the wake of the law’s implementation.”

NBC News: “In December, Vice President Kamala Harris hosted the first federal Maternal Health Day of Action at the White House, where she issued a call to improve health outcomes for parents and infants in the U.S. Months later, she is still using the vice presidential bully pulpit to push for policy and structural changes aimed at saving lives.

“‘In our nation, we are looking at the fact that more women are facing death because of childbirth than in any other developed nation,’ Harris told journalists during a call on Thursday during Black Maternal Health Week. ‘We are looking at the likelihood that Black women are three times more likely to die in connection with childbirth, that Native women are twice as likely to die, that rural women are one and a half times more likely to die.’ “Black Maternal Health Week is an education and advocacy campaign founded and led by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance that is observed each April. The White House officially recognized the designated week in 2021, and President Joe Biden issued a proclamation for it this year.”

This is why Beyoncé’s name is spelled ‘Beyincé’ on Cowboy Carter album cover

Beyonce wearing a sash reading 'Beyince' on the cover for a deluxe edition of her Cowboy Carter album

The limited edition vinyl cover of Beyoncé’s upcoming Cowboy Carter album features the icon wearing a sash emblazoned with the word ‘Beyincé’ – this is why.

While Reneigh’s cousin Chardonneigh gallops happily across the front of the regular edition Cowboy Carter, the country album’s exclusive edition features Beyoncé as a c*nty Statue of Liberty, exemplifying the singer’s efforts to reclaim American culture for the Black artists that helped create it.

Fans have noticed, however, that after ‘act ii’ on the sash, Beyoncé’s name is misspelled with an ‘i’, making it ‘Beyincé’.

It would be remiss of anyone to assume that Beyoncé – you know, the Beyoncé, Virgo-in-chief, planner extraordinaire, borderline deity – had made such a brazen mistake on the cover of her latest album; and that’s because she hasn’t.

So why has Beyoncé spelled her name wrong?

What does ‘Beyincé’ mean?

The ‘Beyincé’ spelling is a tribute to Beyoncé’s heritage; more specifically, her maternal grandmother, Agnéz Beyincé (née Deréon).

Speaking on a 2020 episode of In My Head with Heather Thomson, Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles-Lawson, explained that her maiden name is actually ‘Beyoncé’ – but that the ‘Beyincé’ moniker was brought in due to various clerical errors and medical negligence on her family’s birth certificates.

“I think me and my brother Skip were the only two that had B-E-Y-O-N-C-E,” she explained to Thomson on the episode, before adding how the various spellings came to be.

“It’s interesting — and it shows you the times — because we asked my mother when I was grown. I was like, ‘Why is my brother’s name spelled B-E-Y-I-N-C-E? You know, it’s all these different spellings,’ ” Knowles-Lawson said.

“And my mom’s reply to me was like, ‘That’s what they put on your birth certificate.’”

Knowles-Lawson continued: “So I said, ‘Well, why didn’t you argue and make them correct it?’” before explaining how poorly medical institutions at the time treated women of colour.

“And she said, ‘I did one time. The first time, and I was told be happy that you’re getting a birth certificate because, at one time, Black people didn’t get birth certificates.”

Knowles-Lawson added that it “must’ve been horrible” for her mother to “not to even be able to have her children’s names spelled correctly.”

“So we all have different spellings,” she said. “People don’t even put the two together and know that’s the same name.”

Cowboy Carter, which Beyoncé has described as “[not] a country album“, but a “Beyoncé album”, is due to be released on 29 March.

RankTribe™ Black Business Directory News – Arts & Entertainment