AFRICAN DIASPORA NATION
A mindful foundation for development
KEY PEOPLE
Committed to the Cause
Akua Boateng
Co-founder and Chief Operations Officer
With us since our founding, Akua Boateng - a native of new Orleans -is one of our veteran team members. A mother of 4, she brings years of experience encompassing her work as Miss. Howard University, Coordinator at the Children's Defense Fund and an additional 3 years of corporate experience with CIGNA. She brings her experience and skills to make sure our organization operates smoothly while maintaining a culture of continuous growth and development to help our organization succeed.
Kwabena Boateng
President
Kwabena has a crystal clear understanding of his purpose - to be instrument of reconciliation and an agent of authentic collaboration between Africa and it's Diaspora for tangible development. He brings the mindset of an electrical and automation engineer; and a pretty sophisticated leadership experience honed from diverse experiences in New Orleans, Houston, Angola, Nigeria and Ghana. A fiercely compassionate and driven servant leader, he has the vision and drive to build and sustain strong organizational capability needed to accomplish Vision 2024 with integrity.
SPEECH
Global Ambassador for Mindfulness
Speech rose to success in the early '90s as the leader of the groundbreaking alternative rap group Arrested Development. Born Todd Thomas in Milwaukee, WI, on October 25, 1968, he was raised primarily in Ripley, TN, before relocating to Georgia in 1987 to attend the Art Institute of Atlanta. There he met fellow student Tim Barnwell, and together they laid the foundations for Arrested Development's 1988 formation; adopting the stage name Speech, Thomas' lyrics reflected a positive, socially conscious, and deeply spiritual world-view far removed from the negative stereotypes of the burgeoning gangsta rap movement, while the group's music served up a rootsy, organic fusion of hip-hop, soul, funk, and blues. Arrested Development's 1992 debut, 3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life of..., was among the year's most critically and commercially well-received efforts, launching the hits "Tennessee" and "Everyday People," earning several Grammys and topping a number of year-end music-writers' polls. After 1994's Zingalamaduni fell victim to the sophomore slump, however, Speech disbanded Arrested Development and mounted a solo career, debuting in 1996 with a self-titled LP on Capitol; Hoopla, his first release for new label TVT, followed three years later. A period of rest gave Speech the opportunity to become a father and get back in touch with his family, allowing him to take time to reflect on his life and prepare for his next album. The result of this downtime was Spiritual People, a record filled with positive messages and a sense of unity that brought to mind his days with Arrested Development. Three years later he returned with Vagabond.