Des Moines, Iowa

About The Motherland Experience

Celebrating African Heritage, Community, Culture. Food, Music, Dance, Performances and Fashion shows of African Celebration and Culture.

The Founder

Our Story

The Motherland Experience was born from a personal journey of identity, belonging, and the deep human need for community.

Growing up, I often struggled with my sense of identity. The hardships I experienced made me feel like I didn't truly belong anywhere. In trying to fit in, I slowly lost sight of who I was, my traditions, my values, and the culture that shaped me. It took time to realize that my identity was never something I needed to hide, but something to embrace and celebrate.

One of the things I longed for most as a child was the warmth of family, seeing people come together, share meals, celebrate milestones, and create lasting memories. That experience inspired a dream: to help create spaces where others can experience the sense of love, connection, and community that every person deserves. This organization was born from that dream.

"My identity was never something I needed to hide, but something to embrace and celebrate."

The Motherland Experience is the fulfillment of that dream, a space where every person can feel seen, celebrated, and connected to something greater than themselves.

Omar Love

Founder and Executive Director

Our Purpose

Why The Motherland Experience

We exist to celebrate African heritage, strengthen community bonds, and create opportunities for education, economic empowerment, and mental wellness. Through our annual festival and year-round programming, we bring people together across cultures and generations.

What Drives Us

Our Mission

To celebrate African heritage, foster community connection, and create opportunities for education, economic empowerment, and mental wellness through cultural programming and our annual festival.

Where We're Going

Our Vision

To build the largest African cultural festival in the Midwest, one that celebrates our culture while creating opportunities, raising mental health awareness, strengthening community, supporting African and local businesses, attracting visitors, and contributing to the economic growth of Des Moines and Iowa as a whole.

Our Three Pillars

Mental Health

Wellness and Community

We believe mental wellness is inseparable from community health. We create space for honest conversations, culturally affirming resources, and programming that supports the whole person.

Economic Empowerment

Business and Opportunity

We uplift African and minority-owned businesses by providing visibility, vendor opportunities, and connections that strengthen the local economy and build generational wealth.

The Motherland Experience African Festival

Culture and Celebration

Our annual festival is the heartbeat of everything we do, a free, family-friendly celebration of African heritage through live music, dance, food, fashion, and cultural performances in the heart of Des Moines.