From: 97/98 Activities

ASA's 1997-1998 Successfully Planned and Implemented Programs Prepared by Richard Namme -ASA President 1997/98

The ASA has worked hard at achieving its goals of educating, enlightening and entertaining the NIU community through a series of successfully planned and implemented programs. Our executive team has no doubt worked diligently to make the ASA a positive and inspiring organization on our Campus.

Some notable achievements since the Fall of 1997, when our committee assumed responsibilities for the ASA include:

Setting up a homepage for the NIU community to easily contact African Students as a primary source of information on their country's culture, details of Cultural programs which we organize from time to time and other resources to assist in research on Africa- related issues. Our homepage Address is at http://www.sa.niu.edu/africnsa/home.htm.
Implemented various educational, cultural and social programs for the NIU community, which has led to our membership tripling in addition to our becoming one of the most diverse and inspiring ethnic groups on the NIU Campus.
Successfully defended a well justified budget increase of almost 10% at a time when various organizations on Campus were having their budgets cut, Though we are still working one of the lowest funded groups on Campus with an annual Budget of $2139.
Excellence in Academic Performance with close to 50% of our members maintaining a 3.5/4.0G.P.A in challenging degree programs.( please see homepage for academic profile on members).
Most importantly, laid grounds for the continuity of our association's operation to ensure that an effective and easy-to follow system is in place for incoming executive committee members.

Welcome Reception for Old/New Members-- Sept. 13, 1997.

Involved/Sponsors: ASA membership, friends and other students

Venue: Center for Black Studies

Participants/Breakdown: 40/diverse participation.

Cultural Trip--Sept. 20, 1997.

Brief details: Saw exhibits showing Africa during different historical periods. Also depicting exhibits of Ancient Egypt.

Involved/Sponsors: ASA membership

Venue: Field Museum, Chicago

Participants/Breakdown: 15/African Students mainly

Human Rights Lecture "Struggles of the Ogoni People"--October 24, 1997.

Brief Details: the Ogoni Tribe, in the Delta region of Nigeria that has been exploited by Shell Petroleum for many years and whose activities, led to the execution of the renowned poetic writer and Human rights activists, Ken Saro wiwa. A reception was held for Dr. Vincent Idemyor, at the Walnut room in Neptune Hall at 5:00pm before his lecture.

Involved/Sponsors: ASA membership, DeKalb Interfaith Network, Center for Black Studies

Venue: Center For Black Studies

Participants/Breakdown: 40/diverse participation, Video Tape available

Afro Rhythms--October 8, 1997.

Brief Details: an evening in the Diversions room of the Holmes Students Center, listening and watching video clips of popular artists from the African Continent ( with a brief commentary on the what the music signifies in the various cultures around the continent).

Involved/Sponsors: ASA membership

Venue: Diversions, Holmes Student Center

Participants/Breakdown: 80/very diverse attendance

"Bridging the Gap" --October 27, 1997.

Brief Details: Surveys of NIU students of African ancestry, consistently reveal that an overwhelming majority of them support the establishment of strong bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood and a mutually beneficial cooperation between students from the continent and African Americans. The above forum was successfully organized by the ASA in1996. This year it featured a prize winning quiz on "How well do you Know Africa"; Prize donations were successfully solicited from VCB, Huskie Den, Felicia Ogundipe, Records Revolution, Subway Sandwiches, University Bookstore, among others. There was also a raffle draw due to the success of our solicitation drive. The competition featured questions in geography, history, culture, language, religion etc., Politics, Economics. The goal of the competition was to enlighten our participants and others attending, about the African Continent.

Involved/Sponsors: ASA membership

Venue: Lincoln Room, Holmes Student Center

Participants/Breakdown: 80/African & African American mainly

40th Annual African Studies Conference --November 13th - 16th, 1997.

Brief Details: Detailed information on our homepage with links to the African Studies home page.

