Citizen Printer, Bill Ayers w/ Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr., Monica Trinidad, and Chi Nwosu

In this special episode of CounterPunch Radio, Bill Ayers, friend of Pilsen Community Books and fellow podcaster at Under the Tree, introduces Amos Kennedy and fellow artists and activists Monica Trinidad and Chi Nwosu. This evening at Pilsen Community Books in Chicago included a packed-house crowd for a celebration for the release of Citizen Printer by renowned letterpress printer Amos P. Kennedy, Jr.

A self-described “humble negro printer,” Amos Paul Kennedy, Jr., is internationally recognized for his type-driven messages of social justice and Black power, emblazoned in rhythmically layered and boldly inked prints made for the masses. Borrowing words from civil rights heroes such as Rosa Parks, Fannie Lou Hamer, Frederick Douglass, and Sojourner Truth, Kennedy issues fearless statements on race, capitalism, history, and politics—along with plenty of witty truisms—in his exuberant, colorful, and one-of-a-kind posters and handbills.

Amos P. Kennedy, Jr. was working a corporate job when, at nearly forty, he discovered the art of letterpress printing on a tour of Colonial Williamsburg. Kennedy then devoted himself to the craft, earning an MFA in graphic design at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He now operates Kennedy Prints!, a letterpress printshop in Detroit. He has exhibited in dozens of museums and galleries across the United States, including the Library of Congress, and the libraries of the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Monica Trinidad (she/they) is a queer Latine visual artist, communicator, and cultural strategist. A lifelong Chicagoan, Monica has created zines, graphics, mixed media posters, communication strategies, and plans highlighting youth-led, intergenerational, and intersectional grassroots organizing work in Chicago and nationally.

Chi Nwosu is a Black, non-binary, queer, Nigerian artist based in Chicago. Their work is an alchemy of cultural narratives that centres marginalised experiences and utilises potent cultural, political, and spiritual symbols. Chi’s art invites viewers to imagine collective liberation, envisioning communities rooted in kindness, compassion, and care.

Please, head over to Pilsen Community Books and pick up some books!

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