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About RECLAIMING LEGACY Studio

our History

Reclaiming Legacy Studio was born out of a desire to reclaim the legacy of André Cailloux. Sanaa was first introduced to Cailloux's story by one of her ex-colleagues, Mike Grote, at Alembic Community Development (redeveloper and co-owner of former St. Rose de Lima Church - now a Black Box theatre). He showed her a triptych mural series by artist, Langston Allston that Alembic commissioned and previously hung on the doors of the former church during construction. Inspired by Cailloux's legacy but deeply disturbed that it was so widely unknown Sanaa dreamed of ways to restore it. She began beating the drum for a reenactment of Cailloux's historic funeral procession in the Historic Bayou Rd. Business Community in 2018 and her first real opportunity came while under the Alembic umbrella. In late 2020, former tenants Southern Rep Theatre proved not to be a good fit for the community and it was time to reimagine the space. Sanaa brought in Lauren Turner-Hines, former employee of Southern Rep and owner of an emerging theatre company, No Dream Deferred, as a thought-partner to co-create the original vision that would become the André Cailloux Center for Performing Arts & Cultural Justice which opened in 2023 under Lauren who currently manages it. However, it quickly became apparent that it wasn't enough to simply name a theatre for Cailloux. This would be an undertaking that is more than just branding and prioritizing this work would require more time, capacity and focus. Thus the Reclaiming Legacy Studio (formerly Project) was born and began holding small annual commemorative events in 2023. RLS has recently became a 501c3 organization to better shepherd its inaugural work, the André Cailloux Project

our Mission

Our mission is to prevent the erasure of the hard-earned legacies of African-Americans, Indigenous Peoples, Mexican-Americans and other people of color who have contributed greatly to the progress of America but have been heavily sidelined, marginalized, and notoriously under-represented. We seek to do this by combating revisionist history with historical accuracy by unearthing, reclaiming, and giving visibility to these often suppressed and purposely unrecognized contributions, one legacy at a time, by EVERY creative means necessary.

Sanaa is a cultural historian and an influential force dedicated to the growth and sustainability of New Orleans' vibrant culture. With a deep commitment to honoring and elevating the contributions of black community members to the region's rich creole, musical, artistic, and experiential heritage, Sanaa has dedicated her time to preserving and celebrating these vital influences. Sanaa's unique path in community organizing is characterized by her passion for fostering genuine collaboration and her refusal to conform to traditional professional development tracks. It is also born out of being a Legacy Child, a label given to the children of Black Power leader(s) at the height of the movement during the 60's & 70's. Under the encouragement of his longtime mentor and friend, Cesar Chavez, Sanaa's father, Ken Msemaji and stepmother, Fahari Jeffers founded the 3rd largest union by Black & Brown people in America, the United Domestic Workers of America holds its place in history next to the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters Union and the United Farmworkers Union. Growing up Msemaji meant going door to door for campaign after campaign, being a fly on the wall in rooms with governors, senators, politicians from both sides of the aisle, and celebrities as they found common ground and discussed organizing, equality, education and healthcare. Sanaa is no stranger to conversations about progressive change and doing things that have never been done before. Her approach to community work is guided by her belief in the power of heart, passion, equity and justice. She strives to create spaces where true collaboration can flourish, ensuring that the voices and contributions of all Black & Brown community are known and celebrated. Her dedication and innovative spirit continue to inspire and uplift the New Orleans community. Her extensive thought-partnership with various non-profits, initiatives, and projects has earned her a reputation as a tireless advocate for historical and cultural preservation and community empowerment.