“FLIPd: Cincinnati, Ohio’s Historic Places, Spaces told through African American Stories” by K.A. Simpson, ArtsWave “Truth & Healing” Artist
by Megan Botti
“History is never really one-sided.”
K.A. Simpson
2023 ArtsWave Black and Brown Artists Program
Creativity Squared is proud to support and partner with ArtsWave and to bring you this special interview series featuring the phenomenal artists and grant recipients selected for this year’s ArtsWave Black and Brown Artists Program.
K.A. is a 2023 ArtsWave Black and Brown Artists Program Grant Recipient and “Truth & Healing” Artist.
The intention of these interviews is to give these talented and deserving artists another platform to share their art and truth expressed through it, as you never know what ripples will turn into waves. If you’re interested in working with, featuring, or supporting these artists, please don’t be shy about it.
We’ll be hearing from these artists whose films were shown in the ArtsWave “Truth & Healing” Showcase and Film Festivals. Part one of this series features the artists whose work is in the exhibition that is available for visiting at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, OH, through September 10.
This year’s theme is “Truth & Healing” and Creativity Squared host Helen Todd had the great honor of interviewing the artists during the opening showcase to learn more about their work and what truth and healing means to them.
Meet K.A. Simpson
Kareem (K.A.) Antonio Simpson (American, b. 1978) is an author whose work challenges the notion of societal norms. His work has been published and exhibited across the USA and throughout the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region. Simpson is author of “Bro’Kin RIVER” (2021), an original 60-minute stage play, based on the true story of Margaret Garner. Simpson’s other works include “Chronicles of a Boy Misunderstood” (2013), an eye-opening look into the life of Black gay men.
“FLIPd: Cincinnati, Ohio’s Historic Places, Spaces told through African American Stories”
“FLIPd: Cincinnati, Ohio’s Historic Places, Spaces told through African American Stories” is an episodic podcast exploring the historic places and spaces of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Utilizing narrative storytelling, archival audio, and immersive soundscapes, “FLIPd” will reframe our understanding of the region’s history by telling the often overlooked African American perspective.
ArtsWave 2023 Black and Brown Artists Program Cohort
This year’s Black and Brown Artists Program cohort reflects a vibrant collection of diverse art forms created by an equally diverse group of 18 artists. Their mediums include couture fashion, painting, and sculpture — along with film, musical composition, podcasts, theater, dance, and multidisciplinary works.
The projects not only represent the African American experience, but also the experiences of those with Mexican, Lebanese, Somali, Argentinian, Zimbabwean, Guatemalan, and Indigenous heritage.
Listen to the accompanying podcast episode which features K.A.:
Connect with K.A.
Visit K.A.’s website to learn more about him as an author, and check out his other writings and projects. Listen to his FLIPd podcast and give him a follow on Instagram (@ka_simpson) as well!
Learn more about ArtsWave and why we proudly support the organization in Episode 9 “Art Bridges Cultural Divides” with Janice Liebenberg, VP of Equitable Arts Advancement at ArtsWave: https://bit.ly/Ep9JaniceLiebenberg.
Creativity Squared is a proud partner of ArtsWave and because it’s important to support artists like Michael, 10% of all revenue Creativity Squared generates goes to ArtsWave and directly supports the Black and Brown Artists Program.
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