Jasmyne Cannick traced her ancestry to Cameroon in 2008
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LOS ANGELES – For the first time in the organization’s history, CAMSOLA, will honor a Cameroonian-American at its annual Awards Party taking place Saturday. 34-year-old political activist and journalist Jasmyne Cannick, who traced her African ancestry to Cameroon through AfricanAncestry.com in 2008 has been announced as the 2011 CAMSOLA Community Service Award recipient. Cannick will join scholarship finalists Noella Bih, Lajoyce Ornella Mboning, and Desmond Chotanjong, as well as native Cameroonian singer and songwriter and the event’s featured performer Marcel Bwanga at the group’s annual celebration Saturday, December 10, 2011 (8 p.m.) at GAM Hall in Los Angeles.
Native Cameroonian singer/songwriter Marcel Bwanga will perform live.
“CAMSOLA recognizes outstanding native Cameroonian and Cameroonian-American individuals, groups or businesses that have made an impact in the African immigrant community and the community at large in Southern California,” explained member Gerard Ngwang.
For five years, CAMSOLA has celebrated the voice, life, and soul of Southern California’s Cameroonian, African, and African-American communities as both a social club for native Cameroonians and Cameroonian-Americans as well as the home organization for the amateur soccer team of the same name.
The group works to engage and educate the greater community about Cameroon as well as to provide quality representation for native Cameroonians and connect Cameroonian-Americans living in California with Cameroon. An integral part of Los Angeles’ collective African community, in 2011 CAMSOLA saw the launch of their Youth Development Scholarship Fund and Youth Leaders Club.
While most of the club’s members are native Cameroonian’s, the club encourages and invites African-Americans who have traced their ancestry to Cameroon to get involved—something that attracted Community Service Award recipient Jasmyne Cannick to the group.
“It’s because of encouragement I received from the Pan African Film Festival and Isaiah Washington who traced his own ancestry to Sierra Leone, that I traced my own ancestry,” Cannick explains. “I remember the feeling of being complete after opening that envelope and finding out where I really come from in Africa. The award, while nice, doesn’t compare to just being accepted and welcomed by my brothers and sisters from Cameroon. For that I am truly grateful.”
Cannick says she currently working towards obtaining dual citizenship which she believes is every African-American right to have.
This week’s event will be a celebration of the winners and will be a culmination of a process where members of the local Cameroonian community have nominated and voted for individuals in various categories including Community Service Award and academic achievement.
CAMSOLA invites the community at large to come out and celebrate all things African.
One of the most anticipated events in Los Angeles’ African immigrant community the CAMSOLA Awards are designed to recognize outstanding Cameroonian individuals, groups or businesses that have made an impact in the Los Angeles African immigrant community and the community at large in Los Angeles while celebrating Los Angeles’ Cameroonian community. Open to the public, the 2011 CAMSOLA Party and Awards celebration will take place Saturday, December 10, 2011 at 8 p.m. at GAM Hall at 4075 West Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles. African attire is suggested. Pre-sale tickets online are $15 and $20 at the door. More information on the event can be found at www.camsola.org or by calling (323) 300-5969.
Congratulations Jasmyne. I did the dna test in 2006 and was traced to Cameroon as well. Thanks for sharing the info about CAMSOLA as I will definitely check them out.
I hate to rain on the parade BUT according to researchers at the University of Chicago School of Medicine, it would be virtually impossible to use a swab of tissue from your inner cheek, obtain the markers on the DNA and trace it to similar DNA markers in a specific country or region of Africa. Firstly, Africans left Africa hundreds of years ago via slavery and many and the communities from whence they left were not STATIC. Migration due to weather and crops, famine, inter-ethnic group marriages, inter-ethnic group wars (I didn’t say tribes because that sounds too much like Tarzan and Jane.) The effects of the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 where ethnic groups were dispersed at the hands of greedy European leaders made remaining in one area IMPOSSIBLE. Before you spend good money on these DNA-Link to Africa programs PLEASE consult the scientific community. Consult the Biological Science departments (Genetics) of Howard University, Spellman, FAMU, Meharry Medical College etc. and ask them what they think. Fanteeking
Fanteeking but you did
I researched it before I did it but I still did it because I wanted to.
