Partner Programs
The Community Unity Music Education Program (CUMEP)
The Community Unity Music Education Program (CUMEP) is an 18-year old multicultural performing arts and human rights educational experience that provides FREE music, poetry, performance, visual arts, literacy, math, and human rights education guided by a Black consciousness curriculum. The participants learn to develop self-esteem, academic and social skills, self-confidence, self-discipline, and public performance skills. Traditionally located at Southside Community Center, the 2021 experience will be based in West Village for a 16-day experience.
UNITED Dance Troupe
UNITED is a youth performing dance troupe that creates strong intentional statements through the power of movement. Join this family made up of the community, for the community and by the community! The global pandemic hit our small family hard, yet we have still been able to meet the needs of our children and provide programming. Utilizing the tenets of Therapeutic Recreation, Ms. Harmony Malone constantly educates students on the power of their voices.
Black Hands Universal
Black Hands Universal is an organization formed in response to racial injustice in our country’s systems. We believe in rehabilitation rather than punishment, as well as creating and maintaining a platform for the disenfranchised. Our purpose is to create opportunities for those who are disenfranchised by the system by providing them with job placement and training, financial literacy, mental health resources, health and wellness, as well as cultural and educational resources for kids and adults. We offer opportunities in trades and access to other professions through external job services programs. Ultimately, we will expand our efforts towards housing programs and substance abuse aftercare.
Ballet and Books
Ballet & Books is a national, non-profit organization striving to reduce the literacy gap through the hybrid storytelling of dance and reading. In our extracurricular programming led by high school and college students, we provide 3-9 year olds with an opportunity to improve their literacy skills through a combination of dance instruction and dialogic reading.
Village at Ithaca
Our mission is to advocate for educational equity and excellence for all students, particularly Black/African American, Hispanic/ Latino/Latinx, low income, and any other underserved students within Tompkins County, through strategic community relationships, assessment of the local district’s practices and policies, and responsive programs and services.
