John W. Mosley’s photo of a young marcher at the Elks Parade in Philadelphia, (circa.1944) appears in ‘Reflections in Black: A Reframing’ exhibit at Temple University through April 15th.
“Jazz is democracy in music.”
— Wynton Marsalis, American trumpeter & composer
Today’s events’ column brings a floral bouquet of women’s empowerment, with a slight note of music, which always has the potential to nourish and renew the soul like rain showers over a garden. April is a badge of honor and only means that you made it through another winter. Celebrate the season of rebirth with these low-cost or free activities.
FunTimes hosts Maternal Care Event, ‘The Mother of All Workshops’
Friday, April 17, 2026. FunTimes will host “The Mother of All Workshops: The ABC’s of Maternal and Childcare” – a virtual community conversation to recognize the nationally-observed World Maternal Health Week next week.
Learn about the quality of maternal and childcare in the United States and in Africa, key factors driving the growing crisis of high maternal mortality rates, and resources for Black mothers and families. Get tips on parenting and infant care, and take a dive into systemic issues such as racial bias in healthcare. Gain insight into access to quality care, socioeconomic inequality, as well as services including community midwives and doulas.
Join multi-media host Lavonne Nichols leading an expert panel of maternal care professionals: panelists Hadja Diallo, nurse, midwife, educator, and community advocate; Alexia Doumbouya, founder of CocoLife, a certified doula and childbirth educator, and Joanne D. Craig, Chief Impact Officer for The Foundation for Delaware County.
Free but pre-register; noon to 1 p.m. EST. Zoom Live. Email: info@funtimesmagzine.com, 215-954-6300 or Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Ms3oq-_jQXeldacF37iRTQ
Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Music Institute
‘Music in the Museum Day’ To inspire Creativity
Saturday, April 11, 2026. Please Touch Museum will host Music in the Museum Day featuring its partner, the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO) Music Institute. Two student ensembles from the PYO Music Institute will perform the Philadelphia Youth Concert Band and Tune Up Philly, an after-school program for Philadelphia students in underserved communities. Kids will get to listen to music and explore instruments through interactive activities.
They can visit an instrument-petting zoo, create their own instruments, and participate in a sing-along. $24 per ticket: Kids and adults; 1 p.m. EST to 2:30 p.m. EST: Philadelphia Youth Concert Band and Tune Up Philly performances.
The kids’ play activities will be from 10 a.m. EST to 4 p.m. EST. Please Touch Museum, Memorial Hall, 4231 Avenue of the Republic. Email: info@pleasetouchmuseum.org, 215-581-3181 or PleaseTouchMuseum.org.
Exploring Francis Johnson: Artist in Conversation talk at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
Monday, April 13, 2026. The Historical Society of Pennsylvania (HSP) will host Exploring Francis Johnson: Artists in Conversation, featuring visual and performing artists whose work has been inspired by Francis Johnson, a pioneering international Black composer and bandleader in 19th-century Philadelphia. Textile artist Santé Johnson, choreographer Lauren Putty White, and musician Brent White will discuss the enduring impact of Johnson and how he has been a catalyst for their own creations.
The participants relied on the collections at HSP and elsewhere to guide their work on Johnson. $10 per ticket; free for students; pre-register; 6:30 p.m. EST to 8 p.m. EST. Admission includes access to the exhibit Changing Faces of Independence: Pennsylvania in the 1800s on view through Friday, April 24, 2026.
The exhibit looks at how the identity of who is an American has changed since the American Revolution. Historical Society of Pennsylvania,1300 Locust St. Email programs@hsp.org; 215-732-6200 or buy tickets here or https://www.eventbrite.com/e/exploring-francis-johnson-artists-in-conversation-tickets-1986426715780
Celebrate Advocacy & Awareness At Black Maternal Health Week
Saturday, April 11 to Friday, April 17, 2026. In Philadelphia, where Black women account for 73 percent of the pregnancy-related deaths, the upcoming national Black Maternal Health Week has taken on more urgency for action and awareness. Oshun Family Center, a Philadelphia-based organization dedicated to improving maternal mental health outcomes for Black families and caretakers, will lead Philadelphia’s observance of Black Maternal Health Week, marking its 10th anniversary of participating in the Black Maternal Care Movement.
The week is designed to spur life-saving action and changes in current policies. This year’s theme will be “Rooted in Justice & Joy.” Participate in a week of four community-centered events “designed to uplift families, equip professionals, and demand systemic change.” The series will convene families and professionals, clinicians, educators, social workers, policymakers, and maternal-care advocates. The week will include Joy & Justice Baby Boutique, in which you can get free essential care items, resources and community support on Saturday, April 11, from noon to 3 p.m. EST, at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Center for Advanced Behavioral Healthcare, 4601 Market St.
