San Francisco Dream Keeper Initiative Programs
The Dream Keeper Initiative is a new, citywide effort to invest in San Francisco’s Black and African American community as part of Mayor London N. Breed’s roadmap for addressing structural inequities in San Francisco.
Community Innovations Mini-Grants Program
HCN’s Community Innovation Mini-Grants Program provides mini-grants throughout the Black community in San Francisco to advance social justice and create community innovations for marginalized Black/African American youth, LGBTQI+ community members, and those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
The goal is to create a more equitable, inclusive environment that nurtures visionary community innovation. The program provides new, streamlined pathways to access urgently needed funding, promote joy and wellness in the larger Black community, and advance social justice.
Vision: Nurture visionary innovation in the Black community to promote joy and wellness.
“One of the many powerful qualities of the Dream Keepers Initiative is that it’s the combination of insight, vision, lived experience, strategy, and ideas born specifically from those of us in the Black community."
- Dr. April Y Silas
Afro-Cultural Preservation Mini-Grant
Program
Our Afro-Cultural Preservation Program’s mini-grants support neighborhood events to promote Black/African American history and culture in San Francisco’s historically Black communities, including the Black LGBTQI+ community. One of the key program goals is to preserve the history and legacy of historically Black neighborhoods in San Francisco through a variety of events.
Vision: Uplift, preserve, and celebrate Black communities in San Francisco.
"Now is the time to deepen the daily commitment among partners, work heart to heart with all aspects of the community in mind, align our strategies of transformation, and author our future with programming, ideas, services, and resources—all
that will be sustained for generations to come!"
- Dr. Silas
Amani Mental Health Training Program
The Amani Mental Health Training Program provides new education and employment opportunities in the mental health field for Black/African American city residents and grows the number of mental health professionals trained to meet the urgent need for Afri-centric, culturally responsive mental health and wellness in San Francisco.
The goal is to both provide new education and employment opportunities in the mental health field and to grow the number of Black/African American peer support and mental health professionals.
Vision: Reimagine typical mental health education and employment pathways and infuse an Afri-centric approach throughout by growing the individual and communal sense of ownership and affirmation within these spaces.
Kuamka Community Healing Arts Program
The Kuamka Community Healing Arts Program trains and supports Black/African American artists and therapists to facilitate healings arts groups throughout San Francisco. In Swahili, Kuamka means “to awaken,” or “the awakening”. The intention is that each artist will awaken a new healing both within themselves and the community with their unique expression of creativity.
The Vision: Awaken new pathways to healing through community storytelling and creative expression.