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THE

SANKOFA

INFANT MENTAL HEALTH

HISTORY

PROJECT

TM

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Historic Photo
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Trailer for

Sankofa: Land. Root. Seed. Culture. Community

Sankofa: Land. Root. Seed. Culture. Community

Part 1 of our 4 part series.

Our first film, Sankofa: Land. Root. Seed. Culture. Community., sets the stage for our Sankofa IMH History Project™ and its film series.  Featuring interviews with IMH professionals and our project’s Steering Collective, the film explores cultural frameworks and perspectives that challenge and revitalize our understanding of healing and the infant mental health field.

Our first film, Sankofa: Land. Root. Seed. Culture. Community., sets the stage for our Sankofa IMH History Project™ and its film series.  Featuring interviews with IMH professionals and our project’s Steering Collective, the film explores cultural frameworks and perspectives that challenge and revitalize our understanding of healing and the infant mental health field.

Thank you to all who joined us for our February 2026 World Premiere!

Thank you to all who joined us for our February 2026 World Premiere!
The week featured:

The week featured:

+200

Registrations

4

Days of
Screening

4

Continents

1

Film

Sankofa Part 1 is currently only available to view in official and sponsored screenings, sales and rentals coming October 2026

Sankofa Part 1 is currently only available to view in official and sponsored screenings, sales and rentals coming October 2026

Sponsor a Screening

Sponsor a Screening

Sponsor a Screening

Sign up for Mailing List

Sign up for Mailing List

4

Continents

4

Days of
screening

+200

Registrations

1

Film

Upcoming Engagements

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Sankofa Summer Screening

Virtual

HERE

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Markita Barideaux - Sankofa Visionary Speaker Series

Virtual

COMING SOON

Go to All Engagements

The naissance and development of psychiatry between 1650–1850

The naissance and development of psychiatry between 1650–1850

The naissance and development of psychiatry

Philippe Pinel
Philippe Pinel

family studies in the early

family studies

family studies in

between 1650–1850

family studies in the

1900s

in the early1900s

the early 1900s

early 1900s

Ernest W. Burgess
Ernest W. Burgess

and pioneering

and

and

and pioneering work in IMH

work in IMH in the 1970’s

pioneering work in

pioneering work in IMH
in the 1970’s

coincided with European and

in the 1970’s

Selma Fraiberg Book Cover of Assessment and Therapy of Disturbances in Infancy
Selma Fraiberg Book Cover of Assessment and Therapy of Disturbances in Infancy

IMH in the 1970’s

coincided with European and United States imperialism and

coincided with European and United States imperialism and

colonization.

colonization.

United States imperialism and colonization.

Eugenics Skull Drawings
Eugenics Skull Drawings

As language, cultures, and relationships were colonized often to the point of extinction, a knowledge vacuum about relational wellbeing was created.

As language, cultures, and relationships were colonized often to the point of extinction, a knowledge vacuum about relational wellbeing was created.

As language, cultures, and relationships were colonized often to the point of extinction, a knowledge vacuum about relational wellbeing was created.

We are deeply grateful to ancestors who persevered and kept language and knowledge about collective wellbeing alive

We are deeply grateful to ancestors who persevered and kept language and knowledge about collective wellbeing alive through waves

We are deeply grateful to ancestors who persevered and kept language and knowledge about collective wellbeing alive through

through waves of genocide,

of genocide

waves of genocide

, so

Latinx protest photo
Latinx protest photo
, so

so future generations might know, sustain, and pass forward healing practices rooted in abiding, relational principles that enabled cultures and communities to thrive for

future generations might know, sustain, and pass forward healing practices rooted in abiding, relational principles that enabled cultures and communities to

future generations might know, sustain, and pass forward healing practices rooted in abiding, relational principles that enabled cultures and communities

millenia.

thrive for millenia

to thrive for millenia.

Our Roots

Sankofa Bird
Sankofa

Symbol from the Akan people of Ghana, a reminder to retrieve what is important from the past as we move forward into the future. A common interpretation “go back and get it.”

Sankofa Bird
Sankofa

Symbol from the Akan people of Ghana, a reminder to retrieve what is important from the past as we move forward into the future. A common interpretation “go back and get it.”

Mangroves
Manglares (Mangroves)

Significant in stories and traditions of many cultures, manglares share interconnected, interdependent root systems and provide sanctuary, nourishment, and protection for their coastal ecosystems.

Mangroves
Manglares (Mangroves)

Significant in stories and traditions of many cultures, manglares share interconnected, interdependent root systems and provide sanctuary, nourishment, and protection for their coastal ecosystems.

Collage
La Cultura Cura

Common Latine framework recognizing that culture - shared identity, traditional healing, and community resilience - is core to individual and collective well-being.

Collage
La Cultura Cura

Common Latine framework recognizing that culture - shared identity, traditional healing, and community resilience - is core to individual and collective well-being.

Collage
Ubuntu

Term from the Bantu people in South Africa embodying interconnectedness and humanity. For Black people around the world, community and interconnectedness have always has been a vital part of our existence and healing.

Collage
Ubuntu

Term from the Bantu people in South Africa embodying interconnectedness and humanity. For Black people around the world, community and interconnectedness have always has been a vital part of our existence and healing.

Collage
Amae

Everyday word in Japanese culture that conveys a deep sense of interdependent relationship a person has with others around them.

Collage
Amae

Everyday word in Japanese culture that conveys a deep sense of interdependent relationship a person has with others around them.

Collage
Etuaptmumk

(two-eyed seeing) Mi'kmaw guiding principle for culturally-inclusive, co-learning journeys to integrate Indigenous and Western knowledge for the benefit of all.

Collage
Etuaptmumk

(two-eyed seeing) Mi'kmaw guiding principle for culturally-inclusive, co-learning journeys to integrate Indigenous and Western knowledge for the benefit of all.

Resources

These are just a selection of works we admire that inform and resonate with our practice. We are working to build a wider collection and welcome our community's input. To suggest additions to the resource library, please contact us via email below.

EXPLORE ALL RESOURCES

In 2023, Indigo Cultural Center invited four IECMH colleagues to form the inaugural Steering Collective.  As co-creators, they continue to advise the design, process, and dissemination phases of the Sankofa IMH History Project™

In 2023, Indigo Cultural Center invited four IECMH colleagues to form the inaugural Steering Collective.  As co-creators, they continue to advise the design, process, and dissemination phases of the Sankofa IMH History Project™

Steering Collective giving welcome in various languages

Team welcome in various laguages

0:00/1:34

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE TEAM

6 Ways YOU can help promote our project

Parent and Child

The Sankofa Infant Mental Health History Project™ is a collaborative labor of love led by Indigo Cultural Center and made possible in part by our general operating support from the Irving Harris Foundation and Perigee Fund, Zero To Three Academy PAR Grant funding, and the generosity of our community.  Every workshop registration, film rental or purchase, and sponsored event helps keep this ongoing project sustainable.

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Irving Harris Foundation Logo

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