#liberia
ACTION! ACTION! ACTION! It goes down in MCF Vol.1! Get your copy now. Link in bio.
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#MillCitysFinest #ActiveFantasyProductions #comics #superheroes #africanentertainment #marvel #dc #marveldcsuperheroes #animation #art #artoftheday #Mulan #africansuperhero #illustration #Liberia #Avengers #BlackWidow #Amazon #AmazonKindleReader #AmazonKindle #Ebook #Books #characterdesign #sequel #characters #fiction #Disney #MillCity #Action
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Expecting a Hero Vol.1 follows a family escaping a war in a 3rd world country to live a better life. Order your copy of MCF Vol.1 NOW. ✈️ Link in bio.
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#MillCitysFinest #ActiveFantasyProductions #comics #superheroes #africanentertainment #marvel #dc #marveldcsuperheroes #animation #art #artoftheday #Mulan #africansuperhero #illustration #Liberia #Avengers #BlackWidow #Amazon #AmazonKindleReader #AmazonKindle #Ebook #Books #characterdesign #sequel #characters #fiction #Disney #MillCity #Boston #Zakimbridge (at Monrovia, Liberia)
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Expecting a Hero Volume 1 (issues 1-3) is now available at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria courtesy of @kugalimedia! If you’re in the area, make sure to pick up your copy. More content will be available in other countries very very soon!!!
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#MillCitysFinest #ActiveFantasyProductions #comics #superheroes #africanentertainment #marvel #dc #marveldcsuperheroes #animation #art #artoftheday #africansuperhero #illustration #Liberia #Avengers #AvengersEndgame #Amazon #AmazonKindleReader #AmazonKindle #Ebook #Books #characterdesign #sequel #characters #fiction #Kugali #Kugalimedia #Streaming #Streamingcomics (at Ibadan, Nigeria)
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Expecting a Hero issue 1 goes live on @kugalimedia’s comic club tomorrow!!! Link in bio for details.
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#MillCitysFinest #ActiveFantasyProductions #comics #comic #comicbookart #artoftheday #artwork #Africanart #Africanartwork #superheroes #superpower #superpowers #africansuperhero #blackexcellence #blackart #spidermanfarfromhome #marvel #dc #dccomics #avengers #Liberia
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The finale is here! Download “Expecting a Hero” Part 3 NOW!! Swipe left for a sneak peek! Download link in bio.
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#MillCitysFinest #ActiveFantasyProductions #comics #comic #comicbookart #artoftheday #artwork #Africanart #Africanartwork #superheroes #superpower #superpowers #africansuperhero #blackexcellence #blackart #spidermanfarfromhome #marvel #dc #dccomics #avengers #Liberia #Ebook #kindle #kindlereader #kindleunlimited #kindleebooks #amazon #kugali #kugalimedia #beautifulart #afrocentricstyle
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BREAKING!! “Expecting a Hero Issue 3,” will be available for download on Amazon Kindle Reader JUNE 17th! PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY NOW! Link in bio!
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#MillCitysFinest #ActiveFantasyProductions #comics #superheroes #africanentertainment #marvel #dc #marveldcsuperheroes #animation #art #artoftheday #africansuperhero #illustration #Liberia #Avengers #AvengersEndgame #Amazon #AmazonKindleReader #AmazonKindle #Ebook #Books #characterdesign #sequel #characters #fiction #Kugali #Kugalimedia #Streaming #Streamingcomics
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Who’s seeing Avengers:Endgame today? .
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#MillCitysFinest #ActiveFantasyProductions #comics #superheroes #africanentertainment #marvel #dc #marveldcsuperheroes #animation #art #artoftheday #africansuperhero #illustration #Liberia #Avengers #AvengersEndgame #dontspoiltheendgame #superheroes
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In four days, Mill City’s Finest Expecting a Hero issue 2 will be available for download on Amazon Kindle. Pre-order your copy now!!!
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#MillCitysFinest #ActiveFantasyProductions #comics #superheroes #africanentertainment #marvel #dc #marveldcsuperheroes #animation #art #artoftheday #africansuperhero #illustration #Liberia #nigerian #nigerianart #war #civilwar
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Don’t waste time! Pre-order Mill City’s Finest Expecting a Hero issue 2 now!! Link in bio!
