The Sankofa Global Project's Tinker Workshop Labs

The Sankofa Global Project's Tinker Workshop Labs encourage critical thinking skill development through exercises in trial and error during scientific experiments!

What inspired you to make this project?:
Tracy Gray has devoted her professional life as an educator and entrepreneur to developing interdisciplinary curricula, and creating and directing diversity and intercultural programs at institutions including the Bank Street College of Education, Ethical Culture Fieldston School in New York, the 12Comics Learning Support Program in New York and New Jersey, and The Carey School in San Mateo, California. Ms. Gray is Founder and President of The Sankofa Global Project. The mission of The Sankofa Global Project is to increase the number of underrepresented communities in science, technology, engineering, art, and math (S.T.E.A.M.)
In January 2016, Tracy Gray attended the I Have a Dream Workshop on Inclusive Youth Entrepreneurship in partnership with the My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) initiative and the White House Council on Women and Girls (CWG), hosted by The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and Student Dream, a youth entrepreneurship nonprofit. At the workshop, the Obama Administration issued A Call to Action to Expand High-Quality STEM Education Opportunities for All Students. Ms. Gray answered the call by submitting Sankofa Global’s Education Program which was announced in the official release of the White House Fact Sheet as one of the commitments to expand STEM Learning for young learners nationwide.
During the National Week of Making, June 17 - June 23, 2016, Tracy Gray hosted Sankofa Global’s Tinker Workshop Labs for 2,000 students in five schools within Brooklyn and Manhattan. Students explored tinkering through robotics, and electrical, aerospace, chemical and mechanical engineering. Tracy Gray proudly hosted the Sankofa Global Project’s signature education programs, The Tinker Workshop Labs, at The New York World Maker Faire at the New York Hall of Science, October 1 - October 2, 2016.
On October 3, 2016 President Barack Obama hosted the first White House SXSL Festival of Ideas, Art, and Action. Although The White House received thousands of nominations, Tracy Gray was selected and invited to attend. At South by South Lawn, changemakers, activists, and artists came together on the White House South Lawn to share how they're changing their communities.

In the first six months of 2017, Ms. Gray has implemented the Sankofa Global Project's Education Programs. From a hackathon and three school events held at the Microsoft Flagship store; to a community event for Black History month at Twitter NYC; to promoting and speaking at the Smart Cities 2017 STEAM Ahead Program, Tracy Gray continues to serve and inspire diverse communities. In the spirit of collaboration and coalition building, Ms. Gray was a panelist for the New York State Makers Summit. Tracy spearheaded the Sankofa Global Project’s first Tech Education Conference with a team of S.T.E.A.M. professionals, educators, students, and policy makers at Brooklyn Borough Hall. The day was filled with inspiration and collaboration.

A direct result of the connections made during the Tech Education Conference brought about a partnership with the Sankofa Global Project, Ifetayo Cultural Arts Academy, the NYU Tandon School of Engineering's Makerspace, and NYU’s Design for America (DFA) for the National Week of Making. Students from around New York City had the opportunity to tour and learn about NYU’s Makerspace, engage in the Sankofa Global Project’s Tinker Workshop Lab’s, and participate as the DFA SS Columbia Project team unveiled their board game. On June 22, the last day of the Week of Making, the Sankofa Global Project coordinated with the Carnegie Institution for Science (Washington, DC) to have New York City students attend Dr. Kwabena Boahen’s (Stanford University) Neuromorphic Computing Lecture.