Honoring Heritage at MOCA

Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami, will host events celebrating Asian Pacific American heritage and Haitian heritage this month

Photo courtesy of MOCA
Photo courtesy of MOCA

The Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami (MOCA) will celebrate both Haitian Heritage Month and Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with a robust series of education and public programming throughout May.

The celebration kicked off on Sunday with a special iteration of Sunday Stories, featuring Drawn Together by Minh Le in honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. The book tells the story of a young boy and his grandfather when their lack of a common language leads to confusion, frustration and silence. But as they sit down to draw together, something magical happens—with a shared love of art and storytelling, the two form a bond that goes beyond words.

On May 7, families can join the museum for MOCA miniMakers: Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, from 2 to 4 p.m. During this free ceramics art workshop, children will discover ancient clay pots building skills and learn about contemporary ceramic artist Steven Young Lee. Participants will create pinch and coil pots using air-dry clay. RSVP here.

The museum will host a special Jazz at MOCA outdoor concert, featuring Chardavoine & The Evolution in Celebration of Haitian Heritage Month on May 27, at 8 p.m. Chardavoine is a Haitian-born, Brooklyn-bred guitarist who has performed with Dave Valentin and the Tito Puente Jr. orchestra, as well as for Aretha Franklin. He is renowned for his interpretation of “Haitian Jazz,” a new genre emerging in jazz today. His latest release, The Tribute, is an eloquent testimony of this genre of music, showcasing his talents not only as an excellent musician but also as a creative and seasoned arranger. The performance is free and open to the public. RSVP here.

In addition to this heritage-honoring programming, the museum will host a docent-led exhibition tour of “My Name is Maryan” on May 8 and 22, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., respectively. Docent Dr. Helen Sachs Chaset is an educator with more than 45 years of experience in administration, professional development, and program development. She is also a board member of Miami-Dade Holocaust Survivors, the Jewish Community Services of South Florida, and the Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education. Dr. Chaset is the daughter of two Holocaust survivors and was born in a displaced persons camp in Hannover, Germany. RSVP here.

Guests are also welcome to a public exhibition tour of “My Name is Maryan” with Curator of Education Amanda Covach on May 19, from 11 a.m. to noon. All tours are free with admission. RSVP here.

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