ABOUT US
InnerFaith Performing Arts Center, Inc., (IPAC) is a 501 c3 not-for-profit faith based arts center founded on December 31, 1998. The non-profit organization offers a comprehensive arts education curriculum to students ages four and up.
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The arts center services children under an umbrella of creative and performing arts programming. Since its 1998 inception, the arts center has been dedicated to providing professional artistic training in the areas of music, theater, voice, art, media, dance, and social arts, and it has empowered is students to seek and attain higher education and successful careers in the arts.
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For close to two decades the arts center has serviced children in artistic workshops, classes, summer camps, and more! The arts center has received Congressional, State, Assembly, City, and Community recognition for its work with youth. Recipients of the following awards:
Dr. Martin Luther King Drum Major Award for Youth-Semi-Finalist
Zeta Phi Beta -Z-Hope Community Award
Congressional Citation-Congressman Bill Pascrell
Paterson Education Fund Presidents Award
ABOUT THE FOUNDER
Rahsona Patterson (Smith) was born and raised in the Northside ward, Paterson, NJ. She is a proud product of Paterson Public Schools system. Rahsona was a Drama major and graduated from Rosa Parks School of Fine and Performing Arts High School in 1991. She went on to further her education at Fairleigh Dickinson University for her Bachelors of Arts Degree and Fordham University for her Masters of Social Work.
In 1998, she founded the InnerFaith Performing Arts Center, Inc., (IPAC) a not-for-profit faith based arts center in her hometown, Paterson for children.
Under her leadership, the arts center has professionally trained over 1000 youth through afterschool programs, summer camps, workshops, retreats, in the creative and performing arts genre. A fierce advocate for children and families, Rahsona has committed over 20 plus years of service to at-risk youth.
Her work with youth garnered her national recognition where she was named and featured in 2003 in Today’s Christian Woman Magazine Everyday Hero. Her community services includes: Vice Chair for the Paterson Education Fund Board of Directors, Advisor to Now Theater, Board Advisor to the Heart of Hannah Women’s Center/Center for Hope Learning Center, Board Member/advisor for the certificate in the arts certificate program at Rutgers University. In 2011, she was appointed by Mayor Jeff Jones as Co-Chairwoman of the City of Paterson, NJ Grassroots Arts Commission.
In 2015 Rahsona Elder was honored and recognized for NJ’s women history month by Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter and Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly in Trenton for her service to youth and the arts in Passaic County. The record of her service was recorded in NJ State House. Rahsona is most humble of her personal accomplishments.
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She is a loving Mom of three daughters. Rahsona is also a proud Mema. She and her husband Coach Stafford Patterson reside in Northern NJ. They enjoy bowling, movies and family time.