AHIDIANA REMEMBRANCE

Members of Ahidiana were young adults anxious to change the conditions that were oppressing and exploiting African Americans, the African Diaspora and people of Africa itself.  We chose to prioritize our mission goals by providing vital education for young children and adults using our school, Ahidiana Work/Study Center, and our other budding institutions as platforms from which to effect broader social and political change in the community. Our members believed that we could make positive and lasting change and as we grew in life we have seen that our ‘work/study’ has made positive influences on many here in New Orleans and even across this country. 

 

At Ahidiana we tried to make a difference in our community by building and maintaining a school, Ahidiana Work/Study Center. We also brought into the city many of our key nationally and internationally recognized African, Caribbean and African American thinkers and activists. We organized yearly Kwanzaa events, African Liberation Day celebrations, the Louisiana Black Assembly, Free Gary Tyler rallies, Media Watch and anti-police brutality protests. We picketed and demonstrated in support of the struggles of our people in Southern Africa. We organized Black women’s conferences to promote equal opportunities for Black women. We used the media very effectively to educate the community about important issues concerning African American development. We opened a bookstore, printing and publishing business and supported each other through collective buying. All of this was done in the spirit of changing the minds and hearts of our people to make positive change in the lives of African peoples here and abroad. It was the cadre that allowed us to do all these things in such a short period of time. We did more then than we have done before or since.

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ANY MEMBER, RESEARCHER, STUDENT OR FRIEND WHO WOULD LIKE TO CONTACT SOMEONE REGARDING THIS AHIDIANA ARCHIVE, PLEASE EMAIL YOUR QUESTIONS, COMMENTS OR SALUTATIONS TO MTUMISHI@THESIFA.COM. WE ARE INTERESTED IN RECEIVING ANY ADDITIONAL AHIDIANA DOCUMENTS, PHOTOS AND MEMORABILIA TO ADD TO THIS COLLECTION. THANK YOU.