Inside Overtown’s 'Everyday People,' the Soul Basel exhibit celebrating Black art and community – The Miami Times

A few clouds. Low 59F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph..
A few clouds. Low 59F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.
Updated: December 10, 2025 @ 6:04 pm
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The beauty, resilience and complexity of the African American experience illuminate the walls of the Everyday People exhibit in the heart of Overtown. Featuring over 80 art pieces across three locations — including the City of Miami Black Police Precinct Courthouse and Museum, the Overtown P…
Art by Kevin Williams welcomes Roland Woods Jr. and Larry Saddler to take a deeper look.
Art by Kevin West adds soul, colorful hues, and warmth to the Everyday People exhibit.
Arts and culture activist and artist Dinizulu Gene Tinnie attends the Everyday People exhibit in Overtown with his spouse, Dr. Wallis Hamm Tinnie.
Artworks by Floyd Strickland depict detailed faces of determination on museum walls.
Art by Chris Clark embraces color pops, textured hair, and the African American youth experience.
Art pieces by Tyreek Morrison showcase moments that make up the young African American experience.
Artist Kip Omolade brings striking hyper-realistic oil paintings to the walls of Soul Basel.
Art pieces by Eddy Ochieng (left) and Tim Okamura (right) illustrate shades of blue and the female African American experience.
The Everyday People exhibit in Overtown welcomes attendees into the shared experiences of African and Black Americans.

