Month: September 2019

People

Folake Olowofoyeku hearts life in the television comedy lane

By LEANNE ITALIE

A funny thing happened to Folake Olowofoyeku on the way to a career in law: She became a theater major against her parents’ wishes and headed straight into the business after earning her undergraduate degree.
Her Nigerian parents were so hell-bent on launching her into the family profession of law that they named her after the first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria, a title conferred on legal practitioners who have distinguished themselves.

A similar scenario is present for Olowofoyeku in “Bob Hearts Abishola,” her CBS comedy series.

Continue reading “Folake Olowofoyeku hearts life in the television comedy lane” →
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Opinion

Hating Immigrants: America’s self-destructive tradition

By Osa Fasehun

I was a sophomore at Bowdoin when Donald Trump was gaining momentum in the presidential election in spite of his xenophobic rhetoric. Anxiously dreading a near-fascist regime in the event of a Trump presidency, I talked with my mother about getting reacquainted with Nigeria, my mother’s native country.

The talk did not go well and after debating the idea for an hour, my mother finally admitted, “We have no place to go! The Nigeria I knew in childhood doesn’t exist anymore. I would be a foreigner in my own country.”

What I initially took for exasperation in her tone was actually broken-heartedness. She had fond childhood memories of Nigeria as a beautiful and safe black country, so it pained her to know that I did not feel at home in America—my country—and that she could not provide me with an alternative.

Continue reading “Hating Immigrants: America’s self-destructive tradition” →
Entertainment

They may not have won America’s Got Talent, but Ndlovu Youth Choir stirred our souls

By Aisha Salaudeen, CNN

Their incredible run on America’s Got Talent may have come to a halt in Wednesday night’s final but Ndlovu Youth Choir succeeded in winning hearts and minds around the world with their soul-stirring performances.

The South African youth choir’s powerful rendition of ‘Toto’s Africa’ on launched them into the finals, making them the first African act to do so.

Continue reading “They may not have won America’s Got Talent, but Ndlovu Youth Choir stirred our souls” →
News

Guinean President Visits US, Faces Term Limit Questions

By Salem Solomon, Abdourahmane Dia, James Butty

As Guinea’s president visits the U.S. preaching economic development, a debate rages back home about term limits.

President Alpha Condé spent the week visiting U.S. diplomats, granting interviews and meeting with business leaders. He said his goal is to attract investment and transform his country’s economy, which historically has been heavily dependent on mineral extraction.

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Achievements

Former Kenyan Athlete to be Inducted into Athletics Hall-of-Fame in Iowa


Retired Kenyan athlete Barnaba Korir is to be inducted to Iowa State Athletics Hall-of-Fame.

Korir, who currently serves as Athletics Kenya (AK) director in charge of youth and development, is among six sports personalities who will be inducted to Iowa State Athletics Hall-of-Fame.

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Events

Africa-America Institute Set to Honor Angola During 35th Annual Awards Gala

The Africa-America Institute (AAI) will celebrate African success during its 35th Annual Awards Gala on September 24, 2019. The highly anticipated event will take place at the American Museum of Natural History, a cultural hallmark of New York City’s Upper West Side. 

To commemorate the 400-year anniversary of the first Africans brought to the U.S. from Angola in 1619, AAI will bestow the New York Times Magazine with its Excellence in Journalism Award for their groundbreaking, “1619 Project”. AAI will also honor the Republic of Angola with the National Achievement Award, in recognition of the country’s peaceful transition and reform agenda.  

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People

The House Next Door: Africa and America find a home in Edgewood, Pittsburgh

PATRICIA SHERIDAN

A war was raging, and the Mufukas had to find a way out of Rhodesia (Zimbabwe). It was 1969.

“My parents had to figure out how to leave the country,” said Lois Mufuka Martin, who was only 18 months old at the time.

