The election of the first black president of the United States provides us a unique opportunity to sit down and take stock of where the world is today, in particular, how we as African centered people are faring. What issues should we, in the cultural community, be keeping our eyes on and how can a new administration help us push our agenda forward?

GLOBALLY: WHAT CAN OBAMA DO FOR AFRICA?

It goes without saying that no US administration can solve Africa's problems. Africans and the leaders who represent them (or fail to represent) must resolve the problems of Africa in a way that makes sense for their respective countries. But, a president of the US who has immediate connections to his African ancestry may have more of a vested interest than past presidents in using US diplomatic efforts and resources to help bring more meaningful change to Africa. One of the most important things that can happen is that our new president-elect will actually care that hundreds of thousands of Africans are dying in long simmering conflicts on the continent, and put US weight behind encouraging diplomatic solutions of these conflicts. Can we dare dream about an African continent where our brothers agree to stop shooting and killing each other, and raping their sisters, mothers and daughters. Peace and security on the continent will help us because it will allow a greater diversity of African artists to secure their families and begin traveling outside of their regions. That in turn may allow us to have a greater exposure to a more diverse range of African dance and culture.

Perhaps our new President will influence policy at the World Bank so that its aid policy can be redeveloped to benefit African nations receiving aid, as well as the western corporations that have chosen to operate in the developing world. At the moment Africa is being stripped of her natural resources and leaving future generations saddled with unpayable debt. In particular, attention needs to be paid to the way globalization of capital is destroying the ability of small business women in Africa to be able sustain their livelihoods.

If African nations can make greater progress towards stability and development, then perhaps African governments will develop a more concrete practice of African philanthropy. African national arts groups must be able to survive and they can only do so when government can pay their artists decent wages and stem the hemorraging of loss of cultural icons to the west. Europe and the US should not have more former members of national dance companies than the individual countries have!