Fanteeking I took issue with your post because I felt it was condescending and I answered in haste. I should have stated I appreciate your looking out but I didn’t do this without researching. In college I wrote a paper on mitochondrial DNA which is passed from the mother and remains unchanged from generation to generation. It was determined from this mitochondrial DNA that we are all descended from a common ancestor who was from Africa. The scientific community dubbed her “Eve.” I wrote my paper before there was an internet and I spent many hours in the library pouring over many books and articles. I heard about having your dna tested and linked to the continent years before I had it done.
Since you listed as your source the University of Chicago then it is in opposition to one of its own. The company I used and that is referenced in the article is African Ancestry, which is co-owned by Rick Kittles, Ph.D., Scientific Director, African Ancestry, Inc. and Associate Professor, The University of Chicago, Department of Medicine. Dr. Kittles received his Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from George Washington University. Dr. Kittles went to Howard University and as co-director of Molecular Genetics at the National Human Genome Center at Howard University, he established large-scale, high throughput genotyping and DNA sequencing. Dr. Kittles’ research exploits gene genealogy in studies of population history and disease associations. He has had a strong research focus on using DNA to trace ancestry of African Americans.
Dr. Kittle through his research has established an extensive database containing over 25,000+ samples of DNA representing 389+ ethnic groups from more than 30+ countries, most in west and central Africa, where the slave trade was concentrated. According to the University of Chicago magazine, Dr. Kittles “started collaborating with researchers at clinics and hospitals across Africa, who sent him genetic data volunteered by indigenous patients. He mounted his own research trips to the continent too, concentrating on its western territory, from which so many millions of African slaves had been captured and shipped to America. By this time it was the late 1990. Dr. Kittles earned his PhD in 1998 and took a job as assistant professor of microbiology at Howard University. He also became codirector of the molecular-genetics unit at the university’s National Human Genome Center.”
Although his analysis can’t always pinpoint a clients’ genetic past to a particular ethnic group he is able to specify the present-day country their DNA points to. You may recall this story. Dr. Kittles was part of a research team that analyzed the unearthed remains of pre-colonial black cemetery in present day lower Manhattan. His job was to isolate DNA from the skeletons and determine whether their origins were African, American Indian, or European.
Yes, it is true the testing is not without controversy but my question is what does it matter to anyone if I or anyone else want to be tested to be able to say with pride from what part of the motherland our ancestors may have come?
Nzinga, I stand corrected! A few months ago, I attended an African-American Geneaology conference in Indianapolis and it was conducted by a researcher from Chicago. I forget his name but he stated that he was a consultant to the Oprah Winfrey show on these matters for several seasons. This topic came up in discussion and we argued for hours about the validity of these DNA tests. We discussed mitochondrial DNA, its markers and (possible) translocation on various DNA strands due to adenine and thymine. There was some test conducted when a strand was shot with UV light (induced radicalization of the halogens Chorine, Bromine, Iodine Flourine which could transpose adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine) or X-ray (radicalization which causes skin cancer in caucasian sun bathers and there was translocation between the two strands. Anyway, I left with the impression and extrapolated a little I must admit that because of the factors that I listed above then MAYBE this may have affected the gene pools in those regions of Africa. My area of expertise is biochemistry and I was just extrapolating. Anyway, I was just trying to share the information with you from this seminar and didn’t want to insult you. or as we say in the ‘hood, I wanted to pull your coat. You did you research well and you’re correct. There are studies being conducted at the University of Ibadan in eastern Nigeria (Ensuka) and I’m interested in their research. Anyway, Nzinga, I stand corrected. Fanteeking/Cape Coast
Nzinga: I searched far and wide for this information. Here’s the person who conducted this seminar that I attended last year. Are you familiar with him? Fanteeking Again, I wuz just trying to be “helpful” and not “hurtful.”
Workshop presenter and internationally-known genealogist Tony Burroughs has been a consultantant for the genealogy of Oprah Winfrey on “African American Lives 2″ as well as “The Real Family of Jesus” on the Discovery Channel, and is author of “Black Roots: A Beginner’s Guide to Tracing the African American Family Tree.”
