Visitors to “Giving Back: The Soul of Philanthropy Reframed and Exhibited” at the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center will have a unique opportunity to explore the idea of philanthropy, which curator Courtney Bradford defined as “the love of what it means to be human.”
Based on an out-of-print book, “Giving Back: A Tribute to Generations of African American Philanthropists,” the exhibition uses words and black-and-white photography to show the impact of philanthropy on an everyday level.
“When we think about philanthropy, we think about the Walton family or Bill Gates,” Bradford said. “We think we have to have all the money, but we don’t have to have all the money. People give back all the time without realizing it.”
Philanthropy occurs in ways large and small, and is especially powerful in the Black community, which is the focus of the exhibition and the book on which it is based.
“This speaks to philanthropy and how we as African Americans give within our community,” Bradford said. “It’s not the big dollars that count. It’s your time, your talent, your treasure.”
Any seemingly mundane act, from buying Girl Scout cookies to painting a mural to signing a petition or even voting, can be thought of as philanthropic “because you’re giving back,” Bradford said. “The Soul of Philanthropy,” which opened in August, tells the stories of ordinary people who have contributed in ways that might not be considered philanthropy.
“If we can get people to think about what they’re doing as philanthropic, it will empower them to keep doing it on a grassroots level or to go big if they’re able to,” Bradford said.
She pointed to an experience from her own childhood, when her grandmother “always made sure we had at least a dollar on us to give to the church. She made us fill out that envelope and write down the fund we were giving to. That way, the church knew that we were contributing.”
People are asked every day to give back, even when they order a Coke or an Ocean Water at the Sonic, which now asks customers if they want to leave a tip. Cashiers at grocery stores now ask shoppers if they want to “round up” to the nearest dollar and benefit a worthy cause. Bradford said this all amounts to philanthropic giving, if people choose to see it that way.
“Giving Back,” both the exhibition and book, expresses the spirit of joyful giving. “There is joy in philanthropy, and love,” Bradford said. Giving also provides a greater understanding of what it means to be human. “A lot of times, when people are in need, they’re at their most vulnerable. When you are in need, you want to be seen and you don’t want to be judged or talked down to.”
The exhibition is divided into two walk-through sections that Bradford said she “stretched” from the smaller space “The Soul of Philanthropy” utilized on its New Orleans display. “I had to kind of figure out what it was going to look like in our space, and how to set it up so that people can take their time and reflect on the experience,” she said.
Soft green, blue and yellow lighting illuminates various areas of the self-guided exhibition. Information panels relate the stories of such “uncommon common people” as Carlotta and Johnnie Jones of North Carolina, whose daughter, Melandee Jones, described their giving as “a natural part of life. I remember as kids we would make goodie bags and dole them out at Oxford Children’s Home, nursing homes and among friends who could use them.” Jones said she “heard stories about how my people gave produce from the family farm to feed kids at the school, took in others’ relatives, and seemed always to cook enough for anybody who was hungry.”
The exhibition includes a touch-screen audiovisual component that uses music and images to illustrate the four pillars of philanthropy, which are civic engagement, improvement, relief and reform. A blackboard gives visitors the opportunity to write down reasons why they give. A few of these handwritten messages include “Because it feels good to be kind” and “It helps us to build what needs to be restored.” The overall effect is one of quiet meditation, as the various types of media deliver a single message: Giving is part of what makes us human.
“The Soul of Philanthropy” is presented by the Arkansas Black Philanthropy Collaborative. It will be displayed at the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, located at 501 W. 9th St., through Dec. 3, Tuesday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.
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