Akwete Tyehimba and Bill Holston at the Dallas Peace and Justice Center
Pan African Connection moved to the Glendale Shopping Center about a year ago.
The store sells stylish African clothes and accessories, books with a focus on Africa, plus art and all kinds of soaps and trinkets and gifts.
But more than that, it’s a cultural center, offering resources to an underserved community.
Sometimes that’s giving away fresh produce to neighbors.
Sometimes it’s “Broga,” an all-men’s yoga class, “yoga for brothers.”
Pan African Connection owner Akwete Tyehimba keeps the dream alive for her late husband, Bandele, who started the bookstore in 1989 and died in 2012. She was one of the Oak Cliff Advocate’s Fierce Females in 2019.
The Dallas Peace and Justice Center gave Tyehimba its lifetime achievement award on Dec. 5. The award reads, “Her ability to bring people together for the common good and identify how their cultural heritage can be used to make the world a better place, has inspired and motivated Akwete. For decades, she has hosted cultural and local events that encourage connection and cooperation, helping to create a more peaceful community.”
