AAN Participates in ANBIS (Africa Now Business & Investment Summit) 2026!

The African Advocacy Network (AAN) was proud to participate to ANBIS 2026, in  September 26, 2026. This event was a way to connect with African entrepreneurs, professionals, and community leaders to explore opportunities for collaboration, economic empowerment, and community development.

Through its participation, AAN highlighted its commitment to supporting African immigrant communities through immigration legal services, community outreach, education, and access to essential resources.

Together, we can strengthen partnerships, empower our communities, and build a brighter future for the African diaspora!

African Advocacy Network (AAN) was proud to participate in the

OCEIA Welcome Week Block Party, joining fellow grantees, funders, and community partners in advancing language access and inclusion across San Francisco. Through our collaboration with OCEIA and the Language Access Network of San Francisco (LAN), we continue to support efforts that ensure communities can access information and services in the languages they speak.

A key part of this collective effort is welcoming Vietnamese as a language that has reached the required threshold for language access, recognizing the importance of linguistic diversity and meaningful access for bilingual and multilingual communities.

Together, we are building a more inclusive San Francisco where every language, culture, and community is valued.

Over 200 community members attended our annual barbecue celebrating the African and Afro-Caribbean community in the Bay Area. We celebrated with food, music, dancing, and a fashion show.

Community Liaison Mouneissa Wangara attended the first-ever Calabash (California Coalition of African Immigrants Organizations) gathering on the East Coast, hosted in New York by African Communities Together (ACT).

A major focus of our meetings was reflecting on the success of our first collective civic engagement initiative. Working simultaneously, we successfully carried out four civic engagement activities and reached African immigrant communities across California, including Los Angeles, San Diego, Oakland, San Francisco, and the greater Bay Area, as well as communities in Washington, DC, and New York City. 

A Visit to New York City’s Mayor’s Office

Beyond our internal meetings, we visited Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Office, where we met with Julie Su, Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice, as well as members of the Mayor’s community engagement and outreach team.

One particularly encouraging aspect of this visit was learning about the new offices and positions established under the Mamdani administration to address the needs, concerns, and priorities of Black immigrant communities. What made this especially meaningful was that these positions are held by African immigrants.

Among the representatives and initiatives we learned about were:

Community Relations Director, Mayor’s Office of Mass Engagement.

Mom and Pop Czar.

African Diplomatic Community Liaison.

We also learned about the work of community engagement representatives whose responsibility is to bridge the gap between City Hall and residents, particularly immigrant communities who may feel that the Mayor’s Office is inaccessible or that their concerns will not be heard.

A Visit to the United Nations

Another highlight of the trip was our visit to the United Nations headquarters. We had the opportunity to tour the institution, visit the General Assembly Hall, and explore several important meeting rooms while gaining a better understanding of the UN’s work and international diplomatic processes. 

Looking Ahead

This first East Coast Calabash gathering was an enriching experience filled with collaboration, learning, relationship-building, and renewed inspiration. It reinforced the importance of collective action and the possibilities that emerge when African immigrant organizations come together with a shared vision.