Fellowes Athenaeum Trust Fund Program Series
Read the biographies and program descriptions of the 2025-2026 Fellows below!
Greater Roxbury Book Fair
Savor the Square (STS) is a culturally inspired economic development and community engagement initiative led by The American City Coalition (TACC). STS supports over 20 BIPOC micro-entrepreneurs through a curated platform that enables them to showcase their creative work, generate income, and foster shared cultural experiences within the community. The Nubian Square anchor comes to life through a series of monthly themed events held from April to October, including the recent addition of The Greater Roxbury Book Fair to its event portfolio, hosted on the Roxbury Branch Library Plaza.
The annual Greater Roxbury Book Fair is dedicated to celebrating the love and passion the Greater Roxbury community has for books and reading, and 2026's event will be on Saturday, May 16. This event connects books and readers – authors/artists to readers – in the Greater Roxbury community, and further enhances good reading habits among the overall public. Springing from the Roxbury community's deep connections to books and reading, the 2026 Book Fair will feature local and aspiring authors – and showcase the creativity of the residents of Greater Roxbury.
Joel Mackall
Our “Community Guide to Using AI”
Our "Community Guide to Using AI" workshop series, rooted in Black traditions of innovation, explores how the community's rich history of asking good questions and remixing tools can shape our use of artificial intelligence. Through guided practice, live case studies, and discussion, participants will build hands-on skills with AI and learn to design its use in ways that are rooted in the community's specific needs, culture, and purpose. This in-person, 3-part workshop will be held at the Shaw-Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library, with a fall series taking place on Monday nights (October 27, November 3, and November 10) and a spring series on Monday nights (March 2, 9, and 16).
Michelle Coleman
From Intuition to Insight: Introduction to the Chakras and Chair Yoga
“From Intuition to Insight: Introduction to the Chakras and Chair Yoga” is a 6-session short course intended to introduce students to the chakra system — a seven-leveled tool to cultivate self-awareness and provide a self-guided pathway to create their own healing practice, and co-create connection and community. This series will support participants in cultivating mindfulness, self-awareness, and self-discovery through facilitated activities, group discussion, journaling, breathwork, and movement.
The timeframe for this program will be Mondays,12:30 to 2:00 pm; January 26, February 2, 9 & 23 and March 2. Tuesday, February 17.
Roxbury Makes Comics
Roxbury Makes Comics! (previously Comics Camp: Roxbury) is a comics-making intensive for youth ages 10 to 16 which focuses on core comics curriculum including storytelling, pacing, character design, and worldbuilding. Roxbury Makes Comics! takes place during April vacation, from Tuesday, April 21, 2026 to Friday, April 24, 2026, and will accommodate up to 25 youth.
Castle in Our Skins
Castle of our Skins’ Edu-Tainment Recital and Workshop are interactive workshops and recitals that focus on specific aspects of Black Culture, History, or Artistry. Part of Castle of our Skins’ commitment to education and early intervention through music, all programs are family-friendly and for audiences of all ages. Programs that will be hosted at the Boston Public Library, Roxbury Branch in Spring 2026 include — telling the simplified stories of nine legendary figures in Black History through original music and poetry, exploring African American spirituals through quilt painting, becoming musical actors to project a storybook plot in real life, and exploring how hip-hop emerged as a revolutionary art form through creating original lyrics."
Boston Public Quartet
The Boston Public Quartet will present three distinct concerts at the Shaw-Roxbury Library this Spring! Each concert celebrates the often overlooked contributions of historically excluded voices in classical music: Women, BIPOC, LGBTQA+ and more!
Create and Record
Create and Record is hosting its program, "The Face as Canvas - MassQing Workshop with Daniel Callahan." In this powerful and personal workshop, you’ll use face paint as a tool for reflection and transformation. Inspired by global body-marking traditions, artist Daniel Callahan guides participants in designing and sharing their own symbolic “MassQ” to explore their identity, story, and creative self-expression.
Cornell Cole
Our African Diaspora: Interactive Arts Exploration
Join us for a vibrant series of five interactive cross-cultural workshops: Brazil, Cuba, the Caribbean and East to West Africa. Each opens with facilitated drumming led by Cornell Coley. Participants will play authentic instruments. Dynamic guest speakers Alan West Duran and Tony Van Der Meer will lead two workshops on Cuban arts and culture. Enjoy personal slides, videos, and discussion. Additional books will be available.
Participants will have a memorable and meaningful experience of playing drums and percussion from Brazil, Cuba, and West Africa. They will start to gain useful, firsthand knowledge from experts in the field of each country or region’s culture and values in relation to the specific topics. All programs are held on Saturday afternoons in November at the Shaw-Roxbury Library, 149 Dudley St. Each program runs from 1 – 3 pm.
Roxbury Sewing
In "Sewing 101: Winter 2025" for adults, a one-day Saturday Sewing 101 workshop, students will learn the basics of using a sewing machine, including set up, care, and stitching. This hands-on, building-block workshop is designed to introduce and explore the multiple features of the sewing machine. With step-by-step instructions, students will learn how to use the various stitches, sew, and create a unique sewing project. Sewing 101 registration will be available January 5, 2026. The Sewing 101 workshop will be offered on Saturday, February 7, 2026.