Involved/Sponsors: Student Association and ASA.

Venue: Hyatt Regency Hotel, Columbus, Ohio

Participants/Breakdown: 5/scholars and professionals on African related research

Food Contribution to the Salvation Army --November, Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend.

Brief Details: A few ASA members put together some canned food and drinks to take to the Salvation Army.

Involved/Sponsors: ASA membership

Participants/Breakdown: 5

Participation in the Kwanzaa Festival --December 5, 1997.

Brief Details: End of year cultural celebration in the African American Community

Venue: Center for Black Studies

Involved/Sponsors: Center for Black Studies, ASA membership participated & cooked some of the food

Participants/Breakdown: 60

BLACK HISTORY MONTH--FEBRUARY

Reception to Commence Black History Month- -February 1, 1998.

Brief Details: Kick-off reception and Key note Address by LaJuana K. Williams, Ed.D. on the "importance educating our community"; live music from NIU's own Sounds of Life Band.

Venue: Diversions, HSC.

Involved/Sponsors: ASA membership, Center for Black Studies/Presidential Commission on the Status of Minorities

Participants/Breakdown: 100

Reggae Extravaganza --February 12, 1998.

Brief Details: Explosive and talented Reggae Band from Jamaica now based in Chicago.

Venue: Diversions, HSC.

Involved/Sponsors: ASA membership, Coffee House, Black Interhall Council and The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

Participants/Breakdown: 180-200/extremely diverse attendance

"Spirit Wind"--February 17, 1998.

Details: A screen, drama and cultural presentation by actress and Priestess Oyafunmike Ogunlano, star of the internationally acclaimed motion picture by Haile Gerima, "Sankofa". The presentation included viewing the motion picture Sankofa. Ms. Ogunlano has portrayed numerous dramatic and culturally significant roles on stage, screen, and television. Her breadth of travel, life experience, and spiritual depth lent authenticity and genuineness to her thrust towards education and cultural upliftment. Ogunlano's presentation of "Spirit Wind," lead our faculty, friends, and students back through the Middle Passage. This enlightening presentation provided an enriching experience fostering unity and diversity among the Northern Illinois University community. There is a profound synergy attributed to her spirituality, direct experience, and dramatic presentation. Other reviewers have reported that Ms. Ogunlano's presentation offers a cathartic experience that uplifts and clarifies solutions to the psycho-social trauma associated with the Great Captivity.

Involved/Sponsors: ASA/Center for Black Studies/Campus Activity Board.

Venue: (1st session) Center for Black Studies at 4:30pm "seminar on Black Women in the Film Industry.

(2nd Session) Diversions--HSC showing of the Movie Sankofa: followed by Spirit Wind --the making of the Movie.

Participants/Breakdown: 40-50 diverse attendance

Soul Bowl/Taste of Africa--February 19, 1998.

Brief Details: A variety of meals prepared in the African Fashion by NIU's African Students.

Involved/Sponsors: Center for Black Studies, ASA members participated by cooking some of the food

Venue: Wesley Foundation: 5 p.m.- 8:30 p.m.

Participants/Breakdown: 80-100 attended.

Outstanding Student Organization 1998 Awards--April 24, 1998.

Brief details: The African Student Association was chosen as Northern Illinois University's Outstanding Student Organization for 1998. The criteria for this remarkable recognition included a demonstration of diversity in our programming efforts. These ranged from setting up a homepage, organizing field-trips to museums and other cultural events. The ASA also complemented efforts towards recruitment and retention by developing, maintaining and enjoying a positive image in and out of NIU, thereby serving as role model for other student organizations regardless of race, ethnicity, and orientations of difference.

Involved/Sponsors: University Programming & Activities Annual Recognition Ceremonies/Northern Illinois University.

Venue: The Award Ceremony was held in the Carl Sandburg Auditorium on Friday April 24th, following a reception in honor of the ASA and other outstanding students and faculty staff of the university in Diversions (HSC) at 1:00 p.m.

