FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
300+ Educators Journey Back to Ghana for 2nd Biennial All-African Diaspora Educators Summit
LOS ANGELES, CA, August 26, 2024 – In a continued effort to reshape education for the African diaspora, A²MEND and over 300 educators from across the United States will gather for the second Biennial All-African Diaspora Education Summit (ADES) in Ghana.
The Summit, taking place from September 27 to October 6, 2024, will be hosted in Accra and Cape Coast, Ghana. The theme for the 2024 summit, “Colonization to Sovereignty: The Future of Educating the African Diaspora – 2022-2032,” reflects a critical and bold vision for the future of education centered on African sovereignty, self-determination, and liberation.
“This summit is more than just a gathering — it is a return to our roots, a reclamation of our narrative, and a powerful statement that African-centered education is essential to our future,” said Herbert English, A²MEND president and dean of Counseling and Specially Funded Programs at Riverside City College. “We are not only educating minds but also liberating souls. ADES is where we come together to honor our ancestors and forge a new path for the generations to come.”
Building on the success of the 2022 ADES, which brought together educators from the U.S. and Africa for the first time, this year’s summit will continue to explore how African-centered education is a vital tool for empowering Black people globally. The summit provides a platform to address key questions: How can we most effectively implement an educational structure that centers the history, traditions, philosophy, and lived experiences of Black people? Who were we before they came?
“Last year’s Summit laid the foundation for a global dialogue on how we educate the African diaspora,” said Dr. Edward Bush, president of Cosumnes River College and A²MEND president-elect. “This work is vital because education is our most powerful weapon in the fight for sovereignty and self-determination. We must continue to ask the hard questions about our past and envision a future that is truly our own.”
The Summit invites K-12 teachers, community college faculty, administrators, policymakers, and educational advocates to collectively design and advance strategies for Black students’ success. ADES 2024 will explore how African-centered pedagogy can serve as a foundation for controlling resources, amplifying the contributions of Black people, and reimagining educational practices.
ADES 2024 will offer an immersive professional development opportunity, allowing African American educators to reconnect with the ancestral homeland of African people. By exploring both the historical and contemporary context of education in Africa, participants will engage in transformative dialogue and collaboration that nurtures a vision of educational sovereignty.
“I support the ADES Summit because it offers educators an invaluable opportunity to learn, heal, and grow in the very land where our history began,” said Dr. Ricky Shabazz, A²MEND board member and president of San Diego City College. “The work we do here helps us dismantle systems of oppression, reimagine education, and ultimately uplift Black students worldwide. This is not just a conference — it’s a movement.”
For those interested in supporting this transformative event, sponsorship opportunities are available. To learn more, please visit https://www.thesummit.info/sponsors or email us at assist@execuconnect.org.
About A²MEND:
A²MEND (African American Male Education Network & Development) is committed to advancing educational success for Black students through professional development, advocacy, and mentorship. Their mission is to implement African-centered solutions that foster liberation and equity in educational spaces.
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