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1. YORUBA LANGUAGE SCHOOL COMMITTEE

MISSION AND GOALS:

To provide instruction in Yoruba language education to learn and adopt the Yoruba language, culture and customs through a standardized curriculum. To attract a wider public, both young and old

CHAIRPERSON:

  • Dr Oyinkansola Jinadu

COMMITTEE DIRECTORS:

  • Ajibola Ogundele
  • Ola Iranloye
  • Shola Owoseni
  • Tutu Adepegba
  • Toyin Abiodun

INSTRUCTORS:

  • MR Ola Ogunkoya
  • MR David Obatola

PROGRAMS:

  1. Provide Lessons to members of the public especially young people from the age of 9 years, from the Yoruba language school curriculum.
  2. Develop a Yoruba culture and etiquette program
  3. Teach young people basic acting, speech and choreography skills based on the traditional Yoruba model.

Landmark Project to be established by July 1, 2020:

Classes start for first batch of students for the “Yoruba Language Institute” school under the auspices of Yoruba Cultural Center Dallas Inc.

2. YORUBA MUSIC, THEATER, AND DANCE COMMITTEE

MISSION AND GOALS:

To provide instruction in Yoruba dance and talking drums as an addition to the language school program. To attract a wider public, both young and old the school will be named “African Drum & Dance” which already has its own image logo and flyers

CHAIRPERSONS:

  • Dr. Oladele Olusanya
  • Dr. Oyinkansola Jinadu

PAID INSTRUCTORS:

  • MR Ola Ogunkoya
  • MR David Obatola

PROGRAMS:

  1. Provide lessons to members of the public, especially young people from the age of 9 years, as an addition to the Yoruba language school curriculum.
  2. Develop a music and dance group that can entertain at events backed by talking drums.
  3. Teach young people basic acting, speech, and choreography skills based on the traditional Yoruba model.

3. Yoruba Youth Scholarship Award

(Scholarship award for study at accredited 4-year higher institutions to high school seniors of Yoruba origin and affiliated minorities resident in the Dallas-Fort Worth area)

PROTOCOL FOR SELECTION OF SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Aim of the Scholarship Program

In line with the non-profit goals of the Yoruba Cultural Center Dallas, Inc in its Certificate of Formation and Bylaws, the Organization through its Scholarship Committee will awards grants and scholarship awards to individuals of Yoruba origin or belong to affiliated minorities who have interest in promoting Yoruba language and culture. The aim of the YORUBA YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP AWARD is to assist young scholars who have high potentials by demonstrating a GPA >3.5 with other leadership qualities, who have been accepted at an accredited 4-year institution of higher learning (college or university) in any field of learning of their choice. This award is merit-based, as long as the applicant has met the other requirements as specified in the Yoruba Youth Scholarship Protocol.

Value

$1000 each to each recipient (one-time award)

Requirements

  1. Applicants must be current seniors (12th grade) in a high school in the Dallas Fort Worth area in Texas
  2. Must have a cumulative GPA 3.5 or higher in all 4 years of high school
  3. Must have a Letter of Admission from a 4-year institution of higher learning (college or university) in any major or discipline
  4. Applicant must have Yoruba origin or affiliation or belong to another affiliated minority group

Information & documents required from Applicant

  1. Official high school transcript showing a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above signed by a high school principal or counselor.
  2. Letter of admission from a college or university, and Documentation of acceptance of the Letter of admission
  3. Personal Essay (roughly 1000-1500 words) in 4 paragraphs following the following guidelines:

    Paragraph 1 should be a short autobiographical sketch of the applicant.

    Paragraph 2 should summarize the applicant’s academic and career goal(s)

    Paragraph 3 should say how the applicant would use his education to help others.

    Paragraph 4 should be written in either English or Yoruba, in 2-3 sentences, describing how the applicant will help advance Yoruba language and culture.

  4. Personal information as follows:
    First name, Last name
    Date of Birth
    Mailing address
    Cell phone
    Email address
    Name, relationship, & cell phone(s) of parent(s) or guardian

Information & Advertisement to prospective applicants

The Scholarship Information document containing the requirements and conditions of the scholarship in printed and digital form would be sent out to the public in the Dallas Fort Worth area by the following means:

  1. Printed copies distributed to schools, places of worship, retail outlets and recreation areas known to be frequented by adults and youth in the Dallas Fort Worth area.
  2. Digital copies sent through text, email and social media, including INstagram and Facebook and other group platforms such as What’s App group of the Omo Yoruba organization of Dallas Fort Worth and similar socio-cultural organizations.
  3. Posting on the website of the Yoruba Cultural Center and those of the Omo Yoruba of Dallas Fort Worth and similar organizations.

