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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
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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.
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