Reflections on Africa Day.

“We Are our ancestors’ wildest dreams, but we don’t know that unless we learn what our ancestors went through.” — Monita K. Bell

Leading up to Africa Day 2021, I had the once-in-a-lifetime joy of surprising my mother, Rev. Muriel on her return visit to Ghana after 25 years of being away. It has been incredibly emotional to experience my mom reconnect with her country of birth after making so many sacrifices for our family. For her, our college education in the United States was paramount. In spite of leaving the continent first with two young children, and then became four young kids she preserved and has also built a community ministry.

Muriel, Esaaba, Emmanuel Gamor Golden Tulip Hotel Accra, May 22nd, 2021.

Being the oldest, with three younger sisters the weight of the responsibilities and sacrifices by our parents and by extension, our ancestors has never been lost on me. Never shying away from the mantle to circle back in building a world that validates our experiences, from the African and especially, respected everywhere else in the world.

Every year, Muriel and I align on a shared mantra. This year, in spite of the challenges and trauma of the global pandemic, the mission is to be intentional in carrying on the torch and momentum of our forebearers had, to have the audacity to co-create these dreams.

I am incredibly blessed that I get to witness my mother relive, and share the dreams I was too young to fully understand; also to create new ones that exceed our wildest ones. Even as she takes the time to honor her own mother and father on her return journey.

Be well, be safe, be loved.

p.s.

My mother was one of the founding staff members of the Golden Tulip Hotel, Accra Ghana when it first opened about 30 years ago, joined some of the early staff members present who were gracious to n and take a few pictures with her.

image credit: Sylvester Darku, Team Black Image

Originally published to Unpacking Africa newsletter’s 15,000 + subscribers on May 26, 2021.

Happy Africa Day

Conversations that Matter.

As we celebrate the strides towards a consolidated African economy community and recognize the many strides made in the past;

Kwame Nkrumah’s speech at the OAU in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia circa May 24th, 1963

I’m reminded of the power of ideas that lead to insightful conversations that push movements to become institution-bound and operationalized for the Africa we want.

Looking onward; I am excited to share The Pathfinders conversation I shall be having with H.E. Olusegun Obasanjo & Dr. Greg Mills on June 9th, 2020 where I shall be irreverent with much-needed community interventions exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Pathfinders: Dr. Greg Mills, HE Obansanjo, Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor

To join in kindly click this link for more information. Fee waiver for SMEs & students!

Heavy Chef and Fred also invited me for a deep-dive conversation ahead of the event, to get a flavor of my thoughts and submissions on what our what-next looks like click play:

Heavy Chef: African Culture Is Key To Unlocking Innovation” Podcast Host Emmanuel Gamor

A bit of what I shall be sharing is a culmination of conversations that I have been privileged to have with amazing African professionals in the fields of entrepreneurship, tech, healthcare, and most recently education on the Unpacking Africa podcast.

Unpacking Africa: Learning Journeys

Guests on the Learning Journeys episode: Fauzia Issaka a development professional, Zinhle Mkhabela an M&E professional as well as Kwabena Boateng, host of the HBCU African American Homecoming.

Thanks so much to the community members who have subscribed and left a 5-star review (for the international discovery of the podcast) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, and Anchor. To those who haven’t yet — kindly support my efforts. It takes less than a minute.

Ameyaw Debrah | George Britton | Oral Ofori had kind words to share about the pod here, here, and here.

“The forces that unite us are intrinsic and greater than the superimposed influences that keep us apart.” — Kwame Nkrumah

Be well, be safe.

Originally published to Unpacking Africa newsletter’s 15,000 + subscribers on May 25, 2020.