Ezibu Muntu African Dance and Cultural Foundation is a professional organization of dancers, drummers, entertainers and individuals dedicated to invoking an educated positive understanding of African culture, values, traditions and dance arts as a whole. Through exposing the community-at-large to educational and artistic programming based on African culture and art forms, Ezibu Muntu enriches the diversity of the community by introducing wholesome, grounded and rich African concepts of family and community into society by example. On the surface, Ezibu Muntu is a dance company, but upon closer examination, the examiner will discover that Ezibu Muntu is a family, bound together by culture and common experience. It is a support system for members within the company and for individuals and institutions that come in contact with their art form. For too long African-Americans have been devoid of heritage, kept ignorant by design of their place historically on the planet and in America. Ezibu Muntu offers valuable insight to the African-American community as to their roots and rich heritage. That is why Ezibu Muntu has been more than a dance company for over forty-five years. Ezibu Muntu has provided roots and a history to the African American Diaspora in Richmond. This sense of identity that members of Ezibu Muntu have gained from the study of their heritage has helped lead to the examination of the importance of extending their reach by teaching values, ethics and morals within America’s educational system and have aligned themselves with an internationally acclaimed character education program entitled “Living Values, an Educational Program.” The Company mission is to offer valuable tools to the educational system in order to close the existing achievement gap, establish a Saturday school to teach authentic African History, financial literacy and investor education; and parenting seminars and workshops to help families raise their children in a positive, supportive environment. The Company mission also entails the purchase of their own building, purchasing a van and bus and paying teachers, who for forty-five years have volunteered their knowledge and service to the Company. Founding members have rejoined the company to assist at the administrative level after a forty year absence: Director of Media, Ronald Carrington; Marketing Director, Karen Thomas Davis; CPA and Bookkeeper Brenda Bentley; and General Manager and Grant Writer, Tanya Dennis. FAMILY!
