President’s Welcome Message

BCA-USA MIRROR PRESIDENT’S WELCOME MESSAGE

Ni Clarence Ndangam

Dear Members and Supporters,

Welcome to the BCA-USA 31st Annual Convention! This year marks a milestone in the history of this great organization as we commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the launch of BCA-USA. It has been an honour and a privilege serving as your president for the last two years. It has been an incredible journey that has seen our association grow in so many ways. Our membership has increased. So too has revenue from our fundraising. This could not have been possible without the commitment and support of our members. I am deeply grateful to all who continue to volunteer their time to serve this association. Your dedication is what keeps moving us forward.

In commemoration of our 30th anniversary, the theme for this year’s convention is: 30 years of family, culture and community. BCA-USA started as a family reunion to bring together sons and daughters of Bali heritage in the USA. Today we have over 650 members! With over 400 participants at our recent conventions, our annual reunion has become the largest gathering of Bali people outside Bali. That we continue to grow and thrive speaks to our collective efforts to continue the vision laid down by our founders. At the heart of our annual reunions is the celebration of our rich cultural heritage. We started off with Annual Cultural Night hosted each year during convention as an occasion to showcase and celebrate culture. It remains the most popular of all our events attracting the largest crowd at each year’s convention. In addition, in 2012 during the convention in Minneapolis, our members in Minnesota started Thursday Welcome Night where there was a lot of focus on cultural education and awareness. The event has since become an official convention event with a focus on highlighting issues about Bali culture. I am pleased that many members continue to find it a significant avenue for engaging in and learning topics and issues about Bali culture.

In 30 years, BCA-USA has undertaken several projects to support our community. Some of our project highlights include scholarships for students in Bali, health screenings in Bali, the construction of a bore hole water project and the fishnet project. In addition, we have made significant strides with our flagship project, the MPC which is approaching completion. These community projects go a long way to helping social development and health needs in our community. To all our members, you should take collective as well as individual pride, in these achievements which have made BCA-USA the leading Cameroonian association in the diaspora. This year, as we gather in Dallas for our annual reunion, let us celebrate all the successes we have had as an organization.

Over the past year, the Convention Planning Committee and the local hosting chapter in Dallas have worked hard to put in place an exciting convention weekend program. Starting with the Thursday welcome night, to the elegant Night of Glamour, the general assembly meeting, a packed kids’ convention program, to a Sunday afternoon bus tour of Dallas, there is something for everyone. I wish you all a memorable convention weekend and an enjoyable stay in Dallas. Happy 30th Anniversary●