About The Reclaiming Legacy Project
our Mission
Our mission is to prevent the erasure of the hard-earned legacies of African-American, Indigenous Peoples, Mexican-American and other people of color who have contributed greatly to this country. We will do this by combating revisionist history with historical accuracy. We will unearth, reclaim, and give visibility, one legacy at a time, beginning with André Cailloux. We will do this by any creative means necessary; theatre, dance, music, public activations, puppetry & visual art.
our History
The project organizer, Sanaa Msemaji has been beating the drum of a reenactment of Cailloux's historic funeral since 2018. One of her colleagues, Mike Grote, at Alembic Community Development (redeveloper and co-owner of the bldg.) introduced her to the story of André Cailloux via a triptych mural series by artist, Langston Allston that previously hung on the doors of the former St. Rose de Lima church. Inspired by Cailloux's legacy but deeply disturbed that it was still so widely unknown Sanaa dreamed of ways to restore it. Under the Alembic umbrella, she began by renaming the building after André Cailloux, an effort meant to support the work of the Bayou Road Business Association which successfully got the local park renamed for Cailloux. She brought in Lauren Turner of No Dream Deferred, as a thought-partner to co-create the original vision that would become the André Cailloux Center for Performing Arts & Cultural Justice which Lauren currently manages. After a year away from New Orleans for family reasons, Sanaa returned to the Bayou Rd community and was asked to step back into leadership as one of the 3 original co-founders. However, it quickly became apparent that reclaiming Cailloux's legacy was an undertaking that would require much more capacity and focus, Sanaa then stepped away from the ACC to prioritize this work. The RLP remains an independent project and is not a program or line item of the ACC. All project fundraising will go through RLP channels, either directly or via our fiscal sponsor.
Sanaa Msemaji
Artistic Director
Sanaa is a cultural historian and an influential force dedicated to the growth and sustainability of New Orleans' vibrant culture. With a deep commitment to honoring and elevating the contributions of black community members to the region's rich creole, musical, artistic, and experiential heritage, Sanaa has dedicated her time to preserving and celebrating these vital influences. Sanaa's unique path in community organizing is characterized by her passion for fostering genuine collaboration and her refusal to conform to traditional professional development tracks. It is also borne out of being a Legacy Child, a label given to the children of Black Power leader(s) at the height of the movement in the 60's & 70's. Under the encouragement of Cesar Chavez, Sanaa's father, Ken Msemaji
and stepmother, Fahari Jeffers created the 3rd largest union founded by Black & Brown people in America, The United Domestic Workers of America holds it's place in history next to the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters Union and the United Farmworkers Union. Growing up Msemaji meant going door to door for campaign after campaign, being a fly on the wall in rooms with governors, senators, politicians from both sides of the aisle, and celebrities as they found common ground and discussed organizing, equality, education and healthcare. Sanaa is no stranger to conversations about progressive change and doing things that have never been done before. Her approach to community work is guided by her belief in the power of heart, passion, equity and justice. She strives to create spaces where true collaboration can flourish, ensuring that the voices and contributions of all Black & Brown community are known and celebrated. Her dedication and innovative spirit continue to inspire and uplift the New Orleans community. Her extensive thought-partnership with various non-profits, initiatives, and projects has earned her a reputation as a tireless advocate for historical and cultural preservation and community empowerment.
