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: info@fan-dc.org

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