Activate Black Staten

Facilitated by Sadé Dinkins, Rashid Littlejohn, and Matt Figgz.

More about this urgent workshop:

“I am the writing on the wall, the whisper in the classroom. Without these things, I am nothing.” - Candyman (and don’t even think about saying his name 4 more times!)

This Spooky SZN edition of Activate Black Staten explores Black History, Black folklore, and Black horror— with a special focus on Staten Island’s own storied past.

From folktales originating on slave plantations to haints and z to modern horror classics like Get Out, Blade, and Candyman, this workshop examines the way horror has long served as a mirror for real-world fears, resistance, and the rich storytelling tradition of the Black diaspora. In addition to thinking diasporically, we will also zoom in on local histories—such as Sandy Ground and Cherry Lane— acknowledging the very real and present horrors of oppression and erasure.

Part of learning about…