My name is Clara, and I immigrated to the United States with my family several years back. I have been a lover and supporter of the arts for as long as I can remember. The raison d'être of House of Djeli starts from a simple observation and from my personal experience: although our roots are common, our experiences as "Blacks" are very different. Most of us live in clusters, within the confines of what we know, assuming-most times-the worst about other skin folks. In addition to that, the lack of communication and interaction drives a bigger gap between us and fosters further misunderstandings.

Whether from Africa, the Americas, or the Caribbean, the need is felt to create a bridge that will allow us to learn from each other as brothers and sisters. House of Djeli is my contribution to create a dialogue and promote cultural pan-Africanism. It is a fact that the arts and cultures are a driving force for the development of countries on the continent and elsewhere. Aware that we share this planet with other cultures, we also use this soft "power," that is the arts and cultures, in order to achieve the same objectives mentioned above. The vision is grand and possible.