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#MillCitysFinest #ActiveFantasyProductions #comics #superheroes #africanentertainment #marvel #dc #marveldcsuperheroes #animation #art #artoftheday #africansuperhero #illustration #liberia #sketch #sketchbook #anime #manga #cartoon #design #preorder #amazon #kindle #kindleunlimited #africanart
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@Comeddiekadi
Afropunk African Edition!!!!!
ig: @ntombimoyo , @lostchildmarial
ig: @ohpenmike
ig: @ohneks
ig: @f7ash_of_the_lost_tribe,
ig: @africancreature
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African Weddings be like…
@j_sika @joe_darko
@maxwelljennings
#lit
#dance
This is the third and last edition of Overland Trip I Want To Take- explaining theoretical road trips that I’ve recently planned out. The series was inspired by a trip I’m currently planning, but generally I always fantasize about crazy journeys while I have free time. Hopefully in the next few years I’ll take one or more of these and then be able to post about the actual trip!
You can find the other two tours here:
Part 1 (South America)
Part 2 (Eastern Europe)
Western Africa
If I had a choice (and all the money and all the time and guaranteed safety) this is the tour that I would take. West Africa is one of the few parts of the world left for me to explore and so I’m eager to learn about it, see its people, experience its culture, and visit its sites. That said, there are a few reasons why I haven’t made the trip and why it might be hard to do. These reasons are: language, safety, and cost/time.
- Language: Most countries in West Africa are French + local language speaking. I don’t speak French. What actually bothers me with French is that I can understand so much of it because I speak (conversationally) Spanish and Italian. So when I hear French I have a natural impulse to listen to try to figure it out. Usually though, I can’t, and that is frustrating. This would be easy to overcome by having a French-speaking travel companion. I’ll keep it in mind.
- Safety:Though I generally think I travel smart and am thus not too worried about security threats, this is a bit of a volatile part of the world, I don’t have too many contacts there, and again, not knowing the language adds another risk.
- Cost / Time: I put these two together because they’re very dependent on one another- the longer you travel, the more it costs. Traveling overland in West Africa takes a long time because of inefficient roads, lots of borders, and also because cities are so close, the buses stop more often. The itinerary below would take, I imagine, a couple months. Furthermore, though food and hotels generally aren’t too expensive (7 West African countries are on the list of 20 poorest in the world), there is one big expense: visas. Each of the 15 countries in the circular tour below require a visa, with an average cost between them at more than $100- it’s close to $2000! Furthermore, these aren’t visas on arrival- these are visas where you have to go to an embassy beforehand and apply, have a waiting period, etc. Because many of these are small and generally poor nations, there aren’t many embassies around. The best process would be to start in one of the bigger nations in the region (i.e Senegal, Ghana, or Nigeria) and apply from there.
All of this together makes the trip a little bit of a tough sell. Splitting it up into two or three trips would probably make more sense. Either way, it would be important to start somewhere for a couple weeks where you could apply for the other visas, have the money and time to endure all the waiting and bureaucracy, and likely have a French speaker. Because of this, I’ve cut the itinerary up into three parts (red, yellow, and pink) and added the blue as ways they could, theoretically be combined.
Lagos to Abidjan
This would be the easiest section for me to do as English is widely spoken in both Ghana and Nigeria, most of these countries are rather safe, and the road connections are quite straight-forward. The trip could start in Lagos, Nigeria- Sub-Saharan Africa’s largest and one of the fastest growing cities. Nigeria, thanks to oil, has been quickly developing in the recent past, and is now seen as one of the main centers for business in Africa. The route from Lagos to the next locations, the two narrow countries of Togo and Benin, would be quick, only a few hours between each main point all the way to Accra, Ghana. Ghana is the country in West Africa I most want to visit, as I have many friends from high school there and it is famous for its old British colonial forts and a wonderfully preserved jungle. The final jaunt on this section would be a half day trip from Ghana to the Ivory Coast (or Cote d'Ivoire) and its fascinating capital- Abidjan. The second largest city in West Africa, Abidjan has an interesting developmental history as it has somewhat shrunk from past economic and political heights in the past 20 or so years. Supposedly it still holds the charm of a once regional center that is trying to fight its way back.
