The Painted Bride Art Center

Give. Grow. Rise.

The Colored Girls Museum

(fiscally sponsored by The Painted Bride Arts Center)

2024 Winter Fundraising Campaign

The Colored Girls Museum, in many ways a living testament to Black resilience, has secured its place on Newhall Street. The variance, a hard-won victory, resonates with the spirit of the women and girls we celebrate. Yet, the path here was paved with sacrifice. Our sacred work and our collective spirit bore the brunt of this stand. From April 2023, we scaled back, quieted our voices, and prepared to weather a potential storm. Touring was reduced, and programs curtailed, all to protect our house museum from the glaring light of controversy.

And though we are still here gratefully, this is an opportune time to dispel the myth of the unbreakable Black woman. Fighting for our rightful place, for the stories that deserve to be heard, has taken its toll on TCGM. The Colored Girls Museum was scheduled to return this March; however, taking a cue from our most recent exhibition, I have made the difficult decision to “Sit A Spell” myself and shift my attention to some pressing and increasingly urgent matters.

Firstly, our beloved 140-year-old house museum faces a pressing need: replacing its 30-year-old oil furnace. Maintaining this outdated system is no longer cost-effective, and as we now strive for the Museum’s long-term sustainability, a comprehensive solution is essential. This upgrade, critical for preserving the art we exhibit, has been on my radar for some time, and delaying it any longer is simply not an option.

Secondly, as a condition of the variance, I will be vacating my residence within the Museum. This marks a tremendous transition — essentially an all out shift in my life and its work. Given the importance of this move, I must prioritize it with meticulous care and focus. Consequently, my direct involvement in the Museum’s everyday maintenance as her caretaker, housekeeper and host will temporarily take a backseat.

And thirdly, we move into planning mode for a new and much needed project: The Intermission. While initially aiming for a March exhibition launch to coincide with Women’s History Month, we’ve decided to use this time for necessary regrouping and recharging. Come May 2024, our new exhibit entitled The Intermission will begin to mount. This unique show won’t only feature traditional artwork, but also the behind-the-scenes devotion, emotional investments and high-stakes creativity that fuels our mission. Expect costume changes, set adjustments and most importantly a peek into the too often unseen personal and sometimes chaotic moments of recovery for our Black women-led organization. It’s an important invitation to understand the unseen work required for us to continuously show up for Black women and girls.

As a part of The Intermission, our Living Room Garden will be a testament to the landkeepers of Philadelphia. Four ceramic vessels will line our new garden designed last spring by visionary curator, Syd Carpenter, vessels were made by artists Suna Musasam, Yinka Orafidiya, and Angelica Pozo. This living exhibition will stand as a tribute to the Black gardeners and garden clubs who nurtured green spaces amidst segregation. We can already hear their echoes in our soil.

The Gateway, a magnificent public art sculpture by Martha Jackson Jarvis, will mark our entrance on this journey. This exquisite piece, a symbol of recognition and belonging, will be a beacon of hope for generations to come. We will also welcome three Philadelphia-based artists/curators into the museum. We look forward to sharing more details with you in the upcoming weeks.

TCGM will return with renewed purpose, but also with a vulnerability that requires your grace and support. To bring these visions to life, we need your help. The fight for our home strained our resources and we need your contributions to stabilize our Museum, strategize our return, and to replenish the ground lost in this battle.

Your gift, no matter the size, is a seed of hope planted in the fertile earth of our community. It nourishes the stories we tell, strengthens the voices we work to amplify, and ensures that The Colored Girls Museum continues to be a sanctuary for Black women and girls and a source of inspiration for us all.

DONATE TODAY! Stand with us as we reclaim our space, rewrite the narrative, and bloom anew. Together, we can build a future where the ordinary colored girl is heard and celebrated in every corner of Philadelphia and beyond.

Give. Grow. Rise.

***Please note that ALL donations support The Colored Girls Museum and not its fiscal sponsor, the Painted Bride Arts Center.***

Vashti DuBois

Founder & Executive Director, The Colored Girls Museum

P.S. Share this appeal with your network. Let the world know that The Colored Girls Museum is here to stay, and we need your help to thrive.

Additional Links:

https://www.audacy.com/kywnewsradio/news/local/colored-girls-museum-founder-testifies-before-zoning-board

https://www.inquirer.com/life/colored-girls-museum-vashti-dubois-open-20240123.html