Liberation Labyrinth

Project Overview

In 2024, The Descendants Project, in collaboration with the Midlo Center for New Orleans Studies and DesignJones, received a Re:Generation grant from Monument Lab—a nonprofit public art, history, and design studio committed to advancing justice by reimagining monuments as places of belonging, learning, and healing.

Located in Vacherie, Louisiana, within the region commonly known as "Cancer Alley," the project responds to a landscape where the legacy of slavery and the plantation economy remains highly visible while few public spaces exist to honor the stories of Black descendants, their freedom, resistance, and resilience.

The Liberation Labyrinth transforms this landscape through a contemplative public space that reimagines the monument as an experience rather than an object. The design celebrates liberation, remembrance, and community while creating opportunities for education, reflection, and gathering.

Designed as a meditative environment, the labyrinth centers Black joy and healing amid the historical and ongoing trauma experienced by local residents and descendant communities, providing a space for reflection, resilience, and hope across generations.