Monrovia to Dakar
This route would likely be easier (visa wise) starting in Dakar. Either way, this will be a complicated path as the countries here are more of the unknown and tense ones in the region / world. Though Liberia and Sierra Leone both being English-speaking may be useful, they both have long and somewhat recent histories of violence. In many ways this actually makes the nations safer, as disarmament has taken place and people are trying to get over their painful past. Liberia would be great to see as it was actually founded by freed black slave from the USA and it’s capital, Monrovia is named after James Monroe. Moving up North would be the two Guineas: Guinea and Guinea-Bissau. Guinea supposedly has next to no transport infrastructure, so that could a be a harrowing journey trying to navigate through the rather large and diverse nation, but hopefully there would be a way to have some experiences there and then make it to Guinea-Bissau, one of the few Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa (the others being Angola, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe, and Cape Verde). The final stretch would be through the tiny nation of Gambia, another English speaking nation, and then on to Dakar, Senegal. Along with Accra, Dakar is the city I most want to see in West Africa, one Christmas a Senegalese friend of mine from boarding school came to spend the holidays with my family, she cooked one night and if what she made then was any indication of what I’d eat in Dakar, I’d go just for the food! Another incentive is that one of my advisors from university works heavily in Senegal and so I’m sure I could talk to some inspiring individuals there.
Nouakchott to Niamey
This part of the trip is really exciting to me because it is through the land that combines French West Africa with the Arab North Africa, though in a much more “untouched” way than people might think of in Morocco, for example. Being a desert region also remind me of my current home, Abu Dhabi, and so it could be eye-opening to see how others (less gaudy than the Gulfis) live in this harsh terrain. Though some might find this section crazy because of the three insanely long (24-50hr) bus rides that would be required, anyone who has read this blog for a while knows my strange obsession with long bus rides, especially in Africa. In fact, the buses might be the highlight of the trip, as much of the things to do in these countries is admire the landscape. The first bus from Nouakchott, Mauritania to Bamako would be the longest, with stories of 2-3 days including breakdowns… From Bamako, Mali it would be great to go up and visit Timbuktu, but currently rebel factions have a hold of it and travel in the North is not advised- hopefully that would change. The next two buses, from Bamako to Ouagadougou (pronounced Waa-gaa-doo-goo) and then onward to Niamey, Niger, would entirely cross Burkina Faso- going from the lush Volta region, through to the Arid west. The final stop, Niamey, is a low lying desert city with a nice river that (along with the mosques) are the main point of interaction. Though the cities along the way may be less than stellar, I think this section would be full of things to learn and reflect on: the identity of Islam in Africa, political economy of landlocked nations, and lots of introspection on those long rides.
So there you have it! A crazy tour through West Africa. If anyone wants to fund it (trip cost + salary deduction for missed time), speaks French, and is a good companion- let me know!
Bonus Trip: In each of the three parts, I’ve included a bonus trip that I haven’t thought through very much at all, but would still like to take. Todays bonus is- The Caucuses and Central Asia. This would be a two part, really requiring a flight in the middle, but a nice jaunt around Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia and then a trip through a few of the stans: Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan (the three most prominently on my list) would be really mind blowing since I hardly know ANYTHING about the culture in any of these locations.
One night in the Summer of 2010, I was in Liberia, Costa Rica visiting a friend. He and I, and one of his friends from home, decided to go on a bit of a road trip to the Pacific coast to see another friend. When we set out it was already dark and I could only really see the illuminated road ahead of the car, and the thick greenery on the side. I was going through some things with my girlfriend at home, and this trip was kind of a break or escape from all of that, and all of the bridges on the road to the coast (there were dozens) seemed like a symbol of the growing up I was doing, the thoughts of what would come next, and the desire to break away from it all. Then this song came on- and it put me in a sort of trance as she asked, “I’m a gypsy- are you coming with me?” Probably annoyingly for everyone, I made my friend put this song on repeat, I slinked back into the chair- looked out the front window, and thought about the weird journey my life had been and would be.
