Join the COF community for this special virtual event!
Juneteenth, Then and Now:
A Conversation on Being the Change Through Arts and Activism
Meet our Panelists
Byron Rushing
Byron Rushing served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1983 to 2018, where his priorities were human and civil rights, and the development of democracy; local human, economic and housing development; and housing and health care for all.
During 1972 to 1985, he was President of the Museum of Afro-American History, when Museum purchased and began the restoration of the African Meeting House, the oldest extant black church building in the United States. In 1979, Byron oversaw the lobbying effort in Congress to establish the Boston African American National Historical Site, a component of the National Park Service.
During the 1960’s he was active in the civil rights movement–working for CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) and for the Northern Student Movement. He directed a group of organizers, Roxbury Associates, who helped to found the Lower Roxbury Community Corporation, one of the first CDCs in the nation.
An active Episcopalian, Byron has been an elected lay deputy to its General Convention, the chaplain to its House of Deputies in 1994–the first layperson to hold this position – and now serves as Vice-President of the House of Deputies – the highest elected position held by a layperson in The Episcopal Church.
Simmons College honorary degree recipient
Makeeba McCreary, Patti and Jonathan Kraft Chief of Learning and Community Engagement at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA)
Makeeba McCreary assumed her role as the first-ever Patti and Jonathan Kraft Chief of Learning and Community Engagement at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), in January 2019. Her Leadership Team position centers on reaching and engaging new audiences and integrating diverse perspectives into the MFA’s programs and educational offerings to foster a better understanding of current issues through the lens of art.
McCreary has worked closely with curatorial colleagues to integrate community voices into exhibitions like Writing the Future: Basquiat and the Hip-Hop Generation and to champion artists of color through initiatives such as a residency with Rob “Problak” Gibbs and Rob Stull and the establishment of the Black Arts and Artists Curators Circle. Under McCreary’s direction, the MFA has expanded its roster of free annual community celebrations with the additions of Latinx Night (in partnership with Amplify Latinx) and Indigenous Peoples’ Day (in partnership with Akomawt Educational Initiative and Jonathan James-Perry, Tribal Citizen of the Aquinnah Wampanoag Nation). During the MFA’s pandemic-induced closure in 2020, McCreary’s division swiftly moved to transition these events and other programs—including concerts and studio art classes—online, producing engaging content for the MFA’s online community of more than 1.2 million followers and winning Boston magazine’s “Best of Boston” award for the best virtual museum experience.
Additionally, McCreary is a passionate advocate for young people at the MFA, leading the charge on improvements to the school group experience and new paid opportunities for high school and college students, including Curatorial Study Hall—a program developed in partnership with Becoming a Man and The BASE that was first piloted in 2019 and resulted in the student-curated exhibition Black Histories, Black Futures.
Prior to joining the MFA, McCreary served as the Managing Director and Senior Advisor of External Affairs for Boston Public Schools, reporting directly to the Mayor and Superintendent of Schools. In addition to building lasting partnerships with the private sector and providing the BPS community with valuable philanthropic tools, she piloted new programs and fundraising that directly improved the educational experience for thousands of students. Previously, McCreary has served as Founder and Senior Director of AbekaM Consulting, Educational Policy Consultant for Compass Consulting, and Director of Philanthropic Services for EdVestors Boston. She currently sits on the Board of Directors for a variety of local organizations including the Executive Committee of The Partnership, the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau, Bridge Boston Charter School Foundation, Boston Plan for Excellence and the Cotting School. A native Bostonian, McCreary received her doctorate in education from the Teachers College at Columbia University, a master’s degree in education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Boston.
Dr. Daren Graves, Simmons University
Dr. Daren Graves is an Associate Professor of Education and Social Work at Simmons University and Adjunct Lecturer of Education at Harvard Graduate School of Education. His research lies at the intersection of critical race theory, racial identity development, and teacher education. Dr. Graves has reported on his work in a variety of publications including Schooling for Critical Consciousness: Engaging Black and Latinx Youth in Analyzing, Navigating, and Challenging Racial Injustice (Harvard Education Press, 2020). Dr. Graves also serves as co-Chair of the AERA Hip Hop Theories, Praxis & Pedagogies Special Interest Group.
Meet Our Moderator
Gary Bailey, DHL,MSW, ACSW
Assistant Dean for Community Engagement and Social Justice
Professor of Practice, Simmons University School of Social Work, College of Social Science, Policy and Practice (CSSPP)