Africa: Upcoming Conference ‘to Make the Connection’ between U.S. and Continent – Hope Masters

By NLN Reporter at 31 July, 2010, 12:00 pm

The Leon H. Sullivan Foundation Africa Policy Forum: a Vision for the 21st Century to be held in Atlanta in September, aims to help build a U.S.-Africa dialogue based on mutual respect and mutual benefit. It will encompass cultural discourse as well as talks on business and national security issues. Hope Masters, CEO of the Sullivan Foundation, spoke with Saratu Abiola and Carine Umuhumuza of allAfrica.com about what informed her approach to the conference, and what she would like to see in the future regarding U.S.-Africa relations.How does the conference tie in to what the Leon H. Sullivan Foundation is trying to achieve?Our overarching purpose is to build a bridge, to make the connection between African Americans, in particular, but really people of the African Diaspora in general, to connect us all back to the continent. Traditionally we have chartered planes and taken people to the continent. We believe now that the bridge goes both ways. We’ve been trying to get the bridge across to the continent but now with brilliant young people, there’s so many people coming back and forth.
AllAfrica News: Africa