Launchpad at The Lab: Politics & Profits with Speaker Arden Santana

Join us for an engaging session in our LaunchPad Speaker Series featuring Arden Santana, founder of SĀHGE Academy, renowned Civic Literacy Advocate, and Community & Culture Builder. Arden champions civic literacy, social justice, and transformative education, empowering individuals and communities to make a meaningful impact.

In this timely session, "Politics & Profits: What Business Owners Need to Know About Civic Engagement", Arden will explore the intersection of civic literacy and entrepreneurship. Discover how understanding and participating in civic processes can influence your business, foster social responsibility, and create opportunities for sustainable growth.

Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting, this session will provide valuable insights into the role of civic engagement in building resilient businesses and thriving communities.

Light food and drinks provided.

Arden Santana has dedicated herself to the field of education, continually seeking to grow and inspire others. Arden’s calling as a teacher began in 2001 when Prince George's County Public Schools recruited her to teach Secondary English Language Arts.

Arden honed her skills as a master teacher and gained valuable experience in education administration. She has since taught in a DC charter and New Haven public school, contributed to a family-owned and operated counseling and education program, and founded two schools.

Consistently praised for professionalism and efficacy among school principals’ most lauded teachers, Arden resigned from teaching in public schools in 2010. During her time under No Child Left Behind, she witnessed the erasure of world history, civics, and the arts from curricula. Life called Arden to motherhood, and she chose to parent full-time and homeschool her two daughters.

In 2019, Arden founded SĀHGE Academy, creating a pioneering institution that places civic education at the heart of literacy. Arden holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Southern Connecticut State University, a Master of Arts in Consciousness Studies and Transpersonal Psychology (Conscious Evolution) from the Graduate Institute for Holistic Studies, and a certificate in Entrepreneurship for Women from Cornell University. She’s also a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow in Teaching Shakespeare and currently a Yale Access to Law Fellow.

Beyond academia, Arden co-founded The Elements of Abundance, a movement dedicated to cultural enrichment and community upliftment. Arden serves as Secretary of the Executive Boards for Communities for Generations, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization she co-founded, and of the Elm City Freddy Fixer Parade Committee, Inc.

Arden’s dedication, vision, and transformative contributions ignite positive change and empower communities to thrive. As she pursues a Juris Doctorate, Arden continues to enrich her ability to affect real change, illuminating a brighter and equitable future for historically marginalized people.

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