SYNERGY - Juneteenth 2022

Ardell Hannah

Story By: Heather Lustig-Curran

Growth, the act of enabling things to change, adapt, and develop, the call to help other people and empower them with their own ability to grow, these qualities characterize Ardell Hannah, the founder and president of The Black Hats Collective. Whether literally growing produce in community gardens to helping install new Black Hats Collectives in other states, Ardell is one who is committed to community growth and development.

Growing up in Plainfield, New Jersey, Ardell’s father Osiedell Hannah, a minister at their church, the Healing Temple, was a proud influence on Ardell. “He came from back in the 30’s and 20’s,” Ardell said, “And times were a lot harder back then. My dad raised us to be decent people. He taught us about getting an education. He taught us to leave a footprint in the world so someone could look at our footsteps and build [on what we started] to make this place a better place to live.”

Another transformative aspect for Ardell were the various leaders and forward thinking adults living in the areas surrounding him. He was aware of the negativity “and all the damage that was happening in our communities.”

However, working within that negativity to create change were “teachers and role models right in the Community” Ardell said. “People like that always went around and tried to bring some type of sanity to the community, to make us understand that you’ve got to work with each other. Everybody needs each other. We need everyone.”

Following high school, Ardell worked for the American Red Cross, the Ronald McDonald House, and other community organizations. Eventually, he cared for a Vietnam Veteran which brought Ardell to Florida where he now lives.

In 2016, Ardell founded The Black Hats Collective (TBHC), a community organization that works to educate youth, create opportunities for adults, and advocate for those in challenging situations. He sees the black hat itself as an example of a rite of passage, a way to transform and lift up youth and prepare them for a better future.

Ardell, through his organization, wants to lift up, educate, and empower young people. Whether teaching them about Black history or giving the youth a positive focus, Ardell wants to help bridge the gaps existing between adolescents and their adult counterparts. He wants to give teenagers and young adults a positive outlook on life.

In the last six years, several different community outreach programs were developed for specific needs including Black Farmers of the Future (BFF) which teaches people about growing their own food.

“I like to see people get their hands dirty learning how to garden,” Ardell said. “We have a farmers market so we can reach not just our community but other communities as well.”

Ardell’s community outreach spans into advocacy and awareness. He has gone to local schools to teach students about significant Black history makers and heroes. With adults, Ardell has led workshops on tenant and landlord rights to assist people with their status of living. He advocates on behalf of both groups to strengthen a communal foundation.

Furthermore, his work has drawn him into juvenile detention centers and he hopes to develop programs in nursing homes and elderly care. He especially hopes that as new chapters of TBHC open in Georgia and New Jersey, that these initiatives will be put into place.

Inspired by leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, Harriet Tubman, Madam C. J. Walker, and Malcolm X, Ardell loves working within the community to raise up others and promote the growth of positivity and compassion. And yet, he is still humble when looking over his shoulder at the footpath he’s blazed.

“I never saw myself in this position,” Ardell said. “I never thought I would be able to do anything like this myself. To touch so many souls.”