A belief that children need a strong sense of who they are lies at the heart of the Bangladesh Academy of Fine Arts, known as BAFA. So many kids need to know their identity, those behind the organization say, and they need to know their culture. That conviction is what inspired Farida Yasmin to help establish the academy and give young people a place to connect with their heritage.
BAFA is a woman-led non-profit organization with a clearly defined purpose. It aims to uplift immigrant families and the youth in the community, offering them both support and a sense of belonging. Its founders built it specifically to serve those families and the young people growing up among them.
At the center of the academy's work is a full slate of programming that runs throughout the year. BAFA offers regular year-round programs that include dance and music, both instrumental and vocal, as well as visual arts. Alongside the artistic training, it also provides Bengali literacy, helping younger members stay connected to their language.
The organization is not a newcomer to the neighborhood. BAFA has been serving members of the community for more than a decade, based right in the Bronx. Over those years it has built a steady presence, becoming a familiar place for families who want to keep their traditions alive.
For those who built the academy, the goal has always reached beyond the present moment. Our dream was that one day we will be able to continue our program and hand it to our next generation, one of its members said, adding that this transition is happening now. The handoff marks a milestone for an organization founded on the idea of continuity.
That sense of legacy is what its members hope to carry forward. BAFA is something they hope they can keep doing for many more years to come, sustaining the programs that have already shaped young people in the community. For the families it serves, the academy stands as both a link to where they come from and an investment in the generation still to grow up there.