Gina Belafonte

Los Angeles is a sparkling nexus of innovation and impact. St. Vincent Jewelry Center’s Gems of LA recognizes brilliant women in our community who are at the forefront of social change. Collectively, these true LA Gems elevate the lives of millions of Angelenos, as they shine as bright as the bling they model for St. Vincent Jewelry.

Meet LA Gem, Gina Belafonte, Executive Director of Sankofa.org, a social justice impact organization founded by her father, Harry Belafonte. Sankofa partners with artists, thought leaders, and celebrities to educate and activate citizens around issues of mass incarceration, juvenile justice, homelessness, income disparity, immigration, and violence. An artist herself, Gina’s core strategy is to deploy the creative spirit to open hearts and minds toward a mission of a more peaceful and just world.

Although Sankofa is a national organization, Gina commits considerable resources to LA-centric campaigns. She develops and provides art for the Women’s Marches and partners with LA CAN (Los Angeles Community Action Network), a Skid Row organization assisting those plagued by poverty to cultivate opportunity and participate in decisions affecting them. Sankofa also collaborates locally with Get Lit – Words Ignite, a poetry and spoken word organization encouraging expression and leadership in young people. Later this year, Sankofa will host a three-day congress of artists in LA to determine how, by working collectively, they can use diverse mediums to illuminate issues that are vital to our city.

Click here to learn more about how Sankofa uses creativity to provide perspective and foster a healthier, more equitable, and compassionate Los Angeles.