Community members speak on Governor Wes Moore’s decision to name September African Heritage Month
MARYLAND – September 30th marks the last day of African Heritage Month, proclaimed for the first time this September by Maryland Governor Wes Moore. Not to be confused with Black History Month, this month highlights the contributions of African Immigrants.
Maryland has the 4th largest population of African Immigrants in the country, and whether it’s culturally, socially, or economically, African immigrants continue to influence the way of life on the Eastern Shore. Oluwanifemi Faniyi is known as ‘Mercy’ to her friends. As the current Miss UMES, she says she is proud to say she’s a part of that number. She was born in Nigeria and came to America at the age of 8 because her parents wanted her to have a better life, and says many people have negative views about why Africans come here.
“When I see people trying to water down their culture, for me, it’s like secondhand embarrassment because it’s like what’s the reason, or what’s the fear that you have showcasing your culture” says Faniyi. “The government, and the better living, that’s why our parents strive for us to be here because it’s much more easier here than it is back home, because back home, it’s a whole lot of corruption… The motivation is there, like okay, my parents brought me here so now I have to fulfill the goal of why they brought me here and make them proud.”
Dr. Kathryn Barrett- Gaines is a professor of History at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. She says when it comes to African immigrants they have inspired our music, food, and culture, and when they come here, they work hard because they have a lot to prove. “People think somehow, the African Immigrants that enter the United States are people who don’t have resources and who are somehow fleeing some horrifying situation… It’s actually the opposite, most of the people who come from Africa to the United States are very resourced highly educated have a lot of skills and abilities.
Gaines says historically the Eastern shore has always had significant influence in way of life here. “We don’t even understand the African culture we already have. Every time you say the work okay, okay is a West African Word. Every time you see or play a guitar, this is a west African instrument… We’re actually getting an incredible deal when African immigrants come to America. We’re getting incredible amounts of experience, education, knowledge”
Faniyi says she will continue to speak Yoruba, and one should never be ashamed of their heritage. “The fact that we’re being celebrated with our culture and everything it’s a really nice privilege so, I’m proud to be African and I’m proud of this month.” Overall, their goal is to impact and inspire. Miss UMES says one way that African Culture is currently represented on campus with social organization, Swing Phi Swing. Created in the 1960’s, she says their symbols, sounds, and steps all trace back to Africa, and this is a way they stay connected to their roots.