Submission of Information:

  1. By completion of the application from the website followed by submission of the required documents (essay, transcript, etc) by email or fax to the email or fax number provided in the application information, or
  2. By printing out the application from the website or provided to the publicly and mailing this to the address of the Yoruba Cultural Center attention: Scholarsip Committee.

Deadline for submission of application: May 15, in any given year.

Scholarship Committee

  1. Chairperson; Mr Femi OwoseniDr. Oladele Olusanya (Secretary, Institute)
  2. Co-chair: Dr Yoyin Abiodun
  3. Other members of the Scholarship Committee will be selected from time to time by the Chairpersons. Members may be chosen from within our outside the Board of Directors of the Yoruba Cultural Center or the members of Omo Yoruba of Dallas. It is suggested that a financial sponsor or donor to the Scholarship Fund be a member of the Scholarship Committee in any given year

Selection Process for Scholarship candidates (Feb 1 to May 15)

  1. Individual applicants send in their application documents by email, surface mail or by hand between Feb 1 when the application process opens and May 15 each year
  2. Communication and follow-up by the Committee is made if necessary with the applicants to make sure their application package and information 1as complete before the deadline.
  3. Individual folders for each applicant to be compiled by the Scholarship Committee Chairperson(s) containing all their submitted documents and other information.
  4. The selection process must be performed by the Scholarship Committee without any personal bias or favoritism to any candidate. For those who met the requirements and whose application package are complete, the selection by the Committee will be based on scoring of the following criteria mentioned in the information sent to the applicants:

    a) Confirmation of eligibility as a student of Yoruba origin or affilation or belonging to an affiliated minority group
    b) Confirmation of High school senior status
    c) Cumulative GPA
    d) Letter of admission from accredited college or university.
    e) Quality of the Essay

  5. The applicants with the highest scores based on these criteria would be short-listed.
  6. Shortlisted candidates would be invited for an interview by the Scholarship Committee to be held in the offices of the Yoruba Cultural Center after which the successful candidates would be selected based on their performance at the interview.
  7. After submission of the names and scores of the selected candidates to the Board of Directors of the Yoruba Cultural Cenrter and approval of the scholarship awards to the candidates, the successful candidates will be informed by email and/or and text.

Award Process:

  1. Announcement of the award and acknowledgement of the recipient and his or her family will be performed at an Award Ceremony in July or August 19.
  2. At this ceremony, a check drawn on the account of the Yoruba Cultural Center in the name of the student will be presented to each successful applicant.
  3. The names and photos of each candidate will be posted to the website of both Yoruba Cultural Center and the Omo Yoruba of Dallas organization.
  4. In addition, each successful applicant will be recognized at the Gala Night or other yearly celebration of the Omo Yoruba of Dallas or the Yoruba Cultural Center.

Post award obligations:

Each successful applicant is expected to give the Institute 36 hours a year of his or her time for the four years while in college, that is 9 hours per year or 45 minutes per month. These obligations may include any of the following activities:

  1. Assisting at the Yoruba language school or Youth Program while on break from school
  2. Helping the Yoruba Cultural Center publicity and promotion of its activities on social media (Instagram, Facebook and You-tube) and posting on other sites as as well as the Cultural Center’s webpage and blog, to attract interest in the activities of the Cultural Center especially its Yoruba language school and scholarship programs.

In this way, each scholarship recipient is expected to be a life-long ambassador of the Yoruba Cultural Center Dallas Inc.

4. YORUBA FINANCE COMMIITTEE

MISSION AND GOALS:

To ensure proper accountability of the organization resources and to comply with the statutory requirements expected of the organization at the state and federal levels.

