About Us
This is something special.
Who We Are
Majani is Swahili for leaves, and the Majani Project creatively engages students to discover the other leaves on their branch of the (human) family tree.
Our Mission
Our goal is to introduce primarily Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) students to genealogy—both family history and genetic genealogy.
Our Vision
We want the Majani Project to be a vehicle for students to develop the strong sense of self (identity) that is fundamental to success in any field.
What We Do
The Majani Project meets monthly to facilitate the students' active participation in recording their family history—to include information about their culture regarding music, food, dance, and mythology. Each month, one student "griot" will be selected to share what they've learned and the group will explore various aspects of resiliency and identity.
Aungelic Nelson
Meet Our Founder
When she was a student, Aungelic Nelson, Founder and CEO of the Majani Project, was one of those kids who didn't really fit in anywhere. Because her dad was in the Army, her family moved around a lot. Living in different parts of the country and around the world is great (for so many reasons!), but what it can't do is give you the opportunity to really know your extended family, or provide a sense of being rooted in a community. And when that's the case, it can be hard to really know who you are and where you come from.
Aungelic discovered genealogy in college, and a lifelong interest was born. Though she obtained both her BA and MA in American History, began a career as a college professor, and later became a military historian for the Air Force, genealogy was always her main interest. When she relocated to Washington DC in the fall of 2017, her proximity to the National Archives further enhanced her study of family history (perfect access to Federal records!) As she got more involved, she realized that on average, children of color were rarely exposed to genealogy at the same level as other children.
While serving as an elected Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) Commissioner to represent her single member district in Washington, D.C., Aungelic conceived of the idea of creating an online genealogy club. She drew from her 20-plus year career as both an educator and a historian to establish the Majani Project—envisioning it as a way to introduce genealogy to BIPOC students and foster interest in both family history and genetic genealogy. Studies suggest that STEM jobs will continue to be the fastest-growing sector, and the number of students of color who enter it remains far below that of other groups. Genealogy (genetic genealogy) is a fantastic way to get more BIPOC students interested in STEM careers.
Genealogy is a "two-for-one": in addition to enhancing academic skills like reading, writing, research, and critical thinking, studying your family history has a way of impacting who you are and how you see yourself in this world. Children today are less connected to family, extended family, and history than ever before; and yet are exposed to so much that can define who they become. There are a lot of reasons a child might not quite feel they belong; the Majani Project invites school-agers to reconnect with their family history in a safe and fun environment, and in the process, discover the roots of their own identity, resiliency, and a deeper sense of self-worth.
Board Members & Advisors
Rev Gayle Fisher-Stewart, Ph.D.
Robert Caldwell, Ph.D.
Michael Lewis
Marybeth Craddock
Maggie Laws