LOS ANGELES, CA -- Our Authors Study Club, a company dedicated to making the world more aware, connected, and invested in the African American and African diaspora experience, is pleased to announce that Dr. José Luis Benavides, journalism professor and director of the Tom & Ethel Bradley Center at California State University Northridge, will be the guest speaker for the May Online Member and Community Webinar, taking place on Wednesday, May 15 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. To RSVP, visit www.oascla.org/events.

Dr. José Luis Benavides brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in preserving the visual history of ethnic minority communities, aligning perfectly with OASC's mission to highlight the underrepresented heritage and legacy of Black Americans. By having Dr. Benavides as a guest speaker, OASC continues to ignite conversations and create opportunities for a deeper understanding of African and African American experiences.

As a company committed to recognizing, amplifying, and honoring the contributions of Black Americans, OASC's collaboration with Dr. José Luis Benavides underscores its dedication to promoting diverse voices and perspectives. By offering a platform for meaningful dialogue and scholarly insights, OASC enriches cultural understanding and promotes inclusivity.

At this event, attendees have the opportunity to learn first hand about the Tom & Ethel Bradley Center, the collection and how to use them in their research and programs or for self-curated exhibitions.

About the Bradley Center

The mission of the Tom & Ethel Bradley Center is to collect, preserve, and disseminate the visual history of the region with an emphasis on ethnic minority communities and photographers. The Bradley Center also promotes research, serves as a center for the exchange of ideas about our visual history, and contributes to the region’s educational efforts through our exhibitions, programs, and digital archives. 

 

Established in 1991 in the Department of Journalism, California State University, Northridge by Dr. Kent Kirkton as the Center for Photojournalism & Visual History, the center was renamed the Institute for Arts & Media in 2008 as its mission and participation had broadened over the years. In 2015, the Institute for Arts & Media developed an ongoing relationship with the Tom & Ethel Bradley Foundation and was renamed the Tom & Ethel Bradley Center. (A sample of their current project Champions of Change, featuring 15 posters of social justice champions from all of our collections with QR Codes to the images and to the photographers who produced them, is shown in the image above.)

 

According to Lura Daniels-Ball, President of Our Authors Study Club, "We are thrilled to have Dr. José Luis Benavides join us for our upcoming webinar. His expertise in journalism and visual history aligns perfectly with our mission to celebrate and preserve and make accessible the heritage of African Americans and the African diaspora." This presentation continues to promote and explore another aspect of our national Black history theme African Americans and the Arts and the photographers who captured the Black experience as a lasting memory and tribute in color and black and white—in celebration and conflict, in sorrow and joy. 

In the future, Our Authors Study Club plans to continue hosting engaging webinars, events, and initiatives that further promote Black history and culture. By fostering a community of learning, tangible experiences and dialogue, OASC aims to create lasting connections and inspire a deeper appreciation for African American contributions to the world.

Note: The member meeting will be from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. and the guest speaker will begin at 6:30 p.m.  For more information about Our Authors Study Club and the upcoming webinar with Dr. José Luis Benavides, please visit https://oascla.org/events or click here to RSVP directly.

Main website: https://www.csun.edu/bradley-center

Photographic collections: https://www.csun.edu/bradley-center/photography

Digital collections: https://digital-library.csun.edu/bradley-center-photographs/

Black Power archives: https://www.csun.edu/bradley-center/black-power-archives-oral-history-project

African Americans in Los Angeles, 1945–2000 (lesson plans): https://www.csun.edu/bradley-center/bradley-digital-history-project

About Our Authors Study Club

Located in Los Angeles, Our Authors Study Club is a community of dedicated individuals who are passionate about Black history: past, present, and future. Our mission is to promote awareness, connection, and investment in the African American and African diaspora experience by providing opportunities for everyone to engage with our history through culture, scholarship, technology, and research. We foster meaningful conversations around the African and African American experience that inspire new books, films, artistic expressions, music, podcasts, blogs, and social interactions across diverse communities.

OASC is committed to preserving our heritage and legacy, which has often been underrepresented in mainstream history, literature, and media. We strive to ensure that libraries, museums, schools, and media that participate in institutionalized bias do not ignore Black lives. We believe that Black history is not just a part of American history, but it is American history. We take pride in recognizing, amplifying, and honoring the contributions of Black Americans.

For more information, visit https://oascla.org. Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OurAuthorsStudyClub.

Media Contact

Lura Ball