Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Published: Wednesday, October 12th, 2016

New York (TADIAS) — Next week on Saturday, October 22nd Ethiopian music legend Mahmoud Ahmed takes center stage at Carnegie Hall in New York City in his first solo performance at the world-famous venue.

Carnegie Hall notes that the Ethiopian cultural icon, who turned 75-years-old this year, “was at the forefront of Ethiopian music’s golden era in the 1960s and 1970s and is still one of the country’s most eminent musicians. His body of work—including landmark recordings like Almaz, Alemye, Ere Mela Mela, and Tezeta re-released on éthiopiques series—have become an essential benchmark of Ethiopia’s musical history and cultural heritage, earning him the prestigious BBC World Music Award in 2007.”

Mahmoud Ahmed. (Photo: by Damian Rafferty)

Carnegie also described Mahmoud Ahmed’s sound as a “yielding some of the most adventurous, passionate, and often surreal sounds heard in free jazz today.” Mahmoud’s historic performance in October is presented as part of Carnegie Hall’s “Around the Globe” program.

Mahmoud Ahmed on the cover of the award-winning Ethiopiques series album. (Allmusic.com)

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If You Go:
Carnegie Hall Presents Mahmoud Ahmed
Saturday, October 22, 2016 | 8 PM
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage
881 7th Ave, New York, NY 10019
Tickets from $12 to $70
Seating Chart (PDF)
BUY TICKETS

Related:
Mahmoud Ahmed First Artist from Ethiopia to Perform at Carnegie Hall
Girma Beyene Brings Golden Age of Ethiopian Music to City University of NY

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NPR

October 9, 2016

Govt Declares 6-month State of Emergency, Shuts Down Internet

A week after a deadly stampede brought anti-government protests and violence to a fever pitch, Ethiopia declared a six-month state of emergency Sunday. Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn says the declaration is necessary for the government to protect both property and citizens’ lives.

The stampede struck at a religious festival that also had qualities of a demonstration that was held last Sunday, Oct. 2, in the town of Bishoftu, southeast of Addis Ababa. That’s where many in a massive crowd that had gathered to celebrate the annual Irreecha thanksgiving festival chanted slogans and crossed their fists over their heads, an increasingly familiar gesture that protests oppression and calls for more rights for the people of Oromia.

Video recordings from that day show that the crowd had been pressing toward an open-air stage when security forces opened fire and deployed tear gas, triggering a panic. Many people initially ran to a nearby treeline for cover, only to become trapped in a deep and steep-sided trench. Others were hemmed in by a nearby lake.

“The government says 55 people were killed — some fell into nearby gullies and drowned,” NPR’s Ofeibea Quist-Arcton reports. “The opposition says many, many more people lost their lives.”

In months of protests in the region, human rights groups say, hundreds of people have been killed and tens of thousands arrested.

Read more »

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Related:
Ethiopia imposes state of emergency as unrest intensifies (Washington Post)

Ethiopia on Edge: Govt Declares State of Emergency (AP)
In Ethiopia Protesters Attack Factories, Eco Lodge and Flower Farms
American Killed in Ethiopia Identified as UC Davis Researcher Sharon Gray
U.S. citizen killed, foreign factories attacked in Ethiopia
US Says Female American Citizen Killed in Ethiopia Amid Protest
After Ethiopia Irrecha Tragedy, Renewed Calls on U.S to Take Stronger Measure

Ethiopia Protests Continue Over Fatal Bishoftu Stampede at Irrecha Festival

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VOA News

ADDIS ABABA — Protesters in Ethiopia damaged almost a dozen mostly foreign-owned factories and flower farms and destroyed scores of vehicles this week, adding economic casualties to a rising death toll in a wave of unrest over land grabs and rights.

The violence has cast a shadow over a nation where a state-led industrial drive has created one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies, but where the government has also faced rising international criticism and popular opposition to its authoritarian approach to development.

The flare-up followed the death of at least 55 people in a stampede Sunday when police fired tear gas and shot into the air to disperse demonstrators in the Oromiya region near the capital.

Protesters run from tear gas being fired by police during Irreecha festival in Bishoftu Oct. 2, 2016. (Photo Reuters)

Between 55 and several hundred people were killed when security forces used tear gas, rubber bullets, and live ammunition on crowds, triggering a stampede during the annual Irreechaa festival in Bishoftu, Ethiopia on Sunday, October 2nd, 2016. (Photo: Reuters)

Protesters in Bishoftu, October 2, 2016. (Photo: Reuters)

It raises to more than 450 the number of people rights groups and opponents say have been killed in unrest since 2015.

A U.S. researcher was killed Tuesday when her car was attacked by stone-throwers near Addis Ababa.

The government says the toll cited by critics is inflated.

Fana Broadcasting, which is seen as close to the state, reported on its website that 11 companies ranging from textile firms to a plastics maker to flower farms had been damaged or destroyed, while more than 60 vehicles had been torched.

Dutch firm FV SeleQt said its 300-hectare vegetable farm and warehouse had been plundered. Another Dutch firm, Africa Juice, said its factory had been badly damaged.

