She’s a Warrior-Healer-Building Mama

We are proud to announce the 2020 Black Love Day Community Warrior-Healer-Builder Love Honorees. In this oppressive environment to fight, heal, and build are revolutionary acts.
One of the three Community Warrior-Healer-Builder Love honorees is Mama Nabantu Ankoanda.

Before you can say “lets,” Mama Nobantu is in the van saying, “C’mon, let’s go.” Before you can say, “I need…” Nobantu has opened her house, extended her hand and her heart.

She’s a Warrior-Healer-Building Mama!

Her children grew up knowing that their mother belonged to our community. Mama Nobantu Ankoanda is an educator, teacher, former principal and founder of Afrikan centered community-based institutions in Palo Alto, California and in the Atlanta, GA Metro area. Mama Ankoanda is also Dr. Mama Nobantu. She holds a doctoral degree in Education, a Master of Arts degrees in Elementary Education and a BA in Social work. She’s earned this Black Community Warrior-Healer-Builder award because she’s been spreading love and revolutionary fever in our community since she was a student in 1968 when she became a citizen of the Republic of New Afrika.

She participated in and studied the Poor People’s Campaign in Washington, D.C. and in ’69 traveled and studied Afrikan History and Culture in Accra, Ghana It was at the University of Accra where she received a certificate in Afrikan History and Culture. We’ll be here all day if we try to list all the building-love she’s spread over our community. However, a few more demand to be mentioned now. She founded or co-founded these schools: Shule Ya Taifa, Shule Nyansa Sua, Shule Mandela Academy and the School of Wisdom and Knowledge College Preparatory Academy. Nobantu is not a has-been-educator - living in the past. Afrikan-centered educational institutions like CIBI, AYA, Kilombo, and others lean on her knowledge and her work.

In 2006, Mama Nobantu moved to Decatur, GA to be closer to two of her daughters and most of her grandchildren. While in Northern California, she co‐founded Sisters of Tomorrow (SOT)- a grassroots rite-of-passage program for young sisters, and she now serves as an Elder for the Atlanta Chapter. She also serves on the Elder Council for African Community Centers.

She brought her Collard Greens Cultural Festival (CCCF) and her famous Collard Green Ice Cream to the Metro. Both have found a home in Lithonia, GA. While Atlanta celebrates its 11th CCCF, East Palo Alto, CA will be celebrating its 21st. Nobantu is untiring. She’s a Warrior-Healer-Building Mama.

Join us on Thursday to celebrate her long and her latest efforts to strengthen our community to victory. She has and continues to show her love for us; let’s love her back! Feb. 13th, 7 pm at the Sigma Zeta Incorporated building on 2526 Delowe Dr. in Atlanta.