On View
Friday, July 10 – Sunday, September 20, 2026
Location
The Children’s Art Carnival, 62 Hamilton Terrace, New York, NY 10031
Opening Reception
Friday, July 10, 6–8 PM (RSVP)
Workshop
Saturday, July 11, 1–3 PM
Harlem Zine Lab: Xerox Transfer Workshop (Learn more and Register)
Led by Dionis Ortiz
Artists: Corrie Aune, Samiya Bashir, Kamel Brown, Marcus Cardoza, Yvonne Destin, Kathryn Destin, Jamila Desir, Kai Cogsville, Sade Boyewa El, Jordan Macy, Nefertite Nguvu, Sola Olosunde, Liza Jessie Peterson, Dondre Stuetley, Vincent Tsai, Brandon Tizol, Mamadou Yattassaye, Nafissatou Yattassaye
Curated by Dionis Ortiz & The Defend Harlem Media Team (Corrie Aune, Kai Cogsville, Jamila Desir, Kathryn Destin, Jordan Macy, Nefertite Nguvu, Brandon Tizol, Nafissatou Yattassaye)
Still Here: Harlem Eternal, The Harlem Defender
Still Here: Harlem Eternal honors the enduring legacy of Harlem through the stories, memories, and creative voices of its residents, organizers, and cultural workers. The works featured in this exhibition pay tribute to the rich cultural contributions made by generations of Black and Latine working- and middle-class communities who have shaped Harlem for more than a century.
In the face of longtime residents being pushed out by rising housing costs, displacement, and ongoing gentrification, Defend Harlem organized this exhibition as both a celebration and a declaration: our communities are still fighting to protect Harlem, and we are still here. Even as the neighborhood continues to change, Defend Harlem believes Harlem’s cultural identity, collective memory, and community ties can still be preserved and carried forward by those who continue to live, work, organize, and create here.
Defend Harlem is a community-based media and advocacy collective dedicated to confronting displacement and housing injustice in Uptown Manhattan. Founded by The Interfaith Housing Commission for Housing Equality in partnership with Young Atlas, the collective organizes through visual art, storytelling, public programming, and grassroots community engagement to challenge gentrification and advocate for housing justice.
This multimedia exhibition is a collaborative project produced by the Defend Harlem media team alongside local artists, organizers, and contributors committed to art as a tool for social awareness and collective action. The photographs featured in this exhibition were hand-printed by the Defend Harlem Media Team through a handmade image-transfer process using photocopies. The exhibition includes portraiture, street photography, poetry, visual art, and short film works that reflect the lived experiences, resilience, and cultural memory of Harlem communities.
RSVP for the Opening Reception: Friday, July 10, 6–8 PM (RSVP)