Photo by Michelle Reid
Iega was recently presented the Legacy Award for See Chicago Dance. Here are some of Iega’s remarkable words from his acceptance speech.
“Dance has shown me that legacy is not a destination. It is a living journey—what we practice, preserve, and pass on. When treated with entitlement or disconnected from its roots, it loses power. When dishonored by dishonesty, it corrupts us. Yet, when honored, legacy becomes a bridge connecting past, present, and future.
An African proverb says: “When a Griot dies, it is as if a rich library burns.” Legacy matters because it protects us from erasure and revisionist histories that would rather silence us than see us.
Legacy is given freely, but claiming its power demands humility, commitment, and courage—especially when those in authority cower, or feel threatened by truth. We live in a time when bodies are still othered and criminalized, when difference is treated as threat instead of beauty. In the face of this, we must engage processes within spaces that affirm humanity. We need dance that not only entertains, but reveals truth—of who we are, what we endure, and who we strive to become.”
– Kevin Iega Jeff
Experience the full depth of Iega’s words — listen to his Legacy Award acceptance speech, delivered in his own powerful voice.