Sankofa 2026 - Look Back, Move Forward

About this episode

Lisa Woolfork reflects on the past year in Black quilting and sewing, exploring creative traditions and personal experiences while looking forward to the future.

In this Stitch Please Sankofa episode, host Lisa from Black Women’s Stitch opens 2026 with a reflective 2025 year in review, grounded in the West African principle of Sankofa: learning from the past to build a better future. This episode offers listeners a vivid and personal exploration of the history of Black quilting and sewing, creative traditions, and the lived experiences that shaped the Stitch Please podcast throughout the year. From a six-month appointment at Wellesley College’s Humanities Center to hands on engagement with the Black craft and fiber arts community in Boston, Lisa takes us through a year of learning, stitching, collaborating, and teaching. She deepens ties to Black women quilters in Boston, craft industry professionals, quilt guilds, and local libraries while examining the shifting landscape of independent craft businesses and maker culture. This Sankofa reflection also covers Lisa’s entry into narrative podcasting about Black history, including a storytelling episode on Miss Fine Brown Frame and the award-winning narrative short “Very Fine People” , recognized by Audio Flux. Her travels to Cape Town and Ghana highlight the connection between African…

People in this episode

Host: Lisa Woolfork

Topics covered

• Black quilting
• sewing
• Sankofa
• Black craft
• fiber arts
• narrative podcasting
• African diaspora textile traditions

Keywords

• 2025 year in review
• Wellesley College
• Black women quilters
• craft industry
• quilt guilds
• maker culture

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Stitch Please Sankofa, Very Fine People, Golden Scissors

Places: Boston, Cape Town, Ghana, Charlottesville, Virginia

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