upcoming grant deadline: 05/15/2024

upcoming grant deadline: 05/15/2024

Kinyozi-Yvette Smalls

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Kinyozi-yvettesmalls
(1) by Jim Wasserman

2008 Leeway Transformation Award – $15,000

Kinyozi is a folk artist who grew up in West Philadelphia. Her medium—hair sculpting, also know as braiding—is a cultural-communal craft in the African-American community, and an aesthetic enterprise with a host of emotional and psychological issues. She uses the form to examine and explore identity, upholding and reinforcing an African standard of beauty that helps contribute to a larger sense of self-worth. Kinyozi began her work in her home, transforming it into an informal meeting place, hub, and healing space. Currently, she teaches in community arts programs, libraries, museums, and schools. She produced a forty-minute award-winning documentary on her work, called Hair Stories, which gave her a platform to share her ideas and empower African-American women and girls. Kinyozi is the regional director of the National Braider's Guild, which challenges many of society's deep assumptions about beauty and about what constitutes art. By helping women see themselves in a positive light, braiding supports their and sense of belonging.

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Leeway grant?

Window of Opportunity Grant

The Window of Opportunity (WOO) grant provides financial assistance of up to $1,500 to Leeway grant and award recipients to help them take advantage of imminent, time-sensitive opportunities to support their art for social change practice. The Community Care Fund (CCF) provides financial assistance of up to $1,250 to Leeway grant and award recipients to support with immediate and essential emergency needs. [read more]

deadline
Upcoming events
04/025:30 pm - 7:00 pm

4/2 Transformation Award (LTA) Awardee Panel + Info Session (In Person)

Have questions about the application process for the Leeway Transformation Award (LTA)?

[learn more]

04/185:30 pm - 6:30 pm

4/18 Transformation Award (LTA) Info Session (Virtual)

Have questions about the application process for the Leeway Transformation Award?

[learn more]