"Artists are the Gatekeepers of Truth," said Paul Robeson. America has a rich history of artist-activists.
We at Sankofa.org are partnering with the artists of today who are using their voice to impact the future. The next generation.
Projects
Civics Series
The Civics Series is an ongoing online video series in which artists from different disciplines come together and use storytelling to discuss issues that are often overlooked.
Amplify Initiative
The Sankofa.org Amplify Initiative invites artists from all different background and art forms to submit their works with the opportunity to have them selected & shared on the Sankofa.org site and socials.
For Freedoms
Together In 2018, we launched the largest creative collaboration in our nation's history, the 50 State Initiative. During the midterm election season, we held over 600 concurrent decentralized public events across the country with over 250 partners that reflected a multiplicity of voices and sparked a national dialogue about art, education, commerce, and politics. Artistic expression, such as that of the 50 State Initiative Billboards, offers the possibility of inspiring people to feel empowered to enter the civic sphere.
Into Action
This powerful activation was a celebration of community power + cultural resistance, that brought together hundreds of the nation's top visual artists, activists and influencers for creative installations, powerful panels, and music performances. The nine-day festival of unprecedented scale ran in Downtown L.A. from Saturday, January 13 - Sunday January 21, 2018 , to shine a light on injustices and galvanize communities to turn ideas into action. INTO ACTION! fell on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and marks the one-year anniversary of both the presidential inauguration and the Women’s March.
Many Rivers To Cross Music Festival
“Many Rivers To Cross” was the largest Music and Arts Festival dedicated to racial and social justice. The festival took place October 1 & 2 in Chattahoochee Hills, GA outside of Atlanta. “Many Rivers To Cross” promoted awareness around critical human rights issues.
RISD + Sankofa.org
Since 2018 Sankofa has partnered with The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Social Equity Inclusion initiatives to explore the intersections of social justice in the arts and more.
Tu Música, Tu Voz, Tu Voto
Sankofa.org and the Latino Community Foundation joined forces with The Young Turks in a final push to get out the vote among Latinx youth. Together, the organizers convened one of the largest non-partisan voter mobilization event in the country, dubbed “Tu Música, Tu Voz, Tu Voto. The Tu Música, Tu Voz, Tu Voto event included some of America’s most talented Latinx artists in music and TV, including Rosario Dawson, Carlos Santana, Amara La Negra, Frankie Negron, and many others. Comedians Aida Rodriguez and Gadiel Del Orbe hosted the fantastic event.