CWTA LEADERSHIP

To work in the spirit of Sankofa, we apply the teachings, guidance, and wisdom of all that have come before us, to advance the vision of Iya Adeniji, and African people of the Diaspora

Director of Creative and Cultural Programs

Sister IAsia Thomas

Sister IAsia was bestowed the legacy of Children’s Windows to Africa (Darisha La Watoto Kwa Africa) after ten years of preparation. Dr. Iya Adenij Lawrence entrusted her to lead the work, and she served CWTA as an artist there, which was her first teaching artist position in 1995. She serves as Director of Creative and Cultural Programs. Heather Thomas (Sister IAsia) served as a collaborator within her role in service to The Heinz Endowments’ Transformative Arts Process (TAP) Advisory Board for almost eight years. As an educational equity leader, and trained artisan with 20+ years of experience in the field, she has had the opportunity to work with countless passionate, committed, and talented individuals, but given the climate the world is in, and that education is in, her ability to keep caring and nurturing through her being, combined with her commitment to cultural preservation and education, service, social justice, high integrity, respect for human diversity, and the ability to cultivate and maintain healthy, trustworthy relationships are just a few of the many reasons that she is a part of the council for cultural equity and emancipated education movement.

She identified as a driving force and voice in the Heinz Endowments’ TAP work, until that body of work came to an end a few years ago. She brings years of experience as an educator and trainer, but more importantly, as a doula and cultural thespian, preservation worker, and advocate for equity. She lives artistically, personally, and professionally to embrace and embody the critical qualities and characteristics needed to be a successful and effective education and arts leader. She has been referred to as the “glue that holds cultural equity together” –and possesses both the institutional knowledge and skills required to keep projects moving forward, but also, to work towards keeping all of the larger community involved and moving along in the work, and on their own personal cultural and racial journeys. She is deeply moved by the capacity to be a mentor and mentee, and to encourage people of all racial, gender, and ethnic groups to think more deeply about the cultural self and journey in a manner that is candid, caring, and motivating. She created Centering the Identity of Black Children in African Culture, which was designed to be a one-day session open to the community to learn more about how to utilize African-centered education and theory to help educators, and support our black and brown students.

Participants in attendance represented diverse backgrounds, organizations, and included: arts-serving, community-based organizations, philanthropic partners, educators, cultural preservation workers, equity workers, and teaching artists to name a few. All discourse was examined and presented through the lens of teaching artistry, cultural preservation, African-centeredness, and black arts.  

In all that she does, personally and professionally, she strives to remain committed to cultivating community and building capacities. She has been led and endowed with extensive experience in providing technical assistance, identifying, developing, and implementing organizational equity strategies, leading and learning cohorts, as evidenced by her extensive work with Pittsburgh Public Schools as both the Equity Project Manager and previously as the Culturally Responsive Arts Education Project Manager. She possess the essential, innate characteristics needed to be effective with persons that desire growth, empowerment, and transformation.

Manager of Artists

Azania Lane-Majestic

Azania Lane-Majestic is an arts education administrator and educator based in Pittsburgh, PA. After graduating from American University in Washington DC in 2019 with a BA in Women’s, Gender and Sexualities Studies and Anthropology she spent a year in New York City as a fellow with Repair the World Harlem focusing on Education and Housing Justice. In addition to her work with Children’s Window to Africa she is also Coordinator of Art Education at the Children’s Museum of Pittsbugh. She is dedicated to the happiness, health, safety and peace of all Black people all over the world.

Chief of Operations and Health Praxis

Brother MinNekhekh Thomas

Malcolm Thomas was born and raised in Pittsburgh and attended Pittsburgh Public Schools, graduating from Peabody High School as part of the first graduating class of the CAS Program. He later attended Penn State University and graduated with a BS in Education and a concentration in Black Studies.  Upon returning to Pittsburgh Mr. Thomas was hired at as an Instructor at The Hill House Association Young Mother/Young Fathers Program where he also coordinated the Mentoring Program. He served as Program Director of The Visions Rites of Passage Program and School Based Services Coordinator with The National Council for Urban Peace and Justice.  For over a decade Mr. Thomas worked in Mental Health as a Specialist through Mercy Health Systems and as an independent contractor with The PPS Student Assistance Program, (SAP). 

In 2007 Mr. Thomas founded ONE Nation Education and Leadership Training, a program focusing on Educational Program for and about youth. In this capacity he has worked with several thousand students in over eighteen schools through psycho-educational groups, instructional presentations, assemblies and school-wide initiatives. Mr. Thomas is a sought-after consultant, speaker and trainer who specializes in strategies for empowering youth and building capacity with those who serve them., 

Mr Thomas sits on The African American Men and Boys Task Force and is the Director of The Reaching Back Project which focuses on youth leadership development, brain health/nutrition, chess and public debate. A major focus of this program is the application of ageless cultural wisdom and the promotion of African American males/youth to re-enter the teaching profession. He is also Cofounder and Founding Director of the Sankofa Leadership Institute, in an ongoing effort to cultivate leadership, health and sustainability in adult men who work with African American youth in Western PA. Currently he serves as the Dean of Students at LIFE Male STEAM Academy and Operations Officer for the Children’s Window To Africa Program. In Addition he I co-founder of The Maximizer Institute.