Today, as I was cleaning my apartment and getting ready to leave for the week of work (in Egypt), I put my Ipod on the bed as I organized and packed. This song came on almost immediately, and I thought back to that day in Costa Rica, and all the thoughts of journeying and moving forward in life. It was nice to think of how happy I’m sure the me in 2010 would have been to know where I am now, but it was also interesting to ask the same questions of myself today: “what am I doing?” “where am I going?” and ultimately, “will I go with the gypsy?”
It’s always useful to reflect on things in life- it makes everything seem more important, and helps to guide you over that next bridge, onto the next path to where / who you want to be. I’m always happy to have songs to help me do this.
Komlan Soe was born in Toe Town, Liberia. At the age of three, a civil war broke out forcing Komlan and his family to flee to a refugee camp in Ivory Coast, where his family survived on little rice, cornmeal and flour distributed by UNHCR. At the age of seven, he started first grade at a school established by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other non-profit organizations. The school was in unfinished buildings and on under trees, where Komlan and other youngsters would sit and learn their basic Math and ABCs.
In 2002 when civil war erupted in Ivory Coast, Komlan and his family fled to another refugee camp in Ghana. While in the camp in Ghana, Komlan’s curiosity and passion for education grew stronger. Komlan took a high school entrance exam, and he came first out of 70 applicants. He later received a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school, where he was able to sit, for the first time, at comfortable desks and discovered a passion in international affairs.
With his father already settled in Rhode Island, Komlan and his family migrated to Rhode Island in November 2005 as refugees sponsored by Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island.
It was a bittersweet family reunion because his two sisters and a brother remained in Ghana. His welcome into Rhode Island with a sign greeting him and his family was an experience he would never forget.
“It was… I’m finally in the United States. Yes that’s good. It was like a dream.”
As an immigrant, the transition of life in the United States was difficult. The first time Komlan saw snow, he was in disbelief. He was also not accustomed to the American sports, or the food, and did not understand why some people in his new community did not give up their seat to elders on the bus.
In 2008, Komlan began his studies at the Community College of Rhode Island after more than three years of delaying college in order to work and help his family financially. In 2010 he transferred to the University of Rhode Island (URI) where he became heavily involved in different activities while pursuing a dual degree in Political Science and Sociology. While at URI, Komlan worked as a Teaching Assistant and held down a full-time job. He graduated in May 2013; a dream he had finally achieved. “I am the first in my family to graduate from college.”
Komlan now works with the African Youth Development Initiative, which he co-founded to empower and engage African and African-American youths around issues such as violence, education, and African culture and history. He not only hopes to engage the youth in Rhode Island in the discussion of what is going on in their state, but also hopes to see more challenging education systems for those young students:
“One day you will be actively involved to bring about change. So the mobilization of young people and then challenging young people… challenging them to get involved is the most important thing I think I can take from that.”
His hope for immigrants is that they should no longer be viewed as victims, rather as survivors. As an immigrant, he saw the ways in which the civil wars affected his family and those he loves, but he says he is very glad he is in America.
“To be an American is to have a story,” says Komlan. He has spent years now getting comfortable sharing his story, and telling people about his past. Komlan believes it is important to remember where you come from, and that having pride in your roots is what makes America so great and unique. It is diverse with many different people, he says, yet everyone shares a common ideal – to make their lives better.
Komlan hopes to attend grad school at Harvard University or Columbia University to continue his passion for education. His biggest goal is to one day become a diplomat to speak, and have a voice for those who don’t. He has since been back to Ghana and Liberia and feels he is needed back in his native homeland, so he plans to help.
“An African proverb which I always refer to says, ‘You are… because we are.’ And that means everything that is done has to be done collectively. One person’s success is everyone’s success and people have to hold together”.
No matter what challenges face him, Komlan smiles and stays determined to get through it.
Written and compiled by Delia Egan and Joseph Thuillier
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Photo by Yagazie Emezi
Published in the Guardian
2020
A child’s direct stare during the parade for International Day of the Girl Child in Monrovia, Liberia
‘Photography speaks multiple languages and can spur a range of emotions. Knowing that it is art, but can also be used as a weapon. It’s a dangerous and beautiful tool, depending on who is holding the camera.’
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Liberian girl
