Besa Gordon Explores Sankofa Theater’s Impact in 'Inscape Finale'
Photos by Jordan Somers
Converge's Besa Gordon, the host of Back2Besa, recently joined Trae Holiday on The Day with Trae to discuss her recent film, Sankofa Theater: Inscape Finale, which premiered on Fox 13 last month. This documentary, produced in collaboration with Converge Media, underscored the legacy of Sankofa Theatre, a space of creativity and empowerment cofounded by Teme Wokoma and the late Elijah L. Lewis. Nestled in Seattle's Central District within the Inscape Arts Building, Sankofa Theatre provided a much-needed platform for Black artists and storytellers to illuminate the stage with their voices and perspectives before closure last year due to financial constraints and external pressures from fellow tenants.
"Being in Seattle, there's so few Black people here that we can all fit in T-Mobile Park. So when we have our spaces, whether it's a restaurant, a community center, a school, a daycare, [or a] grocery store, we lose that," Gordon said. "That's a big blow to our community because with there being so few of us, we are not the majority of businesses out here."
Gordon, who also partnered with director Brady McAtee and producer Winfield Ezell Jr. for the documentary, set out to make the film as a tribute to the theatre and to emphasize the importance of preserving spaces like Sankofa Theatre for future generations.
"How beautiful is it for us to actually have a Black-owned theater, but also how unfortunate is it for rent prices and other things within that business and what was happening on the back end to be the reason why we don't have that space anymore," Gordon said. "What I loved about Sankofa is that it was a space where you can unapologetically be yourself."
Further in the segment, Gordon and Holiday spotlight Teme Wokoma's profound impact on Seattle's cultural landscape, mainly through her leadership at the theatre. A Seattle native deeply rooted in the Central District, Wokoma's journey as a performer and cosmetologist took her to California before she returned to Seattle and recognized an absence of spaces for Black performers to showcase their talents.
"What I love about Teme is that she's the type of person to see a void and be like, "You know what, rather than complaining about it, I'm going to fill in that space," Gordon said. "That's what she was able to do with Sankofa and, of course, with the help of Elijah L. Lewis."
Despite adversity when the theatre encountered financial challenges, Wokoma's commitment to preserving this cultural institution never wavered, as she was one of the leaders mobilizing the community by rallying support, hosting events, and tirelessly reaching out to ensure the survival of Sankofa.
"It's unfortunate that Sankofa was something that we don't have anymore, but what's beautiful is that it did not break down my sis all the way to where she's given up, Gordon said. "She's still looking for new spaces. She's looking for a place to reopen a Sankofa. Sankofa is not dead. It's just taking a nap for a second."
In addition to her involvement in the film, Gordon has been juggling multiple projects over the last year. Between hosting the Back2Besa and captivating listeners on iHeartRadio, Gordon's work saw her host on the red carpet at the Seattle Sports Star Awards for the second consecutive year. Among other events, Gordon was also a judge last summer at the Bubblin Brown Sugar, Seattle's iconic high school dance contest. Looking ahead to the near future, Besa Gordon is preparing to cover the 8th Annual Juneteenth Celebration 2024. These events hold a special place in Gordon's heart, as she has been a dedicated attendee for years, witnessing their growth and significance firsthand.
"For me, it's a different touch point because it's not a, "Okay, you need to go tell this story. You need to do this assignment. It's, "This is my home," and the way that I actually even got into blogging and into media was I felt like stories were being told, but they weren't being told in a way that I see them, in a way that I felt that our community needed to hear or even know about it," Gordon said. "So why not do it my way?"
Lastly, Gordon will attend the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show in April, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. This event draws professionals from across the globe involved in television, radio, film, and digital media and serves as a platform for innovation, collaboration, and industry insights. Reflecting on these upcoming projects and the excitement surrounding the recent premiere of "Sankofa Theater: Inscape Finale" on FOX, Besa shares her enthusiasm for the power of storytelling.
"I'm just excited to tell more stories, you know, like to be able to not only tell the story of Sankofa and its napping now because it's going to wake up very soon but to also be able to premiere it on Fox. This is a platform that Back2Besa is on, but to actually be able to use this platform to tell our stories and really push it out to the masses," Gordon said. "I think that's what I'm really looking forward to; finding that next story that I feel is just going to make me tingle a little bit so that way I can get it out to the masses while also telling our stories, highlighting businesses, highlighting artists, talking about the different events."
You can catch Gordon on Back2Besa on Fox 13 in Seattle every Saturday at 10:30 pm, on Fox 13 Plus every Sunday at 10 am, and on Converge Media here.
To hear about more inspirational stories happening in Seattle and beyond, tune in to Trae every weekday at 11 am on all Converge Media platforms and The Day With Trae YouTube Channel.
