Join us for the February edition of Africa Talks. We will be talking about the dairy industry in Mali and how Malian women are responding to the conflict within the sector they have long dominated.

For more than a decade, central Mali has been plagued by chronic insecurity and insurgency. Women’s experiences of this violence are often reduced to statistics that emphasize harm, overlooking how they navigate insecurity in their everyday lives. By tracing these changes, Emily hopes to highlight women not as victims of conflict, but as savvy economic actors actively adapting to instability, reworking markets, and redefining resilience under conditions of protracted violence.

Join the conversation on conflict, gender, and economic resilience in West Africa and in the diaspora.

• 5pm: Doors open for food and networking
• 5:30pm: Presentations & Panel discussion
• 6pm: Audience joins the conversation (Q&A)

Featured Speakers:

• Emily Fornof – doctoral candidate in the Department of Geography at UW-Madison.
• Ahoifa Kouegane – Workforce Development Specialist, Mali community leader and longtime Madison resident

Moderated by: Erica Ayisi – PBS Wisconsin Indigenous Affairs Reporter

Who Should Attend:

• Anyone curious about African cultures and diaspora experiences
• Researchers, faculty, and practitioners working on conflict, migration, food systems, or women’s economic empowerment
• Anyone seeking community connection
• Nonprofit professionals and community organizers
• Neighbors who want to understand Madison’s growing diversity

This event is free and open to all. African food will be served.

About Africa Talks Community Lectures:

Our monthly lecture series that brings together scholars, community leaders, and neighbors to explore the richness of African cultures and the lived experiences of our diaspora community. Co-sponsored by African Center for Community Development and UW-Madison African Studies Program.