Interview with Ayanna Jones CEO and Founder of Sankofa Village Projects.

This is the latest installment of our new Community Spotlight Series, which aims to highlight the incredible work being done here in Pittsburgh to uplift our communities and promote equity and inclusion in cycling.

Starting in 2015, Sankofa Village is a Community Garden in Homewood with the goal of eradicating the Food Apartheid that exists within our communities; to rekindle the intergenerational atmosphere that has long been a touchstone of our communities; to engage and provide the community with the opportunity to benefit from food self-sufficiency; to provide place-based urban agriculture education; to enable the community access to food production and to provide opportunities for entrepreneurship.

Ultimately, their vision is to create communities where every child, adult, and senior does not have to leave their communities to get fresh produce, jobs, or education. We want to show that by turning to the skills and knowledge within our communities, change is possible.

Who are you? Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got involved in this work?

Ayanna Jones CEO and Founder of Sankofa Village Projects. Community Activist since 1964

Tell us a little bit about Sankofa Village. How does this project support your community? 

Due to the unavailability of bikes in the black community Sankofa Village community has decided to provide residents with a means to obtain bikes for rental and for ownership. We also are interested in providing bike classes so that our children youth and adults do not ride on bikes that are unsafe. we also are planning to do a bike safety class on how to ride safely within the city limits

What are your hopes for the future of Sankofa Village?

To expand not only the bike program but the garden project in general throughout underserved communities

What resources/ funding/ volunteers/tools/equipment do you need to keep on going? How can people who read this article help?

Funding and volunteers.

How can people get involved?

Website: svcgpgh.com
Facebook: Sankofa Village Community Garden