Sankofa School of The Arts

Their mission is to offer a transformative arts education to young people of color that nurtures creativity, critical thinking, and personal development.

Objective: To equip students from West Garfield Park and surrounding areas with the skills, knowledge, and experiences needed to explore and express their artistic visions, thereby understanding and interpreting the world around them.

Programs:

  • Dance Arts

  • Musical Theatre Arts

  • Visual Arts

  • Digital Arts

Fishes & Loaves

“About 5,000 men were fed that day, in addition to all women and children!'“

- Matthew 14:21

Mission: Fishes & Loaves, a ministry of the New Mt. Pilgrim M.B. Church, is dedicated to providing free fresh meals and produce to Westgarfield Park community residents.

The Beautiful Seed Foundation

Mission & Vision

In 2022 MAAFA piloted its sister program, the Beautiful Seed Foundation (BSF). BSF exists to help young women of color between the ages of 18-30 recognize their greatness, utilize their gifts, and impact the world positively through mentoring, global leadership opportunities, college access and readiness, and community service through a faith-based, social justice and empowerment lens. In 2023, 11 Beautiful Seeds graduated from the first cohort. Beautiful Seed Foundation's impact metrics are developed around each of the five key components of the program: Wellness, Faith, Study, Leadership, and Global Engagement. These metrics help measure the program's effectiveness and its impact on participants during a 24-week fellowship.

Goals & Obgectives

The Beautiful Seed Foundation is committed to the continuous growth and enhancement of its Seed Mentoring Program. To achieve this, the Foundation has set clear future goals that focus on refining and expanding the program's impact.

Objectives for Supporting Young Women of Color:

  • Foster self-confidence and self-awareness

  • Provide mentorship and guidance for personal and professional development

  • Promote educational access and readiness

  • Cultivate leadership skills and empower participants to become agents of change

The Legacy Families

What is The Legacy Families?

The Legacy Families of West Garfield Park are generational residents who have witnessed both growth and decline in their neighborhood. They have seen the impact of decisions made without community input, leading to displacement and poverty. Concerned about history repeating itself with the Sankofa Wellness Village, they seek to ensure their voices are heard and to involve the greater community in decision-making. Thus, they embarked on a journey of organizing for a better future.

Mission

The Legacy Families’ mission is to increase the length and quality of lives in West Garfield Park by providing hope, prioritizing safety, and preventing displacement while adding valuable resources to our community.

Prevent Gentrification and Displacement

The Legacy Family is dedicated to safeguarding existing houses, supporting families, and preserving the fabric of our community. We are committed to preventing gentrification and ensuring that the neighborhood remains accessible and affordable to all.