Zachary Weaver
     Staff Writer

On Monday, Feb. 15, the season finale of AfroPoP aired, marking the end of its eighth batch of featured documentaries.

AfroPoP is a public television documentary series which showcases African films, documentaries and other visual media for American viewing audiences. It currently stands as the only American television show that focuses on stories about the African Diaspora.

The final episode of season eight was a shorts episode, featuring two selections: My Africa Is by Nosarieme Garrick and Native Sun by Terence Nance and hip-hop artist Blitz the Ambassador. Both are intended to show Africa through the eyes of Africans, a perspective rarely seen in America.

My Africa Is focuses on Nairobi through “three stories of innovation,” according to the official press release, aiming to inspire Kenya’s youth.

 

Director Nosarieme Garrick wanted to “show the world a different side of Africa, one that I knew that was not reflected in media.” She says that Kenya possesses an often-underestimated entrepreneurial spirit, one developed by a government that provides little welfare and tasks civilians with things like infrastructure upkeep.

According to Garrick this has led to a problem-solving mindset which is easily lent to business and social innovations. Through her series Garrick hopes to dispel the notion that Africa needs ‘saving’ by showing these innovators’ stories, and how they are helping the continent change and grow.

Despite the lack of visible women in this installment, Garrick emphasizes that they play a large role in Nairobi’s society. “African women run things,” she commented with a smile, “and that’s something people should know.”

The first story features a group of video game developers making a superhero game, seeking to inspire the youth of Kenya.

The second is about a self-taught engineer who constructs drones to combat Kenya’s serious poaching problem. He also trains youth in the craft to build “human capacity.”

The third and final segment features two Nairobi punk rock bands taking part in the city’s growing music scene. Through all three of these features viewers were offered a side of Nairobi and Kenya at large that is scarcely seen in American media.

My Africa Is began as an internet series to “share the stories of young people living, thriving, inspiring and connecting the world community.”  It made the jump to television upon winning the National Black Programming Consortium’s Incubator in 2015, allowing the program to be produced with $100,000.

Native Sun is about a young boy, Mumin, who travels from northern Ghana to Accra following his mother’s death. At his mother’s behest, Mumin seeks his father, whom he has never known. In the process he becomes a stranger in a strange land as his search leads him into the big city.

This season is hosted by Jussie Smolette, an American singer-songwriter and actor known for his appearances in The Mighty Ducks and North. He has appeared more recently in the Fox TV drama Empire in the acclaimed role of musician Jamal Lyon.

“My Africa Is and Native Sun both show the promise of Africa through the drive and vision of its youth,” said executive producer Kay Shaw.