Dr. Francis Musa Boakari was born in Eastern Sierra Leone, West Africa; studied in Ghana, Nigeria and the United States, obtaining Masters and Doctoral degrees in Education at the University of Iowa in 1983. Lived and worked in higher education (Federal University of Piauí – UFPI) and public schooling systems (State and Municipal Education Secretariats) in Brazil till 2001. Between 2002 and 2008, was faculty at the University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas. In 2009, returned as faculty at the UFPI. He has predominantly done research and developed outreach activities regarding underrepresented groups, especially people of African origin in the diaspora emphasing the importance of positive narratives. Has developed teaching-research activities in the USA as well as helped organize research groups in Brasil, IFARADÁ and RODA GRIÔ:GEAfro (gender, education and afrodescendency) that focus on issues of social inclusion. Since the end of the “Diamonds war” in his native Sierra Leone in 2002, he spearheads a voluntary social assistance group, dedicating professional expertise and personal funds to local community integration projects.