Who We Are

Communities For Generations, Inc. (CFG) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering underrepresented communities through restoring traditional cultural values, providing civic education and employing a universal community economic development framework to guide our vision. By uniting mission-aligned organizations, we amplify impact and drive lasting change. Our work promotes self-sufficiency, cooperative ownership and community-led governance, ensuring that those most affected by systemic inequities have the power to shape their future.

Who We Are

Communities For Generations, Inc. (CFG) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering underrepresented communities through restoring traditional cultural values, providing civic education and employing a universal community economic development framework to guide our vision. Our work promotes self-sufficiency, cooperative ownership and community-led governance, ensuring that those most affected by systemic inequities have the power to shape their future.

Our Approach

At CFG, we believe in shifting power from top-down institutions to the people who know their communities best. Our work is rooted in grassroots organizing, strategic advocacy and cross-sector collaboration, bringing together residents, local businesses, educators, policymakers and community-based organizations to drive lasting change.We focus on:

  • Economic Empowerment – Creating pathways to financial independence through cooperative business models and wealth-building strategies.

  • Holistic Wellness – Restoring mind, body and spirit through culturally rooted healing practices, community care models and accessible wellness strategies.

  • Education & Civic Engagement – Enhancing civic literacy, leadership development and public policy awareness.

  • Data-Driven Solutions – Using research and community-driven data to inform policies and drive meaningful reform.

Our Approach

At CFG, we believe in shifting power from top-down institutions to the people who know their communities best. Our work is rooted in grassroots organizing, strategic advocacy and cross-sector collaboration, bringing together residents, local businesses, educators, policymakers and community-based organizations to drive lasting change.We focus on:

  • Economic Empowerment – Creating pathways to financial independence through cooperative business models and wealth-building strategies.

  • Holistic Wellness – Restoring mind, body and spirit through culturally rooted healing practices, community care models and accessible wellness strategies.

  • Education & Civic Engagement – Enhancing civic literacy, leadership development and public policy awareness.

  • Data-Driven Solutions – Using research and community-driven data to inform policies and drive meaningful reform.

Vision

Our vision is to create thriving communities where every resident feels valued, connected, and empowered to build a prosperous future for generations to come.

Vision

Our vision is to create thriving communities where every resident feels valued, connected, and empowered to build a prosperous future for generations to come.

Our History

CFG was founded on the principle that economic justice is a cornerstone of racial justice. With deep roots in New Haven, CT and Washington, DC’s Ward 8, we have spent years working alongside communities to dismantle systemic barriers and create opportunities for sustainable growth.

Through Power in Practice Community Economic Development Framework, we provide individuals and organizations with the resources, knowledge and tools necessary to build resilient and thriving communities. Our partnerships with universities, grassroots organizations, advocacy groups and local officials enables us to scale impact and drive policy change at the local and state levels.

Our History

CFG was founded on the principle that economic justice is a cornerstone of racial justice. With deep roots in New Haven, CT and Washington, DC’s Ward 8, we have spent years working alongside communities to dismantle systemic barriers and create opportunities for sustainable growth.

Through Power in Practice Community Economic Development Framework, we provide individuals and organizations with the resources, knowledge and tools necessary to build resilient and thriving communities. Our partnerships with universities, grassroots organizations, advocacy groups and local officials enables us to scale impact and drive policy change at the local and state levels.

Our Impact

Key Initiatives

Annual Community Economic Development Summit

A platform for thought leaders, residents and policymakers to address economic disparities and propose actionable solutions.

SAGE Civic Institute

A viable community-led academy for life-long learners to enhance political, social and economic literacy and acquire skills and resources to lead and engage in civic life.

Health & Wellness Initiatives

A pathway for communities to practice emotional, spiritual and physical wellbeing in ways that honor ancestral wisdom and holistic wellness as essential pillars of community strength.

How We Measure Success

We define success by the well-being of the children of the communities we serve. Youth’s physical, emotional, mental, and educational well-being are the metrics by which we measure our efficacy. Through data, increased civic participation, economic growth and policy changes, we ensure that our initiatives translate into real, measurable impact.

Our Impact

Key Initiatives

Annual Community Economic Development Summit

A platform for thought leaders, residents and policymakers to address economic disparities and propose actionable solutions.

SAGE Civic Institute

A viable community-led academy for life-long learners to enhance political, social and economic literacy and acquire skills and resources to lead and engage in civic life.

Health & Wellness Initiatives

A pathway for communities to practice emotional, spiritual and physical wellbeing in ways that honor ancestral wisdom and holistic wellness as essential pillars of community strength.

