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  • Building Tomorrow Together: A deeper dive into the Kinfolk app and monument-making process

Building Tomorrow Together: A deeper dive into the Kinfolk app and monument-making process

In a cultural moment defined by contested histories and erasures from above, Kinfolk Tech emerges as both a disruptive force and an open call. Our work presents a radical approach to handling public memory by utilizing community-driven initiatives instead of dominant historical methods that either erase or oversimplify the past.

Through the use of augmented reality (AR) like the technology that powers Pokémon Go, we create digital monuments that bring to light historical narratives often overlooked. Our monuments derive their strength from community knowledge—preserving our histories and culture in ways that are portable, indestructible, and unbought. The living archive of Kinfolk Tech grows with each uploaded story, image, and song, to actively fight against the destruction of historical records through our collective creative power.

The reinforcement of harmful narratives in our public spaces, as well as the censorship of our curricula and the destruction of libraries, has led us to transform our sidewalks, parks, and squares into shared memorials that foster revolutionary possibilities. This is memory work as public work. As joyful resistance. As future-making.

For this issue of For Kinfolk, By Kinfolk, we’re excited to share how the Kinfolk app, first released in 2021, has evolved to tell your stories in new and engaging ways.

What’s the Process?

The Kinfolk app reshapes public space by placing three-dimensional (3D) digital monuments into the physical world. Monuments often start as simple moodboards and are then developed into 3D artworks through iterative sessions with our collaborators.

Recently, we created a monument of legendary musician and trailblazer Sylvester, in collaboration with New York City AIDS Memorial and artist Jacolby Satterwhite, as part of Portals of Remembrance. Jacolby envisioned the monument to resemble a Byzantine-style religious icon depicting Sylvester as a protector of the marginalized—a symbol of transcendence and a patron of queer resilience. Below, you can see a visualization of the AR monument to Sylvester transitioning from 3D software into the real world.

We work with artists and our partner organizations to develop new ways for people to connect not only with the art they create but also with the story that it represents. We work together to create multimedia narratives that live alongside the artwork. This can include:

  • Narrated Biographies: Biographies that bring personal and historical dimensions to life through audio and text.

  • Photos and Videos: Photographs and videos of important artifacts, spaces, or moments directly into the app.

  • Interactive Prompts: Reflective prompts to spark curiosity, introspection, or dialogue within the app.

  • Community Oral Histories: We facilitate the inclusion of local and ancestral voices through recorded oral histories that preserve community memory.

  • Extended Learning: The experience can include curated links to playlists, books, videos, and educational content for those who want to explore further.

  • Resource Connections: We support linking to relevant community partners, organizations, and support networks to connect viewers with ongoing initiatives.

In June, we launched an enhanced version of the Kinfolk app as we continue to reimagine how we tell stories together.

Here’s what's new

  • Redesigned Navigation: Easily access image marker scanning, the monuments library, and location-activated monuments, all in one place on the home screen. 

  • Browse and Filter Monuments: Now you can view our collection of placeable Monuments by category, and browse the collection in a gallery or list view

  • Curated Quests: Take a deeper dive into specific exhibitions and archival materials through guided Quests that highlight specific Monuments and the stories behind them.

  • Location-activated Quests: Explore site-specific monuments through Quests that activate exclusively for visitors who are nearby.

Coming soon

  • Language picker: Choose a language for viewing Biographies and other archival materials when translations are available.

Preserving Stories, Changing Narratives

By using AR, Kinfolk bypasses the traditional barriers (e.g., bureaucratic red tape, city approvals, and institutional gatekeeping) that have historically limited who gets remembered and how. AR allows us to democratize the process of creating monuments. It empowers communities to embed their stories directly into the fabric of their cities without needing permission. More than just a workaround, this technology transforms public spaces into immersive arenas for storytelling. Importantly, it supports embodied learning by inviting people not just to read history but to walk through it, feel it, and engage with it. Through AR, we reimagine space as lively, participatory, and in ongoing dialogue with the communities that live in it.

“Monuments are not the end goal — they’re the spark. With Kinfolk, we aim to ignite conversations about who we honor, how we shape public spaces, and how we dream new futures. This is about reclaiming power, telling fuller truths, and using technology to build a more just and beautiful world.”

— Idris Brewster, Executive Director

At Kinfolk Tech, we believe storytelling is a powerful tool for preserving memory and inspiring change. In a time when so many voices are being silenced or erased, we work alongside Black, Brown, Indigenous, and Queer communities to uplift their histories and bring them into the public eye. Through AR monuments, digital archives, and public programs, we turn under-told stories into shared cultural landmarks.

Every story we help preserve is an act of resistance and reimagination. Whether it’s placing a monument to an unsung hero in your neighborhood or co-creating workshops that honor local memory, we are building a future where everyone sees themselves reflected in the stories around them. Together, we’re transforming memory into a force for belonging, justice, and possibility.

Until next time,

ravon, josh, idris, and the Kinfolk team

Stay Connected

📲 Download the Kinfolk App → Explore our AR archive

📡 Follow us on social media → Instagram | LinkedIn

💲 Donate to Kinfolk Tech → Help expand Kinfolk’s narrative offerings