Black Reflection Series

February 21 & 28, 2026  Washington State Black Legacy Institute 2656 42nd Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116  Free & Open to the Public

Join us for a powerful two-day cultural experience featuring six engaging presentations that explore Black heritage in the Pacific Northwest through research, portraiture, historical narrative, and storytelling. Each day features three dynamic speakers, offering insight into the lives, legacies, and lasting impact of Black pioneers.

 11:30 AM – Miasha Barnett | The Historian Explore the enduring legacy of John and Mary Conna—from bondage to community leadership—with genealogist and preservation advocate Miasha Barnett. Through personal and archival research, she will trace their family’s journey and illuminate how their story continues to inspire preservation efforts today.

 2:00 PM – Dionne Bonner | The Artist Multidisciplinary artist Dionne Bonner will discuss how research and lived experience guide her portrait-based practice. Her visual storytelling brings dignity and vibrancy to Black historical figures, transforming art into a tool for cultural connection and public memory.

 4:00 PM – Roger Evans | The Griot Founder of the Seattle Griot Project, Roger Evans will focus on Black entrepreneurship as a tool for generational wealth, spotlighting pioneers like Madame Luella Boyer and Horace Lawhorn. This session highlights migration, strategy, and legacy through oral history and archival storytelling.

 11:30 AM – Rolyat Mosi | The Researcher Author of Black Washingtonians: Blacks in the Northwest, Taylor will present “Walking With Historical Black Washingtonians,” highlighting 30 figures who shaped the state’s early political, social, and religious life. His work sets the historical foundation for this entire series.

 2:00 PM – Dionne Bonner | The Artist (Encore Presentation) Bonner returns to discuss new works and the process behind her historically rooted public art. She will highlight how artistic interpretation helps recover and reimagine the visibility of Black lives in Washington’s evolving cultural landscape.

 4:00 PM – Roger Evans | The Griot (Encore Presentation) In this continuation, Evans will further explore the aspirations and migration stories of Black families who saw business ownership as resistance and survival. Using Seattle’s own entrepreneurs as examples, he reclaims stories of risk, success, and economic legacy.

Discover how art, research, and storytelling work together to preserve Black memory and activate a shared cultural future.

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