Global Awareness

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Muskegon Community College (MCC) is inviting the community to “Global Awareness 2025: A Focus on Africa,” on March 26, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The event, held in MCC’s Stevenson Center in Room 1300, will highlight the culture and history of Africa, and feature first-hand accounts from presenters living in the U.S. who grew up in African countries.

The event’s keynote speaker, Fridah Kanini, founder of A Glimpse of Africa, a Grand Rapids-based organization that works to promote African cultures, will offer insights into the richness of African traditions and the challenges faced by African communities in the United States.

“This event provides a great opportunity for our students and the broader community to explore the importance of cultural exchange and what American society can learn from the resilience and diverse perspectives of African cultures,” said Dr. Evin Rodkey, MCC’s Department of Social Sciences faculty.

Additionally, attendees will hear from a diverse panel of international MCC students who will share their personal experiences and answer questions about their life and culture. Several MCC instructors will also present on a range of topics, including African art, history, and geology, giving attendees a deeper understanding of the region’s vast cultural heritage and natural wonders.

This event is free and open to the public.

• What: Global Awareness 2025: A Focus on Africa
• When: March 26, 2025, 10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
• Where: Muskegon Community College, 221 S. Quarterline Rd.

GLOBAL AWARENESS 2025: FULL SCHEDULE BELOW*

Global Awareness 2025: A Focus on Africa
Muskegon Community College
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
10:00 am – 1:30 pm

*If you have any questions, contact Evin Rodkey, MCC Anthropology
Instructor, at evin.rodkey@muskegoncc.edu

10:00-11:00 am, Room 1300
Opening Address and International Student Panel

We start our day with MCC President Dr. John Selmon welcoming you to our campus and announcing the winners of the annual poster contest for the Global Awareness event. Following, Dr. Evin Rodkey, MCC’s full-time Anthropology Instructor and the event organizer, will introduce the day’s program with some background on the region of Africa. We will then feature our International Student Panel. Guests get to hear from MCC students who have come from other countries speak about their experiences and have an opportunity to ask them questions as well!

11:10-11:35 am
Breakout Sessions, Round 1
The sessions will take place in rooms near 2323 (where the Keynote Presentation and Lunch takes place), TBA

Guests will attend one of the following presentations, which take place simultaneously. Note that the first two presenters listed, Rahman Bah and Michelle Mnogohol Mbashall, will be speaking in both Round 1 and Round 2.

Changes in My Life from West Africa to West Michigan
Rahman Bah

Rahman moved from Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone in West Africa, to Michigan in 2023. He lives with his American wife in Grand Haven and works as a certified nursing assistant. After providing some background on the country, Rahman will discuss some of aspects of his personal story growing up there and the major and adjustments he has faced in his still-recent move from West Africa to West Michigan.

Explore the Diversity and Vibrancy of Nigeria, Africa’s Giant
Michelle Mnogohol Mbashall

Michelle is from Benue State, Nigeria in west Africa and graduated from Divine Mercy Secondary School in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, in 2024. In conjunction with Rotary Club Muskegon, Michelle is currently an exchange student at Muskegon High School. Nigeria has over 520 native languages representing the 250 ethnic groups, each with unique cultures and traditions. In this presentation Michelle will talk about the ways of life of major tribes, including cuisine, dress, languages, festivals, and music and dancing, as well as the challenges they face.

The Geology of Africa
Amber Kumpf
MCC Geology and Oceanography Instructor

Africa’s geology tells a fascinating story billions of years in the making. Its ancient cratons reveal epic cycles of supercontinent formation and breakup. Meanwhile, modern volcanic hotspots and rifts mark the latest phase of this ongoing process. Join Amber to discover how understanding Africa’s geologic past, present, and future can help unlock the geologic mysteries in our very own backyard!

Timbuktu: The Medieval City of Learning
Matthew Lubbers-Moore
MCC History Instructor and Librarian

Here Matthew will explore the rise and fall and the rise and fall of Timbuktu by researching the rich history and cultural significance of its ancient manuscripts. These invaluable texts, some dating back over 600 years, offer a glimpse into the intellectual and scholarly achievements of West Africa during the medieval period and the ongoing efforts in safeguarding this literary heritage in the face of modern threats.

Ryan Lancaster
MCC History Instructor
The Other African Kingdoms That Built Their Own Pyramids

Discover the fascinating civilizations of ancient Africa, like the Kingdom of Kush and Axum, which built impressive pyramids and monumental structures. In this presentation Ryan will show how these kingdoms rivaled Egypt in architecture and engineering, offering a new perspective on Africa’s ancient history.

