Champions for Diversity & Inclusion Awards 2025: St. Louis Mosaic Project leader champions diversity in regional economic development

By Niara Savage St. Louis Business Journal

Story Highlights

• Annie Mbale promotes African representation in St. Louis' international business ecosystem.

• Mbale helped World Trade Center St. Louis focus on Africa.

• She advocates for underrepresented global professionals through various initiatives.

Annie Mbale amplifies African representation within the international business ecosystem in the St. Louis region by highlighting underrepresented global professionals, creating spaces for cross-cultural community building and spotlighting Africa’s role in the increasingly globalized economy.

As program manager at St. Louis Mosaic Project, an initiative of the World Trade Center St. Louis, she’s immersed in opportunities to engage in international business, including helping the World Trade Center consider focusing on Africa for the first time in its 25-year history at the Growing Global business luncheon. Mbale also has increased visibility and access for underrepresented, globally trained professionals through local awards, board seats, speaking engagements and leadership roles.

What personal accomplishment in the past year has helped advance DEI at your company or in the community? One of my proudest accomplishments this year was helping the World Trade Center St. Louis consider focusing on Africa for the first time in its 25-year history at the annual Growing Global business luncheon. As project manager for both the World Trade Center (until March 2025) and the St. Louis Mosaic Project. I collaborated with African-led organizations — including the African Chamber of Commerce St. Louis and Vitendo for Africa — to ensure authentic representation. This effort not only elevated African voices within the region’s international business ecosystem but also laid the foundation for a potential future trade mission to Africa and a new Sister City partnership with Rwanda. It’s a clear example of how community-driven DEI efforts can spark institutional change.

Though I didn’t start these programs, I’m proud to help steward and grow the Mosaic Project programs i.e. Professional Connectors and International Student Summer Internship Challenge, which I believe might directly address workforce shortages and support talent retention across the region.

What are the biggest challenges you face while advocating for DEI? Being an African-born professional comes with unique challenges. Even within spaces focused on international engagement, African voices can sometimes go unheard. That can be discouraging — especially when our communities are contributing so much. I’ve also noticed disparities in both funding and visibility. Organizations or initiatives led by more “mainstream” international groups often receive greater attention, while efforts focused on minority immigrants struggle to secure long-term resources. That’s especially true for grassroots and ethnic chambers of commerce, many of whom I collaborate with. These groups play a crucial role in economic empowerment, yet they're often asked to do more with less. Reduced donors and sponsor support make their work harder, and their absence would leave a major gap in our regional infrastructure. Lastly, the term “immigrant” has become politicized, and that adds tension in spaces where open dialogue once came more easily. Despite this, I stay rooted in optimism— focusing on inclusive workforce development, equitable access to opportunity, especially for entrepreneurs, and the shared prosperity that comes when all communities are engaged.