Our Purpose, Our Beliefs, Our Mandate
The following video was filmed in 2021 as a part of our first major fundraising campaign. Our Founders’ discussion of the program, its purpose and its impact remain most relevant to our work today.
Black liberation requires many things; the most important being a liberated mind.
A mindset of liberation requires knowledge of self, knowledge of one’s people and the events leading up to the present - history.
History is not merely past events. History lives and breathes in us daily as the events of the past shape the realities of today.
But, a liberated mind does not happen spontaneously or by chance.
Who is responsible for teaching our children about themselves? Their people? Their history?
We cannot rely upon the same institutions that subjugated our ancestors and persist in Black oppression to educate our children into liberation.
We must build our own.
Black Birthright educates Black children for a mindset of liberation through knowledge of self, knowledge of history, and knowledge of the people and events that have and continue to impact the Black condition. We do this work through our year-long intensive, The Salon: Awakening Your African Mind, and our annual trips to Africa.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of The Tunstall Foundation?
Established in 2019, The Tunstall Foundation is a 501(c)3 private operating foundation committed to creating and advancing educational and economic opportunities for people of the African Diaspora worldwide.
What does The Tunstall Foundation do?
We have two programming pillars.
Black Birthright
Black Birthright is a program from The Tunstall Foundation designed to educate Black children for a mindset of liberation through knowledge of self, knowledge of ancestry and knowledge of the people and events that have and continue to impact the Black condition. We do this work through our year-long intensive, The Salon: Awakening Your African Mind, and our annual trips to Africa.
School Development
We provide the financial capital to develop school buildings in African countries. We started this work before the Foundation was formally established and we’ve built six schools in seven years.
2017 - Ndoffane BiCole, Senegal; 2018 - Nguékokh, Senegal; 2019 - Mphasi, Malawi; 2020 - Kasungu, Malawi; 2021 - Keur Demba Ly, Senegal; 2023 - Bambey, Senegal
How long has The Tunstall Foundation been around?
We formally established in 2019 but began our school development projects in 2017.
How many students have you served?
Through our school development projects, we have served over 1,000 students in the last seven years.
Through Black Birthright, we have served 59 Scholars across five cohorts - 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
How do students learn about Black Birthright?
Students learn about Black Birthright in a few ways:
- Through our direct outreach efforts to educators and nonprofit leaders across the country
- Through our social media channels
- Through our existing Scholars’, parents’ and community members’ networks
How do students apply to Black Birthright?
Students apply to Black Birthright via our website during our application periods.
Where has Black Birthright traveled on the African Continent?
- July 2019 - Senegal
- July 2021 - New Orleans, LA (domestic travel due to covid-19)
- July 2022 - Senegal
- July 2023 - New Orleans, LA (domestic travel due to a period of temporary political unrest in Senegal)
I want my child to participate in Black Birthright. What should I do?
Sign up for our newsletter (at the bottom of our website) and follow us on Facebook and Instagram - @blackbirthright - to receive updates regarding application periods.
I want to share Black Birthright with my community. What should I do?
First, thank you. Word-of-mouth is by far the most effective means we have for sharing our work. Please complete the Contact Us form and a real, live human being will be in touch within two business days.
How has The Tunstall Foundation been funded to date?
To date, the Tunstall Foundation has been funded by its board members and private individual donors who believe in this work.
Who runs The Tunstall Foundation?
The Tunstall Foundation is run by Desirée and Stan Tunstall, Jr. (siblings). They are deeply committed to building a sustaining and highly effective organization that serves the present and future needs of people across the African Diaspora.
The progress of Black people will not be based on a spontaneous and benevolent act from parties responsible for hindering that progress. It will be the result of a persistent, informed, organized and collective movement rooted in the mindset of right knowledge.