Please help stabilize this Black Owned Business and Non-Profit founded by a Black Woman in Newport, RI. Hi, my name is Niko and I am the Founding executive director of Sankofa Community Connection in Newport, RI. I founded this organization 4 years ago and am looking to get a space where we can put down our roots. A major step towards building a legacy and longevity is being able to have a physical location.  We were able to accomplish a lot of things having one employee and volunteers without a physical location. Imagine how much more we can get done with a solid foundation and a space to work in? My eventual goal is to have a space and be able to hire community members to work for Sankofa. 


We would use this space for meetings, organizing, and it would be open to the community for various educational opportunities. It would also serve as a retail space to display items made from Melanin Sol. 


The funds donated will help us pay the rent for the space, moving expenses and office supplies to get us started. Since we are a small business and non-profit it is important for us to receive donations or grants — capital without the burden of loans as we don't qualify for most loans.  About Sankofa Community Connection: 


Our Mission- To increase pride of place within the African American Community of Newport County , through a community-led initiative with  3 main focus areas: 1. Community events and gatherings to increase our social cohesion 2. Community Meetings where we discuss  the impact of institutional racism, racial oppression to provoke dialogue and solutions to the issues  3. Historical Education to reveal, honor and celebrate the cultural heritage of African Americans of early Newport. Visit us at <a href="http://www.sankofanewport.org">www.sankofanewport.org</a> About Melanin Sol Creations We create for everyone and specialize in custom designs that uplift and celebrate Black Culture. <a href="http://www.melaninsolcreations.com">www.melaninsolcreations.com</a> or our Facebook page for available items. See what community members had to say about donating to this cause: Tracy Jonsson  July 6, 2020  "Have you been saying lately that you’d like to make more space for diverse voices in Newport? Here’s an impactful way to do so! Niko Merritt is looking for a starter-fund to host her organization Sankofa Community Connection and she’s asking for your support! Look up the org if you haven’t heard of their work yet!" Sarah Berkman July 6, 2020 "Newport has a major race problem. My friend Niko Merritt’s non-profit Sankofa Community Connection has been actively working hard to educate the community on anti-racism and good ally-ship along with many other very important offerings! Please help get a community space/headquarters! Money wants to be donated. Do you really need need that new duvet cover or pedicure or bottle of wine? Not as much as Newport needs Sankofa to have a community space." Stephi Cotsoridis July 2, 2020   Please help my friend Niko Merrittraise money for a space for her non-profit, Sankofa Community Connection. She is an advocate, teacher and a true community leader!"  Tara Gragg July 1, 2020    "Hi Newport/local friends, I’m selling masks—that I’ve made by hand with my own design that I’ve been perfecting to be comfy and conform to your face—to help my friend Niko raise money for a new office space for her nonprofit Sankofa Community Connection(I encourage you to visit the page and learn more about them!). It’s a win-win...you add to your mask collection so you can stay stylish as you protect others AND the money goes to a great cause. I’ll post photos of the options in the comments and you can tell me which/how many you want; I just ask that you donate $10 per mask (or more if you’re feeling generous) to the fundraising link below. I’m not going to be shipping any masks but if you’re local I can leave them outside my house for pickup or drop them off to you if I’m running errands.


 


Casey Carney July 1, 2020 "My friend Niko has an incredible non-profit and Black-owned print making and design business, both of which are huge assets to her community in Newport, RI. One of the things that most folx don’t know about Newport, RI is that while most folx identify slavery as something that occurred “only in the South,” Newport, RI, was the HOME of TOP TEN SLAVE TRADERS IN THE UNITED STATES This is the shit we missed out on in U.S. History classes. Niko has been one of the most influential Black women educating me about racism over the past 4 years and I think that it is essential that I give back to her, by helping to boost her business. One of the cool things that she has done through her work at her non-profit, Sanfoka, is to develop anti-racist curriculum and educate the children living year-round in the Newport area about their history. She also organized a bus trip for over 200 Black children to go to see Black Panther when it came out in movie theaters, knowing that it was the first time that these children would see representation on the big screen. Her design and print making company- Melanin Sol- makes incredible clothing, logos, gifts and housewares that are focused on representing the beauty of Black folx everywhere (although certainly not limited to that). Please donate, share, react, comment, and amplify this post, in order to help Niko build her businesses.

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Melanin Sol Studio and Sankofa Headquarters

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Melanin Sol Studio and Sankofa Headquarters

Still $11,666 to go. Help us build momentum.