About Sankofa Way:
Sankofa Way is a Chicago-based nonprofit, founded in 2003 by Rev. Deborah Elandus Lake along with Thom Bell, Kizzi Buchmelter, and Jonetta Norman. Sankofa Way's founding mission was to raise awareness about the role that oppression based on gender, religion, and sexual orientation play in the spread of HIV within Black communities. Since 2003, Sankofa Way's programs have expanded to the social justice sphere, helping community members take action to improve the political and social status of lgbt people in Black communities.
Sankofa Way on the Importance of a Web Presence
A web-presence gives us the ability to reach people in Chicago and beyond. Our Change Website is where local lgbt and others look to find safe space to engage in dialogue and find ways to overcome what has kept us at odds with one another. Our Living In Fear Everyday (L.I.F.E.) website is where lgbt people world-wide find information, encouragement, and ways to become involved. L.I.F.E. is also where people learn about human rights struggles in countries like Nigeria and Jamaica, and where they share and read personal experiences as a way to build community and find support.
We have been able to fulfill our mission through our website presence by providing space for people to heal past hurts and explore ways to avoid hurting others in the future.
In today’s political and social climate, we believe that it is imperative for those of us who are working to move the world beyond old divisions to come together and empower one another through unity. It is imperative that our work, words, and attitudes become visible alternatives to the voices of division, hate, and bigotry. A strong and interactive web presence is one way to make this possible.
