Two months ago, the Celebrate! Maya Project embarked on a first: a launch of our first-ever capital campaign for our first-ever headquarters.

We’re raising $600,000 through 2025 to renovate a 92-year-old home in the Little Rock Central High School district to provide a learning and training environment for creative programming and fostering community connections.

We’re doing it all in the spirit of Maya Angelou, and your support can make this possible.

The Celebrate! Maya Project has been Planting Seeds and Growing Dreams in Arkansas since our start eight years ago. We’ve held history immersion projects, where high school students interview Arkansas history makers, pen essays on their life and see their work in a published book. We’ve presented community conversations on the documentary “Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise,” and even welcomed the film’s director, Rita Coburn Whack, to Little Rock. We’ve showcased and heard from community leaders who assist our students with writing, creating poetry and essays, and presenting their work to audiences. We’ve held poetry contests, art competitions, career-planning workshops and concerts that have enriched our community and enabled our students to develop college-ready skills.

We selected the home in the historic Central High neighborhood because we want it to be a place where all citizens within the community can come together for learning and fellowship. The renovated space we will offer:

• 3 classrooms for after-school tutoring, writing workshops, art classes and camp sessions
• A community room and learning center for intergenerational forums and presentations
• An art and history gallery in honor of Maya Angelou
• 2 offices for administrators, staff, volunteers, and board meetings
• A community garden and memory park to educate on migration and sustainability
• And on-site recognition of donors

Please explore our site to learn more and visit this page to pledge your support to the Planting Seeds and Growing Dreams campaign. Your contribution will support generations to come.

–Carolyn Allen, chair, Celebrate! Maya Project Capital Campaign