Stories of Africa: Connected Over Time and Across the Globe

2017 Seminar

Schedule | Sessions | Pre-program Materials | Plenary Speakers

Schedule

Concurrent Sessions

Grades K-12 and Community College

“Some Kind of Funny Puerto Rican:” Reflections on Cabo Verdean Identity and Transnationalism

Terza Silva Lima-Neves, Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Johnson C. Smith University

This session offers an overview of Cabo Verde, its people and culture with a focus on the diaspora population, known as the “eleventh island” of this small West African island nation. There are significant nuances to the ways Africans define themselves and unapologetically own who they are. The Cabo Verdean is not unique in the world, but it offers significant insight for the contemporary ways we learn and teach “Africa.”

African vs. Afro-Arab Identities

Iyman Gaspard, Program Manager, Center for Global Initiatives, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

This session will examine the varying, and at times, conflictual identity formation of Africans and North Africans in the United States. We will explore the intersection of race, religion and class among these diasporaic communities.

Looking at Africa through Cloth and Clothing

Victoria Rovine, Associate Professor, Department of Art History, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

This session explores African dress, from the traditional to the fashionable, and everything in between.
Clothing is an art form we all engage in, and through it, we can learn about the cultures of Africa.

Education in Post-Apartheid South Africa

Lauren Jarvis, Assistant Professor, Department of History, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

What does it mean to “decolonize” a curriculum? In a country with 11 national languages, in which languages should students receive instruction? Why are low-fee private schools growing so quickly in South Africa? This session will use recent current events to get participants thinking about these questions and introduce them to the South African educational system.

The Arab Uprisings and Women’s Rights

Ellen McLarney, Assistant Professor, Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Duke University

Women played visible and important roles in the revolutions in the Arab world in 2011. Women demonstrated in the streets and gender issues became forefront as protests put women’s rights at their center. This session looks at subsequent changes in the Egyptian and Tunisian constitutions, ratified under governments led by Islamic parties, and how women’s roles in the demonstrations were dramatized in graffiti art, music and film.

All Languages Matter: African Children Telling Their Own Stories

Esther Mukewa Lisanza, Lecturer, Department of African, African American, and Diaspora Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

This session will focus on children’s agency in Africa during their learning experiences. In some of the official school worlds in Africa, composing has no place – children copy words and sentences from the board; but this does not stop children from composing as a form of play or imagination. Many official school language policies ban the use of the children’s home languages in favor of former colonial languages, such as English or French, but the children sometimes “smuggle” their languages into the classrooms through unofficial drawings, written stories or songs. The presentation will highlight how school children find ways to tell their own stories at school.

African Refugee Resettlement in North Carolina

Latosha Walker, Operations Manager and Employment Specialist, N.C. African Services Coalition

This session describes African immigrants’ difficulties during resettlement, which includes the obstacles they face during pre- and post-arrival to United States. In addition, the session will focus on supporting new arrivals especially in the school setting.

In Praise of the African Entrepreneur

Cliff Missen, Clinical Associate Professor and Director of WiderNet@UNC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Political independence and economic growth are repainting the African landscape. Home-grown entrepreneurs of every stripe are leading the way. This session will share some examples of modern Africa and look at the debate of giving aid versus making investments.

Gender and Political Representation in Contemporary Africa

Eunice N. Sahle, Associate Professor, Department of African, African American, and Diaspora Studies and the Curriculum in Global Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

One of the significant developments in contemporary Africa is the rise of women in African parliaments and formal politics in general. This presentation will focus on these developments drawing on examples from South Africa, Rwanda and Kenya.

Grades K-6

South African Culture, History, and Literacy (SACHL) Project: Exploring South Africa Using a Critical Literacy Framework

• Elizabeth Crawford, Associate Professor, Department of Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle, Literacy and Special Education, University of North Carolina Wilmington
• Kathy Fox, Professor and Chair, Department of Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle, Literacy and Special Education, University of North Carolina Wilmington
• Mary Ludwig, Music Teacher, Carolina Forest International Elementary, Onslow County Schools
• Judy McMullin, Health and Physical Education Teacher, Carolina Forest International Elementary, Onslow County Schools
• Donyell Roseboro, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Instructional Technology, Foundations, and Secondary Education, University of North Carolina Wilmington

Project Website
Join faculty and elementary educators who participated in a four-week Fulbright-Hays Short Term Seminar Abroad grant in South Africa. Project goals included enhancing teachers’ cross-cultural competence and the development of curricular resources to teach about South African culture, history and literacy. In this session, attendees will examine the grant-writing process as a partnership practice and lessons learned from the year-long experience. Facilitators will use music, literary texts and photos to discuss the collaborative project and to demonstrate how to integrate South Africa into the K-6 curriculum.

Grades 6-12

Exploring the African Diaspora: Pedagogical Insights from the 2016-17 African Diaspora Fellows

• Emily Chavez, Outreach Program Coordinator, The Consortium for Latin American and Caribbean Studies
• Savannah Cutrell, Social Studies Teacher, Northeastern High School, Elizabeth City – Pasquotank Public Schools
• Sashir Moore-Sloan, Social Studies Teacher, Lowes Grove Magnet Middle School, Durham Public Schools
• Michael Williams, Social Studies Teacher, Warren New Tech High School, Warren County Schools

The African Diaspora Fellows Program (ADFP) is a professional development opportunity for middle and high school social studies, world language and English language arts teachers in North Carolina. Through participation in ADFP, teachers enhance their expertise in teaching about the histories, politics and cultures of African, Afro-Latin American and African American communities. The 2016-2017 African Diaspora Fellows participated in rigorous professional development during 2016 and are now in a year-long guided curriculum development process. During this academic year, they have also been integrating new content about the African diaspora into their classrooms while being mindful of their pedagogical approaches in teaching this information. This panel presentation will focus on the use of critical pedagogy in teaching about the African diaspora. The African Diaspora Fellows will discuss challenges and opportunities they’ve found in integrating Black histories, cultures, politics and literature into their classes.

Colonized Women Talk Back

Brenda Randolph, Outreach Director, Center for African Studies, Howard University

This session brings to the forefront the voices of African women who fought for social justice, shattering the myth of the submissive African woman while highlighting Africa’s ethnic diversity and important social justice issues. Participants will leave with strategies and resources that expand perspectives on African women and the roles they played in resistance movements during the colonial period.

Grades K-8

Beyond Safaris: Exploring Africa’s Diversity in K-8 Classrooms

Olivia Scott Kamkwamba, Doctoral Student, Cultural Studies and Literacies, School of Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

This session will provide an overview of resources for K-8 teachers in exploring Africa beyond the safaris and stereotypical images students can bring to the classroom. We will explore how to practically and effectively describe the geographic, linguistic, and ethnic diversity on the continent. We will also offer language and tools for addressing popular stereotypes surrounding wildlife, urbanization, and traditions using children’s books, crafts, and classroom group activities.

Grades 6-12 and Community College

Beyond “The Lion King:” Teaching About Africa Through Film

Eileen Mattingly, Director of Education, Journeys in Film

Handout
While students can read and research about cultures other than their own, one of the most effective ways to help them understand is through a carefully chosen, age-appropriate foreign film. This session will examine ways to integrate contemporary films about Africa into your classroom, giving students a positive and enjoyable viewing experience while still meeting curriculum standards. The presenter will discuss best practices for selecting and using films, explain how interdisciplinary lessons can broaden student understanding and show clips from selected films. Participants will receive a sample lesson plan guide and information about downloading other free lessons.

The Power of Art: Creating a Platform for Understanding Islam in West Africa and Beyond

• Jennifer Earnest, World History Teacher, Fuquay-Varina High School, Wake County Public Schools
• Holly Loranger, Assistant Director, World View and former History/Social Studies Teacher, Chapel Hill High School, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools
• Anita Rubino, Visual Arts Teacher, Currituck County High School, Currituck County Schools
• Tinisha Shaw, Curriculum Facilitator, Early Middle College at Bennett, Guilford County Schools

This session provides an overview of the Global Islam and the Arts Teacher Fellow (GIAT) program, including the participants’ educational experiences regarding the diaspora and diversity of Islam, as well as the power of art in creating a platform for understanding Islam and transcending the boundaries often placed around Islam. Emphasis will be on our explorations into Sufism in Senegal. Participants will highlight how their educational experiences translate into curriculum development and implementation for the K-12 classroom.

Pre-program Materials

Week 1: How Africa can keep rising (video)

Economist and former Finance Minister of Nigeria Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala says in a June 2016 Ted talk that African growth is a trend, not a fluke. She describes progress on the continent and outlines eight challenges African nations need to address to create a better future.

Week 2: Credit Certificate, Study Guide and Required Reading

A certificate for one and a half (1½) continuing education (CEU) credits for K-12 educators or 15 hours of professional development contact hours (PDCH) for community college educators will be awarded to participants who attend the Africa seminar and complete the 2017 WV Africa Seminar Study Guide (fillable PDF form) based on the following required reading and video:

• “Don’t ask where I am from, ask where I am a local,” Taiye Selasi, TEDGlobal 2014
• “Why I cannot tell ‘the African story,'” BBC News, October 2015 (video, transcript available)

Week 3: Recommended Articles

• “What do We Want Children to Learn About Africa?,” Margy Burns Knight, Teaching for Change, Feb. 21, 2014
• “Demand for Job Skills Heating Up in Africa,” ICEF Monitor – Market Intelligence for International Student Recruitment, June 30, 201

Week 4: Recommended Article

• “The Foundation of Africa’s Future,” Zandre Campos, U.S. News & World Report, Aug. 16, 2016

Plenary Speakers

Olamosu oversees planning, design and facilitation of training that promotes cross-cultural awareness and understanding between the international community and Duke University. She serves as liaison with administrative offices, academic departments, professional organizations and the Durham community, developing and applying the latest knowledge and research in cross-cultural education and training. More