Thanks to FRESH RADIO for drafting T-Shirts that read VIRGINIA is for LEGENDS, it allowed Sikaiadah to redraft the lexicon for Tha Culture and for educational purposes. Under this scope, Sikaiadah coined the term VA Legends. She wanted to generate an inclusive movement for all Virginians and for ones who have made contributions to VA.
In the Spring of 2019 at Tidewater Community College (TCC) in Chesapeake, VA, Sikaiadah instructed a Developmental English course. Within this course, she decided to introduce the concept of VA Legends after one student uttered, “We don’t have many famous or known people from VA”. For this reason, Sikaiadah implemented the concept of VA Legends in an academic and institutional setting. Through content and task based instruction, she made sure to align a few course assignments to this VA Legends theme. Such assignments arranged from daily current events to constructing a 5-body paragraph APA format research essay about a VA Legend. In the Fall of 2019, Sikaiadah continued with this socio-educational concept at TCC in Portsmouth, VA.
In August of 2020 to June of 2022, she introduced VA Legends to her middle school students of Southside STEM at Campostella (SSAC). During these two years of being an Educator in English Language Arts (ELA) for 6th Graders in the Norfolk Public School system (NPS), she encouraged her students to conduct research on all VA Legends. By Quarter 4 of each academic school year, the students had a MLA 5-body paragraph research paper. As well, they gave oral presentations that aligned to their drafted essays. In this process, they all learned.
In November of 2022 to March of 2023 at SSAC, The VA Legends Afterschool Enrichment Program begun with 10 students. In this program, she holistically wanted the students to further explore the concept of VA Legends. While doing so, she wanted them to lead and to mold the program attuned to their subjective and objective knowledge. For this reason, they held leadership roles, conducted meetings with agendas, and had VA Legend guest speakers. By the end of the program, they were able to identify as VA Legends. With the support of their adults, this program was a success.
From March of 2023 to present day, The VA Legends scope and program continues with Sikaiadah wherever she goes. This lifetime, any aspect of The VA Legends will progress with her and Tha Culture. After, her physical presence is called to rest, Sikaiadah asks that The VA Legends movement sustains its legacy.
Design Logo and Artwork by Julian Hoggard