Help Guanábana Build A Free Community Library
Donation protected
ABOUT US
Guanábana is a collective dedicated to centering the voices of Black folx with Antillean Ancestry. Originally, our mission was to focus on Black Latinx folx, however we believe that even with good intention if we continue to build ourselves within the context of Latinidad we are lending a hand to the white supremacist values that uphold it. With that being said we desire to find more complex and complete ways to relate. We desire to connect beyond colonially imposed language. In the words of Edouárd Glissant, we desire to serve as a composition that "did not result from a union of "norms" but, rather was built in the margins with all kinds of materials that by their very nature were exceptions to the patience of the rule, to be thrust headlong into the world by necessity, oppression, anguish, greed, or an appetite for adventure?”
OUR WORK
Guanábana was conceptualized the Summer of 2020 as the founder, Duneska Suannette Michel, wanted to serve her community impacted by the pandemic and police brutality, however could not protest as they are immunocompromised. For that reason Guanábana decided to hold Monthly Vigils in Honor of Black Lives at Maria Hernandez Park. The last Sunday of every month Guanábana distributed PPE, meals, groceries, and educational material, as well as invited speakers from other community organizations including Nourish, Playground Coffee Shop, NY Boricua Resistance, and more. Guanábana also provided tables for other community organizations including Mil Mundos Books, who handed out free books, as well as Mi Casa No Es Su Casa, which focused on spreading awareness on the North BK Pipeline. Following their last Vigil in Honor of Black Lives Guanábana organized Dia De Los Muertos in Honor of Black Lives alongside Mil Mundos, as well as curated The Stage at MOMA PS1. The educational material they composed over the summer now lives in Homeroom at MOMA PS1. Shortly after curating the stage at MOMA PS1, Guanábana decided to reframe their mission stearing away from Latinidad and towards new ways of relating that do not ostracize black people. This led them to focusing on Black folx with Antillean ancestry and inspired them to host Black Diaspora Book Club where we have been slow reading Poetics of Relation. As we thought about the ways in which knowledge is made inaccessible, we thought the appropriate next step is to host a Free Community Library in Bushwick - one beautifully built by black designer and community member, Hassam Assif.
FREE COMMUNITY LIBRARY
Like Erzulie the Haitian voodoo spirit of love, beauty, and dance, Cafe Erzulie takes many forms, which will now include hosting the Free Community Library. This Library will not only serve as a representation of the new ways that we as folks with Antillean ancestry can relate to one another but will also strictly carry text written by People of Color. Once built, Guanábana also desires to host monthly read alouds for families in the community and follow it with art making activities. The money for this GoFundMe will go towards compensating Hassam Assif as well as keeping the library stocked. A full financial breakdown created by Assif is available below.
Fabrication of Proposals - $2,504
Exterior Bookcase - $1300
lumber, plexiglass, hardware, prime/paint, labor
Transportation, Shop, Tools - $1,000
Tax - $204.13
Guanábana is a collective dedicated to centering the voices of Black folx with Antillean Ancestry. Originally, our mission was to focus on Black Latinx folx, however we believe that even with good intention if we continue to build ourselves within the context of Latinidad we are lending a hand to the white supremacist values that uphold it. With that being said we desire to find more complex and complete ways to relate. We desire to connect beyond colonially imposed language. In the words of Edouárd Glissant, we desire to serve as a composition that "did not result from a union of "norms" but, rather was built in the margins with all kinds of materials that by their very nature were exceptions to the patience of the rule, to be thrust headlong into the world by necessity, oppression, anguish, greed, or an appetite for adventure?”
OUR WORK
Guanábana was conceptualized the Summer of 2020 as the founder, Duneska Suannette Michel, wanted to serve her community impacted by the pandemic and police brutality, however could not protest as they are immunocompromised. For that reason Guanábana decided to hold Monthly Vigils in Honor of Black Lives at Maria Hernandez Park. The last Sunday of every month Guanábana distributed PPE, meals, groceries, and educational material, as well as invited speakers from other community organizations including Nourish, Playground Coffee Shop, NY Boricua Resistance, and more. Guanábana also provided tables for other community organizations including Mil Mundos Books, who handed out free books, as well as Mi Casa No Es Su Casa, which focused on spreading awareness on the North BK Pipeline. Following their last Vigil in Honor of Black Lives Guanábana organized Dia De Los Muertos in Honor of Black Lives alongside Mil Mundos, as well as curated The Stage at MOMA PS1. The educational material they composed over the summer now lives in Homeroom at MOMA PS1. Shortly after curating the stage at MOMA PS1, Guanábana decided to reframe their mission stearing away from Latinidad and towards new ways of relating that do not ostracize black people. This led them to focusing on Black folx with Antillean ancestry and inspired them to host Black Diaspora Book Club where we have been slow reading Poetics of Relation. As we thought about the ways in which knowledge is made inaccessible, we thought the appropriate next step is to host a Free Community Library in Bushwick - one beautifully built by black designer and community member, Hassam Assif.
FREE COMMUNITY LIBRARY
Like Erzulie the Haitian voodoo spirit of love, beauty, and dance, Cafe Erzulie takes many forms, which will now include hosting the Free Community Library. This Library will not only serve as a representation of the new ways that we as folks with Antillean ancestry can relate to one another but will also strictly carry text written by People of Color. Once built, Guanábana also desires to host monthly read alouds for families in the community and follow it with art making activities. The money for this GoFundMe will go towards compensating Hassam Assif as well as keeping the library stocked. A full financial breakdown created by Assif is available below.
Fabrication of Proposals - $2,504
Exterior Bookcase - $1300
lumber, plexiglass, hardware, prime/paint, labor
Transportation, Shop, Tools - $1,000
Tax - $204.13
Organizer
Duneska Suannette Michel
Organizer
Brooklyn, NY