Survival Pending Revolution: A Conversation with Gayle Asali Dickson and Colette Gaiter

Poster House is pleased to welcome artist and former Black Panther Party member, Gayle Asali Dickson, in conversation with design historian, Colette Gaiter. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear about the lived experience of a BPP member at the height of the Party’s power, with special attention paid to the leadership roles of women within the Party. Questions strongly encouraged!

Gayle “Asali” Dickson is an artist, an ordained minister, and a former member of the Black Panther Party from 1970–1976. During the art and culture Renaissance on the West Coast in the late 1960s, the name “Asali” was given to her. Her worldview, beginning in her formative years during the civil rights struggle of the 1950s, is that of women and children. Under the pseudonym “Asali,” she created vintage art drawings during the time she worked for the Black Panther Party’s newspaper (1972–1974). They consist mostly of women and children, and the use of the “vote” was promoted as a tool for survival within a system of patriarchy. Her era in the Party was about implementing a vision of survival pending total change from an uncaring social system to one that cares for humanity.

Colette Gaiter is a Professor in the Departments of Africana Studies and Art & Design at the University of Delaware. After working in graphic design in New York City, she became an educator, artist, and writer. Her visual work, exhibited internationally, covers a range of media and forms, including artist books. Since 2005, she writes about former Black Panther artist Emory Douglas’s work, including his current international human rights artist activism. Her essays on his work appear in Black Panther: The Revolutionary Art of Emory Douglas (for which she wrote introductions to the 2014 edition and current third edition), and other books and publications. The 2022 book The Black Experience in Design includes her interview with Emory Douglas and an essay on evolving visual literacy.

This online event will be hosted on Zoom with attendees’ cameras off.  Automatic closed captioning will be provided. ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation or a CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) is available upon request with two weeks notice — please email access@posterhouse.org to request interpretation services.
A recording of this event will be made available for all registered attendees.
Questions about accessibility? Please contact Sarit Cahana, Access Coordinator, at access@posterhouse.org or (914) 295-2387‬.
For all other event related questions, please contact info@posterhouse.org