African Cultural Festival Flyer
Milwaukee is home to a spirited community of African immigrants from 22 nations across the continent. On July 6 from noon to 7 p.m., the African Cultural Festival will transform Brown Deer Park into a lively celebration of this rich heritage.
The organizers are three remarkable women—Yollande Tchouapi from Cameroon, Vice President at Johnson Controls; Cordelia Ekwueme from Nigeria, owner of a management consulting and accounting firm; and Reine-Marie Assana from Senegal, a veteran TSR at Waste Management. They have been at the forefront of addressing what they describe as “the social crisis in the African refugee population in Milwaukee.”
They are organizing the 2024 African Cultural Festival not only as a showcase of African culture but also as a fundraiser for educational programs benefiting refugee families in Milwaukee. This free, family and pet-friendly event will open its doors to the public, offering a tapestry of African heritage through a variety of engaging activities.
This year’s African Cultural Festival, themed around family, culture, and community bridging, promises a day brimming with traditional African art exhibitions, expertly curated music, tantalizing Pan-African cuisine, dynamic dance demonstrations, and a uniquely designed marketplace. With its colorful displays and dynamic performances, the festival offers an opportunity to experience the heritage of Africa right in the heart of Milwaukee, underscoring the community’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, and mutual support.
But the African Cultural Festival is more than just an event; it is a chance to unite people, foster cultural understanding, and create a more inclusive community. “Through food, art, and entertainment,” said Yollande Tchouapi, “we aim to enrich and educate, strengthening the social fabric of our cherished city while supporting education for our native African refugees.”
Over coffee at the Milwaukee Athletic Club, I conversed with these three successful women to discuss their own heritage and the upcoming African Cultural Festival. Their enthusiasm was catching.
Tell me about each of your backgrounds and how you ended up coming to Milwaukee.
Y.T.: I came to Milwaukee from Cameroon when Marquette Jesuits offered me a scholarship. It was a fantastic experience. After college, I stayed in Milwaukee and built a career with the help of family and friends. Contributors to my scholarship gave their hard-earned money for my education, and I wanted to give back to the community. We are giving back through the African Cultural Festival. My company, Johnson Controls, is backing the festival.
C.E.: I moved from Nigeria to England and then to Washington D.C. where I attended Howard University and later worked for the District of Columbia Government. I also had family in Washington DC. A job opportunity lured me to Milwaukee in 1997. In 2009, I moved back to Nigeria for 10 years. Then, I returned to Milwaukee because my family and friends are here. I am a CPA, and I manage my own management consulting and accounting business.
R.A.: I came to Milwaukee in 1991. I was a camp counselor through the YMCA. Senegal and Milwaukee did an exchange program to work in the different camps and to share the culture and languages. In 1994, I earned a masters degree in journalism. I had a generous donor, who sponsored me at Marquette. For over 14 years, I have worked for Waste Management, and I handle everything in Canada through the Milwaukee office.
I admire you all. It has to be difficult to move to America after coming from Africa. There must be many cultural and language adjustments.
C.E.: There are adjustments, yes, but because of the internet and social media, we are able to stay in regular touch with friends and family back in our home countries.
Y.T.: In Cameroon, I had my college degree, but I was unable to get a job, even with my good education. When I was going to Marquette University, I got a part time job at the library and then later as a Teaching Assistant.
R.A.: Many years ago, when the European immigrants came to America, they pretty much cut off ties with their home countries. We don’t do that. Most of the Africans here keep their ties with their home countries. We support family both here and back home. We don’t live in Africa because we can’t find work there.
C.E.: Most of us came here to be educated and go back home. We stayed because of the economic opportunities. It’s kind of an economic exile.
On July 6, African Stakeholders Inc. will host an exciting cultural event, the African Cultural Festival at Brown Deer Park. What is the African Stakeholders, Inc.? And what exactly will happen at the festival?
C.E.: African Stakeholders is a group of local community leaders from Africa who help Africans integrate into America. Many of us did not integrate well into the American culture because our mindset has been focused on where we came from. We’ve been too insular socially and culturally. The American environment included us, but we have kept to ourselves, mostly. Currently, there are more and more Africans coming here to stay.
