The Hawk Foundation for Research and Education in African culture

12/13/2025

Shawna Hawk has dedicated her life to empowering women and youth of color, especially Black women and girls. She began her career as an early childhood and youth educator and later became a teacher trainer and family education specialist focused on cultural diversity in education.

Shawna holds a Master’s degree in Leadership and Education, Bicultural Development, and Social and Human Services. Her research explores psychosocial empowerment and resilience in African American women, highlighting music, dance, and cultural preservation as key tools. She is the founder of the Women of Color in Leadership Movement.

12/08/2025

We are gathering the teachers.
The griots.
The curriculum keepers.
The ones who know learning is liberation.

Hawk 100 is a coalition of educators rooted in the African worldview ready to reimagine how we teach.
If that’s you, step in. Add your name to the roster. The work begins now.

If you teach, create, research, mentor, or build community through education we want you.
This is where we connect.
Where we create.

Let’s build the next chapter of education, together.

Join the Hawk 100

🌍 Go to Intake form here: https://www.hfeducation.org/hawk100-intake

🌱🖤💪🏾🖤🔐

12/08/2025

Next December 26th, we will come together in joy for our Kwanzaa celebration!

Let’s celebrate our culture, lift each other up,
and welcome the season with unity and warmth.

Join us for a festive evening filled with connection,
tradition, and the bright energy of togetherness. 💚

🔗 fo registration: https://www.hfeducation.org/events/north-west-kwanzaa-celebration

12/05/2025

Dr. Joy DeGruy is a renowned social scientist and educator whose work has reshaped how we understand trauma, healing, and Black liberation. ✨

As the author of the seminal Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome, she has transformed conversations on the lasting impact of slavery and systemic racism.

Today, as President & CEO of DeGruy Publications and Executive Director of Be The Healing, she leads transformational programs focused on wellness that uplifts Black communities across the world. 🌍

We are honored to have her on the Hawk Foundation Board to strenghten our mission, purpose, and commitment to collective healing. 💛

11/28/2025

11/28/2025

Our organization is keeping the rhythm alive through song and African drumming.
🪘💪🏾

11/20/2025

Remembering is reliving!
Here’s a look back at Feel the Beat: A Night with The Hawk Foundation, a beautiful evening we shared through rhythm, connection, and community.
Thank you to everyone who made this night one to remember!

11/15/2025

At The Hawk Foundation, we believe in the power of rhythm and culture to bring people together, inspire hope, and nurture healing. Our drumming traditions carry stories that echo across generations — uniting hearts and keeping our culture alive for generations to come.

11/09/2025

Meet Javoen Byrd, Executive Director and founder of The Hawk Foundation:

“As the Executive Director of The Hawk Foundation for Research and Education in African Culture, I lead a team dedicated to promoting education, holistic health, and trauma healing within the African American community. With over 6 years of experience in this role, I have successfully implemented programs that address educational disparity, mass incarceration, and foster economic and political development. Additionally, I engage the broader community in West African culture through educational seminars, lectures, and workshops designed to educate our youth and advance cultural understanding.”

-Javoen B

11/04/2025

Healing Drum Workshop 🪘
Join us at Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute on November 17 for a transformative community experience.

Together we’ll heal and connect through ancestral rhythms, culture, and spirit — because music is more than sound; it’s a powerful tool for healing and community building.

📆 November 17
🕑 5:45 PM – 6:45 PM

10/31/2025

At The Hawk Foundation, we believe knowledge of culture is a powerful tool for healing and empowerment.
We’re proud to bring programs that help young people learn, grow, and rediscover their history.

03/06/2025

The spirit of the drum will always guide us!