Won’t you celebrate with me?
On October 26, 2023, we explored how “hope” is a project of communal labor, drawing from Hope is a discipline. This idea of hope, articulated by abolitionist organizer Mariame Kaba, encouraged us to think critically about how words like “hope” and “discipline” are used by those in power. Following Lucille Clifton’s poem won’t you celebrate with me—an ode to survival—we invited participants to reflect on “hope” with us in a live-recorded, marathon show-and-tell.
During the session, curators from De Appel Curatorial Programme, along with Raziyah Heath and Thierno Deme (Metro54 programmers), and artists Mohale Motlali and Senakirfa A., came together to share their offerings on what hope meant to them. Visitors to the event were encouraged not only to listen but also to participate by bringing a recorded offering—a song, poem, or text—that reanimated the meaning of hope in their lives. Together, we wove sounds and stories into a collective listening and sharing relay.
💥Date: October 26, 2023💥
💥Time: 7pm💥
💥Location: Westerdoksdijk 597, Amsterdam💥