Art by Kevin Williams welcomes Roland Woods Jr. and Larry Saddler to take a deeper look.
The beauty, resilience and complexity of the African American experience illuminate the walls of the Everyday People exhibit in the heart of Overtown. Featuring over 80 art pieces across three locations — including the City of Miami Black Police Precinct Courthouse and Museum, the Overtown Performing Arts Center, and The OVRTWN Corner — the exhibition added depth to Overtown’s annual Soul Basel celebration. 
Under the guidance of Black Police Precinct Museum Executive Director Terrance Cribbs-Lorrant and Dayton, Ohio, NAACP curator Elijah Rashaed, the Everyday People exhibit showcases works by Black artists from across the globe and will be on view through March 2026.
Honoring Miami’s artistic lineage, Cribbs-Lorrant also incorporated select historic works from the pioneering 1970s collective, the Miami Black Art Workshop. The group — whose members include Roland Woods Jr., Robert McKnight, Donald McKnight, Gene Tinnie (Dinizulu), Kabuya Bowens-Saffo, Walter Dennis and more — ignited South Florida’s Black visual arts movement through community-driven mentorship and education.
Art by Kevin West adds soul, colorful hues, and warmth to the Everyday People exhibit.
While the exhibition has captured the hearts of many in South Florida, its story began in Michigan. The nationally acclaimed Everyday People exhibit debuted at the Carr Center in Detroit as a two-part exhibition, led by the center’s president and CEO, Oliver Ragsdale. 
Arts and culture activist and artist Dinizulu Gene Tinnie attends the Everyday People exhibit in Overtown with his spouse, Dr. Wallis Hamm Tinnie.
Part one of the exhibition ran from Jan. 31 to April 11, 2025, followed by part two from April 25 to June 19, 2025. The Detroit exhibition featured over 85 artworks by more than 40 artists, curated by Rashaed and Dalia Reyes. 
Earlier this year, Cribbs-Lorrant visited part one of the exhibit. He said he felt instantly called to bring that artistry to Overtown, itself home to generations of Black artists and families. 
“I got a chance to see the exhibit in Detroit, and before I left, I immediately said I would like to bring this to Miami,” said Cribbs-Lorrant. “I saw so many elements of our community, our culture, and the current climate that we’re in.” 
Artworks by Floyd Strickland depict detailed faces of determination on museum walls.
It took nearly a year of Cribbs-Lorrant’s efforts alongside the NAACP to make that mission come true. After months of organizing, planning and envisioning, “I Am Everyday People” arrived in Miami. 
“I wanted to incorporate the ‘I Am’ because I want people to see ‘I Am Everyday People,’ no matter what culture or what continent you come from, I needed you to get that,” said Cribbs-Lorrant. 
Art pieces by Tyreek Morrison showcase moments that make up the young African American experience.
Even the finest details of the Everyday People exhibit, from its three carefully chosen locations to the colors on its walls, are intentional, according to Cribbs-Lorrant. 
“I like to feed on the elements of people’s senses, bringing in all of these ways that people can connect to the show,” he said. 
Art pieces by Eddy Ochieng (left) and Tim Okamura (right) illustrate shades of blue and the female African American experience.
Aside from the Historic Black Police Precinct Courthouse and Museum, Cribbs-Lorrant chose to showcase art pieces at the Overtown Performing Arts Center and The OVRTWN Corner, both bringing relatability to the African American experience. One space once served as a church, the other as a familiar corner store, both deeply rooted in the rhythms of African American community life and upbringing. Cribbs-Lorrant also incorporated sensory elements across the venues, using televisions, curated music, distinct scents and varied lighting to shape the environment. Even the choice of brown paint was a deliberate break from the typical white or black museum backdrop.
“I made a very strong effort to present the color palette that represents the many different hues of humanity,” said Cribbs-Lorrant. 
The Everyday People exhibit in Overtown welcomes attendees into the shared experiences of African and Black Americans.
The placement of the artworks carried its own symbolism. In the Historic Police Precinct venue, Cribbs-Lorrant placed an artwork by Amba-Enighe Okoye titled “Great Expectations” on the highest wall in the courthouse. This was meant to place her in a space of power, ensuring that museum visitors will look up to her. 
While every element of the exhibit is carefully curated with purpose, Cribbs-Lorrant ultimately leaves room for visitors to discover their own meaning within each piece.
Retired Miami-Dade Police Sgt. Willie Smith, for instance, found himself caught in a memory while walking through the exhibit. Aaron Hazel’s “Newspaper Table Cloth” showcases multiple children gathered together on the floor of a dining room.
“This reminds me of when my grandparents lived in Overtown, when they went fishing on the trail, and they caught all the fish,” said Smith. “Me and my cousin would put papers down so we could clean the fish for them to cook up.” 
Artist Kip Omolade brings striking hyper-realistic oil paintings to the walls of Soul Basel.
As the Everyday People exhibit made its Miami debut, it became a highlight of Overtown’s annual Soul Basel, a weeklong celebration of art and culture taking place during Miami’s Art Week, which welcomes artists, celebrities and art lovers to view countless exhibitions, performances and immersive experiences. Now in its 13th year, Soul Basel continues to transform the neighborhood into a celebration of emerging and established Black artists. 
The annual event is presented in partnership with the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency and local nonprofits and cultural institutions. This year, Soul Basel welcomed a diverse lineup of exhibitions, including showcases at the Center for Black Innovation, The Historic Ward Rooming House, The Urban, Brightline MiamiCentral, and The Overtown Youth Center, among others.
“My intent is to make art and to be the partner that Soul Basel wants to have come into this community and show art. I want to be that partner that helps to elevate and guide the story that celebrates the Black diaspora,” said Cribbs-Lorrant.
Art by Chris Clark embraces color pops, textured hair, and the African American youth experience.
For local artist Chris Clark, whose pieces are featured in multiple locations of the Everyday People exhibit, having his art showcased has been both a major achievement and personal highlight.
“It’s good to be amongst such incredible artists, such great Black artists, and a lot of great world-renowned artists like Ernie Barnes,” said Clark. “It’s an amazing show, I’m just glad to be a part of it.” 
The exhibition will remain open until March of 2026, allowing it to extend well beyond the hustle and bustle of Miami Art Week. In the coming weeks, the Historic Police Precinct hopes to officially launch the Everyday People exhibition’s third location at The OVRTWN Corner, just walking distance from the others.
“I want us to feel like we belong here,” Cribbs-Lorrant said. “We should be able to have quality exhibited artwork and shows that are in our community.”
Periodicals Postage paid at Buena Vista Station, Miami, FL 33127-0200 United States Postal Service Postal Registration Number: 344340 as required for public notices per section 50.011(1)(e), F.S.
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Gilliam Nii Lighter

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