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

The project is located in Vacherie, Louisiana which is part of the region known as "Cancer Alley". Across southern Louisiana, the legacy of slavery and the plantation economy remains visibly glorified through tourist destinations and petrochemical plants that line River Road. Yet, few public spaces are dedicated to honoring the stories of Black descendants—their freedom, resistance, and resilience spanning generations.

The Liberation Labyrinth seeks to transform this landscape. Envisioned as a reimagined monument, it will honor and elevate the liberation efforts, struggles, and triumphs of Black communities in Southern Louisiana. Designed as a meditative space, the labyrinth will center Black joy and healing amid the historical and ongoing trauma experienced by local residents and descendant communities.

Client

The Descendants Project

Project Team

Landscape Architect I DesignJones LLC

Project Status

Conceptual Phase - Complete

Size

0.25 Acres