57 journeys, 1 celebration

“Don’t just stay in your books—[there are] a lot of things happening out there,” said Marianne Mulumba, the president of Portland State’s Association of African Students.

The former accounting student has taken her own advice and changed majors.

“I’ve decided to change my major to management or leadership,” Mulumba said. “Through this journey I’ve [learned] the need for leadership,” she said of her time as president.

Mulumba sighed with exhaustion as she spoke about the crazy journey she and her officers have been on this academic year after being elected last spring.

“I didn’t have all my officers when I started,” she said. “Leadership was never something I worked for.”

But Mulumba broke out of her shell with great success.

Born and raised in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mulumba speaks four languages, including French and Swahili. She came to America in 2004 with her brothers, joining their mother, who had been here since 2000.

Mulumba’s emigration from Africa to the United States is just one journey of many—journeys that will be highlighted in the AAS’ upcoming annual celebration. This year’s theme is “57 Journeys.”

“We wanted to be different,” Mulumba said of the event. “We wanted to reflect what’s going on in African countries.”

Previous years’ events have twice been named “Africa Rising” and Mulumba wanted to get past that.

“There have been lots of economy boosts in a lot of the countries,” Mulumba said. “They’re sort of getting beyond being postcolonial and really coming into their own. We named it ‘57 Journeys’ to reflect all the different countries in Africa going on their own journeys. But it was also a journey for us.”

When asked about the actual event, Mulumba was careful not to give away any spoilers.

“Michael Alexander of Urban League will be giving a lecture,” Mulumba said. “There will be poems from alumni and students. There’s a little girl who’s going to do a poem about her home country.

“The opening is going to be awesome,” Mulumba added with a smile, but refused to give any more detail.

Gregory King, adviser to the group, said that participants can “expect an amazing time filled with excellent food, great entertainment [and] an opportunity to learn a lot about the different regions in Africa.” He added, “The students have done a great job planning this event and I know those who attend will enjoy all that is planned.”

King, who has only been the advisor for the AAS over the last month, said that his role is to help fill in any gaps in planning.

“I am there more as a consultant,” he said. “The students plan the event, request money to pay for the event and are approved for those funds by the [Associated Students of Portland State University’s organizational budget council].

“My role is to help them make sure they request the right amount of money…plan for everything…include the costs for everything they will need and also help keep the students to a timetable so the university can sign contracts and cut checks to various vendors,” King said.

Mulumba is hoping that all the hard work will pay off on Friday night.

“At the end of the night, it’s a celebration of culture and accomplishment and…coming together,” Mulumba said.

“Africa is on the rise—it’s on a booming stage,” Mulumba added. “It needs leaders…ones that understand the past and future.”

Mulumba wants “57 Journeys” to “inspire the younger generation and even the older generation,” she said, “to get people on the road to leadership.”

Mulumba stressed the necessity of getting involved in student associations, even those with a focus on a different culture than yours.

“You learn a lot in student associations,” she said. “Get involved in other cultures. Not everyone can travel, but PSU has a lot of student groups [and] they definitely help to expand your horizons.”

King had nothing but praise for the AAS.

“I would just want the community to know that the students work hard to create these events,” he said. “This event takes months to plan, and AAS has done an excellent job planning and preparing for this event. I think the community will not be disappointed when they attend.”