Programming and Outreach Mission
The Center serves as a cultural, research, and teaching resource that identifies, collects, develops, preserves, and disseminates new and expanded information and materials about the African heritage, the African American experience, and their contributions to world civilization.
Community and national outreach are an integral part of the Center’s activities including programming for K-12 scholars, post-secondary educators and students, as well as for business, media, government, and the general public. The Center’s outreach activities are organized jointly with relevant campus and community organizations to increase public knowledge the African Diaspora in Louisiana, the United States, and the world and also to enhance the broader community’s understanding of African peoples and cultures.
The Center’s outreach program is exceptionally active, with an Outreach Advisory Council that includes representatives from various academic and community groups. This is designed to strengthen the ties between Africana studies on campus and the broader community. The Council is a vital part of the Center’s ability to flourish in the New Orleans community. Some of the popular outreach and programming initiatives of the Center include the annual Kwanzaa festival, Black History Month activities and performances, and the Sankofa Tourism Network.
For more information, please contact Melonee Griggs, Program Coordinator and Outreach Specialist at [email protected]