African Culture & Community

African & African-American Culture & Community

I have felt a spiritual bond with African and African-American arts, culture and community as long as I can remember. This connection has manifested in a variety of ways -- personally and professionally, domestically and abroad.

Minoring in African-American Studies as an undergraduate introduced me to the rich world of African-American art, history, literature and dance. I developed an intense appreciation for different aspects of the African-American experience in the US and its powerful link to the African continent. I also gained experiential understanding of what it was like to be a cultural "minority" in my surroundings.

I continued to seek professional experiences in African-American communities, including years of work in community mental heath agencies (CMHCs), nonprofit organizations, after-school programs and public schools. I also worked as an organizational consultant in the areas of managing workforce diversity and educating about equal employment opportunity policy.

Ongoing academic interest resulted in doctoral research projects on identity development and racial and gender socialization in African-American youth. As I studied these youth populations, I also examined my experience as a white female researcher and the impact my role had on the communities in which I worked.

Given my love of movement and rhythm, African dance quickly captured my attention as a young adult. An injury during an African dance class many years ago led me to enter the world of African drumming to keep the art form close. Drumming classes and community drum circles became an additional portal into the African-American communal experience and into the transmission of African cultural values in the US. My love for African dance lives on, and I remain serious about djembe drumming to this day.

I have pursued -- and have been blessed by -- opportunities to travel to the African continent. Extended stays in Ghana, Senegal and South Africa have expanded my exposure to African tradition, custom and ritual. They have solidified my respect for African cultural wisdom and my appreciation for the African and African-American influence in our country.