About Me
I’M FROM MY MOTHERS WOMB & STILL TRAVELIN’...
Peace ya’ll! I am Gracie Berry, the founder of GirlrillaVintage Afrikan Roots & Empowerment Organization, established in 2010 to promote Afrikan cultural diaspora content, events, and perspectives through education, expressive arts, Afrikan spirituality, vintage aesthetic, and workshops for people of Afrikan descent. GirlrillaVintage is a creative platform that celebrates Black and Brown communities, narratives, stories, and lineages.
As a multidimensional artist and creative, I have cultivated my passion for the arts for over 25 years, believing that a person's creativity is one of the most valuable things they can offer to the world. I am celebrated as a distinguished performer, visual artist, and writer, facilitating accessible, impactful, raw, educational exchanges that bring diverse groups together and span generations. Girl real with her vintage, yea thats me!
I am a proud matrilineal descendant of the Mende People in Sierra Leone, with ancestors who journeyed through the Maafa (Afrikan Holocaust) to South Carolina in the Americas. My lineage includes co-creators from the Black Cherokee and Black Choctaw Nation. They later migrated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania after Chattel Slavery, in search of better lives. My relationship with my ancestors influences everything I do in this life. The survival of my ancestors was an act of rebellion, a love that survived catastrophe and paved the way for my families existence. I honor the relationship I have with my ancestors as it influences every aspect of my life. Our relationship motivates me to achieve milestones like being the first one in our family to graduate college from the nation's first degree granting HBCU. Graduating college changed the course of my life and those of my family, so I take my role of matriarch seriously. I focus on generational healing by unlearning harmful patterns and embracing new practices. My life's purpose is deeply rooted in the sacrifices and resilience of my ancestors, driving me to leave behind a legacy centered on healing, love and empowerment.
Thank you for your time.
Ase’O
What People Are Saying
“Gracie is the very essence of joy and spirit. Majestic!”
— Dr. Andaiye Q.
“So impressed with this woman's creativity, hard work, honoring of herself and her ancestors, and her vision. She is AMAZING.”
— Kendra C.
“I was fortunate enough to witness some of the process and so much work was put into the exhibit at Amtrak station!!! Please stop by if you haven’t seen it!”
— Tyshana L.
“I’m especially so grateful I could be there to witness another brilliant performance by the one and only Gracie Berry!”
— Michelle J.
