Welcome To Sankofa Community Connection
Our 401Give Fundraiser is live!
Please consider donating today.
Your donation will enable us to host a Self-Care retreat for young black and brown women. We will teach them how they can better their mind, body, and spirit
Time left in our 401Gives fundraiser
Our Value Statement-
At Sankofa Community Connection, we strive to disrupt inequalities and injustice within our community and schools. Through our work, we will continue to bring awareness, encouragement and education to empower our community members that are not often heard.
Our Mission-
To increase pride of place within the African American Community of Newport County , through a community-led initiative with 3 main focus areas: 1. Community events and gatherings to increase our social cohesion 2. Community Meetings where we discuss the impact of institutional racism and racial oppression to promote dialogue and create solutions to the issues 3. Historical Education to reveal, honor and celebrate the cultural heritage of African Americans of early Newport.
Our Vision-
Since its inception, Sankofa Community Connection has inspired a change for the better in the community and is often sought out for its expertise in culturally relevant programming, educational materials and consultant services by community members, schools and various organizations.
2020 Board of Directors
Ellen Pinnock- President
Nycole Matthews - Vice President
Jazmine Wray- Secretary
Mrs. Joyce Watts
Mary Vieira
Niko Merritt- Founding Executive Director/ Treasurer
Dawn Euer, Esq.- Advisor
Julie DiBari, CEO The Capacity Group- Advisor
SANKOFA COMMUNITY CONNECTION WELCOMES YOU
Collaborative & Innovative
WHAT WE DO
HISTORY & CULTURE CLUB
@ Newport Community School- Thompson Middle School
We will introduce cultural local history in a way that directly involves the students and makes their surroundings more relevant. It will also serve to provide a perspective on how various cultures lived in early Newport that is not often seen. Students will participate in a walking tour of Newport RI, could create an app that will guide others on the tour, participate in an excavation and archaeology lessons, create art that reflects their experience, take field trips and many other exciting activities.
KNOW YOUR HISTORY
African American Walking Tour of Newport
Putting African Americans BACK
In to Newport, RI History
Although African Americans have been all but erased from the historical landscape, ongoing research is retelling their stories using documents such as The Newport Mercury, deeds, probate records, diaries, wills, birth and death records, church records, oral histories, and archaeological studies. In the 19th Century, West Broadway became an important African American neighborhood. Many of us pass this area on a regular basis and are not aware of it’s history and success stories. Sankofa Community Connection is actively working with community members, Dr. Akeia Benard and Niko Merritt, to bring about awareness.
COMMUNITY MEETINGS
@Gather on Broadway
As Sankofa Community Connection, we have been able to successfully engage the community in meetings by holding open community sessions to discuss relevant issues and create plans of action to both empower our community and build lasting, positive, grassroots social movement in our city.
SCC Action Sessions ["SCCAS"] is composed of a diverse, non-partisan group of individuals united in concern and committed to community organizing and direct action to end racism, xenophobia, misogyny, environmental destruction, and bigotry in our community. We are committed to collaboratively developing and engaging in actions that improve life where we live. Any discussions we have are oriented toward that goal.
To do so, SCCAS takes care to foreground the perspectives and expert commentary from historically marginalized groups. All voices are welcome at SCCAS, especially those who do not typically receive supportive reception in more official outlets. As such, SCCAS is open to anyone, but not for everyone. SCCAS is committed to not merely being non-racist, but anti-racist in its goals, actions, and procedures.
