America in Africa
Coming back to Senegal after 15 years has been so eye-opening. A lot has changed in Dakar and it’s become a more international and developed city.
American culture has also made its way to Senegal. My cab driver plays Kanye, I’ve seen Obama hoodies and tee-shirts. And the principal at one high school has a picture of Martin Luther King, Jr. on his office wall.
It is really interesting to see the aspects of American culture and famous people that are admired here.
When we visited the Monument to African Renaissance, there is a timeline of famous Black leaders that highlights the power of American leadership and how it has inspired African leadership. The Civil Rights Movement empowered leaders here to work for social change.
This impact continues, too. My host teacher asked his 10th graders to name famous Americans and the only white people who made the list were Donald Trump and George Washington. I love that they can name Serena Williams, Nicki Minaj, and Akon without missing a beat. It makes sense that Senegalese young people would recognize Black Americans as role models, but I hadn’t thought about it until now.
In addition to Dakar, America’s positive influence can be seen here in Louga. Yesterday we visited the Louga Cultural Center, funded by the Senegalese Ministry of Culture and American Embassy. It is located downtown and hosts arts activities, exercise classes, and a garden.
My host teacher, Mansour Sy Ndiaye, in the computer lab at the American Corner.
The highlight of our visit was meeting Gnagna Diallo who is the director of the American Corner. She coordinates a suite of rooms within the Cultural Center that includes books in English, games, computers, books on CD, and DVDs. Gnagna organizes an English competition for kids called “Who is the best?” and does an American film series every Wednesday. She said hundreds of kids have a library card and teachers also come to use the resources there as well. There were dozens of kids coming in and out of the center. How wonderful for them to have a fun and safe place to be outside of school hours.
Gnagna, me, and my American co-teacher, Michelle.
All of this gives me the sense that America is still a country to be admired and that the American Dream is still something that people aspire to. That makes me happy and proud that I’m still representing something the Senegalese appreciate.