Tags
al-Shabab, Atlas Performing Arts Center, Bassekou Kouyate, H Street Festival, hipsters in DC, Kenya shopping mall attack, Winnie Mandela
Yesterday I threw on my Liberian lone star state flag t-shirt and channeled my inner hipster as I hit up the H Street Festival. I was pretty shocked by the size of the event and the large crowds, but they rapidly thinned out as rain struck about halfway through the event.
While the main African event in the DMV that day was slated to take place in Silver Spring, I did catch some Afro touches on H Street. Someone had been promoting the new Winnie Mandela film featuring Terence Howard and Jennifer Hudson as I saw a few posters around. I passed at least one stage where ‘African dance’ was being performed. I also noted that just the day before, the Atlas Performing Arts Center had a performance by a Malian (they seem to entertain here in endless numbers), Baseekou Kouyate. I met a few former Peace Corps volunteers who had served in Africa and saw someone with an extremely cool Kenyan cricket/rugby jersey. Finally, while waiting in line at an ATM, several girls in front of me were having an extended conversation on the recent attacks by al-Shabab at the Westgate mall in Kenya, which I had visited.
Kouyate
Africa in DC 