It was in 2009 that acclaimed author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie gave her powerful Ted Talk on the dangers of the single story. Recalling how her roommate in college was surprised by this 19yo Nigerian girl, who could speak English and listened to Mariah Carey. It was in this encounter that Adichie says she realized the implications of prejudice, or the “default position” especially when it was one of pity for those from Africa.

Adichie goes on to discuss the effects of literature on how we encounter the world and the people in it. And through this we’re reminded that it’s in the meeting of people from different walks of life and being confronted with their humanity that we’re forced out of our default positions on what life must be like for them.

This is the sentiment many encounter in the digital age when social media has added new dimensions to our interactions. However, where globalization and social media have blurred the boundaries of cultural unawareness, continental Africans are still very much misconstrued; their humanity diminished to tropes and memes that play on deep rooted colonial issues, often spread without context or concern.

Photo: memecenter
Photo: memecenter

That is why publications like Afripop Magazine, shows like An African City, and even CNN Africa are so important in how they represent and portray the African narratives too often neglected in worldwide discourse. And that’s why ‘My Africa Is’, a project that seeks to go beyond the headlines on Africa and show the contemporary narratives that shape the continent, is so rooted in presenting an alternative and honest portrayal of African life.

I first met executive producer Nosarieme Garrick in 2012 when she launched her initial fundraiser on Kickstarter for ‘My Africa Is’. It was exciting to see this project at its inception, because for a lot of first generation Africans living off the continent, like myself, there was this urgency to express the disconnect that seemed unspoken. Series like ‘Strolling’ by Cecile Emeke explore this experience so well throughout the diaspora; yet there’s still that need for the connection to what we know about life for our families back home, and for those of us who romanticize a return, it’s an accurate depiction as to why. The series follows African trailblazers on their daily activities, and as Garrick explains, gives perspective on Africa’s young population and why we should be investing in the next generation of leaders through the social atmosphere created online.

“Africa is the youngest continent with over 60 percent of the population under the age of 25. Young people on the continent are using technology to connect to the rest of the world, access knowledge and information and applying it to solve problems facing the continent. Many of these stories are often untold in a media landscape that continues to tell old worn out narratives about Africa.”

While the initial fundraiser failed, Garrick did not give up on her project. Thanks to independent funding, she kept connecting, filming, and posting on social media. And in 2015, Garrick was one of four winners of the National Black Programming Consortium’s 360 competition; the prize, $100,000 to produce a pilot for television.

Photo: youtube
Photo: youtube

Speaking with Garrick on getting ‘My Africa Is’ to this point she said, “In this journey, the first shock to my system was how long the journey could take, and the roads that it would take. I didn’t know anyone who had, except for friend in my head Issa Rae, successfully created a web series, and taken it to television. When I started pitching the show, I thought that it would be a matter of months before someone understood the genius of the show. However, here I am four years after having started the journey, and aware that I needed to build up my filmmaking chops, grow as an individual, build out a solid team and allow the idea to evolve at its own pace.”

But the real work remains in the content. There’s a certain balance that is essential to telling the stories of Africa because while it’s imperative that we move away from the narratives of despair, it is still a reality for many Africans.

“…we try to give as much context as possible, so within these stories we allow for mini history lessons as well, and break down the complexity. This happens at every stage of the production, but certainly in the scripting phase of things, where we find holes that need to be filled with context. When we’re filming there’s the magic of B-roll, this is where we get to introduce the city as a character. Capturing the street life, the sunrises and sunsets, we get to put these stories in the context of their environment. Waking up with the city is always one of the favorite parts for me when it comes to filming. I’m always curious to find watering holes that aren’t tourist traps, and its beautiful, because you walk the city as more than a tourist, you get to be an explorer, capturing the magic of the city. “

‘My Africa Is’ is important for this very reason, we are the explorers and storytellers that we’ve been waiting for, who will document our experiences and our lives from our perspective.

My Africa Is

Photo: youtube
Photo: youtube

The Power of the People

Photo: youtube
Photo: youtube

‘My Africa Is’ makes its television debut presenting life in Nairobi, Kenya on February 15th at 8pm. Check the World Channel for your local listings, watch, and join the conversation using #MyAfricaIs on Twitter!

Photo: youtube
Photo: youtube

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