Culture & Connection: Educator Gathering @ MoCADA

Join Cool Culture at the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Art for a guided experience & interactive workshop for educators
About this Event

Saturday, August 1, 2026 | 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM

📍 Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA)

Join us for the final stop of Cool Culture’s Listening Tour. At this special gathering, educators, school leaders, and family engagement practitioners who believe in the power of arts, culture and community will share their wisdom, ask questions and envision a plan for collective action.

Hosted at MoCADA -- an arts institution dedicated to celebrating the cultural breadth of the African diaspora through art, education, and social justice -- this gathering will bring educators together to reflect on what we have heard from families throughout the Listening Tour and explore what comes next.

Over the past several months, families have shared stories, hopes, challenges, and dreams. Now, we especially invite educators into the conversation.

Topics will include family engagement, arts integration and how cultural institutions (and homes!) can extend learning beyond the classroom.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Art, Community & Connection

We'll begin by gathering in community, building connections with fellow educators, and grounding ourselves in the inspiring environment of MoCADA.

Listening & Dialogue

Through facilitated conversations, educators will have the opportunity to reflect on what they've heard from families, identify emerging themes, and share their own experiences supporting family engagement.

Together, we'll explore questions such as:

• What do families need most from schools and cultural institutions right now?
• How can educators serve as partners and co-conspirators in supporting family leadership?
• What conditions help authentic partnerships between families, educators, and cultural organizations flourish?

Imagining What's Possible

We'll spend time envisioning new possibilities for connection. We'll explore ideas for strengthening community-centered approaches to cultural engagement, including opportunities for educators to support family-led initiatives and networks that deepen relationships between families, schools, and cultural institutions.

Lunch & Community Building

Lunch will be provided. Throughout the afternoon, there will be opportunities to connect with colleagues, exchange ideas, and build relationships with others committed to educational equity, family leadership, and cultural access.

Whether you're a classroom teacher, family coordinator, administrator, social worker, cultural partner, or community educator, your voice and experience are welcome!

Getting There

📍 MoCADA Culture Lab II

10 Lafayette Avenue, 2nd Floor

Brooklyn, NY 11217

Public Transportation

B, D, N, Q, R, 2, 3, 4, and 5 trains to Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center

C train to Lafayette Avenue

G train to Fulton Street

MoCADA is located in the Fort Greene / Downtown Brooklyn cultural district and is easily accessible by public transportation.

We hope you'll join us for an afternoon of dialogue, reflection, and collective imagination as we close out the Listening Tour. For more information, visit CoolCulture.org.