Malina Simone Jeffers

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Malina Simone Jeffers
Born1982
Indianapolis, IN
Other namesMali
EducationBall State University
OrganizationGANGGANG
Known forCo-founder of GANGGANG and BUTTER fine art fair
Websitehttps://www.malinasimone.com/about

Malina "Mali" Simone Jeffers (born 1982) co-organized the Black Lives Matter street mural (Indianapolis) and is a co-founder of Ganggang (stylized GANGGANG) and Butter (stylized BUTTER) fine art fair.[1]

Early life[edit]

Malina Simone Jeffers is a native of Indianapolis, Indiana[2] and graduated from Ball State University in 2004 where she studied advertising and photography.[3][4] She is a graduate of the Stanley K. Lacy Leadership Series.[citation needed] Jeffers' spouse and business partner is Alan Bacon, they met in 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.[3]

Career[edit]

After graduating, Jeffers returned to Indianapolis to focus on making the city more culturally attractive and began by organizing a series of local performance art events. She started her career at Emmis Communications in radio sales.[citation needed] Jeffers worked at the Arts Council of Indianapolis; while there she coordinated public art exhibitions in downtown Indianapolis and organized a project to put live poetry on Indianapolis buses.[5][6] She went on to serve as the director of marketing at the Madame C.J. Walker Legacy Center, where she developed branding and programs about historic Indiana Avenue and the city of Indianapolis.[2] In 2013, Jeffers founded Mosaic City, an organization addressing diversity, equity and inclusion.[7] She led corporate responsibility, marketing, and community engagement efforts for Waterside, the largest urban re-development project in downtown Indianapolis' history.[8] Jeffers has previously worked as an independent contractor on Plan 2020, the city of Indianapolis' bicentennial plan.[citation needed]

GANGGANG and BUTTER fine art fair[edit]

Ganggang is a nonprofit cultural development firm for creatives and people of culture based in Indianapolis.[9] They promote racial justice by investing in Black artists and creatives.[10] It was formed officially in November 2020 by Jeffers and her partner, Alan Bacon.[11] Previously, from June to August 2020, Bacon and Jeffers coordinated the eighteen artists who painted the Black Lives Matter street mural on Indiana Avenue in Indianapolis during the George Floyd protests. This group of artists became known as "The Eighteen Art Collective".[10][12][9] In 2021, Ganggang organized art fairs and performances by more than 500 hundred spoken word artists, musicians, and dancers for a three-week event called Swish for the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.[10] Swish was organized in partnership with the Indianapolis Cultural Trail and the Arts Council of Indianapolis.[13][12][14]

The firm planned a curated exhibition featuring The Eighteen Art Collective at Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields in Indianapolis. However, after controversies involving the museum's president and CEO at the time, Charles L. Venable, Ganggang pulled out. After the resignation of Venable, and efforts by the museum to better their relationship with the local community, Ganggang put together an expanded version of the original exhibition, called "We. The Culture."[15][12]

In 2021, Ganggang created the Butter fine art fair, a multi-day art fair and exhibition that takes place at The Stutz building over Labor Day weekend in downtown Indianapolis.[1][16][17] The artists participating are not charged an exhibition fee, or a commission on sales. The 2021 Butter fine art fair resulted in the sale of 42 art pieces and more after the fair.[18][1]

Honors and membership[edit]

  • Emerging Leaders Award from 100 Black Men of Indianapolis, 2013[6]
  • 40 under Forty recipient from Indianapolis Business Journal, 2016[19]
  • Jeffers serves on the Board of Directors/Governors for Big Car, Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Agency, and Newfields[citation needed]
  • She serves on The Exchange of Indianapolis Urban League[6]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Bongiovanni, Domenica. "New multisensory art fair Butter hopes to make Indianapolis a Black arts destination". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  2. ^ a b Obermiller, Tim (2021-03-03). "As 'Indy's Cheerleader,' Malina Jeffers Strives to Make Her City a Cultural Beacon". Ball State University Blog. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  3. ^ a b Muhammad, Sumayyah (2021-03-10). "Ball State alumna launches development firm GANGGANG to invest in artistic 'people of culture'". Indianapolis Recorder. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  4. ^ "About". SNARKY. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  5. ^ Star report. "5 questions with: Malina Simone Jeffers". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  6. ^ a b c Sikich, Chris. "100 Black Men organization honors 10 emerging Indianapolis area leaders". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  7. ^ report, Star. "5 questions with: Malina Simone Jeffers". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  8. ^ "Malina Simone Jeffers, Author at PATTERN". PATTERN. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  9. ^ a b Winfrey, Katiera (2020-11-25). "Nonprofit GangGang looks to develop Indianapolis art culture, creatives". Indianapolis News | Indiana Weather | Indiana Traffic | WISH-TV |. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  10. ^ a b c Lindquist, David. "Cultural Startup Focused On Black Artists Wants To Push Barriers 'Until There Are None'". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  11. ^ Olsen, Dawn (2021-02-06). "Meet The Entrepreneurs Working To Diversify Indy's Arts Scene". Indianapolis Monthly. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  12. ^ a b c Bahr, Sarah (November 29, 2022). "2 Years After Racism Outcry, Indianapolis Embraces Black Artists". New York Times. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  13. ^ Bahr, Sarah (March 18, 2021). "March Madness Brings Vibrant Art and Energy to Indianapolis". The New York Times. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  14. ^ Christian, Kurt (2021-03-26). "How Swish festival pays Indy artists—rain or shine". Indianapolis Business Journal. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  15. ^ "The 18 Art Collective comes to Newfields". WRTV Indianapolis. 2022-09-21. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  16. ^ "'Butter' art fair is back this weekend, and it'll be three times as big as last year's". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  17. ^ Burris, Alexandria. "The Stutz to be redeveloped with retail, dining and more in historic auto factory". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  18. ^ "Art sales during second Butter fair at Stutz top $250,000 – Indianapolis Business Journal". 2022-09-06. Archived from the original on 2022-09-06. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  19. ^ Harry, Lou (2016-02-02). "2016 Forty Under 40: Malina Simone Jeffers". Indianapolis Business Journal. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
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