African-centered. Storyteller. Social Entrepreneur. Pan-African.
African-Centered Education
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 local methods, practices, curricular materials, facilitation styles, and knowledge individuals, families and organizations. This learning institute informs participants on how they can achieve greater individual and systemic transformation. Further, it provides a blueprint on how to use African and Indigenous knowledge to heal from past traumas at home, school, and community.
AIKI Includes the following:
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Participatory-Action research (PAR) through the Center for African and Indigenous Policy and Praxis
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Virtual learning platform for African and Indigenous-centered educators throughout the diaspora
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Kemetic Meditation workshops and other community wellness strategies and approaches to address mental health, stress and trauma
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Youth and family development from an African and Indigenous framework
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Digital and physical archiving of local cultures and traditions
Scope of Work
Healing-arts Education
Provides mindfulness and meditation workshops for youth and adults.
Social Entrepreneurship
Supports adult and youth with urban and rural entrepreneurial pursuits across the diaspora.
Digital Strategy
Creates mobile apps, websites and social media content for individuals and organizations.
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 and peace-building.
Archiving & Storytelling
Vice President of Ase: The Chicago Association of Black Storytelling.
Work Samples
Adult Learners
In 2019, Elisha designed the Social Entrepreneurship Education Program (SEEP) at the Center for Literacy (UIC). It is a financial literacy program that teaches G.E.D. students how to start social businesses that impact the community.
Pre-K Meditation
This year, Elisha operated a virtual version of his program, Repira Profunda (Deep Breathing), at Chicago Commons. This program has taught over 300 teachers, students, and staff about stress, mindfulness, deep breathing, yoga, and alternative forms of classroom management.
Strategic Planning
In 2018, Elisha went to St. Louis to facilitate a strategic planning session with the Cowry Collective, a community organization focused on time-banking and redistributing resources. This session included conversations about group-centered learning.
The Journey
A brief bio.
Elisha is community educator and village builder. Elisha restores African healing legacies that have always accompanied African resistance and self-determination. He is the founder of the African and Indigenous Knowledge Institute (AIKI), a local bridge that developments institutions through interactive educational platforms and individualized diversity and inclusion support. Most recently, Elisha worked as the Social Entrepreneurship Instructor for adult learners that taught G.E.D. students how use financial literacy to increase income and impact the community.
Since 2018, he established the Respira Profundo (Deep Breathing) Program for pre-K students at Chicago Commons, a program that continued to operate virtually even during the pandemic. In 2016, he worked with members of Englewood and the broader Chicago community to establish the Ujamaa Community Land Trust. Elisha received his Ph.D. in Policy Studies in Urban Education at the University of Illinois (Chicago). His research centers on how storytelling can heal youth and adults especially when used as self-edification and character development. He fuses his movement work with healing justice scholarship to provide restoration for African and indigenous communities across the African world.
Current Projects
Work I am passionate about.
African and Indigenous Knowledge Institute (AIKI)
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.
Rev222
Rev222 is a cannabis infuser business in Illinois. Rev222 aims to revolutionize the industry by helping formerly incarcerated Black and Brown people enter the industry.
Pan-African Mutual Aid Fund (PAMAF)
The Pan-African Mutual Aid Fund (PAMAF) is a global NGO that raises resources for African descendent people in the diaspora. This fund secures financial, cultural, and physical wealth.
Let's Connect
Looking forward to working with you.
Tel: 507-403-9062 | email: elishagh@gmail.com
Chicago, IL 60615