The Yakubu Saaka Memorial Banquet is an annual event founded upon honoring the legacy of the late Oberlin professor Yakubu Saaka, from which the Yakubu Saaka Memorial Fund emerged. This scholarship continues to propel the futures of African students today, right at the heart of our campus. In conjunction with this, the banquet is an opportunity to celebrate and champion the African continent through storytelling from our very own community. This year, we have grounded ourselves on the theme of “Akoma: Drawing From The Heart.” We draw inspiration from the Adinkra symbol Akoma, which represents patience, compassion, and the heart. It is thus an opportunity to pause and attend to stories that do not quite make the headlines, beauty that is often overshadowed, and realities that are misconstrued by certain narratives.