Paint & Shade The Stigma: Juneteenth Brunch Experience

🍽️ A Gathering in Color. A Table of Liberation.

This Juneteenth, Blaq Linq invites you to gather differently.

Not just in a room—but at the table.

Not just in community—but in communion.

Paint & Shade The Stigma returns for its third installation—reimagined as a seated, immersive brunch experience where art, storytelling, and collective healing unfold in real time.

In the spirit of Juneteenth, we honor freedom not just as history—but as a living, breathing practice. A freedom to feel. To express. To be seen. To rest. To heal—out loud and in community.

Because liberation doesn’t only live in protest.

Sometimes, it lives at the table.

📍 EVENT DETAILS

Location: Gatherings – 5855 Maple Ave, Dallas, TX 75235

Date: Saturday, June 20, 2026

Time: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM CST

Check-In & Seating: Begins at 12:00 PM

Film Screening Begins: 1:00 PM

🎟️ LIMITED SEATING – RESERVE YOUR EXPERIENCE TODAY

🔥 WHAT TO EXPECT

🍽️ Curated Brunch Experience

A curated southern inspired brunch buffet by Savory Catering, rooted in flavor, culture, and connection.

Includes:

• Full brunch buffet (plant-based options available)
• Complimentary soda, water, and tea
• Full-service cash bar available

This is more than a meal—it’s a moment to gather, to nourish, and to be held in community.

🎬 Featured Film Screening

“And We Rest On Giants”

A powerful documentary grounded in real-life stories, honoring long-term HIV survivors and the communities that carry them forward.

A love story to those living with HIV—and a reflection of resilience, survival, and self-worth.

Through themes of resilience, stigma, healing, and legacy, the film reminds us:

We are never alone—we are standing on the shoulders of those who came before us.

This screening is presented in collaboration with The T.R.U.T.H. Project, whose work continues to center truth, storytelling, and the lived experiences of communities most impacted.

💬 Post-Screening Conversation

Featuring Director Kevin D. Anderson — Founder & CEO of The T.R.U.T.H. Project — alongside community voices and advocates continuing the work of storytelling, healing, and impact.

🎨 Immersive Paint Experience

Our signature experience—reimagined.

• 🖌️ Guided, reflective painting session
• 🧍🏾‍♂️ Rotating LIVE Model Canvas — moving throughout the room as living, breathing works of art
• 💬 “Ink Your Impact” — paint a word, symbol, or message that reflects your truth

Each table becomes its own space of expression—where art meets intention, and creativity becomes conversation.

🎤 Spoken Word & Community Voices

Featuring a special return from Guru, Spoken Word Artist from previous Paint & Shade The Stigma experiences, alongside a collective of voices offering live reflections on liberation, healing, and lived experience—emerging organically throughout the space as moments of pause, presence, and truth, rather than confined to a single stage.

🗣️ Featured Community Voices

Dr. Kesha O’Reilly

Global Medical Affairs Leader, HIV Prevention & Treatment, Gilead Sciences | Trustee, Dallas College Board (District 7)

A pharmacist and public health leader advancing global HIV prevention and treatment at Gilead Sciences, while serving as a trustee for Dallas College. Her work centers on expanding access, strengthening communities, and connecting health, education, and opportunity.

TeQuan Penny

Co-Chair, Positive Women’s Network – USA (PWN DFW Chapter)

A community leader advancing the power and visibility of people living with HIV, with a focus on gender justice, policy change, and leadership development.

Marsha Jones

Executive Strategic Advisor, Women’s Health & Evoluntary Wellness (W.H.E.W.)

A nationally recognized reproductive justice leader bringing decades of work at the intersection of health, healing, and Black liberation.

🎟️ TICKETS

🎫 General Admission

Includes:

✔️ Full curated brunch buffet

✔️ Film screening + post-discussion

✔️ Immersive paint experience

✔️ Live programming + community activations

Tickets begin at $30 and increase to $50 as capacity fills.

Early rates end May 17, 2026

🪑 Reserved Table Experience (8 Guests)

Designed for groups seeking a more intimate, elevated experience.

Each table is intentionally spaced for comfort and connection—offering your party a dedicated space to dine, reflect, and engage together.

Includes:

✔️ Seating for 8 guests (enhanced spacing)

✔️ Premium table placement

✔️ Shared immersive experience

Table experiences begin at $480 and increase as availability becomes limited.

🌍Community Impact

A portion of all ticket proceeds will be redistributed to community partner organizations advancing HIV awareness, advocacy, and healing across our communities.

✨ Community & Experience Highlights

🧪 On-site confidential HIV testing & wellness resources

🤝 Community collective featuring local organizations & creators

🎶 Curated sounds by DJ creating a soulful, intentional atmosphere

📸 Beautiful, share-worthy moments from arrival to closing

🕊️ Our Story Continues

We’ve painted visibility.

We’ve honored remembrance.

Now—we gather in liberation.

In the spirit of Juneteenth, this experience is an offering:

To honor those who fought for freedom.

To uplift those living and thriving with HIV.

To remind ourselves that healing is communal—and joy is a form of resistance.

Because this isn’t just brunch.

It’s a living table of truth, legacy, and love.

🖌️ We’re not just painting—we’re expressing what freedom feels like.

🍽️ We’re not just eating—we’re nourishing community.

🎬 We’re not just watching—we’re witnessing stories that shape us.

💥 We’re not just showing up—we’re Shading The Stigma.

📲 Seats are limited. Reserve your place at the table today.

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