The manager of one of the Turkish companies, textile firm Saygin Dima, told Reuters this week at least a third of his factory was burned down.

Fana’s website showed images of burned-out trucks on the roadside, blaming the damage on “perpetrators of violence,” echoing the line taken by the government, which accuses local rebel groups and dissidents based abroad for stoking the unrest.

Protest at Irreechaa holiday festival in Bishoftu on October 2nd, 2016. (Photo: Reuters)

Irreechaa holiday festival in Bishoftu on October 2nd, 2016 (Photo: Reuters)

Struggling for work

People from Oromiya, a region at the heart of the state’s industrialization efforts, accuse the state of seizing their land and offering tiny compensation, before selling it on to companies, often foreign investors, at inflated prices.

They also say they struggle to find work, even when a new factory is sited on property they or their families once owned.

“I went to apply for a job at a steel factory that was built on my family’s land but I was turned away when they discovered I was the son of the previous land owner,” said Mulugeta, who asked for only his first name to be used to avoid any state reprisals.

“Most factories give priority to employees from other regions for fear local people would one day stage strikes,” he said, speaking by telephone from Oromiya, where he now drives a truck for another company.

In Ethiopia, once ruled by Marxists whose draconian policies drove the nation into a devastating 1984 famine, all land still belongs to the state and owners are only deemed leaseholders, even if they have been living or farming there for generations.

For the opposition and those turfed out of farm plots where they grow food for their families, it shows how the government that has ruled for a quarter of a century tramples on their rights.

“It is time for the government to change tack,” said Merera Gudina, chairman of the opposition Oromo Federalist Congress. “People are demanding change, but the problem is the only language the government knows is the use of excessive force.”

The government says police have clashed with what it calls “armed gangs” intent on destabilizing the nation. A regional Oromo official accused protesters of hindering efforts to reverse generations of poverty in Oromiya.

Pressure has been mounting from abroad, too. U.S. President Barack Obama told his Ethiopian hosts in Addis Ababa last year that greater political openness would “strengthen rather than inhibit” the development agenda. The government said it differed over the pace of any reforms demanded by Washington.

“Economic development has outpaced political change,” said former U.S. ambassador to Ethiopia and academic David Shinn.

Noting “phenomenal” economic gains, he said: “It is less clear, however, whether the Ethiopian peasant farmer, who still constitutes about 80 percent of the population, has benefited significantly.”

Feeling the heat

Foreign investors are feeling the heat from protesters, not because they are foreigners but because they are among the biggest purchasers of the new land leases from the state.

Ethiopia’s budding tourist industry is also taking a hit.

Photo: The Bishangari Lodge

The Bishangari Lodge, on Lake Langano about 200 km south of Addis Ababa, was looted and torched this week.

Resort owner Omar Bagersh said, even before the attack, he had had 90 percent cancellations in the past two or three months. “It is very difficult to convince a tourist to travel to a country that has this kind of situation,” he said.

Investors have been attracted by cheap electricity from Ethiopia’s huge new hydroelectric dams being built, cheap labor, improving transport and tax incentives offered by a financially stretched government hungry for foreign exchange.

New industries have been focused in Oromiya and the nearby Amhara regions, which surround Addis Ababa, a city that now boasts Sub-Saharan Africa’s only light rail metro system and a rapidly rising skyline.

Protests in Oromiya province initially erupted in 2014 over a development plan for the capital that would have expanded its boundaries, a move seen as threatening farmland.

Clashes with police flared in 2015 and this year, although the government has shelved the boundary plan.

Protesters have increasingly focused on broader political issues, accusing the government of stifling opposition. The government, which won a parliamentary election in 2015 in which the opposition failed to secure a single seat, denies this.

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Related:
American Killed in Ethiopia Identified as UC Davis Researcher Sharon Gray
U.S. citizen killed, foreign factories attacked in Ethiopia
US Says Female American Citizen Killed in Ethiopia Amid Protest
After Ethiopia Irrecha Tragedy, Renewed Calls on U.S to Take Stronger Measure
Ethiopia Protests Continue Over Fatal Bishoftu Stampede at Irrecha Festival

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The Sacramento Bee

The UC Davis postdoctoral researcher who was killed in Ethiopia on Tuesday was described by as a “bright light” who was a hard worker with an appetite for travel, according to a woman identifying herself on Facebook as the victim’s sister.

UC Davis officials said Wednesday that Sharon Gray, 30, died while riding in a vehicle that was stoned by protesters in the outskirts of Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa. Gray, who worked in the university’s plant biology department, was in the East African nation to attend a meeting related to her research, according to the university.

“My sister was the most exceptional human being anyone of us has ever known. She touched every life she encountered in a positive and beautiful way,” wrote Ruth Gray Wilke in a Facebook post. She added that Gray enjoyed camping and traveling. “My sister took in as much of this world as she could,” she wrote in the Facebook post.

Watch: UC Davis researcher killed in Ethiopia remembered fondly

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American Killed in Ethiopia Identified as UC Davis Researcher Sharon Gray

The Sacramento Bee

UC Davis officials said Wednesday that a postdoctoral researcher in the university’s plant biology department was killed Tuesday in Ethiopia when the vehicle she was riding in was stoned by protesters.

