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i have returned from #Benin. it is 2026 and you are #Black in the New World. Somewhere in the thousands of ancestors putting pestle to the mortar of your DNA is at least 1 who was forcibly removed from the continent, survived conditions which can only understatedly be called grueling, and brought more life into this world. That ancestor thought he/she was never going to see #Africa again. And yet, here you are, stronger, keener, smarter and more devoted to yourself than you've ever been; walking back through a door which was a door of no return.

Who are you bathed in blue come to claim your magic and clay? The beloveds @restorefellows have baptized you worthy as you have, them. They baptize you because they have birthed you new. They have that right now, to call you in and into, new names.

If your block looks different from your front door, if the morning glories at your fence stand straighter at your approach, doh fraid. Dize de kinda priest you are now.

De Dada say "consult the ancestors. don't emulate the Europeans" and then he travelled back to #Alladah. As we say home "plain talk. bad manners" The truth cannot often be varnished smooth.

more to say still about dis trip. me eh trippin. is you!

again nuff blessings and respeck to...

@eatorgchicago and @itsrichwallace

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✨Meet Irene Romaniuk, one of ILARJ’s coalition partners inside of IDOC. Irene is 1 of the 1,446 women completing her sentence in an Illinois state prison who is unable to vote in the upcoming elections due to disenfranchisement.

🌟Irene encourages everyone to sign the pledge because “we need a voice from the outside to speak on our behalf.” Under IL law, Irene cannot vote.

You can Vote in Her Honor by visiting ILARJ.org/pledge and letting Irene and other incarcerated women know that when you cast your vote in the upcoming election, you are also doing it for them.

You vote. She counts. Take the pledge 🩷 link in bio - you do not have to live in IL

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Homecoming: Benin 🇧🇯 2026 #bnwportrait #bnwstreet #bnwarchitecture #bnwlandscape #streetphotography_bw @restorefellows

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Hudley Vincent de Paul Bonair used to say "talk some, keep some..." it is an old old wisdom about what you share and what must bury. It is a wisdom that African diaspora people have utilized so as to retain what we have, but have also been cavalier with, as we reckon with the anxiety of what stories we must tell so as not to lose them altogether. #Benin and #Vodoun remind me. as does #Kalinda and #Trinidad. #kambule and mas, that we must be secret society type careful with how we tell what we see and to whom.

so it is with the spiritual technologies I've encountered these past couple weeks. But what we can all know is that to be holy is to be beautiful and to be in the spirit is to be dangerous. And we can revere aesthetic and be wholly respectful of the distance we must keep.

we are so blessed to be in witness of the inexplainable.

Flic 6 courtesy of the stylings of @itsrichwallace and the eye of the good brother from Novotel, Cotonou.

@eatorgchicago @restorefellows

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"The answers he gave us were extremely powerful, in letting us know that we were not sold."

When the king of Porto-Novo shared the stories of their people, we didn't just receive history—we received a deeper understanding about the nuanced backstory to Benin's involvement in the slave trade.

Now @brown_suga0216 is returning to her community with more than memories: she's bringing back the medicine of truth, the power of storytelling, and the roadmap for collective restoration.

The Restore Fellowship Documentary will be screening at the XL Film Festival in Chicago followed with a Q&A

Date: August 15

Time: 11:30AM

Location: David Rubenstine Forum

Address: 1201 E 60th St, Chicago, IL 60637

Tickets and programming information can be found in the link in my bio

Music by @daeski079

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During one of our stops we chopped it up with other visitors from neighboring countries to Benin. We ran into a man from Togo who mentioned having 11 wives to our group 😳

Isaac, one of our guides and hosts during the trip immediately called 🧢 after the interaction. @brown_suga0216 later on had to agree with the cap assessment 😂

What do you think?

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This trip wasn't a vacation. The Fellows completed a 23-week immersive course prior to their departure that taught them the ancient indigenous language, Fongbe.

During a visit to the market, you can see the learnings being put to use and the excitement shown by local merchants when they hear the language coming from one of the Fellows.

