Sankofa Black Staff and Faculty Association

We understand that our present is the result of our past and continues to shape our future. Because of this, we value the lessons learned from our ancestors and elders to shape a world where Black people are moving toward liberation and joy.

Email us at sankofa@email.arizona.edu to join the Sankofa listserv.

SANKOFA Logo

The Sankofa Black Staff and Faculty Association is the Black Affinity group at the University of Arizona. We are committed to the support, encouragement, and safety of all Black people thriving as individuals and as a community. The use of the term Black is intentional, given that Blackness is a diasporic indicator of Black communities beyond geographical boundaries. 

We advocate and create opportunities for development, enhancement, and networking to ensure Black staff and faculty (and, by extension, Black students) thrive. 

We seek to uplift and illuminate the contributions of the staff, faculty, and students at the University of Arizona. 

We understand that our present is the result of our past and continues to shape our future. Because of this, we value the lessons learned from our ancestors and elders to shape a world where Black people are moving toward liberation and joy.

Sankofa (SAHN-koh-fah) is a Twi word from the Akan Tribe of Ghana that loosely translates to, “go back and get it.” 

Its literal translation comes from the Akan proverb, "Se wo were fi na wosan kofa a yenkyiri," meaning, "It is not taboo to go back for what you forgot (or left behind)." Sankofa is a phrase that encourages learning from the past to inform the future, reaching back to move forward, and lifting as we climb.

From Stockton University, https://www.stockton.edu/sankofa/about.html

The primary goals of Sankofa Black Staff and Faculty Association include:

  • Providing culturally empowering spaces and places for networking and community
  • Exploration, advocacy, and support of those who are less protected
  • Targeting professional development for career advancement
  • Supporting new employee onboarding (post-docs, staff, and faculty)
  • Providing support to Black students through collaboration with African American Student Affairs  (AASA)
  • Supporting Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs in Tucson
  • Amplifying the work of Black staff and faculty

Celeste Atkins, Ph.D., Co-Chair
Director of Student Engagement and Recruitment
Graduate College Office of Diversity and Inclusion
Thomas Harris, Co-Chair
Senior Associate Athletics Director, Belonging and Engagement
Arizona Athletics

Paloma Boykin
Senior Academic Advisor I
College of Social & Behavioral Sciences

Tamara Carter
Ph.D. Student
Rhetoric, Composition, and the Teaching of English

Jennifer Chamblee
Senior Program Coordinator
Executive Associate to the Interim SVP
Research, Innovation & Impact Faculty Affairs Coordinator

DeAnna Daniels, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Africana and Religious Studies
College of Humanities 

Dawn Demps, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Educational Policy Studies and Practice
College of Education

Harriett Green
Vice Dean
University Libraries

Kendrick Johnson
Academic Counselor
Arizona Athletics

Kenya Johnson
Director, Marketing & Communications
University Libraries

Sylvia Lett
Associate Clinical Professor of Law
James E. Rogers College of Law

Namoonga Mantina
Outreach Manager, Community of Outreach and Engagement 
University of Arizona Cancer Center

Kelly Palmer, Ph.D., MHS
Assistant Professor, Health Promotion Sciences
Assistant Director, Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility 
University of Arizona Cancer Center

Jennise Taylor
Executive Assistant
University Communications

Julie Zakari
Programs Finance & Earned Value Management
University of Arizona Space Institute
 

  • Wednesday, Sept 11, 2024 11 am-noon (Executive Council Only)

  • Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024 11 am-noon (Executive Council Only)

  • Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024 11 am-noon (Executive Council Only)

  • Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 11 am-noon (Executive Council Only)

  • In person event dates and times coming soon!

Email us at sankofa@email.arizona.edu to join the Sankofa listserv.

The 2nd Annual Buffalo Soldier Awards Ceremony Wed November 6th from 5pm - 7pm in the Main Library Room 112!   We know that faculty and staff of color and our allies are often overlooked during awards time so last year we created the University of Arizona Buffalo Soldier Make Your Mark Award. 

Nominations are due Friday October 18, 2024. 

 

Buffalo Solder Award Flyer