The Meaning of Sankofa
In order to plan for our children’s future, we must reach back to reclaim our heritage and culture. The “Sankofa” is a metaphorical symbol used by the Akan people of Ghana, depicted as a bird with its head turned back taking an egg from its back. It expresses the importance of reaching back to ancestral knowledge gained in the past and bringing it present in order to make our liberation tangible.
Mission
Sankofa Learning Center, an African-centered learning ecosystem , provides New Haven families with a place to re-imagine education, honor the voices and stories of Black people from the Diaspora, and provide a healing space of love and liberation.
Vision for our Community
Sankofa Learning Center deeply believes in the village and indigenous educational practices. We honor our ancestors, their oral stories that live in our spirits, and their legacy on earth because, without them, we would not exist. Our vision for the SLC community is to inspire the village to live in truth, feel free in the midst of structural racism, and equip ourselves with the tools necessary to live outside of our internalized oppression.
Vision for our Children
Our vision for children at SLC is that they feel true freedom and in doing so they are able to be active participants in their learning experience. Learners at SLC are given tools to develop themselves into loving change makers, anti-bias & anti-racist leaders, community collaborators, and creative thinkers.
Sankofa Learning Center does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations.