GlassRoots Beautifies our Community

Happy Earth Month, Friends!
This month, we’re looking forward to celebrating youth empowerment and Earth Day with various community partners!
We are participating in this Saturday’s Grand Opening Celebration of the Girl Scout Leadership Center.
Later in the month, look out for our mural unveiling with Steam Urban’s Earth Week Family Day and our mosaic beautification project in partnership with the City of Newark and Newark Downtown District for the students of Great Oaks Legacy Charter School. Stay tuned!
Happy Holidays from GlassRoots!

In that spirit, we’re cordially inviting you to the Youth Entrepreneurial Spirit (YES) Holiday Showcase at GlassRoots on Thursday, December 19th from 5-6:30pm
A free event for all ages, beautiful glass gifts made by the YES students will be for sale – right on time for the holidays! Refreshments will also be served.
The Youth Entrepreneurial Spirit (YES) Program at GlassRoots is a unique art and entrepreneurship program designed for high school students. Artmaking – glassblowing, fusing, and flameworking – is the catalyst to teach students the fundamentals of business development.
Led by Guest Artist, Gosia Pawlowska, and GlassRoots Teaching Artist, Trish Buggy, the focus of this session has been on different methods of mold-making. Each student conceived of their own final project, applying the skills they learned to their unique vision of various glass objects.
Sat, Dec 21 @ 12 – 7PM
NJPAC
One Center Street, Newark

Celebrate culture, community and creative expression at NJPAC’s annual
Kwanzaa Family Festival & Marketplace
Join the hundreds of families who make the free Kwanzaa Family Festival part of their
annual celebration. It’s a full day of uplifting programs — including a candle-lighting
ceremony and vibunzi — based on the seven principles of Kwanzaa.
The Newark Black Film Festival

Join GlassRoots in commemorating the 50th Anniversary of The Newark Black Film Festival: the longest-running Black film festival in the United States! Hosted by our friends at The Newark Museum of Art, the Festival runs from July 10th – 14th, 2024.
The Newark Black Film Festival has been a pivotal platform for Black filmmakers, actors, and storytellers since 1974. It showcases films that explore the intricacies of the Black experience, reflecting diverse narratives and fostering cultural enrichment.
Over the decades, the NBFF has been a beacon for over 850 films, drawing nearly 200,000 attendees to The Newark Museum of Art. It has premiered works from young, independent filmmakers such as Spike Lee and Ava DuVernay, and featured influential figures like James Earl Jones and Danny Glover. Each screening, typically followed by a Q&A session with filmmakers and scholars, fosters a rich dialogue and deepens the audience’s connection to the films.
The official event schedule for the 50th Newark Black Film Festival is now live and runs from
July 10th – 14th, 2024. Learn more and purchase tickets here.
News from our Board of Trustees

June marked the final month that GlassRoots Board Member, Mary Jaffa, served as our Treasurer. The Vice-President, Finance at NJPAC, Mary has served on our Board of Trustees since 2015. As Treasurer, Mary has worked closely with our Executive Director, Carol Losos, and our Finance Committee to steward all financial affairs ranging from budgeting to forecasting and financial reporting.
While Mary is stepping down as Treasurer, she will remain a member of our Board of Trustees where she’ll continue to contribute her insights and talents to GlassRoots.
Thank you for your hard work and dedication, Mary!

Congratulations to dedicated GlassRoots board member, Dr. Sherri-Ann P. Butterfield, who was recently appointed NJPAC’s Senior Vice President of Social Impact!
One of Newark’s most prominent and effective leaders in the education space, Dr. Butterfield is currently Executive Vice Chancellor and Associate Professor of Sociology at Rutgers University Newark, and assumes her new role with NJPAC in September.
In the words of NJPAC President and CEO, John Schreiber, we “can’t wait to find out what we’ll be able to accomplish with this dynamic, experienced and passionate advocate for our city and for the arts on our team.”
Our sentiments exactly!