Title: Spartan Portrait: Vadu Rodrigues Challenges Global Perceptions of Africa – Michigan State University

Vadu Rodrigues, an MFA candidate at Michigan State University and a native of Praia, Cabo Verde, is using his art to challenge global perceptions of Africa through his initiative, Positive Africa.

Rodrigues, a photographer and installation artist, first identified his mission during a 2016 backpacking trip across West Africa, where he became determined to counter negative stereotypes about the continent through creative expression.

Now, as part of Michigan State University’s Spartan Portrait Series, his work is being highlighted for its role in advancing the university’s mission of creative inquiry and expression as a cornerstone of advancing knowledge.

Through Positive Africa, Rodrigues combines photography, storytelling, and cultural exchange to replace outdated narratives with authentic African voices, emphasizing the continent’s vibrancy, complexity, resilience, and beauty.

His goal is to educate audiences, open new possibilities for cross-cultural understanding, and foster deeper human connections by showcasing the achievements and dignity of Black lives across Africa and its diaspora.

Rodrigues brings over a decade of experience as a photographer working across three continents, having exhibited his work internationally and collaborated with institutions ranging from the Cape Verde Olympic Committee to the European Union Delegation.

In 2025, he received five prestigious awards from Michigan State University, including the Varg-Sullivan Graduate Award from the College of Arts and Letters, the Stanley & Selma Hollander Award from the Department of Art, Art History, and Design, the Emerging Leaders Award from the Black Faculty, Staff, and Administrators Association, the Nnamdi Azikiwe Award from the African Studies Center, and the COGS Disciplinary Leadership Award from Graduate Studies.

He was also selected for the Mandela Washington Fellowship and honored with an Alumni Award from the University of Madeira in Portugal.

His work has drawn recognition from global leaders, including an invitation from former U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to participate in the African and Diaspora Young Leaders Forum.

Rodrigues collaborated with the Cape Verde Olympic Committee on an exhibition in France to promote the country ahead of the Paris Olympic Games and was commissioned by the European Union Delegation to create an installation as a gift to the government of Cape Verde.

Through his ongoing efforts, Rodrigues continues to use his art as a tool for education, advocacy, and cultural diplomacy, aiming to build a more inclusive global society by centering African perspectives in the world’s visual and narrative landscape.