Gift Culture This Holiday Season For 2019

It’s the holiday season, & you have a couple of ideas in mind for gifts; the ones you want, & the ones you want to give. You’re here on the D’IAYNU website because African inspired pieces in contemporary designs without a Eurocentric point of view are on that list, but what else would make your loved ones happy while giving them a chance to live in loving who they are?

Have you considered a cultural experience?

Before you answer that, let me explain what's meant by cultural experience. We aren't talking about a museum membership, or tickets to the ballet - although those things are nice & readers in cities like Dallas can see exemplary performances by historically black companies such as the Dallas Black Dance Theatre - we’re talking music festivals, niche empowering summits, & parties with a focus on the celebration of the beauty & creative talents of all people of the African diaspora.

As they say in Cuba, todos tenemos un poco de Africano en nosotros, we all have a little African in us, so get in on the fun, or give the gift of it, with tickets to these cultural events. More than a chance to see a concert or hear a speaker, you’ll be supporting authentic engagement with people who, despite differences, show us all the sides of ourselves. Inspiring love.

EVERYDAY PEOPLE, opens in a new tab

Featuring collaborative events with institutions like Alvin Ailey (another historically black ballet company), the Art Basel festival in Miami, the Brooklyn Museum, & west coast hotspots like the Standard, Everyday People is the party of parties.

The brainchild of a small collective of creatives including Chef Roble, formerly of Bravo fame, the first Everyday People event was thrown in 2012, & since that time, they’ve gone international, hosting parties on islands including Cartegania & the Barbados, where you can expect to dance to some of the best DJ sets you’ve ever heard.

In addition to parties filled with beautiful creatives, wellness & charitable focused initiatives are hosted by Everyday People as well - although the best cultural experiences may arguably be the parties, where fashion, style, & music, merge for a unique expression; of the time & of the people.

Afro Punk, opens in a new tab

Nearly 13 years after the founding event, & most of us are familiar with Afro Punk. More than a network of festivals taking place globally in cities including London, Paris, Johannesburg, Brooklyn, & Atlanta, Afro Punk is also a publishing platform. A space for activism & art that serves that purpose. A continuation of the stated mission of the event:

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...defining culture by the collective creative actions of the individual & the group. It is a safe place, a blank space to freak out in, to construct a new reality, to live your life as you see fit, while making sense of the world around you.

The perfect place to sport a D’IYANU piece, opens in a new tab, Afro Punk is also a land of varied styling techniques & handmade design come to play. A celebration of creativity on all fronts, where the attendees are owed nearly as much as the organizers for truly coming together - acting as the individuals who make up that collective; contributing as they consume a performance by an obscure favorite group, newly discovered art - in whatever medium - or an article or podcast episode on business. 

ESSENCE Festival

Bringing people from across the country & globe to New Orleans since 1995, the party with a purpose, extends itself through free offerings such as workshops on community and culture, entertainment, entrepreneurship, & includes optional activities such as a day dedicated to community service; giving back to the city that gives so much when welcoming the crowds each year, its people watching their home turn into a basis of empowerment, even as the city’s leadership does not always make decisions that empower them.

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Of course it’s the major concerts & chance to party down Bourbon St. that Essence is known for, & taking the time to be continuous doesn't mean you won't have time to turn-up. Hitmakers like Missy Elliot & Janet Jackson are rocked the crowds in 2018. Are you ready for next year?

Let us know. Will you give the gift of cultural events this year?