(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Jersey City Theater Center (JCTC) in partnership with Jersey City Free Public Library (Cunningham Branch) and I Love Greenville is proud to present What Jersey City Means To Me featuring Kevin Powell on Saturday, June 17 at the Glenn D. Cunningham Branch Library. A human & civil rights activist, poet, journalist, filmmaker, author of 16 books, Hip-hop historian and author of an upcoming Tupac Shakur biography, Powell is a native son of the Greenville section of Jersey City.

“How do you define success? Who in your community can help you to succeed? As a native of Jersey City who grew up in Greenville, Kevin Powell serves as an inspirational voice for our community,” said Olga Levina, JCTC Executive Director.  “At JCTC, we take immense pride in partnering with I Love Greenville and the Jersey City Public Library to highlight Kevin's powerful success story and creative voice. Our objective is to foster a meaningful dialogue among all community members, with a particular emphasis on engaging the youngest generation of leaders. We warmly welcome everyone to join us at this event, as we believe that everyone's perspective is valuable in shaping our shared future. We look forward to coming together, celebrating the Greenville community and its people together.”

What Jersey City Means to Me featuring Kevin Powell - Saturday, June 17, 2023 at 2:00pm at Glenn D. Cunningham Branch Library (275 Martin Luther King Jr Drive in Jersey City). FREE, all people and all ages welcome. Copies of Kevin’s newest book, “The Kevin Powell Reader,” will be on sale. Seats are limited on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations are available at www.JCTCenter.org. Sponsored by I Love Greenville.

Kevin Powell is one of the most celebrated political, cultural, literary, and hip-hop voices in America. He is a human and civil rights activist; a poet; a journalist; a filmmaker; a former two-time candidate for the United States Congress in New York City; a public speaker who has been to all 50 American states and 5 of the world's 7 continents; and he is the author of 16 books, including his newest title, The Kevin Powell Reader, which represents 30-plus years of his life work as a writer, public speaker, and social justice advocate. Kevin's 17th book will be a biography of Tupac Shakur, who he interviewed several times while a senior writer for Quincy Jones’ Vibe magazine.

Kevin's writings have also appeared in a wide range of publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Ebony, Essence, NPR, The Guardian, Complex, and HuffPost. Up next for Kevin is the launching of a new national organization in 2024 focused on voter education, voter engagement, and leadership development. A native of Jersey City, New Jersey, Kevin is a proud and long-time resident of Brooklyn, New York.

In addition, Jersey City Theater Center invites you to unleash your inner rhythm and embrace the vibrant spirit of West African culture with an exhilarating workshop of West African Dance and Music, presented by the renowned Kofago Dance Ensemble. Immerse yourself in the rich traditions and infectious energy of West Africa as our team of skilled instructors takes you on a captivating journey.

Discover the artistry and power of West African dance as our experienced instructors guide you through dynamic movements and infectious rhythms. Learn the traditional steps, explore the cultural significance behind each dance, and feel the joy of expression through your body. No prior dance experience is necessary – all skill levels are welcome.

Kofago Dance Ensemble Workshops at the Glenn D. Cunningham Branch Library (275 Martin Luther King Jr Drive in Jersey City): June 21st, June 28th and July 5th at 6:00pm; June  24th, July 1st and July 8th at 2:00pm. The workshops are free but you must register at www.JCTCenter.org.

Kofago Dance Ensemble exists at the nexus of African dance traditions and the Black experience in America.  Their work as a dance company is focused on healing and ritual through the performing arts. Kofago Dance Ensemble presents artistic work that embodies healing  principles through its storytelling. The company's choreography and  dance workshops are used to engender, express, actualize and facilitate  ritualistic healing processes through dancing and drumming.

Their dance work follows the conventions of dance ritual. These rituals, which are historically African dance techniques, have been altered or adjusted by members of African Diaspora. Dance rituals are danced with an intention to heal. The dance constitutes the beginning of a process that can embrace another person into wholeness, health and well-being through song and dance performance.

Jersey City Theater Center (JCTC) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) arts organization committed to inspiring conversations about important issues of our times through the arts. 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 in Jersey City, with the aim of sparking meaningful cross-cultural dialogue that helps build a greater understanding, mutual respect and better communities in New Jersey. 

Programming made possible by numerous supporters, including the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, the Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs/Tourism Development, Hudson County, the City of Jersey City, and the Office of Cultural Affairs. For those who are interested in attending any of the performances, sponsoring any of the upcoming productions, or purchasing tickets for large groups, please email [email protected].