a space for us to just be.
A Black Artistic Healing space.
(n.) A space to immerse oneself in creativity that encourages healing necessary to process and transmute the trauma of anti-Black violence that surrounds us in New York City.
Image by Ike Slimster
The Glorifying Blackness platform curates empowering experiences and a wholesome space for us to honor the God within.
our goals
The purpose of this Black artistic healing space is to have our community immerse themselves in creativity - cultivated by local and global Black artists, which will foster space for us to:
1. Organize and heal with trust, love, and communal support;
2. Nourish our souls; and
3. Explore and define what Black freedom is in this new era.
Angela Tettey
Founder, Glorifying Blackness
Meet the Founder
My full name is Exornam Angela Efua Tettey. My Ma birthed me in Accra, Ghana, but I was raised with a resilient, Ghanaian background in New York City (NYC). Both my Ma and Pa instilled a foundation of Ewe values, traditions, and way of life in me. Sankofa – grasping the wisdom and knowledge of your ancestral past to build and protect your future – keeps me centered. As life continues to come full circle, I have lived through experiences that reinforce my personal drive to be an agent of change for the advancement of Black people.
As one of the co-choreographers of Zankiliwa (African dance troupe) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNCCH), I supported a group of Black women to gain confidence to perform Afro dances at different events. This opportunity introduced a strong foundation of community building in me, as I fell in love with bringing people together. The feedback from these women about feeling more comfortable in their bodies and having a safe space to celebrate their culture through dance made me realize the positive impact of community development.
After I graduated with my B.A. in Anthropology from UNCCH in May 2017, I settled back in New York City.
I realized that the Concrete Jungle, which I once knew, was now different as it lacked proper spaces for Black people to just be our authentic selves. Grateful for the many inspirational experiences that I encountered through life, travel, and family, I began the work needed to build Glorifying Blackness (GB), which simultaneously cultivated space for me to begin my personal healing journey. I knew I would need to be wholesome in order to facilitate communal wellness. GB has allowed me to establish interpersonal relationships where my community and others know that I can be trusted to manifest my belief that everyone has the magic within them that is needed to be accessed for our people to win.
What we Do
GB understands that there are not enough spaces for us to truly be ourselves. We offer solutions to this issue through the curation of a physical space and mutual-aid efforts as we…
Create a safe space to normalize accountability, respect, transparency, and open communication within our community.
Center social value through organizing artistic programming, experiences, and events that helps build communal support.
We inspire Black people to embrace their Blackness in its entirety as well as support each other on a local and global scale.
Our three pillars
INITIATE
Provide a catalyst to initiate healing by building a safe space for our sustainable community. Awaken an essence within that allows us to explore and define what Black freedom is now.
HEAL AND NOURISH
Empower our community to lend themselves grace to heal and nourish their souls together through creative experiences and communal support. The trust, love, and support built within our community will push us to practice wholesome Black self-love, even amidst the anti-Black systemic rhetoric and violence that surrounds us.
GLORIFY
Cultivate a space where our community can show up as their authentic selves to connect, feed their souls with good energy, and glorify their beautiful Blackness in its entirety.
