Jonathan Mayers explores the profound impact of nostalgia and the preservation of heritage languages, focusing on the endangered Creole language of Louisiana, KouriVini. As an artist and poet, Jonathan shares personal experiences of reconnecting with memories through KouriVini, emphasizing the cultural and historical significance of the language. He details the challenges faced by the language, the creation of a unique orthography, and the communitydriven efforts to ensure the survival and growth of KouriVini for future generations.

Jonathan “radbwa faroush” Mayers is a visual artist, independent curator, educator, and cultural activist who uses KouriVini, the endangered Creole language of Louisiana, in both his writing and daily life. Working to preserve this heritage language, Jonathan founded Latannyèrizm, a form of Louisiana Creole art that melds visual art, language, and physical place, and cofounded Chinbo, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to the reclamation of KouriVini.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx