Makeda Kumasi on Keeping Culture Alive Through Art | Convos with Community

Convos with Community is an interview series within Creatives at Work, a program by Arts Connection, the Arts Council of San Bernardino County. The series centers on artists, advocates, and culture bearers across the region, highlighting how they live, work, and contribute to their communities. Creatives at Work documents and uplifts creative labor across the Inland Empire, recognizing artists and creatives as essential contributors to community life, culture, and the local economy. This conversation features Makeda Kumasi, a multidisciplinary artist, educator, musician, author, filmmaker, and culture bearer whose work spans West African dance, traditional music, visual art, literature, and cultural education. For decades, she has dedicated her practice to preserving and sharing the traditions of the Great Mali Empire while building cultural connections throughout the region. In this conversation, Makeda reflects on the importance of community support, creative spaces, cultural representation, and opportunities for artists to share their work. She discusses the unique challenges artists face in San Bernardino County, the value of inclusion in the arts, and the responsibility of carrying cultural traditions forward for future generations. Through her experiences as an artist and educator, Makeda shares how culture, community, and creative expression continue to shape her work and inspire others through the arts. 🔗 Learn more about Arts Connection: https://www.artsconnectionnetwork.org/