Resilience of Culture in a New Homeland

Showcasing the talents of African Youth

PACE celebrated Black History Month 2019 with a photography exhibit showcasing the resiliency of cultural artifacts in a new homeland.

African immigrants experience difficulties and tensions associated with their struggle to rebuild the self and family in a new homeland. Often, they are faced with the challenges of adapting to complex-acculturation-norms tied to gender roles, parenting, occupation, and so on; such resilience is rarely celebrated.

Changes weathered by hairstyles and head wraps point to how immigrants meticulously engage in a powerful display of resilience and signal selective acculturation. By deliberately maintaining cultural artifacts that are firmly rooted in their African identities, African immigrants have a choice to selectively blend aspects of new cultures with their post-migration lifestyles.

The photo exhibit (May 16-19, 2019) offered vivid metaphorical expression of resilience, showcasing the transformations in features, forms and shapes that some African cultural artifacts have undergone so as to align with, and in some cases, subvert or defy western norms.

Special Thanks to:

Special thank you to the youth that coordinated and facilitated the event, as well as to all of the community members who came to support and celebrate forms of resiliency.

• Curator: Amakachukwu
• Director of Photography: Ayodapomola Erinle
• Art Director and Stylist: Merlin Uwalaka
• Wigs and Make-up: Adannaya Uzor & Elizabeth Collection Inc.
• Research Assistants:
  • Oghenevwarho Gabriel Ojakovo
  • Towunmi Coker
  • Natalie Rzeszutek
  • Rhiannon Duval
• Models:
  • C.J. Ihejirika
  • Lianne Zvoushe
  • Etebom Ekuere
  • Seun Alarape
  • Badhatu Gudata
  • Mpoe Mogale
  • Olori Nihinlola Bamigboye
  • Felicia, NNeka David
  • Angel Njoku
  • Philomina Okeke-Ihejirika
• Funded by: