#500EmpoweringAfricanStories

ACLP BLOGS

ACLP

Apr 13, 2021
4 min

ACLP April 2021 Newsletter

Dear ACLP Community, I founded African Community Learning Program (ACLP) along with my husband Abdoul Wane in the summer of 2017, and we have both served as president and vice-president, respectively since then. On Friday, April 30, 2021, we will no longer serve in those positions, instead remaining on ACLP’s board to guide the next leaders of the organization once we resume our activities in May 2023. The 2020-2021 school year has been filled with challenges and uncertaintie

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ACLP

Nov 12, 2019
4 min

Aminata Sy, Founder of ACLP: Funtimes Magazine Interview

After returning to school later in life, Aminata Sy, went all in. She began by pursuing a career in journalism. That led to her writing for publications such as The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Philadelphia Tribune and The Daily Pennsylvanian. Her stories focused on the African-American and African immigrant experience. In 2016, Sy interned at Philadelphia City Hall and wrote talking points for the mayor. That same year, for a fellowship program, she researched how to increase

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Temple University’s first Rhodes Scholar Reflects on his Journey

ACLP

Jun 24, 2019
3 min

Temple University’s first Rhodes Scholar Reflects on his Journey

Hazim Hardeman was the first secretary of African Community Learning Program and Temple University’s the first Rhodes Scholar. An Alumni of Community College of Philadelphia, Hazim delivered the speech below at the college’s commencement on May 5, 2018. I know that I’m here as a winner of the Rhodes Scholarship, but when I reflect on my story it’s much less about where I ended up than how I got there. I want all of us to reflect on our stories, and as we consider what lies ah

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African Community Learning Program Interview with CBS New York reporter, Aundrea Cline-Thomas

ACLP

Jun 24, 2019
6 min

African Community Learning Program Interview with CBS New York reporter, Aundrea Cline-Thomas

By: Aminata Sy Aundrea Cline-Thomas is the former NBC10 reporter and current reporter at CBS New York reporter. Q: Please tell us about your background (birth, parents, childhood …) My parents were born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, however, they met and got married in Washington, D.C. My sister was born in Sierra Leone and came over to the United States when she was 16 years old — it was the same year I was born. My older brother and I were both born in D.C. and we lived in a

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10 Significant Accomplishments of African Community Learning Program in 2018

ACLP

Dec 29, 2018
6 min

10 Significant Accomplishments of African Community Learning Program in 2018

African Community Learning Program work under the theme "My Name." Running a new organization is a daunting task, as one can never imagine just how much work lies ahead. On October 9, 2017, I started African Community Learning Program with many people’s support. Our work moves very fast, leaving little time for reflection. As 2018 comes to an end, I am looking back on African Community Learning Program’s significant accomplishments. African Community Learning is an educationa

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Reflection on Gorée Island Visit in Senegal

ACLP

Dec 27, 2018
3 min

Reflection on Gorée Island Visit in Senegal

I am standing in front of “The Statue of Liberation of Slavery” in Gorée Island on Wednesday, August 5, 2015 while visiting the historic place. During my visit to Senegal in the summer of 2015, my family and I went to Gorée Island, a world heritage site.The island was vibrant with Goreans welcoming tourists from around the world. The restaurants were packed and the beach full. My family and I ate at La Retrouvaille, a restaurant operating for years located close to entrance

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ACLP

Oct 31, 2018
4 min

What does your Name Mean to You?

African Community Learning Program looks back at the work under its October 2018 theme "My Name." By Similoluwa Ayinde What can a name tell you about a person? When we hear a name we can have an idea about the person’s gender, country of origin (if it is in a particular language), religion, and even family history and value. At African Community Learning Program, we discussed the importance of names. Names are important because they can remind you of where you come from, your

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ACLP

Oct 1, 2018
5 min

“Just sign up!” Volunteer Discusses her experience with African Community Learning Program

Hannah assists Motaz with his homework at ACLP. On the first day we opened African Community Learning Program’s door Hannah Peifer was there. On the last day of our 2017-2018 school year, Hannah was there. She witnessed the rainy days we scrambled to start our sessions and the sunny days we celebrated our lessons’ themes. I met Hannah as a first-semester University of Pennsylvania student in a class we shared called “Youth and Democracy in Africa.” When Hannah later learned a

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Environmentalist Dedicates her Life to Preserving the Earth through Community

ACLP

Sep 3, 2018
3 min

Environmentalist Dedicates her Life to Preserving the Earth through Community

Wangari Maathai was born in April 1, 1940 in Kenya to a Kikuyu (also known as Agĩkũyũ) family, the largest ethnic group in the country. The term Kikuyu translates to “large sycamore tree,” and Agĩkũyũ translates to “children of the huge sycamore.” This caring relationship to the earth written into the name of the group from which the prominent environmentalist comes from is not a coincidence. Wangari Maathai was raised to nurture the earth that nurtures her — and the rest of

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Senegalese Immigrant Creates a Path Forward through Education

ACLP

Sep 3, 2018
2 min

Senegalese Immigrant Creates a Path Forward through Education

Dr. Martin Luther Jr. once said, “If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” My educational journey could be described as crawling while consistently moving forward. All I knew eight years ago was that I wanted, needed more education to support my family. However, I did not know how to go about getting the education. With faith and the unshakable support of my husband, I got one an

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Trailblazing Diplomat Changes the Course of the United Nations

