My ancestors were from several locations in historical Poland.  We visited Warsaw, Krakow and our ancestral villages in 2019.  The experience was remarkably moving and the support we found from the local communities made the experience all the richer.  Thank you for continuing to do the important work that you do.

I give because I want the next person who needs care to benefit from Zendo Project like I have

Your work making authentic Bach accessible to the world is much appreciated.  

ATA is one of few spaces that still feels like old san francisco. ATA forever!! 

El ITBA me dio todo lo mejor en mi vida, mi socio, amigos, el SABF y alas para crear. 
Sigamos apoyandolo, 
Dilu

The Taube Center is committed to strengthening the bonds between Jews and Jewish communities worldwide.

The Taube Center provides innovative educational programs and extensive resources with the aim to enrich Jewish life in Poland and to connect Jews from around the world with their Eastern European heritage. The Taube Center has developed an array of programs, which serve the Jewish communities in Poland and engage audiences from around the world. Constantly expanding its network of partner organizations, the Center has recently become a member of the European Association for the Preservation and Promotion of Jewish Culture and Heritage. Taube Jewish Heritage Tours Taube Jewish Heritage Tours is a mission-driven, on-the-ground Jewish heritage tour service based in Poland. Our professional team of academics, guides, educators, and community leaders provide meaningful and engaging customized tours of Poland's multicultural landscape, infusing each encounter with illuminating personal stories and insights from those engaged in Polish Jewish life and committed to the preservation of Polish Jewish heritage. TJHTalks Series Having suspended our flagship program, Taube Jewish Heritage Tours, we launched TJHTalks in April 2020 as an interactive way to maintain contact with past and future tour participants and to broaden the Center's audience. Yerusha: Professional Development Program The year-long program, now in its second year, distinguishes itself from other Jewish professional development opportunities in that the operative language is Polish and all workshop facilitators are based in Poland. Resource and Educational Materials The Taube Center has developed a sophisticated set of resource materials in several languages that support our educational programs and are especially valuable for our study tour program. Our publications have been disseminated at the POLIN Museum and the Galicia Jewish Museum and through Polish embassies and cultural institutions around the world.

Taube Center for Jewish Life & Learning

Creating communities of compassionate care to transform difficult emotional experiences into opportunities for learning & growth.

Challenging or intense emotional experiences can be moments of profound insight, healing, and transformation. But they can also be disorienting, isolating, and overwhelming. In these moments, having access to compassionate support and culturally attuned care can make all the difference.

Zendo Project offers peer-based emotional support at events and provides educational resources to individuals, communities, and organizations. Our aim is to help people navigate complexity with greater resilience, care, and self-awareness. Through grounding, presence, and connection, we reduce potential harms and create space for learning, repair, and deeper relationships with self and others.

Supporters like you are essential to making this work possible. In a world where distress is often met with fear or force, our mission is to ensure that people in vulnerable states are met with compassion instead. Your contribution helps us continue to offer trauma-informed, non-judgmental care, and to create environments where all people can feel supported, seen, and safe—especially in moments when they need it most.

Please visit [https://zendoproject.org](https://zendoproject.org) to learn more about our mission.

Zendo Project: Peer Support and Compassionate Care

The Netherlands Bach Society works to increase access to Bach's music around the globe. 

About The Netherlands Bach Society
The Netherlands Bach Society is a leading vocal-instrumental ensemble with a strong international reputation. Founded in 1921 to perform Bach’s St. Matthew Passion in the Grote Kerk, in Naarden, the Netherlands Bach Society has grown over the past century into a professional ensemble who plays, sings and passes on the work of Bach and his contemporaries and kindred spirits. Our musicians play authentic instruments and are driven by curiosity and the joy of music-making. We continuously search to innovate and find a deeper understanding of time-honoured musical heritage. 

Our mission: Bach for all
Since the beginning, we have been putting our heart and soul into sharing Bach’s music with the world, inspired by the motto Bach for All. Every year, we give more than sixty concerts in the Netherlands and abroad. Moreover, music-lovers from all over the world can enjoy large-scale concerts, intimate house concerts and virtuoso solo works we record for our project All of Bach, free of charge, on youtube.com/bach. Since 2014, we have been adding high-quality recordings to our online treasure trove with the ultimate goal to record all the works of Bach, making his music freely accessible to all.

