Diaspora African American Network - DAAN

Call Directions Contact the organization

Diaspora African American Network - DAAN DAAN's mission is to build bridges between the African diaspora and their African counterparts.

The Diaspora African American Network (DAAN) is a non‑political and non‑religious organization.

Meet Brandon Mashandudze, the South African teen honoured in the United States for his research into using artificial in...
10/08/2026

Meet Brandon Mashandudze, the South African teen honoured in the United States for his research into using artificial intelligence to improve lung cancer screening. 🇿🇦

The Grade 9 learner from Curro Mahikeng was named an American Lung Cancer Scholar through the International Lung Cancer Innovation Challenge.

The competition, organised by the American Lung Cancer screening initiative, challenges middle and high school students to come up with innovative ideas around lung cancer screening, medical innovation and public health.

Brandon’s research explores how AI and digital health technology could help improve the way lung cancer is detected and assessed.

His achievement also comes with a Harvard connection, as the programme involves experts from Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital.

Nigerian pharmacist and doctoral researcher Chika Onochie has been awarded a $73,000 grant in Canada to develop better w...
10/02/2026

Nigerian pharmacist and doctoral researcher Chika Onochie has been awarded a $73,000 grant in Canada to develop better ways of establishing male fertility. Onochie's research focuses on identifying biomarkers that could provide a more accurate assessment of male fertility beyond traditional semen analysis. His goal is to improve the understanding of infertility and help address a condition that affects millions of couples worldwide. The grant was awarded through the Fonds de recherche du Quebec (FRQ) doctoral scholarship program following a positive review of his research proposal. Onochie, a graduate of the University of Benin, says his experiences in Nigeria exposed him to gaps in how infertility is assessed, particularly regarding men's reproductive health. He hopes his research will lead to fairer and more accurate fertility testing.

Jess Martinez now holds the Guinness World Record for the largest afro, with a circumference of 190 cm. Aevin Dugas, the...
09/30/2026

Jess Martinez now holds the Guinness World Record for the largest afro, with a circumference of 190 cm.

Aevin Dugas, the veteran record star who held the title for nearly 15 years and became a GWR Icon in 2025, passed the crown to her successor in a ceremony celebrating natural beauty and self-acceptance.

Her magnificent crown, an intrinsic part of her identity, stood as an iconic record for nearly 15 years, due to personal dedication and a celebration of natural beauty. Jess Martinez now wears that crown.— Africa Giant

Andrew Garfield once said Fela Kuti helped him discover Spider-Man.This story came up during the YouTube show where a gu...
09/30/2026

Andrew Garfield once said Fela Kuti helped him discover Spider-Man.

This story came up during the YouTube show where a guy with a microphone tests strangers and celebrities on how well they actually know music.

Garfield has a playlist for every character he plays. When he got the role of Spider-Man, he started listening to Fela Kuti.

But he was not just listening for good music.

Fela’s rhythm helped Garfield understand how Spider-Man should move, stand, and feel in the suit.

Then he saw something even deeper.

Garfield saw Fela’s fight against injustice in Peter Parker.

Fela used his music to speak against a military government. Soldiers attacked his home, and his mother was thrown from a window.

Garfield saw that same power in Spider-Man — the power to stand up against injustice.

Instead of copying Fela Kuti, he took Fela’s rhythm, energy, and fighting spirit and turned them into something new.

Fela died in 1997. The Amazing Spider-Man came out in 2012.

Even 15 years later, part of Fela’s rhythm, rebellion, and power lived on in Spider-Man..

Burkina Faso has inaugurated its first gold refinery as the military-led government moves to process more of the country...
09/30/2026

Burkina Faso has inaugurated its first gold refinery as the military-led government moves to process more of the country’s mineral wealth locally.

The Raffinor-BF facility can initially refine up to 164 tonnes of gold annually, with plans to eventually increase capacity to 515 tonnes.

The government says the refinery is part of efforts to strengthen state control of the gold industry, reduce smuggling and retain more value from the country’s natural resources.

🎥 -

Egyptian National Team player Abdulkerim with South Sudanese kids
09/30/2026

Egyptian National Team player Abdulkerim with South Sudanese kids

The Zulu state was formed by Shaka, who ruled as the king from 1816 to 1828.Shaka was the stuff of legends, and subseque...
09/30/2026

The Zulu state was formed by Shaka, who ruled as the king from 1816 to 1828.

Shaka was the stuff of legends, and subsequent tales of his life include a prophecy that foretold of a child that would make the Zulu the most feared of nations. Shaka’s success was due to the modifications he made to the traditional weapons (spear, club, and shield) as well as to new battle strategies. He took the traditional circumcision schoolage sets and turned them into more effective military regiments or impis.

Zulu regiments could cover up to 50 miles (80 kilometers) a day and still be able to fight a battle at the end of the march, while E.uropean armies of the day could barely cover 20 miles (32 kilometers) in a day and rarely were able to engage an enemy at the end of a day’s march.

.

Khalifa Aminu built glasses that see for those who cannot. Sensor-powered and worn like any ordinary pair, they detect o...
09/28/2026

Khalifa Aminu built glasses that see for those who cannot. Sensor-powered and worn like any ordinary pair, they detect obstacles ahead and quietly guide the visually impaired, letting them walk safely and unassisted.

A young genius turned everyday eyewear into independence, giving blind users freedom they can carry on their faces and confidence in every step they take.—Africa Giant (Our Slogan, African Giant. Pioneer: Since 2016. Hall of Fame: First Inductees '26).

Dajae Williams became a NASA rocket scientist by a twist of fate. During her freshman year of high school, a teacher acc...
09/21/2026

Dajae Williams became a NASA rocket scientist by a twist of fate. During her freshman year of high school, a teacher accidentally placed her into an honors geometry class. Instead of backing down, she rose to the challenge, and it shifted her entire life trajectory toward space and science. By age 23, she was working as a manufacturing and quality engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, ensuring spacecraft parts were flawlessly assembled before launching into deep space. She didn't stop at the launchpad either, going on to found ListenUP!, an edutainment company that blends hip-hop culture with science, math, and engineering to help kids visualize complex concepts. Dajae's story proves that brilliance looks like everyone, and that even an accident can become the blueprint for someone's future.

Nine-year-old Jayceon Branch is being praised as a hero after saving 7-year-old classmate Donye Moore at Raleigh Oak Cha...
09/21/2026

Nine-year-old Jayceon Branch is being praised as a hero after saving 7-year-old classmate Donye Moore at Raleigh Oak Charter Elementary. When Donye began choking on a granola bar, Jayceon quickly performed the Heimlich maneuver, a technique he had learned simply by watching a video on YouTube. His quick thinking protected his friend's life, and the school honored him with a special celebration recognizing his bravery. Jayceon's story is a wonderful reminder that even something learned casually online can turn into life-saving knowledge in the hands of a quick-thinking kid.

Address

1971 E. Beltline Avenue, Ste. 106, POB 582
Grand Rapids, MI
49525

Telephone

+16163193383

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Diaspora African American Network - DAAN posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Diaspora African American Network - DAAN:

Shortcuts

Share

Category