On February 24th, Reel Causes, in partnership with Hogan’s Alley Society, returns with A Night of Obsidian, a Black History Month gathering grounded in story, resistance, and collective freedom. This evening invites us to come together in community through film and conversation, creating space to reflect on the stories that remind us of who we are and what we are capable of together. 

We are honoured to welcome back Elmer Dixon, who joined us for our 2024 Black History Month event, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. His presence and wisdom left a lasting impact, and we are grateful to have him return for this year’s gathering, alongside legendary film editor Lillian E. Benson,  to continue the conversation. 

Elmer Dixon is a lifelong activist whose commitment to social change spans more than six decades, starting since the Black Power Movement of the 1960s. He was born in Chicago and at age 7 moved to Seattle, where his father relocated the family in search of a more promising life. Elmer grew up in the turbulent times of the civil rights movement, living with his family in Seattle’s Central District, in Madrona, a melting pot neighbourhood. It was there that he learned to respect people from all races and ethnic backgrounds, and was taught by his parents to judge a person by their character, not by the colour of their skin, a philosophy emphasized by Dr. Martin Luther King. In 1965, he and family marched with Dr. King in a demonstration for the rights of low-income and oppressed communities. 

In 1968, he met Bobby Seale, Co-Founder of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense, which led him to co-found the Seattle Chapter of the Black Panther Party, serving as the Chapter’s Deputy Field Marshall. Under his leadership, the chapter organized police alert patrols which were intended to monitor and halt police abuse, children’s free breakfast program, free medical clinics, and the free food programs. The chapter also played a role in raising awareness around sickle cell anemia, a blood disease primarily affecting the Black community. 

Elmer’s dedication to community care extended beyond the Party. He continued to work in disenfranchised communities to bring them better services, working as the Director of a Girls and Boys club in Tacoma’s Hilltop.

Following that experience, he began working with Walt Hundley at the Seattle Parks Department, initially as training manager and EEO Officer, responsible for ensuring the rights of women and minorities. He was then appointed to the Mayor’s Cabinet, serving as Director of the Citizens Service Bureau.

This work, along with his earlier experiences, in the Party laid the foundation for him to eventually do work in the field of diversity and inclusion. 

For more than 35 years, Elmer Dixon continued to work in the field of human rights, multiculturalism, and inclusion, and now serves as the President of Executive Diversity Services. His life’s work reflects a legacy of resistance, care, and community. 

If you would like to learn more about Elmer, be sure to listen to his podcast interview, ‘Histories of Community Care with Elmer Dixon’, with Curator Natasha Tony on her podcast, Narrative Shift. 

At A Night of Obsidian, Elmer’s return reminds us that the struggle for justice is sustained through memory, action, and continued dialogue across generations. We hope you will join us on February 24th at 7:00PM at The Rio Theatre for an evening of film, conversation, and community. 

Tickets: https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/40164-reel-causes-presents-a-night-of-obsidian