Being a stay-at-home dad and then a work-at-home dad for 20 years, I am used to being one of the few men in a room. In my early days of being a dad, I was a veteran of many mommy and me classes. Throughout my time as a dad blogger, I’ve been invited to many events and conferences that focus on women’s issues. Sometimes I was the only one in the room, but mostly there’s a handful of us guys.
When I got the invite to attend an Art Arena event that was being held at the Rockaway Hotel in New York City, I immediately said “yes” because I saw that Megan Rapinoe and Midge Purce would be interviewees at the event. I love all things related to soccer and looked forward to seeing them live on stage. I went to an interview with Megan Rapinoe many years ago and have been a big fan of hers throughout her career. Then, I looked into what Art Arena stood for.
Mickalene Thomas and Lindsay Kagawa Colas are the cofounders of Art Arena. Thomas is a celebrated artist who focuses on rhinestones, acrylic, and enamel in her works. Her collages often represent historical movements. Colas is a top sports talent executive. They began Art Arena to bridge sports and arts together, creating a space to inspire and empower communities.
When I arrived at the Rockaway Hotel, I realized I was probably going to be one of a few men in attendance when I noticed that Glossier, a makeup company that is a sponsor of the WNBA, would sponsor the event. I want to add here that I’ve only felt unwanted once attending an event centered on topics for women.
At first, I sat near the front, but my anxiety got the best of me and I moved towards the back. Those with anxiety know what I’m talking about here. Whenever I’m in a crowded room, I need an easy exit, so a nice spot in the back allows me to flee if I need to. Also, my ADD was off the charts during the events and it was hard to focus. Luckily, my camera was in my hand, which usually helps me to stay on track with what’s happening.
Anyway…
Throughout the day, women in leadership positions in both arts and sport took the stage to share their perspectives on roles in their respective fields. A common theme was juggling responsibilities and fighting against social norms. I’ve watched Megan Rapinoe handle the role throughout her career and have always been impressed by her stances on equality. I was also impressed when the subject of imposter syndrome came before Midge Purce, who stated she didn’t suffer from that. In fact, she stated when she walks into a room, she is the one who thinks, “You don’t belong here,” which resulted in laughter and applause in the room.
There were performances during the event from various artists that sent home the idea that arts are just as inspiring as sports. The two go hand-in-hand. When I think about the stories that have inspired me the most, they are movies and books about athletes, whether real or fictional. And art helps bring those stories to life. But the same goes for artists. I can’t help but feel enthralled by walking through an art museum, reading a poem, or journeying through a novel. Art and sports can act independently from one another, but the world is better when they work together.
During a lunch break, I walked away from the hotel to find a place to eat. I stopped at a corner restaurant and took a seat by the window. My laptop was open while I edited photos and ate a sandwich. I heard yelling and looked across the street and saw a man screaming in a woman’s face. She looked straight ahead while he cursed at her. His body language was threatening as each spit-filled word flew from his mouth. I looked around the restaurant to see who I could get to watch my stuff if I needed to run out to help. An employee at the cash register appeared to be the best at handling the job. I closed my laptop and placed it inside my bag, then watched the two people. They crossed the street, and she walked a few feet in front of him and he turned her around to continue yelling. I stood up and noticed that one cook at the restaurant made his way to the doorway and watched. I stood up as well. Another man, who appeared to know the couple, walked over and began talking to the aggressor. The woman walked away while the two men crossed the street together. I don’t know what the fight was about, but I am all too familiar with aggressive stances and gestures.
So, why do we need women-run businesses and organizations? Because we’ve all seen and heard that person who believes if they are the loudest one in the room, they’ll get their way. In the past, some people believed that equated to intelligence. Most likely, people give in to the loud ones because they’re worn down and tired of hearing them. I’ve attended enough women run events to see that everyone gets heard. Many of us have seen a version of the situation from the above paragraph.
Art Arena wants to lift people and communities, and give space to those that are connected to art and sports that want to make a positive impact regardless of sex, race, orientation, or faith. That’s something that all of us should adopt.
And it’s important for men to be allies and support women’s sports and female artists, because inclusivity can widen the range of stories that inspire. Also, it’s simply the right thing to do.
Photos from the Art Arena Event:
Daniel J. Watts kicked off the event with a spoken word performance.
Michi Matter Jigarjian, co founder of WOAH
Jessica Robertson from TOGETHERX, Shana Renee Stephenson, Chief Brand Officer from the New York Liberty, Kyla McMillan from The Armory Show, and Emma Hinchcliffe, Senior Writer from Fortune discuss how women are leading the change behind the scenes of art and sports.
Performance by Nia Drummond and Amanda Krische.
Mickalene Thomas, Founding Creative Director of Art Arena.
Midge Purce, Forward for the USWNT and Gotham FC.
Megan Rapinoe and Cari Champion discussing the relationship between arts and sports.
Isolde Brielmaier, PHD, Chief Strategy Officer for Work of Arts Holdings (WOAH).
Sarah Arison, President of the Arison Arts Foundation and President of the Board of the Museum of Modern Art, and Chair of the Board at Young Arts, Midge Purce, Forward from the USWNT and Gotham FC, and Sarah Harrelson, founded and editor-in-chief of Cultured Magazine discuss how arts and sports move people.
To see a list of Art Arena events, click here.
To follow Art Arena on Instagram, click here.
*Jason Greene is a dad blogger turned travel blogger, but occasionally still write about what it’s like raising kids in New York City. He is also a photographer. To see many photos of his travel and daily life in NYC with his kids, click here for his Instagram. If you would like to hire Jason as a photographer to cover an event, email him at thejasongreene@gmail.com.
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Being a Role Model: Interview with the US Women’s Soccer Team
Story Behind My Daughter’s Visit to the NY Liberty’s Locker Room
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I don’t quite understand how sport and art can mix. Maybe because I’m an artist but when I exhibited my work (years ago) it was in small galleries and not to huge numbers of people. And sport… I can’t get a fix on this from the art arena website. Is it through installation or commercial art, maybe?
Art and sports inspire, so it’s a perfect team up.