Sharon Gray was in the East African nation to attend a meeting related to her research, according to the university.

A UC Davis news release said the circumstances of Gray’s death were unclear. But Andy Fell, a university spokesman, confirmed that Gray was the American woman who was reported killed when stones were hurled at her vehicle on the outskirts of Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, on Tuesday.

According to news reports, crowds have attacked other vehicles since a stampede at a weekend protest killed at least 55 people. The protests have centered on land and political rights in Ethiopia.

Another member of the plant biology department who was traveling with Gray was not injured and is headed home, officials said.

University officials said Gray, 31, was attending a meeting to discuss the next steps in a project she was involved in with the Netherlands Institute of Ecology and other charitable organizations.

She had been at UC Davis since 2013, Fell said. He said Gray’s husband is also a university employee.

The U.S. State Department is assisting in returning Gray’s body to her family.

Read more »

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Related:
Amid Civil Unrest, Ethiopian Immigration to Israel Resume After 3-year Freeze
U.S. citizen killed, foreign factories attacked in Ethiopia
US Says Female American Citizen Killed in Ethiopia Amid Protest
After Ethiopia Irrecha Tragedy, Renewed Calls on U.S to Take Stronger Measure
Ethiopia Protests Continue Over Fatal Bishoftu Stampede at Irrecha Festival

Join the conversation on Twitter and Facebook.

Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Published: Tuesday, October 4th, 2016

New York (TADIAS) — Marcus Samuelsson is bringing The Red Rooster Cookbook: The Story of Food and Hustle in Harlem to a city near you in October and November including San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, DC, Chicago, Minneapolis, Los Angeles and Austin.

“When the Obamas visited Red Rooster Harlem in 2011 for a fund-raising dinner, the chef Marcus Samuelsson served them braised short ribs, lobster salad and his cornbread with honey butter,” The New York Times points out in its review of Marcus’ latest book. “And to the crowds who gathered outside to see the nation’s first African-American president, he passed out coffee and doughnuts. He fed the president, and he fed the neighborhood.”

The Times adds: “Mr. Samuelsson was born in Ethiopia and raised in Sweden, but he has made Harlem his home, and it’s clear in The Red Rooster Cookbook: The Story of Food and Hustle in Harlem that he has found magic there. The restaurant, which opened in 2010, was a meditation on modern Harlem, an embrace of its past and a vision for its future — vibrantly diverse, effortlessly cool. The book follows suit, absorbing the neighborhood’s multiple influences.”

The dish that Chef Marcus Samuelsson made for President Obama when he visited the restaurant Red Rooster Harlem. (Photo: The New York Times)

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Save the date on October 26th for a Tadias book signing event and party with Marcus Samuelsson in Washington, D.C. (Details to be announced shortly).

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The Washington Post

It’s Saturday evening and the wait for a table at Zenebech Restaurant is 45 minutes. A crowd forms outside on one of the restaurant’s last weekends in business here as a waiter jots down the names of hungry patrons on a pad of paper.

Every seat is filled, crammed with middle-aged Ethiopian men speaking Amharic and 20-somethings dressed to hit the Shaw neighborhood’s trendy bars after dinner.

The authentically folksy family-owned restaurant navigated the tide of rapidly gentrifying Shaw, keeping its longtime Ethio­pian customers while introducing the neighborhood’s new, deep-pocketed residents to Ethiopian cuisine. Zenebech Dessu and her husband purchased the building and opened the restaurant in 1998, back when storefronts stood vacant and the city hadn’t yet invested in reopening the crumbling Howard Theatre nearby.

“When the area changed, it’s been good for us,” said Zenebech Dessu, 64, the restaurant’s owner and namesake. “Most of my customers are American now.”

In a neighborhood filled with residents who can pay more than $2,000 a month in rent, Dessu’s family turned down offer after offer from interested developers over the years. But this year they decided to sell, and the restaurant, which is scouting out new locations, plans to close this month. It’s a loss for the tight-knit Ethio­pian community and the restaurant’s newer patrons who flock there for a $3.50 beer and a cheap sit-down meal.

Zenebech Restaurant, left, is a popular Ethiopian eatery in the District’s Shaw neighborhood. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post)

Read more at The Washington Post »

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Reuters

UPDATED: OCTOBER 4, 2016

Protests broke out in some areas of Ethiopia’s Oromiya region, a day after dozens of people were killed in a stampede at a religious festival sparked by a bid by police to quell demonstrations, witnesses said.

Opposition politicians and government officials gave contrasting tolls of casualties that took place during the annual Irreecha festival in the town of Bishoftu, some 40km south of the capital Addis Ababa, where police fired teargas and shots in the air to disperse protesters.

The manager of the town’s government-operated referral hospital said the death toll had risen to 55, with 100 injured, from 52 dead on Sunday.

An opposition leader told Reuters the number of dead stood at around 150.

Photo: Reuters

(Photo: Reuters)

On Monday, witnesses said crowds took to the streets in Oromiya’s Ambo, Guder, Bule Hora and other towns in response to the deaths.

