The Real Tea Series: GRIOT on Resetting through Vegan Living

The Real Tea Series: GRIOT is a year-long cultural storytelling experience curated and hosted by Carlita Scarboro-Vazquez through CVaz Designs. Inspired by the West African tradition of the griot—the keeper of memory, history, and community—the series explores how stories are preserved and reimagined through art, engineering, technology, design, wellness, and cultural exchange. It documents and celebrates the wisdom, experiences, and journeys of contemporary changemakers who are shaping our communities and creating living history.

The project transforms the library into a living archive where immersive installations, projection mapping, workshops, artist talks, and community collaborations merge the past, present, and future. As archives disappear and stories go untold, we gather to preserve knowledge through conversation, connection, and community. Through interdisciplinary experiences, The Real Tea highlights how innovation and creativity can coexist as tools for storytelling, empowerment, and collective memory.

For the second installment of the series, Carlita brings DeAna Danzy of Bella Veganista to educate and demonstrate how intentional food choices- namely plant-based- and healing herbs can support mental clarity and long‑term wellness.

✔ Free Community Event | ✔ Wellness Education | ✔ Food Demonstrations | ✔ Community Conversation

RSVP for The Real Tea Series: GRIOT with Bella Veganista's DeAna Danzy at Central Library on August 8 at 2:00 PM!, opens a new window

About the Host

Carlita Scarboro-Vazquez is an Atlanta-based mixed media artist, educator, and creative technologist whose work bridges visual storytelling, digital media, installation art, coding, projection mapping, and cultural memory. She is the founder of CVaz Designs and STEAM by CVAZ, where she integrates art, engineering, and technology into community-centered educational experiences. Carlita is also the founder and host of The Real Tea Series: GRIOT. Read more about Carlita Scarboro-Vazquez here, opens a new window. 

Connect with Carlita Scarboro-Vazquez and The Real Tea Series on Instagram at @c_u_sunshine, her website at cvazdesigns.com, Linktree @cvazart, or email at steambycvaz@gmail.com, opens a new window.

Featured GRIOT

DeAna Danzy is the founder of Bella Veganista, a wellness educator and advocate for holistic living who empowers individuals to reconnect with wellness through plant-based nutrition, healing herbs, and intentional self-care.

Connect with DeAna Danzy through her website www.bellaveganista.com, opens a new window, Instagram @bellaveganista, opens a new window, or email at bellaveganista@gmail.com, opens a new window. 

Check out all the fun everyone had during the last Griot, opens a new window. Click photo to enlarge.

Blog post by Nechelle Roberts, Library Associate & Vikki Walters, Librarian Principal

For information about this program, the Central Artist Corner residency program, and adult programming at Central Library, email Vikki Walters at vikki.walters@fultoncountyga.gov, opens a new window.