Senate Resolution No. 2208

BY: Senator PARKER

COMMENDING Egbe Iwa, Inc., upon the occasion of
hosting its 11th Annual Ite Siwaju Commencement Gala
on June 7, 2026

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
pay tribute to those organizations of high purpose and worthy
accomplishment whose enduring commitment to the cultural formation,
moral development, and community belonging of young people has enriched
the civic and spiritual life of the State of New York; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commend Egbe Iwa, Inc., upon the occasion of hosting its 11th Annual Ite
Siwaju Commencement Gala on Sunday, June 7, 2026; and

WHEREAS, Egbe Iwa, Inc., founded in 2002 by Iya Amma Oloriwaa! in
historic Brooklyn, New York, is a year-long rite-of-passage and cultural
mentoring program that has served the community for more than two
decades, welcoming Oluko (mentors) and Akeko (youth participants) of any
race, creed, color, or gender identity into a community dedicated to
guiding, supporting, and nurturing the leaders of tomorrow's world; and

WHEREAS, The name Egbe Iwa carries within it the full weight of the
organization's mission and philosophy: Egbe, meaning a society or
community of people bound by shared purpose and identity, and Iwa, the
Yoruba concept of character, essence, and the quality of one's being,
that fundamental virtue which the Yoruba philosophical tradition holds
as the highest adornment of the human spirit; and

WHEREAS, Rooted in the Yoruba tradition and grounded in the living
wisdom of the African diaspora, Egbe Iwa understands that the formation
of young people is not merely an educational endeavor but a sacred one
and that the rite of passage, marking a young person's transition from
childhood to young adulthood, are among the most essential ceremonies a
community can offer, transmitting values, identity, ancestry, and
belonging across generations in an unbroken chain of cultural
continuity; and

WHEREAS, Iya Amma Oloriwaa!, founder and Alakoso (director) of Egbe
Iwa, Inc., is: a member of the Brooklyn Academy of Music's DanceAfrica
esteemed Council of Elders; a founding member of the Omo Obatala Egbe,
Inc., and the Ijo Orisa Yoruba Church, Inc.; a community activist and
leader who formed Egbe Iwa for the benefit of her children, all of whom
are graduates of the program, now serving as mentors and workshop
leaders; and a living embodiment of the intergenerational covenant at
the heart of the organization's mission; and

WHEREAS, Egbe Iwa, Inc., is a non-profit organization with more than
100 alumni and robust community support whose graduates carry into the
world not only skills and knowledge but a deepened sense of self, an
abiding connection to their cultural heritage, and the moral formation
that the concept of Iwa demands-- young people of character, who are
ready to lead; and


WHEREAS, The Ite Siwaju is the culminating ceremony of Egbe Iwa's
year-long rite-of-passage program, the moment when the community gathers
to witness and celebrate the young people who have done the interior and
exterior work of transformation, claiming their seat at the table of
adulthood with the full blessing of their Oluko, their families, and
their community; and

WHEREAS, Now, in its 11th year, the Ite Siwaju Commencement Gala
stands as a testament to what is possible when a community seriously
heeds its responsibility to its young people and the traditions that
have sustained African and diasporic peoples through every era of
challenge and transformation; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is proudly moved to honor Egbe Iwa,
Inc., its founder Iya Amma Oloriwaa!, Oluko, Akeko, alumni, and the
extended community of ancestors, elders, and kin whose love and wisdom
make this work possible; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend Egbe Iwa, Inc., upon the occasion of hosting its 11th Annual Ite
Siwaju Commencement Gala on June 7, 2026, and to extend heartfelt
congratulations to the graduating class and deepest appreciation to all
who have walked alongside them; and be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Iya Amma Oloriwaa!, Oluko, Akeko, and the entire Egbe Iwa
community in recognition of their sacred and steadfast commitment to the
formation of young people of character in the tradition of good
character.