Overview
Join us at the M’Finda Kalunga Community Garden as we gather to honor HALO — a luminous art installation that has brightened Sara D. Roosevelt Park and illuminated the legacy of the Chrystie Street African Burial Ground.
Installed in 2024, HALO intertwines African diasporic patterns and ancestral histories, transforming the garden fence into a radiant memorial and educator. For countless residents, students, and visitors, it has become both a symbol of remembrance and a beacon of safety and pride in the Lower East Side.
Due to NYC Parks requirements for art installations and their length time on display , HALO must come down before mid-November. While we continue to advocate for its permanent recognition, we invite the community to come together and celebrate the light, legacy, and collective spirit that HALO embodies.
Come share stories, music, and connection as we reflect on what this installation has meant — and envision how its message can continue to shine in the future.
About the Garden:
The M’Finda Kalunga Community Garden, founded in 1982 by local residents reclaiming Sara D. Roosevelt Park from disrepair, remains a living symbol of resilience and community action. Today, it serves as a “communal backyard” for the neighborhood, hosting cultural festivals, gardening programs, and gatherings that unite generations.
Event Details:
M’Finda Kalunga Community Garden, Sara D. Roosevelt Park
Sunday November 9,12pm-1pm
Accessible by J/Z/B/D trains and M103/M15/M21/B39 buses
Let’s honor HALO’s light — and ensure its legacy continues to illuminate the stories, history, and hope rooted in this space.