Meet the ADA Team
Our team of passionate professionals is dedicated to providing transformative educational experiences rooted in the African Diaspora.
Get to Know Our Team
DAVID Goitizolo
Director, Study Abroad, Cuba
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David Goitizolo Caraballo currently resides in the municipality Marianao in Havana, Cuba. He is a multifaceted telecommunications engineer who received his Ph.D from the University of Havana. He has worked in flying traffic control stations and currently works in the Cuban Biotechnology industry.In addition to engineering David’s passions are languages and outdoor excursions. He is fluent in English and is working hard to master German. David has climbed the highest mountains in Cuba and has backpacked throughout many parts of the Cuban countryside.
Miles HENDERSON
Director, Study Abroad, Japan
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Mr. Miles Henderson has lived and worked/studied in Turkey, Brazil, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, and Ethiopia. He is an African focused entrepreneur academically trained in foreign affairs while pursuing technological based ventures toward the unity of Black people globally, as showcased through the mobile app PORTAL. He is the founder of TCU, a Pan-African Collegiate platform w/ student chapters all over the world. He has been an active Pan-Africanist and student of Marcus Garvey from the inception of his career. He is a member of the Marcus Garvey Bronze Coordinating Committee aiming to create a statue of Marcus Garvey at the African Union HQ. Additionally he is serving as the Youth Sub- Committee Co-Chair for the International Civil Society Working Group for the Permanent Forum for People of African Descent at the United Nations. He is currently living between the US and Ethiopia. Miles is also the Thought Leader behind 'Intergalactic African Sovereignty' the pursuit of a Universal Black Nationalist Presence in Space.
kate anaza
Director, Study Abroad, Brazil
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She founded The Cultural Blueprint, a community-centered travel company focused on experiential travel and events to empower and foster coalition-building and economic support between Black creatives, cultural workers, and tourism/hospitality workers worldwide. She is also a writer and storyteller narrating underreported subcultures, artistry, and activism of the Global Black Diaspora. She is the co-author of Lonely Planet’s Brazil 13 Guidebook. Her work has been featured in Vogue Magazine, Viator, The Republic, and more. As a culture worker, organizer, and educator, she has worked on four continents, connecting and disseminating knowledge, artistry, and cultural products developed by marginalized communities with wider audiences and markets.
miles davis
Director, Study Abroad, Japan
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Miles J Davis is an international social entrepreneur, global educator, practitioner Hip-Hop, fashion designer and model. He has been living in Japan for 6 years as a freelancer teaching English to adults and children, being an active Hip-Hop artist and DJ, modeling with renowned name brands, and expanding his social impact shea butter business. With more than two decades of studies and research, Miles has an in-depth understanding of Japanese culture and language, knowledge of the African Diaspora in Japan, and the impact that Black culture has in modern day Japanese society. He has experience guiding people around Japan through his experiences attending music artists during their time there.
Nyasha Franklin
Director, Study Abroad, Colombia
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Nyasha Franklin, World 2 the Whyze
Nyasha Franklin is an educator and African Diaspora Explorer who is passionate about the arts and learning about the Black World. She began to travel to learn about cultural practices and histories different yet connected to her own while studying abroad in Cuba. As a dancer and novice musician, she allows the formal and informal study of music and dance to guide her into deeper studies of history, politics, and culture.
Nyasha is committed to joining the efforts of educators and scholars whose work seeks to amplify the history, culture, and struggles of Black communities across the African Diaspora. In her work today, she leads group experiences in Colombia as the founder of World 2 the Whyze, a travel and education company dedicated to helping travelers turn their fascinations into expeditions by using their curiosity to seek wisdom in every corner of the globe.
SHANNON CUMBERBATCH
Director of Programming in Sénégal and Benin
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As the founder of Uproot.ed International Immersion, Shannon has been facilitating informative, transformative and restorative experiences for conscious travelers visiting Sénégal since March 2020. Shannon resides in Sénégal with her Senegalese partner who is a professional guide, along with their family, whose engagement inspires authentic cultural exchange. The curriculum is aimed to foster mutual cultural appreciation and equip participants with tools to implement learned principles and practices in their daily lives.
Shannon's approach is informed by her experience as an educator and advocate; insight from her extensive travels throughout the African diaspora; and her budding practice of herbalism and somatic healing. Prior to creating Uproot.ed, Shannon was a public defense attorney, professor and non-profit managing director who advocated against injustice in the courtroom, classroom, community and workplace.
Shannon graduated from Spelman College and NYU School of Law, but didn't have the resources to study abroad until several years into her legal career. Now, she's committed to making international immersion experiences equitably accessible, and specifically supporting African descendents throughout the diaspora in reconnecting with their roots.
STUDENT TESTIMONIALS
STUDENT TESTIMONIALS
What We’ve Achieved
Here are some incredible milestones we’ve reached since our founding in 2015:
1000+ Students
Empowering the next generation of leaders across the African Diaspora with immersive and transformative study abroad programs.
Specialized Study Program
Our programs offer in-depth, culturally relevant learning experiences tailored to diverse fields of study, with a focus on African Diasporic communities.
Over 50+
We've cultivated over 50 partnerships with educational institutions and grassroots organizations to create long-term, impactful study abroad opportunities.
Linda Stansbury— Havana, Cuba, 2016- 2023
“I have traveled to Cuba on many occasions, but with ADA it wasn't just a tour…”
Or trip but a grass roots experience, that was enlightening and knowledgeable. Thank you for your dedication to the people and communities in Cuba. Your hard work ,advice and serving as translators truly was remarkable. Thank you
Ready to Experience a Global Transformation?
Connect with our dedicated team and start your journey into the heart of the African Diaspora. Whether you're seeking personal growth, cultural immersion, or educational advancement, our programs are designed to provide meaningful, life-changing experiences.