Poetic Tongues/Fabu
What Does Equity Mean in the Madison Arts Community?
Every African American worker, from the office of the presidency under Barack Obama, to African American police officers to the Black blue collar worker in factories across America, all have employment experience with a hostile work environment due to racism. Whatever our occupations, we all have to navigate working in environments that are not designed to empower, encourage or inspire our productivity or realize our career goals, solely because we are Black. The fact that arts in Madison would also be permeated by racism is not unexpected, although the racism that Black creative woman artist Lilada Gee experienced, has spotlighted the type of racism that is universally experienced by Black creatives in Madison.
Full transparency, I have known and loved Lilada Bess Gee for decades. We worship together at a local church, we have both worked for a community organization as directors of different departments, we are recognized as innovative leaders in our fields, and we are creative women artists in different genres; she loves art and I love poetry. I have been delighted to hear her voice raised to protect girls and women, as well as seeing her art career blossom. Art is both transformative and healing and her murals, books and art pieces are positively influencing the Madison arts world.
In March of this year, Gee was part of an exhibit for the Wisconsin Triennial entitled, “Ain’t I a Woman?” at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA) in downtown Madison. This important exhibit celebrates the contributions of Black women artists, documents the intersection of race and gender for Black women, as well as the underrepresentation of Black women artists in Wisconsin. Gee was one of a few Madison artists included, and while working on her contribution for the exhibit, she was confronted by an Overture Center of the Arts employee after she went to her car to get more paints and needed to re-enter. Gee had already contacted a MMoCA employee, Annik Dupaty, to get back in and Dupaty witnessed the entire incident. The Overture employee was fired, (it was the guest services manager), but the Overture has issued no apology directly to Gee or the African American community; instead it continues to defend the Overture’s record on equity.
I recall the Overture making a similar mistake in 2019 with the Asian community in Madison when a panel of Asian activists and professors wanted to add their perspective to the negative portrayal of Asians in the musical “Miss Saigon” ahead of its run at the Overture Center. The panel was canceled at the last minute due to a disagreement between the theater and panelists. Overture never addressed the disagreement then and it isn’t addressing this disagreement now. Instead it sends out its newsletter touting equity and inclusion that includes announcing volunteers, staff and board members attended a training by Paul Forbes on implicit bias. The Broadway production of “Ain’t Too Proud – The life and Times of the Temptations” and recently Gladys Knight all have been at featured at the Overture along with the talented Danielle Crim highlighted in a special performance at the annual Founder’s Reunion. Still quiet on the Gee incident.
I emailed the new Equity and Innovation Director, Ida Balderrama-Trudell after she sent her May newsletter that quoted the late bell hooks, another Black creative artist. Balderrama-Trudell wrote,” I leave you with a quote from bell hooks, author and social activist, “As we search as a nation for constructive ways to challenge racism and white supremacy, it is absolutely essential that progressive female voices gain a hearing.” I emailed her to say that is a relevant quote by the late bell hooks but no mention in your newsletter about what happened to Lilada Gee and justice for her.” That is how the African American community assesses progressives who talk the talk, but who don’t appear to live what they speak.
Gee’s piece was never finished but at the exhibit opening, she did talk about the incident in a searing indictment of the racism in the arts that exists to the detriment of all artists, and especially to Black women artists. Recently we have read of this same artwork being vandalized because MMoCA failed to provide adequate protection for the artwork. Gee has asked MMoCA to uninstall her exhibit.
My response as a Black creative woman artist is to talk instead of remaining silent. Together with other women representing the arts, (MMoCA and the Madison Arts Commission) we are organizing a panel to invite five Black women, creative artists, to share from several artistic genres including visual, poetry, theater and music. These artists will also speak to their experiences in Madison, and what steps they believe should be taken to ensure equity in the Madison Arts. The discussion centers on ways in which art institutes, funders, and philanthropic communities can offer inclusion and support. More details will be forthcoming.
What happened to Gee and her artwork has reverberated throughout our community. The two unjust incidents that she experienced were not because she is Lilada, but because she is a Black woman creative artist, which means it could happen to any of us. The YWCA has a huge billboard in South Madison with a photo of CEO Vanessa R. McDowell which states, “Protect Black Women, Trust Black Women and Support Black Women.” That billboard says it all.