Investing in the future of early music
As a custodian of early music, we support new generations of musicians in their musical development and entrepreneurship with our talent development projects, such as the Young Bach Fellowship. We additionally collaborate with secondary schools by offering educational programs combined with attendance of the secondary school pupils to one of our concerts (St. Matthew Passion). With these projects, we train future musicians and attract future audiences. In doing so, we contribute to keeping the early music genre alive and relevant.

Support us
By supporting the Netherlands Bach Society, you will contribute to preserving and disseminating Bach’s heritage, as well as invest in a wonderful ensemble with a future filled with inspiration and emotion. Your donation will contribute to the world-class quality of our professional vocal-instrumental Baroque ensemble, our talent development projects and All of Bach

Netherlands Bach Society

Artists' Television Access is an all-volunteer, artist-run, underground and experimental media arts gallery founded in 1984.

Artists’ Television Access is a San Francisco-based, artist-run, non-profit organization that cultivates and promotes culturally-aware, underground media and experimental art. We provide an accessible screening venue and gallery for the presentation of programmed and guest-curated screenings, exhibitions, performances, workshops and events. We believe in fostering a supportive community for the exhibition of innovative art and the exchange of non-conformist ideas.

Artists' Television Access

ITBA  Engineering, Technology & Business argentine university. A non-profit achieving proven levels of excellence among graduates.

For more than 65 years, ITBA - Instituto Tecnólogico de Buenos Aires  has contributed to solving the challenges of humanity through a university education recognized for its excellence, the production of scientific knowledge and international collaboration, and outstanding levels of excellence among its graduates.

Thanks to the financial contribution of companies and individuals, scholarships are obtained so that young people  with talent, passion and determination, can study at ITBA.

ITBA invests in people, in the equipment and infrastructure necessary to be at the forefront of technological progress.

The photo that illustrates this space (courtesy of Matt Dahle)  captures ITBA Rocketry Team celebration after successfully launching their hybrid rocket engine entirely designed and built at our labs by a team of 40 students from different careers, teachers and university technicians in record time of 9 months.
Together they developed LANIN a hybrid rocket and became the first Latin American team to launch it successfully with engines using solid and liquid propellants. 
Spaceport America Cup June 2024

 ITBA - Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires

The DSS empowers creators to imagine & build equitable, just, regenerative futures through art, design, community & collaboration.

The **Design Science Studio** (DSS) is a cultural and educational incubator that supports creators in shaping futures rooted in regeneration, justice and belonging. We are a living ecosystem of artists, designers, systems thinkers, story-weavers and movement builders committed to creating a world that works for all of life.

DSS holds space for interdisciplinary collaboration, creative capacity-building and community-rooted innovation. Our work is deeply informed by the legacy of Buckminster Fuller and carried forward through decentralized and decolonial ways of being, imagining and doing.

At the heart of our ecosystem is the **(r)Evolutionary incubator** —a 7-month journey of creative emergence and collective evolution that centers artists and designers as cultural stewards and worldbuilders. It weaves together art, design science, storytelling, systems thinking and regenerative design, offering an invitation to grow alongside others who are working to create futures rooted in care, justice and imagination.

**Each program cycle includes:**

- 144 participating artists
- 30+ mentors
- 50 visionary guest speakers
- 4 global salons for deep learning and connection
- Digital and in-person exhibitions

Support a global commUnity of creative peers

Design Science Studio

Empowering Palestinians since 1983 through education, culture and relief programs in Palestine and beyond. Together, we build hope

**Taawon (Welfare Association)** is a **non-profit**, **civic organization** launched in **Geneva** in the year **1983**, upon the initiative of a group of **Palestinian and Arab economists** and intellectuals.
**Taawon has become one of the largest organizations operating in Palestine and the diaspora camps in Lebanon**, whereby it touches the lives of **more than one million Palestinians** on an annual basis, with half of these beneficiaries being **women**.
**Since its establishment, Taawon has invested funds reaching nearly US $900 million, dedicated to development and relief programs.**

**Taawon’s record** over the past 40 years reflects a journey full of achievements reinforced by **strong partnerships**.
Taawon’s long and rich experience has enabled it to:

- Overcome **obstacles** and **difficult conditions** due to the **Israeli occupation**
- Find **innovative and creative solutions** to crises
- Remain responsive to needs despite **social and economic instability**

Taawon maintains a presence in:

- **Palestine**
- **Jordan**
- **Lebanon**
- **Switzerland**
- **Great Britain** (via its sister organization)

Its **interventions reinforce the steadfastness** of **Palestinian citizens** in **Palestine** and the **refugee camps in Lebanon**.

