About us

The Mama Sheila Foundation is dedicated to empowering underserved youth and families by providing guidance, mentorship, academic support, and life skills. We create safe spaces where children can thrive, discover their strengths, and prepare to become strong leaders.

Our programs are designed to break cycles of disadvantage, equip youth with the tools they need to succeed, and foster resilience, confidence, and growth. Through community-driven initiatives and outreach efforts, we strive to uplift individuals and families, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

At the Mama Sheila Foundation, we believe that the future of our community depends on what we build today.

Our Story

The Mama Sheila Foundation was created out of love, concern, and a deep sense of responsibility for our community’s future. Watching so many of our children struggle without guidance, support, and opportunity became impossible to ignore. We saw the gaps. We saw the need. And we knew something had to be done.

Today’s generation is often labeled “Gen Z”—the last letter of the alphabet. For many in our community, that symbolism feels unsettling. At the current pace, far too many of our youth are at risk of falling behind academically, emotionally, and economically. Predictions that Black America’s household income could decline drastically in the coming decades serve as a warning. If we do nothing, today’s children could inherit a future filled with poverty and limited opportunity.

The Mama Sheila Foundation exists to change that trajectory.

Our story is rooted in the belief that every child deserves more—more guidance, more opportunity, more support, and more hope. We believe safe spaces change lives. We believe mentorship builds confidence. We believe exposure creates vision. And we believe that when children are nurtured, equipped, and encouraged, they rise.

What began as concern became commitment. That commitment became action. And that action became the Mama Sheila Foundation—a movement focused on breaking cycles, building legacies, and strengthening our neighborhood from the inside out.

We are not just preparing children for the next grade level—we are preparing them for adulthood, leadership, and generational impact. Because without intentional investment in our youth, our future—and our community—is at risk.

At the Mama Sheila Foundation, we are choosing to build a different future. One child. One family. One legacy at a time.

Our Mission

Our mission is to empower underserved youth and families by providing guidance, mentorship, academic support, and life skills. We are committed to creating safe spaces and opportunities that help children break cycles, build legacies, and thrive—because the strength of our community begins with the foundations we lay today.

Our Vision

Our vision is a thriving, empowered community where every child has access to guidance, opportunities, and a safe environment to reach their full potential. We strive to break cycles of disadvantage, foster growth and resilience, and build lasting legacies that uplift future generations.

Our Values

• Empowerment – We equip youth and families with the tools, skills, and confidence to create positive change in their lives and communities.

• Guidance – We provide mentorship, support, and direction to help children and families navigate challenges successfully.

• Opportunity – We are committed to creating access to education, resources, and experiences that foster growth and success.

• Safety – We cultivate safe, nurturing spaces where every child can learn, grow, and thrive.

• Community – We believe in building strong, connected communities that uplift one another and create lasting impact.

• Legacy – We aim to break cycles of disadvantage and inspire generations to build meaningful, positive legacies.

Key Points

• There are currently more Black individuals incarcerated than there were enslaved in 1861.
• Few safe places exist for minority youth to learn and grow outside of school.
• Many children have absent parents or single-parent homes, leaving little guidance or structure.

Problems Identified

• School closures
• Mass incarceration affecting families and communities
• Lack of father figures and positive role models
• The belief that success is out of reach
• Cultural desensitization and loss of faith in older generations
• Limited exposure to successful Black professionals and leaders

A Message from Our Founder
 

There were many nights I sat in silence in the middle of the night — praying, crying, and asking God:

“Lord, I want to change. I want to turn my life around. But I honestly don’t know where to start.”

And I know I’m not the only one.

There is a painful place between potential and purpose. A place where you know you are called to more… yet you feel stuck. You can hear that small voice telling you that you are capable, that you are meant for greater — but you don’t have the direction, the mentorship, or the resources to move forward.

Sometimes it’s not laziness.

Sometimes it’s not lack of desire.

Sometimes it’s simply not knowing who to talk to, where to go, or how to begin.

I think about what I call the “goldfish theory.” They say a goldfish’s mind resets every 30 seconds. If you watch one dying in a tank, it will lie at the bottom, then suddenly swim up — only to stop and sink again. Over and over.

If its mind resets every 30 seconds, then the only life it remembers is dying.

That repetition becomes its reality.

And that’s what happens in communities without guidance. When children grow up without mentorship, without exposure, without safe spaces to learn and dream — survival becomes the only life they know. They repeat cycles not because they lack potential, but because they lack direction.

Seeing how lost many of our children are today breaks my heart. They are called “Gen Z” — the last letter of the alphabet. Symbolizing the end. And at the pace we are going, that symbolism feels dangerously possible.

Mass incarceration, economic instability, school closures, absent father figures — these are not just headlines. They are realities in our neighborhoods. Many of our children grow up without witnessing success that looks like them. The idea of “making it out” feels like a fairy tale instead of a future.

That is why I created the Mama Sheila Foundation.

I created it to be the place I wish more of us had.

A safe place.

A guiding place.

A place where children are mentored, encouraged, challenged, and prepared.

A place that breaks repetition and builds legacy.

Our youth are not the problem — they are the promise. They are capable. They are gifted. They are worthy of investment.

Our neighborhood needs this. Our future depends on this.

And I believe with all my heart that when we give our children guidance, structure, and opportunity, they will rise beyond what statistics predict.

One child.

One family.

One legacy at a time.

With love and commitment,

Mama Sheila

Founder, Mama Sheila Foundation

The future is watching.
Lets build it together.