The Invisible 5% - AZPM

The Invisible 5%

One out of every eight people in the U.S. is black. In Tucson, it's one out of twenty.

Being black in Tucson means possibly going days—or weeks—without seeing someone who looks like you and shares your experiences.

In spite of the small numbers, black people continue to have a large impact on the community. AZPM explores the black experience in Tucson.

From our ‘Far Afield Series,’ SHE-PHI, the all-girl step group from Holladay Magnet Elementary School in Tucson, performs.

She PhiArizona Illustrated

Barbara Lewis shares stories and recollections about attending classes at the historic Dunbar School.

Memory LaneArizona Illustrated

Meet photographer Kennady Schneider, a recent University of Arizona gymnast who is exploring and representing the African-American experience in a series she calls "#Black."

#Black - Exploring Identity with PhotographyArizona Spotlight

The Buzz spoke with members of Tucson's black community to get a perspective on what it's like to be part of a minority estimated to make up about 5 percent of the population.

Being Black in TucsonThe Buzz

Essayist Adiba Nelson shares her perspective on the different kinds of love that exist within the black community, some that were born out of history, oppression and survival.

Adiba Nelson on Black LoveArizona Spotlight

Local business owner, J.R. Harrison explores black culture in his own unique way during Black History Month.

28 Days of Black HistoryArizona Illustrated

Special effects creator Quin Davis represents an endangered type of cinematic artist.

Quin DavisArizona Illustrated

Tucson poet and playwright Brother Be (also known as Robert Beverly) shares poems dedicated to his mother and his father.

Brother BeArizona Spotlight

How the shifting citizenship and travel policies of the Trump Administration have been felt among immigrant communities in Tucson.

Owl & PantherArizona Spotlight

Nearly eighty years ago, the Maxwell family moved to Tucson. Over the decades they helped pave the way for many of the positive changes we see in our community.

Lasting LegacyArizona Illustrated

A look back at Vietnam Veteran, Arizona cattle rancher, and cowboy storyteller Edward Keeylocko.

Edward KeeylockoArizona Illustrated

New things are happening at the Dunbar Pavilion, home to Tucson's formerly segregated schools.

Dunbar Pavilion UpdateArizona Illustrated

Martio Harris teaches and mentors the next generation of young barbers in Tucson.

The Dunbar BarberArizona Illustrated

Pushing Buttons is a monthly music producer showcase at the Flycatcher on Fourth Ave in Tucson.

Pushing ButtonsArizona Illustrated

Most people may not associate Southern Arizona with black history, but a group of people are working to change that.

Black History in Southern ArizonaArizona Illustrated

The Rogue Theatre opens its 2017-18 season with an ambitious world-premiere play, ‘Celia, A Slave’ by local playwright, Barbara Seyda.

Rogue TheatreArizona Illustrated

Life has thrown her a few curve balls. She is a mother, author and performer ... Adiba Nelson is a force of nature.

The Full NelsonArizona Illustrated

We spent some time with one Tucsonan who has been researching her past and making surprising connections along the way.

Finding FamilyArizona Illustrated

For people struggling with a mental health problem, getting help sooner rather than later can significantly improve the effectiveness of treatment.

Black Mental HealthArizona Illustrated

In June 2017, Tucson came together to enjoy the 47th Annual Juneteenth Celebration at the Dunbar Spring Cultural Center.

Juneteenth in TucsonArizona Illustrated

Joronda Montaño is turning her painful past into a positive force for change—fighting substance abuse, rising suicide rates, and the toll of trauma and violence one kid at a time.

The PreventionistArizona Illustrated

Teré Fowler-Chapman describes herself simply as a poet, but believes that role involves “wearing a lot of hats” in the 21 century.

Art Life - Teré Fowler ChapmanArizona Illustrated

Michele Keller and motherhood, during and after incarceration.

Michele's JourneyArizona Illustrated

Almost all people in prison will eventually return to society, but there are many barriers that can upend a successful reentry and hopes for a second chance.

Second Chances for SomeArizona Illustrated

During the Borderlands Theater 2018 production of Barrio Stories in Barrio Anita, we spoke with Virginia, a young Tucson poet who wrote this poem.

These StreetsArizona Illustrated

Lola Rainey saw firsthand the scars that racism left on her family, her friends, and her own sense of herself. So she set out to bring a little more justice to the world.

Lola's JusticeArizona Illustrated

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