Dc Mayor Bowser's Africa Day Proclamation 2015
 OAA and George Mason University’s Institute for Immigration Research Collaborate on Research about the District’s African Immigrants
On Monday, May 25, 2015, the Mayor’s Office on African Affairs and the George Mason University’s Institute for Immigration Research (IIR) agreed to collaborate on compiling a survey research project focused on the African immigrant population in DC. This agreement was issued on Africa Day 2015 and marks a significant step forward in documenting demographic details such as age, employment, and education as well as linguistic and cultural diversity among African-born constituents in the District.
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Interview with Safiya Khalid, Executive Director of Institute of Immigration Research (IIR) on OAA-IIR Joint Research Project
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OAA at African Ambassador Group's Africa Day 2015 Celebration
 On
Thursday, May 28, 2015 the African Ambassadors Group of Washington DC held its 2015 Africa Day Gala commemorating the 52nd establishment of the
African Union and themed“Women’s Empowerment and Development towards Africa’s Agenda 2063.” OAA Director Mamadou Samba delivered DC Mayor Muriel Bowser's proclamation declaring May 25th as Africa Day in the District.
Speakers included Donald
Teitelbaum, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State at the State Department’s
Bureau of African Affairs, civil rights activist Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr., and H. E. Ambassador Mathilde Mukantabana of Rwanda head of the African Ambassadors
Group in Washington, DC. In attendance were ambassadors, community and government leaders, business actors, and political and civil activists.
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Ethiopian International Food Day
  On June 4, 2015, DC Mayor Bowser’s
Office of the Secretary, Executive Office of the Mayor, collaborated with DC
Public Schools and Ethiopian community leaders to inaugurate the first
“Ethiopian International Food Day”. The event was held at Walker Jones
Education Campus (in Ward 6) and introduced Ethiopian cuisine to over 40,000 DC
schoolchildren who enjoyed it as breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals throughout
the day. Secretary Lauren C. Vaughan read Mayor Bowser’s proclamation that
declared June 4th 2015 as “Ethiopian International Food Day.” Among the invited
guests and speakers were Mamadou Samba, Director of the Mayor’s Office on
African Affairs, and Tamrat Medhin, President of Little Ethiopia. Little
Ethiopia and its advisory group of ten Ethiopian chefs and restaurateurs guided
food preparations for the event which was created as part of the Office of the
Secretary’s programs for the DC-Addis Ababa Sister City agreement signed on
December 11, 2013.
OAA Launches Joint Public Safety Taskforce
On Wednesday, May 27, 2015, the Mayor’s Office on African Affairs (OAA) organized a strategic planning meeting for the establishment of an African Community Public Safety Taskforce. Present at the meeting were over 20 representatives of District government public safety agencies including the Metropolitan Police Department, Dc Fire and Emergency Medical Services, Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, as well as DC Public Library and the U.S. Department of Justice.
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Interview of Director Mamadou Samba on Pan African Visions Multimedia Podcast
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OAA Director Mamadou Samba was interviewed by Ajong Mbapndah for Pan African Visions. In the podcast interview, Director Samba speaks about the particular needs of the African immigrant population in the District of Columbia. He also highlights OAA’s various constituent based services geared towards making sure that the African population in DC has all the resources it needs to thrive.
Mayor's Office on African Affairs Summer Internship 2015
OAA is accepting applications for a Grants and Research Intern for Summer 2015. If you are interested in public service and working with African Diaspora communities in the District of Columbia, you are encouraged to apply.
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Be in the Know: Help OAA’s Facebook page get to 3,000 likes!
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Mayor Bowser Kicks Off FitDC One Billion Steps Challenge
On Saturday, May 30, 2015 at the Deanwood Recreation Center, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the FitDC One Billion Steps Challenge, a citywide challenge encouraging all District of Columbia residents to become more active, eat healthier foods and walk one billion steps. Mayor Bowser was joined by Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander, DC Department of Health (DOH) Director Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, and DC Department of Parks and Recreation Acting Director Keith A. Anderson.
“The FitDC Billion Steps Challenge encourages and motivates our residents to take a step into a healthier and more active lifestyle” said Mayor Bowser. “This initiative will educate, encourage and challenge our residents to own their personal health and wellness knowing there are resources and programs in their city offering support along the way. Healthy and active lifestyles are critical to creating sustainable pathways to the middle class.”
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Mayor Bowser Launches New Innovation Labs at MLK Memorial Library
On Friday, May 29, 2015 Mayor Muriel Bowser, DC Public Library Executive Director Richard Reyes-Gavilan and representatives from Google and the Friends of the Tenley/Friendship Library toured two new innovation spaces at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library that will expose District residents to cutting-edge technologies that could lead to new entrepreneurial opportunities. The two new spaces, a fabrication lab and a recording and editing studio, along with the existing Digital Commons and Dream Lab, are part of the new “The Labs at DC Public Library.”