**Taawon aims to:**

- **Empower Palestinian individuals** and **civil society institutions**
- Strengthen **identity**, **freedom**, **democracy**, and **human values**
- Preserve **Palestinian cultural heritage**, highlighting its **unique position**
- Unleash the creative energies of **youth**, **women**, and **children**
- Provide **equal opportunities** for all segments of society
- Promote **creativity** and **excellence** despite the most difficult circumstances

**Taawon works in partnership** with civil society organizations through:

- Purposeful planning
- High-standard policies

Guided by:

- The **Universal Declaration of Human Rights**
- The **United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)**
- The **Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity**

🏅 *Awards & Recognition:*

- **Taawon Awards for Excellence & Creativity**, granted annually to those advancing **sustainable development in Palestine** 
- Recipient of the **Mahatma Award (2018–2020)** for **COVID‑19 humanitarian efforts** [taawon.org](https://www.taawon.org/en/content/awards-received?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

***Our Vision****:*

*“To envision the Palestinian people as citizens of an independent, free, democratic Arab Palestine, living in dignity, prosperity and self‑fulfillment.”*

Taawon (Welfare Association)

Since 1945, Neighborhood House of Milwaukee has inspired discovery in generations of youth and families.

Neighborhood House of Milwaukee's mission is to inspire discovery in children and families of all backgrounds so they become lifelong learners and confident leaders among their peers, families, and communities. 

Our accredited programs include:

- **Early Childhood Program (ECP)** (ages 6 weeks - 4 years). NH’s state-licensed and nationally accredited, early childhood program provides exceptional care and education that supports age-appropriate development and ensures school readiness. ECP also includes Early Head start programming for infants and toddlers up to age 3.
- **School-Age Youth Programs** (ages 5-12) includes a state-licensed, before- and after-school program at NH, an after-school Safe Place initiative at Story Elementary, and Summer Programming. These initiatives provide educational enrichment, recreation, and community engagement.
- **Teens on the Move Program** (ages of 13-19) provides engaging activities that focus on life and leadership skills, violence prevention, vocational preparedness, health, and recreation.
- **Family Programming** features free or very low-cost educational, cultural and holiday events.
- **International Learning Program (ILP)** offers English as a Second Language, basic education, and citizenship instruction, employment skills training, and access to resources to 200+ adult refugees and immigrants annually.
- **Environmental Education Program (EE)**. One of the oldest environmental and science education programs in the area, EE offers science-based education and enrichment activities using a NH-developed curriculum.
- **Community Education** offers health and wellness events and engages in community-wide health programs. Specific offerings include our annual health resource fair, fall flu immunization clinic, and health workshops.

Neighborhood House of Milwaukee

Curtain Call Theatre Inc is a nonprofit community theatre based in Braintree, MA. It received its nonprofit status in 1987.

With a mission to entertain, inspire and challenge audiences by producing innovative and thought-provoking theatre of the highest caliber, Curtain Call Theatre has brought quality, affordable theater to the local community for over 60 years. In so doing, we've created a tight-knit theatre family where we hope all artists and patrons new to our space will feel welcomed and supported and join our seasoned supporters in calling Curtain Call Theatre their “home away from home.”

Curtain Call Theatre Inc

Preserve the cave mining elephants and support the local people of Mt Elgon, a massive extinct volcano on the Kenya-Uganda border.

Mount Elgon is a massive extinct volcano on the Kenya-Uganda border in East Africa. It is believed to have risen from the surrounding Africa plains in a period of intense regional volcanic activity 24 million years ago, probably forming the highest mountain in Africa at the time. It is now quiet and has eroded down to 4,321 meters at its highest peak, Wagagai in Uganda. However, at approximately 80 km north to south and 50 km east to west, it is still huge and is said, measured by its footprint, to be the largest free-standing volcano in the world. 

