Sounds of Rest

Najee & Erika Harper at Weeksville Heritage Center

Recorded on the historical site of the Weeksville Heritage Center, this episode welcomes Najee_ (interdisciplinary artist and yogi) and Erica Harper (VP of Learning and Engagement at WHC). The conversation with Dr. Layla Zami addresses restful practices and restorative sounds, African-American liberation history and the meaning of community. An episode full of emotions and information!

In conversation with

Najee Wilson

Najee (1987.Charleston South Carolina, USA) is a Multidisciplinary Artist ,Certified Yoga Instructor and Sound Practitioner based in Brooklyn New York, whose insights are rooted in Ashtanga, Rocket, and Iyengar philosophy. Najee_ is inspired to help others thrive in life by nurturing body, mind, and soul with yoga, hoping that you step off the mat feeling invigorated, nourished, and balanced. Najee_ specializes in experimental improvisation in soundscapes and arrangements that imbue the power of sound to facilitate transformative healing experiences . Often utilizing various percussion techniques and a range of vibratory instruments to free the mind and body from stress and create moments of inner peace and balance. Asé. Website Instagram @najeewilson_ Spotify Youtube @najeewilson Flow page

Erica Harper (Weeksville Heritage Center)

Erica Harper is Vice President of Learning & Engagement at the Weeksville Heritage Center. WHC is a historic site and cultural center in Central Brooklyn that uses education, arts and a social justice lens to preserve, document and inspire engagement with the history of Weeksville, one of the largest free Black communities in pre-Civil War America, and the Historic Hunterfly Road Houses. The Center celebrates and centers Black culture, community and creativity; and sparks dialogue and collaborations between local residents, artists, academics and activists that advance us towards a more just and equitable world. Programs include exhibitions, performances and other offerings such as Najee's weekly Rest & Restore session with yoga and sound. Website: Weeksville Heritage Center Instagram @weeksvilleheritagecenter Facebook @weeksville

Credits Sounds Cocoon (Prelude) live and recorded by Najee_ Field recordings by Layla Zami Photos Najee Wilson at Weeksville Heritage Center, Photo by Layla Zami Najee Wilson, Study for Dynamic Peace (Self Portrait 16), 2020 Erica Harper Weeksville Heritage Center Podcast Info Concept Dr. Layla Zami, Postdoctoral Researcher in Performance Studies Producer Freie Universität Berlin, Collaborative Research Center Intervening Arts (SFB 1512 Intervenierende Künste, TP B05) Funded by German Research Society (DFG) In Cooperation with FU Berlin, Institut für Theaterwissenschaft Eufoniker Audioproduktion