In Africa and our diaspora, masking traditions have for generations been a means for humans to connect to the unseen world, to express our creativity and imagination, to protect us, and have been vehicles to moments of jubilation. Drawing from traditional African masking societies like Ékpè, Kéléké, Ágábá, and Okoroshá, practices like Abakuá, Mocko Jumbies, Bamboula, and Jonkonnu were born in the diaspora. Masquerade is one of the strongest links back to our homelands’ cultures and rituals. Masquerade is transformative, joyful, audacious. Masquerade is a survival technique.