The cultural heritage, landscape and ecology of Mount Elgon are under threat with serious consequences for people both locally and regionally.  This includes Mount Elgon's elephants that go deep underground to mine salt. There are many factors driving this, a key one being deforestation which impacts on the hydrology of the mountain and results in soil erosion, the loss of biodiversity and human-wildlife conflict. This is exacerbated by a fragile economic environment of low security and opportunity. Mount Elgon's people and its rich biodiversity are largely being left behind in comparison with many areas of East Africa. 

The aim of the Mount Elgon Foundation is to seek viable long-term measures that will help mitigate the challenges faced by Mount Elgon. More specifically, it wishes to: 
• reduce human-elephant conflict, protecting people, their livelihoods and the elephants; 
• prevent deforestation and promote reforestation; 
• promote further recording and preservation of local cultural heritage, and 
• provide alternative environmentally and culturally sensitive economic opportunities. 

The Foundation and its trustees currently fund or have funded the East African Wild Life Society - Mount Elgon Elephant Project (EAWLS-MEEP), cultural heritage research and community livelihood / forestry related projects. To date, the projects supported are located on the Kenya side of Mount Elgon. We aim to also fund partners who work in Uganda or who are Kenya-based and collaborate on a trans-boundary basis with others in Uganda. 

For more info, please visit our website:  http://www.mountelgonfoundation.org.uk/.

Mount Elgon Foundation

SFNF is San Francisco's premiere performance art troupe and a fiscally sponsored project of Intersection for the Arts.

The San Francisco Neo-Futurists are a collective of wildly prolific artists dedicated to the perpetual creation of experimental theatre that is immediate, ephemeral, accessible, and cheap. We believe the stage is an extension of daily life: we perform as ourselves in a non-illusory, interactive style that challenges the audience to create alongside us as active participants with a voice of their own. We respect and uplift each other on and off stage through non-hierarchical accountability, collective decision-making, and anti-oppression practice of all kinds. We do over 100 shows a year and we will never stop. 

San Francisco Neo-Futurists

To commemorate the victims of the Holocaust and celebrate the Jewish culture

To challenge the stereotypes and misconceptions typically associated with the Jewish past in Poland 
 
Home to the internationally acclaimed permanent photographic exhibitions,  Traces of Memory  and  An Unfinished Memory , the Museum also shows an exciting range of temporary exhibitions, both curated in-house and sourced from around the world. The Museum's Cultural and Education Programme is one of the most extensive in Poland, providing a range of services for both individual and group visitors, and the Media Resource Centre houses a growing archive of films on Jewish and Holocaust-related subjects. As well as engaging in primary research and publishing, the Museum also operates one of the largest Jewish bookshops in Poland, and the only kosher café in Kraków. 

Fundacja Galicia Jewish Heritage Institute

Headquartered in New York City, Aspies For Social Success, AFSS is a peer-run organization that provides support and social groups, as well as cultural events, to adults 18...

Headquartered in New York City, Aspies For Social Success, AFSS is a peer-run organization that provides support and social groups, as well as cultural events, to adults 18 and over who have either been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome or an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), believe they might be on the Autism Spectrum, or who for other reason have difficulty with social communication, sensory processing, or executive functioning. AFSS is working to build a more inclusive community for individuals who otherwise may not have many opportunities or be able to find others with whom to socialize. We do not charge our members any fees, and our income comes exclusively from fundraising.

**The Problem**

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 1 in 68 individuals in the U.S. is somewhere on the autism spectrum. Because adulthood constitutes most of the human lifespan, the majority of these individuals are adults. In New York City, where AFSS is based, this corresponds to a population of nearly 100,000, with closer to 200,000 in the Greater New York area, most of which have not yet been identified. A common misconception is that individuals with autism prefer to be isolated and are not interested in either friendships or romantic relationships; in fact, for most adults, nothing could be farther from the truth. Consequently, there is a need for venues where adults on the spectrum can meet others who live with the same challenges, discuss and share the difficulties that they face in various aspects of their lives in a supportive environment, and be able to simply socialize with people who perceive and interact with the world in a manner similar to their own. Also, even though unemployment statistics for autistic adults are greatly overestimated (roughly half of AFSS group members are employed at some level), they are still higher than for any other disability. As such, many will not be able to afford the kinds of group and cultural activities that AFSS is working to provide. These costs can only be met through outside contributions and donations.
 
