We are doing this because we understand that success is achieved faster when we work together.

I am Marco Yao. I am originally from Côte d'Ivoire. After ten years in the United States, I realized something painful: the African diaspora is present, but not truly connected. We gather by nationality — Ivorians, Nigerians, Ghanaians — yet we remain divided, navigating the same struggles separately. Yet beneath these divisions, we all share the same goal: to succeed financially in North America. But how can we achieve success at a scale in our community when we don't connect with each other and share knowledge ? Success is harder to achieve when we live in silos, and only limiting our relationships to people from the same country of origin.

I acknowledge some people in the diaspora have managed to figure things out and are far ahead – financially. However, this is not the reality for everyone. Many — myself included — are still navigating our path, searching for guidance, opportunity, and community.

I believe our greatest strength lies in connection – in learning from one another, sharing experiences, knowledge and building relationships across national lines. When we do that, success becomes more accessible and more sustainable. This belief is the foundation of diaspointe. Our mission is to connect the African diaspora in North America and create pathways for us to learn, achieve financial success and thrive together in North America.