Exhibit open until January 8, 2018
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (July 27, 2017) — Grandmother Power: A Global Phenomenon opens to the public at the Muhammad Ali Center on Saturday, August 19th. The exhibit, which is on display until January 8, 2018 and included in general admission, is based off the book of the same title by author Paola Gianturco, a grandmother herself. It features images and stories of grandmothers worldwide who are acting courageously and effectively to create a better future for grandchildren everywhere.
There are more than 42 million grandmothers in the United States today, and half of them are between the ages of 44-65. They are younger, healthier, better educated and better off than they have ever been. Grandmother Power includes stories of grandmothers around the world, all of whom are creating better futures for their grandchildren. Visitors will be enlightened by grandmothers in Canada, Swaziland, and South Africa who collaborate to care for AIDS orphans; grandmothers in India who are becoming solar engineers, and those in Thailand who are fighting environmental degradation. Activist grandmothers from additional countries are also showcased. An audio tour via alicenter.org will accompany the exhibition. Narrated by Paola Gianturco, the audio tour walks visitors through each of the stories, conveying more personal accounts of these amazing women.
Visitors will also have the chance to explore Muhammad Ali’s family history, including comprehensive genealogy dating back to the early 18th century and photos of Ali with his grandmother.
“Everyone has—or has had—grandmothers and many ‘GrandOthers’ have taken on a similar role. So, it’s really fun for the Ali Center to be bringing in a colorful storytelling exhibit to such a family-focused community, as Louisville,” said Jeanie Kahnke, spokesperson for the Muhammad Ali Center. “And we are proud of this value-added addition that affords guests an opportunity to discover more about Muhammad’s own family history”
The Ali Center will host programming events in tandem with the exhibit’s run, including a family day and a community panel, where local women trailblazers will share their stories of activism and leadership. More information, including dates, is forthcoming. In addition, the Center’s education team has also developed a special curriculum for guided school groups that coincides with Grandmother Power and reinforces the themes of women’s activism and oral history. Educators can schedule school visits by contacting Morgan Szabo at 502.992.5340 or mszabo@alicenter.org.
Grandmother Power: A Global Phenomenon was developed by the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) grpm.org, in cooperation with Genesis, Inc.
On August 25th, the Ali Center will also open another new exhibit: Available Light: Louisville Through the Lens of Bud Dorsey. This photography exhibition explores Louisville through the eyes of local photographer, Bud Dorsey. Capturing thousands of moments over the past five decade, Dorsey encapsulates life in Louisville, showcasing compassion, love, pride, and struggle. The exhibit, in partnership with the Louisville Story Program, will run through January 2, 2018.
About the Muhammad Ali Center
The Muhammad Ali Center, a 501(c)3 corporation, was co-founded by Muhammad Ali and his wife Lonnie in their hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. The international cultural center promotes the Six Core Principles of Muhammad Ali (Confidence, Conviction, Dedication, Giving, Respect, and Spirituality) in ways that inspire personal and global greatness and provides programming and events around the focus areas of education, gender equity, and global citizenship. Its newest initiative, Generation Ali, fosters a new generation of leaders to contribute positively to their communities and to change the world for the better. The Center’s headquarters also contains an award-winning museum experience. For more information, please visit www.alicenter.org.
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