About The Guest

Today we're honored to introduce our guest, Professor Lesley Lokko. A distinguished Ghanaian-Scottish architect, educator, and bestselling novelist, Dr. Lokko most recently served as the Curator of the 18th Venice Biennale of Architecture, becoming the first Black-identified person to hold the position. She’s also the founder and Director of the African Futures Institute (AFI) a pioneering postgraduate school of architecture in Accra, Ghana.

Dr. Lokko is also a best-selling novelist with 12 titles under her belt.  Her novels have been translated into sixteen languages dealing with themes of love, loyalty, class,  race, and cultural identity, transforming the “beach-read” genre into an extension of her architectural, world-building practice. For her contributions to the fields of Architecture and education, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2023 and 2024 won the Gold Medal Award, by the Royal Institute of British Architects, one of the highest honors in the world of architecture. 

And in many ways, that’s where today's conversation with Prof. Leslie Lokko begins. The reality of appearing to be at the top, juxtaposed against the sweat and elbow grease required in institution-building and well… being a human being. Prof. Lokko joyfully and deftly takes us on a journey of triumph, career pivots, culture shock, womanhood, and becoming. 

Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @blackimagination, subscribe to our newsletter for updates, and support the show by clicking this support link. and explore more content on blackimagination.com. Now, And now, the indefatigable Professor Lesley Lokko. 

Key Links

Darren Walker - president of the Ford Foundation

African Futures Institute - a new model for architectural education centered on three areas: teaching, research and public events.

La Biennale di Venezia - Venice Biennale - an international cultural exhibition hosted annually in Venice, Italy by the Biennale Foundation.

Officer of the Order of the British Empire ( OBE )- This is awarded for having a major local role in any activity, including people whose work has made them known nationally in their chosen area.

Mellon Foundation -Mellon makes grants to support communities through the power of the arts and humanities.

Key Readings

Biennale Architettura 2023: The Laboratory of the Future - Lesley Lokko

Saffron Skies - Lesley Lokko

The Black Experience in Design: Identity, Expression & Reflection - Jennifer Rittner (Editor)  Lesley-Ann Noel (Editor)  Kelly Walters (Editor)  Anne H Berry (Editor)  Kareem Collie (Editor)  Penina Acayo Laker (Editor)

What to listen to

One World - Guy Warren

Ghana -  Becca

Canopy - Kuami Eugene

Into The Future - Stonebwoy

No Competition - Okyeame Kwame

Previous IBI Episodes to check out

E61. Justin Garrett Moore: Imagining Black Space.

E90. Space Agency. with Brigette Romanek

E95. Designing In Place. with Nifemi Marcus-Bello

E60. Kevin Bethune: Dreams, Design and Life.

Who to follow

W: African Futures Institute

IG: Lesley Lokko (@lesleylokko)

X: Lesley Lokko (@LokkoLesley) / X

This conversation was recorded on March 26, 2024.

Host Dario Calmese 

Producer:  K.T. Thompson

Lead Designer:  Elliott McKnight

Director of Digital Content: Vicky Garcia

Production Asst:  Noa Lesche

Archivist & Research: Cyle Warner

Original Music composed by Adam Radice

Sound Engineer:  Adam Radice

Visit us at blackimagination.com

Welcome to the Institute of Black Imagination podcast, beaming in conversations from the galaxy of Black genius. I'm your host, Dario, and today, we have the pleasure of chatting with Nifemi Marcus-Bello, a visionary design director and founder of Nmbello Studio. Renowned for his community-centric and ethnographically-conscious design ethos, Nifemi’s practice exemplifies how obstacles are merely opportunities in disguise.

In this conversation, we explore the journey of a designer deeply rooted in his Nigerian upbringing. Nifemi shares how he overcame societal pressures that attempted to sway him from his creative path, how reimagining local materials and processes expanded his own design language, and we even get into blood memory and ancestral wisdom. Yeah, it’s one of those episodes. 

Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @blackimagination, subscribe to our newsletter for updates, and support the show by clicking this support link. and explore more content on blackimagination.com. Now, beaming in from across the Atlantic, design director and industrial designer,  Nifemi Marcus-Bello.

Key Links

nmbello Studio - is a design studio currently based in Lagos, Nigeria. Our design ethos is rooted in empathy.

Ethnographic Museum of Trocadero - first anthropological museum in Paris

Kwali - acts as a portable shop, weaving through Lagos traffic

Kerry James Marshall- American artist

Salone del Mobile Milano -The global benchmark event for the furnishing and design sector.

Anna Karnick - Design Miami Curator 2023

Tavares Strachan - a Bahamian-born conceptual artist

Tahir Carl Karmali - Artist

Samuel Ross - Fashion designer

What to Read

Dieter Rams: Ten Principles for Good Design - Cees W. de Jong (Editor)

Dieter Rams: The Complete Works - Klaus Klemp

What to listen to

Tested, Approved & Trusted - Burna Boy

Drogba (Joanna) -  Afro B

Kontrol - Maleek Berry

All Over - Tiwa Savage

Ginger - Burna Boy

Previous IBI Episodes to check out

E38. Toni L. Griffin: The Just City.

E48. Sara Zewde: Parks and Liberation.

E55. Sekou Cooke: Creation of Hip-Hop Architecture.

E61. Justin Garrett Moore: Imagining Black Space.

Who to follow

W: nmbello Studio

IG: Nifemi Marcus-Bello (@nmbello1)

X: nmbello Studio (@nmbello_Studio) / X

This conversation was recorded on April 30, 2024.

Host Dario Calmese 

Producer:  K.T. Thompson

Lead Designer:  Elliott McKnight

Director of Digital Content: Vicky Garcia

Production Asst:  Noa Lesche

Archivist & Research: Cyle Warner

Original Music composed by Adam Radice

Sound Engineer:  Adam Radice

Visit us at blackimagination.com 

Watch other episodes on YouTube at The Institute of Black Imagination.

Welcome to the Institute of Black Imagination, beaming in conversations from the galaxy of black genius. Today, we're thrilled to present Shani Peters and Joseph Cuillier III, the co-founders of The Black School—an innovative art institution dedicated to teaching radical Black politics through experimental approaches to art and design education.

Both artists and organizers in their own right,  Founded by Joseph Cuillier and Shani Peters, they're mixing art with talks about Black politics and community projects. Inspired by past community-run schools, like those from the Civil Rights and Black Power movements, they're making a difference today.

The Black School has three parts: the School itself, the Festival where students show off their work, and the Studio, where students learn about design and get job training. It's all about helping students understand their neighborhoods, make art that matters, and get ready for the future. 

Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @blackimagination, subscribe to our newsletter for updates, and support the show by clicking this support link. and explore more content on blackimagination.com. Join us as we explore how organizations like The Black School are changing the game in education and beyond. Now, let's warmly welcome Shani Peters and Joseph Cuillier, the Co-Founders of The Black School, to our conversation.

Key Links

Joseph A. Cuillier Career Center - We are a school dedicated to providing an education that empowers our students to succeed in the workforce and beyond.

bell hooks - American author

Alma Thomas - American artist and teacher

Rosenwald/Booker T. Washington Schools- Booker T. Washington of the Tuskegee Institute and Julius Rosenwald, philanthropist and president of Sears Roebuck, built state-of-the art schools for African American children across the South.

Augusta Savage -American sculptor

Harlem Community Art School - The Center was a place for the Harlem community to receive education in the arts for free or little charge.

Oakland Community School - was a Black Panther-run liberation school that operated in Oakland from 1973 to 1982.

Emory Douglas - The former Minister of Culture and Revolutionary Artist for the Black Panther Party

Black Love Festival- presented by The Black School, is an art and music festival promoting a cultural movement for Black love.