“Shots are still being fired. Everything remains shut – Ambo has been brought to a standstill,” said Mesfin, a university student who did not want to give his full name out of fear of reprisal.

Two other residents of the other towns said scuffles took place between demonstrators and police.
The region’s assistant police chief told journalists that “widespread disturbances” had taken place in several parts of the region.

Experts say that after 25 years of control over the country’s public life, the ruling party is facing its biggest political challenge yet. (Reuters)

“Roads have been blocked, while government offices and vehicles have been burnt down. Police are trying to put an end to all this,” said Sorri Dinka, deputy commissioner of the Oromiya Police Commission.

The Horn of Africa country has declared three days of national mourning, with flags flying at half mast throughout the country to pay tribute to the victims.

Sporadic protests have erupted in Oromiya over the last two years, initially triggered by a land row but increasingly turning more broadly against the government.

Merera Gudina, chairman of the opposition Oromo Federalist Congress, said Sunday’s death toll had climbed to 150 people and that some of the victims were shot dead by police, contrary to official claims.

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Ethiopia: Deadly Stampede at Protest During Irrecha Festival in Bishoftu (AP)

Raw Video — Dozens Dead During Stampede in Ethiopia (AP)

The Associated Press

By Elias Meseret 

BISHOFTU, Ethiopia — Dozens of people were crushed to death Sunday in a stampede after police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse an anti-government protest that grew out of a massive religious festival, witnesses said. The Oromia regional government confirmed the death toll at 52.

“I almost died in that place today,” said one shaken protester who gave his name only as Elias. Mud-covered and shoeless, he said he had been dragged out of a deep ditch that many people fell into as they tried to flee.

The first to fall in had suffocated, he said.

“Many people have managed to get out alive, but I’m sure many more others were down there,” he said. “It is really shocking.”

The stampede occurred in one of the East African country’s most politically sensitive regions, Oromia, which has seen months of sometimes deadly demonstrations demanding wider freedoms.

An estimated 2 million people were attending the annual Irrecha thanksgiving festival in the town of Bishoftu, southeast of the capital, Addis Ababa, when people began chanting slogans against the government, according to witnesses.

The chanting crowds pressed toward a stage where religious leaders were speaking, the witnesses said, and some threw rocks and plastic bottles.

Police responded with tear gas and rubber bullets, and people tried to flee. Some were crushed in nearby ditches, witnesses said.

In its statement, the Oromia regional government blamed “evil acts masterminded by forces who are irresponsible,” and it denied that the deaths were caused by any actions by security forces.

Mulatu Gemechu of the opposition Oromo Federalist Congress told The Associated Press that his sources at hospitals said at least 52 people were dead as of Sunday evening, but he thought the figure would rise.

The protesters were peaceful and did not carry anything to harm police, he said.

Before the stampede, an AP reporter saw small groups of people walking in the crowd and holding up their crossed wrists in a popular gesture of protest.

The reporter also saw police firing tear gas and, later, several injured people.

Read more »

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Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Published: Sunday, October 2nd, 2016

New York (TADIAS) — “I wanted to capture a day in the life of a young person thriving in Addis — where they might live or go to unwind, or how they might fall in love,” says Wayna regarding her latest music video entitled Amazing, which was filmed in Ethiopia’s capital earlier this year and released online last week.

The Ethiopian-born Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter who is based in Washington DC says: “We often see love stories told in the context of cities like New York or Paris; this is a testament to the beauty of Addis Ababa, which has its own unique personality.”

Wayna in Addis Ababa. (Courtesy photo)

Wayna shot the video while residing for three months and performing in Ethiopia this past year, with the song Amazing featuring the theme of new love in the streets of Addis Ababa. According to announcement “the reggae and hip hop-infused song is produced by DC-based beatmaker SlimKat78 and mixed by multi-Grammy award winning engineer Russell Elevado (D’Angelo, Angelique Kidjo).”

Wayna first worked as a writer in the Clinton White House before leaving to pursue music, and has since released three albums including Higher Ground that was nominated for the 2009 Grammy Awards in the Best Urban/Alternative Performance Category. In addition, the Ethiopian American R&B singer has performed at various prestigious venues “across the US and abroad including shows at the Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, Essence Fest, the White House, the Blue Note and Blues Alley,” states the artist’s website. “In 2015, she joined the iconic Stevie Wonder as a supporting vocalist and soloist in his live band, touring extensively with the Songs In the Key of Life Tour and in various performances throughout the US and Canada.”

Wayna’s music video Amazing was shot in Ethiopia by director Elias Wondemu (Mehari Brothers, Fikreaddis Nekatibeb).

Watch: “Amazing” by Wayna — Music Video ‘Amazing’ Filmed in Ethiopia

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Forbes

How This Ethiopian Fashion Designer Is Using Local Resources And Creating Jobs

There’s an odd sense of vertigo when you see a face you recognize in a glossy magazine. Still, I shouldn’t have been surprised to see Abai Schulze confidently gazing at me from the magazine rack. In an economics class full of the standard George Washington University overachievers, she stood out. Even then she spoke about her twin passions of fashion and improving life in Ethiopia, the country of her birth.

