Akunna Cook is an accomplished diplomat, strategist, visionary creator and executive producer. In 2022, Akunna founded Next Narrative Africa, a multi-media entertainment production company telling African Stories for global impact. She is also the founder and principal consultant at Drake Road Strategies and served in the Biden-Harris Administration as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs.Akunna joins us today to talk about her experiences navigating the internal politics of working in the State Department, the changing landscape of diversity in the agency, and the importance of following your gut on your career journey.We also discuss the role of the creative industries in shaping the narratives around Africa by changing the way people view Africa and the way Africans see themselves, the economic ecosystem and development impact of the creative industries on the continent, the role of the African diaspora as a bridge between Africa and the U.S. to build wealth, and important lessons we all can learn from the current writers and actors strike in Hollywood.
To find out more about Akunna Cook & Next Narrative Africa check out the links below. IG: @AkunnaCookI and @nextnarrativeafrica
Website: nextnarrativeafrica.comLinkedIn: Akunna-Cook
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