2026-07-15T09:20:22-04:00 2025-08-31 Thomas Posey 1426 G Street SE Rear Washington DC 20003 990 2024-09-01 270062812 Words Beats and Life Inc WORD 2026671192 1525 Newton Street NW Washington DC 20010 Mazi Mutafa Executive Director 2026-07-15 false true Thomas Posey P01956990 3012005410 X 2024 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z Mazi Mutafa 1525 Newton Street NW Washington DC 20010 1786655 false X www.wblinc.org X 2003 DC The mission of Words Beats and Life is to transform individual lives and communities through Hip-Hop culture in all its forms: emceeing, deejaying, graffiti, street art, spoken word poetry, dance, beat production, and knowledge of self. 18 18 9 90 0 0 2070829 1421523 268437 365132 0 0 0 0 2339266 1786655 0 0 0 0 366723 230069 0 15600 51571 2050314 1660576 2417037 1906245 -77771 -119590 541193 279802 368007 424014 173186 -144212 X The mission of Words Beats and Life is to transform individual lives and communities through Hip-Hop culture in all its forms: emceeing, deejaying, graffiti, street art, spoken word poetry, dance, beat production, and knowledge of self. false false 608349 Our Arts Education programming exposes students to new knowledge, techniques and methods, as well as provides opportunities to grow their knowledge and network through alternative winter and spring break activities. We also provide opportunities for young artists to practice what we teach through performances, and public art making, as well as encouraging these students to manage their own projects and events by participating in our Arts Management program. Our work in schools has been with young people in Middle School, High School and College, with participants ranging from 12-22. In community contexts, we work with people as young as 10 and with adults 23 and older. Despite popular misunderstandings about our culture, Hip-Hop is likely created, participated in, and celebrated by the most diverse set of people in terms of audiences, practitioners, supporters, and consumers. Our teachers, students, audiences, and selected master artists are diverse not just racially, ethnically, religiously, and economically but also in terms of age, gender, orientation, and ability status. Programs include the WBL Academy, Like a Boss: Arts Management Program, Walk It Like I talk It, Entrepreneurship Program. Finally we have our College and career mentorship program called College Material. 208719 91789 553264 Other Programs 553264 1462121 true true false false false false false false false false true false false false false false true false false false false false false true false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false true 65 0 true 9 true false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false X 18 18 false false false false false false false true true false false false true true true true true true true false false false X X Words Beats and Life Inc 2026671192 1525 Newton Street NW Washington DC 20010 Jamila Sams Chair 3 X X 0 0 0 Kenysha Bartee 1st Vice Chair 3 X X 0 0 0 Ptosha Davis 2nd Vice Chair 3 X X 0 0 0 Naima McIntosh Secretary 3 X X 0 0 0 Elaine Kennedy Treasurer 3 X X 0 0 0 Helen Bryant Member 2 X 0 0 0 Saafir Rabb Member 2 X 0 0 0 Timothy Anne Burnside Member 2 X 0 0 0 Erwin Kwawu Member 2 X 0 0 0 William Hegwood Member 2 X 0 0 0 Tonia Wellons Member 2 X 0 0 0 Mark Lawrence Member 2 X 0 0 0 Tericke Blanchard Member 2 X 0 0 0 Gloria Nauden Member 2 X 0 0 0 John Brothers Member 2 X 0 0 0 Mazi Mutafa Executive Director 45 X 88462 0 0 Knyja Gadson Member 2 X 0 0 0 Cherietta Cobb Member 2 X 0 0 0 Syreeta Smith Member 2 X 0 0 0 88462 0 0 0 false false false 0 669322 752201 279636 1421523 365132 365132 365132 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1786655 365132 0 0 X 204703 125733 75893 3077 6749 6749 18617 13309 5308 133142 28936 87481 16725 15600 15600 1047708 983091 55240 9377 127279 116751 9142 1386 8085 1155 6808 122 4359 1882 2477 58180 23394 34786 31396 24633 6763 52496 52496 16512 16512 8378 3873 4505 Program Supplies 48878 44451 4099 328 Meals Food 11433 2638 5688 3107 Equipment Furniture Rental Maintenance 19602 19602 Books Dues Subscriptions 20768 10467 8452 1849 72360 62206 10154 0 1906245 1462121 392553 51571 63082 41581 377650 136809 178966 77554 100461 101412 541193 279802 104995 189725 95913 110814 167099 123475 368007 424014 X 171848 -144212 173186 -144212 541193 279802 X -119590 -197808 X X true true X true false false X 939851 1187229 1393312 2070829 1421523 7012744 0 0 939851 1187229 1393312 2070829 1421523 7012744 7012744 72 3 288 363 0 0 7013107 1546163 0.99990 0.99990 X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED false false false false false false 0 false 0 0 0 0 0 false false false 0 0 0 55124 55124 123842 77554 46288 0 101412 0 0 0 0 1786655 0 1786655 0 1786655 1906245 0 1906245 0 1906245 X X X X X true The Grants Company 1525 Newton Street NW Washington DC 20010 Grant Writing false 500000 15600 484400 500000 15600 484400 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 false false false false false false false false false Form 990 Part III Line 4d Centering Marginalized Voices: There is power in the margins. Power to innovate, create and tell stories that are new for many Americans. Our priority is to expand minds, knock down walls, and build bridges between communities. Our approach to this work is interdisciplinary, people of color and often women led. It has included theater, gallery shows, mural making, poetry performances, publishing, and documentary work. This work has allowed us to share the histories of people and places through the arts that would not ordinarily attend a hip-hop based event. Form 990 Part III Line 4d (continue) Cultural Diplomacy: Since 2010, Words Beats and Life has been working to send artists abroad, and bring artists from abroad to the US. These collaborations have taken the form of master classes, musical and dance performances, along with public art creation and offering scholarships to pay for primary schools for students in partner organizations abroad. We are working to make more of these collaborations more focused in commerce. We want to develop cooperative agreements that allow for greater exchange, and revenue generation for WBL and our international partners. Form 990 Part VI Section B Line 12c The Executive Director is responsible for monitoring compliance with the conflict of interest policy. Any disclosed or potential issues are brought to the Board of Directors for discussion for an ultimate resolution. Form 990 Part IX Line 11g Other Fees For Services: Teaching Artist $243,084, Journal Staff $1,000, Grant Writer $15,600, Youth Development Specialists $39,626, Archavist $20,801, Graphic Artist $2,500, Design Associate $19,040, Academy Assistant Director $12,272, Senior Youth Development $5,050, Contractors $704,335 = Total Other Fees for Services $1,063,307. Form 990 Part X Line 22 Loans payable to Executive Director Form 990 Part XI Line 8 Prior Period Adjustments: Accounts Receivable $200,000 overstated, Accumulated Depreciation ($7,170), Bank Account ($2,634), Liabilities $7,610 Form 990 Part XII Line 2b The organization is finalizing the completion of the Audited Financial Statements FY2024-25 at the filing of this 990 Tax Return due 7/15/2026.