Artists wanted to depict Black history in Madera County

FRESNO, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – Black artists from Madera County are needed to help make sure their voices are heard at an art exhibition marking Juneteenth.

The exhibition is being organized by the Madera County Arts Council.

Tonyce Givens, who was born and raised in Madera, says a prominent Black population in Madera does not guarantee positive representation in the city.

“I’ve had the privilege of living different places, three different states,” Givens said, “I’ve noticed that in Madera there seems to be a lack of community participation.”

Givens says she hopes the art exhibition will allow the city’s Black population to feel seen, heard, and celebrated.

According to U.S. Census data, the City of Madera is over 80% Hispanic/Latino, Givens says regardless of demographic statistics, the Black population deserves a right to be represented.

“We have to consider what it does to the population when they don’t identify with the overall picture of what the county looks like.”

Givens is a recent Fresno State graduate, earning a degree in history. She says her time in the history program showed her that her passion lies in the social impact of historic preservation, coinciding perfectly with the art exhibition project.

“I wanted to start highlighting different parts of Black history in Madera County,” Given said, “that’s exploring the and highlighting the stories of people that you may not normally think of – everyday people in your community.”

Givens says art, as a form of preserving history, is especially important in the Black community and has been for a long time.

“There was a time when we weren’t allowed to read and write,” Givens said. “We were forced to express ourselves through song, through art before we could ever express ourselves in a written way.”

Givens says the art exhibition will be free of charge and open to the public. The Madera County Arts Council and Madera NAACP Chapter have shown great support as she plans the event.

The deadline to submit all works for the exhibition is the end of the month of May, the exhibition itself will take place on June 13 at the Madera Arts Council building.

For more information, email blueininiatives@gmail.com or phone 559-492-9786.

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