That struck me as an odd pairing at the time. But not long after graduation, Schulze founded ZAAF, a premium leather goods and accessories collection handcrafted by artisans in Ethiopia. She’s one of a rising tide of African designers, such as Maki Oh from Nigeria, aAks from Ghana, among others.

Schultze recently turned 28 but started the business when she was 25. ZAAF brought in revenue of $160k last year and has 15 full-time employees and an additional 5-7 part-time employees depending on the season. They are based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. However, I wanted to know more about Schulze’s company. How did the company work? What was it like for a young woman born in Ethiopia but raised in the U.S. to start a company that would help people in her home country as well as make a profit? And, was it all too good to be true? Here’s what she had to say:

What have you learned from building a company at the young age of 25?

Abai Schulze [Founder and Creative Director at ZAAF]: It’s been an amazing rough and tumble adventure full of challenges. I’m lucky enough to have made mistakes that will serve me well for the future (where the stake will be greater) but in a context where missteps are not fatal for the endeavor. It’s also made it very clear that each and every entrepreneurial project I take on is very binary – I either go 120% or not at all. You shouldn’t be half-hearted about blazing a personal trail or endeavor.

Read more at Forbes.com »

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Related:
Tadias interview with Abai Schulze: Owner of Zaaf Collection, a Luxury Handbag Brand

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Reuters

ADDIS ABABA — Orthodox priests lit a bonfire in the heart of the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Monday evening to mark the eve of Meskel, a festival to mark the finding of the cross of Jesus.

Tens of thousands of people, many holding up candles in the failing light as the sun set, crowded on terraces around the square where the ceremony was led by the head of Ethiopia’s Christian Orthodox church, Patriarch Abune Mathias.

Dressed in his golden ceremonial robes, the patriarch delivered blessings to mark what the church believes was the discovery in the fourth century of the cross of Jesus by Queen Helena, the mother of Roman Emperor Constantine the Great.

According to tradition, in 326 AD, Helena had prayed for guidance to find the cross on which Jesus was crucified and was directed by smoke from a burning fire to the location. Ethiopian Orthodox Christians believe she lit torches to celebrate.

The celebration, in which hundreds or orthodox priests and deacons take part dressed in white robes, starts in the afternoon and ends after sunset, bringing the capital to a halt around its biggest square, which is called Meskel, the word for cross in the liturgical Ge’ez language.

Meskel festival at Meskel Square in Addis Ababa, September 26, 2016. (Photo REUTERS

Ethiopian Orthodox Priest holds a cross during the Meskel Festival at the Meskel Square in Addis Ababa, September 26, 2016. (Photo REUTERS)

The celebration has taken place in Addis Ababa since the city was founded more than 100 years ago.

Read more and see photos at Reuters.com »

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The Associated Press

Updated: Sep. 27, 2016

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) — A defensive Donald Trump gave Hillary Clinton plenty of fresh material for the next phase of her presidential campaign on Tuesday, choosing to publicly reopen and relitigate some her most damaging attacks.

The day after his first general election debate, Trump blamed the moderator, a bad microphone and anyone but himself for his performance. Next time, he threatened, he might get more personal and make a bigger political issue of former President Bill Clinton’s marital infidelities.

Things are already getting plenty personal. On Monday night, Trump brushed off Clinton’s debate claim that he’d once shamed a former Miss Universe winner for her weight. But then he dug deeper the next day — extending the controversy over what was one of his most negative debate night moments.

“She gained a massive amount of weight. It was a real problem. We had a real problem,” Trump told “Fox and Friends” about Alicia Machado, the 1996 winner of the pageant he once owned.

The comments were reminiscent of previous times when Trump has attacked private citizens in deeply personal terms. Earlier this month, he was interrupted by the pastor of a traditionally African-American church in Flint, Michigan, after breaking his agreement not to be political in his remarks. Though Trump abided by her wishes, he went after her the next morning on TV saying she was “a nervous mess” and that he thought “something was up.”

In July, Trump assailed the parents of Humayun Khan, a Muslim U.S. solider who was killed in Iraq in 2004, after the young man’s father spoke out against the Republican at the Democratic National Convention.

Trump’s latest comments about Machado were striking in that they came just as he was working to broaden his appeal among minority voters and women — key demographic groups he’s struggling to win.

Clinton aides on Tuesday that they’d laid a trap for Trump.

“He seemed unable to handle that big stage,” said Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta. “By the end, with kind of snorting and the water gulping and leaning on the lectern that he just seemed really out of gas.”

Clinton interrupted a discussion of foreign policy in the final moments of the debate to remind viewers that Trump had called Machado “Miss Piggy” and “Miss Housekeeping.” A video featuring Machado, a Clinton supporter, was released less than two hours after the debate finished.

Read more »

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Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Published: Monday, September 26th, 2016

New York (TADIAS) — The first presidential debate of this election season between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is scheduled to take place at Hofstra University in New York on Monday night, with approximately 100 million viewers expected to be watching.

