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National Underground Railroad Freedom Center To Host Solutions Symposium

Program in Conjunction with Special Exhibition Kin Killin’ Kin February 4

CINCINNATI, OH (January 25, 2016) The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is hosting a public forum, Thursday, February 4 at 7:00 p.m., to discuss solutions to reduce violence and homicide in conjunction with the Kin Killin’ Kin exhibit. The Solutions Symposium moderated by James Pilcher, Investigative Reporter for The Cincinnati Enquirer and Cincinnati.com, will encourage the public to explore collective and collaborative efforts in finding sustainable solutions addressing youth violence in our community. The event is free and open to the public.

“The Solutions Symposium program and discussion will serve as a safe haven for open conversation about the themes and issues presented in James Pate’s powerful and captivating art series,” says Dr. Michael Battle, executive vice president and provost of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. “We know that the conversation that Kin Killin’ Kin has sparked within the community will continue to have a great impact on our city and youth, even after the exhibition closes in the next few weeks.”

Panelists participating in the Solutions Symposium include Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac, Dr. Victor Garcia of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Carter M. Stewart, U.S. Attorney General for the Southern District of Ohio.

“2015 was one of the most violent years in recent memory in the city of Cincinnati,” says James Pilcher. “We look forward to exploring solutions for the violence, using the strong messages presented in Kin Killin’ Kin as a backdrop and springboard for our conversation with this esteemed and diverse panel.”

Kin Killin’ Kin is a striking visual experience exploring youth violence in inner city communities. Local artist and Cincinnati’s School for Creative and Performing Arts alum James Pate uses charcoal to create compelling visual scenes of young black men donned in Ku Klux Klan hoods committing or in the act of committing violent acts. By combining the iconography of the Ku Klux Klan, the Civil Rights Movement and all too familiar images of gang violence, Pate places the viewer inside the acts and the conversation, demanding their attention and reflection on the challenges, causes and insidious nature of violence. The exhibit closes on February 13, 2016.

The Kin Killin’ Kin Solutions Symposium begins Thursday, February 4 at 7:00 p.m. in the Harriet Tubman Theater. The event is free and open to the public. RSVPs are requested. To RSVP call (513) 333-7737 or email [email protected].

The Kin Killin’ Kin series is organized by SHANGO: Center for the Study of African American Art and Culture & EbonNia Gallery and curated by Willis Bing Davis. Learn more about Kin Killin’ Kin at freedomcenter.org/KinKillinKin