One day, our bodies will no longer be battlegrounds. Every ghost we name, every memory we claim, loosens the grip of history. Break free. Repair. Heal. The Museum of Black Futures will exist. In this episode we meet the amazing South-African soprano Ashley Stapelfeldt. She calls upon our spiritual healing by singing the spiritual Balm in Gilead. With this beautiful song she introduces Kimberley Smit.

Kimberley leads The Need for Legacy, a platform and community of theatre makers across generations. Together, they share stories, challenge dominant theatre histories and attempt to repair the history of damage that white institutions have done to the careers of theatre makers of color. By collectively studying forgotten archives, they advocate for a more accurate and inclusive approach to how performing arts are remembered—and taught.

We’re so proud to have Kimberley as part of the Museum of Black Futures team. With her deep knowledge of policy, archiving, and institution-building, she brings the kind of vision and structure that every radical idea needs to grow.

In this conversation, we explore reparations: What does it mean to repair? To heal? And what kind of responsibility does this give us? How can we turn The Museum of Black Futures into a space that makes room for that healing—on our terms?

Podcasts were made in collaboration with La Fam Productions, spearheaded by Marcellino van Callias.

Music by Oshunmare and the visuals by Illest Preacha.

Follow us on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/museumofblackfutures/