Project Row Houses - a community platform that enriches lives through art with an emphasis on cultural identity and its impact on the urban landscape.

Booker T. Washington - American educator and author

What to Read

Salvation: Black People and Love - bell hooks

The Source of Self-Regard: Selected Essays, Speeches, and Meditations - Toni Morrison

Character Building: Education that Educates -  Booker T. Washington

What to listen to

DNA. - Kendrick Lamar

Seize The Time-  Elaine Brown

This Is America - Childish Gambino

F.U.B.U. - Solange Knowles

We The People - A Tribe Called Quest

Previous IBI Episodes to check out

E2. Dr. Mabel O. Wilson, Architect and Scholar 

E26. A Revolutionary Life with Black Panther Chairman, Elaine Brown 

E86. Sketching a Revolution with Emory Douglas 

E53a. Frank Wilderson III: On Afropessimism I 

E53a. Frank Wilderson III: On Afropessimism II

Who to follow

W: The Black School

IG: Joseph Cuillier (@josephcuillier)

IG: Shani Peters (@shanipeters)

Linktree: The Black School

This conversation was recorded on March 21, 2024.

Host Dario Calmese 

Producer:  K.T. Thompson

Lead Designer:  Elliott McKnight

Director of Digital Content: Vicky Garcia

Production Asst:  Noa Lesche

Archivist & Research: Cyle Warner

Original Music composed by Adam Radice

Sound Engineer:  Adam Radice

Visit us at blackimagination.com 

Watch other episodes on YouTube at The Institute of Black Imagination.

Welcome to the Institute of Black Imagination podcast, beaming in conversations from the galaxy of Black genius. I am your host, Dario. Today, we're excited to introduce Olalekan Jeyifous, an innovative artist and architect whose world-building practice reimaginations the relationship between community, urbanity, nature, and time; It’s very much giving Main Character Energy, and citizens of the Black Atlantic take centerstage.

In today's conversation, Olalekan and I discuss how architecture alone is rarely sufficient in solving problems in the urban landscape, we reimagine what the continent of Africa COULD have looked like if colonial powers were expelled post-independence, and Lek challenges conventional notions of beauty and success in architecture and why storefront churches and bodegas deserve a shoutout. 

Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @blackimagination, subscribe to our newsletter for updates, and support the show by clicking this support link. and explore more content on blackimagination.com. And now, take a breath, as we take a ride with artist and architect Olalekan Jeyifous.

Key Links

Lebbeus Woods - American architect and artist

Silver Lion - an annual award presented for best directing achievements in a feature film at official competition section of the Venice Film Festival since 1998.

Saul Williams - American singer-songwriter and musician

The Apocryphal Gospel of Oakland- A discussion between artist, Olalekan Jeyifous and UC Berkeley assistant professor of Geography, Dr. Brandi T. Summers on the generative power of collaboration and the potential for speculative architecture as a means to develop comprehensive constructions of urban Utopias/Dystopias that engage with a variety of social, political, and environmental realities.

Black Reconstruction Collective -American architecture collective

Black Quantum Futurism  - A literary and artistic collective

Amanda Williams - Visual Artist

Justin Garrett Moore- a transdisciplinary designer and urbanist.

Torkwase Dyson - Interdisciplinary artist

Norma Merrick Sklarek - American architect

Grace Wales Bonner - London-based designer

Venice Biennale - an international cultural exhibition hosted annually in Venice, Italy

What to Read

Now You See Me: An Introduction to 100 Years of Black Design - Charlene Prempeh

Mickalene Thomas: All about Love - Mickalene Thomas 

Black Nature: Four Centuries of African American Nature Poetry - Camille T. Dungy (Editor)

What to listen to

A Possibility (Back Home) - Wanda Robinson

Wake Me When I'm Free-  Babatunde Olatunji

Viva Nigeria - Fela Kuti

All Over - Tiwa Savage

Sittin On Top Of The World - Burna Boy

Previous IBI Episodes to check out

E8. Torkwase Dyson, Artist.

