The Detroit City Council on Tuesday honored the latest cohort of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, a Wayne State University-supported program designed to empower young African leaders, by presenting individual “Spirt of Detroit” awards to each of the program’s 25 current participants.
Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield also formally welcomed the fellows to the city while other councilmembers shared warm remarks about the program and its participants. Mandela Washington Fellows also got an opportunity to visit the offices of Detroit mayor Mike Duggan. On Monday, the fellows were honored at a community dinner on the university’s campus, where President Kimberly Andrews Espy, Ph.D., and WSU Board of Governors Chair Shirley Stancato offered remarks. Gov. Michael Busuito also was in attendance.
“The Office of Government and Community Affairs was pleased to host the community dinner for the Mandela Fellows and coordinate the visit to Detroit’s government offices,” said Stacie Clayton, Wayne State University Director of Community Affairs. “It was an exceptional opportunity for Detroit public, private and community leaders to meet these extraordinary young African leaders as well as share expertise regarding their complementary professions.”
The flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), the fellowship each year provides ambitious young African professionals with academic coursework, leadership training, mentoring, networking, professional opportunities, and local community engagement. This year marks the fourth cohort of fellows hosted by Wayne State University, where participants reside during their six-week course.
The 2024 cohort includes lawyers, doctors, policy makers, educators, community organizers, urban planners and other careers. They hail from 19 different countries, including Cameroon, Nigeria, Chad, Sao Tome and Principe, the Gambia, South African and Liberia. The cohort of Fellows hosted by Wayne State will be part of 700 Mandela Washington Fellows hosted at 28 educational institutions across the United States.
The fellowship is overseen at WSU by the Office of International Programs and Educational Outreach. For the third year, the meetings with local government leaders were arranged by WSU’s Division of Government and Community Affairs. The fellows have also enjoyed other outings in the city since arriving in June, including visits to a Detroit Tigers baseball game, the city’s fireworks display, Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, the Ruth Ellis Center and a picnic on Belle Isle.
YALI was created in 2010 and supports young Africans as they spur economic growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance, and enhance peace and security across Africa. Established in 2014 by President Obama, the Mandela Washington Fellowship is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. Since its inception, nearly 6,500 young leaders from every country in Sub-Saharan Africa have participated in the Mandela Washington Fellowship.