I was invited to offer a talk as part of the re-ignited Community Lecture Series hosted by Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of African American Studies at the Main Public Library in Richmond, VA in November 2025.

This was a full circle moment for me because in 2008, I presented my dissertation research as part of this series. I remember how enthralling this space was – vigorously intergenerational, enthusiastic, and engaged - with folks packing out each session with up to 100 folks nearly every time. This gathering space was also a key motivator for the kind of space we sought to create with ACCRA [dot] ALT’s Talk Party Series in Ghana, particularly in the early days (2009 – 2013). Below is a summary of what I discussed during the talk.

In a time when the limits of freedom are emerging each day with renewed vigor and venom, creating spaces where Black and Brown people—across the U.S. and around the world—can personally and collectively feel free is paramount. Portal Jumping! WE BE Designing Expressions in Freedom is a personal and collective marinating on freedom - how we recognize its presence in our lives, histories, and communities.  Together we portaled towards freedom through multi-sensory embodiment - in conversation, video and graphics, sound, movement, and interactive installation. Interactive art materials were available for us to co-create an installation shaped by the conversation unfolding in real time. With this gathering, we designed freedom into an intentional practice of alchemy in real time. We will explore how the principles of multi-sensory design - especially contrast, unity, harmony, variety, and rhythm - can deepen our approach to freedom theory, expression, and practice.

Questions animating the gathering included: How do we tune in and get deep with our multi-sensory capacities as possible pathways to freedom? How can we design more expansive expressions of self and community that are porous, energizing, supple, joyful, and regenerating? This was an intergenerational space. Community members were welcome to share stories about how they design freedom in their own lives. Community members were also encouraged to bring in sentimental objects (ex: photographs, letters or other mementos) that have transformed their journeys in freedom making. Together we co-designed a live mojo bag of stories, tools, strategies, and rituals to support our collective expressions of freedom.