OAK | 1994

in collaboration with Sika Foyer

Our world is built on the bark of oaks.

The world rests on the shoulders of the mighty oak. From presidential desks to fleets of naval ships, oak trees have been central to the power structure of modern governance.

Governors Island stands as memory and memoir—recalling centuries of modern political power struggles and regime changes. First, the Dutch procured the land through fraudulent deed transfer with the Lenape. Then the English wrestled it from the Dutch in the seizure of modern-day New York. Finally, America claimed it, and the rest of the land, ours, from sea to shining sea.

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Through play and performance, artists Sika Foyer and Tanika I. Williams explore the strength of oak fiber and how it binds diverse peoples and our histories together. OAK uplifts the work of James Baldwin and his advocacy for the recognition of and appreciation for Haiti’s rich legacy of liberation movements. OAK calls the audience to the 1994 Governors Island Accord—the United Nations Security Council meeting that had rippling ramifications for the people of Haiti and their future of freedom.