Over 300
residents joined Mayor Gray at the first ever DC African Wellness Fête!
 On
June 1, 2013, Mayor Vincent C. Gray and his Office on African Affairs (OAA)
held the first ever DC African Wellness Fête. More than 300 District residents
joined Mayor Gray at Brightwood Education Campus in Ward 4 to access health resources
and celebrate the grand finale of OAA’s health education campaign titled Think.
Eat. Act. Move. Africa (T.E.A.M Africa) which successfully connected over
1000 District residents to vital health information and services over a period
of three months.
“In the District of
Columbia we take the health of our residents seriously. In fact, we are often
ranked second only to Massachusetts in ensuring universal health coverage for
residents,” said Mayor Gray as he
addressed the Fête attendees. “Still
we have serious health concerns to address in our city and it is initiatives
like T.E.A.M. Africa, which promote healthy behaviors that will help us
eliminate barriers and improve health outcomes for all District residents”
Read More View Pictures from the Fete
T.E.A.M. Africa in the Press!
The Washington Informer: D.C. Health Event Targets African-Born Residents
African immigrants and refugees, who now call the District of Columbia home, packed the Brightwood Education Campus at 13th and Nicholson Streets Northwest on Saturday, June 1 for a free D.C. African Wellness Fête. Read More
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& Check Out our TEAM Africa PSA Here
Meet OAA's Diverse & Dynamic Summer Interns!
Hanan Abubaker |Research and Grants Intern
 Hanan is an Ethiopian third-year University student at the American university of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates pursuing a major in Economics and a minor in International Relations. She is currently participating in a study abroad program at the George Washington University. Upon completion of her degree, she wants to pursue a Masters in Development Economics. She is a native Amharic speaker.
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Cara Bernard | Communications Intern
 Cara is an up- and-coming college junior studying Public Communications and Political Science at American University. She assisted with social media for her school, where she acts as a new student ambassador. She someday hopes to work for political campaigns as a press secretary. Both of her parents are from Liberia.
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Mercy Erhiawarien | Program Intern
 Mercy is a proud native of Nigeria. She completed her Master's in Public Policy from the University of Cape Town and is passionate about serving the African continent and its people. She is eager to contribute to the work of the OAA and support the welfare and development of the African Diaspora in Washington, DC.
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Nkechi Ezekwe | Policy Intern (DLP)
Nkechi is returing to OAA this summer as a member of the District of Columbia's Emerging Leaders Program. She currently attends Howard University School of Law. Her interests include reading and baking. She wishes to engage the younger African professional generation that is vibrant in Washington, DC and ensure they are aware of public service as a viable way to affect change as Africans and African immigrants in DC.
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Vania Iscandari | Program Intern
 Vania is a Sierra Leonean - American who attends school at Seton Hall University. She studies Social Work and Diplomacy/International Relations and is a Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship recipient. In school, Vania is an active member of the Martin Luther King Scholarship Association. She plans to continue working in advocacy beyond her undergraduate career.
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Ben Nzioka | Program Intern
 Ben has a background in Marketing and is transitioning to International Development. He has a BA in Marketing from the University of the District of Columbia and a MA in International Affairs Georgetown University. He starts a MA in Sustainable Development this fall. His interests include International Affairs and African Affairs. Ben is orginally from Kenya and is fluent in Swahili.
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Ariane Keundjou |Outreach Intern
 Ariane, a member of The District of Columbia's Emerging Leaders Program, is a senior Business Administration major with an International Business specialization at American University's Kogad School of Business. She is a dancer and choreographer. She is fluent in French and English. Ariane is Cameroonian.
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Mercy Pokuaanguah |Outreach Intern
 Mercy is a soon to be senior at Calvin College in Grand Rapids Minnesota. She is majoring in Economics with a minor in French. She is the Vice President of her university's African Student Association and member of her school's Economic club. She is very interested in development economics and public policy formation in Africa especially in the areas of healthcare, education and small businesses. Mercy is fluent in English, French and Twi.
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Join us at the Global Book Talk with Sister Souljah | June 14 | 9am
 OAA partners with the Oracle Group to present The Global Book Talk with Sister Souljah, a New York Times Best Selling Author and Activist who will headline a Global Summer Reading Initiative discussing her new book A Deeper Love Inside: The Porsche Santiaga Story. The presentation and book signing will be held at the ARC Theater in Washington DC with an interactive real-time broadcast to students in attendance at the United States Embassy in Johannesburg, South Africa.
When: June 14, 2013 | 9am
Where: THE ARC |1901 Mississippi Avenue, SE, Washington DC 20020
RSVP: Email us at oaa@dc.gov to register.
