Our mission:
We are a digital publication celebrating all things arts and culture on Staten Island. As a dedicated space to discuss, write, and think about artistic production in a critical way, we are shifting the narrative from the "forgotten borough" to the borough of possibility.
By building a platform for meaningful dialogue around the arts, we aim to increase civic and cultural participation levels on Staten Island, which are presently among the lowest in the city. From essays and interviews to critical think pieces and multimedia content, we are here to uplift the multitude of voices and creative experiences in our community. We are no longer “forgotten” because we are writing our own stories.
Meet the Founders
Jahtiek Long
Jahtiek Long is an interdisciplinary artist, emerging curator, photographer, musician, and community organizer. His work is centered around subverting the "traditional" narrative surrounding Staten Island and providing a shift in perspective of the borough and its people. His work has been featured by PBS, NY1, The Staten Island Advance, and Inked Magazine.
Melissa West
Melissa West is a choreographer and curator based in Staten Island, NY. Since 2008, her work has been presented in NYC at venues including Dixon Place, Triskelion Arts, The Living Theater, Atlantic Salt for the LUMEN Festival, Queens Museum, and Bowery Poetry Club. West is the Director & Senior Curator of the Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art at Snug Harbor, where she oversees exhibitions, performances, residencies, public art, and related programs across the 83-acre historical campus. With a focus on multi and interdisciplinary projects in site-based contexts, she presents and supports the work of emerging and established artists.
West is an adjunct professor at Wagner College. She is a 2023 Fellow for Utopian Practice with collaborator Jahtiek Long through Culture Push and a recipient of the Mertz Gilmore Dance Research grant through Staten Island Arts.