The Beauty of South Dallas: Crafting A Community Conversation with Nitashia Johnson

As part of the Central Library's Juneteenth celebration, multimedia artist & educator Nitashia Johnson will discuss her efforts to "contribute, in a significant manner, to the cultural and artistic impact of the South Dallas community."

Nitashia Johnson, the inaugural artist for the Juanita J. Craft Artist Residency Initiative, created The Beauty of South Dallas to document the unique beauty of both the people and the land of South Dallas.  She says "The older buildings stand as symbols of the struggles individuals have faced while growing up here, and to me, that embodies strength. Many areas within South Dallas are undergoing development, and I worry about the effects of gentrification. My goal was to document the current state of South Dallas before the future arrives, as the people."

She will highlight how she has built assets and exposure for the artist residency, the artist, and the project over several years - an effort rooted in the original vision of highlighting South Dallas through creative expression and thoughtful presentation.