05/08/2026
Healing Arts Festival
We hosted a great community event in Ghana as part of a bigger 3 day traditional West African dance & drumming festival. Various troupes represented traditions from throughout the continent & diaspora. Portrayed is The Sankofa Center’s health walk & HIV/AIDS dance-dramas. Traditional West African dance is intertwined with drama that explains to audiences how sexually transmitted disease spreads, the often complex cultural & social realities that put individuals at risk, modes of protection & prevention, and the need for continued compassion & care for friends & loved ones living with HIV.
Disparities in global health mean that while HIV prevention methods-such as PreP- are universally available in developed nations, such is not the case for most in the developing world. In 2026, sexual health education, disease prevention, and access to health care must remain top priorities for the global community.
Artistic expression remains an effective platform for creating space to keep health issues in the forefront of communities.