Events

This casual event for first-time conference attendees will provide a quick overview of conference events to help you get the most out of your conference experience. You will also have the opportunity to meet GIA’s board members and staff. The reception will be held in the conference hotel, Sheraton New York Times Square. The conference Opening Reception will follow immediately after this event.

The opening reception will take place on Sunday evening in the Metropolitan Ballroom. The Opening Reception will kick off the conference in a fun and casual atmosphere, with plenty of time to convene, reconnect, and remember how to “conference” again!

White Folks in Support of BIPOC Lives

Organized by Tiffany Wilhelm, Caitlin Strokosch, and Eleanor Savage

This convening is a space to build our collective anti-racist understanding and analysis, support each other’s journeys, growth processes, challenges, and stuck places through candid conversations, and clarify and strengthen our understanding of the role of White people toward racial justice at this time.

Freedom Dreaming

Organized by Dr. Durell Cooper

This gathering is a space for self-identified Black bodies to commune that encourages freedom dreaming from the depths of our souls. This space offers meditations on the topics of joy, hope, healing, and liberation. Participants will dive deeply into the intersections of the arts and healing in their individual practices through active reflection and meditations of the spirit for communal well-being. This space seeks to serve as a reminder that in this time of urgency we must slow down to handle the world, each other, and ourselves with care.

On the final night in NYC, conference attendees will gather at the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI), in Battery City, for a celebration and dinner from 7:00-9:00pm. A diverse and multifaceted cultural and educational enterprise, the NMAI is an active and visible component of the Smithsonian Institutionexpansive collections of Native artifacts, including objects, photographs, archives, and media covering the entire Western Hemisphere, from the Arctic Circle to Tierra del Fuego.

Since the passage of its enabling legislation in 1989 (amended in 1996), the NMAI has been steadfastly committed to bringing Native voices to what the museum writes and presents, whether on-site at one of the three NMAI venues, through the museum's publications, or via the Internet. The NMAI is also dedicated to acting as a resource for the hemisphere's Native communities and to serving the greater public as an honest and thoughtful conduit to Native cultures—present and past—in all their richness, depth, and diversity.

Entrance & Safety

Safety measures are in place to protect the health of visitors, staff, and volunteers. Visitors who do not adhere to safety policies and guidelines may be asked to leave or may not be admitted to the museum.

Face Coverings

All visitors ages 2+ are required to wear a mask while visiting the museum.

Security

The NMAI’s security measures ensure visitor safety and the protection of objects in the museum. Visitors are greeted upon entry to the building by Smithsonian security personnel who conduct a thorough but speedy hand-check of all bags, briefcases, purses, strollers, and containers. Visitors will walk through a metal detector or be hand-screened with an electronic wand by security personnel.

Buses to NAMI will begin to depart the hotel at 6:30pm.

We are excited to be joined by our musical host for the evening DJ And2, “These days, it’s not enough to just play what the people wanna hear…you gotta take them on a journey while you do it.” From the mountains in Berkley, CA to the pool parties in San Juan, And2’s been commanding dance floors for well over a decade. In a standard open format set, you can always expect smooth mixology, high energy, and the seamless flow between multiple genres, including Hip-Hop, Dancehall, Afrobeats, Reggaeton, Pop, Funk, EDM, House, Soca, and more.

Raised in CT and trained in NYC, And2’s wide spectrum of musical knowledge has been vital for countless events; from spinning a hip-hop set for Mac Miller (RIP) at the high-profile Gansevoort Park Hotel, to opening for EDM legends Afrojack and Martin Solveig at the world famous Pacha, or performing funk/soul tribute shows with a 12-piece funk band at Brooklyn Bowl, And2’s venue resume is as diverse as his playlists. His online presence also shows the same versatility; he’s been featured as the music curator for the throwback hip-hop lifestyle brand Fresh N’ Crisp, showcased on Soundcloud’s Gym Flow 100 DJ page for his EDM workout-inspired mixes, and spun a weekly open format internet radio show for Muse 106.

Food and refreshment will be provided by Teranga. Rooted in traditional African home cooking that emphasizes African-grown ingredients, Teranga is a culinary journey into the depth, diversity, and deliciousness that the motherland has to offer. In Senegal, “Teranga” is perhaps the most highly regarded value. Roughly translated, it means “good hospitality.” In practice, Teranga reflects how one treats a guest — with open arms and a seat around the bowl.

White Folks in Support of BIPOC Lives

Organized by Tiffany Wilhelm, Caitlin Strokosch, and Eleanor Savage

This convening is a space to build our collective anti-racist understanding and analysis, support each other’s journeys, growth processes, challenges, and stuck places through candid conversations, and clarify and strengthen our understanding of the role of White people toward racial justice at this time.

Freedom Dreaming

Organized by Dr. Durell Cooper

This gathering is a space for self-identified Black bodies to commune that encourages freedom dreaming from the depths of our souls. This space offers meditations on the topics of joy, hope, healing, and liberation. Participants will dive deeply into the intersections of the arts and healing in their individual practices through active reflection and meditations of the spirit for communal well-being. This space seeks to serve as a reminder that in this time of urgency we must slow down to handle the world, each other, and ourselves with care.