Members of the Indiana Historical Society receive
Nzinga: Opppss! That should have been radicalization between adenine and URACIL that was induced by UV primarily and X-ray secondarily. The template used was the radicalization of iodine in UV light and example used was the use of dark glass containers to store the halogens (iodine in particular) in medicine cabinets to prevent radicalization. I know this chemistry (genetics) is “high school” in depth, I had to sit thru the conference anyway. Tony Burroughs is based in Chicago and was associated with some lab at Univeristy of Illinois-Chicago campus if my memory serves me well. Fanteeking
PS, educate me more if you find additional info. Thanx!
Nzinga: This may be off the point but I enjoyed and admired the depth of your commitment to defend your position even though you kicked my butt. Why? Lemme ‘splain. I was a 6’5 college basketball player and only Black in my English 101 class at Colorado U. that had 200 students. When a question was asked, I was the only student among all those white folks who knew what the Oxford English Dictionary was. After class, the professor walked with me from class and asked if I had attended a college prep academy and said “I was SURPRISED that YOU answered my question…maybe some of YOU people do have some grey matter between your ears.” “I guess he thought Black basketball players were stoopid?” That was supposed to have been a “left handed” compliment, but I WUZ wounded in my soul! When I read your defense of my position and how well you presented your argument, I saw that professor’s smiling, inquisitive face and thought, I wish I could’ve gone back in time and presented your argument to him. It would’ve been a slap in his face! This may be a strange connection between us discussing African geneaology and me arriving to college basketball and racism, but that just hit me in my soul anyway and thatz how I feel. I hope I don’t appear to be CRAZY! LOL!!! Fanteeking
Fanteeking/David: As we say in the ‘hood “it’s all good”. Hotep!
I think that it’s our right and responsibility to find out where we come from. However you choose to do it that is up to you but I think we deserve to know. After we find out, it’s then our right to claim our dual citizenship because there is no mistaking how we African-Americans came to what is now referred to as America. Knowing where I come from in Africa has done more for me emotionally, spiritually, and mentally, than anything else. It’s a sense of knowing who you are and where you come from. It’s hard to explain, but Black people, African-Americans are the only people who have to chase their ancestry. It’s not fair, but at least it can be done and we should all do it.
Nzingha: Forgot to mention that you may be NIGERIAN as well. Cameroons was a part of Nigeria before WW 1. It was divided between France and Britain and it’s ALWAYS been a touchy topic. I had college classmates from Cameroons who spoke either French or English and they ALWAYS became annoyed when Nigerians (especially Yorubas and Ibos) would remind them that they were once a part of Nigeria. I didn’t understand the controversy then but do now. When you go to Cameroonian meeting you’ll hear popular surnames like Mundi (Moon-Dee) Gamji (Gam-Jee) French Speakers and , Njih (EN-Gee) Biya(Bee-Yaa) English Speakers Please don’t bring Nigerians to your meeting if you don’t wanna see a fist fight break out.. LOL! LOL! LOL! Fanteeking
man u must be retarded… if u didn,t take elementary history stop spreading faults information BS… Cameroon was a whole vast Country till 1884 when they were colonized by the Germans but in 1914 when the Germans were defeated in WW 1 British and French took over Cameroon but because of misunderstanding in governing Cameroon between themselves they decided to partition Cameroon. While France took 4/5 of Cameroon British took 1/5. Britain decided to divides his own parts of Cameroon into two – British Northern Cameroon which was made up of the muslims and British Southern Cameroon which was made up of the christians. Since Britain was already ruling Nigeria, took her own part of Cameroon and decided to joining with Nigeria. In 1960 when Countries in Africa started gaining independence, the French gave the French Cameroon independence and it was known as Cameroun while the British gave the Nigerians independence but when it came to the British Cameroon they asked them if they want to joint Nigeria or will want to joint French Cameroon, the British Southern Cameroon say they will joint their brothers French Cameroon while the British Northern Cameroon decided to joint Nigeria and that why Cameroonians today are proud and able to speak both french and english despite our lost of British Northern Cameroon we remain the most peaceful and respected country in the continent , a bilingual country of french and english, Africa in miniature and the birth place of African Soccer!!!!!!! shit!!!!!! now you know Nigeria took Cameroon.,s land………