Keynote Presentation – Fridah Kanini: An Advocate,
Entrepreneur, Community Trustee, and Visionary Leader
11:40 am – 12:30 pm, Room 2323

Fridah Kanini, (pictured right) is a dynamic leader with a rich background and diverse experiences, establishing her as a prominent figure in both professional and community spheres. As the founder and CEO of A Glimpse of Africa, and the owner of Flora’s Elegance events business, Fridah’s presentation will draw on her deep passion for community leadership and organizing, entrepreneurial prowess, and her ability to build equitable spaces.

Beyond her professional ventures, Fridah is deeply engaged in various community initiatives, emphasizing her commitment to social and health equity. Currently serving as a member of the Board of Directors at SowHope, a youth leader at the African Community Fellowship church, and a Health Equity Council member at the Kent County Health Department, she actively contributes to and advocates for equity in social and health disparities. Fridah’s leadership extends to her role as the founder and former president of the West Michigan Kenyan community, where she served until 2016. She also contributes to community development as a committee member of the City of Kentwood Covenant Park.

Born and raised in Kenya, Fridah’s international experiences include living, studying, and working in the United Kingdom, USA, and Kenya. She majored in hospitality and front office management at Utalii College in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, graduating with distinction. Her educational journey also includes completing her international representation and internship at Disney World Orlando, with additional accomplishments from the Walt Disney Institute and the American Hospitality Academy in Florida. She is fluent in English and Swahili and has intermediate proficiency in French. With over 15 years of professional experience, Fridah has held roles in the hospitality, insurance industry, and nonprofit organizations. Her self-trained expertise in events production and community organizing reflects her dedication to excellence.

12:30 – 1:00 pm
Lunch served in Room 2323

We are lucky to have of FamzFood out of Grand Rapids provide lunch for this event. Jumoke, the owner, comes from Nigeria in West Africa and provides African cuisine for events in West Michigan. Choices of rice, stewed chicken, as well as salad and fruit (items subject to change), will be served. While supplies last!

1:05 – 1:30 pm
Breakout Sessions, Round 2
The sessions will take place in rooms near 2323 (where the Keynote Presentation and Lunch takes place), TBA

Like Round 1, guests attend one of these presentations, which take place simultaneously. As noted under Round 1, the first two presenters listed, Rahman Bah and Michelle Mnogohol Mbashall, will be speaking in both Round 1 and here in Round 2. At the end of these sessions presenters will conclude today’s program.

Changes in My Life from West Africa to West Michigan
Rahman Bah

Rahman moved from Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone in West Africa, to Michigan in 2023. He lives with his American wife in Grand Haven and works as a certified nursing assistant. After providing some background on the country, Rahman will discuss some of aspects of his personal story growing up there and the major and adjustments he has faced in his still-recent move from West Africa to West Michigan.

Explore the Diversity and Vibrancy of Nigeria, Africa’s Giant
Michelle Mnogohol Mbashall

Michelle is from Benue State, Nigeria in west Africa and graduated from Divine Mercy Secondary School in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, in 2024. In conjunction with Rotary Club Muskegon, Michelle is currently an exchange student at Muskegon High School. Nigeria has over 520 native languages representing the 250 ethnic groups, each with unique cultures and traditions. In this presentation Michelle will talk about the ways of life of major tribes, including cuisine, dress, languages, festivals, and music and dancing, as well as the challenges they face.

Abstraction in African Art
Erin Hoffman
MCC Art Instructor

Erin will start with a brief presentation on traditional African art history. From there, she will lead a drawing activity for you to draw your own abstracted animals!

Important Life Lessons from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Shuana Hayes
MCC English Instructor

In this presentation Shauna will feature a brief excerpt from Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s TED Talk “The Danger of a Single Story,” and discuss the ways the “single story” we sometimes apply to understand people plays out in society and in our individual lives.

Nicholas Budimir
MCC Sociology Instructor
Parallel Apartheid: South Africa and the United States

In this presentation, Nicholas will uncover some curious similarities and clear differences between the historical development of South Africa and the United States, with special attention to race and economic development.

The Map That Changed a Africa: Inside the Berlin Conference
Eric Carballido
MCC Geography Instructor

At the Berlin Conference, European leaders split Africa into countries without any regard for its native peoples. Eric will explore how those unfair borders sparked conflicts and problems that still affect Africa today.