named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Book Club
Community discussion series on works by Black authors, such as James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time, held in partnership with local venues like Yah So Nice Caribbean Cuisine.
We Be Griots Podcast
A podcast series preserving oral traditions and sharing conversations about the Black experience in the Hudson Valley, named after a poem by Ulster County’s first poet laureate, Kate Hymes.
Witness Stone Commemoration
Collaborative event with Historic Huguenot Street to commemorate the lives of enslaved individuals, Susana and Anthony, through storytelling, drumming, libations, and community participation.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Historic Site Public Programming 1 activity
- Conduct commemorative community remembrance activitiesCo-hosts Witness Stone commemoration events honoring enslaved individuals such as Susana and Anthony, and organizes community participation in placing cowrie shells on Witness Stones as acts of remembrance.
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Community Service and Charitable Outreach 1 activity
- Engage community members and volunteersOperates a contact channel to facilitate community engagement and volunteer outreach.
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Alumni Community Building 1 activity
- Host community educational and cultural eventsOrganizes and hosts community events such as discussions of James Baldwin’s *The Fire Next Time*, celebrations of Kwanzaa featuring drumming and cultural activities, and annual Alumni Weekend events to honor Dr. Wade-Lewis and organizational achievements.
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Historic Building Restoration and Preservation 1 activity
- Operate and preserve the Ann Oliver House as a cultural centerPreserves the Ann Oliver House, built in 1885 and located in New Paltz, as the only house from the historic free Black neighborhood preserved and owned by the Black community; operates it as a future cultural center dedicated to Black history and education.
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Local History Preservation and Education 1 activity
- Preserve and interpret Black history in the Hudson ValleyDocuments and preserves the Black experience in the Hudson Valley, with a focus on free and enslaved lives in Ulster County, New York, to promote understanding and advance justice and equity.
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Podcast and Radio Production 1 activity
- Produce the "We Be Griots" podcast seriesProduces and releases the "We Be Griots" podcast, a series of conversations about the Black experience in the Hudson Valley, including Season 1 consisting of 8 episodes.
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Nonprofit Capacity Building Services 1 activity
- Strengthen organizational capacityReceived advisory support from Caren Fairweather to strengthen organizational operations and development.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$87K
Contributions & grants$85K98%
Program service revenue$1K1%
Investment income$260%
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$33K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$84K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$84K
3 years on record · 2022–2024 · YoY revenue +335.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 5
- HEATHER GRAHAM — DIRECTOR
- JENNA FLANANGAS — DIRECTOR
- SAHAJ GUPTA — DIRECTOR
- VANESSA PRIMUS — DIRECTOR
- YVONNE POSEY — DIRECTOR
relationships · 9
Who they work with
- Ann Oliver House Partner — Collaborates to preserve the historic house as a center for Black history and culture.
- Caren Fairweather Partner — Board advisor who provided guidance to strengthen the organization.
- Episcopal Campus Ministries Funder — Provided donations that supported the production of the "We Be Griots" podcast.
- Episcopal Campus Ministries Partner — Provided donations that supported the production of the "We Be Griots" podcast.
- Facebook Partner — Uses Facebook as a platform for public outreach and communication.
- Huguenot Street Partner — Collaborated with the MWL Center to co-host a Witness Stone commemoration event.
- Instagram Partner — Uses Instagram as a platform for public outreach and communication.
- New Paltz Partner — Local community supporting the preservation and renovation of the Ann Oliver House as a cultural center.
- Yah So Nice Partner — Hosts the organization's book club event at its location.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Education for Equity and Inclusion 40 orgsmethodology: education-for-equityBy educating the public about Black history in the Hudson Valley, the organization cultivates a more equitable and compassionate society, because understanding marginalized histories challenges systemic inequities and promotes social belonging.shared approach: Storytelling for Truth and Healing →
- History and Culture as Healing 40 orgsmethodology: history-as-healingBy using local Black history and cultural practices as a lens for engagement, the organization empowers and heals communities, particularly through truth-telling about the experiences of free and enslaved people, because shared historical understanding fosters collective resilience and identity.shared approach: Storytelling for Truth and Healing →
- Griot Model of Cultural Storytellingmethodology: oral_tradition_preservationBy using the West African griot tradition of oral history and storytelling, the organization preserves and transmits Black experiences across generations, because narrative continuity strengthens cultural identity and community memory.