E38. Toni L. Griffin: The Just City.

E48. Sara Zewde: Parks and Liberation.

E55. Sekou Cooke: Creation of Hip-Hop Architecture.

E61. Justin Garrett Moore: Imagining Black Space.

Who to follow

W: V5

IG: kidcadaver - Olalekan Jeyifous

LinkedIn: Olalekan Jeyifous - Designer, Artist, Illustrator - Vigilism

X: Olalekan Jeyifous (@OJeyifous) / X

This conversation was recorded on March 20, 2024.

Host Dario Calmese 

Producer:  K.T. Thompson

Lead Designer:  Elliott McKnight

Director of Digital Content: Vicky Garcia

Production Asst:  Noa Lesche

Archivist & Research: Cyle Warner

Original Music composed by Adam Radice

Sound Engineer:  Adam Radice

Visit us at blackimagination.com 

Watch other episodes on YouTube at The Institute of Black Imagination.

Hey explorers, it's Dario. Welcome to the IBI podcast, beaming in conversations from the galaxy of Black genius. Today, we browse the mind of Dr. Carla Hayden, the 14th Librarian of Congress, appointed by U.S. President Barack Obama. Dr. Hayden is the first woman and the first African American to hold this position at the National Library. As an actual librarian, Dr. Hayden is known for advocating for the privacy of library users and for her initiatives to promote broad access to public libraries and their resources. 

Our dialogue today, much like the Library of Congress itself, is a treasure trove of literary jewels. We discuss how the Library of Congress is not your mother’s library, containing priceless artifacts like the Bayard Rustin papers, and a handwritten letter from Nina Simone to Hazel Scott. We talk American literacy rates, how parents can engage reluctant readers, and we even get personal, as Dr. Hayden and i discuss the health challenges black women face in the workplace, especially in positions of power.

Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @blackimagination, subscribe to our newsletter for updates, and support the show by clicking this support link. and explore more content on blackimagination.com. So grab your library card and a snack… It’s time to check into the people’s university, with Dr. Carla Hayden.

Key Links

Library Of Congress - the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office.

Nina Simone - American singer-songwriter, pianist, and activist.

Hazel Scott - Jazz pianist and singer

Enoch Pratt Free Library- the free public library system of Baltimore, Maryland.

American Library Association - largest membership association in the world for the library industry.

August Wilson - American playwright

André Leon Talley - American fashion journalist

Citizen DJ - Make music using the free-to-use audio and video materials from the Library of Congress

Jessye Norman - American opera singer

What to Read

Seven Guitars - August Wilson

A Library - Nikki Giovanni

Library of Congress "Books That Shaped America"  

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants- Robin Wall Kimmerer

Behind the Scenes: Or Thirty Years a Slave, and Four Years in the White House - Elizabeth Keckley

A History of Reading - Alberto Manguel

Madness: Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum - Antonia Hylton

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents - Isabel Wilkerson

What to listen to

Wild Is The Wind - Nina Simone

Round Midnight - Hazel Scott

Amazing Grace - Jessye Norman

Process - Samora Pinderhughes

Previous IBI Episodes to check out

E2. Dr. Mabel O. Wilson, Architect and Scholar.

E7. André Leon Talley, Fashion Icon (part one).

E7. André Leon Talley, Fashion Icon (part two).

E56. Rita Dove: The Pleasure of Text.

E79. Liberation Through Libraries. with (Reginald) Dwayne Betts

Who to follow

W: https://www.loc.gov/

IG: Library of Congress (@librarycongress)

TW: Carla Hayden (@LibnOfCongress) · X

This conversation was recorded on January 30, 2024.

