Hello everyone. It is currently 4:36 AM as I’m recording this. It’s also February 1st, which means it’s Black fucking History Month period. And it also means that tomorrow, February 2nd, is the official launch of {B/qKC}’s archival database. It’s very, very exciting, and a long time coming. And so I just wanted to record like a quick little voice message. Sharing my headspace and my stream of consciousness and how I want to share this in the world with everyone.

Um, I started the archive in 2021 upon my move to Kansas City. I was coming to Kansas City. Caribbean girl from central Florida. Uh, and I went to college in Hoboken, New Jersey and was always in New York. So I don’t know shit about the country. don’t know shit about the Midwest And {B/qKC} as a research project became a way for me to find myself, uh, in Kansas City and… Wow. Wow, in the ways that I’ve been able to do that through My own joy through bringing other joy, uh, and all the other feelings through the explorations of our elders’ memories.

Being able to build new memories from the memories of others has just been a very meta experience, but a very beautiful one.

And I’m very grateful for all I’ve been able to do with the projects since I’ve began it. And all of your support too. So thank you. Um, And I’m just even more grateful for the launch of this website as well.

It’s no secret that last year was very, very hard for me. Um, Having to navigate my future and the future of the archive after A… After divorcing it from The container is what I’ll call it. uh, being pretty much like what I 1st knew when I came to Kansas City was really, was really hard. And, uh, led to a lot of other divorces and divorces and divorces that, uh, were just like difficult to navigate back to back. And I don’t necessarily, this is not the point of this voice message, and I don’t want to get into that or bring any of that public necessarily.

Uh, I’m mentioning all that to say, uh, is that I’ve been thanking a lot about that with the launch of this website and what is meant for me to be coding it for the past year. Um, I’ve talked at length about how the archival science I wanted to lead with is to repair our historical record, to build power, to accessibly storytell. These are the 3 tenants I developed as part of {B/qKC}’s archival science. But I think what’s equally been powerful and important with that is building with care and intention, and specifically what I want to say, slowness.

Um, I’ve had the Soakie’s materials since 2023. Digitized, and the fact that I’m just now releasing this website, uh, 3 years later, uh, is is a significant one, and no, it doesn’t mean I’m a procrastinator only a little bit. But… What it does mean is I wasn’t willing to just digitize the material, upload them, and go on about my day. Uh, I thought there was immense care needed in the digital and physical stewardship of these materials and what they mean beyond just viewing them. What is what does it mean? Uh, where the contexts in which they’re viewed, where they’re owned, how they’re talked about, uh, how the data is analyzed, such, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Just caring a lot about the stewardship of these materials and how we keep what’s ours, ours. Uh, which I’m not gonna get super deep into this voice message either. So Nas, stay on focus. More conversations about the digital stewardship later this year. But anyways, like I’m saying, uh, I’ve cared a lot about how I bring those materials to you all, and I’m very excited for y’all to see that tomorrow.

Um, What I want to end this message by with what I want to end this message. With is, is that. I am very, very grateful for all the relationships and community, the archive is brought. And I’m also very, very grateful. for the way some of those relationships have ended and the lessons that I’ve learned from them. And I’m excited for what the launch of this website means as a new chapter of the archive, as a new chapter. For me, another new chapter for Kansas City because I think this is going to be very, very significant. I don’t know, call me crazy. Uh, say I have a big ego, which I do, but, Uh, We deserve to have the records of the most marginalized on the fringes of our society. Uh, not only recorded, but recorded with love, with care, with deep intention, with deep slowness. And very sexy, sex silly, sex silly, too. Um, And I’m excited to share that all with you. Thank you again for everyone that’s supported me. Since the beginning, since recently, since whenever. Um, And I’m just looking forward to turning 2026 the fuck up. There’s a lot in store this year. Um, Period. That’s all I’ll say.

And. Much love to much love through all of this, through all the shit that is happening in the world right now. Fuck ice. And… Beyond anything else, I just hope that this is another tool for us to… to fight for our liberation and a better future than the reality we’re living in now. Hugs, kisses, wherever you are.

And I hope you enjoy what {B/qKC} has to offer tomorrow.