“Aleia” marks the second phase of interactive public artworks for the Mellon funded Culture, Creativity, and Care initiative by Harlem Grown. These public artworks play an important role in the community, doubling as spaces for respite, gathering, and connection. As with the 2023 installation “Sankofa” at the base of the Park, the project is designed by Jerome Haferd / Jerome Haferd Studio, a local Black-led public art and architecture practice. “Aleia”, a name that has multicultural origins meaning “ascendant”, and “exalted”, was chosen for the piece, which sits high atop the Mt. Morris Acropolis at the center of Marcus Garvey Park.

The main structure is shaped and sits atop a 32 foot semi-circular stage, which opens to embrace the natural proscenium that is formed by the recently renovated Acropolis terrace. Inspired by Sankofa’s modular system, the design conceptually breaks apart and reaches out, allowing for several pieces of Aleia to form a meandering Storywalk of steel totems that lead park goers up the stairs to the new installation. The Storywalk features historic and contemporary compositions of the Park, Harlem, and Marcus Garvey himself.

Aleia’s stage is framed by a spectacular, woven mesh canopy. The canopy design, composed of interweaving printed strands, is inspired by woven architecture from around the globe and features drawings contributed from community children in the Harlem Grown afterschool program. The centerpiece of the bright and youthful design are five paintings by the Harlem-based artist, Thomas Heath. This includes 4 paintings from Heath’s “UB Rolling” series and the painting “Pandemic”, which together surround the space like watchful sentinels.

Materials: 32’-0 diameter. steel, printed polymer mesh, timber, wood, and various

Canopy design by Jerome Haferd and Violet Greenberg. Artwork by local artist Thomas Heath from Heath Gallery and students in the Harlem Grown after school program.

Storywalk design by Jerome Haferd and Violet Greenberg, Gabriel Moyer-Perez, and Pedro Cruz Cruz

Design Team:

Jerome Haferd (lead/principal), Violet Greenberg, Gabriel Moyer-Perez, Tiffany Gonzalez, and Pedro Cruz Cruz

Consultants and Collaborators:

• Steel Fabrication: Ziello Custom Framing and Fine Art

• Printed Canopy and Art Panel Collaboration: NVS Visuals

• Wood fabrication, design, and detailing: Tyreik Jackson

• Sitework, Platform and Framing: Franpen Restoration (Ruben Gregario and Frank Jimenez)

Sankofa Canopy Design : “An Ode to Drexciya”, 2024

Jerome Haferd and Gabriel Moyer Perez with artists Élan Cadiz, Laura Gadson, and nia Love, in collaboration with Michelle Bishop of Harlem Needle Arts.

“An Ode to Drexciya”, the second canopy design to be featured on Sankofa, is a collaboration between three Harlem-based Black / Afro-descendent woman artists and Jerome Haferd Studio. The composition is reminiscent of an aquascape and conjures themes of water, support, and diaspora. The design features an interplay between Élan Cadiz’ SCAFFOLD: Equity of Treatment, also known as the Scaffold Project, 2020 - ongoing, Laura Gadson’s ”Requiem”, and choreographer nia Love’s film “Undercurrents”, 2023.

“Sankofa” derives from the Akan African folklore, symbolizing remembrance of things forgotten, and “in order to know our future we must look to our past”. “Sankofa” is the one of multiple interactive centerpiece “nodes” of the Culture, Creativity, and Care initiative over spring and summers of 2023 and 2024. The second, “Aleia”, is on view at the top of the Acropolis. The Culture, Creativity and Care initiative brings a host of programming and wellness-through-the-arts to Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park community.