Chairpersons:

  • Mr. Thomas Oyebisi
  • Dr. Oyinkansola Jinadu
  • Mrs. Owoseni

PROGRAMS:

  1. To update the Organization registration documents with the secretary of state.
  2. To open the organization bank account.
  3. To do a letter of update to IRS on our required annual filing Form
  4. To set up a PayPal account for the organization
  5. To set up a desktop Quick book for the organization
  6. To prepare the documentation for the 501(c.)3 application with the IRS.
  7. To prepare the organization budget from the different committee budgets.

5. YORUBA ART AND HERITAGE COMMITTEE

MISSION AND GOALS:

To use the resources of the Yoruba Cultural Center Dallas to promote and showcase Yoruba culture by collecting, displaying, and exhibiting artifacts from the rich artistic and cultural heritage of the Yoruba people. These will include a permanent and periodic exhibition of Yoruba cultural heritage in all its forms. Represented will be visual arts, such as masks, sculptures and dress, and artifacts representing performance arts, such as published owe, oriki, and egungun. The ultimate goal of the Art and Heritage Committee is to establish and maintain a Yoruba Art and Heritage Museum under the auspices of the Yoruba Cultural Center either on its official premises or elsewhere in the Dallas Fort Worth area.

CHAIRPERSONS

  • Dr. Oladele Olusanya
  • Dr. Taoreed Badmus

PROGRAMS:

  1. Collect and exhibit art works that depict the culture, history and mythology of the Yoruba people from ancient times to the modern day
  2. Hold a Cultural Festival or Art Exhibition once a year to educate the public on the ancient and contemporary art, culture and heritage of the Yorubas
  3. Hold classes that teach Yoruba art and heritage to the public, especially our young ones
  4. Establish and maintain the “Yoruba Art and Heritage Museum” which will house exhibits portraying a wide variety of the art and cultural heritage of the Yorubas. This gallery and Museum will be open to the public and hold periodic Exhibitions.

6. YORUBA COMMUNITY OUTREACH COMMIITTEE

MISSION AND GOALS:

To reach out, serve, and work with people of Yoruba ancestry, African-American, and other communities, including Churches, Mosques, Charities, Schools, and non-profits. To provide a welcoming place for both Yoruba and non-Yoruba communities to share in our reach Yoruba Culture and Heritage.

PROGRAMS:

  1. Monthly meet and greet to introduce members of the Yoruba Cultural Center of Dallas to Yoruba and Non-Yoruba communities
  2. Teach General history of Africa, Nigeria, and Yoruba people 
  3. Connect with your roots. Exploring opportunities to travel to Yoruba land to experience firsthand the richness of the Yoruba culture.

7. YORUBA HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAM

MISSION AND GOALS:

To act as a liaison between medical professionals of Yoruba descent and the activities of the Yoruba Cultural Center.

Chairpersons:

  • Dr. Oluwatoyin Abiodun
  • Mrs. Sola Owoseni

PROGRAMS:

  1. Medical Directory: collate, periodically update and electronically disseminate an opt-in directory of Medical professionals of Yoruba descent in the DFW area.
  2. Medical Outreach: provide volunteer medical outreach 2 times a year at community events in conjunction with the Yoruba Community Outreach program.
  3. Medical Education: to provide topical, culturally relevant medical information that addresses in a holistic manner the peculiarities of our experience as people of Yoruba descent in the diaspora at events of the Yoruba Cultural Center.

8. YORUBA YOUTH GROUP COMMITTEE

MISSION AND GOALS:

To offer a networking, professional development and Yoruba cultural awareness / enlightenment to youth ages 12 – 18 years and young adults.

CHAIRPERSONS:

  • Dr. Oyinkansola Jinadu
  • Mrs. Shola Owoseni

COMMITTEE DIRECTORS:

  • Taoreed Badmus
  • Deinde Peters

PROGRAMS:

  1. Networking / meet up event to attract youth and young professionals of Yoruba descent or interested Americans in the Yoruba culture and networking opportunities.
  2. Annual youth gala and awards show

YORUBA STEAM INITIATIVE

MISSION AND GOALS:

Yoruba STEAM Initiative involves tutoring young people of Yoruba origin or affiliation in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.

CHAIRPERSONS:

  • Ola Iranloye
  • Tutu Adepegba

PROGRAMS:

  1. Provide STEAM based programs for youth within the Yoruba community
  2. Develop a summer initiative in partnership with other non-profit and technology organizations
  3. Provide STEAM mentoring, training and tutoring opportunities from professionals within the Yoruba community