Students participating in the On Track to Success Ujima Initiative have been busy over the last few months, and we wanted to share the highlights.
In March, Ujima’s cultural exploration focus was on food within the African diaspora. Ujima students attended a cooking workshop at Naija Food Eats hosted by Chef Ola. The youth worked with Chef Ola to prepare Nigeria’s national dish – Jollof rice with roasted chicken.
Ujima also partnered with CookUp Inc., founded by Delna Buhariwalla and Trishauna Linton, for an American Southern Soul Food workshop. Students learned the history and cultural connections of staple American Soul food dishes. After preparing the food, students were together socializing, and for some – trying Soul Food for the first time.
Ujima also partnered with Dr. Venus Olla, a registered psychotherapist and yoga instructor. She met with youth twice a month in West Windsor to facilitate mental health workshops where students openly discuss issues within the Black community that impact overall well-being and mental health. In addition, Dr. Olla facilitated yoga sessions with the youth, practicing different coping mechanisms and wellness strategies.
In April, Ujima youth learned about music within the African diaspora. Teajai Travis facilitated a drumming circle in West Windsor, where the youth expressed themselves through rhythm and music. Teajai talked about cultural importance of individual and collective story telling. They came up with personal and collective stories while using drumming and music to facilitate the artistic process.
And finally, in June, students attended On Track to Success United, a dinner with OTTS donors at Ciociaro Club. Some students celebrated their graduation from the program and high school.
Richie and Subomi share how On Track and the Ujima initiative have helped them so far:
Last updated on July 4, 2022