News & Events

December

Harvesting African Entrepreneurial Opportunities and Promotion of Trade and Commerce between the USA and Africa

Program Description

• Date: Saturday, December 10, 2011
  


• Venue: Fairmont Hotel San Jose, 170 S. Market Street, San Jose, CA

• Event Program Outlines
5:00 - 6:00pm: Registration and Networking
6:00 - 6:20pm: Opening Address: Overview of TAN Global Operations by TAN CEO, Paschal Iwuh
6:20 - 7:00pm: Presentation: Social Entrepreneurship by Chid Liberty
7:00 - 7:40pm: Presentation: Renewable Energy and Consulting Opportunities in West Africa by Myles Stevens
7:40 - 8:10pm: BREAK - Hors d'oeuvres, Cocktails and Networking
8:10 - 8:50pm: Keynote Speech by Teresa Cox of US Commerce Department
Keynote Topic: Encouraging More Trade between US and Africa 8:50 - 9:00pm: Wrap-up and Vote of Thanks by TAN Chairman of Board, Kojo Appiah
9:00 - 1:00am: TAN-ONYX-BPN End of the Year Party/NETWORKING/RECEPTION


• RSVP:
  Email info@theafricannetwork.org and/or events@theafricannetwork.org


• SPEAKERS' BIOS

The Honorable Teresa D. Cox, US Department of Trade and Commerce

The Honorable Teresa Cox has been appointed by two White House Cabinet members: Ambassador to China and former U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and U. S. Trade Representative Ambassador Ron Kirk, to serve as a Trade Advisor, working on small and minority business initiatives. Ms. Cox is a member of the Industry Trade Advisory Council. In this capacity, Ms. Cox advises on international trade agreements to promote the economic interest and opportunities of the United States and determine whether these agreements provide equity and reciprocity. Ms. Cox provides advice on key objectives and bargaining positions for global trade negotiations, Congressional and International relations, and other trade-related policy matters. She is the only representative from Northern California Bay Area and Silicon Valley. Also, she worked at The White House Office during the Clinton Administration where she coordinated White House events to strengthen community relations with constituent groups. She facilitated public policy briefings on Presidential business forums and organized Presidential delegations.
Ms. Cox was elected to the Ohlone Community College Board of Trustees in November 2008. She became the first African American elected to this Board in 50 years. She is the first African American Commissioner for the Economic Development Advisory Commission for the City of Fremont where she chaired this commission in 2008- 2009. She served as a member of the Fremont Delegation to China and visited the new Ohlone College in Suzhou, China.
Ms. Cox earned a Bachelor's Degree in Nuclear Engineering from Northwestern University in Illinois and a MBA from the Simon Graduate School of Business Administration of University of Rochester in New York. She made national headlines as the first African American woman with a degree in Nuclear Engineering in the nation. She has received numerous awards of distinction.

MYLES STEVENS, AIA, F-ASI, Principal-in-Charge, Architect, Stevens & Associates

Since receiving his Master's Degree in Urban Design from Columbia University, Mr. Stevens has committed himself to the pursuit of excellence in his field. He has been the manager and designer of over 200 major projects, taught design at the University of California, Berkeley and has been active in several professional organizations, including the Planning Association of Richmond, the American Institute of Landscape Architects, and the National Organization of Minority Architects. Mr. Stevens is responsible for the general direction of Stevens + Associates as well as serving as primary designer. Mr. Stevens' four years of experience with Lawrence Halprin Associates in New York City and San Francisco included all types of urban design projects. His three years with KMD included numerous institutional projects. He is also experienced in citizen participation and research, contract administration, and green architecture. Stevens, who has consulted on major projects in West African countries, is a Fellow of the African Scientific Institute (ASI).

Chid Liberty, Founder and CEO, Liberty and Justice, Liberia

Chid Liberty was born in Liberia, a country ravaged by 14 years of civil war. His family was forced to seek refuge from Liberia's political unrest and came to the United States. In 2008, Chid made the decision to return to Liberia. He was stirred by the stories his parents told him about his birthplace and family and wanted to go back to his roots.
In 2009, Chid co-founded Liberty and Justice with his best friend, Adam Butlein, in hopes of contributing to Liberia's economic recovery. The Liberian grassroots women's organizations and their peace and social justice movement inspired Chid. He knew that studies showed that income in the hands of women is more likely to be reinvested in activities that will benefit the family and children. He also saw that the women of Liberia are excluded from the most productive sectors of the economy, and the vast majority of petty trading jobs employing women from slum areas pay less than $1 per day. Liberty and Justice is a unique hybrid social enterprise comprising for-profit and non-profit entities. They develop local African factories and connect them with international retailers and individual consumers. These factories produce fair-trade apparel for American and European retailers, replacing a culture of sweatshops with a culture of sweat equity. Liberty and Justice created Africa's first Fair Trade Certified apparel factories. Every woman who works for Liberty and Justice receives health insurance and equity in the factory (the women workers own 49% of the factories) and 100% of any savings they retain in their savings account for one year is matched, allowing them to save and invest in land, business ventures and education. Liberty and Justice projects exceeding $15 million in annual revenues in 2014. Chid Liberty is a 2011 Social Venture Network Innovation Award winner.