Check out Empowering Care, Elevating Voices: Maternal Health Justice Summit, focusing on education and advocacy, on Monday, April 13, from 9 a.m. EST to 3 p.m. EST, at the Temple University Student Center, 1755 N. 13th St. Take part in The Rebel Readers Society, a book club format exploring reproductive justice, social change and the power of your voice on Tuesday, April 14, 6 p.m. EST to 8:30 p.m. EST, 2400 Market St.
Enjoy An Elegant Rebellion: A Bridgerton-Inspired Brunch Celebrating 10 Years of Black Maternal Health on Friday, April 1, 11 a.m. EST to 3 p.m. EST, at Fabrika Philly, 1108 Frankford Ave. At this informal brunch, learn about justice, joy, and collective responsibility. Free, but register in advance. 267-808-2329 or https://oshunfamilycenter.org/event-calendar/ or https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1981440146818?aff=oddtdtcreato
This photo by Arturo Holmes (b.1990) of Lizzo, as she performs at the NBC Citi Stage Summer Series in 2022 appears in the ‘Reflections in Black: A Reframing’ exhibit at Temple University.
From The Lens Of Black Photographers
Through Wednesday, April 15, 2026. The Reflections in Black: A Reframing exhibition, created from the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection, is in the home stretch. You have just a few days to see it before it closes. Curated by author Dr. Deborah Willis, the exhibit highlights 130 new candid images by 21st-century artists from her acclaimed book, Reflections in Black: A History of Black Photographers 1840 to the Present. Her book is credited as the first in-depth history of African-American photographers.
The show accompanies the book’s 25th anniversary and celebrates photographers who document everyday life. Dr. Willis, a photographer and photography historian, is a professor and chair of the Department of Photography & Imaging at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. The presentation of photographs “preserve the Black family, community, and resistance across generations,” according to promotional material. They include evocative images from the entertaining to the serious, like Arturo Holmes’ photo of pop singer, Lizzo, performing in concert in 2022, and Moneta J. Sleet Jr.‘s iconic photo of a forlorn Coretta Scott King comforting her daughter, Bernice, at her husband Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta in 1968.
Free. Mondays to Fridays, 8 a.m. EST to 8 p.m. EST; Saturday, 9 a.m. EST to 5 p.m. EST; Sunday, noon to 8 p.m. EST. Temple University, Charles Blockson Library (1st Floor Exhibit Space), 1900 N. 13th St. https://library.temple.edu/exhibitions/reflections-in-black-a-reframing
Live with Purpose At Spring Revival for Women Of Color
Wednesday, April 15 to Friday, April 17, 2026. Get inspired at She Blooms: Flourishing & Spring Forth, a three-day women’s revival and gathering. Engage in a “spiritual renewal in faith,” and an evening of uplifting worship, powerful teachings, and fellowship with other women of faith. Hosted by She Shines Ministries, a nonprofit and organizer of the annual She Shines Conference and Sisterly Affection Breast Cancer Initiatives, focusing on women of color.
Leading the She Blooms activities will be: Dr. LaToya Williams, therapist, life coach, podcaster, and minister (on April 15); Terri Matthews Woodall, entrepreneur, author, and founder of TM Brands, Inc. (on April 16), and the Rev. Tamieka Nicole Gerow, entrepreneur and preacher (on April 17). A virtual and an in-person event. Free but pre-register. 6:30 p.m. EST. Tenth Memorial Baptist Church, 1328 N. 19th St. https://sheshinessisterhood.org/ or https://sheshinessisterhood.org/upcoming-events/
Sunday, April 19, 2026. Vibe to the Farid Barron, the Father Quest, a tribute concert commemorating the 100th birthdays of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Philadelphia pianist Barron, who took to the keys at age 7, played with Grammy Award-winning trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, studied with Barry Harris, and trained in the Russian (Chopin) school under Emmett Vokes. He toured internationally with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra before succeeding Sun Ra as the keyboardist in the Sun Ra Arkestra. The Air Force veteran possesses an innovative, versatile style that makes him a world-class musician.
$35 per ticket; 3 p.m. EST to 5 p.m. EST. Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad St. Email: info@clefclubofjazz.org, 215-893-9912 or https://clefclubofjazz.org/event/farid-baron-the-father-quest or https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/farid-barron-a-fathers-quest-matinee
