About Our ORGANIZATION

Sarah Webster Fabio Center for Social Justice (SWFCenter)

A 501(C)3, the organization was inspired by the work of Sarah Fabio, poet, scholar, educator, and cultural critic. Fabio consistently found ways to speak her truth and continues to inspire others to do the same!

The Goal

Our programming is unapologetic and focused on African Americans and the African Diaspora. SWFCenter operates as a trans-disciplinary, community-based, media outlet that is youth-concerned and free-flowing. SWFCenter’s primary practice is producing documentary films. Our films emphasize cultural transformation and countering widespread anti-Black narratives. SWFCenter’s efforts inspire future change agents to thrive. The organization made twenty in 2023.

The Mission

The mission of SWFCenter is to support the needs of traditionally underserved communities by providing opportunities for dialogue, art, social justice, and community building.

The Vision

SWFCenter focuses on the voices of Black futures and on inspiring our coming generations of Black change agents to speak up!

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About Sarah Fabio

Rainbow Black: Poet Sarah Webster Fabio

Feature Title

The Black Film Center/Archive at Indiana University has been awarded a Preservation Grant from the National Film Preservation Foundation to preserve the 1976 documentary film Rainbow Black: Poet Sarah W. Fabio.

Sarah Webster Fabio (1928-1979) established herself as a major figure in the black art and cultural consciousness movements of the 1960s and 1970s through her contributions as a poet, performer, literary critic, and educator. Strongly associated with the Black Arts Movement in which she was active, Fabio’s major poetic work includes the seven-volume series, Rainbow Signs (1973): Black Back: Back Black; Boss Soul; Jujus/Alchemy of the Blues; Soul Ain’t, Soul Is; and Together/To the Tune of Coltrane’s “Equinox.”

Sarah Webster was born in Nashville, Tennessee on January 20 th , 1928. She was the middle child; oldest girl of six kids. Her mother, Mayme Louise Story Webster died when Sarah was 14. Her dad, Tom, solicited the
extended family to help rear the children. Tom never re-married and worked as a Railroad Blueprinter in Tennessee for 50 years. He and his kids also catered lavish parties for wealthy Black and white clients.

Sarah met Cyril Fabio at 16, a senior at Fisk University. Cyril, a dental student at Meharry Medical School. Once he graduated, he enlisted in the Air Force to repay his tuition. Sarah and Cyril married and traveled as they grew their young family. From Florida, to Tennessee, back to Florida, and next Wiesbaden, Germany. Each stop resulted in a child’s birth. In Wiesbaden, Sarah saw the horrors of the Jewish Holocaust which changed her thinking forever. The Fabios were then stationed in Wichita, Kansas, where their last child was born, Cyril retired from the Air Force, and the family settled in East Oakland, California.

Sarah worked as a social worker, then taught elementary school, and eventually return for a Masters’ in Language Arts degree focused on poetry. She was already a force in her community. Sarah then embarked on an academic career first at the old Grove Street, Merritt College where her students included Maulana Karenga, Bobby Seale, and Huey Newton. She is known to have introduced her curriculum of Black Studies to the Grove Street campus earning the title of “Mother of Black Studies”.

The First World Festival of Negro Art in 1966, Dakar, Senegal, Sarah read poetry alongside her mentor Langston Hughes and others. She next began lecturing at the California College of Arts and Crafts and the University of California, Berkeley (UCB). Sarah and others created UCB’s inaugural Black Studies Department. Since then, Fabio lectured at Cornell University, Indiana University, Loyola University, University of Iowa, and numerous others.

She divorced Cyril in 1972, and eventually accepted a position at Oberlin College in New York. Her creative voice was closely associated with the Black Arts Movement.

In 1976 while teaching at the University of Wisconsin, and simultaneously earning her Ph.D. at the University of Iowa in American and African Studies, Fabio was frequently published in Negro Digest, Black World, Black Scholar, and other well-known national publications.

She is the self-published author of Rainbow Signs (a series of 7 volumes of poetry). She produced and recorded 4 LPs for Folkway Records (now Smithsonian/ Folkways). The family band, of sons and friends “Don’t Fight the Feelin’ ” accompanied her on the LPs. The band included eldest son Cyril Leslie III on congas, Ronal Eric on the base, Thomas as MC, and Wayne Wallace, son-in-law as lead guitar. Leon Denianke Williams (woodwinds) led the band and Larry Vaughan (drums) frequently sat in. In 1976, Sarah’s daughter, Cheryl, produced Rainbow Black: Poet Sarah Webster Fabio, a 30 minute film.

Sarah died from cancer in 1979 while living in Oakland, CA.

About Sarah Fabio

Sarah Webster Fabio was born in Nashville, Tennessee on January 20^th, 1928. She was the oldest girl of six kids. Her mother, Mayme Louise Story Webster died when Fabio was 14. Her dad, Tom Webster solicited their extended family to help rear the children. Tom Webster never re-married and worked as a Railroad Blueprinter in Tennessee for 50 years. In addition, he and his kids catered lavish parties for wealthy Blacks and whites.

