Suzanne Africa Engo
Running for a Dream
“My work is to give a gift I received 24 years ago to children: The possibility to dream; and know that the dream can become reality... I know that the media can be used as a tool for social change.” — Suzanne Africa Engo, at the UN September 15, 2008
Suzanne Africa Engo — online media personality and AIDS Activist began her extraordinary 858 mile run on September 15, 2008, as a New York AIDS Film Festival initiative. Africa was joined by trainers, celebrity friends and community leaders launched the Africa 101 project from the United Nations in New York to HARPO Studios in Chicago.
This remarkable young woman is officially ranked one of the top 40 most influential youth AIDS activists in the world as proclaimed by MTV Networks and the Kaiser Family Foundation, who put her face on the Times Square MTV jumbotron on World AIDS Day.
Africa came to the United States as the daughter of the Cameroon Ambassador to the United Nations and while exploring her new life was reminded by her activist mother that young children like her were beginning to be orphaned by a disease called AIDS. "And what should we do about that?" Her Mother asked. "HELP!" twelve year old Africa answered, and she hasn't stopped since.
Africa founded the New York AIDS Film Festival, the first film festival on HIV/AIDS in the world, with the support of Former SG H.E Kofi and Mrs. Nane Annan. The now 6 year old festival is transitioning to becoming the New York AIDS Museum. She was one of the co-founders of the African Action on AIDS and also has co-operated on showing and promoting many celebrity AIDS related media initiatives and films, including: Lucy Liu's Three Needles project, HBOs Angels in America, Ashley Judd & Youth AID, Jack Valenti, Friends of the Global Fun, MTV Transit, Amfar, and more.
Africa Engo has collaborated in her work on AIDS with the Magic Johnson Foundation/ Abbott, MTV Networks, HBO, BET, New York University, GMHC, The City of New York and most prominently the United Nations (UNAIDS) among countless others. So it is no surprise that, after her noted speech, I am dying of AIDS Activism, given last year at the United Nations for World AIDS Day, when she announced she would be losing 100 pounds as well as running from New York (United Nations) to Chicago (Oprah Winfrey Studios) to remind people what is happening in her continent and that help is still needed, as well as encourage voting as she is a newly American citizen. The entire initiative led up to World AIDS Day at the United Nations and was documented for a film.
On top of running, her companys Suzanne Africa Engo is the bloggerspondent for Cause Celebrity News on THINK.MTV.COM she is also an Ireporter Superstar on CNN.COM where her short film New American Votes her Cause AIDS: Suzanne Africa Engo on the road for Obama was selected as a finalist in the CNN Online Film Festival where she has interviewed countless celebrities and charities about their philanthropic efforts, most recently she interviewed the new Miss USA, DMC from RUN DMC, Governor Paterson and many more.
Contact the lecture bureau for booking information, lecture schedules, speaking engagement questions and to check the availability of Suzanne Africa Engo appearing at your next special event.
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