Emotional wellness rooted in cultural identity

UMOJA is a platform designed to empower black youth with tools to navigate daily challenges and flourish mentally, emotionally, and socially within their communities.

Daily Grounding

You carry the wisdom of those who came before you.

Anchor

Daily Grounding

Your feelings are valid. Your voice matters.

Breathe

Click card to reflect

Our Foundation

Why UMOJA

Community support

Shield of Unity

Teens deserve a safe space. All mood check‑ins and data stay on the device — no tracking, no judgment.

Cultural identity

Cultural & Representation

We celebrate Black identity through affirmations, lessons, and Unsung Heroes, ensuring teens see themselves in their journey.

Accessible wellness

Accessible Care

Designed to be affordable, engaging, and stigma-free. Mental wellness that meets teens where they are.

We create space for teens to recognize their emotions, honor their heritage, and build resilience.

Mental wellness is not separate from cultural identity. UMOJA integrates both, offering tools that feel authentic, private, and affirming.

Power Our Future

Every contribution helps us reach more teens, build better tools, and expand our impact within the community.

Community support

Support Our Mission

Your support allows us to keep UMOJA accessible, maintain privacy-first infrastructure, and develop new culturally grounded content.

Together, we're building a generation of emotionally strong, culturally proud young people.

Our Work

A culturally informed approach to emotional wellness

UMOJA is designed for Black teens navigating identity, emotion, and community. We offer tools that feel personal, not clinical.

Ephemeral Circles

Real-time community spaces that reset every 24 hours. Connect with peers in a environment where conversations stay fresh and data never lingers.

Private Reflection

Daily check-ins that remain on the device. No tracking, no data extraction. Space to process without judgment.

Cultural Affirmations

Messages rooted in heritage, pride, and resilience. Not generic positivity, but affirmations that honor identity.

Unsung Heroes

Stories of overlooked figures in Black history. Lessons that connect the past to personal strength.

Guided Practice

Short, culturally grounded lessons that blend emotional literacy with tradition and identity.

Community Representation

Their activism, our foundation.

Built for the community, by the community

UMOJA was created with input from mentors, educators, and young people. It reflects real needs, not assumptions.

Private Space

Mood Check-In

Take a moment to acknowledge how you're feeling. Everything you share stays private on your device.

How are you feeling today?

Select a rating

What's on your mind?

Your entry stays on this device only

Your Privacy Matters

This check-in exists only in this moment. Nothing you write is stored, tracked, or shared. When you clear or leave this page, your words disappear—giving you complete freedom to express yourself without judgment.

Our Team

Leadership

Josiah

Josiah

Co-Founder, CTO

Josiah Forrest is trained in Python, Swift, and fullstack development. A Hidden Genius Project (DET 1) alum and current Youth Educator. He attends Oakland University as a sophomore.

Frederick

Frederick

Founder, CEO

Frederick Livingston is trained in cybersecurity and computer science. A Hidden Genius Project (DET 1) alum and current Youth Care Coordinator. He will be attending The University of Cincinnati this fall.

Get In Touch

Creating space, together.

We believe in the power of community. Whether you’re an organization, a student, or just working toward mental wellness. Want to see how you can get involved, let’s talk.

Reach out—we’d love to hear your story, and you can follow our journey on Instagram @umoja.circle. We’ll be hosting a giveaway once we hit our first 1,000 followers!

The Why

Driven by Purpose.

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Report Mental Illness

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Leading Cause Of Death(15-34)

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Black Psychologists

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Service Access Rate

Bridging the Gap

UMOJA was born from a shared realization: while conversations around mental health have grown louder, the tools available to Black youth remain limited, inaccessible, or culturally disconnected.

"As young Black men, we understood the pressure to remain 'strong', yet recognized the absence of resources that felt made for us."

Rooted in Genius

The idea took shape through the Hidden Genius Project. As members of the same cohort, we were encouraged to build solutions that directly serve our communities.

Privacy-First Community-Centered Teen-Led Curriculum

Our Philosophy

UMOJA is not a replacement for therapy. It is a supportive space—one that meets Black youth where they are and affirms their experiences.