Afritals. A Cultural Sinergy.
Afritals-A Cultural Synergy is a project born from the need to tell virtuous examples of integration, as a cue for reflection to oppose the rampant tendency to intolerance and discrimination. As the word Afro-Italians suggests, it tells the story of some girls and boys who live, work and grow in our society, often bringing with great intellectual talents, sportive merits and creativity, innovation, momentum, and growth to our daily lives.
The stylistic choice consisting in very close up portraits, the black and white, the spot light on the face, high and frontal, are an invitation to the observer to take the opportunity to establish a visual bond.
The exhibition aspires to be a circumstance in which you have no choice but to meet the gaze and "listen" to the eyes of people that someone still defines different or strangers.
Crossing a person's gaze forces you to as confrontation, in most cases with yourself and your beliefs. Eyes are the most direct bridge to empathy and compassion, in the Latin sense of the term, compati, "feel with, together." Reading and listening to history through the eyes of these girls and boys, in the private intimacy of a glance, can only lead to a positive reflection on the urgent need to look to a future of integration and acceptance, eliminating any discriminatory practice, eradicating chauvinism, patriotism and frontier nationalism from our political language.
Angela, 30,originally from Ghana is a digital content creator, blogger and writer.
Through her blog she promotes the natural hair movement, challenging mainstream perceptions of beauty and encouraging others to love themselves as they are, embracing their naturally afro-textured hair.
"After years of smoothing creams decided to give a chance to what nature gave to me and to take care of my natural hairs!
This is a sort of challenge against those stereotypes that wants us to be forced to have unmanageable hairs that don't appraise us.
In this page connected with my blog I will share my doubts, experiences and suggestions regarding my "natural regimen", and reviews of the products I use.
I'll also write about Beauty and Natural Cosmetics, Nappy Celeb, emerging African Stylists and Lifestyle!"
This is a sort of challenge against those stereotypes that wants us to be forced to have unmanageable hairs that don't appraise us.
In this page connected with my blog I will share my doubts, experiences and suggestions regarding my "natural regimen", and reviews of the products I use.
I'll also write about Beauty and Natural Cosmetics, Nappy Celeb, emerging African Stylists and Lifestyle!"
Aida Aicha Bodian, class ' 86 is a cultural promoter, mom and blogger.
Her roots belong to Senegal, country of the Teranga, of the hospitality, of the opening towards the neighbour, of the respect, of the ancestral tales, of the mint tea offered at any time. Her heart belongs to Italy, to the different countries that have seen her grow, to the people who have welcomed her over the last 26 years.
She likes to call herself an Afro-Italian essence, a world citizen!
She loves listening. She believes that everyone deserves to have their stories listened.
What some consider diversity, for her is uniqueness. Multiculturalism and integration are words that are part of her life.
In Reggio Emilia she founded the Roots Evolution Association, thanks to which she linked to different institutions, both at regional and national level, giving the new Italian generations the opportunity to tell each other in a real and authentic way, showing their skills and the value that they can offer to Italian society.
Communication, diversity, inner and outer beauty are the foundations of her major project: The Diversity Net: where she promotes the beauty of diversity through different realities and forms of art
Her roots belong to Senegal, country of the Teranga, of the hospitality, of the opening towards the neighbour, of the respect, of the ancestral tales, of the mint tea offered at any time. Her heart belongs to Italy, to the different countries that have seen her grow, to the people who have welcomed her over the last 26 years.
She likes to call herself an Afro-Italian essence, a world citizen!
She loves listening. She believes that everyone deserves to have their stories listened.
What some consider diversity, for her is uniqueness. Multiculturalism and integration are words that are part of her life.
In Reggio Emilia she founded the Roots Evolution Association, thanks to which she linked to different institutions, both at regional and national level, giving the new Italian generations the opportunity to tell each other in a real and authentic way, showing their skills and the value that they can offer to Italian society.
Communication, diversity, inner and outer beauty are the foundations of her major project: The Diversity Net: where she promotes the beauty of diversity through different realities and forms of art
Lou Tiffen,
Born in Ivory Coast, is a visual merchandise student at the University of Lyon, where she moved to be reunited with her family after many years in Reggio Emilia. Her great passion is fashion and his ambition is to become a personal shopper. She has also made her first jobs as a model and hopes that it can become an ongoing job.
Born in Ivory Coast, is a visual merchandise student at the University of Lyon, where she moved to be reunited with her family after many years in Reggio Emilia. Her great passion is fashion and his ambition is to become a personal shopper. She has also made her first jobs as a model and hopes that it can become an ongoing job.
Nadege, 25, arrived in Italy at the age of 10 with her family. She attended middle and high school and graduated as "sales manager".
In 2013 she moved to London with her family, was selected in some castings and began to make her first experiences as a model.
In 2015 she returned to Italy to be reunited with her boyfriend. Today her goal is to continue the path of training and professional experience, taking every opportunity to pose as a model.
In 2015 she returned to Italy to be reunited with her boyfriend. Today her goal is to continue the path of training and professional experience, taking every opportunity to pose as a model.
Anita Adjei, originally from Ghana, was born in Reggio Emilia, in 1993. After high school, she decided to start a work experience, and with some uncertainty she accepted a job at an insurance company. She immediately realizes that it was not the kind of work that best reflected her creative and resourceful skills. A few years later, a series of lucky coincidences, allow her to emerge thanks to her lifelong passion and her talent for make-up.
Anita realizes the dream of living and earning from her passion. Today she works as a make-up artist for a well-known brand of international MakeUp, participating in major events that enhance and emphasize her indisputable artistic gifts.
Anita realizes the dream of living and earning from her passion. Today she works as a make-up artist for a well-known brand of international MakeUp, participating in major events that enhance and emphasize her indisputable artistic gifts.
