I am Alea, and I have always been curious about the how, why, what, who, and where of the planet we are so gracious to reside on. Throughout my educational career, I have been fortunate to have traveled to several African countries, Latin America, and Asia. With each experience came this yearning to know more, understand better, and move further away from my comfort zone. As I continue to travel well after my educational journey has ended, I am still asking questions about the state of our world and the role Africa has played and will play in it today and tomorrow. I seek the answers to these questions from a woman’s perspective, an American identity, and an African descendant.  While in my little corner of the internet, we will explore African countries and all they offer while highlighting current global affairs and events. I am excited to investigate diverse issues and perspectives that will contribute to a better understanding of contemporary Sub-Saharan Africa. So...What About Africa will be a space for global thinkers to come together and ask and answer essential questions about our future, particularly about Africa’s future.

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My curiosity about the world outside of my own would take me on a journey to obtain a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and a Master of Science in Homeland Security after witnessing the September 11, 2001, terror attacks in my hometown of New York City. In 2013, I became a proud AmeriCorps Volunteers In Service to America (VISTA) affiliate.  Throughout my two-year tour in service,  I provided support and feedback with internal grant writing, researching, and identifying funding opportunities weekly to support the evolving mission of Somali Family Service, a non-profit organization in San Diego that supports the needs of established East Africans and other refugees and asylum seekers in San Diego. My experiences servicing the needs of the East African community and other refugee groups reminded me of my love of service to others and my love for human culture and experiences across various disciplines. This reminder is important as I enter 2016 with a career as a civil servant with the United States Government in an area that has taken me far away from international studies. However, what remains at the core of my heart has remained, which is my passion for the arts, humanities, and African wanderlust!