Sounds, Stories, and Solidarities

a listening and storytelling event rooted in radical joy and international solidarity

Thursday, January, 25, 2024
7:00 - 9:00 pm
at the Climate Migrations Exhibit
POST Houston, X-Atrium
401 Franklin St.
Mitchell Center Visiting Artists Asad Ali Jafri and SpaceShift Collective: Amirah Sackett, Melissa Munira Jafri, Yahya Youssef, with Houston-based collaborators Arcelen Metoui, Cancega Xicas Unidas, Carlos Castaneira, Christina Novakov-Ritchey, Mashal Awais, Matt Manalo, Rice SJP, Zain Awais, Zaytounat

image of Amirah Sackett, photo by Jen Bootwala
Above image from Learning Palestine Group, an excerpt from their Radio Al-Hara 'Learning Palestine - Until Liberation' tracklist

John Doe

Aug 17

Sounds, Stories, and Solidarities

Thursday, Jan 25 from 7-9pm at POST Houston X Atrium

Join Mitchell Center Visiting Artist Asad Ali Jafri and SpaceShift Collective for a listening and storytelling event rooted in radical joy and international solidarity at the Houston Climate Justice Museum in collaboration with Houston artists Mashal Awais, Zain Awais, Christina Novakov-Ritchey, and Matt Manalo. The event brings artists, activists, and community organizers in the values and practices of the Shamiana, a South Asian canopy used for celebrations, rituals, and gathering. The event marks the launch of the Sonic Study: Sounds of Palestinian Resistance, a sound installation and listening space showcasing the work of Mo'min Swaitat and the Learning Palestine Group at POST Houston and the Solar Studios at Rice University, a project stewarded by Christina Novakov-Ritchey, and Matt Manalo.

On January 27, 2024 at 7:30pm, Asad Ali Jafri and Abdul-Rehman Malik will be hosting Listening While Muslim, a listening party and sonic journey that crosses continents, languages, and genres, exploring music at the intersection of faith, culture, and politics. Hosted at MATCH theater, the event features Serena Rasoul and Wanees Zarour as they journey into popular (and unpopular) culture to explore the centrality of Palestine to peace movements and social justice, as articulated in music and art.

Asad Ali Jafri is a cultural producer, community organizer and interdisciplinary artist. Using a grassroots approach and global perspective, Asad connects artists and communities across imagined boundaries to create meaningful engagements and experiences. Asad has over two decades of experience honing an intentional and holistic practice that allows him to take on the role of artist and administrator, curator and producer, educator and organizer, mentor, and strategist.

Thursday, January 25, 2025

7:00 - 9:00 PM

at the Climate Migrations exhibit
POST Houston, X-Atrium

Sounds, Stories, and Solidarities is part of Ecoficitions and Understories, a city-responsive curatorial program curated by Erika Mei Chua Holum, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Assistant Curator at the Blaffer Art Museum and supported by the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts, to speculate potential worlds for gathering, resisting, regeneration, and disruption persistent in artistic responses, organizing, and actions.

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The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts at the University of Houston is the interdisciplinary arts resource for UH students, faculty and staff, and the general public. In order to bridge disciplines, stimulate dialogue and support the creation of innovative work, the Mitchell Center supports a variety of programs such as lectures and workshops, performances and exhibitions, scholarships, residencies and visiting artists.