As a creative who is also an activist it can sometimes feel as if what you produce isn't making as much of an impact as you would hope. Today's episode will reaffirm to anyone who's ever thought that way that your work does in fact have the potential to make a lasting impact. In today's episode you'll hear from Atlanta-based sculptor and visual artist, Abigail Cook. Abby's work has exhibited in many gallery spaces and she has also been published by Columbia University, Tufts University, UC Denver, Quarter Press, and Underground Journal. As the current artist and residence for the Civil Rights ..read more

I’d say the best kind of food is the kind that changes you. At Down North Pizza they are hard at work changing perceptions and the narrative about people impacted by the carceral system while broadening the scope of what it looks like to make an impact in the approaches to addressing this systemic issue. Today I bring you the season 5 opener with a conversation between myself and the founder and owner of Down North Pizza, Muhammad Abdul-Hadi. Learn about the strides this Philly pizzeria has made in combating recidivism, providing opportunities for community restoration and building an even gr ..read more

Two years ago, afraid that the podcast I started two years prior was beyond reviving and would never bear fruit is now the show I’m excited to announce has its own radio special! This Resurrection Sunday witness the work that God continues to do with this platform. Check out the Season 3 finale in a way you’ve never heard it before and be on the lookout for a future announcement of Graves to Gardens Podcast’s monthly special with WPPM 106.5FM. As we celebrate this momentous occasion I ask that we keep Keith LaMar and his tribe lifted up in prayer. To learn more about how you can join the cam ..read more

In today's conversation I’m joined by artist, curator and researcher Sofia Thieu D’Amico. In this in-depth discussion, Sofia takes us through the intersections of art, landscapes and incarceration, informing us on how convict labor has historically been forcibly used for the cultural development of Upstate New York. We begin our conversation with a focus on her thesis research titled, Up River Studies: Carcerality and the American Sublime, the study that peaked her interest to want to explore the further dimensions of carceral labor. The conversation then transitions into the other major discu ..read more

For the second episode of the season I'm bringing you guys another exhibition story. This time we're in Philly visiting Mural Arts Philadelphia's exceptional exhibition, End the Exception: Abolish Slavery in Prisons. While the exhibition just ended you can still visit their website to engage with the work they shared over the last two weeks. This exhibition focuses primarily on prison labor and drawing the connection to legalized slave labor protected by the exception clause stated in the 13th Amendment. To find out more about #EndTheException you can check out the movement's website here. Be ..read more

In today's episode I will be looking primarily at one single case study, Basquiat's Defacement - The Untold Story, brought to the Guggenheim Museum in 2019 by curator, author and activist Chaedria LaBouvier. The purpose of this episode is to examine the ways that black artists engage with issues of injustice (specifically as it relates to racist police violence) be voice their opposition of it. You can find Chaedria on Instagram. You can also read up on the exhibition as well as the racism she spoke of while working with the Guggenheim in an article published by Essence. From today's episode ..read more

For today's episode I'm joined by the producer and host of the Brazilian POV podcast. We discuss her podcast in length as well as her background in law. As someone who has studied law in Brazil, Ana has a lot to share with regards to the system of policing in Brazil and their current political climate. You may notice some of what she shares eerily resembles that of the U.S. The good news is, sometimes similarities brings greater solidarity.  Ana recommended two episodes for you guys to check out. They are: the hypersexualization of Brazilian women and a deeper dive into Brazilian politic ..read more

Welcome to our Juneteenth Special! This episode features a panel discussion that was held at Parson School of Design and put on by the Joseph and Gail Gromek Institute for Fashion Business. The Director of the Gromek Institute, Abrima Erwiah, hosted the first of many panel discussions. In today's discussion you'll hear from Olivier Rousteing - Creative Director of Balmain, Victor Glemaud - Founder of IN THE BLK, Brandice Daniel - Founder of Harlem Fashion Row, and Tara Donaldson - Executive Editor at WWD.  I was invited by Abrima to attend this event and at the end to join the panelists o ..read more

Today, I am joined by fashion and social media expert Chrissy Rutherford. After a little over 8 years working at Harper's Bazaar, Chrissy has now shifted into the next phase of her career as a digital content creator for brands like Tiffany & Co., Jimmy Choo, Saks Fifth Avenue, and more. She also manages her newsletter FWD Joy as well as co-leads an anti-racist consulting firm called 2 Black Girls Consulting for fashion brands and influencers that she started with co-founder Danielle Prescod.   In today's conversation we took it back to a foundational issue. We discuss racism wit ..read more

For today's episode I am joined by poet, author and prison abolition activist Ann Bracken to discuss her latest collection of poetry from her book,  Once You're Inside: Poems Exploring Incarceration. You can purchase Ann's books here. She is also connected with an amazing organization called the Justice Arts Coalition which facilitates artistic connections with activists/anyone interested and those on the inside. You can find out more about their organization here.  Also, be sure to follow Graves to Gardens Podcast on Instagram and subscribe to our website to stay connected ..read more