Host Dario Calmese 

Producer:  K.T. Thompson

Lead Designer:  Elliott McKnight

Director of Digital Content: Vicky Garcia

Production Asst:  Noa Lesche

Original Music composed by Adam Radice

Sound Engineer:  Adam Radice

Visit us at blackimagination.com 

Watch other episodes on YouTube at The Institute of Black Imagination.

Welcome to the Institute of Black Imagination, where we beam in conversations with iconoclasts from the galaxy of Black genius. I am your host, Dario.  Today, we're thrilled to welcome Jawara, a cutting-edge visionary in all things hair, fashion, and beauty. His work graces the pages of British Vogue, American Vogue Italian Vogue, OK, all the Vogues.., i-D Magazine, T Magazine, and W Magazine… all the lettered magazines.  Not to mention the runways of Burberry, Gucci, Chanel. You understand what I’m saying. 

In today’s conversation, Jawara discusses the historical challenges within the industry around the styling and care of black women's hair, how the rituals of haircare can allow us a bit of reprieve from an ever-increasing pace of life, some practical styling tips, and how hair indeed can bring you closer to God. 

Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @blackimagination, subscribe to our newsletter for updates, and support the show by clicking this support link. and explore more content on blackimagination.com. And now, a beautifully candid conversation with the maestro, Jawara.

Key Links

Sister Carol- Jamaican musical artist

Kingston, Jamaica- Capital city and chief port of Jamaica

Dancehall - genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s

Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)- Public college in New York City with focuses on art, business, design, mass communication, and technology connected to the fashion industry.

Tyler Mitchell - American photographer, best known for his cover photo of Beyoncé for the cover of Vogue.

Micaiah Carter - American photographer/director

What to Read

Crowns: My Hair, My Soul, My Freedom: Photographs - Sandro Miller

Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America - Ayana Byrd

On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker - A'Lelia Bundles

You Can't Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain- Phoebe Robinson

What to listen to

Dread Natty Congo - Sister Carol

I Am Not My Hair - India.Arie

Black Cinderilla (Album) - Sister Carol

Don't Touch My Hair - Solange feat. Sampha

Kontrol - Maleek Berry

Who to follow

IG: JAWARA (@jawaraw)

LinkedIn: Jawara Wauchope

This conversation was recorded on December 19, 2023.

Host Dario Calmese 

Producer:  K.T. Thompson

Director of Digital Content: Vicky Garcia

Production Asst:  Noa Lesche

Original Music composed by Adam Radice

Sound Engineer:  Adam Radice

Visit us at blackimagination.com 

Watch other episodes on YouTube at The Institute of Black Imagination.

Welcome to the IBI podcast, beaming in conversations from the galaxy of Black genius. Today, we explore the mind of Brigette Romanek, one of LA’s foremost Interior designers. As the founder of Romanek Design Studio, some of her notable clients include Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna, Demi Moore, and even the queen herself, Beyonce. (a fact we can neither confirm nor deny). Known for her “Livable Luxe” Gucci meets Gap aesthetic, Brigette's illustrious career affirms the power and value of the black feminine gaze, and that space is indeed the place. 

Our conversation today is full of gems, like simple, affordable tips on sprucing up your space, and discovering your design aesthetic, to more existential questions about what it looks like to refuse the expectations of others, and how to know when it’s time to move on. 

Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @blackimagination, subscribe to our newsletter for updates, and support the show by clicking this support link. and explore more content on blackimagination.com. And here we go… space agency, with Brigette Romanek.

Key Links

Paulette McWilliams- American Jazz Singer 

Mark Romanek- American filmmaker and photographer

Harvey Nichols - British luxury department store chain

Romanek Design Studio- Interior designer in Los Angeles, California

Carpenters Workshop Gallery - a contemporary art gallery, focused on redefining the boundaries between art, sculpture, and design.

The Future Perfect - a leading platform for collectible contemporary design that curates' unique pieces from global designers.