**Our Approach**

AFSS support groups, currently held in rented venues, allow members to discuss issues of concern to them in a group setting among other adults living with similar challenges. Each meeting starts with a specific theme chosen by the group. Past themes have included community, relationships, dating, isolation, and employment-related difficulties. For example, we have had discussions on what it means to be part of a community and on what an ideal community would be like. We then allow the conversation to evolve during the session, allowing members to relate their own personal stories to the group.
  
AFSS social groups encourage members to go out in public with others like them and to feel more a part of and accepted in a community, and meet at different restaurants and locations throughout the New York City area. This also provides an opportunity for the greater community to see that we are no different from anyone else and fully capable of participating in society in spite of our minor differences. These groups provide a sense of community for individuals who otherwise may not have many suitable opportunities to socialize, as well as somewhere to go, on a regular basis, with a relaxed, comfortable, judgment-free atmosphere where people can be themselves amongst others sharing similar difficulties and interests. 
  
AFSS cultural events provide opportunities for our groups to attend a variety of artistic, scientific, and cultural events. These take place in museums, galleries, exhibitions, theaters, and other venues throughout the NYC area.
 
**Our team**

**AFSS Leadership**
  
**Stephen Katz**, Program Director AFSS
  
*Stephen Katz facilitates a variety of support, social and cultural groups for adults with Asperger’s syndrome, along with those who are on the autism spectrum. In the past, this has included the GRASP Manhattan support group in New York City. He has also worked on a variety of projects for GRASP; including, “Persons on the Autism Spectrum in Their Communities of Faith”, a ground breaking seminar, moderated by GRASP founder, Michael John Carley.*
  
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
  
**AFSS Advisory Board**
  
 

- Karl Wittig, P.E. 
- Irma Jacqueline Ozer, Ph.D./ J.D. 
- Brian R. C. Kinghorn, M. Phil. 
- Jonas, Arnaldo, Founder of AFSS 
- Tim Itschner
 
**Contact information** 

Stephen Katz
[aspiesforsocialsuccess@gmail.com](mailto:aspiesforsocialsuccess@gmail.com) 
(917) 842-4984

Aspies For Social Success, AFSS

Founded in 2006, the Benicia Chamber Players’ mission is to provide a classical chamber music concert series to underserved East Bay areas including Benicia, Lafayette, Piedmont and Vallejo. Our aim is to cultivate a community of local and other world-class professional musicians with a love of playing chamber music who are dedicated to sharing that love with audiences.

Benicia Chamber Players

An SF Queer Theater Company, fiscally sponsored project of Intersection for the Arts

Eye Zen Presents illuminates and preserves hidden LGBTQ+ histories through interdisciplinary performance, archival activation, and intergenerational exchange. We create immersive public art rooted in place, memory, and accessibility that connects queer elders, artists, and audiences. Our practice pairs hands-on archival preservation with new creative works so that endangered legacies are safeguarded and shared as living culture. 


Eye Zen Presents

Momus is an online platform for art writing and criticism (including Momus: The Podcast, mentorship programs, and publishing).

In October 2024, *Momus* celebrated its tenth anniversary. Our platform continues to grow in momentum and reach—finding new audiences at a time when many legacy publications are losing trust and relevance. We have raised our writers' rates by over 400% in the past decade. Momus is in a period of growth; in the past year, our readership has increased by over 15%, and the number of applications to our mentorship programs has more than doubled.

Our editors and contributors are experiencing an increased sense of responsibility in a diminished field; this is a vital moment for *Momus* to serve a growing audience and stabilize our future. We offer the kind of resources that have become increasingly rare and necessary to arts writing, criticism, and culture reporting. We have built an ecosystem for arts discourse that is multivocal, creative, and flourishing; a foundation to welcome new writers and readers for years to come.

*Momus* relies on the support of sponsors and individual readers. Please visit our Support page for how you can contribute to *Momus*: https://momus.ca/support/

Momus

The Foundation's operations are mainly in Palestine and in the United Kingdom through the Mosaic Rooms.

