African & Proud (AP)/ Strategic Plan for African & Proud 2024

African & Proud

Mission

Objectives

Projects

Vision Statement

At African & Proud, we envision a world where Africa's diverse cultures, traditions, and knowledge are not only celebrated but also accessible to all. We aim to be the bridge connecting Africa's vast heritage, culture, history, and vibrant traditions with the global community, fostering an environment of learning, growth, and mutual respect.

Mission

To amplify the voices and stories of Africa on global platforms such as Wikipedia, and to equip our community with both technical and soft skills, strengthening their professional journeys.

Core Values

• Inclusivity: Embrace and represent the varied tapestry of African cultures.
• Growth: Commitment to personal and community development.
• Collaboration: Building stronger bonds within and beyond our community.
• Integrity: Upholding accuracy, authenticity, and respect in all we do.

Strategic Pillars

• Content Creation & Amplification: Through our various initiatives like the AfroYanga Bootcamps and CultureConnect Africa Editathon, we aim to enrich Wikimedia platforms with well-researched and comprehensive African content.
• Capacity Building: We're focused on integrating holistic skill development into our projects, ensuring members are prepared for wider professional realms.
• Community Engagement & Diversity: Our Diversity & Leadership Initiative seeks to harness the strengths of diversity, providing leadership opportunities and fostering a sense of belonging for all.
• Collaborations & Partnerships: By allying with other organizations, we intend to broaden our reach, jointly advocating for open access to African content and narratives.

Key Initiatives for 2024

• AfroYanga 2.0: A series of comprehensive training grounds to boost familiarity and expertise with Wikimedia Projects. Leadership opportunity for volunteers where past participants transition into guiding roles, ensuring continuity and growth.
• Culture Connect Africa Editathon: A dedicated effort to enrich Wikipedia's content reservoir on African culture, focusing on Film and Television, and Festivals.
• AfroCuisine: A comprehensive digital collection of African recipes and culinary traditions on Wikidata.
• Leadership Leap: Regular sessions aimed at equipping members with vital skills such as communication, leadership, and collaboration.

Looking Ahead

Our strategic focus revolves around three primary areas: content enhancement, community building, and inclusivity and diversity. Recognizing and addressing the existing knowledge gaps, we intend to:

1. Expand the AfroYanga Initiative: Foster a sustainable model where past participants transform into mentors, ensuring a continuous cycle of knowledge sharing and community building.
2. Strengthen Partnerships: Collaborate with various institutions, organizations, and community groups to showcase African culture, history, and knowledge.
3. Promote Diversity and inclusivity: Prioritize bringing together individuals from various regions, ethnic groups, and backgrounds. The richness of our content is a reflection of the diverse voices contributing to it.
4. Bridge Knowledge Gaps: With concerted efforts like the CultureConnect Africa Editathon and AfroCuisine, we aim to bridge the existing content voids and provide a more comprehensive picture of Africa's vast cultural, culinary, and historical landscape.
5. Foster Leadership & Collaboration: Through initiatives like Leadership Leap, we aim to not only impart skills but also create avenues for leadership, thereby ensuring a community that's not just knowledgeable but also empowered.
6. Promote Open Access: Actively advocate for open access to knowledge, collaborating with institutions to bring more content under free licenses, ensuring it's accessible and modifiable by all.
7. Empower and Engage: One of our prime objectives is to build and nurture a community that's actively involved in content creation, editing, and dissemination. By focusing on building leadership qualities, we ensure that the community remains self-sustaining and ever-evolving.