Tamra Jetter is one of nine winners of the 2024 Midwest Culture Bearers Award. This award celebrates artisans and folk arts practitioners whose work is rooted in cultural preservation and sharing knowledge with the next generation.
“I selflessly nurture, inspire, transmit, transform and expressively connect community on a beautiful continuum of my rich African, African American, and Black woman cultural heritage. I bring people together to honor the past, heal the present and harmonize the future. I develop intergenerational programs, especially engaging youth, through my wellspring of ancestral wisdom in music, dance, art, fabrics, storytelling, foods, crafts, writing, films, poetry, vision boards, history, lands, and language.
Authenticity is very important to me. Some culture bearers specialize in one or two genres, but I promote and provide opportunities for programs encompassing all cultural genres. Through my commitment to lifelong learning, travel, reading, creating relationships, and engaging with people, I continually discover, design, and develop creative ways to increase cultural understanding and bring about change. My family and I have shared artifacts and made many contributions to the African American Museum of Iowa in Cedar Rapids. I coordinate and sponsor Juneteenth and Black History Month programs honoring Pan African colors of red, black and green, and invite Black artists, poets, fashion designers, dancers, singers, and musicians to actively participate, showcase their work and share their stories with the community.”
