stephanie onwenu

Healing Spaces

In Central Park's current design, I would create and design designated healing spaces that would memorialize those families that were pushed out of Seneca Village. There is a great amount of healing needed from the continued systematic racism and destruction of Black families, Black history, Black wealth, and Black health here in America. These healing spaces would honor those families and their descendants by providing an accessible space in the neighborhood, where they can heal, meditate, be free, educate oneself and to honor those who came before us.

Escape Routes by Stephanie Onwenu 

“Stay in your lane, they say!

This land is ours!

As we create spaces and places upon Mother Earth...

These spaces...

Gathering spaces,

Made for OUR folx to live and breathe,

Spaces to be,

Spaces for you and me,

Deep down you can see...

The TRUE meaning,

Layered upon the bones and bodies of our ancestors,

Today, we know it as “lAnD oF tHe fReE”,

Woven into history,

And taught to the youth,

If you read between the lines,

You’ll find,

The TRUE meaning,

Embedded into the landscape,

Hidden in plain sight,

The escape routes crafted along her body,

Sewn like a fabric..”

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