“Get to Know Griot” Open House

Come join us on Thursday, August 22nd from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. for our first ever Open House!
278 Sunflower Ave., downtown Clarksdale.

There will be light snacks, entertainment, and great people. This event will also feature a raffle for a FREE Griot tshirt (tickets complimentary upon arrival) and a second raffle for a tshirt AND Meraki gift card (tickets will be available for $2 each).

At the same time, we will also have a representative at Higgins Middle School with information and Meraki coffee samples. If you see her, make sure to stop by here after!

This event will be open to ALL community members and will be an exciting opportunity to get to Griot better as an organization, and to also get to know the people who make it possible. This will be an opportunity to ask questions, meet staff/teachers/students/other community members, see the space, get help applying, and learn how to GET INVOLVED!!!

There are myriad ways to be a part of Griot, even if you cannot commit to being here weekly. Below are a list of potential ways to engage with us:

• become a student (apply on the homepage)

• become a teacher (see the careers page)

• become a Meraki fellow (see the careers page)

• donate funds (click donate up top!)

• donate snacks (see our wish list post)

• donate supplies (or simply let us borrow the big stuff!)

• donate your time for special events

• purchase something from our amazon wish list!

• attend our open mic nights (see our calendar of events)

• attend our end of semester showcases

• provide or help out with a community service project

• stop by and talk to us!

UPDATE: we had a very fun and successful evening, with over 60 individuals attending and learning more about Griot.

Poet Dick Lourie visited us recently. It was an incredible experience for students, staff, and community members. On the first day, we were led in a sensory driven discussion about his work by local HIstory teacher, Klara Aizupitis. She was an excellent facilitator and we recorded some stimulating questions for the poet himself - to be asked on the following day.

On the second day of poetry, Dick Lourie himself came and engaged with us regarding his work and time in Clarksdale over the years. He started off with having students and teacher, Trevon Newmann, read his poetry as a precursor to discussion and questions. After some in depth analysis, Mr. Lourie graced us with an incredible performance in his signature style of integrating spoken word that you can’t help but move along to, and a saxophone accompaniment that he specifically writes to pair with particular poems. This rhythmic duality keeps you moving and ingrained in the performance until the very end - it’s as if the Delta waters themselves are flowing out of him.

Students Trevon Boulton and Calandria Harris also managed to snag an interview with Mr. Lourie and to get even more acquainted with him. The studio was full of laughter and comfort as the sounds of a blues festival outside wafted in through the windows, delivering an ambiance that only the Delta can provide. This interview will soon be available as part of the Griot podcast.

Check out our instagram @griotyouthprogram or our facebook page for more photos and videos of this event!

Painting a Basketball Court

On Saturday, September 14th we partnered with recently formed community initiative, Clarksdale Courts, to paint and update the first of many basketball courts in Clarksdale, M.S.

We had a fantastic day and many, incredible volunteers including Griot students and teachers, Rosedale Freedom Project representatives, local basketball players, the artist, public school teachers, and more. Before painting, we were thankful to receive a complimentary breakfast from Robert at the Auberge Hostel downtown. Other partners/supporters were True Value, Sherwin Williams, Clarksdale Parks Comminssion, and City Commissioner Ken Murphey.

This initiative is a way to strengthen existing community spaces by updating and setting a positive tone. All courts will be designed and painted by students or community members. To submit a design, simply take a photo (or use a digital file) and email it to our Communications Coordinator, Emily Goodwin, at emilyg@griotarts.com . Students may submit one design for free. Community member submissions (and second submissions for students) will be $5.00 each, which will all go towards paint supplies for the designs.

If you would like to help paint the next court or are looking for other ways to contribute, volunteer, etc., visit Clarskdale Courts facebook page, @clarksdale_courts on instagram, or email emilyg@griotarts.com .

 Griot Open Mic Nights

Mark your calendars! Griot has selected all of the open mic nights for the 2019-2020 school year.

Our kickoff OMN happened on Thursday, September 19th and was a huge success! We had over 70 in attendance and over a dozen acts. The bulk of performances were given by Griot students, but we also welcomed students from the Rosedale Freedom Project and friends. While there was plenty of singing, we also enjoyed such acts as stand up comedy, spoken word, and various instruments being played.

It was a tough call, but the audience declared the winners as follows:
1st Place: Calandria, singing
2nd Place: Tyler, singing and guitar
3rd Place: Gerald, singing

Honorary winner: Xazevious Paige Jr., 4 year old guitar master.

Check back on our instagram for a video of the event.
@griotyouthprogram

Our second OMN happened on Thursday, November 7th and was another successful night!

It’s tough to call a winner when everyone does so well, but our new judges panel (comprised of a Griot staff member, two Griot students, and a community member/faith mentor) did their best using a performance rubric. The winner of this night was declared to be Tyler, a visiting student who like to sing and play guitar. Check him and other incredible performers out at our next OMN on February 13th - they’re pretty great.

Please join us for our future open mic nights and enjoy the performances, or join in! During OMN’s Meraki coffee is available for purchase.

Yoga & Mindfulness

Storytelling Workshop

David Rodwin, a professional storyteller from San Francisco, generously led a storytelling workshop for Sage Griot students. During the workshop, students hear stories, learned techniques, developed their own stories, and honed their craft. The week was wrapped up with a hilarious and entertaining story slam, with performances by Griot students.