The 23-week course wasn't just about learning words—it was about reclaiming identity, memory, and connection to home.

The Restore Fellowship Documentary will be screening at the XL Film Festival in Chicago followed with a Q&A

Date: August 15

Time: 11:30AM

Location: David Rubenstine Forum

Address: 1201 E 60th St, Chicago, IL 60637

Tickets and programming information can be found in the link in my bio

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"We've longed. We've waited for your return." After recently celebrating her 10 year freedom anniversary, Quiyanya found herself at a crossroads: What would the next decade look like?

The answer came in Benin, where elders and ancestors welcomed her home with open arms. 'This is home for you,' they said, and everything clicked.

The Restore Fellowship Documentary captures these pivotal moments as system impacted individuals reclaim their indigenous heritage through immersive study and pilgrimage. When you've been separated from everything—freedom, family, identity—finding your way back to ancestral love becomes the ultimate transformation.

The Restore Fellowship Documentary will be screening at the XL Film Festival in Chicago followed with a Q&A!

Date: August 15
Time: 11:30AM
Location: David Rubenstine Forum
Address: 1201 E 60th St, Chicago, IL 60637

Tickets and programming information can be found in the link in my bio ✊🏽

Music by @daeski079

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"I will never look at my brother, my sister in that capacity ever again... I have been spiritually awakened by this journey."

Greg's powerful words capture the profound transformation at the heart of The Restore Fellowship Documentary. When you travel from the violence of survival to the embrace of ancestral love, you don't just change perspective—you change your soul.

This film follows six individuals as they reclaim heritage and sense of self through immersive study and pilgrimage to Benin. What they discovered wasn't just history—it was healing. This is more than a film—it's witnessed transformation that reminds us who we were before the world told us who to be.

The Restore Fellowship Documentary will be screening at the XL Film Festival in Chicago followed with a Q&A

Date: August 15

Time: 11:30AM

Location: David Rubenstine Forum

Address: 1201 E 60th St, Chicago, IL 60637

Tickets and programming information can be found in the link in my bio

Music by @daeski079

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The Restore Fellowship was a life changing experience for all of the participants and staff. The commitment was intense along with the learnings that took place months prior to boarding the plane.

One of the hardest things about directing this film for me wasn't the execution around getting the shots that were needed, it was actually overcoming the thought of being away from my family for an extended period of time. I tapered excitement for the trip as it got closer to happening.

From logistics, to making sure the wife had enough support with the kids while I was gone, to just the general anxiety that comes with all of the things when traveling...I had a lot on my mind that had nothing to do with shooting a documentary. But with that said, once I arrived after hours of travel and settling in, I truly was at ease and fully locked in to make the most out of this experience.

The #BTScenesFromBenin series delves deeper into the experiences shared by the Fellows and staff that embarked on a journey to Benin, West Africa as a part of @eatorgchicago Restore Fellowship Program.

The Restore Fellowship Documentary will be screening at the XL Film Festival in Chicago followed with a Q&A

Date: August 15
Time: 11:30AM
Location: David Rubenstine Forum
Address: 1201 E 60th St, Chicago, IL 60637

Tickets and programming information can be found in the link in my bio 👍🏽

Music by @daeski079

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We are incredibly proud to announce that The Restore Fellowship Documentary has been officially selected for XL FEST 25! @xlfilmfestival (Aug. 15-17)

This film embarks on a profound journey, exploring what true restitution means for Black people—a story of healing, lineage, and reclaiming history.

Looking forward to connecting with the filmmakers and talented people at XL Fest next month and sharing the film with everyone for the first time! ✊🏽

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Day 8 was a bittersweet day for the @eatorgchicago Restore Fellows. Back to America for now, the inaugural Restore Fellowship Cohort may have ended but the journey to becoming more rooted with the Motherland has just begun. We wrapped up filming and enjoyed the pool and hotel entertainment for the day. Excited to take everything we've experienced and sharing with family and friends. E dabo, e yi zaandé 🇧🇯✌🏽

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