What is ADA?

The African Diaspora Alliance (ADA) was founded by two Baltimore activists who experienced first hand the absence of African Diaspora history in public and private school curriculums and opportunities for black youth to study abroad. As a solution to these disparities, The African Diaspora Alliance was created to help enlighten, expose, and engage individuals with the diversity and beauty of the African Diaspora. The Youth of The Diaspora Program is one of many initiatives the organization has created to better connect the African Diaspora.

MEET THE TEAM

CO-FOUNDER

             Co-Founder

moriah ray

Moriah completed her undergraduate career at the University of Maryland College Park where she studied Government and Politics with a minor in International Development and Conflict Management. She is currently in graduate school at New York University pursuing a Masters in Latin American and Caribbean Studies. Moriah has had various travel opportunities throughout the globe studying and researching the African Diaspora. She has traveled to numerous countries but most recently Cuba and Costa Rica.

CO-FOUNDER

            Co-Founder

Jasmine hall

Jasmine holds a B.A with honors in African and Black Diaspora Studies and Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies with a concentration in International Studies from DePaul University, Chicago, IL. After graduating in 2015, Jasmine lived in Havana for three months where  the seeds for  African Diaspora Alliance were first planted.  She has had extensive travel and research opportunities to study the African Diaspora from her travels to over 13 countries throughout Africa, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean and Europe.  

HAVANA ops. MANAGER

Havana Operations Director

dr. YARITZA AZCUY m.d.

Yaritza is a proud Afro-Cuban physician from Havana, Cuba where she currently practices. While she was a student in medical school she co-founded an organization that connected the African Diaspora students at the Latin American School of Medicine in Cuba. The student led group facilitated successful events bringing together the various countries of the Diaspora that are represented at the school. She is responsible for assisting ADA in organizing educational programs in Havana.

media

           Media Manager

maya rodriguez

Maya Rodriguez graduated from University of Maryland Baltimore County with a B.F.A. in Visual Arts and Writing. A graphic/web designer by trade and editor by default, Maya has worked with artists, entrepreneurs, non profits, musicians, etc. on content that was original and inspired. Her work has been featured in Miami New Times, AfroPunk.com, and GumRoad. When she is not in DC, you can find her on somebody’s airline. Her favorite country so far is Cuba, that is where she first met Moriah and Jasmine, and the mission of ADA.

“Our organization’s goal is to provide more study abroad opportunities for the youth of Baltimore that are accessible, relatable, and affordable.”

 

Students participation in our program is not only an educational experience, but a chance for them to grow and learn about themselves in a new environment. Before students partake in the study abroad program they must attend and complete coursework through our educational workshops. Our workshops allow students to gain a plethora of skills that will be extremely helpful as they prepare for higher education. During our 2016 program, students traveled to Havana, Cuba and partook  in Spanish, Dance, and History classes. Students were also invited to participate in a variety of culturally relevant experiences and connect with Cuban youth. Scholars in our program learn about the African Diaspora and acquire critical thinking skills to discuss solutions to the challenges that impact the African Diaspora globally. This includes the discussion of complex issues such as institutionalized racism, health disparities, and internalized racism.


There is no question that study abroad experiences can be extremely beneficial to student’s academic and social growth. Unfortunately, study abroad programs are extremely inaccessible to African-American youth due to economic oppression, lack of study abroad programs in public schools, and assumed disinterest of black students to participate in international educational programs. In 2015, the U.S. State Department revealed that out of all the students in the United States who have the opportunity to study abroad, only 5% of those students are black. The State Department's findings also showed that in the 2012-2013 school year, more than half of the students that study abroad traveled to European countries. The African Diaspora Alliance directly addresses this issue by providing opportunities for black youth with a focus on countries that are culturally relevant.

"In the State Department's findings they revealed that in the 2012-2013 school year more than half of the students that study abroad went to European countries."
 

THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS  

"Being able to travel abroad and experience the African Diaspora in its wholeness, our participants will begin to unlearn the fallacies taught to them about black history, to better understand themselves."

check out our recent Cuba Trip!