WE ALL HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THE WORLD!

We believe that our purposeful actions can bring an end to discrimination and systemic racism by empowering uncomfortable conversations with respect to Black History and diversity, equity, and inclusion through education, communication and collaboration.

Lillah Penddah has over 10 years of speaking experience in the diversity, equity, and inclusion space. From facilitating AFRO FACTS educational tools to delivering talks and speeches, she draws on her love for public speaking, life experiences as a woman of color born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta in predominantly white spaces, an entrepreneur, coaching facilitator, daughter, and friend when delivering keynotes on Black History, diversity, equity and inclusion topics, allowing her to  resonate with her audiences professionally and personally.

Born and raised in Edmonton to immigrant parents from Ghana, she earned a degree from the University of Alberta and fell into Financial Compliance. The experience she gained as a training facilitator for over 15 years for various Financial Institutions allowed her love of educating others and creating educational tools to flourish and it has naturally lent itself to what she does today with AFRO FACTS. Starting with a couple of questions on a piece of paper and an oversized laptop, she endeavored to teach her friends about black history after realizing she had learned nothing about it in school. Over a ten year period she would work to create a new version of her educational tool played as a game with her friends as her test group.  As the popularity of her game grew so did the scope of her annual event. It became an immersive African Culture experience that included a traditional African meal made by her mother who is from Ghana, an evening of celebration and playing the game for prizes. Her passion for educating those closest to her about her culture and its history while she also learned more about it, allowed her to find her purpose and passion.  She would continue on this journey for ten years reinventing the game and its questions each year; however, the weight of the task would eventually be felt and would call for a seven year break from producing and facilitating.

This is not uncommon for BIPOC people when they take on the education role. People start to expect BIPOC people to take on the task not realizing just how daunting the task can actually be. It would be the combination of a personal fallout with a close friend over the statement “I don’t see color” and the Black Lives Matter movement of 2020 that would bring her back to her passion and purpose with a renewed strength, energy, focus, and intention. There was still so much work to be done and now more than ever she knew that her educational tools could be part of the solution and help people increase their awareness in the areas that a lack of awareness was contributing to the systemic racism and discrimination.

She and her company AFRO FACTS have been impacting the lives of others through education, communication and collaboration.

We have also been profiled by Edmonton Unlimited.

AFRO FACTS also works to inspire and support the next generation of youth and innovatore. LIllah currently works as one of the coaching facilitators for the ANZA program which is a Black Entrepreneur Ecosystem program that helps Black youths generate and develop their business ideas, convert them into a business plan, provide mentorship, and kick off their businesses.

Our bold mission is to change the world in the ways we know how by empowering people with the courage and tools necessary to engage in healing race conversations, make the decision to step into the power that we all have to eliminate discrimination and commit to allyship in a conscious and meaningful way.