1. Sponsored by the Department of African & African American Studies
West African Adinkra symbol of life-long education and continued quest for knowledge
Breakfast 9:30 – 9:50am
Opening Remarks 9:50 – 9:55am
Session I: 10:00 – 10:50am
Moderator: Dr. Amir Idris
Margaret Sanford, Rwanda: Studying Genocide in Context
Elicia Bates, Playing the Blame Game: Assigning Responsibility in Regards to the Modern Issues that Descend
from the Atlantic Slave Trade in West Africa
Session II: 11:00 – 11:50am
Moderator: Fr. Robert B. Anderson, S.J.
Isabel Wallace-Green, Innocent or Guilty? Christian Missionaries During Colonialism
Emmanuella Chioke, Colonialism and Its Effects on the African Continent
*Lunch 11:50am- 12:40pm*
Session III: 12:45 – 2:00pm
Moderator: Fr. Robert B. Anderson, S.J.
David Gonyer, Gender in Africa, Pre-Colonialism and Post-Colonialism: A Comparison
Maria Sawiris, The Perception of Black Women in Public Spaces
Bentley Brown, Jazz, Abstract Expressionism, and Cultural Diplomacy during the Cold War

2. Speakers’ Bios
Elicia Bates is a double major in Anthropology and African & African American Studies at Fordham
College at Rose Hill. She is a member of the class of 2019. In the future, she plans to pursue a Juris
Doctor as well as an advanced degree in Anthropology or African American Studies. Her presenta-
tion will be based on a paper submitted in her Understanding Historical Change: Africa course
taught by Dr. Jane Edward. Hometown: Indianapolis, IN.
Bentley Brown is majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Entrepreneurship
and International Business and a minor in Art History. He is currently a senior at Gabelli School of
Business and he plans to pursue a Master’s degree in Applied Economics after obtaining his under-
graduate degree. Hometown: Phoenix, AZ.
Emmanuella Chioke is a member of the class of 2019. Her intended major is International Political
Economy and a minor in French. After graduation, she plans to work within the international com-
munity or represent her native country, Nigeria, in foreign diplomacy. Her presentation will be
based on a paper submitted in her Understanding Historical Change: Africa course taught by Dr.
Jane Edward.
David Gonyer is a student at Fordham College at Rose Hill as a member of the class of 2019. He is
a Political Science major and a Spanish minor. In the future, he plans to pursue a career in human
rights advocacy, focusing on the LGBT and immigrant communities. His presentation is based on a
paper submitted in his Understanding Historical Change: Africa course taught by Dr. Amir Idris.
Hometown: Broadway, VA.
Margaret Sanford is a member of the class of 2017 majoring in Anthropology and minoring in
both African studies and American Catholic studies. After graduation, she will be applying for vari-
ous prestigious research awards in order to conduct further research on the topic of memorializa-
tion. Her paper is based on her study abroad experience in Rwanda and on the Understanding His-
torical Change: Africa course taught by Dr. Amir Idris. She is originally from Duluth, MN.
Maria Sawiris is a student at Fordham College at Lincoln Center as a member of the class of 2018.
She is majoring in African & African American Studies and minoring in Spanish. After graduation,
she is planning to attend grad school. Her paper is based on a paper submitted in her Being and
Becoming Black course taught by Dr. Aimee Cox. Hometown: New York, NY.
Isabel Wallace-Green is Dance major at Fordham College at Lincoln Center, class of 2019. After
graduation she plans to dance professionally with a NYC based company and attend Physical Ther-
apy school. Her presentation is based on a paper she submitted in her Understanding Historical
Change: Africa course taught by Dr. Amir Idris. Hometown: Houston, TX.