Ashanti was founded in March of 1990 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida by Linda Houston Jones. Since the beginning, she has successfully led from vision to reality the premier non-profit cultural organization.

The name Ashanti is a royal West African Tribe known for its cultural richness and diversity. Ashanti’s mission is to provide communities with premier classes in literacy, music, dance, and wellness.

Houston Jones often reflects back to her youth growing up in Daytona Beach, FL where her cultural experiences centered on her home, church, school and trips to the theatre. “I was born with a passion for the arts. Whether I was a performer or patron, the arts always brought me joy, inner peace and a sense of pride." Linda’s passion for the arts is evident in her history of service provided to the Broward County community over the years. Ashanti has been serving Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties with classes for aspiring performers and entertainment for arts enthusiasts for over 20 years.

In 2021, Ashanti received a performance grant from FAB for "The Christmas Chocolate Nutcracker." A classic that gives a black perspective to the age-old tale that has been a holiday tradition for many years, the performance features African dancers and drummers, carnival stilt walkers, modern dancers, ballet, and more. The Kwanzaa story is presented with a musical score that ranges from classical to jazz and includes audience participation.

We celebrate the achievements and innovative programming Ashanti continues to offer the arts community!

For more information visit www.ashanticulturalarts.org