Activating Change with a Cello and a Shovel

Description:

Culture’s ability to create and share meaning shapes the next stage of our evolution. Yo-Yo Ma & Pedro Reyes will discuss how they as artists, musicians, and activists have used culture to transform social problems that create division and uncertainty into moments that confirm community and activate change. They believe in the transformational power of culture to connect people beyond borders and cultivate new futures.
Reyes and Ma will discuss their approaches to using culture and art to create real change and their collaboration in Chicago, when Ma used Reyes’ shovels to plant trees in the North Lawndale neighborhood alongside residents & volunteers. As a creative backdrop for this conversation, we will display shovels Reyes made from melted-down weapons.
Moderated by NPR’s Peter Sagal