Strategic engagement leader approaching 10 years of synergizing art, wellness, and community through high-impact programs, dynamic wellness curricula, and a multimillion-dollar artist development initiative.

Afeni Grace is a cultural strategist and experience designer recognized for transforming visionary ideas into impactful, human-centered initiatives. She specializes in crafting convenings where art, wellness, and community intersect, resulting in experiences that further individual and collective wellbeing. 

Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Afeni relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2018. Beginning in 2015, she managed community events across three inner-city neighborhoods in Milwaukee with Habitat for Humanity and Safe & Sound, Inc., where she also steered a landlord membership program and an intergenerational wellness workshop series. During this time, she led meditation sessions with the Mindfulness Community of Milwaukee and began creating live and pre-recorded guided meditations with themes such as chakra healing and visualizations.

Since living in Charlotte, Afeni has taught her own wellness curricula for a wide range of audiences, including Mecklenburg County’s Juvenile Detention Center, the Bechtler Museum’s TOY Teen Summer Program, and Comunidad Colectiva’s Youth Group Mindfulness Series. After nearly four years, she recently transitioned from teaching virtual workshops to Google employees worldwide, integrating hands-on art practices with mindful activities and meditation.

In Charlotte, Afeni designed and implemented public programs at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture for 6.5 years. She now directs their multi-million-dollar project, the Black Carolina Initiative (BCI), an artist development effort serving creatives across North and South Carolina. She is a recipient of the Arts & Science Council’s Creative Growth Grant, supporting her latest initiative, Connected Creatives, a 2026 wellness series for artists of all demographics, rooted in self-care, thoughtful exchange, and solidarity.

Afeni led her first lifestyle wellness retreat in Mexico City in November 2025. The retreat was a blend of yoga and mindfulness, catalytic conversations, and a comprehensive itinerary of activities. Her debut guided journal, Unearthing: Guided Journal for Self-Exploration, will be released in early 2026.