Dr. Adisa A. Alkebulan is an Associate Professor in Africana Studies at San Diego State University. He is also the Director of Study Abroad Programs in the Department of Africana Studies. He takes teams of students and community members to locations all over the world to learn about their histories and cultures as well as engage in short-term community service projects. He has done research in Africa and Europe on language and colonialism and is a major contributor to the Encyclopedia of Black Studies and the Encyclopedia of African Religions. His work appears in several disciplinary journals as well as in anthologies on rhetoric and Malcolm X. Dr. Alkebulan is an active scholar currently engaged in several research projects for publication and presents his research at conferences all over the world.
Dr. Adisa A. Alkebulan, Definition Of Success | Success for me is when you evaluate your life and are able to determine that you’ve made a valuable contribution to the lives of others on a consistent basis. For me, it’s not how much fame and fortune you can accumulate but how you function in society and in the lives of others. It’s also how you live your life. I don’t mean from a religious standpoint but from an ethical stand point. Do you uplift or tear down? Do you condemn or celebrate? This is what success means to me. What contributions have you made to the world?
I Am Driven By | My son drives me. Being a role model for him. Teaching him what it means to be human and that nothing in life is greater than having a good character.
My Highlights | I am most proud of the work that I’ve done all over Africa. For nearly 15 years, I have been working with community organizations on a variety of projects and programs aimed at dealing with the challenges that African people face. I’ve worked with community organizations on issues of literacy, poverty, healthcare, homelessness and I can go on and on and on. It is a daunting task but that is what I am most proud of.
The Difference Between Good And Great | I think people who are great at what they do, are great because they love doing it. Because they have a passion for it. Rather that passion is driven by their love for it or their sense of obligation drives their greatness
Dealing With Doubt | I still deal with fear and self-doubt. I’m my own worst critic. That’s something that I don’t think I will ever completely outrun. But the key is to not let it cripple you. We cannot allow our fears to determine our chances or opportunities in life. We can’t let fear and doubt prevent us from doing the work that needs to be done in our communities and in the world. Fear and doubt is a part of life.
We just can’t allow it to defeat us. When I was writing my dissertation, I feared that I may not have been a good enough writer and that my dissertation adviser was going to tear it apart. It also made me question whether or not I belonged in graduate school. For a fleeting moment, I wondered if I should perhaps abandon the program. But I didn’t allow that doubt to cripple me. I pushed forward and completed a project that to this day I am tremendously proud of.
Resources I Use To Stay Inspired | I am typically inspired by historical figures. Specifically those who were Afrocentric or who embraced Black consciousness. It’s something about not only their courage but their unapologetic African consciousness, their pride that lights a fire within me. Malcolm X, Molefi Asante, Kwame Nkrumah, Steve Biko
Balancing high performance with happiness and contentment | I can honestly say that I have not struggled with happiness. Happiness of course comes and goes but generally I’m happy with the work that I’ve done and the direction my life has taken. But those of us who are a part of any kind of struggle or movement are never content. Contentment is a death nail. Once one goal is achieved we must move on to the next. Once we become content, we become complacent and dispassionate. So I am never content and do not seek contentment in a general sense.
The Best Advice I’ve Received | Never defend the indefensible.
Advice On Building Wealth | I would try to encourage them to look beyond riches. Or at least re-define what wealth means. The accumulation of wealth enslaves us, colonizes us, imprisons us. But if we define wealth in terms of the relationships we create and maintain or the good that we bring into the world, then I will heap praise upon you all day. We cannot value material wealth and humanity at the same time. The accumulation of wealth more often than not has been at the expense of humanity and the common good.
The Legacy I Would Like To Leave | At the end of the day, I want to be remembered by the type of life I lived and the things I’ve tried to accomplish. I want people to remember my character and my commitment to humanity. I want to have touched peoples’ lives in a positive way. I want others to continue the work that I have done, to build upon it and improve it.
Linda Olagunju is the Managing Director at DLO Energy Resources & Founder of the Renewable Energy Forum South Africa. She holds an LLB from the University of Cape Town and an LLM in International Commercial Law with a specialisation in Oil and Gas Law from the University of Aberdeen. Linda was part of the team […]
Desiree-Anne Martin Legacy Project believes in the inherent ability for anyone to change. Her mantra is that there is hope, always and she is a Change Facilitator and Inspirational Speaker. Desiree-Anne has her Postgraduate Diploma (with Honours) from UCT and is a Honorary staff member at WITS University where she is a consultant to the […]
Vicky Colbert is the Founder and Director of Fundación Escuela Nueva, and co-creator of the Escuela Nueva pedagogical model, known for its effectiveness in improving the quality and relevance of basic education in underprivileged schools across Colombia and beyond. She is the 2013 WISE Prize for Education Laureate. Vicky Colbert of Success | For me […]
Anthony Robles is a wrestler who won the 2010-11 NCAA individual wrestling championship in the 125-pound weight class despite being born with only one leg. He is the author of the book Unstoppable: From Underdog to Undefeated: How I Became a Champion and also a motivational speaker. Anthony Robles Key Talent | I would say that […]
Platinum-selling South African singer/model/actress Lira (which translates to “love” in Sesotho) has already conquered South Africa and much of Europe with her irresistible blend of R&B, Jazz and African styles. She is a multi-platinum selling and an 8x South African Music Award-winning Afro-Soul vocalist and with her debut U.S. release and a US tour in […]
Jessica Dewhurst has been an active member of the Edmund Rice Network for 13 years, a volunteer in ER projects for over 9 years, and the Networks Youth Coordinator for 2 years. She is also the chairperson of the Edmund Rice Associates Young Adult group in Cape Town. In December of 2013, Jessica was appointed […]
Tessa Plen is a highly accomplished global change-agent for growth and development of individuals, companies and products. She has worked in senior positions at blue-chip multinationals like Colgate Palmolive (associate Director of Innovation) and Unilever in South Africa, Paris, London, Sydney and New York before recently returning to South Africa. She has implemented growth and […]
Maria Popova is a reader, writer, interestingness hunter-gatherer, and curious mind at large. She has previously written for WiredUK, The Atlantic, The New York Times, and Harvard’s Nieman Journalism Lab, among others, and is an MIT Futures of Entertainment Fellow. I Am Driven By | The yearning to learn how to live, how to lead […]
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