The Akoben is a war horn, the ancient Adinkra symbol signifying a call to serve and struggle for the community.
The Akoben Philosophy
The Akoben team believes in the power of transformation of:
- Ourselves
- Our youth
- Our community
We lead the struggle to positively affect change through effective programs, presentations, workshops and consultations.
Akoben’s Foundation
Akoben was founded on December 3, 2012 in Delaware. Akoben is a direct response to the need for culturally relevant and practical restorative practices in public and alternative settings for youth. In 2012, various school districts and public agencies were requesting the expertise of Dr. Muhammad and other team members to provide insight and training on positive development of culture, organizational climate and restorative approaches to discipline.
Key Accomplishments
- Akoben launched successful coaching and training services in 2012 for a struggling district run alternative school in Delaware.
- In 2013, Akoben introduced Restorative Practices to over 150 school and district leaders representing all 19 school districts and several charter schools in Delaware. This was done through a state-wide training partnership with the Department of Education.
- Akoben expanded services beyond Delaware in 2014 to provide services to school districts, agencies and universities in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia and Canada.
- In 2015, the Akoben leadership team expanded with the recruitment of restorative practices expert Steve Korr and trauma and culture expert Dr. Christina Watlington as Lead Akoben team members.
Akoben’s Future
- We will deepen our impact through writing, presenting and training on the relationship between cultural relevancy, restorative practices and trauma-informed care.
- We will expand our reach and effectivness through recruitment of more dedicated and talented facilitators, speakers and trainers that are committed to the Akoben vision and mission.
- We will build restorative approaches to discipline, changing mindsets and improving skills and education at the local level, inside of schools and organizations to better serve youth, families and communities as a whole.
