About this Event
WHO & WHAT: Join Rep Club for a discussion on with author Steven Underwood & moderator Tré Melvin
WHEN: Doors at 6:30pm, event promptly at 7pm.
WHERE: Reparations Club, 3054 S. Victoria Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90016
HOW:
TICKET w/ BOOK: This ticket guarantees a seat including a signed book available for pick up at the event.
FREE RSVP (No Book Included): This Free RSVP DOES NOT include a copy of the book and entry is based strictly on capacity at the door. Books may be available for purchase in-store.
SIGNED BOOK ONLY: Can't make it IRL but still want a signed copy? Order directly from our site!
Please email us at [email protected] if you have any additional needs, questions, or accessibility concerns.
About the Book:
THE CURATORS OF CULTURE: CELEBRATE BLACK DIGITAL ART IN THIS ESSAY COLLECTION REVEALING HOW BLACK ARTISTS HAVE SHAPED EVERYTHING FROM TIKTOK DANCES TO VIRAL MEMES
Steven Underwood digs into the current Black digital arts movement that has shaped popular culture for the last decade. He connects this current space to historical influences, speaking to a “legacy of audacity and daring that presented us with the opportunity to redirect the conversations on Blackness back on its center. Back to Black people.” Written as a collection of thought-provoking essays pulling in social commentary, interviews, popular culture, and deep research, Underwood taps into a topic that is incredibly relevant but often unknown.
The nature of the internet is so ephemeral that sometimes we forget when we do something worth celebrating. For Black people particularly, that’s unforgiveable. Digital Black art has become increasingly more outspoken, introspective, and genre-defining. But it’s also vulnerable. Original phrases, tweets, dances, songs, and other content are often taken from a Black artist and attributed to a white influencer. And Black creators are paid less for their work, though their engagement is often higher than that of their white peers. There is also the added risk of backlash and hate that comes with publicly existing online. As an award-winning writer with a popular online presence, Underwood is no stranger to the experiences of Black digital artists. Using his own personal stories, he highlights the beauty, vulnerability, and innovation of the Black digital arts movement.
Shining a light on the curators of our culture, Forever for the Culture narratively follows the construction of a new Black art movement and how creators have defined a community when that community does not have a physical space.
Hailing from Columbus, Ohio, STEVEN UNDERWOOD is an award-winning writer with a penchant for unveiling magic in the hypercritical. Honest to his experiences, Underwood has published essays on Blackness and identity. Steven was a finalist for Le Maison Baldwin’s Writers-in-Residence Program. He has no dogs or cats, but two nieces and a nephew who swear they are smarter than him. His non-fiction work has been published in numerous outlets, including Oprah, NPR, Essence, MTV News, Blavity, NewNowNext, BET, GQ, Out Magazine, AfroPunk, Complex, Refinery29, Them, and many, many more. He currently resides in Los Angeles.
TRÉ MELVIN is an American producer, actor, singer, writer, designer, activist, and entrepreneur. He is one of the most prominent names in digital media. Hailing from Dayton, Ohio, Tré began birthing a myriad of plays, poems, songs, books, and short films all before his tenth birthday. He began acting professionally at twelve, performing in a variety of plays, musicals, commercials, films, and radio spots. He studied theatre and creative writing between grades 7-12 at Stivers School for the Arts (Dayton, OH), and later at Bellarmine University (Louisville, KY), The University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, OH), and The Juilliard School (New York City).
Refund Policy: At Rep Club, we are committed to providing a valuable experience for all attendees. However, we understand sometimes plans change. Below is our refund policy for ticket purchases:
Refund Eligibility: Requests for refunds must be made no later than 14 calendar days prior to the event date via Eventbrite only.
- After this deadline, no refunds will be issued, except under extraordinary circumstances (see "Force Majeure" below).
- Refunds will only be issued to the original purchaser via the original method of payment (i.e. Eventbrite).
Non-Refundable Items: Processing fees and service charges are non-refundable, unless the event is canceled by the organizer (i.e. Rep Club).
Event Cancellation or Rescheduling
- If the event is canceled by the organizer, a full refund will be issued to all ticket holders, including any fees paid.
- If the event is rescheduled, your ticket will automatically be valid for the new date. If you are unable to attend the rescheduled date, a refund request can be made within 7 calendar days of the rescheduling notice.
No-Show Policy If you do not attend the event and have not contacted us by the refund deadline, unfortunately no refund will be issued.
Contact Us If you have any questions regarding this refund policy, please contact us at [email protected].
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Reparations Club, 3054 South Victoria Avenue, Los Angeles, United States
USD 0.00 to USD 35.84











