Inaugural Sankofa Student Summit

Seattle Public Schools’ First Annual Black Studies Conference
9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute
104 17th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98144 (Google Maps)

In partnership with the Alliance, Seattle Public Schools Black Studies is hosting its first annual Sankofa Student Summit: a professional conference-style experience designed to bring together Black Studies students from across the district for a day of learning, leadership and connection. 

More than 250 high school students (grades 9–12) from three SPS high schools will gather alongside educators and community partners for a powerful, student-centered experience. Participants include students currently enrolled in Black Studies history courses, and alumni of those courses, supported by 30+ adult chaperones. 

Rooted in the spirit of Sankofa—to look back in order to move forward—the Summit honors the rich history of Black Studies in SPS while creating space for students to envision and build the future together. The first annual Black Studies conference is a celebration of identity, scholarship, culture, and community. 

Throughout the day, students will: 

• Engage in interactive workshops led by alumni, educators, and community leaders 

• Hear from inspiring keynote voices 

• Build cross-school relationships and leadership skills 

• Explore community resources and opportunities 

• Celebrate ancestral knowledge and the legacy of Black Studies in Seattle 

This full-day experience centers student voice, academic excellence, and collective empowerment. 

Partner With Us 

The Sankofa Student Summit is made possible through collaboration with alumni, educators, and community partners who believe in the power of Black Studies and student leadership. 

If you are interested in: 

• Leading a workshop 

• Hosting a resource table 

• Supporting as a sponsor or volunteer 

We invite you to join us in making this inaugural summit a transformative experience for Seattle’s students. Please connect with Development Director Zoe Poynor for more information on supporting the event. 

Summit Schedule 

9:00 – 9:45 AM: Welcome, Registration & Breakfast 

Travel meals provided by SPS Nutrition Services students can bring with them. 

9:45 – 10:30 AM: Introduction 

• History of Black Studies in SPS by Dr. Koyier-Mwamba 
• Welcome from Dr. Caleb Perkins

• “Lift Every Voice & Sing” 

• Honoring of Ancestral Knowledge 

10:40 – 11:50 AM: GROUP A: Community Building & Workshops & GROUP B: Lunch & Networking/Resource Fair

Group A: Student leaders will facilitate a community building activity to introduce students to each other and build cross-school community as community partners lead workshop spaces & activities.

Group B: Catered lunch served & students visit tabling partners to fill out their “conference passport”

12 – 1:10 PM: GROUP B: Community Building & Workshops & GROUP A: Lunch & Networking/Resource Fair

Group B: Student leaders will facilitate a community building activity to introduce students to each other and build cross-school community as community partners lead workshop spaces & activities.

Group A: Catered lunch served & students visit tabling partners to fill out their “conference passport”

1:20 – 1:40 PM: Knowledge Sharing

1:40 – 2:10 PM: Closing Ceremonies: Celebrations & Photos 

2:10 – 2:30 PM: Clean Up & Dismissal 

Student Art Competition: Sankofa in Action 

Sankofa is an Akan word and symbol that teaches us: to move forward, we must understand where we come from. It’s the reason we tell our stories, paint our people, write our grief and our joy. 

As part of the Sankofa Student Summit, students are invited to submit original creative work rooted in this tradition. We’re asking you to create something — a painting, a photograph, a poem, an essay, a story — that looks back in order to know how best to move forward. What does it mean to carry your history with you? What has been lost that deserves to be found? What does the past have to say to right now? What have you learned that you refuse to let disappear? 

This competition celebrates student voice, artistic excellence, and the power of storytelling across mediums. 

Submission Categories 

Visual Art (Choose One) 

• Photography 

• Painting 
• Sculpture

• Drawing 

• Digital Art
• Comic Strip
• Fashion/Textile

• Mixed Media 

Physical Submissions: 

• Maximum size: 18” x 24” (Please upload a high quality photo of the piece and BRING YOUR ART WITH YOU to the Conference!)

Digital Submissions: 

• Minimum 300 dpi 

• Longest dimension at least 2,000 pixels 

Literary Art 

• Poetry. Song/Rap Lyrics: 1 or 2 poems/lyrics or 1 poem/lyrics, max 60 lines total

• Personal Essay, Narrative Nonfiction, Journalism, Short Fiction, other Prose submission: 500–1,000 words 

Artist Statement (Required for All Submissions) 

Each submission must include: 

• 1 sentence: Name, School, Grade 

• 1 sentence: Category / Medium 

• 2–3 sentences: 

• What is this work about? 

• Why did you make it? 

• How does it connect to the prompt? 

Prizes & Recognition 

In partnership with artists at Actualize AiR space and the Alliance for Education, student artists will have opportunities for professional exposure and celebration of their work. At the summit, Actualize AiR artist(s) will lead a charrette (a collaborative workshop to display, understand, celebrate and critique) for all artists and their submissions. 

Every serious submission receives a $50 completion stipend to honor the time, resources and genius you put into it.

• First Place (Visual Art): $100 and production/display opportunity (show in a gallery setting and/or printed shirts/tote bags for student & Alliance to promote) 
• First Place (Literary Art): $100 and publication/reading opportunity (published in an upcoming impact report, digitally online, pitched to literary magazine and publishing opportunities) 
• Runner-Up (Visual Art): $75 
• Runner-Up (Literary Art): $75