ACLP

Sep 3, 2018
3 min

Trailblazing Diplomat Changes the Course of the United Nations

Kofi Annan grew up at a time when change was in the air. Born in 1938 in the Gold Coast, the former British colony and now present day Ghana, Annan’s youth happened at the same time that his homeland was gaining its independence in 1958. This is a moment, according to Annan, when suddenly “you realized that change was possible.” This moment came with another realization: that you can either be a part of this air of change or be swept up by it. Annan chose the first option. Ko

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Ellen Johnson Sirleaf breaks Political Glass Ceiling for African Women

ACLP

Aug 22, 2018
2 min

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf breaks Political Glass Ceiling for African Women

In her first speech as the President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf put her desire in simple terms: to "empower Liberian women in all areas of our national life.” She would do this from a position that no women ever held in the continent of Africa. Johnson Sirleaf became the president of Liberia in 2005, the first woman to ever do so in Africa. Her achieving history is a testament to her determination and resilience. Johnson Sirleaf was born in Monrovia, the capital city o

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African NBA Star Uses Togetherness to Impact Lives in his Home

ACLP

Aug 22, 2018
2 min

African NBA Star Uses Togetherness to Impact Lives in his Home

As the saying in team sports goes, “there is no 'I' in team.” Dikembe Mutombo, eight-time NBA All-Star and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, wants you to know that there is no I in success either. As the native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo explains: “You cannot succeed in life if you don’t know how to work with people, just like you cannot win a game without your teammates.” This was a lesson he learned before he ever stepped foot on a court. Mutombo was born

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African Fashion Designer Retells the Stories of his People in New Light

ACLP

Aug 22, 2018
2 min

African Fashion Designer Retells the Stories of his People in New Light

"To be African is to be inspired by culture and to be filled with undying hope for the future.” Walé Oyéjidé wears this expression as much as he lives it. On a given day, the 32-year-old musician, lawyer, and fashion designer can be seen in clothes as diverse as his professions. His expressive dress is deeper than its surface. Wale was born and raised in Ibadan, Nigeria before moving to the U.S. as a teenager. Wanting to feel better about himself, he became interested in fash

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Le Styliste Africain Raconte les Histoires de son Peuple à travers une Perspective Honorable

ACLP

Aug 22, 2018
3 min

Le Styliste Africain Raconte les Histoires de son Peuple à travers une Perspective Honorable

"Être africain, c'est s’inspirer de la culture et être rempli d’espoir pour l’avenir." Walé Oyéjidé porte cette expression autant qu’il la vit. Un musicien, un avocat et un créateur de mode de 32 ans, Walé peut être vu dans des vêtements aussi divers que leurs professions. Wale est né et a grandi à Ibadan, au Nigéria, avant de s’installer aux États-Unis à l’adolescence. Voulant se sentir mieux dans sa peau, il s'est intéressé à la mode au collège. Son intérêt pour le vêtement

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African Journalist Serves as Guiding Light for Girls

ACLP

Aug 17, 2018
2 min

African Journalist Serves as Guiding Light for Girls

Isha Sesay was raised to believe that she could achieve anything. “Quite simply, I believed I could lead. I want to foster that same confidence in other young girls, ” she insisted. Sesay was born in France in 1976 and grew up Sierra Leone, her parents native country. Sesay credits her mother with instilling this belief of limitless possibility in her. It is this belief, and the support system that nurtured it, that has taken Sesay from Sierra Leone, in which 50% of girls li

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African Comedian Laughs his Way to Stardom

ACLP

Aug 11, 2018
3 min

African Comedian Laughs his Way to Stardom

Trevor Noah was born in Johannesburg, South Africa at a time when his birth from a black mother and white father was a crime. Because of this, his mother was jailed shortly after his birth. He grew up poor. He “fled” to America after being threatened by his step father who was arrested for shooting his mother in the back of the head. These are the painful circumstances of Trevor Noah’s early life; the circumstances that made him feel like he had “nothing.” However, there is o

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Ilhan Omar Adds a Missing Voice to America’s Political History

ACLP

Aug 10, 2018
2 min

Ilhan Omar Adds a Missing Voice to America’s Political History

Ilhan Omar added a voice to her government that has been missing since its founding. In November 2016 with her election to the Minnesota House of Representatives, Omar became the first Somali-American Muslim legislator elected to office in the United States. But as the Mogadishu born politician explains, this is not the only voice that she brings. "I think I bring the voice of young people," says Omar, "I think I bring the voice of women in the East African community. I bring

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African Architect Aims to Bring the World Together One Building At a Time

ACLP

Aug 6, 2018
2 min

African Architect Aims to Bring the World Together One Building At a Time

David Adjaye was born in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to a father who was a Ghanaian diplomat. Consequently, he lived in Tanzania, Egypt, Yemen, and Lebanon all before moving to Britain at the age of nine. This background of constant change has shaped the world famous architect in ways that are clear. The Ghanaian-British architect attended and graduated from both London South Bank University and the Royal College of Art. While an undergraduate, he received a prestigious award for

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Marley Dias: A girl on a Mission to See Black Girl Stories in Classrooms

ACLP

Jul 31, 2018
2 min

Marley Dias: A girl on a Mission to See Black Girl Stories in Classrooms

Marley Dias wanted to live in a world where the stories of young black girls were considered as worthy of telling as everyone else’s. So, she set out to create that world. Born in Philadelphia from a father of Cape Verdean roots and Jamaican mother, Dias learned early on in her life that racial diversity in stories matters. At just 11 years old, the six grader, Dias began her project titled #1000blackgirlbooks. She hoped to collect and donate 1,000 books that have black girls

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