WASHINGTON – Unity was the common theme stressed at the “African Voices and Votes” town hall held at the Voice of America headquarters in Washington, D.C. on Thursday. With the election season coming up, African leaders on the panel encouraged the African diaspora in the U.S. to vote.

The panel consisted of three leaders from the African diaspora including Dr. Sylvester Okere, president of United People for African Congress, Nii Akuetteh, executive director of African Immigrant Caucus and Dr. Menna Demessie, vice president of policy and research for Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.