- Artist TalkThu, Mar 12Minneapolis
- Opening NightThu, Feb 05Minneapolis
A CELEBRATION OF VISIBILITY, STRENGTH, AND HOPE.
Step into an inspiring conversation where words meet art in I Too, Am America—a powerful collaboration between poet A. E. Wynter and visual artist A. Drew Hammond. Drawing inspiration from Langston Hughes' iconic poem I, Too and the dynamic partnership of Dr. Maya Angelou and Jean-Michel Basquiat, this exhibit reclaims the space that Black children are too often denied. Through stirring poetry and bold, affirming artwork, I Too, Am America invites a new generation to recognize their beauty, their strength, and their rightful place in society—because they, too, are America.
A. Drew Hammond
Andrew “A Drew” Hammond was born on the west side of Baltimore, Maryland in 1964. His family lived in the Edmondson Village community. He attended public schools in Maryland and South Carolina. A Drew never had any formal art training. He credits God with endowing him artistically with the gift and affinity of the arts.
A’s work focuses on expressing the people in the African American diaspora, which is an important and personal undertaking in a society filled with disregard. Of his medium versatility, his most expressive works are his collages which provoke thought and create visual disputation and resolve. He will never concede to having the torch of his hero, Romare Bearden (1911-1988), but he confesses that his torch has been lit by the late Collage Master, along with Dr. David Driskell (1931-2020) and George Grosz (1893-1959)
In 2020, A Drew and his wife, author and visual artist, Beverly Tipton-Hammond launched Berries On the Vine art gallery in the Northrup King Building in Northeast Minneapolis and in June 2021, change the name to Tipton Hammond Arts honoring the late Tom Tipton (1933-2020)
In the summer of 2020, A Drew was a participant in the making of the “Black Lives Matter” mural in Minneapolis sponsored by the Minnesota African American Heritage Museum & Gallery.
A Drew was commissioned to create two visual art works in the Art Connects Us “COVID” and “Social Justice” billboards projects sponsored by the Hennepin Theater Trust in conjunction with Clear Channel Communications. A Drew has participated in several exhibitions throughout the state, including The Sarah Drake - Romare Bearden Art Exhibition in St. Cloud, MN (Aug. 2024) and The Black Vote (Voter’s Right Exhibition) at the Minnesota African American Heritage Museum and Gallery (Feb. 2025)
A Drew also plans to release a book of drawings and haikus.
A Drew is a Special Education Assistant at the Minneapolis Public Schools. He and his wife reside in St. Paul, MN.
.png)
A. E. Wynter
Ashley E. Wynter is a writer, editor, and community organizer invested in the transformative power of storytelling. Her award-winning poetry has appeared in Torch Literary Arts, The Florida Review, West Trade Review, Water~Stone Review, New Millennium, and elsewhere.
She is a 2025-28 Jerome Hill Artist Fellow whose work has also been supported by the Loft Mentor Series, the Carolyn Moore Writers Residency, the Tofte Lake Center National Emerging Artist Residency, and a regional Cave Canem workshop.
Wynter has received multiple grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and has organized various events throughout the Twin Cities, including readings, writing workshops, and multimedia art exhibits.
Wynter has worked in the non-profit arts sector for over seven years and has helped coordinate major events like the Native American Literature Symposium, as well as black writers’ programs for More Than A Single Story. She is currently the Editor at Copper Canyon Press.
Sign Up For Exhibition Updates
,
About the Exhibit
I Too, Am America is a powerful multimedia art exhibit that combines poetry and mixed-media collages to explore the strength, creativity, and resilience of Black youth in America. Inspired by the legacy of Langston Hughes’ iconic poem, "I, Too," this exhibit amplifies the voices and experiences of Black children, empowering them to see themselves as powerful, limitless, and deserving of belonging.
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
Using the Arts Board and Minnesota legacy logos are required, however using the logos alone is not sufficient to meet this requirement; the text must also be included. Digital files for the required logos can be downloaded from the Board’s Web site at http://www.arts.state.mn.us/grants/support.htm.