History

The STF moved its base of operations to Atlanta, Georgia
in 2000 and have sponsored:

The Trail of Dreams Ancestral Journey (2000), a 64-day walk through the Appalachian Mountains to honor those African and Native ancestors who escaped slavery using the Underground Railroad and who journeyed on the Trail of Tears.

During Black History Month of 2001, The STF and the City of Atlanta co-sponsored a photographic and educational exhibit on the Trail of Dreams Ancestral Journey and its historical roots. Unique to this exhibit was the sharing of the old spirituals and their use as “guide songs” for the Underground Railroad.

Youth were also giving the opportunity to recreate quilt patterns used as signals for the Underground Railroad as well as the star knowledge of the enslaved Africans that guided many to freedom.

• The Trail of Dreams Summer Wilderness Experience (2001), offered urban youth, who previously had little or no contact with nature, an opportunity to connect with themselves and the earth in ways that would expand their perception of self and the world in which they live. African drumming and dancing, Native American crafts and ceremonies were a part of the camping experience.
• The Trail of Dreams Ancestral Journey to Ghana, West Africa (2002), an intergenerational healing journey during which participants met with various spiritual and community leaders, artisans and craftsmen, which mobilized to raise funds to build a school for the Ghanaian community of Abandze.
• Beyond the Global Divide: 1st & 2nd International Young Leaders Peace Summit (2002 & 2005), the vision of Youth Director Michael Ware, a summit which brought together young leaders and elders from around the world to crystallize a dialogue on, and create a process for, manifesting world peace. The Summit included presentations, informal conversations, a World Gallery, World Recording of Music and Spoken Word, drumming, flute playing and dancing from many cultures.
• 21 Day Peace Quest (2003) in the mountains of Georgia, which culminated in the production of We Are Here (2003), a collaborative musical CD featuring 34 artists, ages 4 -74, from various cultures, ethnic, and racial backgrounds. Proceeds from the CD, We Are Here, were used to support the 2004 Beyond the Global Divide.
• Economic Development Project in Ethiopia (2003); this collaborative relationship was established with a small village community in the mountains of Ethiopia, north of Lalebela. In this partnership, The STF coordinated a community-based fundraising drive to raise $5,000 to establish an economic development project with the village (a bee farm) and create an educational college fund for a young leader, identified by the village, to have the opportunity to go to college.
• Bennu Rising, Ecological Learning and Healing Center in North Georgia Mountains (2003); A collaborative project between The STF and Lesedi Wholistic Learning & Healing Environments (LWLHE) formed to purchase land in the North Georgia Mountains to create an ecological learning and healing environment
• Community Outreach through collaboration with community based programs such as Wholistic Stress Control Institute; Earthkeepers; Institute for Divine Wisdom, Positive Promotions, LTD; One CommonUnity

Prior to relocating to Atlanta, GA: The STF was founded in 1991 in Washington, D.C., by Jon Ware, Sr. and Audri Scott Williams to provide an intervention model to motivate and inspire African American males, ages 12—17, through their participation in the youth theatrical company, UPRISING. During the company’s growth, the target population expanded to include young females, parents and urban families.

Combining history, performance and visual art, culture in dynamic productions and exhibits, UPRISING reached thousands of youth over seven years, from 1991 to 1997, in schools, colleges, and community-based organizations throughout the East Coast.

They performed before Congress and the White House, earned Presidential and mayoral awards and honors, and gained international acclaim through cultural exchange initiatives with cultural arts groups from Senegal, Nigeria, and Ghana.

Members of the company’s Jazz Ensemble were also privileged to study with jazz greats Max Roach, Ellis Marsalis, and John Fadis. Since 1997, the UPRISING model has continued as WombWorks Productions, under the direction of the former Assistant Director of UPRISING. It currently operates theatrical programs in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C. region.

Many UPRISING members graduated from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and went on to college. Many former members presently hold leadership roles in their respective communities. Participation in UPRISING yielded the following results:

• 98% of the youth who remained with UPRISING for at least a year graduated from high school.
• 95% enrolled in college or technical schools.