The GABA Foundation

08/30/2026

Happy Birthday to Rhonna-Rose Akama-Makia — A Woman of Purpose, Service, and Vision

Today, we celebrate more than a birthday. We celebrate a woman whose life and leadership demonstrate what it means to serve people with purpose, compassion, integrity, and vision.

Rhonna-Rose Akama-Makia represents the strength of an African woman who understands that leadership is not simply about holding a title—it is about creating pathways for others to rise.

As a human resources professional, philanthropic mind, strategist, and President of The GABA Foundation , Rhonna-Rose has brought something invaluable to our work: the ability to see the human being behind the numbers, the family behind the need, the entrepreneur behind the idea, and the immigrant behind the journey.

For African, Caribbean and other immigrant communities, that kind of leadership matters.

Our communities carry extraordinary dreams across borders. We arrive with knowledge, culture, resilience, faith, skills, businesses, families, and aspirations for the next generation. Yet building a new life and establishing a place within unfamiliar systems requires people who understand that opportunity must be accompanied by compassion, trust, access, and human dignity.

Rhonna-Rose understands that responsibility.

Her leadership reminds us of the African principle of Ubuntu: “I am because we are.” Our individual success becomes more meaningful when it strengthens the community around us.

So today, we say:

We honor you — for your service and commitment.

We celebrate you — for the woman, leader, strategist, and community builder you have become.

We trust you — because meaningful leadership is built through integrity, consistency, and responsibility.

We care for you — because behind every position and every accomplishment is a human being deserving of the same compassion she extends to others.

May this next chapter bring greater wisdom, deeper purpose, stronger relationships, expanded opportunities, and the fulfillment that comes from seeing the seeds you have planted grow into something larger than yourself.

Africa is not simply a geography. It is a people, a heritage, a global family, and an enduring spirit carried throughout the diaspora.

Today, that family celebrates one of its own.

Happy Birthday, Rhonna-Rose Akama-Makia.

May you continue to lead with compassion, build with integrity, strategize with wisdom, and serve with purpose.

Today, let us celebrate Rhonna-Rose.

07/14/2026

Dear GABA Community, Allies, and Partners

We are writing to share an update about the Annual Scholarship Dinner, originally scheduled for August 2, 2026.

After listening closely to our community and given the strain so many families are carrying right now around immigration, convening safely, and the broader economic pressure on African and Caribbean diaspora households across Michigan, the GABA Foundation has made the very difficult decision that now is not the right time to hold a fundraising dinner.

This choice comes directly from what we have heard from the people we exist to serve.

If you purchased a ticket or sponsorship, you will receive a full refund. Our team is processing these now, and you do not need to take any action.

Rather than directing funds toward a gala, we will increase our support for the community partners and institutions on the ground every day, carrying forward our mission to serve the heart of Africans. We believe this is the right use of our dollars at this moment.

We are deeply grateful for your generosity, your partnership, and your patience as we make this decision. This is not a step back. It is us staying true to why the GABA Foundation exists in the first place, to be led by the community we belong to, not apart from it.

We look forward to gathering with you again soon, and we will share more as our plans take shape.

With gratitude,
GABA

05/30/2026

04/28/2026

According to a March 2026 Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census data, the Black immigrant population in the United States has more than doubled since 2000, reaching 5.6 million people. African- and Caribbean-born immigrants now make up 11.2% of all U.S. immigrants.

African-born immigrants increased fourfold between 2000 and 2024, from approximately 600,000 to 2.4 million. Caribbean-born immigrants number 2.5 million. Together, these two communities account for the overwhelming majority of growth in Black immigrants in the United States over the past two decades.

Almost all of the top 10 birthplaces for Black immigrants are in Africa or the Caribbean. New York City has the most Black immigrants of any metropolitan area, approximately 1.1 million. Miami is second, followed by Washington, D.C.

Pew Research Center, Key Findings About Black Immigrants in the U.S., March 2026
pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/03/20/key-findings-about-black-immigrants-in-the-us

04/28/2026

A 2024 analysis of U.S. Census data finds that sub-Saharan African immigrants participate in the civilian labor force at higher rates than both the overall foreign-born population and people born in the United States.

77% labor force participation among sub-Saharan African immigrants, compared to 68% among all foreign-born residents and 63% among people born in the United States. Among specific-origin communities, Nigerians and Ghanaians report participation rates of 79%, the highest of any immigrant group nationally. 44% hold positions in management, science, or professional fields.

This community is not on the margins of the American economy. The barrier is not participation. It is access to the capital, systems, and institutional infrastructure needed to convert that participation into generational wealth.

Source: Migration Policy Institute tabulations of the 2024 American Community Survey https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/sub-saharan-african-immigrants-united-states

04/15/2026

Community leadership is the foundation of everything we build.

The O. Rerhi Onomake Community Leadership Scholarship is now open. This $500 award honors GABA co-founder O. Rerhi Onomake and supports students of African or Caribbean heritage who are making a meaningful impact at the local level.

If you are U.S.-based, identify as African or Caribbean, and demonstrate academic excellence and a commitment to community, we want to hear from you.

Apply by June 30, 2026, by visiting this link
👉 www.thegabafoundation.org/scholarships

To celebrate this year's scholars in person, join us at the 2026 GABA Glow Dinner on Sunday, August 2nd, in Detroit.
🎟️ www.thegabafoundation.org/glowdinner

04/15/2026

We believe in investing in the next generation of global leaders.

The Akindele Akinyemi Global Achievement Scholarship is now open for applications. This $500 award honors the legacy of GABA co-founder Akindele Akinyemi and supports high-achieving international students pursuing library science, informatics, information technology, or allied health fields.
If you identify with African or Caribbean heritage, are U.S.-based, and demonstrate academic excellence and a vision for global impact, this scholarship was made for you.

Apply by June 30, 2026, by visiting this link:
👉 www.thegabafoundation.org/scholarships

To celebrate this year's scholars in person, join us at the 2026 GABA Glow Dinner on Sunday, August 2nd in Detroit.
🎟️ www.thegabafoundation.org/glowdinner