Seattle's history has been profoundly shaped by Black art and culture, serving as a groundbreaking force across various creative mediums including music, dance, and theater. Despite this rich legacy, creators often face a critical shortage of permanent spaces to showcase their work. The Sankofa Theater was established to address this need, serving as a creative incubator and a dedicated Black space for various community events like poetry nights, youth programs, and community game nights. 

The project faced significant challenges common to many urban cultural hubs, such as gentrification, rising costs, and struggles with long-term leasing. These external pressures, combined with the difficulties of securing funding even in a wealthy city like Seattle, led to the difficult decision to close the physical theater space in the Inscape Arts building. This decision required deep reflection and emotional labor from the leadership, as they grappled with the reality of being "jerked around" by building owners who did not share their vision for maintaining a dedicated art space.

However, the closure of the physical location last year is not seen as the end of the Sankofa Theater's journey. The experience is viewed as "growing pains" that have strengthened the organization and its mission. Embracing the meaning of Sankofa—knowing where you come from to know where you are going—there is a belief that the organization can have an even greater impact in the future, possibly by moving into different locations or smaller, self-sustaining spaces.