Sharing cultural experiences throughout Philadelphia

Philadelphia commercial corridors especially, the Southwest Philadelphia section of the city are becoming safer. The Corridor is becoming a place where family, residents, and visitors shop and exchange cultural morals and foods.

The ACANA CDC, which is funded by the Office of Neighborhood Economic Development of Philadelphia Department of Commerce, has contract to manage three corridors primary Woodland, Elmwood and Chester Avenues.

The Philadelphia Commerce Department targeted corridor management and  cleaning program as an opportunity to make these commercial corridors culturally friendly for visitors, residents and the business community.

This opportunity for the development of the corridor is receiving national and international attention, in this regard ACANA CDC has received visitors from around the United States to tour these culturally busy commercial corridors. The visitors coming on Woodland Avenue and other commercial avenues in Southwest Philadelphia, leave with notable experiences and understanding of the different ethnic food and other products from Africa.

Visitors to the community interacted freely with immigrants and business owners, residents, and shoppers on the streets and are amazed at the different ethnic food products been sold on the corridors. These products created a level of curiosity in the minds of the visitors and raised many questions.

Above Mr. Voffee Jabateh explained to the visitors the different ethnic food products in a store on Woodland Avenue

There are many questions surrounding the origin of ethnic food products found on the corridor and how they are made.  Visitors are curious to know how possibly they could replicate these type of commercial businesses in their respective cities and towns around the United States.

One these visit occurred on July 4 2017 at which time the CEO of ACANA, Voffee Jabateh who is an immigrant and a Liberian native; quickly explained the usage of the various types of ethnic food products displayed in the stores. He told the visitors, “In order to create such a culturally and integrated commercial corridors in your respective cities and towns’ the cities and township and residents are to be immigrants friendly and culturally adaptable.” The tour ended at Le Mandingue African Restaurant on Woodland Avenue.