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Upcoming African Night Focuses on Cultural Camaraderie

This weekend a community event highlights Sioux City’s African community. The organizer of African Night shares the significance of the gathering with Siouxland Public Media’s Sheila Brummer.

  

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INTERVIEW: African Night Organizer Albert Okine

“To teach the people who are our neighbors who are not Africans to understand who we really are.”

Credit Siouxland Public Media/Sheila Brummer
African Night's Albert Okine

That is Albert Okine, a native of the West African nation of Ghana, who now calls Siouxland home.

He helped organize the 6th annual African Night planned for Saturday from noon to 7 p.m. at Riverside Park.

“Where we’re going to have drumming and dancing and just fun and create opportunity. And, eat food they typically don’t eat, that will be different.”

A celebration to showcase culture and unite people from all different backgrounds.

“We can really interact in a way that builds our community without being afraid of each other.”

“It doesn’t take us much to feel lonely when you think are the only one who doesn’t understand your culture; this way allows us to reach everyone.”

Okine says diversity and inclusion should always be a work in progress.

“Places that feel like they have done it well sometimes they lose the fact they haven’t done enough."

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