In early March, the Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Council welcomed nine professionals from Angola and Mozambique who participated in an International Visitor Leadership (IVLP) project titled “Advancing Civil Society by Inspiring Youth Leadership, Civil Participation, and Advocacy.”
Their first day began at Pensacola City Hall where Councilman Charles Bare welcomed them to the city and presented them with a gift on behalf of Mayor Ashton Hayward III. Next, they met with Katrina Ramos, a community activist with the Escambia Youth Justice Coalition, to discuss the organization’s advocacy initiatives focusing on incarceration of youth and a broader struggle for civil rights. The group ended the day with a meeting with Edwin “Buzz” Eddy, City Manager of Gulf Breeze and administrator of the Youth in Government Symposium, to discuss the importance of civics education in the U.S.
The next day, representatives from the University of West Florida’s Student Government Association met with the visitors to share their thoughts on how leadership and participation in the political process is fostered at the university level. Afterward, Manna Food Pantries Outreach Manager JoAnn Howansky welcomed them and gave an overview of her organization’s structure and mission. The group then rolled up their sleeves and volunteered alongside locals at the food bank.
After lunch downtown, the group visited Milk and Honey Outreach Ministries and met with Executive Director Sonya Culliver to discuss educational and leadership programs for at-risk youth. The group also shared information about their cultures with children attending the afterschool program.
The group’s last activity was a hand-on workshop with Digital Media Education where they met with Executive Director John Lovrien and other DMe staff and collaborators to discuss mentoring at-risk youth and to participate in an audiovisual training. The group enjoyed recording and directing their own TV show-style segment with the DMe crew.
The Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Council extends a special thank you to all who helped make this program possible.
