- Travel to Africa as City of Miami Gardens Presents a One-Night Only Short Film/Photo Exhibit and Discussion -

(BLACK PR WIRE) – City of Miami Gardens, FL -- City of Miami Gardens Councilman Dr. Erhabor Ighodaro in an ongoing effort to forge strong cultural, economic and educational bonds between South Florida and Africa will host a one-night-only short film and photo exhibit and discussion group “Sojourn of Truth - From Sierra Leone to Kenya; An Excursion to Africa,” Thursday, November 14, 2013, 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at City of Miami Gardens City Hall, 1515 N.W. 167th Street, Miami Gardens, FL 33169.

Having recently returned from a two week journey to Sierra Leone, West Africa as part of the Rites of Passages Program which works in conjunction with the Ingram Foundation and Foundation for Democracy in Africa, Dr. Ighodaro and two Miami Gardens’ students, Dawn Millings and Gerre Barnwell visited historic Sierra Leone sites such as Laka Beach, Free-Town and Diamond Mine as well as met with Sierra Leone Heads-of-State. Dr. Ighodaro will continue to share lessons from the journey with a short film and photo presentation and discussion, which is open to the public.

“The two young ‘ambassadors’ were chosen as scholarship recipients for the honor based on academic performance and community involvement,” says Dr. Ighodaro. “We live in a global village and in this competitive global market our children must be prepared to compete with our counterparts from China, Germany, etc.”

South Florida student Gerre Barnwell will be on hand to discuss his experiences in Africa and share with the audience his personal and educational growth as a result. During the African journey, Dr. Ighodaro and the students provided live radio broadcast updates to South Florida listeners of WMBM, Gospel AM 1490.

“Not only is Africa enriched with monetary value, but they have things that are good for the soul,” explains Barnwell.

Links between City of Miami Gardens and Africa extend into Kenya as well. Julia Yarbough, Media Relations Specialist for City of Miami Gardens also recently traveled to Africa on assignment, capturing safari experiences in Tanzania, and documenting sanitation and water issues for women and children in Nairobi, Kenya. Julia Yarbough Media Group will partner with Dr. Ighodaro to present MAJI - a short film documentary featuring Kenyan architect Ronald Omyonga and his dream of providing clean water to Kenyan communities. Participants will also embark on a visual African Safari without ever leaving South Florida.

Dr. Ighodaro, student Gerre Barnwell and Julia Yarbough will be on hand to share personal experiences and insight during discussion and a question and answer session with participants. Don’t miss this one-night-only event as the City of Miami Gardens presents: “Sojourn of Truth - From Sierra Leone to Kenya; An Excursion to Africa.”

For more information, contact Julia Yarbough at jyarbough@miamigardens-fl.gov or Councilman Dr. Erhabor Ighodaro at eighodaro@miamigardens-fl.gov.