"RECONNECTING PEOPLE WITH THE RHYTHM OF THE DIASPORA"

No matter how many times Black people are told to bend, shift and shrink, no matter how many countries we’re told to pledge allegiance to, and no matter how many languages we are forced to use as replacements for our own, one fact remains: Black people are directly connected to the umbilical cord of mother Africa. Always have been, and always will be. In order to heal self-segmentation and the trauma of being severed from our past, we must reinforce our connection to the foundation of all African diasporic cultures: ART. The Mande’ people, who were the majority ethnic group brought via the Atlantic Slave Trade to Charleston, South Carolina’s port in the 1500’s, is an example of the connection between livelihood and art. Their “Djeli" cast, or the “griots” of the Mande people, are artists by trade: Singers, dancers, orators/poets, drummers, musicians, etc. And as artists, they are inextricably historians. It is no coincidence that “Djeli" in Malinke translates to ‘blood’. Just as every human has blood and blood is required to live, so is their lifeline - ART-required for survival. Without art, there is no life. Without life, there is only death. Throughout history, artists have been seen as a life force, as those who reflect and shift ideologies, platforms, structures and societies; and Africa in America® is committed to shining a light on these people. Africa in America®’s mission is to educate, preserve and uplift African Diasporic culture and highlight the impact it continues to make in present-day, via ART: Music, TV/film, fashion and culinary arts and lifestyles. And this impact is not simply among Black people of course, but across the globe. Through music, dance, food and action our festival will highlight the importance of brand power, education, innovation and preservation of the richness of our African roots by providing platforms for open communication and integrative experience within the arts. People craving a cultural feast, will have a space for 72 hours to see, taste, smell, and be consumed by the richness of African and diasporic history and future, together, at one time. The Africa in America® Music, Dance, & Culture Festival will supply a much needed ‘blood transfusion’ for all who support, take part of, and experience it.