We support children, teachers, and young artists in the fields of culture and education 
 
The A. M. Qattan Foundation (AMQF) is an independent, non-profit organization working in the fields of culture and education, with a focus on children, teachers, and young artists. Founded and registered as a charity in the United Kingdom in 1993, the Foundation operates mainly in Palestine, Lebanon and the UK. Our Vision   A just, free, enlightened, and tolerant society with an active global presence that embraces dialogue and produces knowledge, art, and literature Our Mission   Achieve a dynamic cultural environment that is conducive to the production of emancipatory thought and knowledge Our Values Rights and dignity for all; Freedom, pluralism, dialogue, and the production of knowledge; A spirit of collegial productivity; The courage to act justly and ethically. Strategic Goals 2020–2024 Develop and disseminate cultural output to a wide public, encouraging it to become more active and responsive; Strengthen existing cultural, artistic, and educational structures to make them more dynamic and capable of producing critical and emancipatory thought and knowledge; Work towards an ecosystem conducive to the Foundation's role and mission; Promote the A. M. Qattan Foundation as a pioneering institution and an inspiring model; Ensure financial sustainability.

A.M. Qattan Foundation

The Together In Hope Project is a nonprofit organization focused on changing lives through music with a purpose. 

The Together In Hope Project is a nonprofit organization focused on changing lives through music with a purpose. We create unique, music-anchored projects on issues of our shared humanity to promote healing and reconciliation.

Together In Hope Project

CTA supports change makers in creating communities that are ecologically sound, socially just and work for everyone.

The Center for Transformative Action (CTA) helps create communities that are socially just, ecologically sound, and work for everyone. We do this through our educational programs and by supporting system-changing projects with incubator and fiscal sponsorship services. Our projects work to transform the structures, as well as the habits of mind, that produce inequities in our communities, country, and the world. Their courage, innovative thinking, and heart-centered approach show us what is possible. 

CTA is an independent 501(c)3 organization affiliated with Cornell University since 1971. It is located on the original land of the Gayogohó:no’ (Cayuga) Nation.

To see a complete listing of CTA projects and learn more about our organization, visit our [website](https://www.centerfortransformativeaction.org/).

Center for Transformative Action

The Rivanna Area Queer Center provides a safe refuge for all LGBTQIA+ people 
in Charlottesville and the surrounding counties.

LGBTQIA+ people need spaces of our own where we can take refuge, build resilient communities, and organize for our collective liberation. RAQC provides a safe and loving home for the queer community in Charlottesville and the surrounding counties. Programming at RAQC addresses multiple areas of need: support groups, peer counseling, and on-site mental health professionals contribute to the emotional wellbeing of our community. Classes and workshops on topics as diverse as screen printing, foraging, and self defense address our physical and creative needs. Social events like mixers, parties, and performances ensure that our region’s vibrant queer culture continues to flourish. In addition to our own programming, RAQC also serves as a safe and accessible space where all local queer organizations and individuals can host their own events.

Rivanna Area Queer Center (RAQC)

Did you know there's more than 1 million books in the Joburg CBD. Let's celebrate that.

Johannesburg, better known as Jozi or Joburg, is best showcased by the vibrant city centre at its heart. The area that residents refer to as “Town” is set apart by the combined bustling of hawkers, cross-continental traders, and white-collar office workers alike.

Between busy public transportation routes and the overall air of Afropolitan excellence, Town has something for everyone. This diverse and energetic part of the city is a prime showcase of the literary and artistic wonders that Joburg has to offer.

The Literary District runs on community support. We send thousands of books, new and used, for free to libraries across South Africa every year. We also work with community organisations that have literacy outreach programmes and donate books to their causes.

With more than 1 million books in the City Library and dozens of booksellers in the nearby blocks, our literary culture flows through the streets. We’re working with the Johannesburg Development Agency through its Our City, Our Block programme to highlight and expand this reading culture.
 
To start, that means keeping our streets clean. With the help of a grant from the Social Employment Fund, we have hired cleaners to help us keep the district looking refreshed.

Dozens of booksellers sell their wares in the LitDistrict. These booksellers provide easy access to books to the thousands of people in the city centre. We have fostered a relationship with these underground sellers, connecting them with publishers so that they can continue to provide the community with new books. We are working together as a neighbourhood to foster more of a reading culture that we hope will spread from our home to many others.

