Arts producer speaks at International Women’s Gathering

It’s been a week of good news for local artist and author Robin Williams. She is the Kokomo native who curated the team that created downtown’s Miami Indian mural as the Howard County representative for the Arts Federation.

More recently, Williams was one of three featured speakers honored for their career achievements at the International Women’s Gathering #EmbraceEquity event at the Global Village Welcome Center on March 11 in Indianapolis. The event drew nearly 300 women from all over the world to the center, located on Indianapolis’ west side. The city is now 46% minority and 52% female. Reportedly, 100 different languages are spoken here. Williams’ career in the arts and jazz has taken her from Indianapolis to New Orleans, Atlanta and throughout Europe.

“I was thrilled and honored to return to Indianapolis after having worked in Indy’s arts and culture scene for 10 years with a bevy of international artists and arts organizations,” Williams emphasized.

Williams was also acknowledged earlier this week by an Indiana Arts Commission invitation to participate in the On-Ramp Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator based on her “artistic skill, self-motivation and open-mindedness expressed through your application; the admissions committee believes you will be an excellent fit.” Forty participants were chosen out of 120 applications around the state.

On Thursday, Indianapolis’ popular Mass Ave Wine hosted a Women’s History Month art exhibition of Williams’ artwork of New Orleans Black Indians and Second Line Jazz culture along with a book signing of her “Rhythm, Ritual & Resistance: Africa is Alive in the Black Indians of New Orleans,” which has been read in 63 countries and is installed in the Library of the National Museum of African Art at the Smithsonian.

A lifelong champion for arts equity, access and excellence, Williams has served at the helm of several arts & cultural institutions in the Midwest and South.

Her notable work in the Indianapolis arts community has included posts as inaugural director of the Indianapolis Philharmonic Orchestra, and as director of Arts Education for AYS, where she instituted a multicultural arts program for children in 54 central Indiana schools.

Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said the work of Williams and others two decades ago was the foundation for what has become a truly international city.

“Her career is indicative of the community Indianapolis has become, as we seek to become even more international and the kind of community that when people come here they know that they are welcome,” he said.

In 2006, Williams was named the inaugural director of the Garfield Park Arts Center for the city of Indianapolis. International arts and artists became the focus, with its opening Smithsonian exhibition, the “Alvarado Collection” historic photographs from the Philippines. Other programs included the annual “Celebracion de Artes Latinas,” “Indians, Indians: East Meets West” and a plethora of programs to celebrate and uplift Indianapolis’ rich cultural communities.

Mestre Iuri Santos, a Brazilian Capoeira martial artist, calls Williams “my best boss I’ve ever had.”

“She has many things to offer for any community,” Iuri continues. “It doesn’t matter where it is, Indianapolis, Atlanta, New Orleans, Brazil. Wherever she goes, she’s going to add something good for the community.”

Williams went on to take the helm of the Aviation Community Cultural Center for the city of Atlanta and the New Orleans Jazz Institute at University of New Orleans.

Following their onstage 15-minute interview, attorney and program host Heather Bolejack said Williams brings “a completely different energy and conversation” as a white woman.

“Where she is so powerful is that her visible presentation is undeniable,” Bolejack opines. “She’s got these piercing blue eyes, blond hair and obviously white skin, but when she opens her mouth to speak, she is saying things that align with what women of color are saying and it is real.”

She continues, “It’s almost an illusion. She is going to present to you physically what she knows is going to open the door, and then when she gets in there, here’s this ‘sista’ inside who has a different agenda, and I really appreciate that. We have to be careful when DEI becomes a career or a bullet point on a resume because for some of us this is life and death.”

As artist and curator, Williams has presented over 122 exhibitions throughout her career. She’ll present another exhibition in Indianapolis later in the year.

“I’m looking forward to an ongoing partnership with the Global Village, where I’ll have the opportunity to present my passion project, the Osogbo Art & Heritage Exhibition,” said Williams. “We are excited to celebrate the 63-year history of this renowned Nigerian modern art movement in October 2023.”

Williams currently serves on the board of directors for the Howard County Memorial Corporation and the Kokomo Art Association.

The Maynard Report is written by Maynard Eaton. He is an eight-time Emmy Awardwinning journalist now based in Kokomo, and national communications director for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He can be reached at eaton.maynard@gmail.com.

Robin Williams is shown with members of her former Garfield Park Arts Center “dream team,” including Capoeira Mestre Iuri Santos and artist Kendra Asemota.

Provided photo

Maynard Eaton

LOCAL COLUMNIST