Elias Hinit (2018)
Communities for Success
Communities for Success is a politically conscious after-school community mentoring/guidance program in Santa Rosa, California. This program will be in partnership with the city’s rights of passage organization, Bridge to the Future, local interfaith organizations, the NAACP, our local community college, and community members for guidance and mentorship. Currently many marginalized community members and students valiantly provide for themselves and their families in a hostile, deprived environment of inadequate resources and structural pitfalls disproportionately impacting people of color. This program seeks to first and foremost strengthen cross-cultural, geographic, and community relationships for community autonomy and agency to advance personally, communally, socially, academically, spiritually and however they see fit. Presently, it will be operating as a pilot program out of a local high school with many brilliant and amazing low-income students, including immigrants, children of immigrants, Black, and other underrepresented students. Communities for Success will stand as an emerging trifecta–an independent community non-profit organization coupled with a separate social enterprise and foundation, and eventually, a school.
The after school program will start off with nutritious food, tutors to help with homework and studying, and then for the second hour and half, engaging informational seminars covering a range of topics such as college preparation, scholarship writing, racial identity, holistic health, empowerment, spoken word, sexual health, entrepreneurship, emerging tech opportunities, political education regarding different inequalities such as racism andpatriarchy, grassroots community organizing, participatory action research, and other similar educational, financial, and social improvement subjects. In addition, students will be matched with a mentor participating in the field theyre interested in pursing and/or from a similar cultural background. Students and community members will also be participating in excursions in and outside of the city and fundraising for travels outside the country, for exposure to new social and economics opportunities, strengthen cohort and community bonds, and subsequent leadership opportunities.
Letters Home
Biography
Elias Hinit was born and raised in Santa Rosa by two audacious and hardworking Bilen parents from Eritrea. Nurtured, taught, and continuously supported until today by his 2 sisters, toddler nieces and the Eritrean, Black, and wider Santa Rosa community, Elias wants to offer and continue passing on the strength and love hes received, notably by his elders and ancestors thus far. When enrolled at the Santa Rosa Junior College, and BSU subsequently, his eyes and soul were truly opened to the inequalities and powers that are responsible for the suffering not only his family and communities were exposed to, but worldwide. Thereafter, Elias worked with Santa Rosas NAACP and community organizations to improve the city’s schooling, immigration and police practices, and received an opportunity to assist in Tanzania.
After transferring to Cal, Elias was nurtured and politically developed by countless mentors, notably Black Womxn, on the importance of political advocacy, liberatory education, grassroots organizing, and centering self and community love. After serving as the Chair of the Black Student Union, working in the Fannie Lou Hamer Black Resource Center and as the course assistant for two educational courses, Elias seeks to implement what he has learned to work in partnership with communities to improve overall consciousness through education, overall holistic wellbeing and agency. Elias graduated with a Bachelors in Social Welfare and minor in Education. Feel free to connect with Elias at hinit.elias@gmail.com, particularly if youd be interested in serving as a mentor, assist in being part of an informational seminar, support monetarily or through volunteering. All POWER TO THE PEOPLE!
