NYU Africa House/CTED Dinner Celebration
for Research Colleagues, Students, and Supporters
Date: April 16, 2024
Time: 5pm-9pm
Location: NYU Kimmel Center
10th Floor, Rosenthal Pavilion
Program:
5:00pm – 6:00pm Guest Arrival, Networking Cocktail Reception
6:00pm – 6:30pm Welcome Remarks and Overview of Africa House/CTED Programs
By: Professor Yaw Nyarko, Director, NYU Africa House-Center for Technology and Economic Development (CTED)
6:30pm – 6:50pm Dinner Served
6:30pm – 6:50pm Musical Performances by Fadimatou (FADÍ) Mossi and Master Kora Player of Mali Yacouba Sissoko
6:50pm – 7:00pm Overview of Agricultural Markets Research
By: Professor Yaw Nyarko, Director, NYU Africa House-Center for Technology and Economic Development (CTED)
7:00pm – 7:10pm Intermission
7:05pm – 7:25pm Dessert and Coffee Served
7:10pm – 7:20pm Africa House 2023-24 Student Fellows Share Their Research Findings
By: Dr. Oyinkansola Babayode, Africa House Student Assistant, MPH Candidate in Global Health
7:20pm – 7:40pm Presentation of the 2024-25 Africa House Student Fellowships
By: Professor Yaw Nyarko, Director, NYU Africa House-CTED and Dr. Oyinkansola Babayode, Africa House Student Assistant, MPH Candidate in Global Health
Robert Holmes Travel/Research Award for African Scholarship (Presented by: Dean Antonio Merlo, Dean of NYU Faculty of Arts and Science)
Africa House-SPS Bergman Fellowship (Presented with: Mr. Edward Bergman, Africa House Advisory Board Member, and Dean Angie Kamath, Dean of NYU School of Professional Studies)
NYU Gallatin/Africa House Bergman Summer Fellowship (Presented with: Mr. Edward Bergman, Africa House Advisory Board Member)
NYU Africa House Thoyer Fellowship (Presented with: Prof. Offiong Aqua)
Africa House CTED Development Impact Fellowship (Presented with: Prof. Offiong Aqua)
7:40pm – 7:45pm Closing Remarks
By: Professor Yaw Nyarko, Director, NYU Africa House-CTED
7:45pm – 9:00pm Networking and Socializing
Musical Performances By:
Fadimatou Mossi (FADÍ)
Fadimatou Mossi (FADÍ) is a Computer Engineering grad student at NYU and will graduate this May! FADÍ, which is her artist stage name, is a New York based singer, songwriter, and vibe curator from Niger, born in Abuja, Nigeria. She infuses her music with her different linguistic sounds branching from English, French, Zarma, and a bit of Hausa. A music lover from her early teen days, FADÍ effortlessly mixes RnB with a gasp of Hip Hop, with a ring of Afrobeats, which creates a sound known as “Afrofusion.”
Yacouba Sissoko
Yacouba Sissoko was born in Kita, Mali, to a well-known djely family. For centuries, djelys have been the traditional musicians and keepers of the factual history and fables of past rulers, nobles, social groups, and families. The kora was the traditional instrument that djelys played.
At the age of 9, Yacouba started learning the kora and the oral traditions associated with it from his grandfather until he moved to Bamako, Mali’s capital, to attend the National Institute of the Arts. Based in the capital, he caught the attention of the music world and began touring with noted international African artists, which eventually led him to settle in the United States in 1998.
With an intention to introduce and share the stories of his people, but also to learn from other musicians and cultures, Yacouba incorporates a variety of musical influences into his repertoire, and as such has developed his own unique style of kora.
He has performed, toured and recorded with well-known African musicians such as Baaba Maal, Sekou (Bambino) Diabate, and Kerfala Kante. Yacouba, not limited to African music, Sissoko has also recorded and performed with a variety of artists including Harry Belafonte, Paul Simon, and Lauren Hill. He has recorded tracks on over 15 albums.