African Women’s Collective Action - African Diaspora Network

Championing Community:

Celebrating African Women’s Collective Action Across the Diaspora

Event Summary

In honor of Women’s History Month, the African Diaspora Network (ADN) hosted an Impact and Innovation Forum (IIF), “Championing Community: Celebrating African Women’s Collective Action Across the Diaspora”. This powerful convening brought together a panel of distinguished Black women across the African diaspora including Omolayo Nkem Oyudo, Director of Programs and Operations at ADN; Paddy Siyanga Knudsen, Co-founder of the African Non-state Actors Platform on Migration & Development; Henrietta Bankole-Olusina, Vice President of Africa at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors; Anika Hobbs, Founder & Chief Curator of Nubian Hueman; and Bayyina Black, the Executive Global Director of Sustainability and Impact at R/GA.

This thoughtful convening underscored the importance of deliberate collaboration across Africa and its diaspora in driving meaningful economic and social change. Paddy, Henrietta, Anika, and Bayyina, drew from their extensive professional experiences in commerce, fashion, business, policy, marketing and migration to offer insights on how to create lasting change on the continent and across the diaspora. They shared rich resources, key lessons, and historical examples as they each considered women’s collective action in navigating both local and global challenges, the role of cultural heritage, and potential futures.

“Collective action is most effective when it is structured, inclusive, and forward-thinking.”

- Henrietta Bankole-Olusina

Outlined below are three themes that surfaced during the discourse. These themes also serve as action steps as we all champion our own communities and inspire collective action.

Amplifying Local Voices: In a day and age where virality is prioritized and people are quick to stamp their brand on initiatives and ‘global’ movements for their own personal gain, it is critical that we draw from indigenous knowledge, amplify local voices, and center solutions on the lived experiences of those in the communities. Africans have long utilized storytelling, orature, and other methods to mobilize and to inspire action, and it is critical that we lean on these approaches as we consider new ways to collaborate and mobilize for sustainable change. To this end, the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA)’s launch of the Foresight and Futures Community of Practice–a multi-sector, multidisciplinary community of community leaders, funders, researchers, and policymakers that leverages strategic foresight methodologies for futures thinking as it deeply explores how to drive meaningful social, economic and political change in communities across the world. This form of proactive collaboration encourages peer networking that’s relevant, responsive, and forward-thinking.
The Power of Cultural Identity: Our cultural identities are central to how we connect, engage, lead, and collaborate. Anika urged Africans and diasporans to tap into these shared identities and traditions to unlock the collective strength that flows from this interconnectedness in the effort to uplift us all. Anika emphasized, “there’s nothing greater than as Africans and in the diaspora functioning as if we are one…the waters do not have to separate us, the language does not have to separate us.” Understanding our collective identity is what will ultimately break the barriers and systems that were designed to work against us, and help us build new sustainable and relevant systems.
Deploying Multi-faceted Solutions: As architects of our futures, Africans and diasporans must deploy multi-faceted solutions in the effort to tackle the various challenges our communities face. These solutions include –
- Moving above and beyond the $95 billion in remittances sent to the continent into long-term investment vehicles to improve infrastructure, boost economies, and improve the overall quality of life of those on the continent;
- Forming strategic partnerships with private sector, philanthropic organizations, and governments; and
- Leveraging technology, and actively engaging in the development of new technological tools (i.e.- the evolution of AI) and policies to ensure that those systems are able to anticipate the needs of Africans and diasporans.
- Bayyina emphasized that when it comes to enacting change, it is important to utilize tried and tested methods like canvasing and handing out flyers, in addition to technology enhanced ones; this includes supporting local causes and getting involved in the community around you and not just the digital and global ones.

We are deeply appreciative of all who joined this powerful convening and contributed to the rich discourse. We are indebted to our distinguished speakers for their time and contributions. We invite you to continue the conversation at this year’s African Diaspora Investment Symposium (ADIS) held in Washington, DC on May 28-30. Learn more and register today.

Speakers

Henrietta Bankole-Olusina is Vice President at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA). She leads RPA’s efforts in Africa, working with partners and stakeholders, while leading or
participating in advisory, thought leadership, donor funded sponsored projects, and other work advancing RPA’s mission which is to accelerate philanthropy in pursuit of a just world.

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She was formerly Nigeria Program Director at RPA, where her responsibility was to liaise with
Nigerian government stakeholders to assess the needs, challenges and opportunities to enable
the government to drive financial inclusion regulatory reform with a focus on strengthening
pro-poor financial inclusion policies and support an enabling regulatory environment for
Digital Financial Services (DFS) in the emerging market.
Before joining Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors in November 2020, Henrietta was the
Managing Director at ARM Financial Advisers where she was responsible for digital financial
services, innovation, retail distribution and Group Corporate Transformation and IT. Prior to
that, she was Management Consulting Lead for Financial Services and Head of Payments and
Mobility at Accenture. She has served as the Chairperson of the Financial Inclusion Channels
Working Group and member of the National Financial Inclusion Technical Committee for the
implementation of Nigeria’s Financial Inclusion strategy.
She is a graduate of the University of Lagos, Nigeria and holds a Master’s in Business
Administration (MBA) degree with specialization in Corporate Strategy and Economic Policy
from the Maastricht School of Management, The Netherlands. She is a certified trainer, Change
Management and Balanced Scorecard professional.

