Community Pie Social

The Community Pie Social is a time for neighborly fellowship and dialogue about topical issues that impact people locally and globally, from reproductive rights and public school education to the housing crisis and the cost of healthcare.

Free and open to the public, community members are asked to bring a sweet or savory pie to share with others and to engage in a guided discussion about a selected topic. The Community Pie Social is designed to center community voices and marginalized perspectives, with food serving to create a shared experience and mitigate challenging conversations.

Inspired by the work of artist Michael Pribich and the organization Peace Through Pie, this nomadic public program originated in 2015 at Carver Bank, a creative placemaking project by Theaster Gates and Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts.

PAST EVENTS

May 2015: Participants discussed the role of the arts in North Omaha and the foreseeable possibilities for social change.

June 2015: Participants discussed the intersections of art and gentrification, discussing questions such as: How can longtime residents ensure their inclusion in a changing neighborhood? What roles can artists play in neighborhood redevelopment?

February 2017: In conjunction with the exhibition The World is a Mirror of My Freedom, participants discussed police-involved shootings and economic mobility in Charlotte, NC.

September 2017: In conjunction with the exhibition Rodrigo Valenzuela: New Land, the chef and cultural critic Tunde Wey joined Valenzuela and the public for a conversation about anti-immigration sentiments in the U.S.