BACKGROUND                      

ADANIS- African Diasporic 3A Networking and Information Service (3A=Arts/Analysis/Activism), was created as a response to Walter Rodney’s thesis in How Europe Underdeveloped Africa.  

ADANIS is a non-profit project designed to promote collaboration among Afro-Latin and Caribbean communities on issues surrounding entrepreneurship, economic exclusion, disaster preparedness, culture and education, communications, labour exploitation and community health. 

ADANIS stems from my participation in the Scarborough Black Education Youth Organization from 1994-1997. The SBEYO was responsible for leadership training, achievement recognition, peer education and fundraising activities within the Scarborough, Toronto area.  After beginning my career in Capoeira Angola from 1998-2000, I interned at the Canadian Race Relations Foundation in the summer of 2000.  My experience as a bibliographic assistant at the CRR deepened my interest in and exposure to theories on race, identity and ethnicity and their impact on political outcomes.  I formulated my research problem for the next twelve years- the role of race and identity in International Relations.  I would apply this lens to several types of global issues, based on my experiences in the Caribbean, North America, Europe and later Latin America. 

ADANIS was launched following the presentation of my doctoral proposal at the New York University’s Centre for Latin American and Caribbean Studies “Using our World Wide Web” in 2002.  The feedback from this presentation and subsequent presentations at SUNY Stonybrook (Refiguring the Americas) and the Université de Juillet (all 2002) underlined the importance of cultural exchange as the basis for social and economic development in the African diaspora.  I was also impressed by my experiences in Chetumal, Mexico and my research on Quechua civilization and its use of festivals to manage time, work and production.   The project addressed a central question in my postgraduate research: the role of identity, diaspora and culture in the theory and practice of International Relations.  This action research contests various theories of development, diaspora theory, geography, international relations, psychology, ontology, archaeology and culture.  Its basis is the African Diaspora and African diasporic culture in the Americas.  Over the nine years of its existence, the service has followed these research and action lines:

Entrepreneurship: Globalization of Steelpan; Sport, Diaspora and Migration; ICT and Diasporic Networking of Cultural Forms; African Diasporic Fusion

Economic exclusion: Globalization of Steelpan; African Diaspora in the Americas: Health, Youth/Aging and Human Security; Haiti: Diaspora, Isolation and Trans-Local Institutions

Disaster preparedness: African Diaspora in the Americas: Health, Youth/Aging and Human Security

Culture and education: Globalization of Steelpan, Consumption of Capoeira; Caribbean Hyperdiaspora; African Diasporic Fusion

Communications: ICT and Diasporic Networking of Cultural Forms; Caribbean Hyperdiaspora

Labour exploitation: Sport, Diaspora and Migration; African Diasporic Fusion

Community health: African Diaspora in the Americas: Health, Youth/Aging and Human Security; African Diasporic Fusion.

Key Features:

1)    Interactive Map (with multiple modes available on same interface)

2)    Mobile interactive quiz application on African Diaspora

3)    Podcasts of life histories- (see MoAD: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/museum-african-diaspora/id95298038)

4)    Online training facility for volunteers

5)    ADANIS Auction: Artwork from various parts of diaspora for sale as postcards, wallpapers or actual pieces.

Unique Content:

1)   Interactive list of online radio stations/shows

2)   Comprehensive interactive schedule of events in African diaspora

3)   List of organic farmers/miners and access to fair trade brands

4)   Interactive list of Afro-diasporic arts/artists and their profiles

5)  Graphic Culture- Printable Art: This line can provide income to users who license photography to the Graphic Culture Image Bank.  When images are chosen by users as writing paper, postcards, t-shirts, wallpapers etc.

6)  Unique entertainment experiences via simultaneous performances and parties in multiple sites.