HOW WE GOT STARTED!
Over the years, we have paved our way into the hearts of the Bangladeshi diaspora and folk culture enthusiasts of New York. Our journey began in 2006 when a group of Bangladeshi immigrant women, led by BAFA’s cofounder Farida Yeasmin, decided to advocate for a rise in financial awareness amongst their own. They organized a lending circle where money was pooled from a group of 12 women, and provided to a single member each month using a lottery system. This allowed women to build capital and invest larger sums of money into something impactful (e.g., sewing machines, new bank account, driving lessons, etc.). Farida often shared her knowledge as a banker with her group, empowering them along the way. Seeing as their efforts were successful, the group expanded their reach and helped Bangladeshi women in different Bronx neighborhoods establish money lending circle arrangements of their own.
In 2007, Farida established the Bronx Bangladesh Women’s Association as an unincorporated organization. BBWA comprised of those dedicated to better integrate and unite the community through advocacy, peer support, and cultural programs. As the organization grew, community events were made public, welcoming all attendees. BBWA members such as Shamimara Begum, Farjana Yeasmin, and Afrina Jimi ,amongst others, went on to became the founding members of BAFA.
In 2011, BBWA members launched the Bengali Language Preservation initiative in the Bronx, hosting bengali literacy classes for children during after-school hours and weekends. Later that year, Farida collaborated with the Late Anup K. Das, former Dance Director of BAFA, to begin traditional South Asian dance classes in Parkchester. Majority of the initial students were recruited from BBWA members. Within a year, the bengali literacy and dance classes had become very popular in the community.
The team decided it was time to conduct these programs in a way such that they were continuous, sustainable, and prone to structural growth. In 2012, the team incorporated the nonprofit organization (501c3) BAFA Inc. Bangladesh Academy of Fine Arts. BAFA administration and programming grew rapidly to include several more subjects of study (i.e., classical music, folk music, tabla, guitar, theater etc.), host large scale community engagement events, collaborate with local organizations, and become a valuable bridge of communication for local politicians and the Bangladeshi diaspora. Needless to say, BBWA remains a valuable branch of the BAFA umbrella which is still actively working to empower the women of our communities today. Due to the nature of the population served, BAFA ensures that our philanthropic efforts to support the community remain constant. BAFA now serves thousands of people each year, growing its capacity and reach with the love and support of the people!