The EDCJCC Celebrates Black History Month

Carolivia Herron (she/her) is a Jewish African American novelist, librettist, and educator who teaches Classics in the English Department of Howard University. Her published and produced works include Thereafter Johnnie (novel); Let Freedom Sing: The Story of Marian Anderson (opera libretto, music composed by Bruce Adolphe); Nappy Hair; Always An Olivia (children’s books); and The Selected Works of Angelina Weld Grimké (scholarship). Nappy Hair was the focus of an international racial controversy in 1998 and still remains banned in New York City. She has also held professorial appointments at Harvard University, Mount Holyoke College, Chico State University, and the College of William and Mary. The final multimedia volume of her three volume novel, Asenath and Our Song of Songs, will be published in autumn 2022. Volume 1, Asenath and the Origin of Nappy Hair, and Volume 2, PeaceSong DC, were published in 2014 and 2016. Carolivia’s Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in Comparative Literature and Literary Theory focused on the epic literary genre in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. She hosts a weekly radio show, Epic City on WOWD-LP Takoma Park. Epic City highlights books. Carolivia is an active member of Tifereth Israel Congregation of Washington, DC, a judge for the Jewish Book Council, and a contributor to Lilith magazine. She is featured in several documentaries in progress, including The Devil’s Half Acre (book by Kristen Green) as a descendant of Mary Ann Lumpkin, the enslaved woman who liberated the most notorious slave jail of the south.

Thaddeus McCants (he/him) is a Brooklyn-based Writer, Director, and Performer originally from Madison, Wisconsin. As a playwright, he is a current NYTW 2050 Fellow, Theater Masters Visionary Playwright, KCACTF National Finalist, Goldberg New Play Prize Finalist, and has been a Semi-Finalist for both the Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference & American Blues Theatre Blue Ink Award. As a Television writer, he is currently a writer on the second season of HBOMax’s “JULIA”, is developing his own series with BET+, and is co-writing Audible Originals with both VICE Media and Author James Patterson. Thaddeus proudly holds his MFA from NYU and BFA from Ithaca College and as always… ‘Word to Mom Dukes, to the fam I owe everything!’

Zachariah Ezer (he/him) is a playwright whose work animates theoretical quandaries through dramaturgical forms. His plays include The Freedom Industry (The Playwrights Center, New York Stage & Film), Address the Body! (The Echo Theater Company), and An Unclear World (Hi-ARTS), among others. Selected awards include The University of Texas’ James A. Michener Fellowship, The Playwrights Center’s Core Apprenticeship, Hi-ARTS’ Critical Breaks Residency, Echo Theater Company’s National Young Playwrights Residency, Town Stages’ Sokoloff Arts Creative Fellowship, Best Play at The Woodside Players of Queens Summer Play Festival, BUFU’s EYEDREAM Residency, and Wesleyan University’s Olin Fellowship. His plays have been published by Concord Theatricals/Samuel French, Smith & Kraus, American Blues Theater, New World Theatre, some scripts literary magazine, and Fleas on the Dog. Zachariah is also a dramaturg (who has worked with The National Black Theatre, The Workshop Theater, and FoolsFury, among others), an essayist (published by Gizmodo/io9, HuffPost, and The University of Texas’ E3W, among others), and a performer in alternative rock band Harper’s Landing. MFA: The University of Texas at Austin (Class of 2023). BA: Wesleyan University.

Kendell Pinkney (he/him) is a Brooklyn based theatre-artist, producer, and rabbi. He works and creates art at the intersections of race, ethnicity, collective memory, religious identity, and sacred text. His collaborative theatre works have been presented or developed at venues such as 54 Below, Joe’s Pub, LABA @ the 14th St. Y, and Two River Theatre, to name a few. Most recently, he was featured in the acclaimed docuseries The New Jew with actor-comedian Guri Alfi and on Crooked Media’s Unholier than Thou podcast. Kendell is the founding Artistic Director of The Workshop (theworkshopny.com / theworkshopartist), a New York based arts and culture fellowship for professional JOCISM (Jews of Color, Jewish-Indigenous, Sephardi, and Mizrahi) artists. kendellpinkney.com / @kendellrpinkney

What Denitria does at the JCC: After School Care, Summer Camp Counselor, Swim Instructor, Fitness Center Front Desk Associate

Favorite Book: The Wickedest Wives by DJ Richie Skye

Favorite Black Owned Restaurant: Everlasting Life

Favorite Black History Fact: Berry Gordy, Jr. founded Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan in January of 1959 and went on to become one of the most successful and influential independent record companies in the world.

What Elijah does at the JCC: JxJ Operations Manager and Coordinator of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives.

Favorite Book: “Song of Solomon” Toni Morrison

Favorite Black Owned Restaurant: NuVegan

Favorite Black History Fact: In 1926, famed author Carter G. Woodson started Negro History Week to celebrate contributions of Black Americans to history. This went on to become known as Black History Month. Bonus Fun Fact: His memorial is just a half a mile away from our building!

Favorite Movie: Do The Right Thing (Spike Lee)

Favorite Black Owned Restaurant: Milk & Honey

Favorite Black History Fact: In 1958, Willie O’Ree became the first Black player in the NHL, playing for the Boston Bruins.