Year in Review: Engaging with the Reid Hall Community
From literary conversations and multimedia performances to investigative journalism workshops and immersive family events, over the past year Reid Hall fostered dialogue across disciplines and borders. Highlights included deep dives into Black diasporic histories, explorations of women’s empowerment, and critical reporting on migration.
Les Encres de l’Atlantique
This monthly series curated by Maboula Soumahoro explores Black worlds, histories, and cultures while examining the realities of the African diaspora. The 2024–2025 season featured a rich mix of literary, musical, cinematic, and sociological encounters.
For Black History Month, Maboula Soumahoro hosted an in-depth conversation with acclaimed author and journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates about his latest book, The Message, which examines contemporary global issues, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, through the lens of post-colonialism, freedom, and cultural memory. Soumahoro also interviewed Mohamed Mbougar Sarr about La Plus secrète mémoire des hommes, following a multimedia performance combining text, music, and illustration.
Soumahoro also paid tribute to the late Maryse Condé with a participatory event where audience members read aloud excerpts from her works, celebrating her literary legacy and influence on Francophone and diasporic studies.
Other events in the series included a discussion with novelist and filmmaker Faïza Guène about her new book Kiffe kiffe hier?, examining memory, resilience, and hope; a screening of Katy Lena Ndiaye’s documentary L’argent, la liberté : une histoire du franc CFA with a debate on post-colonial economic legacies in West Africa; a celebration of DJ Mehdi’s musical legacy featuring a documentary and panel with prominent figures from the French hip-hop scene; and a session on contemporary West African migration to the U.S., including a screening of the animated short Tukki Yoonu XaaXaam and a discussion on ICE’s Alternatives to Detention program with insights from ABISA.
Voices in Journalism
The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma’s Reporting Institute on Childhood and Forced Migration in Europe aimed to enhance reporting on children and families impacted by forced migration and displacement. Held at Reid Hall, it was co-hosted by the Paris Global Center, with support from Columbia Journalism and the Mailman School of Public Health. Participants engaged in a three-day program that combined expert lectures, field visits, and hands-on workshops.
The institute began with sessions on childhood trauma, protection, and the legal context for migrant children, along with a master class and ethics discussions. Participants then visited Paris-based organizations supporting unaccompanied minors and women in crisis, followed by workshops on ethical interviewing, source relationships, and migration journeys. The final day highlighted language in storytelling, journalist self-care, and one-on-one story clinics. Across three days, participants deepened their understanding of childhood forced migration while refining ethical reporting practices and resilience.
Listen to our interview with Dart Center director Bruce Shapiro on Spotify or Apple Podcasts
Focusing on “Stories of Resistance,” this year’s Journalism and Crisis event with Live Magazine featured live performances by six journalists and artists sharing personal stories of their lives and work. Presentations emphasized the vital role journalism plays in navigating extreme conditions.
For four months, Forbidden Stories and its partners investigated the circumstances of killings of journalists in Palestine, as well as those who have been targeted, threatened and injured in the West Bank and Gaza. Journalists Laurent Richard and Léa Perruchon from Forbidden Stories, and Asia Balluffier, head of Le Monde’s visual investigation unit, discussed the role of collaboration in “The Gaza Project,” and the particular challenges and dangers of reporting on warzones.
Women’s Month at Reid Hall
Our Women's Month events are rooted in the legacy of women’s empowerment and cross-cultural collaboration at Reid Hall. Each encounter honors women who transcend borders and disciplines, making an impact in art and academia, climate and activism.
This year’s Women’s Month at Reid Hall celebrated women breaking barriers across disciplines. Nicola Attadio’s biography of Nellie Bly highlighted the journalist’s fearless reporting and record-breaking global journey. Axelle Jah Njiké, in conversation with historian Christelle Taraud, explored intimate and political dimensions of Afropean feminist identity.
A symposium on Michelle Perrot’s work examined women’s history, labor struggles, and global feminisms, concluding with a screening of Women Talking (2023). Finally, Hélène Frouard’s biography of Jacqueline Manicom honored the Guadeloupean activist and midwife who championed reproductive rights despite racial and gender barriers.
Watch all of the Women’s Month event recordings
Neighbors at the Nuit de l’Imagination
Celebrating Neighbors, this year’s Nuit de l’Imagination explored what it means to live together. Throughout the afternoon, Reid Hall hosted activities for children and families, including a concert, yoga class, and theater workshop. In the evening, author and historian Marina Warner delivered a keynote address on transforming unfamiliar spaces into welcoming communities, drawing on her work with refugees and migrants. The night concluded with a collaborative musical experience by Ursula Kwong-Brown and Daniel Erdberg.
SOS Méditerranée, a European maritime-humanitarian organization dedicated to rescuing lives at sea, engaged visitors through an immersive program for children and families. Workshops introduced young participants to the basics of seamanship, including knot-tying and ship construction, alongside memory games designed to explain the organization’s lifesaving work. Complementing the hands-on activities, the “Sauver, Protéger, Témoigner” photo exhibition displayed striking images of SOS Méditerranée’s operations at sea, bringing the organization’s mission vividly to life for attendees.