Watch the Full Episode
African Cultural Education
In this episode of ListenUp with Al Neely, we sit down with Rita Cohen, Executive Director of the Tidewater African Cultural Alliance (TACA), to explore how African cultural education is brought into schools in meaningful and engaging ways. Our discussion sheds light on the importance of African cultural education in today’s diverse learning environments.
Rita shares how TACA’s African Cultural Education (ACE) program introduces one African country at a time through language, storytelling, and dance—turning student curiosity into confidence and delivering measurable gains in knowledge, relationships, and social-emotional skills.
In this episode, we discuss:
-
How African culture is integrated into school classrooms
-
The role of storytelling and dance in education
-
Turning curiosity into confidence for students
-
The social-emotional impact of cultural education programs
Transcript
Introduction: African Culture in Education
[00:00:05] Al Neely: Welcome to ListenUp, Rita! Can you start by telling us about TACA and its mission? [00:00:12] Rita Cohen: Thank you, Al. As Executive Director of TACA, our goal is to bring African culture into schools through our African Cultural Education (ACE) program. We focus on one country at a time, using language, storytelling, and dance to create immersive experiences for students. [00:00:35] Al Neely: That sounds incredible. How does this approach impact students’ confidence and learning?African Cultural Education (ACE) Program
[00:00:50] Rita Cohen: Students engage in the culture, which sparks curiosity. This curiosity quickly turns into confidence as they learn language, stories, and dances from the country we’re exploring. We also see measurable gains in knowledge, relationships, and social-emotional skills.Closing Thoughts
[00:01:15] Al Neely: Rita, thank you for sharing TACA’s mission. Any final thoughts for educators or parents who want to bring more cultural education into their classrooms? [00:01:20] Rita Cohen: Start small. Introduce a story, a song, or a dance. Curiosity leads to confidence, and engagement grows naturally. Cultural education isn’t just learning facts—it’s building relationships and skills that last a lifetime.Related Episodes
Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!
LISTEN NOW
