Background:

Africa is a continent with abundant resources and limitless potential that generally goes unacknowledged around the world. It’s no secret that Africa is a wealthy country that has been exploited and taken advantage of for centuries and this exploitation continues to this day. The biggest difference now is that the world is finally starting to take notice of Africa’s potential. With billions of foreign dollars flowing into developing African countries, development in these countries needs to be led by individuals that put societal and environmental sustainability at the forefront of future growth. The best way to achieve this is by listening and supporting the people within these countries to make sure these burgeoning societies are being built and shaped by shared ideals.

Project Summary:

Many young professionals in Washington have been afforded the opportunity to pursue higher education and specialize in fields that have essential roles in the sustainability and progress of their country.

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated plans to host a conference designed to supplement these essential skills and inspire guests to use these skills to build a sustainable future for Africa NOW.

Through industry specific workshops, networking, action based resources, artists, and an all-star panel we’ll inspire and equip students to turn Africa's "potential" into a reality.

Event Details:

Our target audience is young professionals in the state of Washington with an age range of 18-25. We plan to have 300 people in attendance. The conference will be held at the Intellectual House and Paccar Hall on May 19th from 12pm - 7pm. Lunch and refreshments will be provided throughout the day.

Student Leadership & Partners:

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity is currently working with several student organizations including, African Student Association, Black Student Union, Minority Association for Pre Health Students, the Black Student Commission, and the National Society of Black Engineers. Some of the public organizations that we are currently working with are the African Chamber of Commerce, Africa Town, and the National Association of Real Estate Brokers. At the beginning of winter quarter we’ll be hosting a regional meeting with black organizations from all three UW campuses along with black organizations from Washington State University, Seattle Pacific University, and Seattle Central. Partnering with local colleges will allow us to more easily target our audience and gain statewide visibility for our cause.

CSF is an important part of our community that is fostering students to think about sustainability as a necessary but most importantly as an attainable goal on campus and around the world. We believe that CSF's involvement in our project could be extremely beneficial to our cause because we’re promoting sustainability in an unconventional way that’s just as important as traditional approaches.