care memos
Care Memos invites our communities to build sites of care for Black women using sound i.e. through the creation, sharing, and experimental composition of care memos.
+× More About Care Memos
A “care memo” is an audio recording addressed to Black women as an offering of care, whatever that means to the creator of the memo. The memos recorded as part of this project will be shared publicly as a sound resource for Black women to listen to, meditate with, and share with one another.
Individual care memos will also be transformed into site-specific sound collages and installations that further explore the relationship between sound, the voice, and care. Our next installation will exhibit in the summer of 2021 as part of the physical space activation of In c/o Black Women.
Anyone is welcome to submit a care memo here (guidance included at the link). We are also guiding casual conversations to help others create their care memos.
If you want to have a conversation to record your voice memo(s), email leilaniddouglas@gmail.com with subject line “Care Memos Session”.
About The Artists
Leilani Douglas, is a Chicago-based researcher, writer, and vocalist. As a vocalist, she is interested in the power of song and chant as tools for Black healing, connection, and liberation. With care memos, she aims to explore (and expand) how we understand the layered ways in which the voice and sound can provide care, as well as transcend and reconfigure physical space.
+ Offer A Care Memo
+× Explore Installation
About The Installation
care memos, composition #1.
This composition was created for the Smart Museum of Art's daylong, "Take Care, Be Well" on Sunday, March 20, 2021. This composition invites listeners to experience a series of care memos/sound offerings of care, alongside the the music and soundscapes they evoke.
Explore Care Memos
Sort memos by:
- → all
- → instruments
- → environment
- → words
- → song
- → chant
- → guided
- → voice
- → breathe
- → music
- → message
- → sample
- → tips
- → memory
- → testimony
- → poetry
This is to all the amazing, love, strong, happy, selfless, reliable Black women in my life I call family. I am woman.
- message /
- family /
- poetry
Harmonica. When you get back around family those voices. I always find sounds to play with.
- instruments /
- message /
- family
You were so good at being in the specific moment. I just wanted you to know. Exhaust a little moment, soon it dies.
- message /
- poetry /
- friends
I send my love memo to many generations back, back to a country i dont know. That’s how our country was built, with African blood.
- message /
- memory /
- family /
- history
water me and i will grow
- instruments /
- song /
- music /
- sample
for the love for the
life of us all
- instruments /
- song /
- music /
- voice /
- poetry /
- sample
It'll all be over.
The Supreme Jubilees.
- voice /
- singing
Park sounds. Breathing birds. Voices talking.
- environment /
- breathe /
- outdoors /
The sound of the frogs at night. Gush of air from a shared bottle. Music.
- environment /
- music
To be young gifted and black
- instruments /
- song /
- music
She would hum spirituals and just rock. Parts of this song and parts of that song. Babygirl, it’s okay. I’m okay, we okay.
- memory /
- words /
- family
I know you are going through a challenging time right now, but you are so very much loved. You rock my world.
- family /
- message
When you understand me, you love me. Kiedy mnie rozumiesz, kochasz mnie.
- memory /
- words /
- message /
- friends
Thank you for loving me
- words /
- lyrics /
- poetry
Remember as a child you would cry and if someone told you to stop crying, what did you do? Om Mani Pa Me Hum
- guided /
- chant /
- memory /
- words /
- message /
- tips
im focusing more on myself as a strong Black woman
- testimony /
- message /
- family
My mother used to sing a song, it wasn’t even a real song. Everybody recognized it. It was just comforting.
- memory /
- family /
- voice /
- song
From the womb Black women are taught to take care of other people. Learning how to nurture myself.
- music /
- testimony /
- message
I want you to know that I love and support you. I thought I'd share some of the things that help me take care of me.
- message /
- tips /
- words /
- friends
Upcoming Programming
tending to, on view: at The
Breathing Room Garden
(5045 S. Laflin)
in c/o: Black
women celebration
Sept. 16th, 6:30-9pm
in c/o: practice
Sept. 25th - Nov. 11th
(The Luminary, St. Louis, Missouri)