“For Clinton, a veteran debater, one of her biggest challenges will be both to provoke Trump and avoid being provoked by him, while delivering an earnest and candid performance. And for Trump, who had uneven and at times explosive debate performances during the Republican primary, his first one-on-one debate presents a serious test of his ability to stay on script and keep his cool” CNN notes.

The high-stakes face-off between the two candidates could set the tone for the rest of the election season, according to Matthew Dallek of George Washington University who points out that “the first of the three debates, traditionally the most watched, comes at a potentially game-changing moment.” Dallek told VOA news that “right now the election is closer than a lot of people anticipated, and so it matters a great deal for both of them.”

George Mason University Associate Professor of Government Jeremy Mayer notes: “In a normal year, the debates are one of the only ways to move the needles after the conventions. They are the moment where more people tune in and watch. What a debate can do is give a candidate a second chance to make a different impression or cement a negative impression.”

Per NBC: The Hillary Clinton-Donald Trump debate on Monday night won’t just be an argument over different policy visions. It will also be a contest about whether policy details are important at all. It will feature one super-wonky candidate who sounds like she could run the Federal Reserve and her opponent, who often speaks like a pundit analyzing the campaign instead of a man who could soon lead the world’s most influential nation.”

Watch: Clinton and Trump: Countdown to First One-On-One Showdown

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Related:
5 things to watch at Monday night’s Clinton-Trump debate

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Michigan Radio WUOM FM

As part of our Songs from Studio East series we’re exploring music that combines both contemporary and traditional music from around the globe.

Today we meet Temesgen Hussein of East Lansing. He was born and raised in Ethiopia. And he’s one of just a few outside that country who plays the begena.

It’s used mainly in religious festivities almost exclusively, but Temesgen is breaking with tradition and introducing the begena to contemporary music.

The buzzing sound is what makes this harp unique. Not only does the begena sound different, it looks really different.

Read more at Michiganradio.org »

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Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Updated: Wednesday, September 21st, 2016

New York (TADIAS) — There is much to reflect on Ethiopia at the moment, and a collection of thought-provoking images from Addis Ababa to Gambella, Lalibela and Harar captured by a new generation of Ethiopian photographers will be on display at the 2016 Photoville exhibition in Brooklyn this week (from September 21st to 25th).

Photoville and United Photo Industries have announced that the participating artists from Ethiopia include Eyerusalem Adugna, whose collection of portraits taken in Lalibela entitled Faithfully celebrates Ethiopia’s ancient city, as well as Addis Ababa-based self-taught photographer Hilina Abebe’s Humans-in-exile exhibit features camps in Gambella, Western Ethiopia populated by South Sudanese refugees. In addition, photos from Addis by Instagrammer and Getty Images grant winner Girma Berta are featured under the Getty Images Instagram Grant section.

‘Faithfully’ taken in Lalibela by Eyerusalem Adugna

“I took these pictures in one of the biggest markets in the city of Lalibela,” says Eyerusalem Adugna. “As a fashion designer and photographer, I found people that visually caught my attention.” She adds: “I wanted to show colorful and stylish people in different ages. Basically, I was looking for fashion inspiration in the area, because people wear their best clothes when they go to the market.”

Photoville notes that “Eyerusalem Adugna was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She pursued her high school education in Ethio-Parents’ School and continued studying C.A.D.D in the States. Eyerusalem is currently a fashion designer. She realized her interest in photography during the past three years and has been working on building her knowledge since then. Eyerusalem enjoys photography because she wants to document history and use it as a form of artistic communication and expression. She has participated in photo exhibitions and competitions and also works as a freelance photographer.”

‘Humans-in-exile’ taken at a refugee camp in Gambella by Hilina Abebe

With “a background in journalism and communications, and a keen interest in society,” photographer Hilina Abebe “hopes to combine the two with photography to spark people’s interests. Hilina is inspired by the infinite potential of visual art and creativity. She strives to use the camera to tell stories that have social significance.”

“When war broke out in South Sudan in December 2013, hundreds of thousands of people fled to the unknown in neighboring countries,” Hilina Abebe says. “By April 2016, more than 280,000 people had taken shelter in refugee camps in Western Ethiopia. The majority are women and children.” Hilina recalls: “As I walked through one of the refugee camps in Gambella, the thing that struck me the most was how normal life seemed for everyone, how they carried themselves despite their status as “refugees” and their uncertain future. This work seeks to show the everyday life of those in exile — not as boxed-in refugees in a camp, but as human beings who thrive to live.”

Below are more photos by Hilina Abebe & Eyerusalem Adugna:

(Photos: Harrar by Eyerusalem Adugna)

Ankober town by Hilina Abebe

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You can learn more about the exhibition at www.photoville.com

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QUARTZ Africa

A life of discrimination and fear led an Ethiopian marathoner to protest on the world stage

At night, Feyisa Lilesa and his friends hid in the farms to evade the security forces who were arresting people across the country. As a 15-year-old growing up in Oromia region, Lilesa says he was always aware that many of his fellow citizens didn’t approve of the government’s treatment.

But the moment of awakening for him came in the days and weeks following the landmark May 2005 elections. Championed by the government as a genuine exercise in competitive elections, the vote involved multiple parties, not to mention the significantly enlarged space for political campaigning.

