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A native Wichitan, Maaskelah Thomas has worked throughout her career in community-serving organizations and agencies. As Community Education Coordinator for Northeast Wichita and District 1 for seven years, Maaskelah (Maas) built, developed and sustained partnerships to leverage resources between community agencies, organizations, businesses, schools and colleges, civic groups and citizens. These partnerships helped address the needs of communities through civic involvement and lifelong learning opportunities that empowered individuals, families and neighborhoods. Maaskelah’s responsibilities also included assisting with program development, grant writing, and community organization capacity building. In 2004, she was nominated for the Excellence in Public Service Award for her activities and attitude of service to the community. Most recently, she provided facilitation assistance to the Youth Empowerment Project, a HIV/AIDS risk reduction initiative and The African American Council of Elders, an organization of community elders selected by the community for their long years of serving, assisting and empowering the Wichita African American community. Her interests include building and developing social capital networks within communities, and utilizing the arts for social change and community development. She helped found ArtsCorps, a grassroots initiative that pairs community-based artists with individuals and groups working for social change. Maaskelah received her Bachelor of Science degree in Management and Organizational Development from Tabor College, a Master of Science in Education from Newman University, and a Master of Arts in Human and Organizational Systems from the Fielding Graduate University. Additionally, Maaskelah is currently working toward a doctoral degree in Human and Organizational Systems through the Fielding Graduate University. Married
to her best friend, Gary, with seven children between them, when
she’s not working or studying, she’s hanging with
Gary at local jazz venues or spending time with ArtsCorps’
Word Warriors, a group of local word artists and musicians, coordinating
opportunities and venues for the sharing of spoken word poetry.
Her life credo is simple: Live “on purpose,” and her
personal mission is to make everyday a journey toward that end,
doing all that she can to encourage and support others to do the
same.
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