Design Team:

Violet Greenberg, Tiffany Gonzalez, Gabriel Moyer-Perez, install support: Dominiq Oti, Pedro Cruz Cruz and Shadeen Dixon

Materials: 32’-0 diameter. steel, printed polymer mesh, timber, wood, and various

Consultants and Collaborators:

• Steel Fabrication : Ziello Custom Framing and Fine Art

• Printed Canopy and Art Panel Collaboration : NVS Visuals

• Wood fabrication, design, and detailing : Tyreik Jackson

• Sitework, Platform and Framing : Franpen Restoration

Alana Moy is a NY-based multi-faceted artist who has been in a variety of exhibitions and publications. She has a BFA in Illustration from the Fashion Institute of Technology and also identifies as a fine artist who works to create art to promote conversation around spirituality, morality, and social commentary. She works to bridge the gap between the body and the soul and help create socially puncturing art that acts as beacons for human connection. Through mostly self-portraiture and self-vulnerability, she aims to investigate society through the lens of her cultural backgrounds as well as other minority and marginalized community experiences. Alana is a researcher, writer, and artist whose mission is to inspire introspection and connection throughout humanity and foster detachment from social ideals that diminish the spirit.

Instagram: @lanatheartistt

Despite not being a resident of Harlem, I created this piece to reflect the importance of those exact times I felt when I was a kid at my cousin's house in Spanish Harlem. The times when my grandparents, parents, and uncle would competitively pay dominoes in such a serious way, plotting with their partner on what's the next move without even talking, even as a kid, I was captivated by their determination to understand and win. To me, dominoes signify way more than just a game. Personally, it is a major part of how I found myself connecting with my family and culture. Despite the parties being vibrant and fun, it always seemed to me that in my family, dominoes were the main event, and as a kid, I took that idea on and now carry it out today with my family as an adult. Now, everywhere we go, we bring the dominoes, and as long as we have a big enough table, we're playing. When we visited Harlem, the parties would have music, laughter, and food all around us, celebrating our time together just because it was nice weather outside. I would remember these times, and I hold onto those memories today. The nostalgia of my childhood and my initial connections with my culture are very important to me. Those exact memories and feelings inspired me throughout my life and led me to make my painting honoring my grandparents and parents. This piece reflects Harlem's spirit of celebration of diverse identities, cultural awareness, and authenticity. "Soy de Aqui", is about familial love, connection, and overall an ode to Puerto Rican culture in a candid moment of joy and laughter. Harlem gave me wonderful childhood memories and familial connection, my painting represents the seeds Harlem planted in my life sprouting into artistic homage.

Élan Cadiz an interdisciplinary, multi ethnic, multi racial, North American, native New Yorker, and Visual Artist that deconstructs and balances her intersectionality through her projects. Élan’s art and practice are grounded in the documentation of her personal narrative through the use of portraiture, domestic and historical imagery.

Cadiz’s artworks explore the ways societal and personal histories overlap and affect individual relationships, power dynamics and identity. The materials she works with are influenced by the subjects she discuss which is why she moves masterly through mediums, collaging the best materials to convey her visual language.

Élan Cadiz’s intention is to speak to the boundless potential in humanity despite impediments and ways our pasts can inform our future for the better. Her goal is to have viewers question their condition(s) in ways that bring about helpful inner inquiry and thoughtful discussion.

Élan's formal training began in the High School of Art & Design. After graduation she was accepted to the Fashion Institute of Technology where she studied Advertisement and Design and Photography for two years. Cadiz graduated from City College of New York City with a BA in Studio Art and Education in 2008. Elan received her Masters in Fine Art from the School of Visual Arts May 2018 and received the Martha Trevor Award/ Worldstudio AIGA Scholarship, Paula Rhodes Memorial Award and the School of Visual Arts Merit Scholarship.

She’s instructed young people in the arts for 24 years and taught for or was in collaboration with programs/institutions such as the Harlem School of the Arts, Thurgood Marshall Upper and Lower Academies, Harlem Children Zone, No Longer Empty, Cool Culture, Bank Street College, Weeksville Heritage Center, the Studio Museum in Harlem, New York Historical Society, Center for Arts Education, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Children's Museum, the Boys Club of New York City, Foster Pride, the Children's Museum of Manhattan and the Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art and Storytelling, Bridgehampton Museum and more.

