NEWS | FEATURES | PREVIEWS | EVENTS

originally published: 02/24/2022

(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Jersey City Theater Center (JCTC) will have Melissa Lowery as the latest “Black Space” guest on Sunday, February 27 at 5:00pm, in conversation with JCTC’s Ashley Nicole Baptiste. Lowery will discuss her first feature documentary, Black Girl in Suburbia, on the second season of the popular talk series, to be live-streamed for audiences on Facebook Live, Zoom, and YouTube.

Lowery is an accomplished mother, wife, equity strategist, director, and producer who currently serves as the Director of Equity and Community Engagement at Central Catholic High School in Portland, Oregon. Inspired by her own experiences, Black Girl in Suburbia captures the perspectives of Black girls growing up in predominantly white communities. Through professional and personal interviews, the feature film highlights the conflict and issues that Black girls face relating to both white and Black communities.

“Having Melissa Lowery on an episode of ‘Black Space’ is a dream come true. I first watched Black Girl in Suburbia a few years back when I lived in Portland, Oregon, and that is where I met the producer and director, Melissa Lowery,” says Baptiste. “This documentary is so necessary, and it still resonates with me and my experience in high school as one of the few Black girls on campus in a predominantly white school. I am so looking forward to the conversation we will be having and how this film has affected so many people’s lives,” she adds.

“Black Space,” now in its second season, explores the experiences of Black artists in the world today through intimate and candid conversations. Hosted by JCTC’s associate artistic director Ashley Nicole Baptiste, the series has featured local, national, and international multidisciplinary artists, including Alexander Thomas, Tanisha Taitt, Ibn Sharif Shakoor, and Mary Aiken.

Attendees can register for free access at www.jctcenter.org, Facebook, or at seetickets.us . 

Founded in 2006, Jersey City Theater Center is a nonprofit 501(c)3 arts organization committed to inspiring conversations about important issues of our times through the arts. 

 

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Co-founded by Executive Producer Olga Levina, an immigrant from Belarus, Jersey City Theater Center (JCTC) produces and presents universal yet locally relevant works, emphasizing social justice and human rights. 

Since 2006, JCTC has provided a platform for all artistic voices to be heard. When we share stories through the arts, we spark meaningful dialogue that leads to greater understanding and respect. And, as a result, we build better communities together.

Their core programs include Voices International Theatre Festival, Stories of Greenville, as well as original works. JCTC also provides youth arts education, artist support, and community outreach. In 2021, over 9,100 engaged with JCTC programs and they worked with over 400 artists.

Jersey City Theater Center is a non-profit organization exempt from federal tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (EIN# 20-5151520).