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Finalist
Fela Barclift
Partnering with parents and community to foster self-esteem and unassailably positive identity through an Afrocentric / Culturally Responsive curriculum built on 40 years of experience in early childhood education
- Year
- 2021
- Organization
- Little Sun People
- Sector
- Education
- Borough
- Brooklyn
NYC’s youngest residents deserve to be seen, heard and loved in their classrooms — particularly Black and Brown children who too often start at a disadvantage. For 40 years, Fela Barclift has led Little Sun People, an early childhood education center in Brooklyn with an Afrocentric/Culturally Responsive curriculum where children ages 2–5 can express themselves through African dance, drumming, music, martial arts, chess, and play. Fela’s kids learn and grow by gardening, cooking, taking field trips (offsite, on campus, and virtually) and by supporting local Black-owned businesses. It’s a community that joyfully celebrates, learns from, and is inspired by the countless contributions people of African descent have made to NYC and around the globe.