Seattle-based educator, artist, and activist, Logic Amen, hosted The Griot Party Experience on January 13, at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute. The event was made possible by a special collaboration between Amen and the Department of Neighborhoods (DON). Moving performances and powerful storytelling rooted in the Griot tradition were the main attractions. And although it was one of the coldest nights in Seattle’s recorded history, more than 200 people braved the frigid temperatures to attend the event.

Event Breakdown

Opening: A Black music history introduction.

Logic Amen’s mom and son – storytelling

Hip Hop performers

Women storytellers

Men storytellers 

Visual artist live-onstage painting of Black Panther history.

               – Painting raffled off to attendees.

Closing: Attendees ate lumpia and listened to music until midnight.

“People weren’t ready to leave,” said Logic Amen. “They were jazzed up!“

Investing In Community

Funded in part by the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods (DON), The Griot Party Experience was free and open to the public, and all the performers, storytellers, and community organizers were paid. 

“It was good to not have to pay out of my pocket this time to compensate the creators,” Amen said regarding DON funding that helped him delegate tasks and hire qualified people. “It felt good to be able to compensate folks, to give them some kind of money — gas money or something.”

Tiffine Bradley, who is a long-time event attendee and served as a co-organizer for The Griot Party Experience, said that attendees were pleasantly surprised that the event was free. “If venue rental hadn’t been funded through the City it would have cost us $2,000 or maybe $1100 with the city discount.”

The Griot List

• DJ Seabefore aka Cliff Barnes
• Ibrahim Arsalan
• The incredible zig
• Verb
• Noah Prince
• Iamchamel
• Yirim Seck
• Elijah Mu’ied
• Mecca Amen
• Logic Amen
• Halisi
• Ms. Floes
• Joy sparks
• Kathei McCoy
• Koramism
• Levon Franklin
• Na’eem Shareef
• Prostell
• Bryant Bmoor Pittman
• Kay, the paint lady
• Angela Thomas
• Vaniece Lumpkin
• Tiffine Bradley

To learn more about The Griot Party Experience and attend one of their events, please visit their Eventbrite website.