Sankofa Safe Child Initiative Support Services
Ms. Wilson, a passionate advocate, leveraged her role as president of NCNW-Chicago/Mid-west Section. She collaborated with Margaret A. Davis, Executive Director of the Healthcare Consortium of Illinois, to engage United States Congressman Danny K. Davis from the 7th Congressional District. Their efforts aimed to spotlight critical child welfare needs.
In response, Congressman Davis convened Illinois' first-ever Town Hall Meeting on Adoption, Placement, and Parental Rights on June 18, 1999. This historic event yielded 38 recommendations crucial for child welfare reform, laying the foundation for Sankofa.
Recognizing that over forty percent of Illinois children in state care hailed from Austin and Lawndale, Sankofa initiated operations with a contract from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. Their mission, aligned with Mary McLeod Bethune's vision of "Leave No One Behind" through NCNW, included establishing a 24-hour helpline. This service, in collaboration with community-based organizations, offers immediate support and connections to vital resources for families in crisis.
Sankofa collaborates with 33 Village Partners across Illinois' 7th Congressional District to ensure comprehensive community engagement and support. Additionally, mentoring services are extended to schools within the district, furthering their commitment to child welfare and community empowerment.
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What is Sankofa?
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The word SANFOFA is a word coined in Akan, the ruling language of the Ashanti Empire and now the most important language of Ghana, SANKOFA is derived from words SAN(Retum), KO(go),FA (look, seek and take). It symbolizes the Akan's quest for knowledge with the implication that the quest is based on critical examination, and intelligent and patient investigation.
The symbol is based on a mythical bird that flies forwards with its head turned backwards. This reflects the Akan belief the past serves as a guide for planning the future, or the wisdom in learning from the past in building the future. The Akan believe that there must be movement with times but as the forward march proceeds, the gems must be picked from behind and carried forward on the march. In the Akan military system, the symbol signified the rear guard, the section on which the survival of the village and the defense of its heritage depend. Annetta Wilson, Founder/Executive Director of Sankofa, recognized the importance of looking back to move the village forward. She created Sankofa with the intention of using the knowledge and wisdom of the past to strengthen the village for the future. Through the implementation of prevention strategies, Sankofa's mission is to keep families together by strengthening them. The following is a short history or how Sankofa began. In the mid nineteen nineties, the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services (IDCFS) had over 50,000 children under it auspices. In 1999, 40% of all net intakes to DCFS in Illinois came from two Chicago community areas. These communities were Lawndale and Austin, which are part of the 7th Congressional District, under the jurisdiction of Congressman Danny K. Davis. In order to stem the tide of tis influx of children into DCFS, National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), which was founded in 1935 by the noted educator and right activist, Mary Mcleod Bethune got busy. The National Council of Negre Women is the nation's broadest organization of African American Women. Dr. Bethune galvanized not-for-profit national and service organizations in 1955 to "Leave No One Behind." Being a zealous advocate, Ms. Wilson used her position as president on NCNW-Chicago/Mid-west Section, recruited and worked with Margaret A. Davis, Executive Director of the Healthcare Consortium of Illinois, to provide 7th Congressional District, United States Congressman Danny K. Davis, with the information he needed to focus greater attention on the needs of the District, especially in the arena of Child Welfare. In response, Congressman Davis convened a Town Hall Meeting on Adoption, Placement and Parental Rights on June 18, 1999 to comprehend the child welfare phenomenon. This was the first Town Hall Meeting in history called by a United States Congressman in Illinois on child welfare issues. Attendees were village representatives, leaders, and administrators. As a result, 38 recommendations were proposed and in need of being implemented this was the birth of Sankofa.
Our Method
Our Method: (Adapted from the National Council of Negro Women, Inc. Dr. Robert Hill, The Strengths of the Black Family, National Association of Black Social Workers and Knights of Peter Claver Ladies Auxiliary Court 143) Sankofà translates its philosophy of public education, community service, and advocacy through activities designed to:
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Disseminate information about affecting the well-being of African American women and their families
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Promote healthy lifestyles and behaviors through promotion and disease prevention project and violence
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Promote community empowerment and self-help programs in the African American community.
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Build upon the rich heritage, traditional values, and historic events of African American families through sponsoring education forums, conferences, support/mentor
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Train women and youth for community participation and leadership
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Support career development and economic equity for women of color
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Research and assess support programs most needed to women and you reach goals of self-sufficiency.
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Provide education enrichment experiences and hands on activities for elementary and high school students.
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Promote excellence and equity in education through the involvement of teachers, parents, and the community in addressing the critical education needs of African American women and their children.
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Counsel and prepare youth for transition from school to the world of work;
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Provide community-based supportive services as alternatives to detention for young women and men at risk.
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Redirect and assist pregnant teens to be self-sufficient
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Increase public awareness, sensitivity, and community services to the needs of minority elders
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Document and preserve African American cultural traditions
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Develop self-sufficiency and foster economic development and entrepreneurship.
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Work with those who conduct studies and publish materials that relate Americans cultural traditions
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Develop self-sufficiency and foster economic development and entrepreneurship.
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Work with those who conduct studies and publish material that relate to African American families
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Assist to building strong kinship bonds
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Promote high achievement orientation
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Parenting classes
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Anger management
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Male only training entering and support group
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Girls speak out
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Continue community forums to channel anger and correct problems
2. Shift child welfare to a home-based service model
3. Juvenile Justice system needs to be overhauled
4. Continue to involve the Association of Black Social Workers in all child welfare issues
5. African American children need to remain in their immediate community when they become wards
6. IDCFS should increase prevention efforts
7. View substance abuse as a medical disease
8. Increase opportunities for young professionals to be memored
9. Better training of medical professionals and teachers on reporting abuse
10. Strengthen the IDCFS ombudsman program
11. Utilize the Association of Black Psychologist more for assessments and treatment
12. Provide mentors for all children in the IDCFS system
13. Enhance services for disabled clients
14. Advocate for longer periods of time, at least two years for substance abusing parents to get into treatment and offer aftercare for relapse
15. Alcohol and substance abuse system should be more responsive to the child welfare system. There should be a problem resolution hotline within 48 hours
16. To assure that child welfare policies continue to be designed by researchers who reflect the population who uses the services.
17. Congress should pass legislation that recognizes kinsh a care as permanent placement
18. Congressional Black Caucus weekend should include
hild Welfare as a Braintrust by year 2000
19. Eliminate poverty by providing livable wages and job and job creation
20. Appoint CASA workers as soon as a child is placed in the IDCES system
21. Retrain present social workers on cultural sensitivity a ii customer friendly service
22. All mothers in the IDCFS system should have an apportahity to prove their fitness before a judge
23. Implement a literacy program for parents in the IDCFs system
24. Implement strong formal linkages with education, employment and GED programs
25. Inform parents of their rights verbally and in writing of all IDCPS procedures from discussion of service plan in court hearings
Contact List
Dr. Annetta Wilson, Executive Director
Antoinette Mayfield, Executive Assistant
Ed Bickham, Director of Case Management
Dr. Lawanda Sims, Manager of Clinical Services
Dee McCalley-Gonzalez, R3 Program Manager
Sharon Whitney, Case Manager
Tonia Reaves, GVP Program Manager
Kristal Callon, GVP Program Coordinator
Marquitha Green, Domestic Violence Program Coordinator
Frederick Dennis, R3 Program Mentor
Kaylah Lloyd, R3 Program Mentor
Michael (MB) Brooks, R3 Program Community Outreach
Patrick Daniels, Mental Therapist
Shavonna Mason, Mental Advocate Coach
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