SZA To Perform And Speak As Part Of Maplewood Coalition on Race Anniversary Events

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Maplewood’s Grammy-nominated artist Solána Imani Rowe, known professionally as SZA, will appear as part of an event celebrating the 25th anniversary of the South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race in late March.

The event “The Pursuit of Racial Equity & Integration: A 25-Year Journey in Maplewood and South-Orange, New Jersey” will highlight the Coalition’s history of working to build a community where people of all races and backgrounds can participate fully in all aspects of civic life.

Additionally, a virtual panel discussion will explore the highs and lows in the past and look at measures to advance equity and stop resegregation in the future.

The discussion is meant to provide a roadmap for communities with similar goals, the Coalition said.

These events will include comments and a special musical performance by SZA, who graduated from Columbia High School in Maplewood. Her mom, Audrey Rowe, works for the Coalition.

An organizer said SZA and her mother will talk about the coalition and its work, and "what it was like growing up [and] raising kids in South Orange and Maplewood."

The event takes place Tuesday, March 29, 7:30-9 p.m.

(See SZA perform "The Weekend" on Saturday Night Live in 2017 here.)

The event will include:

• Remarks from New Jersey Secretary of State, The Honorable Tahesha Way
• Panel moderated by Nancy Solomon, Managing Editor for New Jersey Public Radio and WNYC with members including:
  • Coalition Founders Fred Profeta (former Maplewood Mayor) and Carol Barry-Austin
  • Coalition Executive Director Nancy Gagnier
  • Coalition Vice Chair Abigail Cotler
  • Trustee Kelly Quirk (serving her third term as chair)
  • Trustee Erin R. Scherzer

To register for the free virtual celebration, click here. You will receive a link for the live event.

People interested in volunteering or donating to the Coalition should contact Executive Director Nancy Gagnier at info@twotowns.org or 973.761.6116.

Communities across the nation are invited to set up a start-up consultation with Coalition leadership to explore how they can take action, and the challenges they can expect to face, the group said.

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