Skip to content Sankofa Travels with Kofi is a Petersburg, Virginia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization connecting people of African descent through cultural education, heritage travel, wellness, dialogue, and community experiences.
Our mission is to strengthen connections across the African Diaspora while helping people explore their history, celebrate their cultural identity, and build meaningful relationships at home and abroad.
Understanding where we come from gives us the knowledge, pride, and confidence to shape where we are going.
Federal EIN: 39-3326841
The Sankofa Scholars Program is the core of our nonprofit work. This year-round youth heritage education, leadership development, and cultural exchange program helps young people explore African and African American history, strengthen their cultural identity, serve their communities, and form relationships with youth across the African Diaspora.
Through interactive lessons, cultural activities, community service, field experiences, virtual exchanges, and international travel opportunities, Sankofa Scholars prepares young people to lead with knowledge, purpose, and a global perspective. The program primarily serves students from Petersburg, Richmond, the Tri-Cities, and surrounding Central Virginia communities.
In addition to the Sankofa Scholars Program, we offer programs that engage people of different ages through movement, wellness, conversation, travel, and cultural celebration.
AfroFusion Flow is an inclusive dance and movement program inspired by traditions from Africa, the Caribbean, and the broader African Diaspora. Classes promote physical wellness, cultural expression, confidence, and community while remaining accessible to participants of all ages and abilities.
Sankofa Reset is a culturally grounded retreat series created to help participants rest, restore their well-being, and reconnect with themselves, their culture, and their community. Retreat experiences may include movement, mindfulness, nature, creative expression, cultural reflection, wellness activities, and meaningful conversation.
Sankofa Sessions with Kofi and Kofi is a podcast and community conversation series exploring Black culture, history, identity, politics, entrepreneurship, and issues affecting communities throughout the African Diaspora. The program creates space for honest dialogue, diverse perspectives, and culturally relevant conversations.
The Sankofa Diaspora Fest is our annual celebration of Black culture from around the world. The festival brings the community together through music, food, art, performances, educational discussions, local vendors, and family-friendly activities. Proceeds help support the Sankofa Scholars Program and our broader nonprofit mission.
Sankofa Travels with Kofi curates meaningful domestic and international group travel experiences centered on African and African Diaspora history, culture, and community.
Our trips are more than vacations. Each journey is thoughtfully designed to provide opportunities for cultural immersion, education, reflection, relationship-building, and personal transformation. Whether traveling within the United States or internationally, participants experience destinations through their history, people, traditions, food, art, and local communities.
Kofi Annan is a U.S. Army veteran, author, nonprofit leader, racial justice advocate, and cultural travel organizer committed to strengthening Black communities and connecting the African Diaspora. Born in Guyana and raised in the United States, his personal and professional experiences have shaped a lifelong commitment to cultural identity, education, service, and global engagement.
Kofi previously served two terms as president of the Fairfax County NAACP, where the branch received the NAACP Thalheimer Award as the organization’s top branch in the nation. He is the author of Bull in a China Shop: Evolution of a Racial Justice Activist and Leadership in Action: 5 Key Principles of Effective Racial Justice Work.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Tennessee State University and a master’s degree in International Relations from Troy University. He is also pursuing a Master of Business Administration from Walden University.
Through Sankofa Travels with Kofi, he brings together his experience in leadership, advocacy, international affairs, education, and community development to create transformative opportunities for youth and adults.
Shelita Augustus is an educator, STEM leader, and youth development professional dedicated to expanding educational opportunities and preparing the next generation of scientists, innovators, and community leaders. Her experience spans K–12 and higher education, nonprofit leadership, research administration, program evaluation, mentorship, and national STEM outreach.
Shelita currently teaches Earth Science, Environmental Science, and Chemistry with the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice, where she uses trauma-informed teaching practices to engage students and promote positive life outcomes. She is also an American Evaluation Association GEDI Scholar, collaborating with the MacArthur Foundation to synthesize evaluation research that informs philanthropic strategy and organizational learning.
Throughout her career, Shelita has led STEM education and outreach initiatives with Virginia Commonwealth University, NASA’s Johnson Space Center, the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers, the Institute for Broadening Participation, and STEM Next Opportunity Fund.
She holds a Master of Science in Applied Science with concentrations in Marine Science and Materials Science and Engineering from William & Mary and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Norfolk State University. A Nationally Certified STEM Teacher, Shelita is pursuing a Doctor of Education in Leadership and Innovation from Purdue University Global.
Her honors include the White House Scholar Program, the Commonwealth of Virginia Engineering and Science Fellowship, the GEM Fellowship, and the National Science Teaching Association’s Maitland P. Simmons Award.
As Vice President and Program Director, Shelita helps shape educational programming, wellness initiatives, youth development opportunities, and culturally grounded experiences that inspire confidence, curiosity, leadership, and lifelong learning.
Although our programs take different forms, they all advance one purpose: connecting the African Diaspora, strengthening cultural identity, developing future leaders, and building a more informed and connected global community.
We honor the past, invest in the present, and prepare the next generation to lead.
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