Tune In: VCFA’s New Community Assembly Series
The Office of the President and the VCFA Center for Arts + Social Justice present their newest event series for VCFA artists across disciplines and programs.
“If everyone’s empowered to be active in their society, then the movement will never die.” -Edisa Weeks
There’s one word that has always guided the intent of any VCFA programming: community. In the first few months of 2025 alone, it became increasingly evident that we all need community now more than ever. In community, artists can find understanding, strength, and inspiration. As a result, VCFA launched its brand new event series in April of 2025.
The Office of the President and the VCFA Center for Arts + Social Justice present the VCFA Community Assembly series, a gathering space for engaged conversation about topics pertinent to the current moment of the arts as a whole. The inspiration for the series came from a conversation between current VCFA MFA in Writing student Randi Pink (W ’27) and VCFA President Andrew Ramsammy. Pink is the author of several young adult novels, including The Angel of Greenwood, a historical novel about the Tulsa Race Massacre which is currently under attack by Pittsburgh’s Pine-Richland School Board.
“Randi shared that her book had been banned, and rather than remain silent, she traveled to that school district to meet with the community face-to-face,” said Ramsammy. “Her courage and resolve deeply moved me—and reminded me that moments like these demand a response. I saw this as an opportunity to organize, to come together, and to affirm the power of creative expression in the face of censorship. That conversation became the catalyst for what is now our Community Assembly series.”
With Pink’s story as a catalyst, VCFA hosted our first Community Assembly on April 15, 2025: “The Artist’s Role in Disruptive Times.” The event invited artists from across disciplines to share their stories and advice on everything from book bans, censorship, social justice, and the power of radical joy. In addition to Pink, panelists included author and National Leader of Authors Against Book Bans Maggie Tokuda-Hall; choreographer, educator, and director of DELIRIOUS Dances Edisa Weeks; and current VCFA MFA in Music Composition student Sara Azriel (MC ’26).
Even though each artist brought their own discipline and inspiration to the event, the same sentiment was shared again and again: the role of the artist is to take a stand.
“I think that art has always been dangerous, and art history is full of stories of peril and bravery and, frankly, violence,” noted Tokuda-Hall during the April event, “and we should all be evaluating if we are up to the job of standing up to those in power. It has been the job of artists to be the ones to speak truth to power, and that has never been more true in our country than it is right now.”
And each artist concurred that this is a stand more easily accomplished when in community. “… We should be [united], even if our ways and methods are different, we are all needed and human and necessary,” said Pink during the Q&A portion of the Community Assembly.
“Now is a really good time to reach out to your friends and to start re-upping your commitment to your own community,” suggested Tokuda-Hall, “because you will never defend anything as much as you will defend the people you love.”
VCFA’s commitment to community will continue with more Community Assemblies. The college intends to make the series “… an ongoing part of our community experience,” promised Ramsammy. “Our goal is to host more interstitial events like this throughout the year—between residencies—to keep our community connected, inspired, and engaged. Future Assemblies will continue to spotlight urgent issues, highlight diverse voices, and invite participation from across our programs.”
The next Assembly is planned for May 2025. VCFA students, faculty, and staff can expect more information in the coming weeks. For now, invitations to the assemblies are shared within the VCFA community, but VCFA hopes to open the doors to select events as the series evolves.
“We’re actively seeking support to sustain and grow this important work,” concluded Ramsammy. “If you have contacts with potential partners or funders who share our belief in the transformative power of the arts—and the importance of protecting freedom of expression—we would deeply appreciate your help in making those connections. This is a collective effort, and we welcome all who want to support it.”
Anyone interested in supporting the future of the series can contact [email protected]. For now, you can watch the first part of VCFA’s “The Artist’s Role in Disruptive Times,” an interview with author and VCFA MFA in Writing student Randi Pink, at the link.
An Interview With Randi Pink