Aliyah Mahdi grew up in Akron, Ohio, she is a wife to an amazing husband (RJ Mahdi) who has taken on a leadership role in this repatriation movement, and a mother of two beautiful children. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, cooking,writing, and studying holistic wellness for women. She understands the importance of keeping the black family together for generational success. She believes wholeheartedly in the motto of family first. She holds a degree in Business Management and her background experience has been in Marketing and Sales since 2012 for a number of fortune 500 companies. She is the Co Founder and President of the Made in Africa Project and author of The Repat Guide. She has found joy in assisting the diaspora with connecting to the continent in a number of ways. She has used her creativity to help change the perspective of Africa in many ways, most recently in her online series, “The Real Homes of Africa”. Her work has been featured in many online publications including Black Enterprise and TravelNoire, and she still has a lot more to give to this movement. She has volunteered her time in organizations like #IamMedinaBaye Movement, The Give1Project, Mothers of Black Boys United, The Builders, and Stop the Violence Movements to name a few. Her philanthropic spirit continues to push her to give others inspiration to improve their circumstances.

Rashad J. Mahdi has spent more than 15 years professionally working in television, radio, mass media, sports marketing, business management, project oversight and brokering. He has actively managed national and international campaigns in Atlanta GA, New York NY, Miami FL, Memphis TN, Cleveland OH, Philadelphia PA as well as Senegal and The Gambia West Africa.

Professor James Small is a scholar activist, dynamic speaker, organizational consultant. He is also CEO of Sanaa Lodge Enterprise, Ghana, Ltd., CEO & President, African-American Management Company, Ghana, Ltd.; International Vice President, Organization of Afro-American Unity (O.A.A.U.), Priest of Oya, Babalorisha, Ifa Tradition, and past President of the Eastern Region of the Association for the study of Classical African Civilization (ASCAC).

Prof. James Small has been an activist since his teenage years. His in-depth knowledge, thought-provoking and calm delivery are influential elements to break the programming of mis-education. He studies extensively with Dr. John Henrik Clarke, Dr. Yosef A. A. ben Jochannan, Dr. Leonard Jeffries, Dr. Ivan Van Sertima, Dr. Asa Hilliard, Dr. Wade Nobles, Dr. Amos Wilson and Dr. Francis Cress Welsing, just to name a few.

Andara Koumba Primus

Born, as Myrtle Primus, on  the  small island  of  Carriacou, Grenada in the Eastern Caribbean Islands, Mama Andara Koumba  constantly  felt the beat of Africa, synonymous with her own heart. It was that heartbeat that propelled  her to study  with the late Winston Fleary, director of The Big Drum Nation Dance which specialized in folk dances from Carriacou.  Through these dances, the heritage of our African ancestral ethnic groups who were brought to the island are acknowledged and celebrated by the people.

At the age of 17, she began training with the International African American Ballet, (IAAB) in 1979, where she was educated in the traditional songs and dances of the  13th Century Ancient Malian Empire. It was there that she met  Baba Obara Wali Rahman, who would later be her spouse, director and artistic/ cultural partner.  Following the departure from  IAAB,  Baba Wali formed a new folkloric dance company by the name of Sabar Ak Ru Afriq,  (SARA),  which focused on dances, music and culture from the Senegambian Region of West Africa. Within SARA dance company, Mama Andara Koumba would exemplify the  techniques of the Sabar dance styles along with the strategies needed to accomplish them. In 1991,  senior elders Drs. Sarah and Scuddie Mcgee, Art Therapist and Psychologist, introduced both Mama Andara and Baba Wali to Mame Fatou Seck of Senegal W. Africa.

Keichia Bowers & Damon Smith of The Akoma Healing Arts Collective, Inc. is a family-owned Collective founded by Children of the African Diaspora, Keachia (Adjwoa) & Damon (Kweku).

Together, the couple are on a mission to return melanated individuals from the Diaspora home to the Motherland.  Keachia and Damon are internationally known Cultural Preservationist & Philanthropist amongst Diaspora Communities in Jamaica, Africa and the United States. Their work is extensive and includes hosting tours to Ghana Bi-annually, development of an NGO, the AYA Foundation, and teaching the awareness of the "Back to Africa" Movement through their signature event, Let's Talk Africa. Keachia and Damon have adopted 3 schools and aided in providing clean water to 1 orphanage. During the Year of the Return, they brought 17 Diasporans to Ghana and painted a mural alongside Ghanaian Artists in celebration of the return of Africa's offsprings to the Continent.

The couple's work has expanded and in 2020 they founded a Diaspora development community in New Ningo Pram Pram, Ghana known as Sankofa Garden Estates. Keachia & Damon are spearheading a team of investors, architects and engineers to build a gated community that will aid Diasporans in a safe return home to the Motherland.

The Akoma Healing Arts Collective Family intends on being a portal of support and connection to help the Diaspora in

learning about investments, repatriation, travel and educational resources all related to Africa.