Radical Imagination · 2026 Wrapped

A cultural technology studio in Queens

RADICAL IMAGINATION

2026 WRAPPED

A cultural technology studio in Queens.

What we built this year, where we took it, and who came with us. Tap to start.

WHERE IT STARTED

FEB 14

Our first exhibition opened in church: True Zion Gospel Temple, Queens.

Du Bois Does Data: An A+R Sensory Experience. Free, and self-funded.

Source: True Zion exhibition narrative and photo record

ONE EVENING

7

formats in one room

Museum curation, VR, AR, a projection, live calligraphy by Jahaziel Israel, code notebooks and a period playlist. About 20 to 30 people came. That is our estimate; nobody counted.

Source: True Zion photo record. The headcount is an estimate

POINT A PHONE AT IT

5

AR activations

Hosted by Black Terminus, with Damien McDuffie, who taught us AR.

Source: True Zion exhibition narrative

THEY INVITED US BACK

3 DAYS

at the Oculus, June 19 to 21

Co-presented with the CUNY Public Interest Technology Lab. They saw the work in March and asked us back for Juneteenth.

Source: RI ship log, March 27 and June 19, 2026

A ROOM YOU CAN WALK INTO

72

plates from the 1900 Paris Exposition, on the walls

Hung in the Paris 1900 Hall, one of three rooms in our VR Cave Gallery. Each is scanned from the Library of Congress and linked to its record.

Source: the Hall’s plate list, 72 Library of Congress records

YOUR TOP FIGURES

DU BOIS AND GARVEY

W.E.B. Du Bois led the first half of the year. Marcus Garvey took the second.

Ranked by what we built for each, not by clicks.

Source: RI ship log, 2026

IN HIS OWN WORDS

618

passages from Garvey, searchable

The Marcus Garvey Living Archive. Ask it a question and it answers with his words, cited.

Source: The archive's quote index, 618 entries

PRESS START

78

sourced cards in the Black Star Line game

Harlem, 1917 to 1923. You play an organizer. Every card traces to a source.

Source: The game's event file, 78 cards

TAKE A WALK

10

stops through Garvey's Harlem

Harlem, On Foot. Board with a pass and walk it from anywhere.

Source: The walk's ten stop pages

MINUTES IN CLASS

324

minutes of Legacy Lectures so far

Five Sundays of Legacy Lectures: Marcus Garvey, led by Dr. Jewell Ruth-Ella Humphrey with Black Star Archive. The last class is November 1, for 90 minutes.

Source: Session recordings, Sessions 1 to 5: 69, 64, 66, 61 and 65 minutes

THE RECORDS WE PLAYED

ON REPEAT

  1. St. Louis Blues · Lt. Jim Europe's 369th "Hell Fighters" Band, 1919
  2. Dippermouth Blues · King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band, 1923
  3. That Moaning Trombone · 369th "Hell Fighters" Band, 1919
  4. Crazy Blues · Mamie Smith and Her Jazz Hounds, 1920
  5. Down Hearted Blues · Bessie Smith, 1923

The soundtrack under our games, walks and films this year. All public domain.

Source: The records used across our projects

WHAT WE SHIPPED

LIVE NOW

  1. Project Watchtower
  2. VR Cave Gallery
  3. Paris Exposition Wrapped
  4. Du Bois Living Archive
  5. Marcus Garvey Living Archive
  6. Black Star Line
  7. Harlem, On Foot
  8. Addisleigh Park, On Foot
  9. Legacy Lectures
  10. The People’s Economy
  11. The Companion notebooks

Built and put online in 2026.

Source: RI ship log, 2026

YOUR BUSIEST MONTH

OCTOBER

The game, two walks and four classes all landed in it.

Black Star Line on October 15, Harlem, On Foot on October 10, Addisleigh Park, On Foot late in the month, Legacy Lectures on the 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th.

Source: RI ship log, October 2026

YOUR 2026 TYPE

THE ARCHIVIST WHO BUILDS GAMES

Equal parts library and workshop.

You read the primary source first, then made it playable.

WHO CAME WITH US

THANK YOU

  1. Julisa Esparza
  2. Derrick Stroman
  3. Dr. Jewell Humphrey and Black Star Archive
  4. Jahaziel Israel
  5. Damien McDuffie and Black Terminus
  6. CUNY Public Interest Technology Lab
  7. True Zion Gospel Temple
  8. Anthony Starks
  9. Fractured Atlas

And everyone who sat in a headset, signed the guest book or came back the next Sunday.

