“After Migration: Calabria“ Washington D.C. Movie Premiere and Artist Talk

The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum, District Cinema, and Tribute Collective are proud to present the Washington D.C. movie premiere for "After Migration: Calabria", followed by a discussion with Walé Oyéjidé, producer and co-directer of the film.

"After Migration: Calabria" (2020) tells the story of a boy who left his home in The Gambia at the age of 15, and a Nigerian single-mother who birthed her child in a detention camp, as they transcend their difficult histories while integrating into a quiet region of southern Italy. Too often, stories about irregular migration are centered on trauma, and depict seekers of asylum as hapless victims in need of rescuing. This film subverts this commonly accepted narrative by illuminating the regality of those whom we commonly disregard as outsiders. Combining culturally representative fashion design with story-telling, the "After Migration" project celebrates the lives of refugees in ways that dispel tropes which cast them as unfortunates. In this work, subjects of irregular migration are shown as nuanced contributors to their new societies, while journeying in search of safe places to call home.

"After Migration: Calabria" was conceived and produced by Walé Oyéjidé and co-directed by Walé Oyéjidé and Jake Saner, with support from the Open Society Foundations and National Geographic Society. It features Alieu Kebbeh, Favor Joseph, and Wealth Joseph.

Runtime: 00:20:29.

Before the screning, guests are invited to visit the lower-level galleries of the museum and explore the colorful selection of head coverings on display from the Textile Museum Collection.

This event is co-sponsored by The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum, District Cinema, and Tribute Collective.

About Walé Oyéjidé: Walé Oyéjidé, Esq., is a TED Fellow, National Geographic Explorer, and the founder and creative director of Ikiré Jones. He employs fashion design as a vehicle to celebrate the perspectives of marginalized populations. His work appears in the films "Black Panther" (2018) and "Coming 2 America" (2020), and was included in the Gender Bending Fashion (2019) exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Oyéjidé is also a writer, speaker, filmmaker, musician, and lawyer who combats bias with creative storytelling.

The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum: Located in the heart of Washington, D.C., the George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum celebrates the creative achievements of local and global cultures from antiquity through today. Their collections include international textile art, and artifacts that trace the evolution of Washington, D.C.

About District Cinema: District Cinema is a pop-up cinema dedicated to screening foreign and independent films. Their mission is to use the power of film to educate and expose people to global cultures and issues.

About Tribute Collective: Tribute is an online shop and occasional brick and mortar whose mission is to create a platform to increase access to responsible and ethical clothing, jewelry, design brands and vintage from all around the world. Tribute is also a cross-disciplinary platform that provides a medium for thoughtful and intentional discourse in the field of fashion,encouraging critical thinking and engage local artists, designers and activists, on the field of fashion as an industry, a discipline and a cultural phenomenon.

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