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Adelaide Fiske:

First woman president of African Association of Madison

By A. David Dahmer

Africans, coming from 53 independent and diverse countries of the continent of Africa, make many great contributions to Madison. A notable milestone was reached by the African Association of Madison (AAM) this year as the first female president in its 13-year history assumed office. Adelaide Fiske, who served as vice president last year, is the president of AAM, taking over for outgoing president Godwin Amegashie  “I feel it is significant,” Fiske said. “I don’t want to sound too feminist here, but women are endowed with equal potential for doing things. Sometimes it’s just our own fear that makes us think that we cannot do certain things. Being president of AAM gives me an opportunity to stretch my limits and see what I can do… and what I cannot do.” AAM was founded in 1991 as a federally recognized nonprofit organization. It serves as a forum to unite and bring together people of African descent and friends of Africa in Madison and Wisconsin in general. The Association is comprised of African immigrants in the community who organize to represent the cultural diversity of the African continent. "Africa is a huge continent and is represented in the Madison area from the four corners - north, south, east, and west - of the continent," Fiske said. "There are specific differences in languages and cultures depending on where people are coming from. But we are all similar in that we share the common thread of being from a region that has a strong commitment to family, social networking, and helping each other out. These are things that, in any community, help keep people afloat." Fiske is happy with the association’s accomplishments but knows that there is always room for improvement. “You always have to go through a period of assessment to see how well you are doing, what you are doing, what you can do better, and what you want to accomplish,” Fiske said. “This administration will attempt to steer us in the right direction and see what we can do to help more Africans and to extend ourselves to the Madison community and the surrounding communities.”

The association seeks to promote and encourage the collective cultural, social, and economic welfare of its membership. It seeks to safeguard the diverse African heritages and traditions inherent in the rich cultures of the continent, and serve as a medium to disseminate and share these heritages and traditions with the Wisconsin community.

To achieve this goal, the association initiates constructive activities and develops cooperative relationships with institutions, groups, and individuals that share a common concern for the community. The association's activities include needs assessment and programs in education, youth development, and social interaction. AAM hands out Community Pride Awards that recognize the accomplishments of youth.

“We try to encourage our youths to do the best they can academically,” Fiske said. “We want them to get involved in the community.” AAM helps people who are new to the United States, who may not be comfortable with a new language and culture, new technology, and new people. "You are able to connect with that source of help, and for people in a brand new place, it becomes less daunting,” Fiske said. “It makes it easier when you share the joys, and sorrows, and everything else in between."

Fiske hails from Monrovia, Liberia, a country of about 3.3 million people on the Ivory Coast of West Africa. "We've had wars for 14 years or more and that has really decimated the population and decimated the country as a whole," Fiske said of Liberia. "But in the midst of all the devastation, I was amazed when I went back two years ago that Liberians were still very optimistic. They do not allow their situation to diminish their optimism in life and to get up and go when they have to. “Liberia is currently in that phase where we're trying to get things back to normal with a transitional government,“ Fiske added. “Elections are planned for October of 2005."

Fiske came to the United States in 1978, drawn by the university. She studied biochemistry and bacteriology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Currently, she works for the Department of Public Health for the City of Madison in the Technical Services Division.

The United States and its culture weren’t completely foreign to Fiske when she first came. In Monrovia, she had seen American television news and she already had a good grasp of English. "We always considered the United States to be like a big brother to us, so it was not very strange for me to come here because it was like going to someplace I knew," she said.

Something that wasn‘t so familiar, coming from the hot, tropical weather of Africa, were the cold winters of Wisconsin. "America was a familiar place, except for the winter," she said with a smile. "I had no idea what a Wisconsin winter was — that was quite an experience.”

Fiske lamented the lack of a group like AAM to greet her back when she first came. “I wish there was an African Association when I first came, because it was pretty lonely at that time,” she said, adding that there weren‘t nearly as many Africans in Madison compared to now. “You didn’t know who else was here and you felt like you were the only one.”

One great event that helps keep Africans connected is the annual Africa Fest, sponsored by AAM. This year’s festival will kick off on Aug. 20 with a visual presentation and lecture, “Understanding Ancient Egyptian Art,“ 7 p.m. at the Memorial Union by Badia Rahman, chief photographer and cinematographer for the UNESCO project "Documentation of the Nubian Monuments." From the early pyramids to the Cairo Museum, the presentation will look at the art and life of the ancient Egyptian society.

Africa Fest, the annual celebration of African folk life at Monona Terrace, will be held on Aug. 21 with the theme “Building and Bridging Communities.” This year's sub-theme will be “Fruits of Africa - A Journey through Arts and Culture.” Africa Fest will feature music, dance, poetry, stories, children's activities, food, and cultural traditions.

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