Emeka is maker’s maker! He is one of the main forces behind Maker Faire Africa. Emeka has the same name as a famous professional basketball player, but they are not to be confused!
I met him at A Better World By Design, a student run conference in Providence, RI. Here’s what Emeka’s bio says:
Emeka Okafor is an entrepreneur and venture catalyst who lives in New York City.He is the curator of Maker Faire Africa.He was the director for TED Global 2007 that took place in Arusha,Tanzania.In addition he is a member of the TED fellowship team.His interests include sustainable technologies in the developing world and paradigm breaking technologies in general. His blog, Timbuktu Chronicles seeks to spur dialogue in areas of entrepreneurship, technology and the scientific method as it impacts Africa. “Timbuktu is a city unsullied by the worship of idols…a refuge of scholarly and righteous folk, a haunt of saints and ascetics, and a meeting place of caravans and boats” -Al-Sa’Di
24 thoughts on “Black Makers Month: Emeka Okafor”
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This is what pisses me really off about this: so there is Maker Fair in Afrika and we have heard how much about it here?
Then there is 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Things About X series that is running in parallel. How come that it was not possible to collaborate and feature these people inside that framework without any bias?
And when February is over then there is no hope to hear any of it again.
Alright, enough of it.
You guys don’t care in the slightest what your readers think do you?
“Afirmative Action” strikes again! Don’t judge us on our skills, give us the front page because of our skin color darn it! We are “black/yellow/red/etc. and therefore should receive special recogntion and be promoted just because of our skin color.
wow. all these BItter, angry little people. You go out of your way to complain about something you could easily ignore. You White Hooded Think Tanks love to be Internet Thugs (busting CAPS LOCK ) rather than simply NOT read the article. How much of a life do you NOT have?
I dont complain about Columbus, Presidents’, St Patricks’, Christmas, or Robert E Lee Day… So what is YOUR problem?
The first black President is still in office, Family Guy still isn’t funny, and you will never kiss Bar Refaeli.
Put your big boy pants on and deal with it.
Well…the real racist Mexoplex has a mego complex doesn’t he? And if I read correctly, the posts above him don’t use caps lock…only his post does.
One bright note: February only has 28 days this year. Soon, Kipp Bradford’s poorly conceived Black Makers Affirmative Action month will be over with. Maybe then we can just feature makers for what they have done instead of their skin color?
I read the comments under each of the Black Makers month articles and it is obvious that these have not been well received. They would have been way more interesting and probably a lot better received if the emphasis had been on their accomplishments instead of their skin color.
Oh well, five more days to go. somebody hand Kipp a shovel so he can dig his hole deeper.
lol, a hurt dog will hollar eh ‘Murica?
I will be canceling my subscription to make over this, I have always lived by judging a person by their character, and not singling them out for the color of their skin, I just don’t think I can give my money to a racist organization.
Shame, that.
LMAO! Really? Because you’re being forced to read a few articles? You’re not going anywhere. Bet you voted Republican too.
Racist organization?!?! Hypocrisy has raised its mighty head.
Highlighting a person because of their skin color is racist,a t lest in my mind. I would not approve of it anywhere else, why would I approve of it in my hobby?
I am African, can you say the same thing?
Nope. I’m very American. What you dont seem to understand is no one is MAKING you read these articles (see what i did there? lol). This magazine isn’t just for you and the other closed-minded beings. This magazine is for EVERYONE. There are articles I don’t read because they just don’t interest me. But you dont see me going on and on and on complaining about it and threatening with fake (oh i know its a bluff) boycotts for a publication that’s been going on for 7+ years. you cant be that simple/petty.
No one forced people to attend Klan rallies either, but they were wrong in doing so. Calling out racism is always appropriate. You are in the wrong ,and I pity you for your close minded beliefs.
You do realize the comment section under almost each of these articles are longer than the articles in question? Nor do they even talk about their achievements. You don’t see anything wrong with that? THAT my friend is the racism you speak.