However, when the early outcome of the vote showed a huge lead from opposition groups, the government delayed finalizing the count and responded to protests with a heavy-handed approach. An independent study of the post-election violence by an Ethiopian judge showed the shooting, beating and strangling of almost 200 people, including 40 teenagers. The government also arbitrarily arrested protesters, with police records showing the detention of 20,000 people during the anti-government protests.

When Oromo citizens started demanding justice and demonstrating in Lilesa’s hometown in Jeldu district, the police came to arrest them en masse. Lilesa said that during the day they could be careful about their movements, but at night, under the cloak of the dark, they would go hiding among the unharvested crops.
“This all made an impression on me,” Lilesa told Quartz. “I realized no one was safe.”

On Aug. 21, on the last day of the 2016 Rio Olympics, Lilesa took the memory of those frightful teenage days on to the world stage. Inching closer towards the finish line, with his silver-medal win guaranteed and millions of people watching the televised 26.2 mile-race, Lilesa raised his arms and crossed them in an X, a gesture of solidarity with his people’s protest against Ethiopia’s government.

Feyisa Lilesa makes the crossed fists sign as he finishes in second place at the 2016 Rio Olympics on Aug. 21, 2016. (Photo: Reuters)

Read more »

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Related:
U.S. Congressman Chris Smith Calls Out Ethiopia Rights Abuses
Olympic Hero Feyisa Lilesa Calls on US to Push for Human Rights in Ethiopia
Joint letter to UN Human Rights Council on Ethiopia
US Ambassador to UN on ‘Excessive Use of Force’ Against Ethiopia Protesters

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New America Media

The U.S. Constitution: it’s a legalistic document that takes about a half-hour to read. Yet it changed the course of history, by encoding the basic principles and values that have managed to sustain our nation as a beacon burning bright for the world for more than two centuries.

Which is why U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) takes special pride in naturalizing new citizens – good people drawn by that beacon — during Constitution Week. These ceremonies are an appreciation of the historic connection to the roughly 4,500 words that these brand-new Americans just swore an oath to support and defend.

That includes the 14th Amendment which made it possible for them to even become Americans. The same sentence that granted citizenship to former slaves also answered a larger question of who is a citizen: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. … ”

During Constitution Week, USCIS honors two events: the anniversary of the signing of the Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787, and an observance that began in 1940 as “I Am an American Day” that we now call “Citizenship Day.”

At naturalization ceremonies across the country, new Americans will be reminded about the significance of our nation’s Constitution as they celebrate achieving their dreams of becoming United States citizens. Once they recite the Oath of Allegiance, they, too, will enjoy the rights and freedoms we share because of the strides our founders took to secure the “Blessings of Liberty” for all Americans. Our new fellow citizens will now become part of the journey as we continue to create a more perfect Union.

As we honor the importance of citizenship, we also celebrate the ideals enshrined in the Constitution. Those fundamental and enduring principles are as relevant today as they were more than 200 years ago, and have served to guide our nation as it has grown, prospered, and become a beacon of hope and opportunity for millions of people around the world.

Immigrants in the United States have always had a profound impact on our country and the world. They strengthen the fabric of our nation with their contributions to American society and prosperity.

Generations of immigrants have come to this country seeking a place where democracy is not just an ideal, but a reality; where opportunities are available for everyone, regardless of race, gender, religion or country of origin.

Deciding to become a U.S. citizen is a very important and deeply personal milestone in an immigrant’s life. Individuals must demonstrate a commitment to the unifying principles that bind us as Americans and, in return, will enjoy many of the rights and privileges that are fundamental to U.S. citizenship.

To help in that journey, we have launched new tools on our website, uscis.gov, to help our customers. Emma, our interactive virtual assistant, is ready to answer questions in English and Spanish. She will help customers navigate our website to ensure they find the information they need.

Our Citizenship Resource Center is a free, easy-to-use portal that helps users understand the naturalization process and gain the necessary skills to be successful during the naturalization interview and test. Learners, teachers and organizations can find information geared specifically to them, and the portal also provides information in Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese.

I’m also excited to share the civics practice test videos we have put on our YouTube channel to help customers better prepare for their naturalization test.

Each year we naturalize noncitizens who chose to defend their adopted country by joining the U.S. military. Noncitizen members of the U.S. armed forces and their families can find resources at www.uscis.gov/military.

We are a country built on immigration and by immigrants, as famously noted in Emma Lazarus’ poem, “The New Colossus” at the Statue of Liberty: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free… I lift my lamp beside the golden door.” As the director of USCIS, there is no greater honor than administering the Oath of Allegiance to new U.S. citizens. This week, let us remember and celebrate the importance of citizenship and the Constitution, which promotes “the general Welfare” and “Blessings of Liberty” to America and all of her people.

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For free educational tools and information about citizenship preparation, please visit uscis.gov/citizenship.

Related:
Watch: This is What America Looks Like: Tefere Gebre Helps Immigrants to Vote

Tefere Gebre: Don’t tell me I’m not American – The True story of my journey from Ethiopia to the U.S.
What Will the Next US President Mean for Africa?

