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About Yeye's Culture Academy
FOUNDER STORY
Our Founder
Yeye’s Culture Academy was founded by Dr. LaShaunda “Kemi” Craddock, an educator, cultural practitioner, and arts-based learning specialist committed to reimagining how education serves Black children and their communities.
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Our Story
Yeye’s Culture Academy was born from a simple but urgent question:
What would education look like if it truly honored culture, story, and the whole child?
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As an educator, Kemi witnessed firsthand the gaps in traditional learning environments—where creativity was often limited, culture was disconnected from curriculum, and students were rarely given space to fully express who they were.
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Her work began with a commitment to do something different.
Through storytelling, arts integration, and culturally grounded teaching practices, she began creating learning spaces where young people could build confidence, strengthen literacy, and connect to their identity in meaningful ways.
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What started as direct work with students and families has grown into a broader model—partnering with homeschool collaboratives, schools, and cultural organizations to bring this approach into diverse learning environments.
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Today, Yeye’s Culture Academy reflects that original vision:
Learning that is rooted in culture, guided by story, and designed to support both individuals and the communities they belong to.
About Us
Who We Are
Yeye’s Culture Academy is a cultural learning institution that partners with homeschool collaboratives, learning communities, school districts, and cultural arts organizations to deliver arts-infused, culturally grounded educational experiences.
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Our work is rooted in cultural diasporic traditions and designed to strengthen literacy, cultural identity, and creative expression through storytelling, the arts, and community-centered learning.
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We do not replace existing learning structures—we support and enhance them.
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What We Do
We design and deliver structured programs that allow organizations to offer meaningful cultural learning experiences without the burden of developing curriculum or staffing programs independently.
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Our work is implemented through three core pathways:
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Cultural Arts Residencies
Facilitated storytelling and arts programs delivered in schools, districts, and community organizations.
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Eluvated
Scholars Academy (Virtual)​
Cohort-based virtual learning experiences for homeschool collaboratives, microschools, and learning pods.
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Calabash Scholars Village
A seasonal cultural learning community that brings youth together through storytelling, performance, and shared cultural exploration.
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Our Approach
Our approach integrates:
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storytelling as a literacy practice
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arts as a tool for engagement and expression
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culture as a foundation for learning
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community as a context for growth
We design programs that are both educationally meaningful and operationally sustainable for our partners.
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Why Organizations Partner With Us​
Organizations partner with Yeye’s Culture Academy to:
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provide culturally grounded programming
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strengthen literacy through creative approaches
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increase student engagement
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expand offerings without increasing staff workload
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bring experienced facilitators into their learning environments
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Our Mission
At Yeye’s Culture Academy, our mission is to catalyze wholistic growth and transformation through arts, culture, education, and wellness.
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Our Vision
At Yeye’s Culture Academy, we imagine a world where every child learns with purpose, grows in confidence, and leads with cultural pride.
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Our vision is to inspire, uplift, and elevate—helping each learner uncover their gifts, embrace their identity, and step fully into their potential as changemakers, leaders, and healers of tomorrow.
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Our Values
At Yeye’s Culture Academy, we are guided by values that reflect our ancestral wisdom and our commitment to the future:
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Cultural Integrity
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Ìwà Pẹ̀lẹ̀ (Good Character)
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Creative Expression
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Holistic Wellness
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Empowerment Through Education
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Community & Connection
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Our Impact
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Since 2010, we have served 500+ educators, youth, and community members annually, expanding our reach across 20 states and 6 countries.
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Our work has been implemented in:
school districts and classrooms
homeschool collaboratives and microschools
community and cultural organizations
youth-focused programs and alternative learning spaces.
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Our Expansion
We continue to grow as a national model for culturally grounded, arts-based education.
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Our Commitment
We commit to designing and delivering culturally grounded, arts-infused learning experiences that strengthen literacy, affirm identity, and deepen community connection.
The work that we do is essential to the cultural development of our youth and our communities. Your contribution will secure that our mission continues and endures.
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Work With Us
We collaborate with organizations to design learning experiences that align with their goals, schedules, and communities.
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