Instagram: @elancadiz; @elanhiart; @scaffoldproject

This is part of a digital series that I started in 2021. I was bridging my emotional, spiritual and social nature in order to understand myself more and connect to others in a more authentic, non-judgmental and compassionate way.

Through quiet meditation I used the Hoodoo Tarot (created by Tayannah Lee McQuillar and illustrated by Katelyn V. Foist) to incorporate plants with my digital collage.

The woman in this digital painting is a new mother coming to terms with one of the oldest professions. She's surrounded by basil which was on the Ace of Sticks card I pulled randomly.

Basil, also known as Ocimum basilicum, is a sacred herb in many cultures. It is native to India and has been used in religious ceremonies for centuries. The word "basil" comes from the Greek word for king, Vasilikos. In Hinduism, basil is considered a holy plant and is often used in puja (worship) rituals. It is also thought to be an auspicious plant that brings good Basil, also known as Ocimum basilicum, is a sacred herb in many cultures. It is native to India and has been used in religious ceremonies for centuries. The word "basil" comes from the Greek word for king, Vasilikos. In Hinduism, basil is considered a holy plant and is often used in puja (worship) rituals. It is also thought to be an auspicious plant that brings good luck.

I remember my experience with both of my children. I was scared. It’s assumed that women know about bringing a human into this world. It’s a tremendous responsibility which is why I prayed for guidance and read as much as I could in order to be a good mom.

Raising children is a physical, mental and spiritual practice that can use some good luck and should be treated as a holy job or God's work.

As a mixed media artist, my current body of work explores themes of Joy, Belonging, and the Human Condition. Through my works, I connect the classic and the contemporary woman and explore the unique dynamics of women and their progeny moving through the world around us. Using the traditional patterns of African Nations in contemporary scenes, I want to show the importance of our history, our Sankofa. In thinking about how humanity is shown in every situation, I want to bring those moments to light. I will always depict the joy found in ordinary days.community, and we often depend on familiar connections to help navigate the feelings that arise.

Instagram: @sophisticatedcookieart

All of the pieces here are connected to scenes in Harlem. The everyday life and times of a people that have created their own culture with their connection to Africa here in The Americas. The Generations collection focuses on the spiritual notions of JOY found in everyday family life. I wanted to show protection, love, and compassion through body language and small gestures in these pieces. The intergenerational relationships of the family are where our most vital connections are created. Moments of inequality are apparent in our community, and we often depend on familiar connections to help navigate the feelings that arise.

Bonnie has spent many years in the Harlem community where she attended college, worked and raised her 2 boys with her husband Kofi. She is inspired by Harlem and social issues and created a series of paintings that portray her observations in an array of color. She calls this Journo Art. It is her attempt to document and thereby archive the expression of style, dress, social concerns and everyday life that can be seen in the Harlem community.

Instagram: @Bonniephillips008

The painting I chose chose me. I often paint in sets of threes, and I had already captured two young men. One with a dog dressed in a tutu and one with his baby in a bjorn and his dog on a leash. It epitomized a sight that we do not see often captured in paintings of people of color. It was a sight that I kept seeing in the neighborhood that I wanted to capture for my solo exhibit. As I was walking in Central Park by the Conservatory, I saw this woman sitting on the bench chilling with her friend. I was captivated by the sight of her enjoying the best of the park among her 3 dogs. Of course she had the dogs stylishly dressed. I walked past her and then ran back and asked if I could take her photo for my painting. I had found my third painting depicting the scene of an older Black woman simply relaxing, enjoying the park with her fashionable dogs. The importance of taking time out among nature, animals and connecting with others are well documented as a lifestyle that adds to good health habits. I aim for my painting to serve as a reminder of this and add to the visual humanizing of Black and Brown people enjoying their environment in tranquility.

Born and raised in NYC, Tafy was inspired by the rhythm and heart of the city. Its people create such wonderful colors and stories. Igniting her passion to showcase that in her work. As a result, she developed an interest in other cultures and heritages and how one connected with them. Traveling and meeting people from all walks of life and sharing their stories through her portraits.

