The DAY Program

02/21/2026

Reminder: No class today.

Our next class is March 21.

Catch us in Hampton at the Mary Jackson Community Center from 1–3 PM for a West African drum performance with live storytelling from Brotha Gip.

02/15/2026

Ehhhhhh Kerri Today we honor your New Year.
This is what living your passion looks like —
right here, in the present moment.
Giving it all you’ve got… because why not?

Aquarius spirit. Visionary. Independent.
Heart-led and original.

A bright smile that lifts the circle.
Helpful without hesitation.
Compassionate in how she moves.
Resourceful when it’s time to make it happen.

And when she steps into a solo —
steady, confident, fully herself.

Fifty-nine and fine as wine in rhythm.
Present. Purposeful. Powerful.

02/15/2026

The DAY Program is a 2026 Unity Award recipient.

Thank you to the City of Hampton’s Citizens’ Unity Commission for this recognition and for continuing to highlight work that strengthens diversity, inclusion, and connection in our city.

Congratulations to all of the nominees and fellow recipients. The collective effort across Hampton matters.

Deep appreciation to our ensemble members who came out and performed, and to every student, family, and partner who continues to build with us.

Through rhythm, breath, and movement, we will continue creating spaces where unity is practiced, not just celebrated.

02/14/2026

Community

🚨 We Are Launching
the Intercept & Restore Coalition 🚨

An Initiative of The Empowerment Center Foundation

Mental health crises should not become jail sentences.
Families should not be excluded from communication.
Care should not stop at custody.

We are gathering research partners and founding members to reform how individuals with mental health conditions are identified, supported, and restored while involved in the justice system.

🌳 Our Focus:
✔ Early diversion before arrest
✔ Mental health identification at intake
✔ Structured care coordination during incarceration
✔ Lawful family engagement
✔ Documented continuity planning prior to release
✔ Reducing recidivism
✔ Preventing family burnout
✔ Protecting responsible use of state & federal funds

🔎 We Are Seeking:
• Families impacted by incarceration & mental health
• Behavioral health professionals
• Law enforcement partners
• Reentry advocates
• Policy & legal experts
• Researchers & data partners
• Individuals with lived experience

Why This Matters
When care is interrupted:
• Individuals cycle repeatedly
• Families collapse under burnout
• Public dollars are wasted
• Communities destabilize

We believe in restoration-centered accountability.
Intercept crisis.
Restore stability.
Strengthen systems.

📩 Comment “INTERCEPT” or send us a message to Journwy a founding member and research contributor.

02/12/2026

We were honored to return for the third year in a row to the Youth Black Culture Fest at Fort Monroe! ✨

Each year, this gathering continues to grow — and so does the energy.

Kam Kelly led a powerful West African drumming experience, inviting youth into rhythm, leadership, and collective connection. Give thanks to all the ensemble members .images .hughes.944 .54123 and students who came out to assist. Bonney guided children and families through grounding breathing techniques to help them center, regulate, and tune in to themselves.

Seeing young people embrace cultural traditions while building tools for confidence and wellness is why we do this work.

Thank you to The Fort Monroe Authority, for continuing to create space for this important celebration.

We are grateful to keep showing up for the next generation — through rhythm, breath, and culture. 🥁🖤

02/12/2026

The DAY Program has been nominated for the 2026 Unity Awards — and we are honored.

To everyone who lifted our name into that room, thank you. You see the work. You feel the impact.

This is cultural wellness.
Rhythm as connection.
Culture centered.
Intergenerational healing.
Community in motion.

The DAY Program was built on a vision where culture and wellness live together — not as an idea, but as a lived practice. That vision moves through our youth, our families, and our incredible DAY Program Ensemble.

At the center of it all is Kam — the heartbeat of this work. This is a lifetime of rhythm, leadership, and dedication poured back into the community.

Congratulations to all of the other nominees doing powerful work across our city. We are proud to be recognized alongside you.

This nomination belongs to our ensemble members for their dedication, our students, their families, our partners, and every person building this movement with us.

We are rooted in culture.
We are committed to community.
And we are just getting started.