Building Bridges Through Cultural Experiences
We are a registered 501(C) (3) nonprofit organization with a mission to ignite cultural curiosity, knowledge and appreciation in our community.
Culture Encounters
We are a Richmond-based non-profit that unites neighbors—one meal, one story, one cultural event at a time. Through cultural dinners (Eat.Talk.Connect.), after-school programs, panel discussions, and the Richmond International Dance Festival, we turn curiosity into connection. When people share food, stories, and dance, bridges are built, and communities thrive. Taste, move, and connect with us today!
Our Lastest Strategic Plan
Connections ’28 is Culture Encounters’ strategic vision for the future, a roadmap for strengthening connection, understanding, and collaboration across our region. Built on the belief that meaningful encounters across cultures create stronger communities, this plan outlines how we will expand our reach, amplify diverse voices, and create spaces where people can learn, share, and belong. Through storytelling, convening, partnerships, and community-building, Connections ’28 charts a path toward a more connected and culturally vibrant future.
Explore the full strategic plan, watch the vision video, and learn more about the initiatives that will guide our work through 2028.
We are inviting you to the 2026 Richmond International Dance Festival!
Conversations That Connect is a quarterly community conversation series designed to help people better understand one another through conversation and real-life perspectives.
Each session explores everyday cultural topics such as family heritage, growing up between cultures, cross-cultural relationships, and how assumptions shape the way we see one another. Through guided conversations and thoughtful panelists, participants are encouraged to listen, reflect, and engage with openness and respect.
These gatherings bring together people from different backgrounds who value learning through conversation.
How Food Builds Bridges: The Story Behind Eat. Talk. Write.
Join Alex Trivas, a long-time volunteer and supporter, as he sits down with Amma Gatty, Founder & Executive Director of Culture Encounters, to share the inside story of Eat. Talk. Write. Discover how a simple idea—using food as a cultural bridge—has grown into a transformative program connecting students, communities, and cultures across Richmond.
Eat Talk Connect Dinner Club
A monthly cultural dining experience on the last Thursday of every monthThe Eat. Talk. Connect. Dinner Club is a monthly cultural experience for people who want to explore the world through food, conversation, and community. Each gathering is hosted at an immigrant owned restaurant or a curated catered dinner that highlights a specific culture through flavors, stories, and guided connection.
This is where cultural bridge building becomes lived.
One shared meal at a time.
Upcoming Events
Our Community Champions
