2nd Annual Eritrean Diaspora Innovators Summit

“Honoring Our Light” invites us to reflect on the brilliance we inherit, the resilience we embody, and the spaces we create to carry both forward. The Shim Shim Rooms serve as symbolic and ceremonial spaces of cultural affirmation—named after the traditional Eritrean act of gathering, warmth, and sharing. This opening moment will center the vision of the summit, acknowledge our shared histories, and celebrate the power of second-generation Eritrean leadership in shaping what comes next.

This session explores how balancing two or more cultural identities can be a superpower in leadership. We'll discuss the real meaning of "hyphenated" identity today and how leaning into both sides of who you are can create new models of leadership, belonging, and innovation in the diaspora.

Take one step today to embrace and lead from your full identity. Own your hyphen.

In diaspora life, we often feel caught between expectations from our communities and the lived realities of forging our own paths. This panel addresses how to navigate and transform these pressures into purposeful leadership, while staying loyal to your personal vision and goals.

Protect your vision by defining success on your terms.

What does it mean to lead with light, clarity, and intention? This panel dives into the "Mebrahti Mindset," offering practical strategies to stay aligned with your deeper purpose while leading amidst uncertainty, expectations, and diaspora complexities.

Practice your Mebrahti mindset by writing down your ‘why’ this week.

Your dreams are not just personal—they are tied to community healing and liberation. This session focuses on unlocking your boldest dreams, leading from your heart, and connecting personal ambitions with a broader commitment to your people.

Don’t wait. Write down your biggest dream and take one small step toward it this month.

What values guide us? How do we carry them into modern life? This session examines how Eritrean cultural foundations and diaspora experiences intersect, helping you strategically shape your professional, personal, and leadership journey.

Name one value you’re carrying forward and pass it on with intention.

Hear from Eritrean diaspora innovators who chose to lead boldly on their own terms, against the grain. This session reveals how defining your own leadership path can reshape not only your life, but also your contribution to community and global impact.

This week, honor your path by doing one thing your way—unapologetically.

What happens when we question the “way things have always been done”? This panel discusses how breaking from limiting traditions can create new, empowering leadership styles—and how everyday actions can change lives for generations to come.

Leadership starts with one action. Choose one change you want to see—and start it.

Prioritizing mental health is still a taboo subject in many diaspora communities. This session will reframe wellness as essential leadership work, offering culturally informed strategies for building inner peace, emotional resilience, and collective healing.

Prioritize your peace. Schedule one wellness activity for yourself this week.

Rest is a revolutionary act. This conversation challenges the idea that constant hustle is necessary for success and explores how reclaiming rest, joy, and personal boundaries can actually strengthen community leadership and long-term impact.

Reclaim your time. Say no to one thing this week that doesn’t serve your peace.

Building bridges across communities, generations, and even continents requires strategy, love, and persistence. This session explores the skills, mindsets, and practices necessary for effective diaspora mobilizing and cross-cultural bridge-building.

Reach out to one person you want to build with—and start the conversation.

Our pasts are treasures. This panel looks at how storytelling, mentorship, and shared learning across generations sustain diaspora communities, and why preserving and passing on wisdom is critical for collective progress.

Call or text one elder or youth in your life today. Ask them to share a story.

This live-only, closed-door roundtable is exclusively for EDIS attendees. Led by Semhar Araia, the session creates a private space for Eritrean second-generation diasporas and supporters to share openly, ask questions, and reflect on the realities of diaspora leadership. The conversation is off the record and will not be shared publicly. A private replay will be made available only to those who attend live.

Our stories define us. This panel highlights how art, storytelling, and cultural memory shape diaspora identity, visibility, and advocacy—and how sharing your story can become a powerful tool for personal healing and community change.

Share your story. Post or write one thing today that reflects your truth.

Diaspora giving isn’t just about remittances—it's about building legacies. This session explores how we can remember, give, and build collectively through philanthropy, archives, and community initiatives that honor both our history and future.

Start your own archive. Document one act of giving that matters to you.

No movement succeeds alone. This session offers practical advice for building strong nonprofits, businesses, and grassroots efforts that are rooted in community ownership, shared leadership, and collective capacity building.

Support a diaspora-led nonprofit or business this week—donate, share, or collaborate.