Experimenting with Rough Drafts and reparationWorks

by Luke McGowan

On Tuesday, February 25th, Rough Drafts and reparationWorks hosted our inaugural in-person salon. The format of the event was a Salon focused specifically on a question of reparations. Each participant in the salon brought forward a different set of ideas and/or piece of art to share with the group. The format was different from a typical panel or lecture because of the fact that multiple participants brought forward projects that were in process in order to speak about the theme of the night. Experimental poetry, a draft dissertation and a close reading of a former Slave's letter to his master were all shared. After these “rough drafts” were shared, participants in the salon took part in asking questions and discussing the character of these offerings as they related to reparations and broader movements for social justice and Black liberation. The different forms employed by the presenters was of particular importance to us because we believe that ideas about important concepts like reparations shouldn't be limited solely to academic discussion but rather explored in forms that sometimes find synergy but also may clash.

Dr. Love engages with participants in the Salon.

One moment that stood out to us in particular was Dr. Love's live reading of Jourdon Anderson's letter to his former master. We found the reading humorous and deeply informative. The live reading and close analysis speaks to the type of cultural dialogue that we want to encourage in our communities. A historical piece with clear grounding in our world today. Jourdon Anderson's letter is full of biting sardonic humor responding back to a white supremacist demand for free labor. His letter speaks to one type of response we should have to racists. We cannot thank Dr. Love enough for sharing it.

The nature of a salon is to exist as a provocation and expansion of our own intellectual desires. Furthermore, the ideas expressed are not meant to be perfect or fully solidified. Finally, questions from the other non-presenting participants are meant to provoke a participatory framework for how we do cultures of intellectualism. Art is of particular importance for our salons because our intellectual and political curiosities are always grounded in the aesthetic and cultural forms. Everything is cultural so a movement for reparations must also be cultural! The food was fantastic and the vibes were wonderful. Thanks to everyone for attending. We plan to do events like this on a quarterly basis. If you have any interest in sharing your work as it relates to the struggle for reparations and black liberation, please email Rough Drafts or reparationWorks.

Thanks to our featured intellectuals:

Dr. Anyabwile Love

Dr. Lucia Gbaya-Kanga

Sophia Lindner

Thanks to Kol Tzedek for allowing us to use their space.