Jelani Gives

Jelani Gives is a US-based nonprofit organization fostering global connections and experiences for African and African American youth, ages 11-15. Founded as Jelani Girls in 2013, Jelani Gives seeks to empower youth to expand their horizons and grow their self-confidence by providing them with digital and travel-based cultural enrichment programming, focusing on deconstructing false and deficit-based narratives about Africa and African culture. Our vision is to facilitate a future where African American children have access to world-class, culturally-competent learning experiences that grow their understanding of history, expand their worldviews, and develop their leadership capacity, regardless of where they live or come from. Jelani Gives is an extension of Jelani Travel, a for-profit travel company that creates safe, meaningful, culturally rich excursions for Black women, beginning first with various countries in Africa and extending to other parts of the world. Jelani Travel channels a combination of fiscal resources, expertise, and connections to Jelani Gives.