Black Male Re-Imagined
Amidst the backdrop of key historic moments for Black America -- including the pending departure of the nation’s first Black male President and recent opening of the first National African American History Museum -- and in an effort to affirm accurate portrayals of Black people in the mainstream media, the Campaign for Black Male Achievement, in partnership with the Perception Institute, hosted a special gathering titled "Black Male Re-Imagined III".
The third installment of a groundbreaking event series launched in 2010, this year’s "Black Male Re-Imagined" will feature timely discussions that explore how Black men and women are portrayed in the mainstream, with a particular focus on issues such as: dissecting media coverage of police violence against Black people; the intersection and inclusion of issues facing Black men, women, gay and trans people; the disparities in attention and action focused on Black women victims of systemic and domestic violence; exploring Black Masculinity (with a panel sponsored by Mic); the relationships between Black fathers and daughters; the power of the arts in driving social change and activism, and more.
“The intent behind Black Male Re-Imagined III was to provide a space to acknowledge, explore and celebrate the lived realities, hopes, dreams and challenges that are tied into identity and perception for Black men and women, including those who are cis-gender, transgender and gender non-conforming,” said Rashid Shabazz, VP of Communications for the Campaign for Black Male Achievement. “Due to the myriad issues facing Black communities – such as the physical, mental and psychological trauma Black people are dealing with as a result of rampant police violence, the need for honest and challenging discourse between Black men and women around patriarchy and toxic masculinity, as well as greater inclusion and sensitivity to the experiences and traumas that our Black gay and transgender communities are going through -- we really wanted this to be an opportunity for these urgent conversations to take place, and to provide a platform for voices that have, by and large, been excluded or overlooked by the mainstream.”
"Black Male Re-Imagined III" was FREE and open to the public!
If you were not able to make it down to D.C. for the event, a live-stream of the program is available!WATCH IT HERE
Check out some of the artists and influencers that were part of BMR3:
SAMORA ABAYOMI PINDERHUGHES

Samora Abayomi Pinderhughes is a pianist and composer, known for large multidisciplinary projects and for his use of music to examine sociopolitical issues. He has performed in venues including the White House, the Blue Note, MoMA, the Sundance Film Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, and Carnegie Hall, and has toured internationally with artists including Branford Marsalis, Christian Scott, Jose James, Harvey Mason, and Emily King. Pinderhughes is also a member of Blackout for Human Rights, and was musical director for their 2016 #MLKNow and #JusticeForFlint events. CBMA's "Black Male Re-Imagined III" will center on the theme of "Ascension," which comes first from Pinderhughes' forthcoming new protest album The Transformations Suite (to be released on October 12th). Continuing in the tradition of artists like Bob Marley, Duke Ellington, Marvin Gaye, Billie Holiday, and Tupac Shakur, Suite paints a musical picture of the current state of social inequality and injustice in the United States and beyond. Pinderhughes has spent the past five years writing, recording, and producing The Transformations Suite, which combines music, theatre, and poetry to examine the radical history of resistance within communities of the African diaspora. The themes ofSuite move through five distinct phases: Transformation, History, Cycles, Momentum (parts 1 and 2), and Ascension. Learn More
HAILE GERIMA
