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By Akindele Akinyemi
This past week, the National African Business Association (NABA), along with the Nigerian American Public Affairs Committee (NAPAC-USA), the Nigerian American Lawyers Association (NALA), the Nigerian in Diaspora Organization (NIDO) and the United People for African Congress (UPAC) collectively participated in the 47th annual Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) Annual Legislative Conference in Washington D.C. (USA).
The annual conference is the leading policy conference on issues impacting African Americans and the global black community. Thought leaders, legislators and concerned citizens engage on economic development, civil and social justice, and public health as well as education issues.
These organizations decided to attend to begin laying the groundwork on developing a solution-oriented platform to empower local African policymakers and business owners both domestically and internationally.
Supporters of these organizations included key members of the Congressional Black Caucus who included Congresswoman Karen Bass of California (who NAPAC-USA gave an award to for her work on U.S. Africa public policy), Congresswoman Fredericka Wilson of Florida (who is Bahamian) (who hosted the #BringBackOurGirls Townhall meeting), Congresswoman Yvette Clarke of Brooklyn, NY (who is Jamaican), and U.S. Senator Cory Booker (who pledged his support for NAPAC-USA).
The energy was very high with the African presence in the conference, however, at the first annual NAPAC CBC Reception at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland is where these core organizations came together as one to develop a serious voice for our African community.
All organizations have agreed to begin working on a series of action steps to develop and implement for the next 12 months.
Akindele Akinyemi is the National Co-Director of the National African Business Association
He can be reached at info@nabaempowers.org
