Guest Opinion | Dennis Robinson: Lending Voice to Legacy

These were the words spoken by my grandfather, Matthew “Mack” Robinson upon returning home from the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. Many white Olympians who returned to their hometowns (some as decorated athletes and some not) were greeted with parades. My grandfather, who was one of 19 Black American athletes to represent the U.S., returned to Pasadena with a silver medal in hand, and was simply greeted with a broom to sweep the city’s streets — the same streets where his celebratory parade should have taken place.

The city has since taken steps to assure the Robinson legacy was anything but ignored: from the 10-foot monuments in Centennial Square, to renaming a post office after Grandpa, to the Jackie Robinson Rose Bowl statue, to the latest initiative: the Community-Engaged Public Arts Project that will be displayed at the Robinson Park Rec Center. The intent of the project is to “enrich community life, engage a wide spectrum of Northwest Pasadena’s residents, and enhance the visual character of the neighborhood.” I was invited to be a part of the Arts and Culture subcommittee that would oversee the project, as well as play a role in the artist selection process. I immediately jumped at the opportunity and was filled with an immense amount of pride and responsibility.

But before we go any further, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Dennis Robinson, and I am a grandson of Mack Robinson, and a great-nephew of Jackie Robinson. I was born in Pasadena and I grew up in District 3 near Washington Blvd. and Lincoln Ave. I am a product of the PUSD education system and attended Cleveland Elementary, Washington Middle (now named the Octavia E. Butler Magnet), and John Muir High School. I spent my undergrad in Northern California and attended UC Davis earning a degree in Visual Communication and Graphic Design. Currently, I work in marketing for a behavioral mental health and substance use prevention non-profit. 

But like my grandfather, I have an enormous love for the city of Pasadena and desire to serve the community. So much so that I co-founded and currently run the local city-based brand, PASADENA CLSC. (pronounced “classic”). Our sole mission is to celebrate and uplift the city’s rich history, culture, and diversity through apparel, which also includes a few designs that honor my family’s legacy. With the same intentionality that Grandpa used with his voice to speak for marginalized communities who have historically been mistreated, overlooked, spoken for, or disregarded by the city, I wanted to follow his example and lend my creative voice to it. 

By agreeing to participate on the Public Arts Project committee, I recognize the opportunity would allow me to speak from a unique intersectionality: as a member from the Northwest community; as a creative designer; but most importantly, as a Robinson. It was necessary that I take up space and ownership in this initiative centered around my family’s patriarchs and the impact that they had on the community.

I attended my first subcommittee meeting in July 2021, which focused on introducing the Public Arts Project and presenting its mission and vision. I remember an emphasis being placed on community engagement during that call; I remember feeling welcomed; I remember being reassured that my voice would be valued in this process – after all, I am a Robinson. I left the call with a sense of confidence both in my role, and the success of the project as a whole.

The next email that I received from the Public Arts Project subcommittee was nearly six months later in late February of this year. It included a polished “call-for-artists” flyer, and an invitation to attend a committee meeting set for early March. I attended that meeting, which was spent collectively reviewing the flyer, overview of the selection process, and next steps. A month later on April 12, I received an email that the window for artist submissions had closed and that “staff has begun reviewing the submitted applications and prepared the next steps in the artist selection process.” At that point I was told specifically that I would be a part of the artist selection panel which “will include a series of group meetings to identify an artist/artist team for the commission.” It was also stated in that email that we would receive instructions later that week on next steps. That email never came. 

The next email that I received from the subcommittee was on July 18 (ironically my Grandfather’s birthday), which stated, “The Arts & Culture Commission will hold a Special Meeting this week to review and approve the Selection Panel’s Artist Recommendation for the project.” Confused, I went back through my email inbox, spam, and trash folders to see if I had missed any previous emails containing information with possible artist candidates or scheduled meetings. There were none. 

Then, on July 26, I received an email stating that the next meeting (which was rescheduled) would be held on July 28, and that the main agenda item was, “Review and Approval Of The Recommended Artist For The Robinson Park Recreation Center Capital Public Art Project”. The morning of the 28th, the meeting was canceled “due to lack of quorum.”

Cut to this past Thursday, September 8. The Arts and Commission held a Special Meeting that was slated to provide general subcommittee updates. Myself and a few other community members went to join the call at the scheduled time, but had trouble gaining access for roughly 10 minutes (this also happened to be the time on the agenda assigned for public comments). Once we were let into the meeting, we were told that there was a “technical glitch” and that the public comments agenda item could be moved to the end of the call. When that time came, community members began to raise questions around the Robinson Center Public Art Project as well as the artist being considered. Commission Chair Blair Hansen replied that because the matter in question was not on the agenda, it could not be addressed at that time. Another community member asked if and when another meeting would be scheduled with that agenda item. Commission Chair Hansen simply shrugged and replied she didn’t know, and that all meetings will be posted for public access when available. Soon after, the meeting was adjourned, and I can say without a doubt that the community members on the call left feeling unheard.

The current status of the Public Arts Project for the Robinson Rec Center concerns me, deeply. The fact that there is an artist being strongly considered by the subcommittee without any involvement or input from the community and Robinson family is wrong and harmful — we were ignored before given the chance to speak. And in doing so, the process is being robbed of an authentic opportunity to uphold the legacy of the Robinson brothers.

With that said, the artist selection process must start over. Community inclusion and equity, along with centering the Robinson voice must take priority. Meetings for this initiative must be widely promoted beyond a 24-hour notice, and must be made easily accessible to the community. The Robinson legacy is about including and amplifying the voices of communities of color, which must be honored in this process’ entirety.

As someone born into this legacy, I vow to make it my business and my responsibility to continue to uphold my family’s history in the best way possible for future generations. 

I refused to be ignored.

Dennis E. Robinson,  Grandson of Matthew “Mack” Robinson
Great-Nephew of Jackie Robinson