MINDSET DEVELOPMENT NETWORK
Creating Power Through Opportunity
MSDN
In our experience, the resilience of students and the people in places like Haiti is evident by the number of school children who start out before sunrise to arrive at their classroom on time. The sacrifices that many families in these conditions must make to allow a child to attend school are far from imaginable by those in more developed societies. MSDN seeks to assist in removing some of these distracting limitations by assisting them on the pathways to success.
Titina Silá & Claudia Jones Research Award
Travel research grant for young African women to investigate and report on revolutionary work of women in Africa, the struggle against patriarchy and organizing efforts addressing gender oppression. The research should be conducted in one or more African countries. Preference will be given to multilingual applicants and projects that address different language communities. Applicants are responsible for submitting a written report to MSDN within three months of completing their travel.
Thomas Sankara Library and Political Education Center (Burkina Faso, West Africa)
Established by Fulbright scholar and Pan-African activist, Emma-Inemesit Richardson, The Thomas Sankara Center for African Liberation and Unity is located in the Cissin neighborhood of Ouagadougou where it serves as the first Pan-African library and community center in Burkina Faso's capital city. It is both a community space and a lending library distributing books on African history and anti-colonialism. Most of the books in our collection were previously unavailable in Burkina Faso. And many others are too expensive for most people to purchase. In addition to our lending library, we host regular events including weekly film screenings of anti-colonial films as well as conferences and teach-ins on world events with a focus on Africa and the African diaspora.
We foster community by serving food at our larger events such as African Liberation Day in May and anniversaries pertaining to the life of Thomas Sankara and the (Burkina Faso) revolution. While we are currently renting a house which we have converted into a library, in the future, we plan to acquire land, guaranteeing that the Thomas Sankara Center becomes a permanent Pan-African community space. We are working towards the creation of intensive Pan-African political education courses to be hosted both at our center as well as in local schools.
Garifuna Nation – Garifuna University Without Walls (GariUWW)
MSDN is proud to have the Garifuna Nation as one of our partner organizations. As part of our global network the Garifuna Nation aligns with our values reflecting self-reliance of marginalized communities. They have a rich history and focus on educating, not just Garifuna but all people about their thriving and sound spiritual philosophy and social-cultural issues that they face. It (GariUWW) has highly qualified faculty in the various courses it seeks to provide at degree levels. Through our network (MSDN), we will support the development of the curriculum and ensure that other marginalized communities are aware of this model program.
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​The Garifuna are also engaged in some land rights issues in Belize. They are working to protect traditional lands from the continued incursion of outside speculators. MSDN is assisting in documenting these issues to better educate organizations and agencies like the United Nations Permanent Forum of People of African Descent and the Caribbean Court of Justice
Haiti - Tractor Fundraising Project
MSDN is working with the University of the Aristide Foundation to raise money for a tractor. UNiFA has an agricultural school (in addition to a medical and law school) and a tractor will significantly assist in the students' training on modern agricultural techniques. The goal is $100,000 to purchase a tractor.
KaKua Center (San Jose, CA)
Self-Determination Center, the focus to have space for spiritual, mental, and physical growth. There are study groups, presentations, self-defense and martial arts classes. Kakua seeks to develop a full-fledged Saturday school for the African (Black) communities in the South Bay (San Jose, CA). The focus of the Saturday school is to “re-introduce yourself to yourself.” In other words, to present African history and socio-cultural realities from a Pan-African lens. MSDN is involved in raising funds for the facility, developing curriculum and informing the community about this valuable resource.
Caring & Sharing – (Mississippi)
“Teach boys and girls how to stay out of trouble and be winners at the game of life by pre-warning and pre-arming them with simple truths/principles of life.” The beauty of this partner school is that it is housed in the same structure that is referenced above, that Grandpa Nelson Ballard had built in in the early 20th century. Over the years, the building has been expanded to its current six rooms. The school director is Mrs. Jannie Ballard Johnson, one of Baba Maceo’s first cousins. Her father, Herb Dr. Seth Ballard, was the only one of the siblings to remain on the land.
Culturally Coordinated Services (C.C.S.)
The Mission of C.C.S. is to provide culturally relevant support services and resources to the African (Black) community. Like MSDN, C.C.S. is dedicated to working side-by-side with the community to secure self-determination for African people.
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C.C.S.’s Vision: Through community engagement, and true connection to African people at a grass-root level, we will ensure that our community has access to proper supportive services, to decrease the pressure that leads to the separation of black-families.
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Mawina Kouyate Center (Freetown, Sierra Leone)
The Mawina Kouyate Center is named after the late sister warrior who was a dynamic figure in the fight for justice and global Pan-African unity. She dedicated over 29 years of her life to building and organizing. Although she was primarily based in New York, she was highly respected internationally. So much so that the Pan African Women’s Association (PAWA) of Sierra Leone named the education center in her honor. The center is in Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa. At its height there were various courses being taught, including carpentry. It most notably provides a pre-school which enables the mothers, many who are “market women”, to go to work.
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Today, the PAWA is seeking to purchase an acre of land and build a new Mawina Kouyate center. As one of our partners, MSDN is working to support this legacy of grassroots community activity by fundraising to develop to purchase the land and build a center. We will also provide our network's expertise in developing and delivering the curriculum.
Dis-placed
Mission: The sole aim of Dis-placed is to reconnect those who were forced from their natural existence, and placed into a world of oppression, doubt and confusion.
Vision: Through art, clothing, culture and oral history, dis-placed brand will guide the masses of people back to what they innately feel at the core of their souls. We will deliver Education and History to dis-placed beings all over the world, which will bring awareness to some and peace to others.
Ultimately, there is nothing new under the sun. We must follow the lead of our ancestors. Therefore, looking back at our past to understand our future. The bondage of all oppressed minds has removed us far from our rightful place. It's ok, stand firm and stand proud. Righteousness will always prevail. Look into your heart, look into your spirit, and now look into the mirror. Smile and reintroduce yourself to your true self. Return home, and step into your rightful place.
Telling Our Stories
Today, the mainstream narrative about Black (African) and Brown people’s condition is filled with victim blaming and racist historical inaccuracies of the impacts of oppression. The MSDN seeks to provide our communities with the ability to tell their own stories. “Telling Our Stories” seeks to train members from the affected communities with the skills to put together a compelling perspective that is often unheard or understood. The primary tools will center around making documentaries useful at local, national, and international levels to secure support for positive actions - transforming the untenable situations.