Connect with communities where they are—in the Bronx and across West Africa.
Reach. Train. Transform.
ABC connects with communities where they are, equips youth and leaders with elicitive skills rooted in their own context, and advances sustainable, locally-driven change.
New York · West Africa
Our mission
Our mission is to transform communities by equipping youth and community members with the effective, cutting-edge, and sustainable skills and knowledge they need to be successful.
ABC uses the elicitive approach—building on existing mechanisms and strategies within communities—rather than the normative approach.
Our focus areas are social justice, equity, economic development, conflict resolution, and supporting women and people of color into leadership roles.
Equip youth and leaders with cutting-edge, elicitive skills rooted in their own context.
Unleash the full potential of communities through sustainable, locally-driven change.
Why ABC exists
Three policy failures. One connected response.
ABC was founded to confront three interconnected gaps affecting African immigrant and diaspora youth—across security, international partnership and access to opportunity.
The radicalization pipeline nobody talks about
African diaspora youth—caught between two worlds, belonging fully to neither—are uniquely vulnerable to violent extremism. U.S. policy addresses countering violent extremism broadly, but rarely with cultural precision. ABC fills that gap.
The U.S.–Africa partnership deficit
Government-to-government diplomacy misses the community layer. Real partnership requires people who live in both worlds, speak both languages and hold trust on both sides. ABC is that connective tissue.
Youth without an on-ramp
African immigrant and diaspora youth are often invisible in mainstream empowerment programs—too African for American systems, too American for African ones. No mentorship. No pathways. No representation.
The through-line
Disconnected youth + no cultural bridge + no community infrastructure = fertile ground for extremism, isolation and lost potential.
ABC’s answer is community-rooted, culturally fluent and built from the inside out—which is exactly what government programs cannot replicate.
Our policy statement ABC addresses the structural invisibility of African diaspora youth in U.S. security, development and empowerment policy—before that invisibility becomes a crisis.
Our three pillars
A community-first strategy for lasting impact.
ABC’s work is organized around three connected priorities in the Bronx and West Africa.
01
Youth Empowerment
Mentorship, skills training, and leadership development for at-risk youth in the Bronx and West Africa.
02
Countering Violent Extremism
Community-based CVE programs targeting radicalization pathways in the Sahel and Côte d’Ivoire.
03
U.S.–Africa Partnership Brokering
Connecting U.S.-based organizations to vetted, trusted partners on the ground.
Youth violence prevention
Prevention starts in the neighborhood.
Mentorship. Opportunity. Culturally fluent intervention.
ABC works to prevent youth violence in New York City, with a focus on the Bronx—home to the largest African communities and where youth violence is most concentrated. This work connects the Youth Empowerment pillar with community-based CVE: building belonging, pathways, and trusted support before violence takes root.
Pilot countries
The frontline of challenge—and opportunity.
Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger are at the frontline of youth radicalization, instability, and economic vulnerability in West Africa. ABC’s approach starts with local knowledge, trusted relationships, and community-led solutions.
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Burkina Faso
- Mali
- Niger
Our campaigns
Focused action. Shared ownership.
ABC’s campaign model brings community voices, trusted messengers and partner organizations around a clear local challenge.
West Africa
Preventing violent extremism
Strengthening community resilience in West Africa through dialogue, belonging and opportunity—addressing the conditions that make division and recruitment possible.
Workforce development
Economic opportunity is the on-ramp.
ABC plans to connect African diaspora youth and community members to real economic opportunity through job readiness training, employer partnerships, and pathways into sustainable livelihoods in the Bronx and West Africa.
Workforce development will support the Youth Empowerment pillar and create a practical on-ramp to economic mobility.
- Job readiness training
- Employer partnerships
- Pathways into sustainable livelihoods
What we have built
Experience that meets the moment.
ABC’s next chapter is informed by years of public service, community organizing and trusted relationships across New York’s diverse communities.
73,000+
Vaccinations supported through community health outreach
Our founder’s leadership during New York City’s Test & Trace work helped bring vital public-health access to tens of thousands of residents. COVID-19 vaccination outreach is part of our past record—not a current ABC campaign.
Service in practice
Welcoming veterans leadership to Bronx Borough Hall.
American Legion Department Commander Tom Schreck joined Bronx leaders for a visit centered on service, partnership and support for veterans.
Bringing leaders and neighbors together around shared challenges and practical next steps.
Connecting community members to jobs, preparation and pathways to economic mobility.
Working across government, community organizations and local networks to get resources where they are needed.
Founder
David Ahmed Coulibaly
Peacebuilder · Community mobilizer · Cross-cultural bridge
David holds an MA in Peace Studies from Notre Dame’s Kroc Institute and is fluent in English, French, and Bambara.
His field experience includes child trafficking research in West Africa with Save the Children and peacebuilding work in the Philippines with World Vision. His track record of large-scale community mobilization includes 73,000 COVID-19 vaccinations across the Bronx.
Opportunity desk
Access changes trajectories.
The relaunched Opportunity Desk will connect community members to carefully selected pathways for learning, service and advancement.
Learning & mentorship
Leadership development, educational programs and relationships that help young people build confidence and direction.
Funding & fellowships
Curated grants, fellowships and capacity-building opportunities relevant to African and diaspora leaders.
Volunteer & service
Ways to contribute professional skills, time and local knowledge to community-led projects.
Fundraising priorities
Meet a need. Strengthen a community.
ABC’s giving priorities pair immediate support with dignity, local partnership and a clear path toward long-term resilience.
Child sponsorship
Education and development support organized with trusted community partners.
Feeding families
Responsive food support centered on family dignity and local distribution networks.
Back to school
Supplies and family support that help students begin the year ready to learn.
General support
Flexible resources that help ABC respond, convene and build new partnerships.
Sponsorship, in-kind support and funding partnerships will open as ABC’s relaunch plan is finalized.
Contact
Let’s build what your community needs next.
Invite ABC into a conversation, propose a partnership, volunteer your skills or help shape an upcoming event.
Public contact channels are being refreshed.
Confirmed organizational email, phone and mailing details will appear here as ABC completes its relaunch.