Atlas of Blackness

History and Activities

Atlas of Blackness was launched on July 2, 2021. ²The launch event for the organization was cancelled while supporters were requested to join an event on the same day honoring Isak Aden, ³ an African American man who was shot by the police on July 2, 2019, in what the courts ruled was a justified use of deadly force. ⁴

AOB produces documentaries focused on individuals in Minnesota, research on welfare and the prison system, and legal support. ⁵

People

The executive director of Atlas of Blackness is Lucina Kayee. Kayee became the executive director of AOB while also working as a John Lewis young leader for the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights. ¹ The John Lewis Young Leader Program is a fellowship designed to help students become social justice and civic leaders. ⁶ Kayee was a John Lewis Young Leader while studying for a master in social work at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota. During her fellowship, Kayee produced a documentary entitled Pulse of the Streets: Unmasking the Realities of Black Youth in Minnesota dedicated to exploring the 2020 Minneapolis riots following the death of George Floyd. ⁷

Sponsor

Atlas of Blackness is financially sponsored by Access Philanthropy Charities, ⁵ a consulting advisory firm for nonprofits based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. ⁸