What?

Project ELIKYA is a culturally responsive program designed to promote healthy relationships, emotional and mental wellbeing, and family harmony as well as collaborative decision-making tools within the African immigrant community in the DMV area

Why?

Due to cultural norms, societal pressures and fear of social consequences, many African individuals face challenges discussing sensitive family issues openly. This program addresses those barriers by using culturally grounded, implicit approaches such as storytelling, education, and community dialogue

Root Causes

African immigrant and diaspora families often experience growing conflict, disconnection, emotional stress, and communication breakdowns due to cultural transitions, generational differences, and unaddressed social pressures.

Sample Questions

• At what point is the gap between assimilation into American society and the preservation of African cultural values bridged?

• What happens when one spouse has adapted, the children have adapted, but one parent refuses to cross that same bridge?