The Economic Liberation of Africa: An ADDI Mission “It’s a Family Affair” – Part III, GDN Exclusive

By Afi G. Osakwe

There is an issue of great significance to Africans and people of African descent, historically created and maintained by multinational corporations and European Colonizers. The history is widely-known and undebatable. That issue is economic exploitation and the associated social injustice of Black people known as racism. What resolutions can and will former colonizers, current domestic US and multinational corporations provide in partnership with international Black Consumers to correct this actuality?

The most resolute answer for those who want sincere corrective actions throughout the system is the dismantling of its caretakers. That means that capitalists themselves must change if the form of capitalism is going to change. As it stands, capitalism is defined by a racist underpinning maintained by racists who insist that they are not. However, greed cannot take shelter as human infallibility when millions suffer from it because they and their resource-rich lands are based historically for hundreds of years of exploitation through imperialism. Former colonizers, US domestic corporations, and all Multinational Corporations should move toward economic justice through a systemic obligation to establish principles and practices upon which economic equity is founded. Economic equity that was denied and continues to restrict people of color, women, and LGBTQ consumers within its operational framework. Black students worldwide are uniquely positioned and qualified to work with multinational corporations in developing strategies as redress to historical inequities.

To address ongoing worldwide economic exploitation, a coalition of Black students and leaders has formed and is being developed to promote the “Economic Liberation of Africa.” The population of Africans and people of African descent worldwide is in excess of one and a half billion. Africa is currently blessed with approximately one-third of today’s world resources. There is a cocoa war being waged in response to the historic and horrific “underdevelopment” of indigenous manufacturing on the African Continent.and will serve as a blueprint to address other “underdevelopment” economic opportunities in Africa. Black students worldwide are joining and recruiting their families to join the fight for the “Economic Liberation of Africa.”

Greater Diversity News (GDN) is supporting and promoting the efforts of this worldwide coalition of Black students, leadership organizations, and businesses that have launched this model that includes constructive collective action by those negatively affected by former colonizers, current US, and multinational corporations. Piecemeal placation by individual corporations has only served as ineffective bandages having no sustainable transition to equitable treatment for most marginalized countries and consumers of corporate products and services.

Although many programs seek to address the lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) of former colonizers, domestic US, and multinational corporations, none are as encompassing or promising as the international Black student movement and the African Diaspora Development Institute (ADDI) efforts.

Our outreach requests that you, as a domestic US or multinational corporation, support the international efforts of Black Students, ADDI, political, and business leaders in their efforts to make DEI a reality in today’s world.

While political engagement has achieved some social and civil rights goals and objectives, those achievements have yet to translate into comparable economic equity. There are many reasons for this, not the least of which is corporate influence on government policies designed to enhance corporate profit without considering the negative impact on diverse populations which purchase their products and services.

Suggested items for the corporate DEI action plan include but are not limited to endowments for Black institutions of Higher Education, student internships, employment, or student and civic engagement through Non-Profits.

It is with this basic understanding that GDN launched its Student Engagement and efforts to achieve the economic liberation of Africa both on the continent and in the Diaspora. This growing coalition is now being endorsed and supported by leaders worldwide.

To remain current on our DEI and Student Engagement efforts, sign up for GDN’s free eNews publications at www.greaterdiversity.com . Also, please ask your organizations and friends to sign-up.