about us

Mission and Philosophy

The Folk Education Association of American or FEAA was founded in 1976  to promote humanistic personal development, understanding of one's own and other's cultural diversity, and commitment to community growth.  The FEAA identifies, supports, and facilitates community-based, learner-led education as a strategic tool for community organizing.

Folk, or people’s education includes many traditions of peer education involving critical analysis of oppressive systems to create alternative possibilities for institutions that shape our lives.  We believe that this democratic, participatory method of analysis and action entails participants being leaders, collectively using their voices and actions for social change.  FEAA supports this type of education as a tool in working toward economic equality, workers’ rights, anti-racism and sexism, environmental restoration and protection, as well as alternatives to environmental racism, militarism, and the weakening power of people’s voices in the face of unaccountable politicians and corporations.

Purpose

The Folk Education Association of America, in recognizing the need for education to promote humanistic personal development, understanding of one's own and others' cultural diversity, and commitment to community growth; and in recognizing the effectiveness of cooperative living-learning experiences in which the process of dialogue is an essential component; and in describing this approach as folk education, exemplified and inspired by the Scandinavian folk high schools and study circles, hereby do set forth these purposes of its existence and activity: 

• To assist communication among people interested or experienced in the uses of folk education;
• To increase knowledge of folk education through a variety of activities including publications, workshops, and conferences;
• To identify and encourage the growth of programs which provide folk educational opportunities in this hemisphere.
• To foster and promote the growth of the Folk School Alliance (FSA)

Anti-Racist Statement and Commitment

“FEAA supports education as a tool in working toward economic equality, workers’
rights, anti- racism and sexism, environmental restoration and protection, as well as
alternatives to environmental racism, militarism, and the weakening power of people’s
voices in the face of unaccountable politicians and corporations.”

The FEAA's commitment to this statement over the years has remained strong. As our capacity has grown, so has our reach and our ability to impact social change; however, we do not believe we have done enough, particularly concerning inclusion and elevation of BIPOC voices within the folk education movement.

We can and will do better! As we move into future phases of our work, we challenge ourselves and those we support to expand the reach of our work, include all those that reside and work within our communities, and make our centers of folk schooling and folk education ones where interethnic/intercultural, anti-racist allegiances may be cultivated and thrive.