We are in the process of adopting the park that lies at the centre of the LitDistrict. The Library Gardens stretch out from the city library and is a popular gathering point for the community. We hope to turn this park into a literary hub by cleaning it up and filling it with books that are completely free to borrow and read.

We have adopted two outdoor township libraries – one in Alexandra and another in Soweto. We stock these libraries every month to ensure that these communities have access to an ever-changing and ever-growing selection of books. We plan to build more of these throughout Joburg, starting with Library Gardens.

With grants from the city’s Department of Community Development, we workshopped six storybooks in local languages. Three of these stories were accepted by Nal’ibali for translation into all 11 languages with free distribution, thanks to a grant from the Cadbury #InOurOwnWords campaign. See ‘The First Story Ever Told’ in isiXhosa here.

We have also worked on getting stories to print that have, up until now, only existed in oral tradition. In doing this, we hope to share South African stories further across the globe. 

Many South African books that would now be considered classics seem to have disappeared. Some were banned and never reprinted after the end of Apartheid, and others simply fell out the public consciousness but are taking on new resonance now. 

We have been working to publish new editions of such classics so that these stories can re-enter circulation.  We have reprinted a duology of H.I.E. Dhlomo’s ‘The Girl Who Killed to Save’ and ‘Valley of a Thousand Hills’. Dhlomo is a founding figure of South African literature whose work has become hard to come across – something that we are working to change. 

We host publishing workshops to help break down some of the barriers between writers’ ideas and books going to print. We also sell books from independent authors on consignment, helping their words reach readers.

We host Storytime Saturday every week, either at Bridge Books or around the corner at Ernest Oppenheimer Park. With this initiative, we hope to revitalise the art of oral narrative, and to give children a fun and enriching activity on the weekend. Our readers bring stories to life in all South African languages, depending on the week’s audience. We want the kids in the neighbourhood to know that kids like them can be on the covers of books, too.

We also work in collaboration with the Alliance Française. With monthly storytelling events, we support their mission of bringing South African cultures to French expats living in Joburg, encouraging them to introduce their children to more South African stories. Plenty of local children from our area come to listen, too, and to join in on the djembe drum circle. 

The LitDistrict is a part of the Johannesburg Inner City Walkable Network, which links neighbourhoods throughout the CBD to create a clean, safe, and welcoming environment for locals and visitors.
 
 In the LitDistrict, we are working to create a neighbourhood identity based on literature and community. Local kids stop by on their way home from school to do their homework and read together and young professionals hunker down together over coffee at Bridge Books. 
 
All in all, we want our home to feel more like a home – art on the walls, places to come together, books in hands.

African Book Trust

Empowering children to LEARN artistic skills, HEAL from trauma, EARN through their creativity to THRIVE at school & in life.

Faces Up Uganda (Faces Up) is a youth-led, community-based not-for-profit that serves young people (6-25 years), in and out of school, refugees, juveniles, and those with disabilities. Our current focus areas include Wakiso and Kampala districts, plus Nakivaale refugee settlement, in Isingiro district.

We serve young people like Mark. In 2019, Mark joined our program. His initial drawings were dark scenes of violence, death, and despair. We later learned he was a refugee from South Sudan, carrying trauma he couldn’t express in words. So we gave him what he needed: space, pencils, and presence. Over time, his drawings transformed from guns to flowers, from fire to birds in flight. His smile returned, his confidence grew, and his performance at school improved. Mark’s journey showed us that art is more than expression; it’s healing. 

That’s why our team is on a mission to extend arts education to all young people like Mark. 

Faces Up Uganda

Provides creative arts programs to young patients and families in children's hospitals across North Carolina.

Arts For Life is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting pediatric patients and families through arts education and engagement. By providing educational art programs, we enrich patients’ lives, nurture their minds and spirits, and encourage positive healthcare experiences for children and their families. Arts For Life helps children every day in three communities across North Carolina.

Arts For Life

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We are a nonprofit, so instead of charging fees we rely on the generosity of donors like you.

Choose a donation for Every.org

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Associate Director of Development at MAPS (maps.org). Focusing on education, research, equity, and advocacy in the psychedelic movement. 