Glad you asked! Technically, AKILA WORKSONGS is a business organization (based in New York) that provides professional services to individuals and organizations. Since 1993, we've specialized in providing communications, marketing, curatorial, and management services to people and businesses of all kinds. Our clients have ranged from aspiring local poets to global philanthropic foundations and various sectors in between. Proudly, we are keenly focused on servicing people of African ancestry, progressive individuals and organizations, as well as social and racial justice communities. Learn more about our offerings HERE.

Depending on the culture, the name Akila can mean many things. For us, it means "She who is wise" or "she who is intelligent" (and that's based on the Swahili-Arabic meaning). The name is sometimes spelled as Akilah or Akeelah. At the agency, we have put our own spin on the name and it is stylized as AKILA. And no, the name of the company's founder is not Akila. Our founder is April R. Silver. More HERE.

Worksongs (from “work songs”) is a type of music that is rhythmically connected to labor or to the task at hand. In the history of African-American music, this form has had different functions, including as a means for spiritual nourishment for African people born free at home but captured and enslaved throughout the world. For more click HERE.

We get this question all the time. No, we are not in the business of writing songs, but we have worked with a number of great songwriters. Some of them have won GRAMMYs. Check out our client history HERE.

• SHORT ANSWER: Currently, our lecture management services are only offered to select full-service public relations clients.

• TO BE CLEAR: One has to retain us first before she, he, or they are eligible for lecture management services (which is where we book the client for paid speaking engagements).

• BACKSTORY: This is one of the most popular reasons that people call the agency. That's likely because we started off as a speakers bureau in 1993. In the beginning, that was the only service we offered. Over the years, we've expanded our offerings significantly. Click HERE to see all that we do.

If you're interested in our services, please email Drake R. Holliday. Under normal circumstances, please allow one to two business days for a reply. In your email, please include who you think the agency might be able to support your work, a contact phone number, and the best timeframe to reach you.

Yes, we are currently accepting clients. At the onset of the Coronavirus / COVID-10 pandemic and national state of emergency in the United States (March 13, 2020), we offered a variety of pro bono services. We did so in special consideration of the economic hardships that negatively impacted the artist and activist communities, as well as the African American and Latino/Latina communities.

While those hard realities remain for many people, we have had to end our free grace period.

Currently, we are not accepting interns nor volunteers. We anticipate that policy changing early 2025. We will make an announcement via our Put On BLAST! email newsletter. Sign up to the newsletter HERE.

No. We do not offer paid internships at this time. If that changes, we'll make the first announcement via our email newsletter. You can sign up HERE.

The anthology project was significantly delayed, unfortunately. Earlier in 2024, though, Silver resumed work on the project. If you have questions about your perks, please contact April directly via her personal email address HERE.