Hands, Hearts, and Home Foundation (H3)

Primary Activities

These seven interconnected activities create a comprehensive ecosystem supporting Black children, families, and educators while advancing systemic educational change. Each program area reinforces the others, creating multiplied impact through our integrated approach to community empowerment and educational excellence.

- Montessori Education Center

- Family Empowerment Programs

-Educator Development

- Community Space Creation

- Youth Leadership & Entrepreneurship

- Arts and Cultural Expression

- Advocacy and Outreach

Creating Culturally Responsive Learning Environments

Montessori Education Centers

We establish and operate innovative Montessori-based schools like Ancestors' Seeds that seamlessly integrate African and African American cultural knowledge with proven Montessori principles. Our learning environments honor children's heritage while fostering academic excellence through hands-on, child-led exploration. By centering Black cultural wisdom within rigorous educational methodology, we prove that cultural pride and academic achievement are synergistic forces that accelerate learning.

Summer Camps

2026 Summer Camp

"How Do We Know A Place?"

A 7-Week Journey Through the Eyes of Black Artists & Thinkers

This summer, children ages 3-6 explore the question "What makes a place a place? How do we belong to a place?" through the lenses of four Black artists and cultural wisdom keepers: Gordon Parks (photographer), Gullah Geechee wisdom keepers (storytellers), Augusta Savage (sculptor), and Jacob Lawrence (narrative painter). Each week, children engage in emergent investigations where their authentic questions guide daily explorations. To support the depth of investigation and cohort relationships that make this program transformative, we require a minimum 3-week consecutive commitment.

Dates: June 9 - July 24, 2026 (7 weeks)

Closed: Juneteenth (Friday, June 19) & Independence Day (Friday, July 3)

Daily Schedule: 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM, Monday-Friday

If you are interested in prices and to join us this summer, please fill out an interest form below:

Weekly Flow

WEEK 1: How Do We SEE Place?

June 9-13, 2026

Artist-Mentor: Gordon Parks (Photographer)

Gordon Parks teaches children to observe closely and document what they see. Through his lens, every place tells a story, and beauty is everywhere if we look carefully. Children engage in observation walks, noticing details, visual documentation, sensory exploration, and nature drawing.

Emergent Questions: What do we notice? What stands out? What's beautiful here?

WEEK 2: How Do We REMEMBER Place?

June 16-20, 2026

CLOSED: Friday, June 19 for Juneteenth

Cultural Mentors: Gullah Geechee Wisdom Keepers (Storytellers)

The Gullah Geechee community teaches children about cultural connection to land through stories, traditional knowledge, and foodways passed down through generations. Children explore oral stories, traditional songs, plants ancestors used, storytelling circles, garden work, and traditional foodways.

Emergent Questions: Who lived here before? What stories does this place hold? What did people grow?

WEEK 3: How Do We SHAPE Place?

June 23-27, 2026

Artist-Mentor: Augusta Savage (Sculptor)

Augusta Savage teaches children to understand place through making. By working with clay and natural materials, children learn that our hands teach us about the world. Activities include clay work, natural sculpture, building with found materials, 3D creation, and sensory exploration through touch and making.

Emergent Questions: What can we make? How does clay feel? What can we build?

WEEK 4: Transition Week

June 30 - July 2, 2026

CLOSED: Friday, July 3 for Independence Day

This short week serves as a transition and consolidation period. Children revisit favorite investigations from Weeks 1-3 (Gordon Parks observation, Gullah Geechee stories, Augusta Savage sculpture) and begin preparing for the community-focused second half of camp. A time to integrate learning and prepare for what's ahead.

WEEK 5: How Do PEOPLE Create Place?

July 7-11, 2026

Artist-Mentor: Jacob Lawrence (Narrative Painter)

Jacob Lawrence teaches children to see how people create place together. His geometric, bold paintings show community gathering, working, and caring for each other. Children observe how we work together, create community maps, make collaborative murals, explore geometric patterns, document gatherings, and create collaborative art.

Emergent Questions: How do we work together? What do we build as a community? Who helps whom?

WEEK 6: How Do We GIVE BACK to Place?

July 14-18, 2026

All Artists Together - SYNTHESIS

This week brings together all four artistic lenses to focus on stewardship, gratitude, and reciprocity. Children explore the question: What does this place need? Activities include garden tending, creating gifts for the land, cleanup projects, gratitude rituals, and acts of care for our environment.

Emergent Questions: What does our place need? How can we help? What can we give back?

WEEK 7: What Have We Learned?

July 21-25, 2026

CULMINATING EXHIBITION - Friday, July 25

Children create final documentation of their 7-week investigation using all four artistic lenses. The week culminates in a family exhibition where children share their journey through photos and drawings (Parks), story collections (Gullah Geechee), sculptures (Savage), and community narrative art (Lawrence). Families are invited to see how children investigated the place through the eyes of Black artists and wisdom keepers.

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Strengthening Black Families Through Education and Connection

Family Empowerment Programs

Our comprehensive family support system includes monthly parenting workshops teaching Montessori principles for home implementation, professional counseling services strengthening family structures, and vibrant community events celebrating Black culture and achievement. We recognize that children thrive when families feel empowered, connected, and culturally affirmed. Through intergenerational programming and community celebration, we build the village that surrounds every child's success.

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When the work becomes tangible, an impression can be made on the individual that can help with the remembering of the beauty, depth and richness of their culture and identity. There is no limit to what is possible when the creation has meaning to the creator. My work is to build a connection through concrete representations and experiences for Black children, Black families, and Black teachers.

Ashley Causey-Golden

Training the Next Generation of Culturally Responsive Teachers

Educator Development

We offer specialized Montessori teacher training emphasizing cultural responsiveness, professional development integrating African and African American history into curricula, and support groundbreaking research on culturally responsive Montessori education for Black children. Our programs prepare educators to see cultural difference as cognitive advantage while maintaining rigorous academic standards. Every teacher we train impacts hundreds of future students through culturally affirming practices.

Designing Environments That Reflect Our Values

Community Space Creation

We develop community centers incorporating Montessori principles, create welcoming "living room" spaces for community gatherings and intergenerational learning, and design outdoor learning environments including community gardens. Our physical spaces intentionally reflect African diaspora culture while supporting hands-on learning and community connection. These environments demonstrate that educational spaces can honor heritage while fostering academic excellence and environmental stewardship.

Empowering Young People as Community Leaders

Youth Leadership and Entrepreneurship

Our youth programs teach age-appropriate business skills and financial literacy, provide meaningful mentorship opportunities with Black professionals and entrepreneurs, and support youth-led community improvement projects. We believe young people are community assets, not problems to solve. Through leadership development and entrepreneurship education, we cultivate confident, civically engaged young people who see themselves as changemakers in their communities.

Celebrating Heritage Through Creative Practice

Arts and Cultural Expression

We host workshops and classes in various art forms including visual arts, music, and dance, create dedicated spaces for cultural expression and storytelling, and develop comprehensive libraries of Black literature and educational materials. Artistic expression connects children to cultural heritage while developing creativity, critical thinking, and communication skills. Our programs ensure that cultural knowledge is preserved, celebrated, and passed to future generations through engaging, hands-on experiences.

Creating Systemic Change Beyond Our Walls

Advocacy and Outreach

We advocate for policies supporting equitable education and Montessori methods in public schools, collaborate strategically with other organizations to expand our impact, and conduct community outreach promoting Montessori principles with cultural affirmation. Our advocacy work ensures that the innovations we develop in our programs influence broader educational systems. We're not just serving individual families—we're transforming how America approaches culturally responsive education for Black children.

Contact: [email protected]