Participants/Breakdown: 1500-1600/ Administrative, Faculty Staff and Students Leaders at NIU.

Mini Musical Festival/Multicultural carnival--April 25,1998.

Brief Details: The Indika Reggae Band &, NIU's own "Motif" Band (formerly Sounds of Life) performed outdoors as part of the interesting line up for the Multicultural Carnival which got 'rained out' towards the end of the musical festival. African food & snack was sold to raise some money towards our end of year party

Involved/Sponsors: The Indika reggae band, NIU's own "Motif" Band, Seion Gomez, the Coffee House-Residence Hall Association, Douglas, Lincoln, Stevenson South and Grant Towers, Hall Councils.

Venue: East Campus Lagoon 12:00 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.

Participants/Breakdown: 90-100/ invitations were extended to everyone.

Donation to Hope Haven (Homeless Shelter)--April 26, 1998.

Brief Details: Members cooked some African Food & Snacks and took some canned drinks to the homeless from proceeds raised from sale at the Multicultural Carnival, to share a 'taste of Africa' with the homeless shelter in DeKalb.

Involved/Sponsors: Special thanks to Jemilat Akindele for taking time out to do all the cooking/ASA members

Venue: Hope Haven, DeKalb

Participants/Breakdown: 7 Members/ Richard, Jemilat, Tunde, Ade, Ramon, Wole, Bukola.

End of year Reception/Awards Night--May 8, 1998.

Brief Details: We hosted all members of the ASA and friends of the ASA to a well deserved, end of year reception. Food was served. A few of our graduating and outstanding members, sponsors and faculty patrons of the ASA, were honored at this Reception. As usual a variety of African music was played. Simon Hasulube was DJ for the night. The awards ceremony included the recognition of outstanding service to the ASA, academic excellence, most supportive faculty member, faculty adviser of the year and outstanding student leader

Involved/Sponsors: ASA Members, faculty & friends/ASA

Venue: Center for Black Studies.

Participants/Breakdown: 50-60/student & faculty

ASA's 1998-1999 Programs

African Dinner --Sept 10, 1998.

Brief Details: In conjunction with ASA members, "Bread for the World" hosted an African Dinner at the Catholic Newman's Center, Normal Road-Dekalb. The event was well attended and featured a presentation by Bread for the World on the commitment of the group to influence policy toward Africa supporting indigenous development of better farming methods, and technical assistance in providing for the growing population in some regions of the African continent. ASA members were invited to enlighten the audience on certain issues of problematic concern in their home countries, which seem to be exacerbating the hunger problem for the common people.

Involved/Sponsors: ASA & Bread for the World

Venue: Newmans Catholic Center.

Participants/Breakdown: 70-80

Cultural Trip--Sept 24,1998.

Brief Details: This year, we chose to visit the Dusable Museum of African American History and found interesting exhibits.

Involved sponsors: ASA

Venue: Dusable African American Musuem, Chicago

Participants/Breakdown: 15

The Bridging the gap-- October 27th at 6.PM

Brief Details: This year's theme was on Reconciliation. Reconciliation among various ethnic groups in the US, religious groups in Northern Ireland, reconciliation in some warring African Countries.

Involved /Sponsors: ASA

Venue: Illinois Room of Holmes Student Center

Participants/Breakdown: 20 -25

The 41st Annual African Studies Association Conference - Oct. 28- Nov 1st 1998

Brief Details: Report Pending:

Involved /sponsors: ASA

Venue: Hyatt Regency, Chicago

Participants/Breakdown: 5.

Participation in the Kwanzaa Festival --December 5, 1998.

Brief Details: End of year cultural celebration in the African American Community

Venue: Music Building, Boeteng Hall

Involved/Sponsors: Center for Black Studies, ASA membership participated & cooked some of the food

Participants/Breakdown: 100