Sarah met Cyril Fabio while she was a 16-year-old senior at Fisk University. Cyril, a dental student attended Meharry Medical School. When he finished, Cyril enlisted in the Air Force to repay his tuition. The two married and traveled as they grew their young family.

They lived in Florida, Tennessee, and then back to Florida. Next, was Wiesbaden, Germany. Each stop resulted in a child’s birth. In Wiesbaden, Sarah learned up close the horrors of the Jewish Holocaust. That changed her trajectory forever. After returning to the States, and being stationed in Wichita, Kansas, where their last child was born, the Fabios moved and settled in East Oakland, California.

Sarah first got a job as a social worker in Oakland. Next, she taught in elementary schools. When she decided to return to school for a Masters’s in Language Arts with a focus on poetry, she was already a force in her community. With that degree in Creative Writing, Sarah embarked on an academic career. Fabio was invited to teach at the old Grove Street, Merritt College. There her students included Maulana Karenga, Bobby Seale, and Huey Newton to name a few. She is known to have introduced her curriculum of Black Studies at Merritt Grove Street and became the “Mother of Black Studies”.

In 1966, Fabio was honored to read poetry at the First World Festival of Negro Art in Dakar, Senegal, alongside Langston Hughes and her other writing heroes. Upon her return, she began lecturing at the California College of Arts and Crafts and the University of California, Berkeley. There, she worked with others to create UCB’s inaugural Black Studies Department. Since that time Fabio has lectured at Cornell University, Indiana University, Loyola University, University of Iowa, and numerous other American Universities.

After a divorce, Sarah accepted a position at Oberlin College in New York. She associated her creative voice with the Black Arts Movement. Later sought a Ph.D. at the University of Iowa in American and African Studies.

She was frequently published in Negro Digest, Black World, Black Scholar, and other well-known publications.

Sarah is the mother of 5 and a self-published author of Rainbow Signs (a series of 7 volumes of poetry). She recorded 4 LPs for Folkway Records (now Smithsonian/Folkways). A family band, “Don’t Fight the Feelin'” accompanied her on these LPs. Eldest son Cyril Leslie Fabio III played congas, Ronald Eric Fabio played the base, Thomas Fabio was MC and Wayne Wallace, Sarah’s son-in-law played lead guitar. Other notable musicians like Leon “Denianke” Williams (woodwinds) and Larry Vaughan (drums) guided the music. Sarah was also the subject of Rainbow Black: Poet Sarah Webster Fabio a 30 min film produced by her daughter.

Sarah Fabio died in Oakland, CA from cancer in 1979.

Rainbow Black: Poet Sarah Webster Fabio

Feature Title

The Black Film Center/Archive at Indiana University has been awarded a Preservation Grant from the National Film Preservation Foundation to preserve the 1976 documentary film Rainbow Black: Poet Sarah W. Fabio.

MEET THE TEAM

Cheryl Fabio, JD

SWFCenter’s Executive Director. Cheryl received a BA from Fisk University in Sociology, a MA from Stanford University in Communications/Film, and her JD from John F. Kennedy School of Law. Cheryl has worked with PEG TV for Oakland and City College of San Francisco. She was Program Director at Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame, Inc. and she has been an independent film maker since 1976.

Muhammad M. Alabi, CPA

Muhammad is an accountant and economist. He is a Principal at Jeanpierre & Co., a CPA and Management firm. He hails from Nigeria and lived in England before coming to the United States. He has a BA in Accounting and a MA in Applied Economics, from San Francisco State University. Muhammad has expressed his passion for youth education, and tutored math at Golden Gate Library for 4 years. He then became a Commissioner representing Emeryville on the Oakland Library Advisory Commission

Malaika Parker, MA

Malaika is the President of the Board of Directors at SWFCenter. She is the Executive Director of Black Organizing Project. She is also the director of Hummingbirds Urban Farming Collective and is an advid farmer with her 4 kids and husband. Malaika works at the intersection of racial and ecological justice, promoting food sovereignty and ancestral connections.

Tamura Wallace, BA

Tamura is serving as Secretary for SWFCenter’s Board of Directors. She is a Senior Project Manager for Bayer Pharmaceuticals and has worked at Bayer Health Services since 2001. She feels her position is perfectly suited to her interests, background and experience. Tamura graduated from City College of San Francisco with an AA in Liberal arts. She completed her BA at Ashford University and has held various positions in the biotech field. As an extracurricular activity she is a certified doula (since 2007) assisting in several births. Tamura says, “I have been on the Board of Directors at SWF Center since 2004. Being on the board gives me a sense of accomplishment that comes from helping out in my community.”

Biko Bradford

Biko Bradford- Board member, is an emerging digital musician and rapper. His debut release “Hello” has been in release since 1/5/2012. Biko participates in local auditions and performances.

Safi Jiroh, MA

Safi joined the Board of Directors in 2021. Safi is the Deputy Director of LeaderSpring a nonprofit that works on leadership support and development. She serves the board as Treasurer and comes to us with a long history of working with the Bay Area Arts Community, Funders, Nonprofit and Organizational Management/Development. Safi is also a licensed Professional Coach.

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