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African Studies Association Annual Teachers' Workshop 2020: Transnational Solidarities

The ASA Outreach Council organizes a teacher workshop that provides educators with resources, lesson plans, and professional development on topics tailored to specific grade levels, subject areas, and curriculum frameworks. The 2020 workshop was held virtually on Saturday, November 14th, 2020. All current US K-14 educators were eligible to register. View the 2020 virtual workshop schedule below. Recordings are now available! Click the link below in the orange box. 

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In a context of global struggles for equity, there is urgency to teach about Africa to bring humanity, agency, and accuracy to students’ understanding of the continent and to establish mutual support toward common issues across the Atlantic. The 2020 workshop invited teachers to respond to this imperative through a transnational solidarity lens. Sessions in the four themes explored creative work, diasporic connections, movements for Black Lives, literature and film linking both continents, and local responses to global environmental and health issues, all grounded in a larger context of history. The workshop began with a welcome and introductions and a cultural performance followed by three sessions of five concurrent live presentations. Educators could choose to attend one presentation during each session.  An evening showing of the documentary BlackNBlack closed out the workshop. Our five rooms were organized and color coded by theme:

Black Lives Matter & Pan-Africanism

Ancient, Medieval, and Colonial History

Cultural Studies, Film & Literature

Environment & Justice

Plenary Room

2020 Workshop Schedule

12:00pm EST | Welcome & Introductions from Dr. Carolyn Brown

12:10 - 12:50pm EST | Spoken word performance by Omekongo Dibinga

12:50 - 1:00pm EST | 10 minute break

Breakout into presentations. See schedule below.

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Session 1:  1:00 - 2:30pm EST | Choose from the following five live presentations

"Tumi Ma Me NkorÉ”fo" “Power to my People”
Presenter:
Rita Mawuena Benissan
Relevant for:
Middle & High School Teachers
Teaching about Nubia in the K-12 Classroom
Presenter:
Dr. Stuart Smith
Relevant for:
Middle and High School Teachers
The Role of Illustrations in Picture Books: An Essential Layer of Storytelling 
Presenters:
CABA Winners: Adrienne Wright and Elizabeth Zunon
Relevant for:
Elementary & Middle School Teachers
Youth Rise Up against Climate Change: An Interactive Conversation Across Two Continents
Panelists:
Youth Climate Activists (Click for Bios)
Relevant for:
All Levels
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African Creativity and the Arts in the Time of COVID-19
Presenter:
Dr. Mandisa Haarhoff
Relevant for:
All Levels
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2:30 - 2:40pm EST | 10 Minute Break

Session 2:  2:40 - 4:10pm EST | Choose from the following four live presentations

Bringing Historical and Global Context to BLM: Black Lives Matter and Human Rights Movements in Africa
Presenters:
Rozell "Prexy" Nesbit, Dr. Elizabeth Schmidt, & Dr. Tavy Aherne
Relevant for:
Middle and High School Teachers
Timbuktu and Timbuctoo: Global Connections across the Atlantic
Presenters:
Brenda Randolph and Vanessa Oyugi
Relevant for:
Middle and High School Teachers
Global Literacy Invitations: Africa Across the Curriculum
Presenters:
Dr. Vesna Dimetrieska and Leana McClain
Relevant for:
Elementary & Middle School Teachers
The Global Burden of Single-Use Plastics
Presenter:
Carlos Mureithi
Relevant for:
Middle & High School Teachers
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An Introduction to Africa-centric Curriculum from the Choices Program
Presenter:
Mimi Stephens
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Relevant for:
Middle & High School Teachers

4:10 - 4:20pm EST | 10 Minute Break

Session 3:  4:20 - 5:50pm EST | Choose from the following four live presentations

Hip Hop in Africa: Cultural Roots and an Expressive Form of the Youths
Presenter:
Msia Clark and Isaac Kalumbu
Relevant for:
Middle & High School
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Koze! Creole and Colonialism in Mauritius
Presenter:
Elsa Wiehe
Relevant for:
Middle & High School Teachers
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Afrofuturism in Literature and Film
Presenter: 
Dr. Dawn-Elissa Fischer
Relevant for:
Middle & High School
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Introducing Africa, Racial Stereotyping & Environmental Justice
Presenter:
Dr. Barbara Brown
Relevant for:
Elementary School Teachers
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Un-teaching Myths of Ancient Africa using the Humanities in Class Digital Library
Presenter:
Andy Mink
Relevant for:
All Levels
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Closing Session:  5:50- 6:00pm EST | Evaluations in Plenary Room

Evening Session:  7:00pm EST | Showing of BlackNBlack in Plenary Room | View Trailer

Thank you to all of our speakers and participants! We hope you will join us for future workshops. Please visits our Professional Development page for information on upcoming workshops and summer institutes. 

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Current teachers could receive a certificate of completion following the 2020 workshop. Professional development points/CEUs were provided by Boston University (MA), UNC-Chapel Hill (NC), and Indiana University School of Education (IN). All participants should have received an email in late November with instructions on receive certificates. If you require a certificate and did no receive one, please reach out to Lindsay Moats a Lmoats@fas.harvard.edu.

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This virtual workshop was recorded. Available recorded sessions can be accessed by click on the link in the orange box below. 

Teachers who attended the workshop can access presentation resources HERE

OPENS OCTOBER 20TH

SOLD OUT - PLEASE CLICK LINK TO THE RIGHT FOR REGULAR REGISTRATION

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