“Reunioning” is an interactive, place-based experience, uplifting the rich legacy of Wahnabezee as a site of ecological significance and celebration. Integrating mixed-media photo collage within the natural landscape, Halima Afi Cassells and Shanna Merola guide participants through a visual exploration of the island’s delicate eco-system while paying homage to indigenous plants and wildlife. 

“Reunioning” on Belle Isle at Sunset Point. Photo by Bridget Quinn.

“Reunioning”  recognizes the unceded land of Wahnabezee as a historic site of liberation and joy for Black, brown, and indigenous Detroiters. Despite centuries of settler-colonial attempts to control and privatize the island, it remains — to this day — a site of resistance and celebration for majority-Black Detroit. The natural resources of water and land have also provided sustenance for centuries as city residents continue to fish from the same streams inhabited by lake sturgeon who have roamed these waterways for one-hundred and fifty million years.

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Halima Cassells is an award-winning interdisciplinary artist, mom, and an avid gardener with deep roots in Waawiiyaataanong/ Detroit. Cassells’ work is located at the intersection of interactive installation, visual art, and community building. She has exhibited and presented widely, including at: the N’Namdi Center for Contemporary Art, MOCAD, the Wright Museum, and the Detroit Institute of Arts.

Shanna Merola is a visual artist, photojournalist, and legal worker. In addition to her studio practice, she has been a human rights observer during political uprisings across the country – from the struggle for water rights in Detroit and Flint, Michigan, to the frontlines of Ferguson, MO and Standing Rock, ND. Her collages and constructed landscapes are informed by these events. Merola lives in Detroit, MI where she facilitates Know-Your-Rights workshops and coordinates legal support for grassroots organizations through the National Lawyers Guild.