Bayyina Black is an award-winning Executive Global Director of Sustainability and Impact at R/GA, dedicated to lifting up the “unders” to overcome barriers limiting their greatness. Over her 10+ year career, she has led creative and strategic purpose-driven work, championing global innovation wherever she opens her laptop.

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As the self-proclaimed Queen of Pivots, Bayyina has gained experience in advertising, film, television, media venture capital, and tech industries. Within R/GA, she has worked in the Ventures Studio, Content Studio, and Creative Department as both a Producer and Art Director. Her passion for purpose-led action led to her appointment as R/GA’s first Global Director of Sustainability and Impact, where she created the flagship pro bono program, Make/Good. This initiative has supported 25+ underrepresented businesses and non-profits, helping secure $2.5M in funding and providing award-winning design services.

Bayyina has been recognized as a Humanitarian and one of the Most Influential People of African Descent under 40, an ADCOLOR Change Agent nominee, and a Rising Star of Madison Avenue by Business Insider. Her impact spans international borders and knows no bounds, as co-founder and executive sponsor of the Afro-Brazilian business resource group, GDN. In addition, Bayyina takes great pride in serving as an advisor for ESG-focused entrepreneurs and a mentor to students and professionals seeking to live more fully in their purpose.

Recent accomplishments include co-leading the creation of PAM, Founderland’s AI-powered pitch mentor supporting women of color founders in raising capital; co-creating and launching RISE, Interpublic Group’s first global inclusion framework; and partnering with Black Women for Black Lives to create an NFT for #blackinukraine, aiding over 5,000 people of African descent stranded in Ukraine.

An avid traveler and digital nomad, Bayyina calls Brooklyn, NY, and Salvador, Brazil home. When grounded, she can be found in her art studio painting, capturing breathtaking views with her drone, or blowing bubbles at live music concerts.

Anika Hobbs is a visionary retail strategist, curator, and economic change agent with over 15 years of experience in multi-level, national, and international retail trade. After earning a degree in Environmental Design (Interiors) from Syracuse University, she began her career with one of the world’s leading fashion-retail brands during its early U.S. expansion.

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This experience, combined with extensive international travel across Africa, Central America, Asia, and Europe, deepened her expertise in design, business strategy, and social responsibility.

As the Founder & Chief Curator of Nubian Hueman, Anika has transformed the brand into a retail social enterprise dedicated to elevating emerging product-based brands of Africa and the African Diaspora. Under her leadership, Nubian Hueman has:

Managed partnerships with 650+ U.S.-based emerging brands and artists
Invested over $3 million in emerging businesses across Africa and the African diaspora
Curated a network of 100+ international brands and artists from 35+ countries and 6 continents to access the U.S. market
Established a South African Residency Program for fashion designers, fostering global creative exchange
Donated to 40+ organizations, shelters, schools, and camps that support underserved youth in Washington, DC, and Baltimore City, as well as emerging businesses across Africa.

Through Nubian Hueman’s brick-and-mortar locations in Washington, DC, and Baltimore, MD, Anika has cultivated a catalyst for culture, community, and the creative economy connecting consumers with independent artists and fostering economic impact, global responsibility, and collective community engagement.

Anika is also a dedicated advocate for social impact and entrepreneurship, serving on multiple boards and leadership initiatives:

11th Street Bridge Project Equitable Development Team
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture Ambassador
Valley Place Arts Board Member
Shopify Merchant Advocacy Collective Member
MakeSpace Mentor & Designer
Project Create Board Member (former)
Tuck Executive Education at Dartmouth College Graduate
Global Entrepreneurship Summit Invitee – Hyderabad India

Her leadership has positioned her as a sought-after speaker and panelist, engaging audiences on entrepreneurship, social impact, and retail innovation, including panels for HERImpact by Ford Motor Company. Nubian Hueman’s influence has been recognized by President Barack Obama, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Forbes, Women to Watch Award from Washington Business Journal, Fast Company, The Washington Post, NPR, and more.

Paddy Siyanga Knudsen is a Zambian national with over 17 years of professional experience as a Development Economist. She holds a Master in Financial Economics from SOAS and BSc Development & Economics from London School of Economics. Her work covers development cooperation, regional integration and migration governance.

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Her experience includes supporting governments, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), bilateral development partners, EU institutions, Civil society and UN agencies in engagement strategies, research, programme formulation, implementation as well as monitoring and evaluation. On migration governance, she has worked with IOM, UNESCO, UNHCR, EU institutions, civil society, foundations and diaspora organisations in continental Europe, Jordan, China, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe as well as other assignments in West and East Africa. Her areas of interest in migration governance include labour migration, migration and development as well as diaspora engagement. She is a Vice President of the Global Research Forum on Diaspora & Transnationalism (GRFDT), member of GFMD civil society International steering committee, member of UN network on migration worksteam on remittances/diaspora as well as member of the GIZ Diaspora Advisory Board. She also coordinates the African nonstate actors platform on GFMD/GCM