Mayor Gray Announces New Proposal to Reform District’s Certified Business Enterprise Program
Mayor Vincent C. Gray today announced that he was forwarding legislation to the D.C. Council that would reform the District’s Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) program. The legislation was recommended unanimously by a panel of 17 prominent business leaders from the development, construction, finance and other industries that the Mayor appointed earlier this year to study the program’s weaknesses and propose reforms. Read More
Mayor Gray Signs Supplemental Budget That Invests in Affordable Housing and the District’s Workforce
Mayor Gray signed the Fiscal Year 2013 Revised Budget Request Emergency Adjustment Act of 2013, which invests a portion of the District’s significant budget surplus in boosting the city’s supply of affordable housing and long-awaited raises for District government workers. Read More
In Weekly Radio Address, Mayor Gray Outlines How the District is Ripe for Retail
Mayor Gray used one of his weekly radio address to provide an overview of his administration’s continuous work to attract additional retail options, businesses, and jobs to the District. Recently, Mayor Gray and Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Victor L. Hoskins traveled to Las Vegas, Nev. to attend the International Council of Shopping Centers convention where they met with more than 80 retailers. Read More
Mayor Gray Opens Resource Room for Foster Parents
Mayor Vincent C. Gray expressed pleasure at the news that the District’s private-sector economy continued to grow and its unemployment rate continued to drop last month. April job estimates from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show an overall increase of 1,200 jobs, for a total of 734,300 jobs in the District. Read More
New MPI Report Examines Credential-Recognition Barriers Immigrant Professionals Face in the U.S.
Foreign-trained professionals in the United States often encounter significant obstacles on their path to professional practice, among them difficulties in demonstrating the value of their past work experience and qualifications. Many must be formally recertified in the United States before they can legally practice their profession. Read More
Africans Returning Home in Large Numbers
Many Africans are leaving the United States and other Western countries and returning to their respective countries.Jacob Sax Conteh is editor of Cocorioko, a Sierra Leone online magazine, which recently carried an article about the topic. He said economic decline and disappearing jobs in the West, has been a driving force behind this reversed migration. Read More
Africa Acknowledges Diaspora Contribution to Panafricanism
The Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Mr. Carlos Lopes acknowledged the role played by the African Diaspora in promoting panafricanism as a unique identity that was born out of slavery and displacement.
Read More
Libya Diaspora Marketplace to Help People of Libya
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Western Union have launched the Libya Diaspora Marketplace (LDM).The Libya Diaspora Marketplace encourages sustainable economic growth and employment by supporting entrepreneurs who are US citizens or permanent resident members of the Libyan diaspora community, as well as those who have a relevant connection to, or experience in, Libya.
Learn More
Seminar: How to Open a Small Business in DC
If you are interested in learning How to Open a Small Business by Navigating through DCRA's Regulatory Process then this session is for you. During this event the SBRC will be featuring DCRA's subject experts from:
- Business Licensing Division
- Corporations Division
- Occupational and Professional Licensing Division
- Permits and Inspections Division
- Weights and Measures Division
- Zoning Division
Time: Wednesday, June 19, 2013 | 5:00pm to 7:00pm
Location: 1100 4th Street SW
Learn More
2013 Small Business Restaurant Symposium
During DCRA’s 2013 Small Business Restaurant Symposium and Expo subject matter experts throughout the District will be on-site to provide you with in-depth and valuable information that can help you run your business
Time: Monday, June 17, 2013|8:30 am – 1:00 pm
Location: Kellogg Conference Center at Gallaudet University|800 Florida Ave NE, Washington DC, 20002
Learn More
DC Health Benefit Exchange Offering Grants to Community Based Organizations
A Request For Proposals has been released for organizations to assist individuals with learning about their health insurance options and enrolling them in care beginning October 1, 2013. LGBTQ individuals are less likely to have health insurance and therefore organizations that focus on underserved populations are encourage to apply. Learn More
Basic Center Program (HHS)
Department of Health and Human Servics announces funds to provide an alternative for runaway and homeless youth who might otherwise end up with law enforcement or in the child welfare, mental health, or juvenile justice systems.
Contact Email: ACF Applications Help Desk
Grant: In -Person Assister (IPA) Program.
The DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority announces funds to help consumers learn about, apply for and enroll in an appropriate health insurance products, which includes Medicaid and private health insurance options available through the Exchange. Eligible applicants are not-for-profit, for-profit, community-based, civic, health, or faith- based organizations located in the District, that may have trusted relationships and networks for reaching out to hard to reach uninsured and underinsured populations.
Applications will be released on or before May 24, 2013 here For more information email: Purvee Parekh Kempf or Sandra Robinson
13th Annual Public Private Partnership Conference
Join the Mayor’s Office of Partnerships and Grant Services’ (OPGS) and the Center for Nonprofit Advancement for the 13th Annual Public Private Partnership Conference. This comprehensive day of learning and networking will connect you with leaders from across the region and resources to move you towards greater sustainability. Sessions will provide learning opportunities for all levels in financial management, social media, fundraising and partnerships. Join us to network across the community and build relationships for funding, partnerships and more.
