EBONY January 08 issue

Special Report: EBONY in Africa
“Who’s getting a piece of Africa?
As African nations make strategic business partnerships to help them develop and prosper, African-Americans could be missing a great opportunity.”

My point of view:
Once again, thumbs up for Ebony, that continent that seems too far or too unknown is the best bet for African Americans to come up with their own model of prosperity using elements from their own cultural past and land of origin.

African Village Project

At the image of Chinatown, Germantown or Little Italy all over the big cities around America, it appears to me clear that there should be an African Village too. There is a remarkable development of African origin and culture based communities. Also, it is not necessary to precise how important is the African American community.
America has always been a land of opportunity where people coming from every place in the world, get settled and organize themselves as communities. They usually live in the same geographic area, start businesses, found families and become owner of the place. That is the case for Italians in South Philadelphia, Latinos in Los Angeles neighborhoods and Asians in Chinatown of every big city.
If you have ever walked or driven on West and South-West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Woodland, Chester or Elmwood Avenues, you might think you are in Africa. The sound of the music coming out of the stores, the dialects and strong accented English that you will hear in the street, mix with the exotic sent of specialty foods.
The African Village could be a very good way of promoting life, businesses and culture. How interesting would it be able to discover Africa without flying hours and spending thousands of dollars? That can represent a point of reconnection of the Black people, Americans or not, with the mother land Africa; which will result on an increased self esteem and pride, especially for those who did not chose to come here.
This is just an idea thrown out; more details about the denomination, the financing and the symbolism around it are to be determined by an open debate, in which every concerned person can participate.

Source of humanity

In the 21st century, still, the stigma resulting from that dark episode of humanity, are haunting Black people wherever they are. The stigma is so deeply encrusted that most of us identify themselves as just "products of the slavery".

We should not forget that besides being the source of Humanity, we, also are authors of the first and the most celebrated civilization on earth, and this is not little.

This image represents a sculpture on the Goree Island, off Dakar, Senegal, West Africa. Look for it in our future posts.