Today she and her husband, Derek Martin, live in a large, century-old home in Edgewood, Pittsburgh

Continue reading “The House Next Door: Africa and America find a home in Edgewood, Pittsburgh” →
Business

Egyptian Coffee Shop in New York stakes claim to being first hookah lounge in America

Sip coffee and talk politics at this landmark cafe in Astoria’s Little Egypt, a contender for the title of America’s first hookah bar. 

By REINA GATTUSO

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News

Kenyan who is World’s best teacher meets US President Donald Trump in White House

Peter Tabichi from Kenya, who was named World’s Best Teacher earlier this year, has met US President Donald Trump at the White House ahead of a speech he is giving at the UN General Assembly.

Brother Tabichi, a member of the Franciscan religious order, won the 2019 Global Teacher Prize in March.

Continue reading “Kenyan who is World’s best teacher meets US President Donald Trump in White House” →
Communities

Part two: Why Kenyans going to diaspora never come back

Over the last 15-20 years, the Kenyan Community in the United States has completely expanded and spread across almost every state in America.What are the implications of the expansion of the community and how they relate to Kenya?

This is a public park in the city of Townsend Delaware on a beautiful summer afternoon on the east coast of the USA.Kenyans living in the state arrive one by one and by sunset, the park will be full of Kenyans.

Continue reading “Part two: Why Kenyans going to diaspora never come back” →
Immigration

Congolese refugees become newest Habitat homeowners in Lexington

A mother and daughter are excited for a fresh start after receiving the keys to their new Habitat for Humanity home on Sunday.

Alphosine and her daughter Esther are originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, but they were living in a refugee camp in Uganda before coming to America.

Continue reading “Congolese refugees become newest Habitat homeowners in Lexington” →
Television

Lupita Nyong’o’s take on Chimamanda’s Americanah set for airing on HBO

By Ciku Kimeria

The long-awaited on-screen adaptation of Chimamanda’s bestseller, Americanah, is finally coming to life as a ten-episode HBO series starring Lupita Nyong’o and directed by Danai Gurira.

The duo of Nyong’o and Gurira have become a formidable force in Hollywood when it comes to their devotion to telling authentic African stories and especially the stories of women. These days, of course they’re both best known for their lead roles in 2018 blockbuster Black Panther set in the Marvel-created African country of Wakanda.

Continue reading “Lupita Nyong’o’s take on Chimamanda’s Americanah set for airing on HBO” →
Business

Omega1: Ghanaian couple open African fashion house in Pittsfield, Massachusetts

By Kristin Palpini

PITTSFIELD — Bright Abbey has been an entrepreneur all his life. He has owned a restaurant and a medical equipment shipping firm. Those were in Ghana, though. Omega1 African Fashion on North Street is his first business venture in America.

Continue reading “Omega1: Ghanaian couple open African fashion house in Pittsfield, Massachusetts” →
Events

Andrew Young to deliver Keynote at Trade Summit that Reframe Africa for American Investors

A  summit on U.S.-Africa trade  slated for later this month in Atlanta aims to reframe investors’ thinking about opportunities on the continent of more than 1 billion people.

Headlined by keynote speaker Ambassador Andrew Young, the U.S.-Africa Trade and Investment Global Summit Sept. 26-28 is set to bring in speakers from across the continent with a heavy focus on agriculture but an even keener eye toward exposing tangible opportunities — especially government incentives.

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Music

Wynton Marsalis and More Celebrate the Sounds of Post-Apartheid South African Jazz in New York

The story of South African jazz has been told in venues across New York City since the ’60s, when the likes of Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba came to the town as exiles from Johannesburg. The part of the story that came after the country found democracy hasn’t had as much stage time as fans of the genre would say it deserves. It’s this part of the story that Jazz at Lincoln Center’s new series of concerts, the South African Songbook, chose to spotlight to kick off its 2019-2020 season.

Continue reading “Wynton Marsalis and More Celebrate the Sounds of Post-Apartheid South African Jazz in New York” →