When Isaac Alicea (BBA ’25) and Joshua Hughes (B.S. ’25) arrived on Howard’s virtual campus in 2020, they instantly connected on their love of art and shared entrepreneurial spirit. By the time they arrived on the university’s physical campus the next year, they had laid the foundation for their startup, Artivism. Their mission to be a platform for social activism through creative expression was amplified by the support of community staple Sankofa Video, Books, and Café.
By producing audio content, events, and merchandise, Artivism’s founders aim to eliminate the concept of the starving artist through affordable services that give artists the tools to make art with intention while building multiple revenue streams. Artivism also houses a music studio, podcast studio, audio production services, and music lessons for local artists and community members.
“What we consume influences our perception of the world around us and constructs the framework of our lives,” said Alicea. “What we do at Artivism exists to help produce those creative projects that benefit our communities.”
Their ethos aligns perfectly with that of Sankofa, where Alicea has worked for three years and Artivism holds many of its events. Founded in 1997 by Howard professor Haile Gerima and his wife Shirikiana Gerima (B.A. ’80), Sankofa is a hub for Black cultural education.
“Our work has to do with making films and providing the tools and resources that support and enrich the next generation,” said Shirikiana Gerima. “We feel like we are stewards of those materials. Not only do we have the responsibility to produce them, but also to share them. Sankofa is merely a bridge between those materials and the next generation.”
Growing up during the intellectual and sociopolitical movements of the 1960s and 1970s, reading and sharing knowledge were critical to the progress of people of color. The Gerimas’ experiences at Howard University reinforced their commitment to share their experiences and knowledge with their community in as many ways as possible. The store hosts a wide variety of events, from book talks with local authors to open mic nights and jam sessions with local musicians. Sankofa is a place that welcomes the community, especially Howard students, to express themselves freely and ask the questions they can’t ask anywhere else.
The Gerimas ask the people who come through their door to be more than just patrons. They are cultivating global citizens. As business owners, their purpose is larger than money.
“As a business owner, you make decisions every day, not just about inventory and merchandising but also about how you interact with people who walk through your door,” said Shirikiana Gerima.
Sankofa asks its patrons to be participants in the world around them. It asks them to question what is going on in the world and then to go out and do something to help.
“Sankofa has been a very key partner in the development of our business, so much so that I would describe it as an incubator,” said Alicea. “Sankofa was the first retail space we ever sold our merchandise and fashion line. We’ve been hosting events here at least once a week for the last three years. They’ve given us a space to showcase local artists and create an ecosystem where positive expression and community exist not just through music but also through literature and education. There has been so much synergy between our business and the long legacy of Sankofa in this community.”
Alicea and Hughes aim to replicate their business model around the country, with inspiration from Sankofa, of course.
WHAT WE CONSUME INFLUENCES OUR PERCEPTION OF THE WORLD AROUND US AND CONSTRUCTS THE FRAMEWORK OF OUR LIVES. WHAT WE DO AT ARTIVISM EXISTS TO HELP PRODUCE THOSE CREATIVE PROJECTS THAT BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITIES.
“Our goal is to have Artivism cafés around the country,” said Hughes. We want them to be spaces that people can come to eat, drink, and work, but also be a place where we highlight Black art, Black businesses and talk about the issues going on in the world.”
Monthly events at Sankofa, like “Sudan on Our Minds” and “Gaza on Our Minds,” highlight the global issues that the Gerimas believe cannot be ignored. These platforms allow artists and panelists from those countries to share their knowledge and express their feelings about what is happening overseas. Attendees are able to gain perspective and compassion for the people living in these countries and their struggles. Along with their own events, Sankofa is a venue for Howard students to exercise their own entrepreneurial skills. Students regularly host their own events there, requiring them to negotiate with the café as an event venue, promote their events to the community, and be responsible for the maintenance and care for the space during and after their events.
Sankofa has stood on Georgia Avenue for nearly 30 years as a beacon of knowledge for the D.C. community and will continue its commitment to shaping the minds and cultivating the creative spirit of young people of all ages. Learn more about Artivism at artivismworld.com.
Article ID: 2631