Panel Discussion: Alfred Lacks Carter Jr. with invited voices
May 9 | 2:00 – 3:30 PM
Free Admission
Location TBD
Join Making Space Bmore for a panel discussion with Alfred Lacks Carter Jr., grandson of Henrietta Lacks, alongside invited community voices. This conversation is presented as part of the Pharmaco/Liberation exhibition series curated by Juan T. Garcia.
Pharmaco/Liberation is a group exhibition examining healthcare through clinical materials like pills, implants, and diagnostic imaging. The show treats the body as a site of access, authority, and resistance. Henrietta Lacks' story lies at the heart of these questions: Who controls the body? Who profits from it? And what does justice look like when medicine fails to ask for consent?
About Alfred Lacks Carter Jr.
Alfred Lacks Carter Jr. is the grandson of Henrietta Lacks and the son of Henrietta's second daughter, Deborah Lacks. He is the Founder and President of the Henrietta Lacks House of Healing, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to providing transitional housing for men to combat homelessness and recidivism and support re-entry into the community after release. He also serves as Senior Advisor to HELA100: The Henrietta Lacks Initiative and is honored to serve as a World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador for Cervical Cancer Elimination.
Alfred is highly active in his community, helping men transition back to their lives and families post-incarceration. He has presented in communities, organizations, and schools across the country, educating the world on the Lacks family story, his mother's journey, and his grandmother's legacy. His efforts include numerous social justice and health equity initiatives. Alfred also acted in and served as an advisor on the 2017 Emmy-nominated HBO film The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, in which Oprah Winfrey played his mother, Deborah Lacks. He is the author of the memoir Shadows of Immortality: Untold Struggles of Henrietta Lacks' Grandson.
About Henrietta Lacks
Henrietta Lacks was a vibrant wife, mother, and community leader who moved from Virginia to Baltimore's Turner Station. In 1951, at age 31, she died of cervical cancer at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Without her knowledge or consent, researchers took samples of her tumor and discovered the first immortal human cell line, named "HeLa." These cells doubled every 24 hours and could be reproduced indefinitely in laboratories. They have since been distributed worldwide, generating over 50,000 metric tons of HeLa cells and contributing to more than 75,000 studies, including the polio vaccine, HPV and HIV research, cancer treatments, and even space exploration. The Lacks family did not learn of this until 1975, twenty years after Henrietta's death, and has never received any of the revenues generated by her cells.
Henrietta Lacks' legacy is fundamental to modern bioethics policies and informed consent laws. In this panel, Alfred Lacks Carter Jr. will share his family's story and discuss medical ethics, patient rights, and the ongoing fight for healthcare justice.
ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING
Thursday, May 14 | 5:00 – 7:30 PM Bromo Artwalk Harm Reduction Training, hosted by Baltimore Harm Reduction Collition, Patien(t/ce), Performance by Jess Keyes
Friday, May 29 | 5:00 – 8:00 PM Closing Reception, Catalogue Available
We cannot wait to gather with you.
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CONTACT
For inquiries, please contact Juan T. Garcia: pharmacoliberation@gmail.com
EVENT ACCESSIBILITY:
MSB is on the ground level, and the space is accessible by a ramp.
Bathrooms are wheelchair accessible and gender neutral
Masks encouraged
Making Space Bmore is possible with your support. Please consider making a donation of any amount here.
