"Telling Our Story, Claiming Our Glory!"
MISSION STATEMENT
Keepers Of The Culture, Inc. KOTC, or ("Khotsi") of Philadelphia is a non-profit, educational, cultural art organization which seeks to perpetuate the African and African-American oral tradition. We recognize that traditional African storytellers - griots - were the true "Keepers Of The Culture." Their role as historians of the community helped people maintain a strong, positive sense of self and a clear understanding of the values of the community and the individual's role in the community. The griot presence insured that the history, culture and values of a people would be passed on in their own words.
We intend to highlight, reinforce and pass on the history and culture of African-Americans and their antecedents, to educate and nurture individual and collective self-esteem and foster pride of culture in our community-especially in our children. Our objective is to do this by offering performances, workshops, seminars, mini-festivals and collaborations with other cultural arts organizations and artists of various disciplines in the Philadelphia area.
In 2016
KOTC hosted The National Association of Black Storytellers Annual Festival & Conference
