Current:Home > BackWNBA player Chiney Ogwumike named to President Biden’s council on African diplomacy-InfoLens
WNBA player Chiney Ogwumike named to President Biden’s council on African diplomacy
View Date:2024-12-23 10:43:48
Chiney Ogwumike has always been passionate about her Nigerian heritage.
Now she’s getting a chance to help all of Africa as a member of the inaugural President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement in the United States, the White House announced Tuesday.
“Best way to describe it, it feels like its a calling of a lifetime,” Ogwumike told The Associated Press in a phone interview Tuesday. “It’s something so authentic to who I am and what I stand for and what I want to do for service. You can be exponentially impactful — calling of a lifetime for me.”
The 31-year-old Stanford graduate and WNBA player started her public advocacy for African women when she and her sister Nneka launched a UNICEF fundraiser in 2014 following the kidnapping of Nigerian girls by Boko Haram.
“It creates opportunities for kids and young people that look like m so that they can transform their lives the same way I experienced it,” Ogwumike said. “I had the best of both worlds, with Nigerian determination and American opportunities that are endless. It’s a pathway for youth to change their lives to empower themselves.”
The council, which was first announced by Vice President Kamala Harris at the 2022 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, will be chaired by Rev. Dr. Silvester Beaman of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Other council members, who will serve until 2025, include Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis.
Ogwumike, who is an NBA analyst for ESPN, is the youngest female on the council.
They will provide invaluable guidance to reinforce cultural, social, political, and economic ties between the U.S. and Africa, and promote trade, investment, and educational exchanges between the United States and Africa.
Ogwumike spoke at the UN General Assembly last year and heard about the council and wanted to be part of it.
“I talked about the power of sports and how it could transform the world,” she said. “I submitted my resume and had my fingers crossed.”
veryGood! (54)
Related
- Inspector general finds no fault in Park Police shooting of Virginia man in 2017
- Harvey Weinstein to return to court Wednesday after his NY rape conviction was overturned
- Jerry Seinfeld Shares His Kids' Honest Thoughts About His Career in Rare Family Update
- Coming soon to Dave & Buster's: Betting. New app function allows customers to wager on games.
- Shawn Mendes Confesses He and Camila Cabello Are No Longer the Closest
- Why Sofía Vergara Felt Empowered Sharing Truth Behind Joe Manganiello Split
- What time is the Kentucky Derby? Everything you need to know about this year's race
- 6-year-old girl goes missing along Michigan river where 7-year-old drowned the day before
- US Diplomats Notch a Win on Climate Super Pollutants With Help From the Private Sector
- Police storm into building held by pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia | The Excerpt
Ranking
- How to Build Your Target Fall Capsule Wardrobe: Budget-Friendly Must-Haves for Effortless Style
- It's June bug season. What to know about the seasonal critter and how to get rid of them
- NHL playoffs results: Hurricanes advance, Bruins fumble chance to knock out Maple Leafs
- Jason Kelce Details Why Potential Next Career Move Serves as the Right Fit
- Fire crews on both US coasts battle wildfires, 1 dead; Veterans Day ceremony postponed
- Walnuts sold at Whole Foods and other grocers recalled after E. coli outbreak sickens 12
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, All Kid-ding Aside
- Ancestral lands of the Muscogee in Georgia would become a national park under bills in Congress
Recommendation
-
West Virginia expands education savings account program for military families
-
Police fatally shoot a man who sliced an officer’s face during a scuffle
-
Headed Toward the Finish Line, Plastics Treaty Delegates ‘Work is Far From Over’
-
Lawsuit against Meta asks if Facebook users have right to control their feeds using external tools
-
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Something Corporate
-
Former students of the for-profit Art Institutes are approved for $6 billion in loan cancellation
-
Jersey Shore's Pauly D Shares Rare Update on Life With 10-Year-Old Daughter Amabella
-
No criminal charges after 4 newborn bodies found in a freezer