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Living the Legacy of Dr. Givens
A Virtual Celebration and Community Conversations
Saturday, July 25 at 2PM

View a resource list from the panelists
Learn more about the original performance of Givens Swims

The Givens Park Working Group in partnership with Forklift Danceworks and Austin PBS hosted a virtual celebration and community conversation on July 25.

This event honored the legacy of Dr. Everett Givens, the namesake of Givens Park and a tireless advocate for the Black community. Viewers learned about Dr. Givens as well as continued efforts to build community, celebrate Black achievement, document history, and steward one of the most meaningful public spaces in East Austin.

Host Kimberly Holiday (KAZI’s “Lady Joy”) and cast members from Givens Swims kicked off the festivities with reflections on memorable moments from last year’s performance. Artist Cindy Elizabeth also shared reflections on her work Allegiance, installed at Givens Park last summer as part of Givens Swims.

Then, leaders from the Givens Park community including Steven Brown, Kenneth Thompson, Miriam Conner, and Rogerick Davis discussed the past, present, and future of Givens Park, in a conversation moderated by Alberta Phillips.

Please consider donating to support Roslyn’s Novel. Founded by Steven Brown, Roslyn’s Novel is a local nonprofit named for Steven’s mother and grandmother, whose stories of hard work and success inspired Steven’s own pathway toward prosperity. Funds raised will provide direct assistance for the Givens community that fellowships at the park and will support artist Michael Malik Williams for his work on the mural in the park.

If you prefer to donate by check, please make checks payable to Roslyn’s Novel and mail to:

Roslyn’s Novel
6004 Ronee Leah Drive
Austin, TX 78724