The Sankofa Project
A nonprofit fundraiser supporting
Purposed Resource and Community Center IncThe Sankofa Project supports racially marginalized families through racial trauma by promoting joy.
$5,909
raised by 52 people
$10,000 goal
Update #2
Since the beginning of this project we have given away hundreds of Sankofa Boxes and had multiple Black Joy Retreats since 2021. We are now adding a book drive to our efforts! The Black Boy Joy Book Drive hopes to give away 300 books to increase access to culturally relevant books for Black boys. Give today!
In partnership with Race and Faith(www.raceandfaith.org) we have launched The Sankofa Project. This is an effort to support Black and brown families struggling through this pandemic and beyond. It is an effort to provide soul-care, stressing the importance of tending to the most inner parts of your person. Sankofa is a west African word, meaning, "go back and fetch it." We are going back and fetching those that have been marginalized by the larger society.
In our effort to show solidarity and love to racially marginalized communities, The Sankofa Project has two products: 1) The Sankofa Box and The Sankofa Booklet 2) Black Joy Retreat 3) Black Boy Joy Book Drive
The Sankofa Box is soul care in a box, providing encouragement, crafts and local products. The Sankofa Booklet is a small, informative booklet that covers mental health, racial trauma and grief. This effort was launched in 2020 on Mother’s Day weekend. Since then we have given away 100 boxes to date! In 2020 we were recognized for our work in the city of Milwaukee with funding from the “Love Your Block MKE” campaign
The Black Joy Retreat is designed to give people of the African diaspora a chance to gather to have fun, be affirmed and to rest. All Black people of all ages, abilities, genders and orientation are WELCOMED and encouraged to attend. To date we have hosted four retreats, providing rest and space for joy for over 100 people.
The Black Boy Joy Book Drive promotes literacy and access to culturally relevant books. We will disperse books to Black families and organizations that serve Black boys. We will also host a reading circle, engaging boys 3rd to 5th grade in reading.