AAI Hosts “The Road to Ghana” Salon Dinner Series in Houston, Texas

Following the inaugural Gathering on Greentree Summit in April of 2022, AAI launched The Road to Ghana Salon Dinner Series with an intimate gathering in Houston, Texas. The dinner brought together a cross-sector of leaders interested in collaborating to advance solutions that address economic, education, and health disparities existing throughout Africa and its worldwide Diaspora.

The theme of the series “Connecting the Diaspora” reflects AAI’s mission of serving as a bridge between Africa and the United States to promote enlightened engagement on issues of common concern to Africa and its worldwide Diaspora. Funded by a MacArthur Foundation grant as part of their Equitable Recovery Initiative, the salon dinners are being held across the United States in Houston, Los Angeles, and Detroit, culminating in a trip to Accra, Ghana, where The Global Circle for Reparations & Healing will host the “Advancing Justice: Reparations and Racial Healing Summit” in August of 2022.

The Houston dinner took place on May 19th at Chevron’s Corporate Headquarters and was hosted by Mamadou Beye, General Manager of Corporate Affairs for Chevron Middle East, Africa, South America. The evening began with a reception where guests were invited to view Chevron’s collection of African Art while enjoying live entertainment courtesy of Violinist Demola @demolaviolinist. Demola was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and from a young age became a classically trained multi-genre violinist now residing in Houston. After the reception, guests were served an African-inspired dinner and engaged in a thought-provoking discussion on the role of business in helping to address economic, education, and health disparities. As a thank-you gift and as a means of connecting and celebrating the cultures of Africa and the Diaspora, guests were given copies of the highly acclaimed book, “Black Food: Stories, Art and Recipes from Across the African Diaspora”.

Attendees of the Houston Dinner included H.E. Hilda Suka-Mafudze, African Union Ambassador to the United States, Dr. Adel Chaouch, CEO of ShaMaran Petroleum, Dr. Michael B. Mizwa, CEO of the Baylor College of Medicine International Pediatric AIDS Initiative at Texas Children’s Hospital, Maryanne Maldonado, CEO of the World Affairs Council of Greater Houston, and Dani Hebron, representative for Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. AAI looks forward to staying engaged with attendees of the Dinner and plans to host future events in the Houston area.

Latest News

Read AAI’s digital newsletter debut issue on “Honoring History” and BHM

AAI Statement on the Passing of H.E. Dr. Hage G. Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia

The Africa-America Institute Hosts Its 9th Annual SOE Conference on the African Diaspora