The Soul of Nations (SON) Foundation, a for-purpose 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that aims to champion cultural resilience and wellness sustainability through humanities, health, and heritage programming that empowers underrepresented communities. The Foundation’s vision is to support artists and researchers in creating large-scale works that offer innovative perspectives on space reclamation and the evolving landscape of cultural transformation over time.
PROGRAMS
All Soul of Nations Foundation programs aim to assist disadvantaged communities to explore and develop alternative relationships among people, place, space, environment, and the non-human; build trust and a sense of shared purpose among and within communities; develop new models of community organization, empowerment, and governance; expand collective imaginative capacity to envision new structures and processes for social relations; and use the expressive arts to inspire and shape alternative social, economic, and technological relations.
ART AND HUMANITIES
Our art and humanities program at the Soul of Nations Foundation synthesizes scholarly research, public programming, and interactive formats to promote critical dialogue on race, gender, and justice in both the United States and Italy. This initiative is founded on a research and process-oriented platform that not only emphasizes academic inquiry but also facilitates the development of professional networks. Furthermore, it champions sustainability through health and wellness methodologies, ensuring a holistic approach to community engagement.The program aims to empower Indigenous and Black communities by fostering alternative relationships among people, place, space, environment, and the non-human.
Our policy program is designed to empower emerging scholars to identify effective strategies for leveraging civil society’s skills, tools, and access to investigate and monitor policy reform initiatives. The program’s primary objective is to support at-risk minority communities within the policy development sector, with a focus on human rights, fundamental freedoms, governance, and environmentalism. This fellowship emphasizes the importance of inclusive advocacy and research methodologies that engage all affected parties. It is predicated on fostering genuine dialogue and collaboration between government agents and local community members. To achieve meaningful outcomes, the program prioritizes bottom-up, culturally appropriate engagement over top-down, centrally imposed models.
Our architecture program aims to facilitate the exploration and conceptualization of cultural intersectionality in relation to critical issues such as affordable housing, urban planning, environmental policy, and traditional architectural representation. This method induces collaborative processes that deepens the understanding of the concept of home as it relates to culture, post-colonial identity, environmental sustainability, and architectural design. The program seeks to foster alternative relationships among people, place, space, environment, and the non-human, thereby expanding collective imaginative capacities to envision innovative structures and processes for social relations.
What began as a collegiate student organization at Howard University in 2016 has grown into an international nonprofit that administers research programs, exhibitions, and residencies in seven countries, uplifting authentic minority voices on cultural identity, freedom, and environmentalism. With over seven years of experience managing government, corporate, and philanthropic initiatives, the SON Foundation champions cultural resilience and wellness through humanities, health, and heritage programming. Our vision is to fund large-scale artistic and research projects—drawing inspiration from Renaissance patronage—that explore cultural transformation and space reclamation. As we embrace this new chapter, we seek allies who value contemporary art and believe in reimagining society through innovative lenses.
We invite you to stand with us as we strive to make a lasting impact. Together, we can be the voice—and the eye—that drives change. Through charitable contributions, community support, media sponsorships, and in-kind gifts, the Soul of Nations Foundation has expanded its work significantly. We understand that not everyone can support our mission financially, and we are deeply grateful for all contributions, no matter their size or form. For further assistance, contact support@soulofnations.org.