What to Read

Livable Luxe - Brigette Romanek

Iconic Home: Interiors, Advice, and Stories from 50 Amazing Black Designers - Black Interior Designers Inc, June Reese 

The New Bohemians: Cool and Collected Homes - Justina Blakeney

Wild Interiors: Beautiful Plants in Beautiful Spaces- Hilton Carter

What to listen to

Mellow Madness - Quincy Jones, Paulette McWilliams

Live Recording in Amsterdam (Album) - Paulette McWilliams & The Beets Brothers

Work It - Missy Elliott

It's Your Thing - The Isley Brothers

Respect - Aretha Franklin

Who to follow

W: https://romanekdesignstudio.com/ 

IG: Brigette Romanek (@brigetteromanek)

FB: Brigette Romanek

This conversation was recorded on February 01, 2024.

Host Dario Calmese 

Producer:  K.T. Thompson

Visual Art Direction and Designs: River Wildmen

Director of Digital Content: Vicky Garcia

Production Asst:  Noa Lesche

Original Music composed by Adam Radice

Sound Engineer:  Adam Radice

Visit us at blackimagination.com 

Watch other episodes on YouTube at The Institute of Black Imagination.

Welcome to Semester 6 of the IBI podcast, your Tribe of Mentors, from the Pool of Black Genius. Speaking of Black genius, today’s guest needs no introduction, but we will go ahead and introduce him anyway. Y’all it’s Kirk Franklin. Yes, THAT Kirk Franklin. 19 Grammy Award-winning Kirk Franklin. Contemporary Gospel innovator Kirk Franklin. .. The gifted singing, songwriting, piano-playing, producing, and yes, a rapping, Mr. Kirk Franklin! In case there was any confusion. 

We talk about personal pain and trauma. We dismantle the Black church and the traditions that keep us fractured and apart, we wrestle with the notion that life is composed of both moments of happiness and sorrow, but with the unwavering presence of God, regardless of the circumstances, anything is possible.

Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @blackimagination, subscribe to our newsletter for updates, and support the show by clicking this support link. and explore more content on blackimagination.com. And now, without further ado, the musical luminary, Kirk Franklin.

Key Links

Thomas A. Dorsey- Widely regarded as the father of gospel music

Good Words with Kirk Franklin- Kirk Franklin Podcast welcomes people, from all walks of life, seeking inspiration and empowerment.

The Dead Sea Scrolls - ancient, mostly Hebrew, manuscripts (of leather, papyrus, and copper) first found in 1947 on the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea.

Southern Baptists Apologize For Slavery Stance - NPR, August 28, 2009 

2 Corinthians 12:6-10 (NIV) - Biblical Scripture reference

Dr. Charles Stanley - American Southern Baptist pastor and writer

Father's Day: A Kirk Franklin Story - YouTube · Kirk Franklin Sep 15, 2023

What to Read

The Blueprint: A Plan for Living Above Life's Storms - Kirk Franklin 

The Evolution of African-American Worship: From the Thomas Dorsey to Kirk Franklin Era  - Dr. Antonia Arnold-McFarland

Church Boy - Kirk Franklin

What to listen to

Precious Lord, Take My Hand - Thomas Dorsey

Now Behold The Lamb Live - Kirk Franklin & The Family

Bless Me - Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin

Could've Been Me - Kirk Franklin ft J.Moss & Tye Tribbett

Joy - Kirk Franklin, Donald Malloy

Kirk Franklin Discography 

Who to follow

W: https://www.kirkfranklin.com/ 

IG: Kirk Franklin (@kirkfranklin)

X: Kirk Franklin (@kirkfranklin)

TikTok: Kirk Franklin (@thekirkfranklin) Official

This conversation was recorded on January  09, 2024.

Host Dario Calmese 

Producer:  K.T. Thompson

Visual Art Direction and Designs: River Wildmen

Director of Digital Content: Vicky Garcia

Production Asst:  Noa Lesche

Original Music composed by Adam Radice

Sound Engineer:  Adam Radice

Visit us at blackimagination.com 

Watch other episodes on YouTube at The Institute of Black Imagination.

