Che Anderson was our featured Black History Month speaker. His talk focused on his work for the City of Worcester, Massachusetts, and how his identity and experiences informed his work to establish groundbreaking public arts initiatives.

Currently, Che works on special events initiatives and cultural equity for the city. Originally from New York City, the alumnus of the College of the Holy Cross formed a deep bond with Worcester and chose to stay there after graduation. An avid lover of street art, Che has led efforts to increase Worcester’s public art, most notably serving as founding Director of Pow! Wow! Worcester Mural Festival, a festival-style event that brings internationally acclaimed artists to the City of Worcester. Che was recently named a Central Massachusetts Power Player by the Worcester Business Journal, and was named 2016 Person of the Year by Worcester Magazine.

Che says, “Art is a reactive voice of the people; and sometimes, with enough support, the art can influence political policy and ideology leading to a cycle of influence and change.”