How We Measure Success

We define success by the well-being of the children of the communities we serve. Youth’s physical, emotional, mental, and educational well-being are the metrics by which we measure our efficacy. Through data, increased civic participation, economic growth and policy changes, we ensure that our initiatives translate into real, measurable impact.

Our Story

We settled in New Haven over 120 years ago. Our roots run deep in the Dixwell/Newhallville neighborhoods, where our ancestors founded and pastored St. Lukes Episcopal and Varick AME Zion churches, respectively, where a great-grandmother served as Mother of the Church, and a grandparent purchased her first home. We are generationally invested in the health and well-being of our community. Communities for Generations, Inc. answers the echoes of our elders who dreamed of a future they could not yet see and lights the way for youth in need of nurturing, mentorship and safety.

Today, our work focuses on health, wealth, and wellness within families. Healing from trauma is at the forefront, because without doing so, the impoverished BIPOC communities we serve cannot fully embrace their rights or appreciate their access to prosperity. For generations, property ownership and entrepreneurship were distant dreams, unattainable due to systemic barriers to education, cultural exchange, and economic resources. Yet, even now, many baby boomers, Gen Xers, and Gen Zers struggle to see these possibilities as within their reach.

We are here to change that. CFG is committed to restoring the values, culture and self-sufficiency of--and creating pathways to ownership, opportunity and empowerment for--underrepresented communities.

Our Story

We settled in New Haven over 120 years ago. Our roots run deep in the Dixwell/Newhallville neighborhoods, where our ancestors founded and pastored St. Lukes Episcopal and Varick AME Zion churches, respectively, where a great-grandmother served as Mother of the Church, and a grandparent purchased her first home. We are generationally invested in the health and well-being of our community.

Communities for Generations, Inc. answers the echoes of our elders who dreamed of a future they could not yet see and lights the way for youth in need of nurturing, mentorship and safety.

Today, our work focuses on health, wealth, and wellness within families. Healing from trauma is at the forefront, because without doing so, the impoverished BIPOC communities we serve cannot fully embrace their rights or appreciate their access to prosperity. For generations, property ownership and entrepreneurship were distant dreams, unattainable due to systemic barriers to education, cultural exchange, and economic resources. Yet, even now, many baby boomers, Gen Xers, and Gen Zers struggle to see these possibilities as within their reach.

We are here to change that. CFG is committed to restoring the values, culture and self-sufficiency of--and creating pathways to ownership, opportunity and empowerment for--underrepresented communities.

Meet our Team

Arden Santana

Director of Educational Programs

Arden Santana is an award-winning educator, curriculum consultant and civic literacy advocate with over two decades of experience designing paradigm-shifting learning experiences that equip communities with knowledge and tools to thrive. As the Director of Educational Programs at Communities for Generations, Inc. (CFG), Arden leads the development and delivery of civic literacy, community economic development and leadership initiatives that center cultural relevance, clarity of purpose and lasting impact.

Arden is also the founding Board Chair of CFG and plays a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s mission to build generational self-sufficiency for historically marginalized communities through civic education, healing-centered practices and policy literacy. Her commitment to systems change is rooted in her deep belief that education must serve as both a liberatory force and a strategic tool.

In addition to her work with CFG, Arden is the founding director of SAGE Civic Institute and a Yale Access to Law Fellow. She brings visionary leadership, curriculum expertise and a bold voice to the work of restoring equity and civic power in Black and Brown communities across Connecticut and beyond

Belito Garcia

Director of Techonology & Operations

Belito Garcia didn’t get into technology for the gadgets. He got into it to solve real problems for real people.


As a founding member and the Director of Technology & Operations at Communities For Generations, Inc. (CFG), Belito uses his expertise in web design, business programming and operational leadership to build systems that make community work sustainable, not just for today, but for the next generation.


Every database, every platform, every workflow he touches is designed with one goal: to make it easier for CFG to do what matters most: connect, uplift and empower people.


Belito believes that community isn't built with speeches. It’s built with action, structure and follow-through. His passion is turning ideas into systems that serve, support and scale impact.


At CFG, Belito is more than the tech guy. He’s the architect behind the scenes, making sure that every move the organization makes is stronger, smarter and built to last.

Hafeeza Turé

Director of Health & Wellness Initiatives

Hafeeza Turé is a bridge between generations, cultures and possibilities. As a founding member of Communities for Generations, Inc. (CFG), she brings a unique blend of ancestral wisdom, entrepreneurial spirit and healing practices to every initiative. With over two decades of experience in organizational leadership, economic development and community wellness, Hafeeza’s work centers around building ecosystems where Black communities can thrive across lifetimes.

In her role as Director of Health & Wellness Initiatives, Hafeeza leads programs that restore balance, cultivate belonging and empower self-determination. Drawing from her lineage of healers and her expertise in acupuncture detoxification and holistic wellness, she designs spaces where healing is not only possible, but inevitable.

