A Special Encore of The Highways Performance Space Visual & Performing Arts Benefit
B E Y O N D. . .
&
F R O M E M M E T T T I L L T O S N C C
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO SUPPORTED THE 10/11/25 BENEFIT!
2026 EARLY BIRD TICKETS ARE NOW AVAILABLE
T O C O M M E M O R A T E
THE 100th ANNIVERSARY OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH & THE U.N. WORLD DAY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE
with
W O R D S
M U S I C
A R T
+
+
ONE NIGHT ONLY
8:00 PM
FRI., FEB. 20, 2026
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Highways Performance Space
1651 18th St., Santa Monica, CA 90404
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Free Parking
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(located @ The18th St. Arts Center complex)
A Special Encore Live Performance & Visual Arts Benefit for the Highways Performance Space | One Night Only
THE WORDS
THE MUSIC
THE ART
“From Emmett Till to SNCC & Beyond: Words + Music + Art” will not only include formidable pieces culled from their own roles in history by real life history-makers SNCC member / artist-activist, Peggy Trotter Dammond Preacely and Freedom Summer student-activist / CORE advocate, David Crittendon, but powerful original works performed by award-winning theatre icon, Brian Freeman**; performance artist / director / choreographer, Joyce Guy** (also a LA Drama Critics Circle choreographer winner); and Gia Scott-Heron, renowned spoken word artist/star of Off-Broadway hit, “Gil Scott-Heron Bluesology”, that showcases her legendary father’s work. Stage stalwart, Babe Evans** will also play a gripping character that manifests throughout the evening. In addition, special performance videos will feature revered multidisciplinary performing artist/writer, Paul Outlaw** and celebrated L.A.-based poet, Pam Ward**...
The evening will be infused with moving and empowering live music by: the esteemed international all-female voice & drum group, ADAAWE; lauded singer-performance artist-writer, Marc Broyard**; and "Gil Scott-Heron Bluesology" cast member, Art.Us Mansoir, who will also join Gia Scott-Heron for a riveting collab of spoken word and song. In addition, there will be a special multimedia music piece by performance/visual artist, Derek Shields, as well as a compelling video of music & original prose by musicians’ musician and popular L.A. singer-songwriter, Jason Luckett**... Also, performing is another popular vocalist & Highways creative artist alum, Lura Daniels-Ball, who is also the president of Our Authors' Study Club (OASC), chartered by the "father" of Black History Month, Dr. Carter G. Woodson.
Highways is honored that in the Highways Gallery will be work by preeminent visual artists: THE Charles Dickson**, Candace Hunter** and Toni Scott**. In addition, established artists Robert Stuart Lowden** and Lori-Antoinette** will show special pieces available for purchase with proceeds to Highways, as will Marc Broyard and Derek Shields. Also, in a nod to the youth that started SNCC due to Emmett’s killing and the ongoing injustice that surrounded them, in the Gallery will be a work by late teen aspiring artist, Justin Carr (courtesy of the Justin Carr Wants World Peace Foundation). Finally, in the live program a thematically compelling work by fêted visual artist, Hana Ward, will be digitally incorporated as a story throughline for what will be an extraordinary evening of words + music + art…
** (“alumni artists” from 2005’s “The Murder of Emmett Till: 50 Years Later” and/or 2010’s “The Emmett Till Project”, aka Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 of Highways’ Emmett Till performance/visual artists collective series.)