Let Spirit Speak!

In many traditional African cultures, there is unity in the material and the spiritual, in the seen and unseen. There is no difference between the sacred and the secular within this system of thought: everything is imbued with the spirit of God. Binaries that dominate Western thought (man/woman; mind/body; light/dark; good/evil) do not function in the same way within these cultures, as the emphasis is not on extremes but on balancing these radical differences, on reconciling them.

In this three-day conference, we wish to celebrate the myriad manifestations of life in the languages and literatures, the music and arts of the African Diaspora. We will rejoice in the multiple expressions of life, giving voice and paying homage to the ancestors.

Note about Haiti: Our thoughts and our prayers are with the people of Haiti, and with the members of the Haitian Diaspora throughout the world. There will be ample opportunities throughout this conference to donate to ongoing relief efforts.  As we celebrate the cultures of the African Diaspora, we do not forget the circumstances out of which these triumphs often emerge.