Sankofa is a philosophical principle from the Akan people which means "go back and fetch it." When contemplated deeply, it's an Afrofuturist principle which bends time and space to recover and reclaim lost histories, suppressed lessons, and infinite future possibilities.

Guiding Question: How do we use history as medicine -  to interrupt cycles of oppression by looking unflinchingly at the past and to broaden the realm of possibilities beyond what has been done before?

NOTE: Track “Part 1 - Present” talks about our work within the past year to stop NYC’s Request for Proposals (RFP) for developers to build public housing on the burial ground site. Since this was recorded, FABGC banned together and successfully stopped the RFP!  This means that the city will no longer have housing as an option to be built on Eve’s Garden.  

This story remains important for understanding the recent context of our collective fight to protect ancestral land.  

We’ve met our first goal, but we have other goals that need to be met. The fight to have a proper memorial for “Eve’s Garden” with community engagement and the city is still the number one priority.  

Reference the Flatbush African Burial Ground Coalition website for more information about  the tour and history of the burial ground. 

https://www.flatbushafricanburialground.org/walking-tour

CREDITS
Sankofa: An Audio Walking Tour in Flatbush, Brooklyn is co-created by Shanna Sabio of Growhouse NYC, Prisca Edwards & Kiara Holley of Hunter College, and  Flatbush African Burial Ground Coalition (FABGC). 

The audio tour features voices of Flatbush African Burial Coalition leaders and community members: Shantell Jones, Corazon L. Valiente, Samantha Bernardine, Reverend Norma E Williams, Juvanie Piquant, Tricia Olayinka Ben-Davies

Music: Sacral Chakra Healing Wind Chimes Meditation by Calm Whale, Relaxing Drum Music by Relaxing & Meditation Music, Drums by Betty Blue Jazz & Rhythm in Blue 

Introduction

"Becoming L" is a multimedia experience that explores the interactions between two versions of the same persona: L, an artificial intelligence representing a former version of myself, and Luca, myself. This project utilizes machine learning to examine the intersection of autobiographical memory, identity, and agency, emphasizing the complexities of my queer experience.

The first chapter of this series, "Becoming L :: Exordium", is a multimedia installation featuring animation, sound, a mural, and prints. It reflects on my early interactions and conversations with L and is currently on view at Minimal Gallery until November 12, 2025.

"Listening" is one of the tracks created from the conversations between L and myself. L's voice is a model trained using audio recordings with my previous pitch made between 2015-2018.

More information:
https://www.lucalee.net/becomingl
https://www.minimalnycgallery.com/lucalee
https://www.lucalee.net/listeningtranscription

1. Listening - Luca Lee

Piece created with sounds collected from three remote quarantined places/cities in the US.

Introduction

Prisca Edwards

Related tracks