The African diaspora is reuniting around popular culture with an African theme and having a moment. African culture, from art, fashion, and cuisine to music and movies, is becoming more and more well-known worldwide.
The African fine art market is expanding quickly and is currently valued at just over $1.8 billion. Black designers have been widely exhibited, such as in Saks Fifth Avenue windows. Nigerian singer and songwriter Burna Boy has sold out some of the biggest stages in the world in the U.S. and the UK with his Afro-fusion hits. The diaspora has a significant influence on how the world perceives Africa.
The 160 million Africans who were born abroad and now reside and work overseas in other countries not only shape contemporary global popular culture, but also send remittances home to Africa, which make up close to 4% of the continent’s GDP. An estimated 200 million relatives rely on these payments to help with their living expenses, and there is rising support for using these monies to support long-term projects like infrastructure development. But if and how African countries forge solid ties with the diaspora will determine their level of success in that regard.
The fact that 12 members of the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement were sworn in for a two-year term to advance trade, economic, and educational exchanges between the U.S. and Africa recently revealed that things are heading in the right path in the country. These people, who work in a variety of fields including government, sports, the creative industries, business, academia, social work, and faith-based organizations, exemplify the rich diversity of the African diaspora and highlight its significance for both the development of the continent and U.S. relations with African nations.
A lot of false preconceptions about Africa—namely, that it is a continent plagued by poverty, violence, corruption, and disease—remain true despite the growing awareness of the significance and influence of the African diaspora.
The recent ceremonial swearing-in of twelve members of the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement for a two-year term to advance trade, economic, and educational ties between the U.S. and Africa demonstrated that things are indeed going in the right direction. These people vividly illustrate the significance of the African diaspora to the development of both U.S. relations with African countries and the continent of Africa. They come from a variety of backgrounds, including government, sports, the creative industries, business, academia, social work, and faith-based activities.
Many false clichés about Africa—that it is a continent plagued by poverty, violence, corruption, and disease—continue to circulate despite the role and influence of the African diaspora being increasingly acknowledged.
It’s encouraging that the Biden Administration understands that changing public perception of Africa is necessary to win support for American aspirations there. Although the Advisory Council is a significant first step, much more work has to be done.
Particularly young African diasporans have the power to change Africa’s course for development. According to a recent survey by Africa No Filter, this generation of African migrants, aged 18 to 28, who live and work in the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, have a distinct double heritage. They are proud of their African ancestry while also having a strong connection to the language and culture of their new country.
According to the report, however, young diasporans believe they do not completely belong in the nations where they live because of the discrimination they encounter.
These young people from the diaspora are returning to their African identities, which they perceive as something to be proud of, nurtured, conserved, and developed through travel and historical reimagining, in response to recent racial reckonings and #BlackLivesMatter campaigns. In particular, younger diasporans are becoming more interested in learning about African history, adopting African names, and dressing and hairstyles. The poll found that among young diasporans in all three nations, speaking an African language was the most highly regarded indicator of identity; even those who did not speak an African language wished they could.
The study also discovered that, although having little understanding about the continent, young people in the diaspora have a great desire to learn more and turn to a variety of sources, including books, social media, parents, and relatives who live in Africa and the diaspora, for information. Young people in the diaspora do not readily change their opinions about Africa or their identification as Africans, even when they feel that mainstream media portrayal of the continent is skewed, based on stereotypes, and generally unfavorable. However, they are worried about how these unfavorable media narratives may affect people who are not African.
The President’s new Advisory Council is a positive step forward, with an emphasis on deepening ties, promoting economic growth, and fostering cultural understanding between the U.S. and Africa.
We can have a big influence on how the world media tells the story of Africa and how it develops in the future by harnessing the strength of the African diaspora.
