Philadelphia: City of Festivals
A citywide resource for Creative Support & Cultural Advocacy 🎨
The Need.
DiasporaDNA aims to better amplify the civic importance, neighborhood vitality and citywide economic impact of festival programming. Festivals preserve cultural memory and highlight local history through a network of talents, tour guides, vendors, food trucks, and neighbor nostalgia. We focus on festivals as a form of diaspora storytelling as a vital support network for independent creatives.
The Approach.
Diaspora DNA is uniquely suited to fill a gap in festival support and create a dynamic network that serves to mentor, guide and convene audiences, sponsors, press, patrons and producers around our cultural ecosystem.
DiasporaDNA will kinkeep the common threads of our festivals in diasporas by recording audiences oral histories of memorable fairs, block parties, concerts, music, talent, vending, fashion and an array of magical moments that occur in cultural event space.
The Goals.
To build a support network for existing festival producers to inspirING the next generation of independent creative producers to mentor and support those develop their event concepts into festival formats.
To create curriculum: Philly Festival Toolkit, to teach elements of Creative festival programming, budgeting, talent, licenses, AV, marketing, outreach, partnership and more
To produce daylong Think Tank convening to support independent and aspiring creatives towards best practice.in festivals and public events.
To offer mentoring with our national network of creative leaders, supporting individuals and collectives with a unique story to tell.
DiasporaDNA Founding Family had a life immersed in Festivals. We do this to honor their legacy and build up cultural producers throughout our diasporas.
Monica grew up in Brooklyn Heights, NYC next to the Brooklyn Bridge, watching protests and parades, attending festivals, street fairs and concerts
She came of age as a young lady in Philadelphia, attending Temple University and LaSalle University and living in North Philly, South Philly, Germantown, and NE Philly. She appreciating the power of story expressed through parades qnd celebrations she attended in Philly, including Unity Day, Greek Picnic, Roots Picnic, Penns Landing Multicultural Festivals, Susquehanna Day, Juneteenth Festival, Thanksgiving Parade. She loves Festivals like, she loves cooked food!
Father Elvin Montgomery Jr. is a son of New Orleans who grew up near the Fairgrounds and Gentilly Terrace in NOLA attending Mardi Gras parades, Zulu Balls, OGG festivals and cotillions with his family.
Mother Sandra Brannon Montgomery, is a daughter of NW Washington DC, who grew up in Petworth, and attended protests and celebrations in America's backyard including the March on Washington on the National Mall.
A field building, professional development resource for cultural producers and community influencers.
Capturing the magic of Philly Festivals!
Testimonials
“I walked away reconnecting with ex-New Yorkers that I lost contact with post-recession and post-pandemic yet also establishing new relationships with Philly Festival Directors & Programmers that are continuing to bring the cool factor that only Philly has bragging rights to. #nochatgptallme”
- LaSonya Thompson, Executive Producer, InterFaith Film & Music Festival
"Attending the Philly Festivals Event was an incredible experience! I made meaningful connections with fellow professionals and creatives, and walked away with valuable resources that will support the growth of my business. The energy, networking opportunities, and sense of community were unmatched. I’m so glad I was a part of it!"
- Sonia Blount, CEO, Kabila Events
“I had an opportunity to attend the Philly Festival meet and greet last week on Friday, and I was completely blown away. I don't think I knew exactly what to expect. I knew it was gonna be good, but I did not have any clue that it was gonna be all the things that it was. It was Philadelphia Creatives that are from the diaspora. It was these amazing thought leaders and just kind of the who's who of black Philadelphia in the room, and it's a time and space that really comes together the way that it did.
Definitely just like an environment where you could kinda get swept up and be able to say what's possible in Philly, and also a great way for us to celebrate the diaspora and all the beautiful things that happen in the neighborhoods that create the collective that actually is Philadelphia. Monica O. Montgomery did an amazing job of this, being a visionary in this space, and I'm excited to see what's gonna happen next.”
- Serita Lewis, Founder, UrbnSEEK
“Thank you so much for having me at the Philly Festivals Event Mixer on Friday, March 28th. I have never been in a room with as many festival arts/culture creators and producers as I have at your mixer! The energy was electric and the information was timely, as we are entering into the 2025 Spring/Summer festival season! I KNOW your parents are smiling down on you with joy and extreme pride. You honor their legacy simply, by being you and being such a bright light in the city for others like myself! You have exceeded their expectations, and are now elevating toward a level that this city has not seen before…but is sorely needed!”
- Rashad Waleed, Founding Member, New Born Productions, LLC.