MAAFA 2026
Schedule of MAAFA Week Events & Activities
Sun. September 20 - Thurs. September 27, 2026
Reclaiming the Village: Drawing the Blueprint: Visualizing the Future
Our Healing Hut: Interactive community session of everyday rituals for each aspect of healing.
Reclaiming The Village: Practical and symbolic models of African ways of being
Restorying Values: Collaborative definition statements on social values for communal futures
Specialized Conversations: Organic conversations that emerge from each day’s session
Honoring Our Voices: Community creating shared meaning of what constitutes voices essential to our well being
30
Sunday, August 30
8:00 AM - MAAFA Village Elders Permissioning Service
12
Saturday, September 12
10:00 AM - Bereavement Service of Comfort
19
Saturday, September 19
10:00 AM - Dedication of Our Babies: Welcoming The Spirit Home Ritual
20
Sunday, September 20
8:00 AM REMEMBERING
MAAFA Opening (Combined Worship Service)
Featured Speaker: REV. HODARI WILLIAMS
Team Leader, New Life Presbyterian Church (Atlanta GA)
*no separate 11AM service
6:00 PM
Dr. DANIEL BLACK
Professor of African-American studies at Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta GA
MAAFA Suite… A Healing Journey® - Dramatic Presentation
21
Monday, September 21
8:00 AM - HEALING HUT
Facilitator: DR. BRIDGETTE L. PIGGUE
Director of Spiritual Health, Emory University Hospital
10:00 AM - SACRED MEMORY
Featured Speaker: REV. WILLIAM H. LAMAR, IV
Pastor, Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church, Washington DC
12:00PM - LUNCH
2:00 PM - SACRED PROCLAMATION
Featured Speaker: REV. DR. CHELSEA BROOKE YARBOROUGH
Associate Director of Leadership Programming,
The Association of Theological Schools
22
Tuesday, September 22
8:00 AM - HEALING HUT
Facilitator: DR. BRIDGETTE L. PIGGUE
Director of Spiritual Health, Emory University Hospital
10:00 AM - EDUCATION
Featured Speaker: JARVIS R. GIVENS, Ph. D.
Associate Professor - Harvard Graduate School of Education
12:00PM - LUNCH
2:00 PM - MIND AND BODY
Featured Speakers:
REV. DR. WILLIAM MARCUS SMALL
Senior Pastor - New Calvary Baptist Church, Norfolk VA
REV. DR. EBONY D. ONLY
Executive Pastor, First Baptist Church of University Park
7:00 PM - HUSH HARBOR FOR EDUCATORS
23
Wednesday, September 23
8:00 AM - HEALING HUT
Facilitator: DR. BRIDGETTE L. PIGGUE
Director of Spiritual Health, Emory University Hospital
10:00 AM - HISTORY
Featured Speaker: MICHAEL HARRIOT
Economist, writer and cultural critic covering the intersection of race, politics, and social issues
12:00 PM - LUNCH
2:00 PM - ORGANIZING, PART 1
Featured Speaker: DR. CHARLES M. PAYNE
Henry Rutgers Distinguished Professor of African American Studies, Rutgers University (Newark NJ)
6:00 PM - UBUNTU AWARDS
Black-Tie Event
24
Thursday, September 24
8:00 AM - HEALING HUT
Facilitator: DR. BRIDGETTE L. PIGGUE
Director of Spiritual Health, Emory University Hospital
10:00 AM - PANEL DISCUSSION
Moderator: DR. CHARLES M. PAYNE
12:00 PM - LUNCH
2:00 PM - ECONOMICS
Featured Speaker: DR. JESSICA GORDON-NEMBHARD
Professor of Community Justice & Social Economic Development,
John Jay CUNY (New York NY)
7:00 PM - MAAFA Suite… A Healing Journey® - Dramatic Presentation
25
Friday, September 25
8:00 AM - HEALING HUT
Facilitator: Dr. BRIDGETTE L. PIGGUE
Director of Spiritual Health, Emory University Hospital
10:00 AM - IMAGINATION
Featured Speaker: DR. RUHA BENJAMIN
Associate Professor of African American Studies,
Princeton University (Princeton NJ)
7:00 PM - REV. DR. FREDERICK D. HAYNES, III
Senior Pastor, Friendship-West Baptist Church (Dallas TX)
MAAFA Suite… A Healing Journey® - Dramatic Presentation
26
Saturday, September 26
6:00 AM - Seaside Ceremony
27
Sunday, September 27
8:00 AM & 11:00 AM - MAAFA Closing Worship Service
Featured Speaker: REV. TREVOR A. HYDE
Pastor, Berean Baptist Church (Brooklyn NY)
