Rakim Jenkins

Rakim Jenkins has over a decade of experience in education, with a commitment to fostering a deep understanding of history and culture among his students. A proud alumnus of the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at The City College of New York (CCNY), Rakim double-majored in Sociology and Black Studies. His transformative experience at CCNY, particularly his studies of the rich history of people of African descent prior to slavery, ignited his passion for history and shaped his mission to empower students with knowledge of their ancestry, culture, and identity

Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, Rakim emphasizes restorative justice, culturally responsive teaching, and project-based learning in his classroom. His goal is to cultivate transformative thinkers and agents of change within the community. He holds a Project-Based Learning Certification from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education and a Master’s Degree in Teaching from Relay GSE. Rakim was also awarded the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship, which allowed him to develop humanities curricula in Ghana for the U.S. Department of Education.

Rakim is deeply passionate about guiding students toward becoming global citizens through international exploration, reflecting his commitment to fostering a more informed and interconnected world. One of his lifelong dreams was to take students to Ghana, his favorite place in the world. That dream became a reality when he served as a travel mentor with I AM C.U.L.T.U.R.E.D., first accompanying students to Ghana and later to Italy—both of which were transformative experiences for him and the students. Rakim is excited to continue contributing to the organization’s mission and looks forward to supporting its growth and impact

In his free time, Rakim enjoys playing chess and basketball. He also co-leads the Ndugu and Nzinga Rites of Passage Mentorship program, which is dedicated to self-mastery for community transformation.