“Imagine the power of a single voice echoing throughout the diaspora and the world, igniting change and inspiring action,” said Richard Gant, the Art, Culture, and Sports chair of the African Renaissance and Diaspora Network (ARDN).
Gant was speaking at a virtual press conference on Dec. 17, 2024, announcing a new partnership between ARDN and the multimedia platform Trace. The two organizations have joined forces to promote global stories about people of African descent.
“Picture a domestic abuse survivor in Cape Town, sharing her story with other survivors in Brixton, UK, fostering healing and solidarity,” Gant said. “Envision children in Lagos exchanging visual art classes with peers in New York, sparking creativity and cultural exchange. Consider musicians from Dakar collaborating with artists in Sao Paulo to produce rhythms that unite and inspire. Visualize African e-sports players connecting with students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the United States, competing and learning across digital landscapes, building bridges and future alliances.
“This is the transformative power of connectivity: making the world smaller and our bonds stronger.”
ARDN and Trace have teamed up to work on presenting stories about people of African descent and advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are aimed at ending poverty and reducing inequality.
ARDN CEO and President Djibril Diallo deemed the collaboration a major step forward for both organizations, each of which was created to empower and celebrate Africa and its diaspora.
“At ARDN,we have a mandate to advance the sustainable development goals of the United Nations through initiatives to promote equality, education, and opportunity,” Diallo said. “Today, we take the commitment to step forward by leveraging Trace’s remarkable media reach, and the remarkable cultural influence of Trace.”
Olivier Laouchez, CEO of Trace, said around 350 million people of African descent access his company’s various platforms monthly in 190 countries. Trace “[creates] services so that young people, women, and creators can be more successful in their life,” Laouchez said. “We do everything we do by respecting very strong values, … authenticity, and passion. And we are very proud to be a contributor to at least 10 of the 17 United Nations SDGs.”
ARDN intends to leverage this new partnership to enhance the visibility of its signature Red Card campaign, which urges people to commit to preventing violence against women and girls. Trace will promote the initiative through its radio, television, and social media channels.
The multi-media organization also plans to use its newest digital platform, Trace+, to deliver free education and offer new skills to young women.
“We have more than 25 TV channels and 100 radio [channels] where we celebrate the vibrancy of Afro culture,” said Trace+ Managing Director Prescillia Avenel-Delpha. “We also have 300-plus Trace Academy courses where we deliver free education to equip youth and women with the skills to strive in their world. And with over a million hours of content annually, including videos-on-demand, Trace+ becomes a bridge to build confidence, skills, and connections across generations and borders.”
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