In Silver Spring, MD, just outside of Washington, DC, three young women are exploring a continent on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. Bisi Fagbohun, Mavis Kubi, and NuNu Wako host Africa in Demand, a series of original talk shows currently available on YouTube.

Recent productions include entertainment features and interviews with local musicians; these lighthearted segments attract the attention of young viewers and serve as a palatable counterpoint to heavier topics like African politics and society.

Fagbohun, who developed the initial idea for Africa in Demand, has a degree in Communication Studies and Media Production but was never sure how she could utilize her skills in a way that would allow her to give back to Nigeria, her family’s home. Though she was born and educated in the United States, Fagbohun lived in Nigeria for seven years, enough time for her to understand how the American media misrepresents Africa.

“Some of the things people associate with Africa I never saw, but I realize there is a reason that they have those beliefs,” says Fagbohun. “The information is being given from a very limited point of view. Why aren’t we telling people the things that are so unique and different about Africa, instead of getting mad when someone is ignorant?”

She envisioned a video program that would educate second and third generation African Americans and all Americans about her home, which she constantly found herself defending. “What’s the last good thing you’ve heard about any country in Africa? What’s the first thing that comes to mind?” Fagbohun asks. “A safari? I have never been to a safari.”

Fagbohun wanted to find other people like herself, who would share her vision and help her produce an educational talk show. “I didn’t want to do this alone,” she admits. She approached her best friend Kubi, who immediately supported her and even helped her interview other young women. “I wanted to find women like myself from other parts of Africa and do a show where our backgrounds and personalities help connect us as a continent.”

Kubi soon realized that she also wanted to be involved. Though born in the United Kingdom and educated in the United States, Kubi traces her roots to Ghana, a country known for friendly citizens, lush landscapes, and abundant cocoa crops.

“I just feel like people need to see it coming from our eyes,” says Kubi. “People that don’t know anything about Africa can see us and realize that Africans can also dress like us, can go to college like us and have diverse backgrounds like we do.”

For years, Fagbohun and Wako, whose family is from Ethiopia, have been networking in the same social and professional circles. Both young women are involved in the modeling and the entertainment industries, and Fagbohun decided to share her idea with Wako, who immediately agreed to help her host the show.

“I thought to myself, why do I feel like she just had my vision and told it to me? Just like Bisi, I knew that I wanted to give back to my community,” says Wako. “Somebody worked hard to give me an opportunity to be educated, and I want to do the same for those who are less fortunate.”

By June, Wako created an Africa in Demand Facebook group, which now has over eight hundred members, and the three women began to spread the word about the project by networking at social events and wearing Africa in Demand t-shirts. They filmed mock shows to assess how they would interact in front of the camera and how their individual personalities would appear on screen.

“At the first meeting, I sat back and observed the conversation,” says Fagbohun. “They were so excited about it. I was so happy to see that other people believe in this just as much as I do. Now I don’t have to carry this vision alone.”

While conducting research for their shows and interviewing guests, the young women have learned a lot about Africa, and they have found that one of the most exciting aspects of the job is discovering new facts or ideas. The continent that is home to more than 900 million people has endless stories to share with anyone willing to listen.

They believe that Africa has a lot to offer all Americans, not just those from African descent. “This is a world. We may think that one continent doesn’t affect another, but at the end of the day, Americans cannot pretend that we are isolated,” says Fagbohun.

Investors should familiarize themselves with Africa’s resources, travelers should explore Africa’s vacation destinations, fashion lovers should recognize how many designers originated in Africa, music lovers should acknowledge the African origins of most beat-driven music, and film aficionados should know that Nollywood, the Nigerian feature film industry, is second only to Hollywood.

The three women deeply love America and appreciate the country’s diverse population, but they ultimately find that our prejudices and misinformation prevent us from fully experiencing and knowing another culture. “We are raised in this society to think America is the best, that what we have is the best, and that what we offer is the best,” says Wako. “How can we say America is the best country in the world when America is comprised of other people’s cultures?”

Busy schedules, full-time jobs, and sleepless nights present challenges, but the women remain true to their vision; Africa in Demand, “your gateway to everything Africa”, will one day be a production company to rival Oprah’s empire. They plan to broadcast shows in all countries, utilize other forms of media, organize a non-profit organization, and found an Africa in Demand school.

“We want to be the show that people can’t wait to sit down and watch,” says Fagbohun. “A lot of people want to know about Africa, but they can’t find an avenue to learn. We are going to educate them.”