---
title: Cosmic Storytellers
description: Explore the intersection of African storytelling, space exploration, and LGBTQ+ representation in aerospace. Featuring Dr. Marques Redd and Mikael Owunna.
---

[Flight Deck Podcast ](https://blog.museumofflight.org/flightdeck)

# [Cosmic Storytellers](https://blog.museumofflight.org/flightdeck/cosmic-storytellers-season-3)

 Written by [Sean Mobley](https://blog.museumofflight.org/flightdeck/author/sean-mobley) | Tue, November 28, 2023

Dr. Marques Redd and Mikael Owunna are Black, queer Pittsburgh-based multidisciplinary artists who weave indigenous African cosmic stories into their work. A recent film they directed, [The Primordial House](https://www.therainbowserpent.org/projects/obimbu) is an example of this, referencing everything from modern pictures of deep space phenomenon to the connections the Igbo people have had to the Sirius star system since ancient times to the celestial stylings of Black jazz artist Sun Ra. They join host Sean Mobley for a conversation about their work and the ways sky stories and space exploration have shaped African storytelling for millennia.

*In Season 3 of The Flight Deck, we’re sharing stories of LGBTQ+ people in aerospace.*

Portraits of Marques Redd and Mikael Owunna: Photos by Emmai Alaquiva

Background image: Public Domain via NASA

Host: Sean Mobley  
Producer: Kevin Wright

[The Museum of Flight](https://soundcloud.com/themuseumofflight) · [Cosmic Storytellers | Season 3](https://soundcloud.com/themuseumofflight/cosmic-storytellers-season-3/s-zdJh92ZfFFm)

 

[Link to donate to The Museum of Flight](https://pages.museumofflight.org/flight-deck-donate)

[Link to the Rainbow Serpent Collective’s website](https://www.therainbowserpent.org/)

[Link to Marques Redd’s Instagram account](https://www.instagram.com/marques.redd)

[Link to Mikael Owunna’s Instagram Account](https://www.instagram.com/mikaelowunna)

[Link to the Wikipedia article about sculptor Michael Richards, who was killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Richards_(sculptor))

[Link to the ‘Youngest’ Episode of The Flight Deck](https://blog.museumofflight.org/flightdeck/youngest)

[Link to an article from the Museum about the Tuskegee Airmen](https://blog.museumofflight.org/the-freeman-field-mutiny)

[View full post](https://blog.museumofflight.org/flightdeck/cosmic-storytellers-season-3)

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