Tijay Mohammed

Join us for an afternoon of creativity and reflection as we gather at the Enslaved African Burial Ground in Van Cortlandt Park. On Oct. 17th 2026 1-4pm

FREE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

The event will begin with a moving live performance by musician Juan Usera @juanmanuelusera and The Sambuco Tribe, setting the tone and making space for remembrance and renewal. Following the music, Bronx-based artist Tijay Mohammed @artoftijay will lead an interactive chalk art project aptly named “Message to my Ancestors,” transforming the pathway into a vibrant canvas that honors history and sparks imagination for the future.

SPECIAL GUEST ARTIST: Adrian Bermeo @bermeonyc, Adrienne George @artby__ang Dario Mohr @dariomohr_art, Musah Swallah @b.musah, Noel Hefele @noelhefele and Yoshiko Mori @forestofbirds

This unique gathering blends art, music, and community in a powerful act of reimagining, bringing people together in a shared experience of creativity and remembrance.
Tijay Mohammed’s “Message to my Ancestors” project is sponsored by Bronx Council on the Arts @bronxartsorg and AnkhLave Arts Alliance, Inc. @ankhlave

The event is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

This event is part of Van Cortlandt Park Alliance’s
REIMAGINING initiative. VCPA @vcpalliance invites the community to reimagine the park’s Enslaved African Burial Ground site as a memorial space that fosters long-term healing and restoration. Phase 1 of this project was supported by a generous grant from the Mellon Foundation @mellonfoundation.