Over 400 African game-changers, thought leaders, business people, entrepreneurs and people who cherish Africa attended the second annual Leadership Africa Summit on Saturday, April 13, 2019. The all-day event was held at the University of Nebraska at Omaha – Strauss Performing Arts Center and included attendees from different African homelands. The event official community partner was Teammates Mentoring.
Shifting Tides: Uplifting professional knowledge and amplifying diversity was the theme for this year’s Summit.
Oprah Winfrey’s “All-Time Favorite Guest,” Dr. Tererai Trent, was the keynote speaker. Dr. Trent is today’s most internationally recognized voice for quality education and women’s empowerment. She is a scholar, humanitarian, motivational speaker, educator, author, and founder of Tererai Trent International.
The Empowering Speakers were:
Sandra Appiah, Co-founder of Face2Face Africa
Lisa Curtis: Founder, CEO of Kuli Kuli Foods, and 2018 Forbes 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneurs
Chris Folayan, Founder and CEO of Mall for Africa
Aaron Dworkin, MacArthur Fellow, Professor of Entrepreneurship & Leadership, Performing Artist and Author.
Todd Schmaderer, Omaha Chief of Police, was the Plenary Speaker.
Six diverse panels of industry experts, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders led attendees in the following workshops:
- Empowering Women to Lead
- Ethical Leadership: Leveraging Your Values to Make Change
- Leading Across Different Cultures
- Black Business Starlight
- Startup & Entrepreneurs Resources for Success
- LinkedIn: Gateway for Professional Enrichment
The Summit also included a gala and awards ceremony, featuring comedian Dulo Folarin Harris (I am Dulo) at the Omaha Hilton Downtown. At the gala change –makers who inspire and contribute to improving the personal and professional lives of African – descents were recognized. Awards were presented to:
- Antonio Moore, Executive Director, Moore Than Just a Village, Omaha, Nebraska
- Betty Kola, Founder, Buoyant Family Services Counseling & Counseling, Omaha, Nebraska
- Benson Edagwa, PhD, Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
- Claudia Koerbler, Knowledge Management Specialist, World Bank Group, Co- Founder, Vehicles of Change, Washington D.C.
- Lisa Curtis, CEO of Kuli Kuli Foods, Oakland, California
- Denise Khumalo, Film Director, Los Angeles, California
To honor attendees and supporters, the Leadership Africa Summit provided its first scholarships. Awardees went to five African and African-descent senior high school students who are planning to attend a trade school, community college, or university.
This inspiring networking, learning, and professional development weekend event helped inform and empower not only young professional Africans, but also attendees who wanted to learn about cultural diversity and multicultural diversity.
“It was an opportunity for people who cherish Africa or who are just curious to know more about the work of local and global African leaders,” said Marco Kpeglo LeRoc, the creator and organizer of the Summit.
The Leadership Africa Summits are a for-purpose event featuring speakers making an impact in fields ranging from women empowerment, non-profit work to social entrepreneurship, business, and education. These leaders will gather to share their entrepreneurial advice, success stories, and tips for tackling some of the world’s biggest challenges across industries.
Take a look at some photos of the event below:
