Javoen S. Byrd serves as the Executive Director of The Hawk Foundation for Research and Education in African Culture. He holds a Master’s Degree in Ethnomusicology from the University of Washington, where his work centered on the healing traditions, musical lineages, and cultural histories of African and African Diasporic communities. 

With a career spanning the Pacific Northwest, Africa, and international partners, Javoen has led major education initiatives focused on cultural restoration, youth empowerment, and community healing. His leadership includes directing both federal and state-funded projects, including civics and cultural education programs, youth rehabilitation initiatives, and cross-cultural curriculum development. Under his leadership, The Hawk Foundation also formalized a national partnership with Nigeria’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, expanding the organization’s impact on the African continent and strengthening global cultural preservation efforts. 

Javoen has facilitated and expanded community education programming across the United States and internationally, building bridges between schools, cultural institutions, and communities. He has also partnered with Washington State Native tribes, including the Muckleshoot and Nisqually Tribes, to develop educational empowerment programs rooted in cultural drumming practices. By adapting the Foundation’s African drumming framework to support Indigenous cultural traditions, his work promotes cross-cultural respect, healing, and identity reclamation across diverse communities. 

His work reflects a deep commitment to cultural integrity, historical truth-telling, and using the arts, especially drumming, to strengthen identity, belonging, and social transformation. Under his guidance, The Hawk Foundation continues to expand its national and international impact, advancing culturally rooted education, global partnerships, and community-driven restoration efforts. 

Ayandoja Aloyinlapa comes from a revered lineage of Traditional Ayan—sacred drummers entrusted with carrying the spiritual voice of the Yoruba people. He is the son of the late Aare Ilu of Oyo State, a distinguished chieftaincy of the drum and one of the highest traditional titles bestowed upon a master drummer. Through his father’s lineage, Ayandoja inherits a profound responsibility to uphold the drum as a living vessel of history, ceremony, and ancestral communication.

His mother is Yeye Ọ̀ṣun Ateyẹsẹ̀ of Òkè Ògùn land, a respected chief priestess devoted to preserving the spiritual and cultural heritage of the Yoruba people. Through her priesthood, Ayandoja is equally rooted in the sacred traditions of ritual practice, spiritual stewardship, and community healing.

Following the path laid by his ancestors, Ayandoja Aloyinlapa serves his community as both master drummer and priest, embodying the inseparable relationship between rhythm, spirit, and cultural memory. He is a dedicated educator of Yoruba cultural heritage, committed to transmitting ancestral knowledge with integrity, discipline, and reverence.

As a cultural custodian and bridge-builder, Ayandoja plays a vital role in advancing The Hawk Foundation’s work in Africa and throughout the global African diaspora, ensuring that traditional knowledge is honored, protected, and carried forward with authenticity for future generations

Shawna Hawk has devoted her life to the empowerment of women and youth of color, particularly Black women and girls. Shawna spent the first part of her career as an early childhood and youth educator, then transitioned to become a teacher trainer and family education specialist, with a focus on incorporating cultural diversity into the classroom. 

Shawna also spent many years doing child abuse prevention classes and being a domestic abuse survivor advocate and facilitator of support groups around this topic. Shawna went on to earn a Master’s degree in Leadership and Education, bi-cultural development, and Social and Human Services. Her Thesis topic, African American Women and the development of healthy psychosocial self-empowerment strategies, led her to continue her education and research on how these resiliency tools can be developed. In her research, she found that music, dance, and cultural preservation of one's ancestral background were very important to this work. Shawna went on to create the Women of Color in Leadership Movement.

Dr. Joy DeGruy is a globally respected social scientist, educator, and author whose work has reshaped how we understand trauma, healing, and Black liberation. She is best known for her groundbreaking book Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome, a seminal work that examines the lasting impact of slavery and systemic racism on African American communities. 

Dr. DeGruy holds advanced degrees in Social Work, Social Research, Speech Communication, and Clinical Psychology, and has taught in universities across the country—including serving as an Assistant Professor at Portland State University and a Visiting Scholar at Morehouse College. 

Today, she leads transformational healing work as President & CEO of DeGruy Publications and Executive Director of Be The Healing, a nonprofit dedicated to restoring wellness and cultural wholeness in Black communities worldwide. 

Having Dr. Joy DeGruy on the Hawk Foundation Board strengthens our mission and deepens our commitment to African-centered education, cultural preservation, and generational healing. Her voice, scholarship, and leadership are an immeasurable gift. 

George Collins is a cultural communicator, a global storyteller, and a dedicated Board Member of the Hawk Foundation, where he also serves as Communications Director. His work is grounded in amplifying truth, preserving culture, and uplifting the voices of African and African-American communities — values that sit at the heart of Hawk’s mission. 

Before joining the Hawk Foundation in 2024, Collins spent over a decade as a radio host and podcaster, traveling to India, Kenya, Turkey, the U.K., and cities across the U.S. to capture the stories of everyday people. His global journeys shaped his belief that narrative is a powerful tool for healing, connection, and liberation. 

At Hawk, he channels this ethos into a communications strategy, helping guide the organization’s voice as it advances music, healing practices, education, and cultural history rooted in the African world. 

Alongside his work in the cultural sector, Collins also represents a range of roofing and waterproofing manufacturers across public and private industries. In this role, he champions sustainability and long-term stewardship through high-quality building materials and responsible construction practices. 

Adefemi Taye is a cultural advocate, tourism enthusiast, and emerging Afrobeat recording artist born and raised in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. A proud son of Igboora, Ibarapa Central in Oyo State, Adefemi studied Business Administration from Plateau State Polytechnic, Jos.
Beyond the classroom, Adefemi’s heart beats for African culture, travel, and music. He has actively participated in cultural festivals both in Nigeria and abroad, using every stage and journey to celebrate and share the richness of the continent’s heritage. As a passion that led him to become a dedicated member of the Hawk Foundation for Research and Education in African Culture.
Currently, Adefemi is pursuing his dream of becoming a globally recognized Afrobeat artist and signed a publishing contract with the acclaimed Colorado-based label Color Red Music. Through his music, cultural work, and travels, he continues to bridge communities and shine a vibrant light on African stories for the world.