Jidenna Co Chairs & Performs at The Birthright AFRICA 1st Gala in Brooklyn

The worlds of culture, art, entertainment, and education will converge atThe Birthright AFRICA Gala, co-chaired by GRAMMY® Award-nominated multi-platinum rapper, singer, songwriter, producer, and actor Jidenna; award winning entrepreneur, Tastemakers Africa CEO & Founder Cherae Robinsonand Manager of Intra-African Trade Initiative at Afreximbank – African Export and Import Bank Temwa Gondweon Wednesday, September 29, 2021 at 6pm EST. The Virtual Gala will celebrate the 5 Year Anniversary of Birthright AFRICA that collaborates with partners to provide free educational trips to Africa  for youth and young adults of African descent ages 13 – 30  to explore their cultural roots and legacy of innovation within the U.S. and Africa as a birthright for free.

The Birthright AFRICA Gala will be virtual with in-person watch parties in Brooklyn, NY at the Tastemakers Africa House with a live simulcast airing to Republic Bar and Lounge in Accra, Ghana. The hybrid gala will include: live music performances by Jidenna and songstress Carmen Rodgers from NYC; video performances by Ray Hodge and Dwana Smallwood Performing Arts Center, and special shout-out from actor/model Boris Kodjoe; NYC Watch party festivities include cocktails served up by Uncorked and Culturedand Bed-vyne as well as a culinary variety of African dishes by Teranga and sounds by Nana Kwabena.

The inaugural benefit will honor three dynamic changemakers building the bridge for the African diaspora community  to connect to the continent including:Chief Marketing Officer for NetFlix and Co-Founder of Full Circle Festival Bozoma Saint John; African Ancestry Co-Founder & President Dr. Gina Paige and African Diaspora Development Institute President and Founder H.E. Ambassador Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao.

This October will also launch the Birthright AFRICA nationwide outreach for the first time to select 12 young people of African descent to join Jidenna for the first cohort of Birthright Scholars to return to Ghana since the Covid-19 pandemic began.. 2019 was titled The Year of the Return with hopes for 2020 to kick-off Beyond The Return but was preempted due to the pandemic.  The December 2021/January 2022 Birthright Scholar cohort will experience “The Return of the Return” as they embark on the life-changing impact of returning to the motherland and get the special opportunity to connect and reflect on the journey with Jidenna, who recently joined the Executive Board of Birthright AFRICA. Eligible candidates can register at: https://birthrightafrica.org/birthright-scholars/ Funds raised at The Birthright AFRICA Gala will support covering all travel-related costs for this end of year Birthright Scholars cohort to experience the transformative power of returning to the ancestral homeland.

Birthright AFRICA is the collaboration between Sudanese-American education innovator Walla Elsheikh, Co-Founder and CEO of Birthright AFRICA and global education leader Diallo Shabazz, Co-Founder; both commit their personal and professional resources to creating the next generation of global leaders and entrepreneurs that are proud of their African heritage, confident in their innovative aspirations and connected to the African continent. Within the past five years, Birthright AFRICA has provided over 60 Scholars with the free life-changing birthright experience in collaboration with six education partners since the 2017 pilot program with the City University of New York and traveled to Ghana and South Africa. Over 23,000 young people of African descent are registered as Birthright AFRICA Scholars with access to virtual programs to explore their ancestral roots and legacy By 2025, Birthright AFRICA will scale globally to reach African diaspora youth around the world seeking their connection to the continent.

The BirthrightAFRICA Gala Host Committee includes: Darren Harris, Mercedes Bent, Jay Taylor, Afia Taylor, Jomo Bellard, Pat Kodjoe, Erica Lee-Benedetto, Gamal Kareem, Gordon Taylor, and Sandrine Mailli

Board Directors – Mercedes Bent, Jidenna Mobisson, Darren Harris, Derrick H. Lewis, Kevin Bedeau, Walla Elsheikh and Diallo Shabbazz

Tickets on sale now here. For more information: www.birthrightafrica.org

New York (in-person), $500 per person (max guest capacity, 50; $ tax-deductible)

Virtual Tickets, $75 (fully tax-deductible)