JEW OUGHTA KNOW PT. II WITH JESSICA REHFIELD

Sunday, May 17, from 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. | A.N. Bush Gallery

In celebration of Jewish-American Heritage Month!

Did you know some of your FAVORITE pop culture phenomena were created by Jewish-American artists and authors? Join artist and educator Jessica Rehfield for Part II of this series about Jewish-American culture innovators and influences in popular culture. Notable mentions include: Harry Houdini and Emanuel Bronner (Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap); Fran Drescher (The Nanny), LGBTQ+ politician Harvey Milk and activist Brenda Howard (The Mother of Pride); celebrity entertainers Paula Abdul and Harrison Ford; Groucho, Harpo and The Marx Bros.; and the story of how seltzer (bubble water) is Jewish, to name a few. Learn about these and other beloved cultural artifacts in this one-hour talk while celebrating Jewish-American heritage!

Bio:Jessica Rehfield is a visual artist and educator. They create programs to inform and educate audiences about Jewish and queer identities, including this series for Jewish-American Heritage Month. Born in Alaska, they hold a Bachelor’s degree in Studio Art from University of Alaska Southeast and an MFA in Craft from Oregon College of Art and Craft. They have been a Jewish Artist Fellow with Art/Lab in Portland, OR and a resident artist with The Arts Center in Corvallis, the Eastside Jewish Commons (PDX), and Salem Art Association. They curated and created the Queer Love and The Art of Drag exhibitions in 2024 at Salem Art Association, and produced TWO SPIRIT: Indigenous Drag Perspectives on Climate Change, an exhibition showcasing the work of Indigenous drag performers on climate change narratives in the same year the Trump administration restricted use of the the words “climate change” and “Indigenous.” Jessica works with schools, universities and non-profit arts organizations to connect people and create change. Visit jessicarehfield.com for their work. Fight for your communities’ rights and visibility wherever possible; it is always possible.

Instagram: @alenereh

Website: JessicaRehfield.com