ROOTED & RISING - EXHIBITION OPENING

Rooted & Rising is a new cultural initiative by Vivid Matter Collective upon invitation by the Seattle Public Library's Douglass-Truth Branch in collaboration with local artists and community leaders. Centered around the largest African American Collection on the West Coast, this project reintroduces the public to the richness of Black history housed right in their own city. Through a curated exhibition and two interactive public programs, Rooted & Rising invites audiences to engage directly with archival material, explore under-told stories, and imagine Black futures.

At its core, Rooted & Rising transforms the archive from a quiet repository into a space of active participation, creative exploration, and community ritual. This summer, Seattle residents will have the opportunity to connect past to present, memory to imagination, and personal reflection to collective legacy.

The Rooted & Rising exhibition is curated by local interdisciplinary artist Imani Sims, who brings a deeply personal and innovative lens to the Douglass-Truth Branch's African American Collection. The exhibit features a selection of powerful archival materials—letters, photos, newspaper clippings, and historical documents—that capture the depth and diversity of Black life in the Pacific Northwest.

Host or Publisher VMC