African-centered | Strategic Planner | Storyteller | Educator
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Dr. Elisha Hall works to enhance the lives of African descendant peoples (ADP) through African-centered praxis that centers African culture and history. The African and Indigenous Knowledge Institute (AIKI) works to disseminate culturally-centered methods, practices, curricula, facilitation styles, strategic planning, and project management for individuals, families and organizations. In addition, we provide technical assistance, food and nutrition education, business development, and consulting for nonprofit organizations, small businesses, and social enterprises.
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AIKI Includes the following:
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Participatory-action research (PAR)
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In-person and virtual support for educators
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Nutrition literacy and education
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Kemetic meditation workshops and other community wellness strategies to address mental health, stress and trauma
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Arts-based youth and family development
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Digital and physical archiving of local cultures, sacred spaces, and traditions
Scope of Work
Health & Wellness Education
Provides health literacy and education materials, workshops, and presentations for youth and adults.
Equity-Based
Strategic Planning
Designs equity-based impact-strategy for organizations and business.
Healing Arts Activation
Offers mindfulness resources that teach youth and adults about meditation, yoga, African drumming, and more.
Multimedia Production
Musical producer, graphic designer, photographer, videographer, and sound engineer.
Ph.D.
Earned in December 2020 with a focus on using African-centered storytelling for healing generational trauma.
Curriculum Development & Storytelling
Provides curriculum development in health equity, community engagement, and workforce development.
Work Samples
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Podcasts, Videos, and Music
Check out my latest passion projects.
Last Album (2023)
Next Project
Current Entities & Projects
Work I am excited about.
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African and Indigenous Knowledge Institute (AIKI)
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The African and Indigenous Knowledge Institute is a educational center that bridges African-centered praxis with the histories of African and Indigenous communities. We then help others do the same.
Ananse Cultural Keepers
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Ananse Cultural Keepers is a cultural arts organization in Chicago. Ananse aims to use storytelling, music, and creative arts to engage youth across the African diaspora.
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BeUs​
BeUs os an education service that disseminates African-centered books, kits, and other products.
Dr. Elisha Hall is a community educator, village builder, and visionary strategist committed to food sovereignty, racial justice, and healing through education, land, and labor. With over a decade of experience in grassroots organizing, policy advocacy, and social enterprise, Elisha restores African healing legacies that have long been integral to resistance and self-determination in Black communities.
He is the founder of the African and Indigenous Knowledge Institute (AIKI), a transformative initiative that supports institutions through culturally responsive education platforms and individualized diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) consulting. His work bridges ancestral knowledge with contemporary policy solutions, creating pathways for liberation and wellness.
Most recently, Dr. Hall served as the African American Engagement Director at Compassion & Choices, where he led national campaigns to advance equity in end-of-life care and planning. He currently advises Bethel New Life as a consultant for the Austin Food Ecosystem Initiative, a cross-sector collaboration aimed at expanding nutrition access and community-driven food systems in Chicago’s West Side.
Elisha's leadership includes managing the Healthy Food Hub at Black Oaks Center for Sustainable Renewable Living, coordinating food justice programs and regenerative farming initiatives. In 2016, he co-founded the Ujamaa Community Land Trust, Chicago’s first community land trust not owned by the city, focused on cooperative housing and urban agriculture. He was also selected for the Black Land and Liberation Initiative, a project led by BlackOUT Collective and Movement Generation, where he deepened his praxis in land reclamation and ecological justice.
As the Director of Social Enterprise at the North Lawndale Employment Network, Dr. Hall launched the Conservation Immersion Program, a green jobs training initiative rooted in permaculture, apiculture (beekeeping), and environmental justice. He also oversaw Sweet Beginnings and the Beelove Café, two social enterprises offering transitional employment, wraparound services, and pathways to economic mobility for justice-impacted individuals.
A 2023 REDF Accelerator Fellow, Elisha is recognized nationally for his innovative work integrating workforce development, racial equity, and environmental sustainability. His career spans partnerships with the Congressional Black Caucus, National Black Caucus of State Legislative Leaders, African American Mayors Association, and the National Medical Association to advance equitable health and workforce legislation.
Dr. Hall earned his Ph.D. in Policy Studies in Urban Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago. His research explores the power of storytelling in restorative justice and healing-centered pedagogy, especially among Black youth. Grounded in participatory action research, his work is a testament to the transformative potential of education when guided by care, culture, and community.
The Journey
A brief bio.
