By Moky Makura, Executive Director, Africa No Filter
The African diaspora is having a moment – coming together around Africa-focused popular culture. From music and film to art, fashion and food, African culture is rising in global prominence.
To cite just a few markers, Nigerian singer and songwriter Burna Boy has sold out some of the world’s biggest stages in the U.S. and UK with Afro-fusion hits; the African fine art market is growing rapidly and valued at just over $1.8 billion; Black designers’ have been viewed on display widely, for instance in the windows of Saks Fifth Avenue. It’s clear the diaspora is playing a critical role in shaping how the world sees Africa.
In addition to influencing global popular culture as we know it, the 160 million people who were born on the African continent but now live and work abroad in other parts of the world send remittances back to Africa that account for nearly 4% of the continent’s GDP. These funds help cover the living costs of an estimated 200 million relatives, and there is now growing enthusiasm for this money to also be used to support infrastructure development and other long-term projects. Success on that front, however, depends on how and whether African governments build strong relationships in the diaspora.
That things are moving in a positive direction came to light recently in the U.S. when 12 members of the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement were officially sworn in for a two-year term to promote trade, investment and educational exchanges between the U.S. and Africa. These individuals – from such fields as government, sports, creative industries, business, academia, social work and faith-based activities – represent the rich diversity of the African diaspora and vividly demonstrate its importance to development within the continent, as well as U.S. relations with African countries.
Despite growing recognition of the importance and power of the African diaspora, many misinformed stereotypes still persist: that Africa is a region of poverty, conflict, corruption and disease. It’s heartening that the Biden Administration is aware that, in order to secure the buy in from the public about American ambitions across Africa, the narrative about the continent must evolve. The Advisory Council is an important step, but there is much more to be done.
Young African diasporans in particular have the potential to shift the developmental trajectory of Africa. Africa No Filter’s recent study of how 18 to 28-year-old African migrants in the U.S., UK and France experience the diaspora found that this group has a unique double heritage, taking pride in their African identity while also strongly relating to the language and culture of their host country. Because of the discrimination they experience, however, young diasporans feel they do not fully belong in the countries in which they live, the survey tells us.
Recent racial reckonings and #BlackLivesMatter campaigns have prompted these diaspora youth to retreat to their African identity, seeing it as something to be proud of, nourished, preserved and developed through visits and historical reimagination. Young diasporans have especially turned to learning about African history, wearing African clothing and hairstyles and using African names. In all three countries, according to the survey, the ability to speak an African language was the most highly regarded marker of identity for young diasporans; even those who did not speak an African language wished that they could.
The study also found that youth in the diaspora typically have limited knowledge of Africa, yet a strong thirst to learn more, seeking information about the continent from parents, relatives living in Africa and the diaspora, books, social media and other sources. While young diasporans believe mainstream media coverage of Africa is biased, based in stereotypes and mostly negative, their views about Africa and identity as Africans are not easily swayed by these stories. But they are concerned about the impact of such negative media narratives on non-Africans.
With a focus on strengthening connections, economic growth and cultural understanding between the U.S. and Africa, the creation of the President’s new Advisory Council is a promising step forward. But we must also continue to shift perceptions on an individual level within our own communities. By leveraging the power of the African diaspora, we can make a significant impact on not only the global media narratives but also the future development of Africa.
Moky Makura is the executive director of Africa No Filter, an organization working to shift stereotypical and harmful narratives within and about Africa through storytelling and community building.