Upcoming Events
Join us for an unforgettable evening of elegance, culture, and inspiration at the annual Royalty Heritage – Kings & Queens and Awards. The prestigious event themed "Celebrating Black Excellence," serves as a premier platform to honor the extraordinary achievements and significant contributions of African and people of African Ancestry visionaries, pioneers, leaders, and artists who shape our community and the world.
Discover the legacy of African Royalty and their impact on shaping our culture and heritage. Royalty Heritage - Kings & Queens is a family-oriented event filled with learning through history, culture, traditions, visual and performing arts, from various communities and backgrounds fostering unity and celebrating the beauty of diversity.
Join us this January 17, 2026, in the heart of Washington, D.C. for an extraordinary celebration of African and people of African descent heritage and culture! Curated by the Louis Diène Faye Foundation (LDFF); a nonprofit foundation committed to fostering creativity, unity, and empowerment, this captivating event promises to be a regal experience like no other. Immerse yourself in the multidisciplinary arts, culture, and humanities. From vibrant performances to thought-provoking exhibitions, we’ll honor the richness of Africa’s past, present, and future.
The Royalty Heritage event is one of the most unique cultural events that provides a diverse platform for underserved, underrepresented, and overlooked artists and performers, promotes cultural understanding, creates positive social impact, and embraces the power of tradition, education, and celebration. This event promotes the achievements and contributions of Africans and people of African ancestry through art, music, theater, fashion, design, dance, drumming, spoken word, comedy, and storytelling from various communities and backgrounds fostering unity and celebrate the beauty of diversity.
Date: Saturday, January 17, 2026
Doors Open at 4 pm
Vendor Expo
Retail, crafts, Service Providers & Sponsors Food & Drinks Vendors/Catered Red Carpet Entrance & Media Interviews
Time: 5 pm – 5:45 pm
VIP Meet & Greet for only VIP Guests Cocktail Reception, Exhibition & Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony and more Registration & VIP Meet & Greet Tickets required
Time: 6 pm – 7 pm
Showtime
Performances including Student Shows, Naming Ceremony, and Awards Ceremony.
7:15 pm to 11 pm
Limited free, discounted, and early bird tickets are available now
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/royalty-heritage-kings-queens-r
Location:
UDC Theater of the Arts Auditorium – Performing Arts−Building 46-West
4200 Connecticut Avenue NW Washington, DC 20008. Van Ness-UDC Metro Station (Red Line).
Windom Pl, NW, Washington, DC 20008 located near the intersection of Connecticut Ave NW and Windom Place NW on the University of the District of Columbia UDC campus.
Join us:
To celebrate our 10th Year Anniversary of Community Service in Washington, DC.
- To celebrate the achievements of our team, pioneers, leaders, and volunteers in African and People of African Descent arts, music, dance, film, literature, community service, and culinary traditions.
The two-day events include workshops, art exhibits, vendor expo, a red-carpet entrance, photo sessions, media interviews, VIP Meet & Greet cocktail reception, Ethiopian coffee ceremony, performances including student shows, naming ceremony, and awards ceremony.
The show features Grammy Award Winning Singer-Songwriter, Grammy Nominee World historian and musician, an ancestral Master Drummer, a poet, a playwright and teacher, renowned filmmaker, fashion designers, performers, special guests, speakers and more.
Dress Code
Cocktail Attire/Royalty Attire/Formal or semi-formal, Attire/African attire/ Dress to Impress with African Flair.
We celebrate heritage and culture and invite you to join in this celebration!
Volunteers
We are always looking for passionate and dedicated volunteers.
Donations
Donations of any kind are always welcomed and appreciated. All donations/contributions are tax deductibles.
Sponsorship Opportunities and Partnerships,
Please contact us
fayefoundation2008@gmail.com or 202 845 9884
Hotel
Hotel information will be announced soon. Please check back for details on a special block of rooms for attendees
Don’t miss out on this unforgettable journey to the Motherland. Join us for a night of celebration, connection, and community!
Thank you for your support.
For Ticket Information
Registration/Ticket is required
NOMINEES
Louis Diène Faye Foundation (LDFF) is a multidisciplinary, unique arts, culture, humanities and philanthropist non-profit organization that uses arts, history, culture and traditions for community cultural diversity, healing, change, integration and community development and as a vehicle to amplify and coordinate existing efforts through classes, projects, research, exhibits, workshops, talent shows, panel of discussions, workshops, and events that inspire individuals and physically and mentally transform communities.
“It takes a village to grow arts and our goal is to impact the lives of Africans and people of African descent through the services and products we provide”.
- The Founder Chef Marie Joe Faye
Who We Are
LDFF is working to change the next chapter of the story through its innovative educational and informative programs, research, advocacy.
WHY WE ARE HERE
We believe that the history of black people is important, and their achievement was not taught and there is more to Africans than the negative stories and stereotypes seen on television, movies and the news.
WHAT WE DO
LDFF utilizes arts, culture, customs and traditions as a medium to address, engage, educate, express, coordinate, serve, entertain and provide guidance to the youth, family and community through arts, education and cultural traditions.
Current Programs
CREATIVE ARTS
Louis Diene Faye Foundation is dedicated to supporting and encouraging the visual, performing, literature, media, and healing arts that improve the cultural environment of our communities. promotes awareness and respect for one’s heritage as well as people of other ethnic origins.
EXPRESSIVE & HEALING ARTS
Louis Diene Faye Foundation uses, supports and engages creative arts as a pathway to bring the healing and restorative power of the arts for individuals, families and communities.
MEAL & FOOD PANTRY
LDFF uses Culinary Arts (the art of preparing, cooking, plating, presentation, and service of food) as a tool to provide hot meals to the needy.
BRINGING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER
Our community outreach events focus and showcase visual, performing, literature artists from Africans and people of African descent.
Upcoming Events
FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS
Univ. The District of Columbia
Department of Agriculture
Howard University
Department of Agriculture
George Mason University
African Student Association
University of Maryland
African Student Association
LDFF
The Louis Diène Faye Foundation
LDFF fosters and prioritizes diversity, equity, inclusion and success in the arts for people of African descent by working to grow our next generation of artists and our mission is to increase the awareness and appreciation of art in the District of Columbia and the DC Metropolitan Area, to promote, share the culture and heritage of Africans and to facilitate community connection through the creative arts, expressive and healing arts programs.
Louis Diene Faye Foundation, Inc. is organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes with a variety of functions, more specifically a non-profit organization dedicated to the vision of a socially sustainable future through program interests in arts, culture, humanities, food, nutrition, wellness and act of kindness in the District of Columbia, the Greater Washington Metropolitan Area and the diaspora.