Advocacy and the Arts

1. Advocacy and the Arts A Conversation with Danny Simmons Moderated by Shani Jamila

2. Agenda • About the Human Rights Project • Why Human Rights and the Arts? • Introducing Danny Simmons • Rush Arts • Artist and Writer • Questions and Answers • Conclusion

3. Shani Jamila, Artist and Director of the Human Rights Project at the Urban Justice Center Who We Are… Danny Simmons Abstract-expressionist painter, as well as founder and President of the Rush Arts Gallery

4. Urban Justice Center • The Urban Justice Center was founded in 1982. • The Human Rights Project is one of 11 projects at the Urban Justice Center, an anti-poverty organization that serves NYC's most vulnerable residents.

5. Human Rights Project • Founded in 1999. • The Human Rights Project (HRP) evolved from the desire to hold the government accountable to human rights standards. • HRP works at both the local and national levels to equip advocates with information and tools to promote domestic compliance with universally accepted human rights standards.

6. HRP Initiatives • Human Rights Report Card • Human Rights Institute • Involvement between Human Rights and the Arts • Recently, HRP has begun to incorporate art as a core pedagogical tool during our community forums and events, and we have begun to expand our cultural activism offerings.

7. Today’s Conversation • Human Rights are the basic rights and freedoms that we are all entitled to by virtue of being human. They are indivisible and interdependent. • There are five aspects of human rights: civil, political, cultural, social, and economic.

8. Today we will be exploring… • Advocacy for the arts in education. • The importance of creating a platform for emerging artists in the community. • The role of the artist in today’s society and culture. • The role of political figures, and their value to the art community.

9. Introducing… an abstract-expressionist painter, as well as founder and President of the Rush Arts Gallery. In addition, Simmons converted part of his loft in Brooklyn into the Corridor Gallery. Along with his brother Russell, Simmons established Def Poetry Jam, which has enjoyed long-running success on HBO. Simmons is also the founder and Vice-President of the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation, a non-profit organization. In 2004, Simmons published Three Days As The Crow Flies, a fictional account of the 1980's New York art scene. He has also written a book of artwork and poetry called I Dreamed My People Were Calling But I Couldn't Find My Way Home. He is the older brother of hip-hop impressario Russell Simmons and rapper Joseph Simmons ("Reverend Run" of Run DMC). Danny Simmons

10. Rush Arts gallery • “I never wanted to be an art dealer but I did want to expose people to art. There’s a social work aspect. Rush and Corridor Galleries are places for people to show their work to their respective communities.” • -Danny Simmons to The Trove

11. Corridor Gallery • “Kids and families can come and experience art in an environment where they don’t feel pressured to be a consumer” • -Danny Simmons to The Trove

12. Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation • “The journey as an artist, it doesn’t take a whole lot of money. It takes a lot of determination. And that discipline helps kids outside of art” • -Danny Simmons to The Trove

13. Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits. Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

14. Art for Life Gala

15. Books by Danny Simmons On I Dreamed my People were Calling…: “At the heart of this powerful collection of poems and paintings are the stories Simmons tells from his easel with raw, glaring imagery. The bright colors of his collages provide a contrast to the relentlessly grim portrayals of a society where people are jailed at birth” - Ishmael Reed.

16. Visual Art Untitled • “The arts are for the enrichment and betterment of people and not just for commercial enterprise.” • -Danny Simmons to The Trove Untitled

17. The crucial task of implementation of universal human rights norms is to prevent the arbitrary privileging of certain perspectives on account of their traditional authority, institutional or economic power, or demographic supremacy in society. This principle lies at the heart of every issue raised in the debate over the right to freedom of artistic expression and creativity and possible limitations on that right. The Right to Freedom of Artistic Expression From a report by FaridaShaheed, Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights

18. Visual Art Untitled Complications and Dissertations Things Have Changed

19. Def Poetry Jam

20. Political Support • On politics Danny Simmons has said: “for many years I resisted being involved in local politics, but there are people running for elections that really care about the arts. They deserve our support.” • -Danny Simmons to The Trove • Bottom left: Artists Summit which Eric Adams hosted and Danny Simmons moderated; above: campaign for Laurie Cumbo

21. Artists may entertain people, but they also contribute to social debates, sometimes bringing counter-discourses and potential counterweights to existing power centres. The Right to Freedom of Artistic Expression From a report by FaridaShaheed, Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights

22. Q&A At this time we are happy to take any questions. Please press *1 on your phone to “raise your hand.”

23. Thank You We appreciate your time and are glad that you joined us today. We look forward to continuing the conversation with you. To keep up to date on announcements and to receive our weekly newsletter, subscribe to the HRP listserv. Please email geigo@urbanjustice.org to do so.

24. Contact Info Human Rights Project Urban Justice Center 123 William Street, 16th Floor New York, NY 10038 www.hrpujc.org