Pop-up school opens for summer, promoting educational justice for marginalised communities

A pop-up school aiming to promote educational justice for marginalised communities will be openning this summer, following successful projects in Brazil and Ghana.

Akoma is an education charity for black girls based in Lewisham, Sao Paulo and Ghana.

Its mission is to create a global learning community for black and Afro-indigenous girls by creating and sharing digital learning opportunities.

Delali Kalitsi, the founder and director of Akoma, said: “We’re really excited to be running this pop-up school.

“We’ve been wanting to do this for a long time. Sadly Covid delayed us, but I’m extremely glad we’ve got here now.

“This work is important to reshape the narratives of black girls in the education and cultural sector.

“Many times, their systemic push-out from these spaces is ignored and depends largely on youth advocacy and resource access.

“Racial profiling, environmental factors and poverty are all issues which play a role in the misrepresentation of black girls, and can deter their capacity to thrive.”

The school will run for two weeks in the school summer holidays, from July 4 to August 4, at Lewisham Art House in Lewisham Way, New Cross Gate.

Funded by the Urgent Action Fund, Akoma’s pop-up school will focus on climate justice, a subject Lewisham takes seriously, aiming to be a carbon neutral borough by 2030.

To find out more about Akoma, and its pop-up school initiative, email: theakomainstitute@gmail.com

Pictured top: An art lesson at one of Akoma’s pop-up schools (Picture: Akoma)