Creating Sanctuary
Witnessing The Black Exhale Nest
CHAPTER 2
"Healing is the gift of spaciousness in the body."
- Resmaa Menakem
My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies
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In the midst of the wounds and the work of repair, we must create spaces of refuge, healing, and remembrance. The Black Exhale Nest project is a testament to the power of sanctuary, both as a physical space and as a spiritual practice. Through the gathering of branches, the building of a nest, and the coming together of community, we sought to create a sacred container for the stories, the grief, and the resilience of those who have been impacted by the traumas of incarceration. This section invites you to witness the process of creating sanctuary—from the plantation to the sacred lands of Weeksville with the young people from Recess Art building sanctuary—and to reflect on the importance of cultivating spaces of safety and healing in the pursuit of collective liberation.
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CHAPTERS:
1
REQUIEM FOR
A NEST
Confronting the wounds and ethics of the Black Exhale Nest project.
2
CREATING SANCTUARY
Witnessing the process of building sacred space for healing and remembrance.
3
VOICES OF RESILIENCE
Bearing witness to the stories of system-impacted Black men and gender non-conforming people.
4
HONORING
THE ANCESTORS
Recognizing the ancestral presence
that guides and sustains the work of
healing and liberation.
5
SACRED REFLECTIONS
Engaging in personal reflection and collective action through an interactive altar space.
6
EDUCATE YOURSELF
Exploring resources that align with the themes of collective trauma, healing, and resilience.