AYA Educational Institute

I Love AYA. Parents, teachers, students here's another FREE AYA Educational Institute installment for your BHM curriculum stash. Often overlooked as part of Black history and BHM education are our people's organizations and movements. Too often this month is filled with instruction about “The first Black to do this, and the first one to do that." In addition to being too "prove-it-to-white-people focused, it is also too focused on individuals. Today we take a different path. Using our call and response tradition, we focus on the impact of our people's movements had on music, and in turn the effect of our music to invigorate the Black Power movements in its various forms. We're a Winner: O ur lesson started with "We're a Winner" by Curtis Mayfield. Me: Not only does Curtis Mayfield encourage and affirm Black people he also exhorts the required level of commitment needed to win. Assignment: "Listen

We are proud to announce the 2020 Black Love Day Community Warrior-Healer-Builder Love Honorees. In this oppressive environment to fight, heal, and build are revolutionary acts. One of the three Community Warrior-Healer-Builder Love honorees is Mama Nobantu Ankoanda Before you can say “lets,” Mama Nobantu is in the van saying, “C’mon, let’s go.” Before you can say, “I need…” Nobantu has opened her house, extended her hand and her heart. She’s a Warrior-Healer-Building Mama! Her children grew up knowing that their mother belonged to our community. Mama Nobantu Ankoanda is an educator, teacher, former principal and founder of Afrikan centered community-based institutions in Palo Alto, California and in the Atlanta, GA Metro area. Mama Ankoanda is also Dr. Mama Nobantu. She holds a doctoral degree in Education, a Master of Arts degrees in Elementary Education and a BA in Social work. She’s earned this Black Community Warrior-Healer-Builder award because she’s been spreading love

AYA Educational Institute is proud to announce the 2020 Black Love Day Community Warrior-Healer-Builder Honoree, Baba/ Brother K. Rashid Nuri – a food revolutionary. Rashid, in his new book G rowing Out Loud , asks a powerful question: “What is more revolutionary than a seed? Once planted, the seed bursts through clay, sand, rock, concrete – whatever to fulfill the purpose imprinted in its DNA.” Rashid doesn’t just plant seeds; he is a seed - breaking through. This see has been nurtured by the Jamaican Maroons flowing through is veins, by the African, Asian, and Latin American liberation movements of the 60s, and more. We can eat better because of him. Attend this Black Love celebration. Feb. 13th 7pm. ------- Higher and Higher... ------- The beginning of a Huffington Post article on Baba Rashid begins “The older man steps out of a gray Chrysler Grand Voyager. He wears a tan fisherman’s cap and a brown tee topped with a plaid work shirt. People chat as they fill baskets

Our third Black Community Warrior-Healer-Builder honoree is my friend and brother - Derrick “Too Much Truth” Boazman. Personally, I don’t know of a man that loves the Black community more than Brother Derrick Boazman. His love is strong; it’s wide; it’s deep. It’s deeper than his years – flowing to him from his mother and father and from those in our struggle who came before. He’s a native Atlantan born and reared on Atlanta’s Southside – where he still resides. I start his warrior-tribute by talking about his love because it is his love for us that fuels his fight for us – especially for “the least of these.” His love for us as an extension of the love family and community showered upon him is exactly what makes him the consummate warrior-healer-builder? Join us to Simba Simbi: Hold up those who hold us up! Thursday, Feb. 13th 7pm for our 8th annual Black Love Day Dinner Celebration. As swift as is his sword at our enemy’s throats is his compassion and giving to those