Time: Friday, June 7│8:30am - 2:30pm
Location: The World Bank - Preston Auditorium│1818 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20433
Register: Here
Foundation Opportunities: Building Bridges
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation announces funds to support programs that will plan and implement cultural programs or projects intended to increase understanding of contemporary Muslim cultures through arts or media-based experiences.
Learn More
Promote Better and Healthier Communities
The Mazda Foundation announces funds for projects that provide innovative and high-quality programs, with a specific focus on social welfare, education and literacy, scientific research, environmental conservation and cross-cultural understanding.
Learn More
New Webinars on the Health Care Law
The HHS Partnership Center continues to host a series of webinars for faith and community leaders. All webinars are open to the public and include a question and answer session.
When: June 19 at 12:30 (Register) |July 11 at 2:00 (Register) |August 7 at 3:00 (Register)
New Federal Website and SAMHSA's Toolkit for Community Conversations About Mental Health Announced
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced the launch of MentalHealth.gov as an online resource for people looking for information about mental health. This website provides information about the signs of mental illness, how individuals can seek help, and how communities can host conversations about mental health. The website also features videos from a number of individuals sharing their stories about mental illness, recovery, and hope.
The entire SAMHSA Toolkit for Community Conversations About Mental Health will be available soon via the SAMHSA website, the SAMHSA Store, and MentalHealth.gov. The Information Brief section of the Toolkit is available for print and electronic download.
Free Webinar: “How to Promote Good Legal Advice for Immigrants and Protect Your Community against Fraud”
The Immigration Advocates Network invites you to join a free webinar, “How to Promote Good Legal Advice for Immigrants and Protect Your Community against Fraud,”. This webinar will discuss immigration fraud; the unauthorized practice of law; and, how to work with a lawyer. The panelists are Liz Sweet, Associate Director of the ABA Commission on Immigration; Susan Timmons, Associate Director of Practice & Professionalism at the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA); and Mary Carmen Madrid-Crost, Chair of AILA’s National Consumer Protection & UPL Action Committee.
Register
Date: Saturday, June 10, 2013 | 2:00p.m.
HHS/National Institutes of Health: Symptom Management in HIV-Infected Individuals with Comorbid Conditions
This funding opportunity announcement is seeking research focused on development, adaptation, or testing interventions aimed at identifying and managing symptoms related to HIV-Associated Non-AIDS (HANA) conditions, specifically functional capacity and frailty and increasing resilience (self-care) of HIV-infected persons with HANA. Learn More
DCPS Parent Handbook
The DC Public Schools (DCPS) Office of Family and Public Engagement (OFPE) is pleased to share a new resource tool for parents with the district’s education stakeholders: The DCPS Parent Handbook. Parents, families, and community members can now access this resource online. The DCPS Parent Handbook has been created to provide families with comprehensive, but not exhaustive, information about DCPS policies, practice, and protocols.
Rehab Tips (for Homeowners)
Includes: managing your home rehab project, selecting contractors, home improvement tips, living through construction, home inspections, the permit process and consumer protection. Learn More
Date: Tuesday, June 11, 2013│6:00 PM
Location: HCS Training Center 2410 Seventeenth Street NW Washington, District of Columbia 20009
Ethiopian Community Center (ECC): Summer Camp
Summer is here! Enroll your children in the ECC's Summer Camp where they will make new friends, have classes in Math, English, Computer and Amharic, learn traditional Ethiopian dances, be active and more!
Further Information: (202)-726-0800
Ethiopian Community Center (ECC): Amharic classes
ECC now accepting registrations for summer Amharic classes.
To Request Registration Form: Email
Ethiopian Community Center (ECC) seeks volunteers
Join the Ethiopian Community Center's team of volunteers as an ESL tutor, Employment Services Intern, Youth Program Team Leader, or in other ways? Contact the Center to learn more about volunteer opportunities now available!
Email
Call to Artists: Art Bank 2013
The D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities is seeking to purchase two and three-dimensional works of art including prints, drawings, mixed media compositions, paintings, photographs, ceramics, and moveable sculptures. To expand the District's collection further into new media forms of contemporary art, we strongly encourage video artists and other technological innovators to submit as well. Submission of works in series is strongly encouraged. Representational, conceptual, and abstract works will be equally considered. Apply Here
Apply Here: Friday, July 19, 2013│11:59pm
Want your event featured in the 'African Beat'?
'The African Beat' is distributed to over 4,500 subscribers every other Friday. If you would like to submit your event to be included in our calendar, please submit the following event details: what, when, & where, and provide a link to where readers can go for more information. Submission deadline for the next edition is Wednesday, May 30th at 5:00PM (Send all materials, along with any questions, to oaa@dc.gov).
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