The lineage of this work is rooted in loving memory of Helen Veronica Broadbelt Agard, whose transition in 2012 set forth Veronica’s community healing and grief work journey.
Ancestors in Training was first offered as a concept at the inaugural edition of the Diasporadicalx Conference in December 2017. As interest in the concept grew, the forms it took did.
At first, a three-part series was created to expand the project that ran from July to October of 2018. This was in partnership and collaboration with the Caribbean Cultural Center (CCCADI), the series was recorded and live-streamed.
This framework was also taught as a course to youth as a part of the Summer Institute of the Sadie Nash Leadership Project during summers of 2018 and 2019. During these years, pop sessions and activations occurred in partnership with: The Black Girl Project’s Sisterhood Summit, the Mystic Soul Conference, Byas & Leon, BreadxButta, and the Studio Museum of Harlem.
2020 marked the project’s third year and its continuation as an intimate experience in partnership with What to Make of Earth and Dust, Ethel’s Club, Indigenous Mental Health Awareness Network International, and El Museo del Barrio.
The beginning of 2021 marked the fourth cycle and new communities, through a four-part residency with Ethel’s Club and individual sessions with IDHA NYC, local high schools, metaDEN, and once again as a course with the Sadie Nash Leadership Project.
Late 2021 into early 2022 marked the fifth cycle of this project, Ancestors in Training was selected to participate in the bi-annual Allied Media Conference and was awarded a space grant to offer a free session in collaboration with the Weeksville Heritage Center. Participation was been partially funded - a first for this grassroots project - through receiving one of the Spring 2022 Reclamation Ventures Grants for Healing Practices For Grief. Closing out our fifth season, the project activated a space within the fifth annual Brooklyn Brujeria Festival and held sessions in partnership with Birth Bruja and Amplify RJ around central themes of Sustainable Legacies, AIT 101, and 7 Generations Medicine.
During year six, Ancestors in Training deepened collaborations with Decolonizing Therapy, Design for the Commons, Black Feminist Future, Ijeruka, and Black Joy x Reckon through programming, and appeared on several podcasts.
As we continue into year seven, we’ve grown a digital following of over 8,000 and counting. We’re looking to the future and honoring the present times, we anticipate a growing demand for programming and will push ourselves to rise to the challenges and triumphs that the times will bring.