Being both Puerto Rican and Haitian, throughout her life people always tried to place Tafy in a box of one or the other. With her portraits, she portrays unique individuals who embrace their cultures and their identities. Using a range of mediums including charcoal, graphite, oil, and acrylic paint. She places her portraits against graphic vibrant patterns inspired by murals she grew up around in Spanish Harlem.

With her practice, Tafy enjoys getting to know the subject behind the portrait. Using their energy and their experiences to come up with a background that relates to them. But, embodying their emotion in their portrait to connect with the viewers. Through her art, she celebrates the beauty of dual identity and how it can be an asset instead of a burden. Her goal is to inspire others to embrace their full identity and be proud of who they are.

Instagram: @lepouf_art

I created this series of work in response to always being told "that's that voodoo magic you do" whenever I did something of any significance or achievement. Being Haitian, voodoo was somehow always assumed of me and my culture. Yet, I knew nothing of it or ever practiced it. I wanted to do my own research of the religion without the pre-conceived notions of it being dark and negative. And, found that healing was a principle part of it.

The series of works showcases the motions of being healed from negative energy you've held onto for too long. It not only explores my culture through the healing dance done in voodoo rituals, but the care one has to give themselves to find inner peace. The creativity is more in the use of symbols and color, the skeleton showing where that negative energy is located in the body and the plants representing that energy thriving for too long. Glowing under a black light to show that even in the darkest of places light can always shine past it.

Dufié Kufuor was born and raised in Ghana and the United Kingdom. She moved to the United States to pursue an undergraduate and law degree in the process rediscovering her love for art in 2015. She is currently based in New York City, where she practices law. As a Ghanaian-American woman living in the diaspora, she was initially taken about by how black people were depicted in the media. In her artwork she explores the theme of African romanticism outside of the colonial gaze. In her pieces, she welcomes the viewer to suspend only viewing the black figure in a political lens but welcomes the viewer to observe the figure simply existing and performing everyday tasks. Her Christian faith while not always explicit seeps into her work, through themes, titles and sometimes motifs.

Instagram: @kufuorrr

Ultimately, the connection between this art piece and Harlem lies in their shared cultural heritage, histories of resilience, and ongoing efforts to celebrate and affirm black identity and culture.

East Harlem based watercolorist and plein air artist Sarah Noda documents the ever changing streetscapes of New York through tiny brush strokes to create charming atmospheric miniatures. While the majority of her work focuses on miniatures, some of her other works, such as the Mount Morris Fire Watchtower, are larger in format. Her deep connection to the community in Harlem and its quickly changing skyline keep her inspired to document the changes in time and season of everyday Harlem life.

When not painting miniature city scenes, Sarah enjoys exploring nature through a perpetual nature journal, raising her three boys, hiking, photography, community advocacy, community art projects, and hosting free sketch classes for Harlem public school students. Sarah is also a member and organizing assistant with New York City Urban Sketchers.

You can find Sarah's work displayed and for sale at:

Amuse Bouche at La Marqueta (postcards and cards)

The Hug and Canvas 3.0

Instagram: @SarahNodaNYC

Mount Morris Watchtower is a prominent historical feature of Marcus Garvey Park which many locals are fond of. This monument originally served to protect the local residents and now stands as a beautiful piece of history for all to enjoy. In this work, I sought to portray the feeling of warmth in our community through the color palette, and a message of contrast of old an new by including the silhouette of the modern high-rise that stands on the block south of the tower. It's a subtle nod to the ever changing architecture in Harlem and to the deep cultural and familial connections in this community which has seemed to last longer that some of the buildings that once stood here.

Born in Harlem, New York in 1953, to Jane and Howard Cash, he attended Holy Name School in Manhattan and later moved to The Bronx in 1967 where he entered James Monroe High School. A city-wide teacher’s strike in ’68 forced his mother to send him to Laurinburg Prep in N.C. where his English teacher, Mrs. Melton introduced him to the poets and writers of the Harlem Renaissance. Upon graduating in 1971, Mr. Cash moved on to Los Angeles City College in California, where he studied photography, graduating in 1979.

