I grew up balancing my Nigerian and African-American identities as a young girl. 

Both cultures are beautiful and rich, yet they represent two very different worlds. As a young African American girl, I had the freedom to choose my educational and career goals based on my desires. On the other hand, as a young Nigerian girl, I was expected to select educational and career paths that would bring honor to my Nigerian family. 

However, there were two spaces where I could genuinely express my identities: through literacy and the arts.

Creative writing. Dance. Theatre. 

My elementary, middle, and high school teachers fostered creative spaces that validated my identities through these art forms inside and outside school.

After high school, I attended college to pursue my dream of becoming an educator. Was I academically prepared? Yes. However, like many first-generation students, especially Black first-generation college students, I often felt out of place.

During my college journey, I was fortunate to meet three women who understood my experience as a first-generation college student and took me under their wings: my dance teacher, academic advisor, and research advisor.

As I danced in class, conducted my first research project in my home community, Detroit, and selected literacy-focused courses each semester, I began to feel less like an outsider.

All three women affirmed my identity, fostered my community-focused research interests, cultivated a sense of belonging on campus, and provided countless resources to help me excel academically, socially, and emotionally (thank you!).

Once again, literacy and the arts helped me navigate my educational journey as a first-generation college student.

After college, I taught literacy to elementary and middle school students in Newark, Detroit, and Harlem. My students were strongly interested in music and dance, so I worked with them to incorporate these passions into the literacy curriculum.

Similar to my schooling experiences, this approach validated their identities, nurtured creativity, and enriched their school experiences.

Over the last 50 years, there has been a decline in U.S. arts education programs. Unjust literacy instruction continues to exclude students’ identities, languages, and cultures, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable schools and communities, particularly those of color. Too often, youth of color must suppress their identities in pursuit of "educational success.” 

I created LitiArts to contribute to making literacy instruction more equitable and arts education more accessible.

Litiarts' mission is clear: We affirm youth identities and support their well-being through equitable and accessible literacy and arts education.

Since founding our organization in 2022, LitiArts has worked closely with students, families, and community organizations to fulfill our mission with our innovative programs:

Literacy-Arts Workshops

• Created and implemented a curriculum that integrates literacy and the arts to foster an anti-racist, socio-emotional learning environment for upper elementary and middle school students.
• Partnered with Black and Brown girls and nonbinary youth to provide identity-affirming literacy instruction and creative workshops encouraging self-expression.
• Collaboratively developed safe and supportive environments where students increased their confidence, deepened their passion for literature, and envisioned their futures.

Virtual College & Career Preparation Fellowship 

• 100% of high school students gained acceptance into their preferred university or college program!
• 85% of high school students felt more confident about transitioning to their freshman year of college.
• 80% of high school students demonstrated growth in their ability to self-assess their mental well-being.
• 100% of high school students received funding in the form of a scholarship or grant from at least one college.

While we have a steep journey ahead to make literacy education more equitable, arts education more accessible, and higher education mentorship more inclusive, I envision a world where young people can access quality educational experiences that affirm their identities, well-being, and confidence rather than diminish them. 

At LitiArts, we are dedicated to advancing educational equity worldwide. We collaborate with schools and communities to offer literacy-arts workshops and mentorship for college and career preparation.

We invite you to collaborate with us, make donations, or provide other valuable contributions to advance our mission. Together, we can support and encourage youth by focusing on literacy, the arts, and mentorship to help them build their identities and improve their well-being. 



With gratitude,

Dr. Lakeya Afolalu

Founder & Executive Director of LitiArts

Dr. Lakeya Afolalu

In the Media