AAI Hosts Inaugural Gathering on Greentree Summit
The Africa-America Institute, in partnership with Head and Heart Philanthropy and Mosaic Genius, hosted their first Gathering on Greentree Summit. The event ran from 13-15 April, 2022 at the Greentree Foundation in Manhasset, NY. AAI, Head and Heart Philanthropy, and Mosaic Genius partnered to host this intimate gathering of thought leaders who are advancing equity in education and the workforce, with a particular focus on the worldwide African diaspora. The convening was designed to create an actionable agenda to address these inequalities, some of which have been further exacerbated by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Gathering on Greentree was the first in a series of gatherings hosted by AAI for thought leaders from across Africa and the diaspora to have healing conversations. Future gatherings will be hosted in Houston, Detroit, Los Angeles, and culminating in Accra, Ghana. It is during these gatherings that we hope to contribute to healing conversations surrounding reparations and what that would mean for all Afro-descendants.
Under the theme of “Connecting the Diaspora”, AAI will host these intimate dinners and conversations bringing together cross-sector leaders, influencers, and potential donors interested in supporting AAI and collaborating to advance solutions to address economic, education, and health disparities that exist throughout Africa and the Diaspora which are rooted in slavery and propagated through systemic racism.
In attendance were AAI President, Kofi Appenteng, and AAI Board Chair, Christal M. Jackson. On the Gathering on Greentree, Mr. Appenteng said, “Our hope was simply to bring people to an oasis, a place where there is a lot of harmony with the environment, and there is space for people to retreat from the daily pressures of life, and have important conversations that benefit all of us, both on the continent and in the Diaspora.” AAI board chair, Christal M. Jackson, added “Connecting the diaspora is essential to creating an inclusive economy. I’m grateful that AAI has been laying the groundwork for this moment.”
About AAI
The Africa-America Institute (AAI) is a nearly 70-year-old institution with the mission of promoting enlightened engagement between Africa and America through education, training, and dialogue — a mission well placed to meet this moment of global racial reckoning. Among our principal co-founders were Horace Mann Bond and William Leo Hansberry, two pioneering African-American scholar activists whose work straddles the divide between African and African diaspora studies. AAI continues to embrace the philosophy of education for liberation that Bond and Hansberry espoused – a philosophy that affirms humanity and cultivates the intellectual aspirations and excellence of all people.
AAI’s dual program focus has always been on improving education in and about Africa. Since its founding in 1953, over 23,000 Africans have received scholarships and fellowships from AAI. These Africans are now an esteemed network of alumni, many of whom are leaders and influencers across public, private, and governmental sectors in Africa and globally. Included in this network are current Heads of State, H.E. Hage Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia; H.E. Alassane Ouattara, President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire; H.E. Mohamed Bazoum, President of the Republic of Niger; and H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa. Many of AAI’s alumni have left an indelible imprint, including the late 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Wangari Mathaai, and the late Barack Obama, Sr.
About Head and Heart Philanthropy
Head and Heart Philanthropy, is committed to connecting and convening the best and the brightest working at the intersection of wealth building and social impact. We work daily to reduce barriers to access and opportunities for under-represented leaders.
Since 2011, we’ve been supporting our leaders and entrepreneurs committed to tackling complicated issues impacting black and brown people. We support our community members in a variety of ways and measure our success not only by monetary size, but by more qualitative measurements such as the scale and effectiveness of our efforts.
