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Fifth Annual Sankofa Conference Inspires

More than 120 students from 10 area independent schools attended McDonogh’s Fifth Annual Sankofa Conference on Friday, February 21. The goal of the day-long conference, planned and led entirely by students in McDonogh's Sankofa Club, was for students to learn about themselves, gain a new perspective on others, branch out, and be inspired.

Throughout the day, attendees cycled through sessions on topics including Gender and Sexual Identity, Mental Health, and the use of the N-Word. With students leading the discussion, everyone was invited to express their viewpoints, discuss differences, and work toward a better understanding of the issues that face the black community and their schools.

Students also had the opportunity to hear from Vincent Green and Detric McCoy of Taharka Brothers Ice Cream, a black-owned and operated ice cream company based in Baltimore that is rooted in social change through young people. Students enjoyed sampling the ice cream as well as a question and answer session with Green and McCoy.

Over its five years, the Sankofa Conference has consistently grown and attracted more students from more schools. After an unprecedented attendance of more than 200 students from 15 area schools last year, the club purposefully kept the numbers lower this year to ensure every attendee maximized the experience. Tahir Atkinson ’20, one of the Sankofa Club leaders who has watched the evolution of the conference over the last four years said, “I feel like a proud parent in a sense. We started with just a few other schools that were interested, but we had such an influence on the students that attended that more and more wanted to come each year. I feel as if I’m making an impact on my community. I don’t know how to explain it other than to say that I feel like I’m doing something right.” 

Sankofa comes from the language of Ghana and means you must reach back to reclaim that which is lost in order to move forward.