PAN-AFRIKAN Center
Pan-Afrikan Center at Augsburg University promotes programs that support the personal, social and academic success of students of African descent. Our programs focus on exploring Black identity, education, advocacy, and community building. We strive to develop leaders that will contribute to social progress, democracy and create sustainable changes in our communities.
Work Hours:
M-F 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (all remote)
Email: Tripp@augsburg.edu
New Course
The Center for Global Education and Experience (CGEE) is excited to introduce a brand-new two-week summer program for Augsburg students, created in collaboration with Augsburg’s Pan-Afrikan Center. The pilot program, Anti-Apartheid and Black Lives Matter: Global Movements for Racial Justice, will run May 17 – 28, 2021.
Global Movements for Racial Justice was created in response to the racially motivated murder of George Floyd in our home city of Minneapolis. With much of CGEE’s work typically focusing on global settings, it became clear in the summer of 2020 that we should use our pedagogy and unique programming style to shed light on the inequities and injustices within our own backyard and in communities across the United States.
The coming together of CGEE Southern Africa with Augsburg’s Pan-Afrikan Center, will educate students to compare and contrast the U.S. civil rights movement with the South Africans’ struggle to overturn apartheid. Students will then take this historical context and apply it, with a critical lens, to contemporary movements for racial justice. Minneapolis, in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, will be the focal point of their examination.
This program would not have been possible without the tremendous effort and work put into it by the instructors, Azania Tripp, Director of Pan-Afrikan Student Services and Albertina Shifotoka, Director of CGEE Southern Africa, in addition to Peggy Johnson, Director of Customized Education Abroad & Study Away Programs. We thank them all for their dedication to rising to the moment to create bold programming for Augsburg’s next generation of leaders.
Interested students should apply by March 25. A brief program description is included below, see the website for more details on application, cost, and itinerary.
Program participants will critically analyze the global racial unrest movements of the Southern Africa Anti-Apartheid system, and the racially motivated murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. This 2-week program experience will introduce students to the understanding of how these movements became historical events and impacted policy and the visibilities on racial inequities that impact the Pan-Afrikan diaspora and all BIPOC communities.
Pan-Afrikan Staff
Director of Pan-Afrikan Student Services
Azania Tripp grew up in St. Cloud Minnesota. She has a Bachelor of Science in Youth Studies from the University of Minnesota and a Masters in Social Work from the University of Michigan. Her professional career began in Detriot, Michigan focusing on suicide prevention, adverse childhood experiences, and culture as sovereignty programming development. After Michigan, she moved to New York City, she worked for an organization that supported Men of Color that were previously incarcerated, experienced unstable housing and substance abuse. Her experience then expanded as site director in developing housing for youth and young adults. She supervised staff, provide counseling services, and did grant writing. As the Diversity Specialist at North Hennepin Community College, she organized the school’s first African American Immersion tour class. Her professional philosophy is implanting courageous communication to enhance people’s growth of the self and the community. Courageous communication is creating powerful spaces where people know their worth and dignity. Azania also pursues her artistic creativity in making beautiful unique collage jewelry and her current reading focuses on Afrofuturism.
Pan- African Center Fellow
Martesha Mitchell is a first year student studying Computer Science and Psychology. She grew up in Chicago, Illinois and later moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. She graduated from Edison Senior High School. She was the Vice president of the Black Student Union at her school. Helping with showcases, field trips and workshops. To continue her work for her culture she became a PAC Fellow. As a PAC Fellow she works on many projects with Azania Tripp to create a safe environment for students. This includes representation of all Pan African students, healing, educating and sharing resources that can bring upliftment to communities. Martesha is committed to creating apps that will spread positivity, healing and solutions. In her spare time she enjoys reading, research, and listening to music.
James Woods
Planning Coordinator
James is a 3rd year student studying business administration and plays football at Augsburg. He was born and raised in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota and is a first generation college student. James is the Planning Coordinator for the Multicultural Student Services and works very closely with the Pan-African Center. As a planning coordinator he develops branding material for departments and programming. Also assisting in planning logistics for programming. He works very hard to create marketing campaigns to provide opportunities for students. One of James’ favorite hobbies to do is read. His favorite book is 3 Ft From Gold.
DON’T PANIC, ORGANIZE! 
How-To Organize your friends & neighbors
As things get harder, we need to show up for our neighbors. Designate yourself as the neighborhood point person and take on the responsibility of reaching out to your neighbors, checking in on what needs are arising on your block, coordinating a neighborhood group chat or phone tree, and staying in touch with the point people from other neighborhoods for resource pooling. here is a link to “Mutual Aid Medford AndSOmerville (MAMAS)” resources.
COVID-19 Updates
HELPLINE Call Center: 612-474-3100
HELPLINE Email Address: helpline@augsburg.edu
Augsburg University is working to comply with the executive order to stay at home issued by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, effective 11:59 p.m. Friday, March 27, through 5 p.m. Friday, April 10. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pan-Afrikan Center has transitioned completely to remote services for the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester. Below you will find instructions on how to contact us and links to resources for the Pan-Afrikan community.