Our Mothers’ Kitchens

Created in 2016 by sisterfriends Khaliah D. Pitts + Shivon Pearl Love, Our Mothers’ Kitchens (OMK) is a culinary and literature project dedicated to the African diaspora. Using the works of Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor, Ntozake Shange, Zora Neale Hurston and Alice Walker, Our Mothers’ Kitchens seeks to introduce black folk to the ways in which these (and other) Black female authors intersect food and language as a means of liberation, expression and cultural preservation. Continuing the use of traditions from the African diaspora, where art and life are one, Our Mothers’ Kitchens takes vital steps towards building optimal health, self-awareness and cultural connection through the ritual and art of cooking and storytelling.

Our Mothers’ Kitchens host an annual Summer Workshop for Black Girls at Sankofa Community Farm, a teeming oasis folded quietly into the heart of Southwest Philadelphia. From Fall 2018 to Spring 2019, OMK curated a community dinner series honoring and celebrating the women who inspired the project entitled In Search of Our Foremothers’ Kitchens.

The Writers’ Circle: A Podcast Experience

The Writers' Circle is a space for Black and Brown writers looking to practice and share their craft while receiving constructive critique and feedback. Hosted by poet and artist Khaliah D. Pitts, The Writers' Circle: A Podcast Experience brings together Black / Brown creatives to test their writing prowess with thoughtful and engaging prompts. Each writer is given a chance to share their work, raw and unedited; as a community we highlight each others strengths and encourage growth, pushing each other beyond the traps of mundane and conventional into obscure and quixotic worlds. Join in as folks write, share and, of course, talk our shit.

The Writers’ Circle: A Podcast Experience is released biweekly. Follow @writerscirclepod on Instagram to be apart of the community.

Griot Girls: Documenting Black Legacies

Griot Girls is a writing collective for Black girls in 7th - 12th grade led by Black women writers. Lead by sisterfriends Sabriaya Shipley, Khaliah D. Pitts and Jasmine “Mizz Jasz” Hawkins, Griot Girls connect in community with young writers through composing, workshopping, and sharing their stories.

Launched in October 2020 in response to the stifling stress youth face in the midst of social unrest and social distancing, and running through June 2021, Black girls in the program are given monthly writing prompts to be answered and submitted at the end of each of month. Throughout the month, cohorts have access to teaching artists office hours and a monthly workshop where they are able to share and work through their writing drafts and ideas.

Confidence In Culture

Scholar and anthropologist, Marimba Ani once said, “Culture is a means by which a people protects themselves... [it] is the immune system of a people.” Following Ani’s lead Confidence in Culture (CIC) is a conceptual model created to assist and promote the adoption of healthy behaviors through culturally appropriate (and specific) education and outreach. In this model, the specific needs of the target community / audience are identified via cultural norms and practices under the belief that by utilizing the strengths of the community and cultural pride, there will be an increase in feelings of self-efficacy and, by extension, the intent to change. Originally, crafted to foster the adoption of culturally appropriate and healthy dietary changes, the CIC model can be adapted to any health problem or community.