Panhandling for Reparations

Studio 360

Conceptual artist damali ayo has an ongoing performance called “living flag” that she’s taking to busy street corners all over the country. For the performance, she collects reparations for the enslavement of African Americans by sitting on the street as a panhandler. There, on the sidewalk, ayo accepts reparation payments from white passersby, she offers them a receipt, and then she distributes that money immediately to black people who pass by. She’s been getting some interesting reactions. Produced by Dmae Roberts and damali ayo with funding by HearingVoices.com through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Additional assistance by Michael Johnson and Catrin Einhorn.

Sign up for our daily newsletter

Sign up for The Top of the World, delivered to your inbox every weekday morning.