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On that conference call, we discussed the possibility of a partnership with Hampton University. Mrs. Ellison’s intention was for
Journalism students at Hampton to do an internship in Sanford to study the historical contributions of African-Americans in Sanford

and the architecture of African-Americans. My brother Charles “Mad Hatter” Merritt and I donated our family home, located at 703

Sanford Avenue. It was to be renovated so it could house a few of these students or their professors. We wanted to create An Artist-
in-Residence Program to expose the Tajiri Arts students to national performing artists, writers, historians, and architectural designers.

All of this was the sole idea of Mrs. Ellison a first for Sanford, particularly for African-American students, and the diverse student

population at Tajiri.

Immense thanks to the Ellisons for their 200% commitment to Tajiri Arts School and Museum!

~ Mr. Thomas and Mrs. Valada Flewellyn ~

This fantastic duo made an outstanding contribution to Tajiri through the enrollment of their daughter Tina Flewellyn in our

Puppetry, Storytelling, and Dance classes. This is another instance of a wife who brought her husband to Tajiri: Mrs. Valada

Flewellyn.

Mrs. Flewellyn is a phenomenal author, the National Poet Laurette of Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated, and an honorary

member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. A member of the National Association of Black Storytellers and the Association for the
Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), she is also a member of the Sanford Historical Society. While at Tajiri, she

served as an Instructor and in her classes, she encouraged the students to be historical storytellers. In fact, it was Mrs. Flewellyn who

introduced members of the Black Storytellers during their conference in Florida to take our cultural tour. Their positive evaluation
kicked off our initial Sanford Out of the Dust: History Still, History Alive, authored by Mrs. Flewellyn. In addition, Florida

Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) in Tallahassee, Florida, Bethune Cookman University, Daytona Beach, Florida, and
Florida Memorial College of Miami were also encouraged by Mrs. Flewellyn to take our tour during their education conference while