“My administration is working to make sure every District resident has the opportunity to embrace emerging and high-end technology as we create more pathways to the middle class,” said Mayor Bowser. “Opening spaces like the Labs in the Library means that anyone can be a maker, and anyone can interact with the technology to solve real-world problems, gain new knowledge and develop marketable skills.”
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Mayor Bowser Kicks Off Outdoor Pool Season, Announces Free Wi-Fi at All DC Recreation Centers
On Friday, May 22, 2015 Mayor Muriel Bowser, Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) Director Keith Anderson and Department of Health (DOH) Director LaQuandra Nesbitt launched the DPR summer pool season at the Banneker Pool. Mayor Bowser also announced that the Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) is connecting all DPR Parks and Recreations Centers with free broadband and Wi-Fi.
“My administration is constantly working to make this city and even greater place to live, work and play,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “With 18 outdoor pools, 19 spray parks and four children’s pools, DPR's facilities provide a great respite for those who love the water. And now, you we will be able to surf the net, read an e-book, or even take a web call – at all DC Recreation Centers, including ones with adjoining pools.”
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Africans in the US Celebrate Africa Day
To celebrate this year’s Africa Day, the African Ambassadors Group to the U.S. held a series of events highlighting the progress the continent has made and the challenges that lie ahead. A gala, based on this year’s theme: Women Empowerment & Development, topped off celebrations.
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Nigeria's Akinwumi Adesina Elected as African Development Bank President
Akinwumi Adesina, who served as Nigeria’s agriculture minister in the outgoing government of Jonathan Goodluck, has been elected as the new president of the African Development Bank. Adesina whose campaign focused on inclusive growth and regional integration will succeed incumbent Kaberuka after claiming 60% of the votes.
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Bowie State University Professor Wins African Fellowship
Bowie State University biology professor Dr. Anne Osano will get the opportunity to travel to Kenya for a month this summer after being awarded a Carnegie African Diaspora fellowship. Osano, who lives in Gaithersburg, said collaborating with other countries is crucial to developing solid research, and she hopes the trip will lead to a memorandum of understanding between Bowie State University and the University of Nairobi to allow for student exchange programs in the future.
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'Rise' at Ezra Stiles: Original Contemporary African Artwork Unveiled at Yale
“Rise,” an original wall painting by renowned Nigerian-American artist, critic, and color theorist Odili Donald Odita, was unveiled in the Yale Ezra Stiles College common room this spring. The painting is the first visual artwork by an African artist installed at the university campus outside the Yale Art Gallery.
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I'm Certified! Now What? CBE Post Certification Workshop
This workshop will address how to apply effective business development success factors to government procurement. By the end of this course, participants will learn skills on how to become more competitive to win. The workshop will also cover how to leverage DSLBD services and its Procurement Technical Assistance Center.
When: Tuesday, June 9, 2015 | 1:00pm-3:00pm
Where: DSLBD Small Business Resource Center | Ste. 805 South | 441 4th Street NW | Washington, DC | 20001
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Engaging the African Diaspora: Partnering for Long-term Trade, Investment and Skills for Workforce Development in Africa
The World Bank is hosting a one day forum to engage and incentivize entrepreneurs and investors in the African Diaspora who are looking to create trade, investment, and mentorship opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa. The forum will give participants the opportunity to interact with and hear from various demographics in the African diaspora, highlighting their successes and failures in doing business throughout the African continent.
When: Wednesday, June 10, 2015 | 8:30am-5:00pm
Where: World Bank J Building |Room JB1-080 | 18th Street NW | Washington, DC
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How to Open a Small Business by Navigating through DCRA's Regulatory Process
The DC Small Business Resource Center is hosting a workshop on how to open a small business. Participants will learn about the regulatory process of The District of Columbia’s Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) by talking to experts from its Business Licensing Division, Corporations Division, Occupational and Professional Licensing Division, Permits and Inspections Division, Weights and Measures Division and Zoning Division.
When: Wednesday, June 17, 2015 | 5:30pm-7:00pm
Where: Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs | 2nd Floor (E-200) |1100 4th Street SW | Washington, DC | 20024
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The Business Planning Process
The DC Small Business Development Center is hosting a workshop training event on the processes involved in the development of a viable and comprehensive business plan, as well as, helping to establish a framework for undertaking the necessary steps to test a business concept and determine feasibility. During the workshop, considerable resource and reference materials are made available to participant.
When: Saturday, June 20, 2015 | 10:00am-12:00pm
Where: Anacostia Library | 1800 Good Hope Road SE | Washington, DC | 20020
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OSSE Community Based Organizations Grants Management Conference
The Grants Management Conference offers the Community-Based Organizations the opportunity to learn about local grant funding available to assist families and communities with practical resources. Most importantly, this conference will provide CBOs with information on how to best meet the needs of District of Columbia students’ and improve their educational outcomes.
When: Tuesday, June 16, 2015 | 8:00am-4:30pm
Where: Kellogg Center at Gallaudet University | 800 Florida Ave. NE | Washington, DC | 20002
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DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DC TAG)
The DC Tuition Assistance Grant (DC TAG) is now open. Students are encouraged to apply early. No applications or supporting documents will be accepted after June 30, 2015 or until funds are exhausted, whichever comes first.
For more information, please call 202.727.2824.
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FY 2016 Refugee Health Program Family Services Administration/Office of Refugee Resettlement (DHS)
Department of Human Services announces funds to provide health services required by refugees, asylees and certified victims of severe forms of human trafficking who are resettled in the District of Columbia.
Eligibility: Nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, small businesses and community-based organizations
Deadline: Friday, July 10, 2015
Contact: Debra Crawford, (202) 299 2153 debra.crawford@dc.gov
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FY 2016 Art Work National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts announces funds to support projects that extend the arts to underserved populations -- whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability.
Eligibility: City or township governments, county governments, independent school districts, special district governments, public and state controlled institutions of higher education, state governments, nonprofit organizations, private institutions of higher education and DC government agencies.
Deadline: Thursday, July 23, 2015
Contact: smiths@arts.gov
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Pathways to Citizenship and Civic Integration
The Carnegie Corporation of New York announces funds to programs to support and promote the creation of more effective immigration policies, along with stronger systems for bringing immigrants into the pluralistic mainstream of civic and economic life. Letters of Inquiry are required.
Eligibility: city or township governments, county governments, public and state controlled institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, faith-based organizations, private institutions of higher education, community-based organizations, DC government agencies
Deadline: No deadline
Contact: Geraldine P. Mannion, (212) 371 3200
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Symposium on mHealth in Health Systems in an Era of Healthcare Transformation
The Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University is hosting a one day symposium on the challenges and opportunities around the integration of mHealth into into health systems for disease prevention and management.
When: Tuesday, June 9, 2015 | 8:30am-4:30pm
Where: George Washington University | Milken Institute School of Public Health Convening Center | 950 New Hampshire Ave. | Washington, DC | 20052
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High School Heart Screening
The Ryan Lopynski Big Heart Foundation in partnership with INOVA, The Children’s National Medical Center, and the Fairfax County Fire Department, will conduct free on-site heart screenings for high school and middle school age youths in Fairfax County.
When: Saturday, June 13, 2015 | 9:00am-3:00pm
Where: Paul VI Catholic High School | 10675 Fairfax Blvd | Fairfax, VA | 22030
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Free Prostate Cancer Screenings
Men between the ages of 40 and 70, without a history of prostate cancer, can get a free prostate cancer screening, including a digital rectal exam and Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test.
When:Third Friday of Every Month - 8:30am -11:30am
Where: MFA Ambulatory Care Center | 22nd and I Streets NW, Washington, DC | 20037
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The Fairfax County Family Services and Skill Source are offering an information session for internationally trained professionals, especially those struggling to find a job in their chosen profession. The session will provide information on certification and licensing procedures and testimonials from internationally trained professionals. The event will also give participants the opportunity to network and meet other internationally trained professionals.
When: Friday, June 12, 2015 | 8:00am-1:00pm
Where: 12011 Government Center Parkway | Suite 206| Fairfax, VA | 22035
Register here
Film DC Incentive Fund
The DC Office of Motion Picture and Television Development (MPTD) is now accepting applications for the Film DC Economic Incentive Fund. The Fund offers cash rebates for qualified productions in the District.
Contact: Call MPTD (202) 727-6608, or email FilmDC.Incentive@dc.gov
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 Free Job Training for Africans Living in DC
CitiWide Computer Training is offering free job training for African residents of the District. Training in computer and financial literacy, workforce preparedness and education enrichment (ESL) are conducted from Monday-Thursday. For more information call (202) 526-1975 or (202) 667-3719
Computer Training and Job Readiness
ConnectDC is partnering with local non profit Byte Back to provide free computer training to District residents and help them find jobs. They offer three levels of courses ranging from: basic computer skills, Microsoft office for individuals seeking administrative positions and computer certifications for students interested in information technology careers.
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FitDC One Billion Steps Challenge
FitDC is a new, health and wellness initiative to encourage all District of Columbia residents to get out, move more and adopt a healthier, more active lifestyle. On Saturday, May 30, 2015 Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the FitDC One Billion Steps Challenge, a citywide challenge designed to engage and motivate D.C. residents to work together with community partners, stakeholders and FitDC coaches – to reach one billion steps.
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Want Your Event Featured in the African Beat?
'The African Beat' is distributed to over 7,000 subscribers every other Friday. If you would like your event to be featured in our calendar, please submit the following details: what, when & where, and provide a link to where readers can go for more information. Submission deadline for the next edition is Wednesday, June 17, 2015 at 5:00 pm (Send all materials, along with any questions, to (oaa@dc.gov).
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