Photographing Africa and the African Diaspora began with a visit to Ghana in ’78 through Operation Crossroads Africa and later by freelancing in Nigeria from ’79-84.

Mr. Cash returned with powerful sensibilities from Nigerian culture and began creating stunning images within the African Diaspora. He assigned himself projects such as, “Drumming and Dancing in New York City,” “Sunday, Sunday in Harlem,” “The Spiritual Art of Dance,” “The Maafa,” “Jazz Legacies in Harlem,” “Love Stories in Romantic Poetry,” etc.

His work has been widely exhibited across America and Europe; including a group show in the early 2000s at the Brooklyn Museum entitled, “Committed to the Image: Contemporary Black Photographers,” and the New Museum’s exhibition, “Black President: The Art and Legacy of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.”

His work in 2015 has achieved inclusion into the Permanent Collection of the Schomburg Library for Research in Black Culture. In 2018 his photograph of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, taken in Lagos, Nigeria was exhibited at AIPAD’s special exhibition, “All Power: Visual Legacies of the Black Panther Party.”

Mr. Cash says, “My fine art and documentary photography demands I have a conversation in threes: first with myself, second with my audience and finally with history.”

Instagram: @verycoolcash

Born in Harlem in 1953 and raised between Harlem and The Bronx, on weekends, between 12-6pm (when it isn’t raining) fine art and documentary photography, Howard T. Cash displays his award-winning with the Harlem community; on the uptown side alongside the Rite Aid building and across the street from Starbucks, will give you the pleasure of viewing the positive presence of beauty, dignity, power of love towards shared values of Africans and African-Americans.

Méïssane Kouassi is a multidisciplinary designer and illustrator from Côte d’Ivoire, based in New York City. She holds a dual bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Tongji University and The University of New South Wales and a master’s degree in Architecture from Columbia University.

Having lived across five continents, she is interested in the cultural métissage that takes place when individuals from diverse places converge. From 9 to 5, she uses her experience to create unique architectural designs, and from 5 to 9, she channels her creativity into vibrant illustrations.

Her work is inspired by the diverse landscapes she has seen, her West African heritage, and her built environment or, as she likes to say: nature, culture, and architecture.

Through her illustrations, she strives to showcase the beauty of underrepresented communities, such as hers, and shine a light on their daily experiences. In doing so, she hopes to encourage a sense of pride and appreciation for the cultural richness they embody.

Instagram: @_allthingsmei

"In the heart of West Harlem, West Africa is buzzing." Along 116th street is a panorama of colors: from the vibrant boubous and tasseled hats to the rhythmic energy flowing through hair salons, African supply shops, mosques, and open-air markets. This lively tapestry is not just a reflection of life back in the homeland; it's a living canvas that intertwines African and American cultures with care and creativity.

In "Little Senegal," as the locals call it, cultural métissage is on full display. African elders swap dance moves with the younger generation, blending traditions with contemporary moves like the Dougie, while soul food restaurants serve hearty meals to the backdrop of Afro beats. This fusion of sounds, flavors, and styles creates an atmosphere of celebration and connection.

"Little Africa" aims to highlight this overlap of shared experiences. Elements of the African landscape overlay NYC's urban fabric, adding layers of richness and depth to Harlem's cultural mosaic. From Dakar to New York, the intersection of cultures, identities, and influences sparks creativity and produce something unique and dynamic.

Nachae Davis is a multidisciplinary artist and fashion designer, born and raised in the vibrant neighborhood of Harlem. Her creative journey, which has taken her to numerous destinations around the globe, invariably draws her back to her roots in Harlem. Currently, her work illuminates the beauty and profound significance of the diverse hairstyles worn by women of the African Diaspora, emphasizing the pivotal role that hair plays in shaping identity.

