Start here – PML Second Spring
Soft landings, kin. Welcome to Perennial Memory Lab's digital base – a process blog, resource directory, and home to our growing archive of program materials. May 2025 marks the 1-year milestone for this public-facing archival experiment and a turning point in the years of personal practice that led us here. Here are the values we remain committed to in PML's second spring of programming, notes on navigating the intensifying context of memory work, and a few welcome changes I hope you'll join us for.
Perennial Memory Lab creates open learning forums for archival world-building, using memory as a site of repair and resistance. Our workshops deal with decolonial histories as the foundation for a greater relationship with the land and each other.
Pictured Left: 'Personal Propaganda: a teach-in and collage workshop' co-facilitated with B Carrie Yvonne of Somatic Birthing Studio. Hosted in Philadelphia, PA. Pictured Right: 'Memory Mapping ATL', hosted at Atlanta Contemporary to conclude Kennedy's inaugural programming residency. The program featured a fabricated 3d interactive map of the city's perimeter and panel discussion of Atlanta based cultural workers moderated by Kennedy Arnette.
A year in review —
In year 1, we asked what can be made of the silence? Archival silences and hushed family stories alike. The focus was on reframing the unknowns, creating conditions where survivors feel safe enough to share, and developing a practice of naming to counter colonial narratives. Musing on the conflicts that erupt from the unspoken, 'Creating Living Archives' (This week's featured program) and the iterative series 'Family Trees & Mysteries' became our most popular offerings.
Some highlights from our first year of programming include
- 5 original workshop series
- 2 ongoing communal projects
- Hosted in 3 different states
- Inaugural programming residency at Atlanta Contemporary
- a growing community of memory-workers 200+ strong
This was achieved with virtually no budget — just 3 of me stacked in a trench coat— but a wealth of knowledge was gained in the process! All of our year 1 programs were recorded to eventually be shared online with updated versions of their companion worksheets. There was a lot of back and forth about where we should host these offerings in the interest of building an accessible web archive, less likely to be caught in the whims of the tech oligarchy. We landed on Ghost.io as an independent alternative to Substack with YouTube (no saint, they're owned by Google) as a free secondary platform to house our workshop videos. We'll (finally) be uploading our first program demo to Perennial's Youtube , Friday 5/9 !!
Ways to Connect + Support
Slowly but surely, we're building more sustainable ways to carry out communal practice. The goal is to keep our programs publicly accessible and to compensate our collaborators fairly as the platform steadily grows. If you're interested in supporting the continuation of PML's work, here are a few ways you can contribute.
- Subscribe to our YouTube: This is a cost-free way to continue supporting and sharing our work.
- Subscribe to our free newsletter: Stay up to date on our upcoming events and offerings.
- Become a member for just $6/monthly: For those who'd like full access to program slides, activity sheets, and additional program footage.
- Make a one-time donation: If you're feeling especially generous!
Donations of time, skillshare, and supplies are also welcome! If you're interested in collaborating, please know we're always seeking the following.
- Regional Collaborators: Let's work together to design a program that accurately reflects the life and times of your city.
- Program Sponsors: Affirm your ethic by funding an event so community members can attend without coming out of pocket.
- Host Locations: We want to pay you a visit! Looking for third spaces and emerging cultural institutions that could house our events and possible program residencies.
Thank you for 1 year of Perennial Memory Lab ♥︎ Still searching for the words to express how this communal study has become such a source of healing and inspiration in my own life, but i can show you better than I can tell you. Each time we gather, I'm reminded that the real impact of this work is made possible by connection. I feel grateful just to be a part of the movement. If you've ever attended one of our events, please know your presence made a world of difference. If you've never attended any of PML's programs before, come see about us!
The prompt for Year 2: How can we model a new world through relationship? Excited to see what arises for the collective in the process.
In time,
Kennedy Arnette — Founding Steward of Perennial Memory Lab
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