MPA Program at CCNY
On March 19, Belkissa Doumbia (MPA '18) and students Adela Jhonson and T’Erica Johnson presented a slideshow and panel discussion about their educational journey to Cote D'Ivoire.
Doumbia, a Cote D'Ivoire native, organized and led the trip last year as part of the Powell Graduate Fellowship, a year-long program for graduate students in the Powell School to develop leadership skills and address urgent public problems facing African American communities.
The purpose of the heritage trip was to give African American youth the opportunity to see the realities of an African country and to reflect on their roots as people of African descent. It included a service learning project that involved restoring and painting a rural school. The students intimately experienced Cote D'Ivoire's culture, food, and lifestyle by staying in people's homes and visiting both rural and urban communities.
The students, who study at Bronx Regional High School, dubbed the journey "Trip of the Truth". During the event, they discussed how their firsthand impressions differed from the way Africa is often portrayed in the media. They also spoke emotionally of the deep connections they made with each other and with the local community where they worked at the school.
The supportive audience at the event included the principal of Bronx Regional High School, the dean and associate dean of the Powell School, MPA students and alumni, as well as colleagues, mentors, family, and friends of everyone involved in the project. Doumbia provided authentic, homemade West African dishes for all to share and enjoy during the discussion.
Read our in-depth interview with Doumbia about this project!