Brandon’ Real Talk’ Williams giving the students of Brainerd High School a live performance during Hello, My Name is King, SANKOFA: I Am History
Students of Brainerd High participating in Whitney Stovall’s workshop during Hello, My Name is King, SANKOFA: I Am History
Hello, My Name is King, Inc. presented SANKOFA: I Am History at Brainerd High School. St. Louis native and Founder of HMNK, Whitney Stovall and four young professional leaders hosted a series of workshops to promote self-awareness and encourage positive behavior for the male and female students of the ninth grade academy.
My Black is Beautiful Ambassador Anique Hameed, Visual Artist Tiffany Williams, Brand Marketing Strategist Cedric Harrison, and Poet/Emcee Brandon ‘Real T@lk’ Williams all contributed to helping make SANKOFA a success, said officials.
SANKOFA: I Am History started with a performance from Real T@lk, then immediately after the students split into three workshops. Cedric Harrison and Anique Hameed led a workshop on loving, respecting, and understanding the opposite sex. Whitney Stovall facilitated a variety of activities and scenarios that required students to think critically about their community and individual experiences. Tiffany Williams held a discussion on self-identity and internal power, and during the 15-minute intermissions there were performances from Real T@lk. The day wrapped up with speeches from the HMNK representatives and one last slam session.
Hello, My Name is KING’S mission is to create a platform for positive black male images, and impact the internal and external perceptions of black men and boys. Hello, My Name is KING encourages society to challenge mainstream portrayals and elevate the way one thinks in order to progress. The organization’s vision is a society where black boys and teens are motivated to break barriers, publicly value themselves, and make a difference in their communities, said officials.