Source: RI roster

SEE YOU IN 2027

PLAYER 2

PRESS START

radicalimagination.xyz

Every card

  1. Where It Started. FEB 14: Our first exhibition opened in church: True Zion Gospel Temple, Queens.. Du Bois Does Data: An A+R Sensory Experience. Free, and self-funded. (True Zion exhibition narrative and photo record)
  2. One Evening. 7: formats in one room. Museum curation, VR, AR, a projection, live calligraphy by Jahaziel Israel, code notebooks and a period playlist. About 20 to 30 people came. That is our estimate; nobody counted. (True Zion photo record. The headcount is an estimate)
  3. Point A Phone At It. 5: AR activations. Hosted by Black Terminus, with Damien McDuffie, who taught us AR. (True Zion exhibition narrative)
  4. They Invited Us Back. 3 DAYS: at the Oculus, June 19 to 21. Co-presented with the CUNY Public Interest Technology Lab. They saw the work in March and asked us back for Juneteenth. (RI ship log, March 27 and June 19, 2026)
  5. A Room You Can Walk Into. 72: plates from the 1900 Paris Exposition, on the walls. Hung in the Paris 1900 Hall, one of three rooms in our VR Cave Gallery. Each is scanned from the Library of Congress and linked to its record. (the Hall’s plate list, 72 Library of Congress records)
  6. Your Top Figures. DU BOIS AND GARVEY: W.E.B. Du Bois led the first half of the year. Marcus Garvey took the second.. Ranked by what we built for each, not by clicks. (RI ship log, 2026)
  7. In His Own Words. 618: passages from Garvey, searchable. The Marcus Garvey Living Archive. Ask it a question and it answers with his words, cited. (The archive's quote index, 618 entries)
  8. Press Start. 78: sourced cards in the Black Star Line game. Harlem, 1917 to 1923. You play an organizer. Every card traces to a source. (The game's event file, 78 cards)
  9. Take A Walk. 10: stops through Garvey's Harlem. Harlem, On Foot. Board with a pass and walk it from anywhere. (The walk's ten stop pages)
  10. Minutes In Class. 324: minutes of Legacy Lectures so far. Five Sundays of Legacy Lectures: Marcus Garvey, led by Dr. Jewell Ruth-Ella Humphrey with Black Star Archive. The last class is November 1, for 90 minutes. (Session recordings, Sessions 1 to 5: 69, 64, 66, 61 and 65 minutes)
  11. The Records We Played. ON REPEAT: St. Louis Blues · Lt. Jim Europe's 369th "Hell Fighters" Band, 1919, Dippermouth Blues · King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band, 1923, That Moaning Trombone · 369th "Hell Fighters" Band, 1919, Crazy Blues · Mamie Smith and Her Jazz Hounds, 1920, Down Hearted Blues · Bessie Smith, 1923. The soundtrack under our games, walks and films this year. All public domain. (The records used across our projects)
  12. What We Shipped. LIVE NOW: Project Watchtower, VR Cave Gallery, Paris Exposition Wrapped, Du Bois Living Archive, Marcus Garvey Living Archive, Black Star Line, Harlem, On Foot, Addisleigh Park, On Foot, Legacy Lectures, The People’s Economy, The Companion notebooks. Built and put online in 2026. (RI ship log, 2026)
  13. Your Busiest Month. OCTOBER: The game, two walks and four classes all landed in it.. Black Star Line on October 15, Harlem, On Foot on October 10, Addisleigh Park, On Foot late in the month, Legacy Lectures on the 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th. (RI ship log, October 2026)
  14. Your 2026 Type. THE ARCHIVIST WHO BUILDS GAMES: Equal parts library and workshop.. You read the primary source first, then made it playable.
  15. Who Came With Us. THANK YOU: Julisa Esparza, Derrick Stroman, Dr. Jewell Humphrey and Black Star Archive, Jahaziel Israel, Damien McDuffie and Black Terminus, CUNY Public Interest Technology Lab, True Zion Gospel Temple, Anthony Starks, Fractured Atlas. And everyone who sat in a headset, signed the guest book or came back the next Sunday. (RI roster)

Music: "St. Louis Blues" (W.C. Handy), Lieut. James Reese Europe's 369th Infantry Hellfighters Band, Pathé, 1919. Public domain; declicked for this page. Audience numbers appear only where a record states one; site analytics began October 20, 2026. Colours after Du Bois's 1900 Paris plates. Pixel icons are from our playable commercial; the marchers are from Black Star Line, the game.