This performance (and week) was modeled after national storytelling competition and podcast, The Moth. Much like The Moth, our event had a theme for the performers to follow, which was ‘first times’.

You can read more about it in Clarksdale’s local newspaper, The Press Register (shown below).

Stay tuned for a short film of our story slam that David is currently editing.

Coffee With a Cause

“Ben Lewis believes anything is possible through good coffee. At Meraki Roasting Company in Clarksdale, Mississippi, Ben is providing employment training to young adults working to break the cycle of poverty in the Mississippi Delta…”

The Walton Foundation has been a wonderful supporter of the great things happening at Meraki Roasting Co. of Clarksdale, M.S. Watch the video to see why you should come buy some coffee today, and click the button below to read the full story!

Griot Monthly Community Events

Introducing our new series: monthly community events hosted at Meraki Roasting Co. (282 Sunflower Ave.). These events have something for everyone, every month. Look at the list to the left to see which events you’ll be coming to!

We are particularly excited about the community choice events where community members (YOU!) will be able to vote on the topic/activity for the month. On those months, you simply visit the Griot facebook page and vote on (or suggest) something you find interesting!

We are also always looking for new ideas that will truly address the needs and interests of the greater Clarksdale community. If you have an idea, please take a moment to let us know here!

We can’t wait to see you there! Check back for specific dates as each event gets closer.

Spring Feast 2023

Our 2023 Spring Feast fundraiser was a raving success! We had the time of our lives and made unforgettable memories. We danced and sang to live music, laughed with friends from the community, and enjoyed delicious food at a candlelight dinner. We’re glad that we were able to create such a fun and outstanding event for our students and the people who support us the most!

Spring Feast sold out of tickets and was bigger than we could’ve ever imagined. As Griot’s highest-grossing annual fundraiser ever, it raised a profit of $75,789.44. All of you are responsible for making this happen. We thank you for your generosity and role in helping Griot continue to carry out its mission. We could not have done it without you. Next year’s fundraiser has been set for March 21, 2024, so we hope to see you all again for another night to remember!

Special thanks to these contributors:

Delta Bus Line
Hartley Kittle
South Group
Clarksdale Vision
Holmes Pettey
Drumheller Packaging
Old River Planting
Long Lake Farms
Cali & Mark Noland
The Bob and Marie Gallo Foundation
Emily Cooper
Shelley Estess
Harvey Y. Fiser
Johnny Larson
Tim Luster
Skip Graeber
Bernice Rutland
Carolyn Reed
Shirley E. Saddler
Johnny Newson
Home Cypress Farms
Jimmy Goss Crop Insurance
Mag Management
Susan Flowers
James A Walker
Mike Tyner
Jeraldean Barron
Philanthro Culture
Delta Commons Group
Ed Whitefield
Cal C. Henderson
Paul R. Grass
Adam S. Rubinson
John Stoltman
Lakisha Shivers
Davis Pizza of Clarksdale, Inc
Delta Furniture Company
Shivers Good Eats
Saf-T-Cart
Standard Industrial Corp.
M & G Dirt Works
Bill Gresham & Bekcy Williams
Johnny Newson
Evelyn Lucy Massey
Dalton’s Furniture
Julian & Taylor Gallo
Dudley Barnes
Ron Nurnberg
Jack Denton

In Kind Donation:

Mary Williams
Seed and Supply
Delta Dirt
Jack Denton
Sasha Monty
Blue Cotton
Chef Mikey B
Sweet Tooth Teddy
Griot Cooking classes - Julie Diaz and Scott Guinn
John Cocke, Hayden Hall, and Yazoo Pass Team
Lil Sistas
Hicks Tamales
Cassandra Banks
Anna Carson Tyner
Cyndi Larson
Mary Martha Bobo
Becky Williams
Clarksdale Garden Club

Foundations:

Mississippi Arts Commission
Walton Family Foundation
Rural LISC

Summer Camp Registration Opens

Registration for Griot's summer camp is open now! Camp for both age groups starts every day at 8:30 am, and pickup will be between 12:45-1:30. They will be provided with breakfast, a snack, and lunch each day. All activities will take place on the Griot Arts property. The total price is $100 ($20 per day). We do not want money to stand in the way of children having access to opportunities in the arts and community development. Financial aid is available for families if needed, so don't hesitate to contact us. Registration for ages 3-5 closes on June 5, and registration for ages 6-12 closes on June 12.

Ages 3-5 will participate on the week of June 5-9th. They will do activities like arts and crafts, storytime, cooking, creative movement and dancing, social/emotional learning, and more!

Ages 6-12 will participate on the week of June 12-16th. They will participate in arts and crafts, yoga, educational activities, free play, music, and more! For another $10 per day, students from ages 6-12 can participate in optional activities and rest until 3:30 pm. They can watch a movie, play board games, or play outdoors for an extra two hours.

Only 20 spots for ages 3-5 and 30 spots for ages 6-12 are open for the camp, so sign up fast!

If you have questions or need help with registration, please call (662) 799-1237 or stop by our office at 278 Sunflower on Monday - Thursday from 10am to 6pm. We hope to see you this summer!