Inspired by her observations of the community of women who nurtured her in Harlem and her deep appreciation for ancient African ancestry, Nachae embarked on a project that encapsulates their essence and beauty. This inspiration culminated in the creation of the 'Onyx Linea' series, which translates to "Black Lines." This collection intricately explores the relationship between hair and identity among Black women. Crafted during a major transitional period in Nachae's life, the ‘Onyx Linea’ series is a reflection of her journey, both in reconnecting with her personal roots and delving into the historical depths of her heritage.

Instagram: @Nachae.D

‘Lean on me’ is inspired by my relationships with the women I’ve admired from my community in Harlem. The women I look up to, seek advice from, celebrate milestones with, it’s a visual depiction of the comfort they provide me and other girls like me. My ability to lean on them in all moments of my life and especially moments of uncertainty and somehow feeling safer in their presence knowing they care about the course of the next generation. My goal was to evoke a sense of safety and security in the ability to lean on a “big sister.”

Originally from Atlanta, GA, Brooklyn based multi-disciplinary artist Darlene Deloris graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA in Historical Studies from SUNY Empire State University. She is a self-taught artist using ethnographic research and a variety of mediums, texture, colors, and symbols to create portraits that give voice to the Black diaspora. She is a teaching artist for children ages 2-14 with Ridgewood institutions Supermoon Community Artspace and the Greater Ridgewood Youth Council. Darlene has had artwork featured in dozens of exhibitions and public works, including a billboard with SaveArtspace in 2021. She was a 2023 AIR at Ma’s House of Southampton, has been accepted into the Chateau d’Orquevaux Artist In Residency Program for 2025 and is currently an AIR with the SHIFT Residency from January-June 2024, powered by the Elizabeth Foundation of the Arts. She has been awarded Honorable Mention at the 2024 Best of SUNY juried exhibition.

Website: www.darlenedeloris.com

My work innately connects to Culture because my practice is inspired by Black history, Black Americana, and vintage black & white portrait photography. My subjects are always Black or Brown people, and typically female. Everything I create is inspired by Black culture and intended to preserve and protect the beauty that exists in everyday Black life. I am a creative who has been working with various mediums for almost 10 years. I am also a teaching artist, so my entire life centers around Creativity. The piece that I am submitting is created in the likeness of one of my sisters. The flowers in the background represent beauty, growth, and resilience, All are traits that the collective Black community embodies without hesitation, relating to the Care Initiative. Just like my sister, and the overall Black community, the legacy of Harlem is beautiful, resilient, and ever growing. In an enchanting space like Marcus Garvey Park, this piece would pair delightfully next to the hyacinths, daffodils, and tulips that bloom in the spring in the park. I imagine taking my 3 year old daughter for a walk through the park and her stopping to see a familiar image surrounded by flowers as we head to the playground. Any experience I know that others within the Harlem community would value as well. My work is meant to showcase the beauty of Blackness. What better place than in the historic Marcus Garvey Park.

Virginia Native, and DC based painter Reshada Pullen-Jireh , captures humanity, connectivity, and joy of her subjects using vibrancy, movement and color. Reshada earned her BFA at Virginia Commonwealth University, and pursued her Masters at Maryland Institute College of Art.

After Haiti’s devastating Earthquake in 2010, She began painting live for fundraisers around the metro D.C. Area. Reshada was the live painter for Wednesday Verses from 2010-2017. She is currently the live painter for Busboys and Poets. Reshada is an inaugural fellow in the Infinity Fine Artists Collective, and exhibits in galleries and museums throughout the US. Reshada teaches art classes throughout Metro DC, and provides opportunities for communities to learn and create together.

Instagram: @reshadapj

"Lifted" depicts a father playing with his daughter, raising her high above his head. Moments like these reinforce joy, safety and belonging with each other. Communities are supposed to be places where we share safety, joy, and belonging. We raise our children to be positive contributors to our community letting them know that this is our space and place to care for it and the people in it.