One of our objectives, is to create a “Community Voice” representing the interests of the African immigrant and refugee. We want a seat at the table where decisions that affect us are made. We are an independent, self-sufficient people, so we want to facilitate access to economic opportunities for our communities to foster financial independence and contribute to the broader economic landscape. Another objective is to promote our culture and heritage with this upcoming African Cultural Festival. To let people know who we are through our traditional dances, music, art, cuisine and languages. We want to make aware the Africans who are currently migrating here, many with hardly anything except hope. We need to educate them on simple needs like, “where do I go to the hospital or send my child to school.” This large festival on July 6 will bring our people together. But all people are welcome.
Y.T.: African Stakeholders, Inc. brings together community leaders. I would add these keywords: “Top leaders from different countries in the African community.” Milwaukee has been missing an authentic Native African point of view, mainly because our culture is not mainstream. I think Milwaukee residents would like to know how African immigrants are contributing to the fabric of the community. Residents are wondering who our people are and what they contribute to the community fabric. Milwaukee has opened its arms to refugees who are leaving war-torn countries. For the July 6 African Cultural Festival, we want to bring our people together to tell the stories of where they came from, showcasing our diversity and richness in food, music, fashion, the arts.
R.A.: Most African refugees did not choose to come here. When you come from a war-torn area, and you come to America, most likely you don’t speak the language and are not educated. Social welfare gives you a few months of help, and then you are pretty much on your own. We are trying to figure out what we can do to help these refugees learn how to function in America.
So then, what will happen at the Festival on July 6?
R.A.: We will have music, food, and service providers who are exhibiting their resources. These include healthcare providers, education people, and financial services experts. These are services some of our people do not know how to access.
C.E.: Regarding services to refugees, the key is the term, ‘culturally competent.’ They need service providers who are culturally competent, who communicate in the language they understand and who understand the cultural nuances. For instance, if a Muslim lady needs healthcare, she would most likely not open up to a male doctor. Or a child might have trouble attending school. We understand the culture and are able to translate it to our people.
Can you be more specific as to what the lineup will be at the African Cultural Festival?
C.E.: We will have a parade of African nations. Activities will include two traditional dance groups, the Nefatari Dance Group and Nefatari Dance Group, a medley of African musical instruments, and a fashion show presenting traditional and contemporary African attire. Other activities include an art exhibit showcasing paintings, sculptures, and textiles. And we will also present some of our traditional ceremonies like a wedding ceremony in Nigeria, and a naming ceremony in Senegal. There will be a tent featuring African cuisine, which we themed Flavors of Africa: A Culinary Journey. There will be elders and chiefs from African countries along with politicians and corporate officials.
Y.T.: We are presenting the story of a people, the idea of African countries.
Is there a geographical area in the Milwaukee area where African immigrants congregate?
C.E.: Generally, the newer arrivals live on the North Side above Teutonia and into Brown Deer. The African stores are all on the North Side.
I understand that part of your plan is to raise money for educational programming for refugees' families living in Milwaukee. What are some of those educational programs?
R.A.: Language, communication. ESL programs, English as a Second Language. Language communication is very important to become acclimated. You need culturally competent teachers. Our goal is to prepare our young people to compete on the same level as everyone else.
Y.T.: We support the ESL teacher. We have interpreters within our community. We’d like to expand the interpreter and coaching/mentor programs.
Africa is a rich and diverse continent made up of 54 countries. The dominant religions are Islam in the north and Christianity in the south. Can you describe some of the cultural differences across the continent?
Y.T.: There is the main African culture, and then there are subcultures, which are linked to the landscape where people live in different weather patterns. The cycle of food is as diverse as the weather. The growing, harvesting, and cooking of the food depends on the subculture, the tribal practices and celebrations.
In my own experience in the disenfranchised African American Milwaukee neighborhoods, I sometimes see the lack of hope, which results in day to day living with little planning. This could mean that most of your African immigrants also face a similar situation. If we don’t have a structure to help them or nobody looking out for them, they will be also in a frame of hopelessness.
Y.T.: Exactly. When an African immigrant comes here without support, it is financially daunting.
Will Mayor Cavalier Johnson be attending your festival?
Y.T.: At the UNCF Milwaukee Mayor’s Masked Ball, we talked with Mayor Johnson to get him to support our event. He said he would. We filled out the paperwork to get city funding and sponsorship, and we are waiting to hear. There is a city department with funding to support emerging festivals. We also sent the mayor a letter asking for his support.
To find out more about the July 6th African Cultural Festival, go to https://link.edgepilot.com/s/69d4ad0e/TNRlwp78V02A_nOtEZYF8A?u=http://africanstakeholdersinc.org/african-cultural-festival/
