Lauderhill, FL – The 2025 Juneteenth Concert Experience proudly welcomes acclaimed visual artist Dionne Polite as part of its expanded creative showcase, Imagination Unchained: A Celebration of Juneteenth Through Art, Culture, and Black Brilliance. Taking place on Friday, June 20th at 8 PM at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center, this year’s program offers more than just music—it presents a powerful visual tribute to Black resilience, memory, and joy.
Polite, a proud Guyanese-American painter, brings an intimate, culturally rich perspective to the exhibit. Her work, rooted in Caribbean heritage and personal experience, explores themes of identity, ancestral pride, and collective memory. Her creative journey deepened in 2019 following her father’s dementia diagnosis, sparking a series of sketches that evolved into what she now calls CCC: Culture and Creativity on Canvas.
“My work doesn’t center on trauma,” says Polite. “I want to celebrate our nobility and resilience. Across the African diaspora, we’ve flourished no matter where we’ve landed.”
Polite’s paintings are bold, emotional, and joyful, from regal African iconography to vibrant depictions of Afro-Caribbean life. Her signature use of vivid reds, purples, yellows, and blues captures the warmth of her upbringing and the strength of her community.
“I see my world through a kaleidoscope,” she reflects. “I hope my art helps others feel seen, celebrated, and inspired.”
To Polite, Juneteenth is more than a holiday—it’s a sacred space for remembrance and empowerment.
“It’s a time for remembering who we are and where we’ve come from,” she says. “That’s the story I tell with every brushstroke.”
Her participation in Imagination Unchained brings a rich visual dimension to the concert experience, allowing audiences to hear the rhythms of liberation and see them brought to life in vibrant color.
Tickets: Available now at Showpass
Location: Lauderhill Performing Arts Center, 3800 NW 11th Pl, Lauderhill, FL 33311
Presented by: Next Weekend Productions, Inc.
Imagination Unchained—where creativity becomes a form of liberation.
About Dionne Polite
Art is an intricate part of my being…whether it’s creating a look with my outfit, or through an illustration on the canvas…I believe that my passion is fed by my experiences. I’m a proud Guyanese who immigrated to the U.S in the early 70’s. My family is diverse, eclectic, and unapologetic about our sense of style and love of our interesting culture.
In 2019. My father, who had enjoyed a great career as an Engineer, received an “official” diagnosis of dementia. We’d seen evidence of his diminishing mental health a few years prior, but, in 2019, the decline was quick and steady. My mother, a Clinical Social Worker, and a dedicated community service volunteer took on the role of Caregiver.
In an effort to “trigger” my father’s brain back to real memories, I began to sketch places and things that he and I had experienced together. That action became a passion and I discovered a path to connecting to my unfolding passion for my “CCC” – depicting my Culture and Creativity on Canvas.
I am energized and determined to explore, create and color the kaleidoscope of my life through my art. I hope you enjoy, and that I inspire you to feed your own fire….it’s there, just center yourself and feel it!
