Case Studies
Kinfolk Partners With Museums, Educators, and Institutions Seeking to Make Equity Happen
We know that seeing yourself in monuments and within living history transforms perspectives. Changes can happen at the individual and community level when we empower ourselves by coming face-to-face with the histories general society doesn't want to talk about.
Our augmented reality (AR) experiences are a perfect fit for educational initiatives, museum outreach, in-community events, and organized social justice efforts.
Customized experiences are available, and we're always working on the next big thing(s). Give us a shout if you want to collaborate, and see the transformation that happens with seeing and knowing from the perspective of the past.
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
New York's Museum of Modern Art welcomed our submission to their Architecture Now: New York, New Publics exhibition alongside 11 other showcased projects. The objective of the exhibition was to imagine a future where past harmful inequities manifested through public-facing architecture were amended to make spaces inviting to all.
"Considering the city as an ecosystem, these inventive approaches envision a future in which architecture creates more accessible, sustainable, and equitable cities," said MoMA of the exhibition.
Kinfolk was invited to contribute a technological and virtual component, one capable of rewriting perceptions instantly through the power of Augmented Reality. Our augmented reality installation enabled museum visitors to choose their monuments, place them virtually, and get acquainted with the past of some of the most important Kinfolk throughout world history. Virtual monuments created through our partnerships with artists and archivists represent a more-positive, equitable, and cross-cultural future — one that depicts pivotal Black and Brown historical figures visibly, equitably, and accessibly.
Netflix — Amend: The Fight for America
Produced by Netflix and hosted by Will Smith, Larry Wilmore, and Bryan Stevenson, Amend is a journey through the circumstances that led to the ratification of the 14th Amendment. While lots of people understand the effects of the equal protection clause by way of media coverage on civil cases, they may not know exactly what it is or why it came to be. Amend shows the historical context that eventually led to a political demand for the 14th Amendment — and why its protections were far from guaranteed to BIPOC people living in the 20th and 21st centuries.
The Kinfolk AR app was a perfect fit to amplify and extend the messages broadcast within Amend. We launched the app on the same day Trevor Noah hosted a town hall promoting the documentary, which included an interview with documentary host and executive producer Will Smith.
Part I of the docuseries covers the political life of Frederick Douglass, and Kinfolk featured Mr. Douglass along with five other Black historical icons at launch. Our app launch alongside the eventual premier of Amend meant that audiences could get excited for the streaming debut while also exploring their past in a highly visual, immersive, and empowering way.
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Tribeca Film
Festival 2021
As part of the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival, Kinfolk engaged attendees, visitors, and interested locals with a tour through the hidden histories buried within New York that took place on Juneteenth.
The event began at Netherland Monument in Battery Park, which commemorates the arrival of Dutch explorers who stole the land from the Lenape people. The tour continued to the New York Slave Market and then the George Washington statue at Federal Hall, culminating in an event at Washington Square as part of The Night Riders Juneteenth Tour. While the city of New York tries to bury the dark implications of these sites, our tour unearthed the histories that tell the true story of the city.
Along the journey, participants made good use of the Kinfolk app, placing monuments of important ancestors and learning about their histories and context.
Verizon Innovative HQ Portal
Kinfolk partnered with Verizon's Innovative Learning Program to launch our Unsung AR classroom app. Our partnership also enabled us to collaborate on the $1M Museum Initiative, which was created as a component of the 5G EdTech Challenge, with backing by NYC Media Lab.
"In an effort to expand Verizon Innovative Learning HQ’s library of curricular applications, the newly launched $1M Museum Initiative aims to connect educators nationwide with museums, science centers, zoos, aquariums, and cultural institutions who are able to showcase innovative edtech approaches that weave together physical and digital experiences."
Other Partners
New York Historical Society
Winston Salem/Wake Forest
TED
Mellon Foundation
Kustraum Gallery
Pariah
Langston League
Fast Forward
For Freedoms
Change.org
ISTE
Queens Museum
NYU
Columbia University
Stanford University
Unity
Microsoft
Growhouse NYC
Ford Foundation
ONX Studio
MOCAD (Museum of Contemporary Art of Detroit)
Monument Lab
New Inc
New Museum
Eyebeam
Camelback Ventures
Collab With Us!
Kinfolk is available to participate in interactive events and one-of-a-kind AR experiences in connection with your program, cause, or event. Catch us at EMAIL, or use our contact form to get connected.
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