More than 1000 Los Angeles middle and high school students are expected to participate in the innovative Teach Africa™ Youth Forum on Saturday, May 30 at UCLA Royce Hall starting at 10:00 a.m.

Launched last June, Teach Africa™ is a multiphase program designed to provide educators with the background and tools needed to raise student interest in Africa through a multidisciplinary approach. To date, Teach Africa™ has been implemented in Washington D.C., San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Portland, Houston, Los Angeles and Atlanta, orienting more than 1,400 superintendants and principals, training more than 1,700 teachers and educating over 6,300 students.

The day-long Africa immersion program opens with a panel of ambassadors, scholars, and policy makers giving students a chance to learn about the histories, cultures, economies, art and cultures of the 54 nations comprising the continent of Africa.

Students will receive innovative learning materials and will also see the film Africa Today produced by the Discovery Channel Global Education Partnership in collaboration with The Africa Society and with funding from USAID. This compelling film which was directed by Africans in Africa, chronicles the eye-opening cultural and intellectual exchange between Ugandan and American teachers and students. It also shows Africa’s geography, diverse cultures and stories – seen from an African perspective.

Featured speakers and presenters include:

• His Excellency Cyrille S. Oguin, Ambassador of the Republic of Benin
• The Honorable Mervyn M. Dymally, Director, Urban Health Institute, Charles Drew University School of Medicine and Science
• Andrew Apter, Director of UCLA’s African Studies Center
• Aleta Williams, Senior Educational Advisor, USAID
• Gmakahn Browne, Outreach and Communications Manager, SAIC
• Bernadette Paolo, President & CEO of The Africa Society
• Aric Noboa, Executive Producer, Discovery Channel Global Education Partnership
• Luddy Hayden, President of Luddy Hayden & Associates, LLC, Africa Society Board Member

African scholars and experts will conduct workshops for students on topics such as The Art of Adinkra, African Cinema and Social Commentary, Youth and Civil Society in Kenya, The Changing Roles of Women in Africa, Africa’s Natural Resources, and An Overview of African History & Culture, among others. Participants will have an opportunity to debate policy and experience the vibrancy of Africa. The program, intended for young people and educators, addresses the lack of Africa education in American curricula by providing both groups with a better understanding and a greater appreciation of Africa and its role in the global community.

-Ranna Lanagan