A global citizen rooted in the African diaspora, Hafeeza moves with both strategy and soul—fusing cultural pride, community care and economic empowerment into every project she touches. Through CFG, she is committed to fostering environments where generations connect, heal, build and bloom together.

Her work is a living testament to the truth that when we nurture our roots, we transform our future.

Meet our Team

Arden Santana

Director of Education & Training

Arden Santana is an award-winning educator, curriculum consultant and civic strategist with over two decades of experience designing paradigm-shifting learning experiences that equip communities with knowledge and tools to thrive. As the Director of Education & Training at Communities for Generations, Inc. (CFG), Arden leads the development and delivery of civic literacy, community economic development and leadership training initiatives that center cultural relevance, clarity of purpose and lasting impact.

Arden is also the founding Board Chair of CFG and plays a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s mission to build generational self-sufficiency for historically marginalized communities through civic education, healing-centered practices and policy literacy. Her commitment to systems change is rooted in her deep belief that education must serve as both a liberatory force and a strategic tool.

In addition to her work with CFG, Arden is the founding director of SAGE Civic Institute and a Yale Access to Law School Fellow. She brings visionary leadership, curriculum expertise and a bold voice to the work of restoring equity and civic power in Black and Brown communities across Connecticut and beyond

Belito Garcia

Director of Techonology & Operations

Belito Garcia didn’t get into technology for the gadgets. He got into it to solve real problems for real people.


He’s the Founder of Cool Nerd Consulting and Co-Founder of SAGE Civic Institute (formerly SĀHGE Academy), where he also serves as Director of Technology & Operations. And as a founding member and Director of Technology & Operations at Communities For Generations, Inc. (CFG), Belito uses his deep expertise in web design, systems thinking and business programming to build infrastructure that powers real-world impact.


Every database, every platform, every workflow he creates is built with one goal — to make it easier for mission-driven organizations to connect, uplift, and empower people.


Belito believes community isn’t built on hope or speeches. It’s built on action, structure and follow-through. His passion is turning good ideas into systems that actually work and scale.


Across all his work, Belito is the architect behind the scenes, making sure the tech runs smooth, the mission stays focused and the impact lasts for generations.

Hafeeza Turé

Director of Health & Wellness

Hafeeza Turé is a bridge between generations, cultures, and possibilities. As a founding member of Communities for Generations, Inc. (CFG), she brings a unique blend of ancestral wisdom, entrepreneurial spirit, and healing practices to every initiative. With over two decades of experience in organizational leadership, economic development, and community wellness, Hafeeza’s work centers around building ecosystems where Black communities can thrive across lifetimes.

In her role as Director of Health & Wellbeing Initiatives, Hafeeza leads programs that restore balance, cultivate belonging, and empower self-determination. Drawing from her lineage of healers and her expertise in acupuncture detoxification and holistic wellness, she designs spaces where healing is not only possible, but inevitable.

A global citizen rooted in the African diaspora, Hafeeza moves with both strategy and soul—fusing cultural pride, community care, and economic empowerment into every project she touches. Through CFG, she is committed to fostering environments where generations connect, heal, build, and bloom together.

Her work is a living testament to the truth that when we nurture our roots, we transform our future.

Join Us

We are building a future where community-driven solutions lead to systemic transformation. Whether you're an individual, business, or institution, you can contribute to the movement.

Image

Attend an Event

Engage with us at our summits, workshops, and community meetings.

Image

Support Our Work

Donate or sponsor an initiative to help expand our reach.

Image

Partner With Us

Collaborate on projects that drive sustainable change.

Together, we can build a just, self-sufficient and empowered future for all generations.

Join Us

We are building a future where community-driven solutions lead to systemic transformation. Whether you're an individual, business, or institution, you can contribute to the movement.

Image

Attend an Event

Engage with us at our summits, workshops, and community meetings.

Image

Support Our Work

Donate or sponsor an initiative to help expand our reach.

Image

Partner With Us

Collaborate on projects that drive sustainable change.

Together, we can build a just, self-sufficient and empowered future for all generations.

Just A Little Help Can Make Their Hearts Happier.

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Join Us in Transforming Communities

CFG is more than an organization—it’s a movement. We are actively designing the systems needed to sustain economic and racial justice for generations. Through collective action, holistic education, and strategic advocacy, we are pioneering a new model for resident-led transformation.

  • Get Involved – Attend our events, workshops, and initiatives.

  • Support Our Work – Donate to help sustain and expand our impact.

  • Partner With Us – Collaborate with us to drive systemic change.

Together, we can create a future shaped by the voices, needs, and leadership of the community. Be part of the change today.

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