Past Events

Join us for a resonant day of healing, connection, and reflection.

Participate in guided discussions, visit restorative healing stations, and access vital resources designed for women and gender-expansive individuals directly impacted by the legal system. Experience a moving theatrical performance by Helen “Skip” Skipper, a 2024 Rikers Public Memory Project Narrative Change Fellow.

Join us for a full day of celebrating community at Weeksville Heritage Center as we honor Black histories and Black futures! Take part in an enriching lineup of events—from sacred drumming and hands-on workshops to thought-provoking talks and some friendly trivia competition. Connect with local vendors, enjoy free smoothies and desserts, and engage with social justice organizations making an impact right here in Brooklyn. 

Join us on February 19th for a panel discussion on Rikers Island's impact on NYC youth. Hear firsthand accounts from those who experienced Rikers as adolescents, followed by insights from advocates and service providers on programs supporting at-risk and system-involved youth. The event will include audience Q&A and a youth performance!

We invite you to join us at our Rest and Restore yoga series led by Six of Sensate Wellness and take a moment for you! Open to all ages and skill levels, and no rsvp required. Simply show up and join us for a rejuvenating yoga experience. *Space is limited and offered on a first come-first served basis. Please note that doors close 10 minutes after the class begins, so do plan to arrive on time.

This Valentine’s Day, reimagine the holiday as Liberatory Love Day. Join poetess Nicole Alexander on February 14th for a workshop exploring the true essence of love. Craft poetic valentines for yourself and others, inspired by Nicole’s practice of honoring strangers’ hearts through poetry. Drop in anytime between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m., and as you write, explore our open-source library featuring works on radical love. At 2:00 p.m., join us for a special walk-through in our gallery of Torture Island: Past, Present, Future, our new exhibition curated by the Rikers Public Memory Project.

We invite you to join us at our Rest and Restore yoga series led by Six of Sensate Wellness and take a moment for you! Open to all ages and skill levels, and no rsvp required. Simply show up and join us for a rejuvenating yoga experience. *Space is limited and offered on a first come-first served basis. Please note that doors close 10 minutes after the class begins, so do plan to arrive on time.

Join filmmaker and organizer Edwin Santana for a screening of his award-winning film, Closing the Last Penal Colony. This documentary delves into the history of the Rikers Island jail complex and the grassroots movement to shut it down. The film received an Honorable Mention for Best Short Documentary at the 2024 Katra LatinX Film Festival in NYC.

In partnership with RPMP, Weeksville Heritage Center presents The Rikers Public Memory Project: A Community Truth and Healing Process, an exhibition showcasing works from its ongoing initiative with Freedom Agenda, Create Forward, and the Humanities Action Lab. The exhibition features creative works by the 2024 Narrative Change Community Fellows alongside historical context and personal stories about Rikers Island, the active New York City jail complex located in the East River.

Join us on January 4, 2025 and embrace the vibrant celebration of Dance For The Diaspora with HAUS of Glitter! This special celebration highlights movement, education, cultural practice, wellness, and a collective drive towards social change and unity within the African, Afro, and Black Diaspora community. Start the new year at Weeksville with this inspiring event!

On December 14th, from 10 am to 5 pm, we will host our first Weeksville Winter Craft Studio. The day will include holiday crafting, storytime with Sscarlet’s Web Bookstore, and Christmas classics on the big screen. We’ll also have holiday wreath workshops led by Regal Roots, henna design workshop led by Henna Get a What What and jewelry-making led by Jam & Rico.

Join us for an intimate afternoon as we close out our exhibition, Forward Ever: Celebrating Where We At Black Women Artists 1971–Now. In partnership with the Robert Blackburn Gallery, we invite you to join us in conversation with pioneering members of Where We At, the first Black women’s art collective, founded in 1971. This special gathering will feature artists Ann Tanksley, Linda Hiwot, Diane Ifill, Sadikisha Collier, and organizer Dindga McCannon, as they share their experiences and insights from decades of trailblazing creative work.

Join us for the Black Radical Women’s Bus Tour, a three-stop tour organized in collaboration with the Brooklyn Museum and the Robert Blackburn Gallery. This tour will connect exhibitions that explore the essence and creativity of Black women artists across Brooklyn and New York City. We will start at Weeksville, then travel to the Brooklyn museum, and end our day at the Robert Blackburn Gallery. Our aim is to learn from each other as we engage in dialogue and connect with the works on display.