From Underestimated to the Cover of The New York Times

Artists Hannah Drake and Josh Miller use arts, social justice and inclusive practices to create change.

August 25,  2021 | 4 – 5:30 PM
Community Theatre (Tivoli, lower level, Walnut Street entrance)

This event is for CAM and CU Denver students who are developing and using their creative and scholarly voice for the improvement of the world around them.

Hear from artists Hannah L. Drake and Josh Miller about their personal artistic practices from poetry to photography and arts-activism, as well as their work together through IDEAS xLab, the nonprofit they lead that champions inclusion and belonging through creativity, art, and action.

Hannah L. Drake will talk about her life as a nationally recognized poet, author of 11 books, and activist whose work focuses on politics, feminism, and race and has been seen by millions of people including Michelle Obama and Colin Kaepernick. Hannah’s message is thought-provoking and at times challenging, but Hannah believes that it is in the uncomfortable spaces that change can take place.

Josh Miller will talk about his journey as a queer photographer, athlete and entrepreneur who creates Wearable Photos, challenges traditional notions of gender expression as an androgynous/gnc gay man, and ran the Gay Games Marathon in 2018. He believes that no matter what background you come from or what identity(s) you hold, your lived experience has value – so don't underestimate what you bring to the table.

Together, Hannah and Josh will talk about their work through IDEAS xLab which is based in Louisville, KY, including:

· (Un)Known Project, their multi-year effort featured in The New York Times that creates artistic spaces and experiences to support learning, healing, reflection, reconciliation, and action by telling the stories - of both known and unknown - Black men, women and children who were enslaved and hidden figures in Louisville, Kentucky and the surrounding region.

· Uncovering, Inclusion + Anti-Racism workshops grounded in the belief that creativity and art have the power to impact the spaces and cultures where we work and live. Hannah and Josh have designed activities and workshops that create safe, trusting spaces for teams and Boards to come together to get vulnerable, and work toward a shared sense of belonging that is inclusive and grounded in equity.

· One Poem At A Time – an ongoing effort that uses community collaboration, poetry and photography to create culturally-responsive messaging that to date has replaced over 30 billboards and had over 2 million impressions with positive images and messages and included a multi-campaign collaboration with Louisville Metro Department of Public Health. “We have seen the positive impact this approach can have, when community members are the ones shaping the messages in their environment,” said Josh Miller and Hannah Drake of IDEAS xLab.