Fred Quainoo, born in 2002 in Reggio Emilia, originally from Ghana, is a young football promise of Reggio Emilia. Sport is the biggest passion for him.
He started at a very young age playing with friends and after a few years in different sports clubs now plays for the Aurora Project. For him the team is a family where he finds support, confrontation and motivation.
He started at a very young age playing with friends and after a few years in different sports clubs now plays for the Aurora Project. For him the team is a family where he finds support, confrontation and motivation.
Kevin Buroni, 20, born in Italy, originally from Ghana, is an art student in high school. He dreams of becoming a model, he loves fashion and he hopes one day he will find an agency to work for.
His first interest though is music. Trap music literally drives him crazy and together with a friend they are working hard, exploring and experimenting to create a whole new sound in trap music.
His first interest though is music. Trap music literally drives him crazy and together with a friend they are working hard, exploring and experimenting to create a whole new sound in trap music.
Emmanuel N'Guessan, born in Côte d'Ivoire in 1993 arrives in Italy in 2006 at the age of 12.
He attended middle school in Cadelbosco a small town in the province of Reggio Emilia showing from the very beginning a real interest in studying, in particular scientific subjects. In fact, he graduated in mechanical engineering from the Istituto ITIS of Reggio Emilia, then enrolled at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, in the faculty of Mechatronics. In parallel to the studies, Emmanuel cultivates a great passion and an innate talent, discovered almost by chance thanks to the support and encouragement of relatives and friends, and that for some years has also become a profession: dancing.
One evening during the concert of a famous Ivorian artist, he was proposed by the dancer of his choreography to consider the idea of becoming a professional dancer and to support her in teaching in her dance project.
His style is Afro Beat and from that day he never stopped dancing and teaching it.
Today the teaching allows him to bring among children in schools and gyms a little of his culture with a positive message.
For him, school, football, and dancing, as a young boy, were his greatest resource of integration, through which he always had the opportunity to be judged for his merits and for his commitment.
Today his dream is to get his university degree and find a good job here in Reggio Emilia. He is very determined, his ambition is to be among the first young Africans in Italy to bring innovation and change in engineering, without ever stop dancing!
He attended middle school in Cadelbosco a small town in the province of Reggio Emilia showing from the very beginning a real interest in studying, in particular scientific subjects. In fact, he graduated in mechanical engineering from the Istituto ITIS of Reggio Emilia, then enrolled at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, in the faculty of Mechatronics. In parallel to the studies, Emmanuel cultivates a great passion and an innate talent, discovered almost by chance thanks to the support and encouragement of relatives and friends, and that for some years has also become a profession: dancing.
One evening during the concert of a famous Ivorian artist, he was proposed by the dancer of his choreography to consider the idea of becoming a professional dancer and to support her in teaching in her dance project.
His style is Afro Beat and from that day he never stopped dancing and teaching it.
Today the teaching allows him to bring among children in schools and gyms a little of his culture with a positive message.
For him, school, football, and dancing, as a young boy, were his greatest resource of integration, through which he always had the opportunity to be judged for his merits and for his commitment.
Today his dream is to get his university degree and find a good job here in Reggio Emilia. He is very determined, his ambition is to be among the first young Africans in Italy to bring innovation and change in engineering, without ever stop dancing!
Stéphane has been a friend for quite a few years now.
He is well known and respected by the Afro-Italian community of Reggio Emilia. His ability to socialize and get along with everyone played a major role in developing my ongoing project about cultural and social integration in Reggio Emilia.
He is well known and respected by the Afro-Italian community of Reggio Emilia. His ability to socialize and get along with everyone played a major role in developing my ongoing project about cultural and social integration in Reggio Emilia.
Vado Awounou, 29, originally from Cotonou - Benin, is an active DJ in the local afro music scene. He performs in many clubs of northern Italy, especially in Reggio Emilia, Modena and Parma, attracting the most intercultural audience.
From my ongoing project about cultural and social integration in Reggio Emilia.
From my ongoing project about cultural and social integration in Reggio Emilia.
Sport is always a promise to the future of our young generations, and it is also a glorious example of a successful experiment in social Integration.
Sport makes kids grow with ideals and rules, encouraging good behavior, that in other contexts of everyday life we struggle to put into action. In sport you must be loyal, between mates and with your opponents. Racism is not contemplated among teammates.
Ousmane,18, originally from Guinea Conakry, is a promise of Reggio Emilia's basketball team @grissinbon_reggio , basketball is everything for him, he practices every day and sees in his team a real family.
Sport makes kids grow with ideals and rules, encouraging good behavior, that in other contexts of everyday life we struggle to put into action. In sport you must be loyal, between mates and with your opponents. Racism is not contemplated among teammates.
Ousmane,18, originally from Guinea Conakry, is a promise of Reggio Emilia's basketball team @grissinbon_reggio , basketball is everything for him, he practices every day and sees in his team a real family.
Barry, 20 years old, leaves his homeland, Guinea Conakry, in 2014.
After two years of Odyssey, passing through Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Algeria, and Libya, he landed in 2016 in Lampedusa.
Here in Reggio he found a job in a restaurant and discovered boxing, a sport that fascinates him, to which he devotes all of his free time.
I really hope that Reggio Emilia will always be a welcoming city for him and that it will help him to shine in both sport and work.
After two years of Odyssey, passing through Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Algeria, and Libya, he landed in 2016 in Lampedusa.
Here in Reggio he found a job in a restaurant and discovered boxing, a sport that fascinates him, to which he devotes all of his free time.
I really hope that Reggio Emilia will always be a welcoming city for him and that it will help him to shine in both sport and work.
