After graduating from college in Boston as an international student, Mireille Tushiminina made the decision to make the city her new home. However, she realized that other African students like herself who settled in Boston were feeling disconnected from one another. People were having events in silos, but there were no collective places for the African community to gather.

Coupled with her work as a founder of the Shalupe Foundation (now called Shalupe Community Alliances) helping new refugees get acclimated to the city, Tushiminina began asking herself how they can access resources for newcomers in the city.

In 2010, she heard about a gathering representing several African countries celebrating their 50th year of independence. This led to her co-creating the African Festival of Boston as both a collective celebration of all of the countries and an opportunity to educate the community at large about the continent.

“We were able to showcase countries like the Ivory Coast, DRC [The Democratic Republic of the Congo], Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Ghana (and) a lot of countries were represented on that day, but also the Africans in the diaspora as well. So, for us, it was really important to showcase that narrative that we’re all one. We’re just here to showcase our heritage, to educate about us coming together as a collective, see how together we can also access resources, and… being mouthpieces — raising awareness about what is going on in the community.”

Fifteen years later, Tushiminina and her team are still putting on the festival. This year’s free public event runs August 16-17 beginning at 9 a.m. on the Boston Common. Community members can look forward to food, fun, musical performances, fashion displays and more.

Tushiminina said there will be celebrities and African dignitaries in attendance —which is new this year.

“We’re very grateful to have former Miss Texas in 2024, who was the first runner-up for Miss America 2025, Ms. Annette Addo-Yobo; [we] will have a king and queen from Ghana as well,” she said. “And of course, one of our favorite actresses that played in the (2023) adaptation of ‘The Color Purple,’ Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, who is originally from the DRC, will also be among us.”

She also talked about the importance of having the African Festival each year in the city.

“It’s really fostering the cultural exchanges and understanding,” Tushiminina. “As you know, we all have a story. We all have a narrative that is worth everyone listening to. So, for us, opening those doors to everyone, the festival will definitely foster that cross-cultural dialogue (and) mutual respect.”

ON THE WEB

Learn more at africanfestivalofboston.org