NYC mayor-elect Eric Adams was the special guest of honour at the launch of the Heritage and Cultural Society of Africa (HACSA) Foundation’s Young Leaders Fellowship Initiative (HACSA-YoLFI), as part of key activities marking the 5th Anniversary of the HACSA Foundation.

The Fellowship Program for young diaspora leaders is an immersive, leadership and mentorship program that will allow diaspora youth to visit Africa for the first time and have immersive and life-changing experiences and leadership development opportunities as they learn more about their African heritage.

They will partner with young people from the continent and will participate in the HACSA Homecoming Experience and the HACSA Sankofa Summit which will take place in Ghana from July 23rd to 31st, 2022, where they will be assigned mentors from among leaders from the diaspora and engage in educational and cultural activities.

Incoming NYC Mayor, Eric Adams assisted in the launch of the new initiative at a celebration marking the 5th Anniversary of the HACSA Foundation.

He pledged his support declaring, “My ancestors left Africa with slavery, I am coming home with the Mayoralty and if I do that only for my aspirations, then I failed those ancestors, I failed their sacrifices.”

In relation to the HACSA’s Young Leaders Fellowship Initiative, he told the HACSA Founder and President, Ambassador Johanna Svanikier, “I want to be your partner”.

In her speech, Mrs Svanikier thanked him for pledging his support for this important HACSA initiative and for sharing his victory with the diaspora by returning to Africa.

She welcomed the mayor-elect to Africa as a son of the soil returned and stated that it was an honour for the HACSA Foundation to give him their diaspora homecoming experience.

She continued, “We wish to encourage everyone to support this important initiative by the HACSA Foundation to mentor and provide leadership experiences and opportunities to young people in the diaspora and on the African continent.”

To ensure the success of the program, she appealed to everyone to contribute to fundraising efforts to ensure that as many young people as possible who wish to benefit from this unique experience realise their dream.

She also urged them to join the HACSA Sankofa Network which is a diverse, international community that supports the mission and activities of the HACSA Foundation.

Present were the Ambassador of the US to Ghana, Stephanie Sullivan, the current USAID Director for West Africa and US Ambassador-designate to the Gambia, Ms. Sharon Cromer and UNESCO Representative in Ghana, Mr. Abdourahamane Diallo.

For more information on joining the HACSA Sankofa Network or on how to support HACSA visit their website, www.thehacsa.org.

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About the HACSA Foundation

The Heritage and Cultural Society of Africa (HACSA) Foundation is an international nonprofit and civil society organization registered in Ghana, USA, and the Caribbean. It aims to bring together Africa enthusiasts and the African diaspora to promote and preserve African heritage and culture for socioeconomic development in communities both in Africa and the diaspora.

HACSA works to promote inclusion, diversity and equal opportunity and gives people of African descent throughout the Diaspora, a platform to tell their own stories.

Its flagship event is the annual HACSA Sankofa Summit which will take place in Ghana next year under the theme “Building the Future We Want: Technology, Creativity, Sustainability”.

It is designed to create an immersive homecoming and networking experience for all Africa enthusiasts and Africans living in the Diaspora. For more information on the HACSA Foundation, the HACSA Sankofa Network and the HACSA Summit, please visit our social media @thehacsa, our website thehacsa.org, or contact us at info@thehacsa.org.