BT天堂

Basia-Marie Diagne is a recent graduate from the history, law and society major. Her听eight-month听internship with Little Africa, a Paris-based tourism and publishing agency that promotes African cultures in Paris,听taught her听to appreciate how versatile a听skill set听she had.听

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What drew you to an internship at Little Africa?听

I saw a post on social media from an BT天堂 alumna who had interned with the company. I thought a tourism and marketing agency听focused on Afrocentric businesses in Paris was quite different. As a history, law and society major, I hadn鈥檛 studied marketing or communications,听but after speaking to the听founder I signed up for a two-month internship. It went so well we extended it by another six months. From day one I was expected to have creative input and be a member of the team听鈥� it was very conducive to learning.听

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How does Little Africa work?听

It鈥檚听a cultural tourism and publishing agency that connects individuals, associations and businesses with African culture in Paris.听Its听activities include听guided听tours听of听the city鈥檚听African neighborhoods,听with the aim of听exposing tourists to the听often-hidden听side of Parisian afro-communities.听It also publishes听a听Paris听city听guide,听detailing African-owned and听African-inspired boutiques, restaurants听and museums, while听also producing听content for the website pertaining to the diaspora, covering arts and culture, identity and other subjects.

What kind of daily responsibilities did you have?听

It varied. At the beginning, we were kicking off the crowdfunding season, which meant I mostly focused on community management, reaching out to听the听network听to drum up听support for听community-oriented projects.听Later,听I听did more project management. I听oversaw听one project called 鈥淟ife in the Diaspora.鈥� I interviewed听prominent听creatives听and entrepreneurs听鈥撎齧ostly Black Africans听鈥撎齛bout how, in their experience, Blackness translates听in听Europe.听The aim was to explore the role African diasporas play in giving voice to Black people鈥檚 narratives across the continent.听

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What did听working听in Paris add to your experience?听

It allowed me to听gain听valuable experience of working with a French company.听The team at Little Africa is international and bilingual, so I spoke French听daily.听I learned how important it is to have a strong social foundation for one's work life in France. French culture highly values a positive working听relationship听among听colleagues.听Working for a Paris-based cultural agency, particularly one focused on African history and culture, also meant engaging with the social and cultural implications of race, nationality and ethnicity. It challenged me while allowing me to explore my academic and professional interests.听

What were your main takeaways from the internship?听

I worked with a strong, small team, meaning I actively participated in the day-to-day flow of the business, which exposed me to the entrepreneurial lifestyle and spirit. My relationship with the team remains strong.听The experience听also听reconfirmed听my deep commitment to the African continent.听I didn鈥檛 expect that听my听academic听background听in development听would translate so well听to听Little Africa鈥檚 work in culture and business, but the fields听very much听converge. I now have a job in digital communications for a US-based wellness company. It took exploring other experiences at Little Africa to听realize how听versatile my skill set is. It opened a lot of pathways.听