OUR story
Zawadi Cultural Collective was founded in December 2017 to build synergy among organizations in the San Fernando Valley and amplify the needs and voices of underserved communities. In our first year, we hosted three major events—the Women’s Empowerment & Vision Board Party, the Summer Community Celebration, and our Holiday Celebration—establishing our core pillars of youth, empowerment, and community.
As our impact expanded, we introduced new programs including a Youth Speaking and Leadership Program, a Business based Scavenger Hunt, and an ever-growing Summer Community Celebration. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we created Black In The Valley, a private Facebook group that quickly grew to more than 5,000 members and became an essential information and social hub for people of color in the region. At the same time, we launched our weekly food distribution program, which now provides nutritious fruits, vegetables, proteins, prepackaged meals, eggs, and bread to 120–150 families each week.
In 2022, we added high school scholarships, the Zawadi Community Awards, and the Black In The Valley Marketplace to our Summer Community Celebration. The marketplace was created to give small Black-owned businesses a platform to connect with the community and increase their economic opportunities. Attendance continued to grow, surpassing 2,000 participants when the event moved to Pierce College in 2023. In 2024, we launched the Kidpreneur Business Academy to help youth develop and launch their own businesses. By 2025, our Summer Community Celebration welcomed more than 3,000 attendees.
Today, Zawadi Cultural Collective proudly presents over eight annual events, operates a weekly food distribution program, awards four high school scholarships, and honors local leaders through our Community Awards. Our continued growth reflects our dedication to empowering, uplifting, and uniting the San Fernando Valley community.
As our impact expanded, we introduced new programs including a Youth Speaking and Leadership Program, a Business based Scavenger Hunt, and an ever-growing Summer Community Celebration. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we created Black In The Valley, a private Facebook group that quickly grew to more than 5,000 members and became an essential information and social hub for people of color in the region. At the same time, we launched our weekly food distribution program, which now provides nutritious fruits, vegetables, proteins, prepackaged meals, eggs, and bread to 120–150 families each week.
In 2022, we added high school scholarships, the Zawadi Community Awards, and the Black In The Valley Marketplace to our Summer Community Celebration. The marketplace was created to give small Black-owned businesses a platform to connect with the community and increase their economic opportunities. Attendance continued to grow, surpassing 2,000 participants when the event moved to Pierce College in 2023. In 2024, we launched the Kidpreneur Business Academy to help youth develop and launch their own businesses. By 2025, our Summer Community Celebration welcomed more than 3,000 attendees.
Today, Zawadi Cultural Collective proudly presents over eight annual events, operates a weekly food distribution program, awards four high school scholarships, and honors local leaders through our Community Awards. Our continued growth reflects our dedication to empowering, uplifting, and uniting the San Fernando Valley community.
We cannot continue this work without your support. Please consider making a donation today and help us uplift the community.
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Shania acciusExecutive directorProducer, philanthropist, and entrepreneur Shania Accius is the founder of Zawadi Cultural Collective and Black In The Valley. For more than a decade, she has been recognized for her unwavering commitment to the arts, women’s empowerment, and community reform. Shania has served on the Winnetka Neighborhood Council, the Warner Cultural Advisory Board, and is an active member of the NAACP and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
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Keith paschallproducerKeith brings a strategic and creative vision to his role as Zawadi’s Producer. He launched his career at BET, rising to become one of the company’s youngest senior managers before moving to Los Angeles to co-found a production company with acclaimed director Bille Woodruff. His career expanded into reality television, producing hit series such as The Amazing Race, Married at First Sight, and Dr. Pimple Popper. Today, Keith leverages his extensive managerial and accounting expertise to oversee and guide all of Zawadi’s active projects.
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the team
brenda pannell-NashBoard Member
daysha britt-willsBoard Member
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ericka richardsBoard Member
Julia andersonCommunity Outreach Director
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want to get involved with our programs and events? we always welcome your support. Send us your contact information along with your interest and one of our team will contact you.
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