Echoes of the Seed

Tuesday, September 23

6:00 – 8:30 pm

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture

515 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10037

Echoes of the Seed:

A Conversation on Sowing Seeds of Change and Transformation with the former leaders of The LP

We convened at Harlem’s iconic Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture—celebrating its centennial year—for a rare and powerful in sitú gathering: Echoes of the Seed. Moderated by trailblazing artist, curator, and scholar Dr. Deborah Willis, this intimate conversation brought together the architects of The Laundromat Project: founder Risë Wilson, founding executive director Kemi Ilesanmi, and first programs director Petrushka Bazin Larsen, alongside current executive director Ayesha Williams.

Rooted within one of the nation’s most revered Black cultural institutions, this gathering deepened the dialogue on legacy, self-determination, and creative power. Together, these leaders reflected on the early seeds planted to build The LP, shared stories of collective vision and radical imagination, and explored the ongoing power of art to transform lives and communities. This was a rare chance to hear directly from the leaders who shaped one of NYC’s most beloved and impactful cultural institutions.

The evening included time for audience questions, inviting reflection, curiosity, and wisdom from our vibrant community.

Catch up on this celebration of legacy, place, and the enduring impact of creative change.

Deborah Willis, Ph.D., is University Professor and Chair of the Department of Photography & Imaging at Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. She has affiliated appointments with the College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Social & Cultural Analysis, and the Institute of Fine Arts, where she teaches courses on Photography & Imaging, iconicity, and cultural histories visualizing the black body, women, and gender. She is the director of NYU’s Center for Black Visual
Culture/Institute of African American Affairs. Her research examines photography’s multifaceted histories, visual culture, the photographic history of Slavery and Emancipation, contemporary women photographers, and beauty.

She is the author of The Black Civil War Soldier: A Visual History of Conflict and Citizenship and Posing Beauty: African American Images from the 1890s to the Present, among others. Dr. Willis’ curated exhibitions include: “Framing Moments in the Kalamazoo Institute of the Arts,” “Free as they want to be: Artists Committed to Memory” with FotoFocus, and “Reflections in Black 25th Anniversary Edition: A Reframing.”

Dr. Willis was awarded the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fellowship and was a Richard D. Cohen Fellow in African and African American Art, Hutchins Center, Harvard University; a John Simon Guggenheim Fellow, and an Alphonse Fletcher, Jr. Fellow. She was the Robert Mapplethorpe Photographer in Residence of the American Academy in Rome and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is a recipient of the Don Tyson Prize for the Advancement of American Art by the Crystal Bridges Museum in 2022; was named the Mary Lucille Dauray Artist-in-Residence by the Norton Museum of Art, and taught a Master Class titled Home, Reimagining Interiority at Anderson Ranch in 2023.

Risë Wilson asks a lot of questions. Sometimes about culture and human behavior. Sometimes about art and creativity. Sometimes about plant medicine and the natural world. Always about the liberation of Black folks. Shape shifter, her work never quite occupies a simple form, but when she gets involved, things change for the better. Founder of The Laundromat Project in Brooklyn and the forthcoming Carriage House Project in Philadelphia, her twenty-six-year tenure in arts and culture has spanned philanthropic practice, artist development, facilitation, and public engagement. She currently provides coaching and consulting to foundations and non-profits in these areas.

Kemi Ilesanmi is an arts strategist, institution builder, and diaspora weaver. As Founder and Principal of KGI Projects, she cultivates strong and sustainable Black and Brown arts ecosystems in the United States and the African diaspora. For over 25 years, she has served as a nonprofit leader, foundation officer, museum curator, and now consultant, advisor, and connector. As executive director of The Laundromat Project, she grew the nationally recognized community arts organization tenfold in impact and budget. Prior to that, Kemi held key roles at Creative Capital and the Walker Art Center. Along with recognition from the Metropolitan Museum and the New York Times, Kemi has been featured in diverse international media, and she serves on several boards and advisory councils. A graduate of Smith College, NYU, and Coro Leadership NY, she is committed to holistic cultural and community care that is deeply informed by her Nigerian and Black American roots.

Petrushka Bazin Larsen co-founded Sugar Hill Creamery in 2017, creating Harlem’s first family-owned ice cream shop. The business now spans four NYC locations, including three in Harlem, and offers nationwide shipping and serves the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Featured on The Today Show and in Vogue Italia, the creamery has won multiple awards, including the 2025 Black Women in Food Award. With her husband Nick, Petrushka builds community through various programs and charitable initiatives. Her background in arts and education informs her approach, while she continues expanding as a JFK Airport venture partner and through MEWEUS, her coaching practice for women entrepreneurs.

Ayesha Williams is the executive director of The Laundromat Project (The LP), a Bed-Stuy-based, New York City community-based arts organization dedicated to making sustained investments in growing a community of multiracial, multigenerational, and multidisciplinary artists and neighbors committed to societal change. She is an arts professional with two decades of experience working with visual artists, presenting programs, and generating funding for commercial galleries and nonprofit institutions. Prior to The LP, she managed Visual Arts at Lincoln Center and served as the Director of Kent Gallery, New York. In addition to her professional experience, Ayesha is on the board of Rivers Institute for Contemporary Art & Thought and The Black School, and a member of Independent Curators International Independents. She completed the Stanford Impact Program for Arts Leaders and served as a Steering Committee member of the UN Women’s Conference (2016). She received her Master’s degree in Visual Arts Administration from New York University and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.

This year, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding! A national landmark and world-renowned research center located in the heart of Harlem, the Schomburg Center stewards a collection of 11 million items and is dedicated to the collection, preservation, and exhibition of Black history and culture.

Join the Schomburg Center for a year-long celebration of a wide array of special events, exhibitions, and more as we celebrate this milestone and continue the legacy of Arturo Schomburg. Learn more!

The Laundromat Project (The LP) is celebrating its 20th Anniversary over twelve months to honor the power of creativity and community that has shaped our work over the past two decades. Through art and culture, The LP has sparked transformation in Bed-Stuy and beyond, supporting artists and neighbors in re-imagining what’s possible. 

Join us for year-long public offerings designed to honor our legacy, uplift our beloved community, and share our learnings and practices that have fostered real change. From storytelling and live performances to archival projects and intimate conversations, these programs will capture the impact of The LP’s work while celebrating the vibrant voices that make it all possible. Together, we’ll reflect on our shared history, revel in our collective joy, and build momentum for what’s to come. Learn more!