Discover how artistic expression can build bridges between people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds when the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences hosts “Rhythm of Race: A Celebration of Music, Dance and Spoken Word,” Saturday, June 10, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This free event provides the community with an opportunity to enjoy a day of multi-cultural poetry, music and dance that echoes the key messages of the Museum’s current featured exhibition, “RACE: Are We So Different?”

 Event Highlights:

• Sankofa Workshop, led by hip-hop and jazz ensemble The Beast, featuring Pierce Freelon. The workshop focuses on the relationship between music and African traditions, including elements of performance poetry, verbal expression, music, and artistic and societal representations of race.
• Poetry Slam, hosted by nationally renowned spoken word artist, writer and founder of Black Poetry Theater, Dasan Ahanu. Three rounds of poetry by local poets on the issues of race, identity and cultural celebration will highlight the transformative power of poetry as a means of processing the diverse experiences of race that define our identities and interactions.
• Concert by cellist/singer-songwriter Shana Tucker, whose self-defined genre of ChamberSoul combines elements of jazz, folk, classical, acoustic pop and R&B.
• Featured Poetry Performance by Durham native, poet, emcee and teaching artist, G. Yamazawa. G is widely considered one of the top young spoken word artists in the country and his recently released debut album “Shouts to Durham” is currently climbing the rap album charts.
• Spiritual Drumming by DJ Damu, a major contributor to NC hip-hop culture.
• Plus additional local acts, including a tribute to African-American Dance Ensemble founder Chuck Davis, hosted by Thomas Easley, Director of Community Diversity and Instructor in the College of Natural Resources at NC State University.

This free event is one of a series of special programs held in conjunction with the Museum’s latest featured exhibition. “RACE: Are We So Different?”, which runs through October 22, is the first national exhibition to tell the stories of race from the biological, cultural and historical points of view. Combining these perspectives offers an unprecedented look at race and racism in the United States. For more information on the exhibition or related programs, visit naturalsciences.org/race.