Well friends, we made it. 2023 had its share of joys and challenges, individually and collectively, but we are here. Together. In community. This special podcast edition is our final episode of the year, and you’re in for a treat! Not only will you hear from me, but you will also hear from 6 IBI team members, in their own words, as they introduce a snippet from their favorite episode of 2023.

We begin with a conversation from Choreographer and Director Camille A. Brown.

Followed by Former Minister of Culture, Black Panther Party Emory Douglas

Up next will be Chorographer & Producer George Faison

Then a chat with Director and writer Milisuthando Bongela

Next, we hear from Producer, writer, and actress Lena Waithe

Followed by Photographer and artist Andre D. Wagner

And conclude with Dancer, Choreographer, and Artistic Director Robert Battle. 

Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @blackimagination, subscribe to our newsletter for updates, and support the show by clicking this support link. and explore more content on blackimagination.com.

Featured Episode Links

E59. Camille A. Brown: For Colored Girls

E86. Sketching A Revolution with Emory Douglas

E82. Dancing Through the Archive with the Legendary George Faison

E66. Inside Apartheid's Wish with Milisuthando Bongela

E85. Mastering Your Story - Lena Waithe

E84. Life on the Streets with Andre D Wagner

E62. Robert Battle: The Power of Community

Host Dario Calmese 

Producer:  K.T. Thompson

Visual Art Direction and Designs: River Wildmen

Director of Digital Content: Vicky Garcia

Production Asst:  Noa Lesche

Original Music composed by Adam Radice

Sound Engineer:  Adam Radice

Visit us at blackimagination.com 

Watch other episodes on YouTube at The Institute of Black Imagination.

Today’s conversation is with the legendary photographer, Chester Higgins. I’ve admired Chester’s work for years… he’s a master of his craft, and a technician to the Nth degree. But it’s one thing to appreciate the work of an artist, it’s another to delve into their worldview: the work we see simply being an artifact of a greater pursuit. Well, that’s what today’s holds. What appears to be captured images, is actually Chester’s attempts at in all actuality, capturing God.  

In today’s episode, Chester reflects on the near-death childhood experience at the age of 9 that opened his eyes to a parallel reality, introducing him to the spirit that shapes existence. He shares his insights on the interconnectedness of life, the continuous cycle of energy, and the pursuit of capturing the elusive spirit in his photographs.

Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @blackimagination, subscribe to our newsletter for updates, and support the show by clicking this support link. and explore more content on blackimagination.com.

Key Links

Haile Selassie I- Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974

Tuskegee University- a private, historically black land-grant university in Tuskegee, Alabama.

P. H. Polk - American photographer known for his portraits of African Americans.

Andrew Young -  American politician, civil rights leader, and served in the U.S. House of Representatives

What to Read

Sacred Nile - Betsy Kissam, Chester Higgins Jr. 

Feeling the Spirit - Chester Higgins Jr.

Elder Grace: The Nobility of Aging - Maya Angelou, Chester Higgins 

THROUGH THESE EYES: The Photographs of P. H. Polk - Chester Higgins Jr., Deborah Muirhead, Amalia Amaki, Meredith Soles

What to listen to

Water No Get Enemy - Fela Kuti

Grazing In The Grass - Hugh Masekela

Mighty God (Remix) - Soweto Gospel Choir

African Drums - African Tribal Orchestra

Who to follow

W: https://www.chesterhiggins.com/ 

IG: Chester Higgins (@chesterhiggins12)

This conversation was recorded on October 12, 2023.

Host Dario Calmese 

Producer:  K.T. Thompson

Visual Art Direction and Designs: River Wildmen

Director of Digital Content: Vicky Garcia

Production Asst:  Noa Lesche

Original Music composed by Adam Radice

Sound Engineer:  Adam Radice

Visit us at blackimagination.com