The International Gullah Geechee and African Diaspora (IGGAD) Conference is hosted by the Charles W. Joyner Institute for Gullah and African Diaspora Studies at Coastal Carolina University. The IGGAD conference brings together academics and practitioners from interdisciplinary areas of study, who offer their ground-breaking contributions in the form of scholarly papers, films, performances and spoken poetry. Of special importance is our conference’s emphasis on the community-based participatory model, which recognizes the relevance of cultural practitioners and community participation. To this end, we anticipate critical dialogues and shared learning among scholars, artisans and community members.