f ihankra a koma n toaso newsletter
TRANSCRIPT
FIHANKRA AKOMA NTOASO NEWSLETTER
Greetings!
On behalf Fihankra Akoma Ntoaso’s Board of Directors, we hope you enjoy our first newsletter. Fihankra Akoma Ntoaso (FAN) was incorporated in August of 2005 through a partnership between Nia West-Bey and Wyneshia R. Hicks.
Since incorporation, our greatest accomplishment was the Positive Youth Development Summer Program (PYD) which operated from June 26 – August 4, 2006. In partnership with the Shiloh Baptist Church, FAN’s PYD program served 33 young people between the ages of 10-14, in a summer program that offered dance, capoeira, chess, tennis, spoken word, beat making, and more. Through the 6 week program the young people took part in activities that focused on our core values of teamwork, collective responsibility, relationship building, creativity, and social change
We are optimistic and hopeful that we will continue to offer life changing, quality programs at FAN as we enter our second year of operation.
Sincerely,Nia West-Bey, Co-Founder & Executive DirectorWyneshia R. Hicks, Co-Founder & Board Chair
FAN Newsletter Summer 2006 | Volume 1, Issue 1LETTER FROM THE FOUNDERS
CONTENTSLETTER FROM THE FOUNDERS 1
FAN’S MISSION 1
PYD SUMMER PROGRAM 1
BOARD OF DIRECTORS 1
ADVISORY BOARD 1
SUMMER PROGRAM PHOTOS 1-2
PARTICIPANT POETRY 2
SPECIAL THANKS 2
Capoeira Workshop
FAN’s MISSION
FAN's mission is to cultivate a focus on youth well-being and positive development in an environment infused with safety, security, and love.
FAN Summer Program Staff at Fort Dupont Ice Arena
Positive Youth Development FAN’s Positive Youth Development (PYD) program offered a daily summer program for 33 youth in foster care between the ages of 10 and 14. The PYD program ran from June 26, 2006 – August 4, 2006. Young people engaged in community service along withextracurricular and team building activities. FAN’s programming is designed to help youth develop supportive and caring relationships with adults and peers, enhance critical thinking skills, cultivate a sense of success and mastery, and experience cultural enrichment.
Board of Directors• Jaime S. Fearer, Brookings Institution Press• Enola G. Aird, JD, The Motherhood Project, Institute for American
Values• Elizabeth Gross, Child and Family Services Agency • Juan Davenport, Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative• Rev. Thomas Bowen, Shiloh Baptist Church• LaTalya Palmer-Lewis, Personal Growth for Professionals Inc.• Wyneshia R. Hicks, Columbia Heights/Shaw Family Support
Collaborative
Advisory Board• Lamont Wilder, New York City Administration for Children's Services• Lorraine D. Acker, University of North Carolina-Charlotte• Josh Kern, Thurgood Marshall Academy PCHS (Honorary)
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS• American Poetry Museum• Urban Debate League• Ana's Gold Children's Theater• The ARCH Training Center• Shiloh Baptist Church• Washington Tennis Association• Esther Productions
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR FUNDERS• The Children's Fund of Metropolitan Washington• The Commonweal Foundation• DC Department of Human Services/Income
Maintenance Administration
SPECIAL THANKS TO INDIVIDUAL GIVERS
Heather & Grantley Aaron
Dave Copeland Marion Green Kelli Sullivan
Enola Aird & Stephen Carter
Drs. Deborah & Gary Desir
Wiley Hicks Roxanne & Karl Turekian
Fred Aquavita Jaime S. Fearer Wyneshia Hicks Jacqueline Velez
Claudette Beamon Joseph & Marcia Frazier
Peter Ho Mary & Edward Wendell
Rachel Blackwell Mary Freeman Gwendolyn James Jon West-Bey
Susan Blanchard Ida Ginetti Erin & Farris Johnson Jr.
Nia West-Bey
Delores Butcher Gail & Ronny Glover Chris & Liz Kelaher Terri H. Williams
Mary Lou Byrne Patricia Gomes Craig & Ann O'Connell
Gloria L. Williams
Sandra Cain Cynthia Graae Constance Royster Antoinette Wright
Stanley Carnegie William & Jean Graustein
Brenda & Anthony Sortino
Calvin Wright
Wrenn Compere David & Maria Green
Chelsea Stevens Challa Wright
Poetry
Untitled by FAN participant Age 13
Tryin' to get my piece of the American dreambut all this drama our here is making
me screamTryin' to make it to the top while they
push me to the bottomcould somebody, anybody help me
settle this problemplease, refrainfrom stopping me maintaineverything that I want to beso just sit back, enjoy the showcause I'm just gone be me
Poetry
Forget about singing; I rapby FAN participant Age 11
Blue is my colorbut there's no otherIt's as cool as iceand light like ricebut blueberries can bea big boundaryAs I squeeze the blueberry itcries and splashed on the floor
STAY TUNED FOR UPCOMING NEWS FROM FAN!
Steel Drum Lessons at the Anacostia Art Gallery
1227 Good Hope Road SERoom 106Washington, DC 20020Phone: 202-889-5000 x114Fax: 202-889-5035
We’re on the Web! See us at: http://www.fan-dc.org Contact us at: [email protected]
FAN NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
SPECIAL RECOGNITION: SUMMER STAFF/VOLUNTEERS
Wyneshia Hicks Joe Howell Juan Davenport
Jemar Atkins Albert Bryant III Natasha Marshall
Malika Davis Shaheed Dixon LaTalya Palmer-Lewis
Shanika Feggins Edward Gillyard Elizabeth Gross
Nakia Johnson Darnley Hodge Tyrone Alvin
Erica Leake Nigel Parkinson, Jr. Jon West-Bey
Corey Montgomery Jaime Fearer Carlos Varela
Shaunta Morris Jackie Carter Imaniah
Evelyn Robinson Shyaam Simpson Donnie Brown
Angelo Shepherd Morris Young