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Upcoming Event: African Women’s Day

What are you doing on Friday?  Join the African Commission of Newark as it "celebrates the African women from Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean Island and beyond for their contributions to the structure of human development and for being the foundation to the progress of African descendants."  Click for more details. What: African Woman Day, 2010 Hosted by: Mayor Corey A. Booker, The Newark Municipal Council, The Office of Neighborhood Engagement and The African Commission When: Friday, March 19, 2010 & Saturday, March 20 Where: City Council Chamber, Newark City Hall :: 920 Broad Street :: Newark, NJ Specifics: The Speaker Series-Forum :: Date: Friday March 19, 2010 :: Location: City Council Chamber, City Hall :: 920 Broad Street, Newark, 07102 :: 5pm-8pm. The Networking and Empowerment Gala :: Date: Saturday March 20, 2010 :: Location: Rutgers University-Newark :: Paul Robeson Center :: Time: 7pm :: $20 donation to Revitalize Africa! From the Presenters: On Friday, March 19, 2010 at 5:00 P.M., The African Commission will be holding it's Annual African Woman's Day Lecture Series. We are honored to have a lineup of African women who have impacted their communities on the continent of Africa and here in America. Among the speakers we have women who are influencing the world internationally and locally. We look forward to a motivational evening for women and men working to improve the lives of all Africans around the world. Also, don't forget to put on your best African outfit and join us on Saturday night for the First Annual African Gala. Come celebrate and enjoy being African. There will be entertainment, a fashion show, African food, and African music. President The African Commission ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Keynote Speaker Dr. Jacqueline Oble Professor of Law and Head of Postgraduate Studies , University of Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. A current candidate for President of Cote d'Ivoire, Dr. Jacqueline Oble has used her distinguished academic experience in the field of law to influence peace and collaboration in her native country and throughout continental Africa. She has served as President and Executive member on various boards, UN Commissions and academic organizations in France and West Africa. Dr. Oble is not only a gifted individual in the field of Law but a bountiful contributor to the future development of a better Africa. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Michellene Davis, Esq. Sr. Vice President for Policy Development and Government Affairs Saint Barnabas Health Care System. In her professional career, Ms. Davis has held positions in litigation, administration, operations and personnel management. As former Governor Corzine's Chief Policy Counsel during the past year, Ms Davis provided oversight of the development and implementation of his policy initiatives. In previous years she has held various important public positions from Chief of Staff and Deputy State Treasurer of the New Jersey Department of the Treasury. A resident of West Orange, NJ and community servant, Ms Davis has received numerous awards and honors including Young Lawyer of the Year, New Jersey Association of Black Women Lawyers, 2008. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sis. Empress Phile' Chionesu President General, Million Woman Universal Movements Empress Chi is an educator, strategist, and independent researcher. She is the founder of the historical Million Woman March. She is also a Sage Scriber (poetry, music, and literary), freelance writer and wearable arts designer among many other things. She instructs many levels of natural and alternative health awareness with a focus on African Diasporic Womanhood Development. Empress Chi has received numerous awards for her courageous work in the community including the Chair's Award from the Congressional Black Caucus and the Whitney M. Young Jr. Award from the Whartong School of Business. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Barbara King Newark Public Schools Advisory Board Member A Newark Native, Barbara King is a long time Community Activist in the greater Newark community. She began her political career over 30 years ago as a young activist with the Committee for Unified Newark and the Congress of African People. As an organizer she was a delegate in the Black & Puerto Rican Political convention, which led to the election of the first African American Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, Kenneth A. Gibson. Over the years not only has Mrs. King's activism had an impact locally but also internationally. She is co-founder and chairperson of Africa-Newark International (ANI). Mrs. King has organized and sponsored the African-Newark Arts and Street Festival for over 20 years. Because of her efforts in establishing ties between African Americans and the Republic of Ghana, the Republic of Guinea and Senegal, she has been enstoolded as Queen Morther, Nana Hemaa Obiribea the 2nd in the village of Anun Apapam of Ghana, West Africa. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mandisa Monakali, Executive Director, Litha Labantu, Republic of South Africa Mandisa Monakali has been an activist for women rights since the age of 16. At the height of apartheid, she started a program to educate women and ran it out of her own home. Mandisa was arrested and spent 18 months in jail for organizing women to protest apartheid. Upon her release she lived underground for a year before it was safe for her to be reunited with her family. Her organization is still going strong assisting women and children survivors of domestic violence. She offers support and education around violence against women and children. Her grassroots group now has 8 offices in various areas in South Africa and employs 20 counselors. Her group is credited with finally having women hired as police officers. The female officers are now involved with special units that deal with victims of rape and abuse. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Representing the Leaders of Tomorrow Yetunde A. Odugbesan, President of Student Association of Global Affairs, Rutgers University Yolanda Mercurius, Vice President of Service, Phi Theta Kappa, Essex County College *************** For more info, contact: Yetunde A. Odugbesan at yetunde.ao@gmail.com 862-218-3051 201-952-2586 973-355-4835