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Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Published: Thursday, September 15th, 2016

New York (TADIAS) — Here comes a captivating publication shining a spotlight on the previously unexplored period of the public life of Ethiopia’s former Emperor Haile Selassie during his years as a refugee in Bath, England from 1936 to 1940. The book entitled Imperial Exile by Keith Bowers, a former executive producer for the BBC, will be released in the U.S. this month by Tsehai Publishers. “With the plight of refugees constantly in the news” this profile “is as timely as it is intriguing,” states the press release.

“Emperor Haile Selassie was forced to flee Ethiopia to escape the invading armies of the Italian fascist leader Benito Mussolini,” Tsehai Publishers notes. “Imperial Exile reveals the full depth of the debilitating struggles that all exiles face. It tells the story of how the emperor is nearly crushed by a myriad of financial, political and personal pressures before a sudden twist of good fortune intervenes. The book is packed with beguiling eyewitness anecdotes, supported by a range of rare and fascinating photographs of both Britain and Ethiopia.”

In his endorsement of the book historian Richard Pankhurst states: “The important period of the Emperor’s exile in Bath has not received much attention. This thoroughly researched book fills the gap.” Scholar Ian Campbell, author of The Plot to Kill Graziani, adds: “it is a must-read for anyone interested in the modern history of Ethiopia.” And British political commentator and writer Jonathan Dimbleby argues that the book “adds substantially to the story of this important and fascinating world figure.”

A book release is scheduled in Washington D.C. on September 22nd at the Library of Congress hosted by Tsehai Publishers with author Keith Bowers in attendance.

On his website Bowers shares: “I love both Bath and Ethiopia, places which are at the heart of Imperial Exile. I have lived in Bath since 2013 and enjoy exploring the nooks and crannies of the city on my bike as well as the exquisite surrounding countryside. My first trip to Ethiopia was in 2001 and I was instantly entranced by the country’s history, culture, music and cuisine. Before that I worked for the BBC for 20 years and started the Correspondent international TV programme.”

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If You Go:
Book release events for Imperial Exile

Date: Thursday, September 22nd, 2016 (12 noon-1pm)
Venue: The African & Middle Eastern Reading Room at the Library of Congress
Address: 101 Independence Ave SE, Washington, DC 20540

Date: Saturday, September 24th (3:00pm)
Venue: The Arta Ale restaurant
Address: 2310 Price Avenue
Silver Spring, MD
240-221-3349
info@ertaaleethiopianrestaurant.com

You can learn more and purchase the book at tsehaipublishers.com.

Related:
New Book on Triumph & Tragedy of Ethiopia’s Last Emperor Haile Selassie (TADIAS)

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Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Published: Tuesday, September 13th, 2016

New York (TADIAS) — Los Angeles, California, which is home to the only official Little-Ethiopia neighborhood in America, is also headquarters for Azla Vegan, a family-owned Ethiopian restaurant — located near the University of Southern California (USC) — that we first featured in 2013 in an interview with owner Nesanet Teshager Abegaze as it first opened. This week, Azla Vegan will be featured on the Food Network‘s television episode of “Cosmopolitan Comfort: Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives.”

Azla Mekonen and her daughter Nesanet Teshager Abegaze with Guy Fieri of Food Network at their family owned business Azla Vegan in Los Angeles. (Courtesy photo)

According to the Food Network the segment on Azla Vegan will air on Friday, September 16th and Saturday September 17th hosted by the show’s star Guy Fieri.

Food by Azla Vegan. (Photo by Kayla Reefer)

“This trip, Guy Fieri’s grabbing all kinds of cosmopolitan comfort food,” the Food Network announced. “In Los Angeles, a mother-daughter team dishing out authentic Ethiopian specialties.”

“In the summer of 2013, head chef Azla joined forces with her youngest daughter, Nesanet to open the first Ethiopian restaurant in South Los Angeles,” shares the restaurant’s website. “Azla’s culinary expertise and commitment to traditional wisdom is complemented by Nesanet’s extensive studies and work in the education, wellness, and marketing industries. Nesanet’s training in Biological Sciences at Stanford University and UCLA, her studies at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and yoga instructor certification greatly inform ingredient choices and food preparation techniques at Azla. In addition to serving delicious, nutrient dense food, the Azla team is committed to building community through arts and cultural programming, all while providing space for a return to the ceremonious nature of breaking bread with friends and family.”

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You can learn more about the show at www.foodnetwork.com and Azla Vegan at www.azlavegan.com. Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Soundcloud handles are @azlavegan.

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VOA News

Feyisa Lilesa, the Ethiopian silver medalist in the marathon at last month’s Rio Olympics, was in Washington this week, calling on the U.S. Congress to take action in solidarity with Ethiopians protesting their government.

“I know that Americans are peace-loving people. My people are also peace-loving people, but they have been denied peace for a very long time,” he said in his native Afaan Oromoo at a news conference Tuesday on Capitol Hill. “People are calling for the freedom, democracy that you have here. We want the same things, and I call on the U.S. government to urge the Ethiopian government to make sure that democracy prevails in Ethiopia.”

Lilesa gained worldwide attention when he crossed his wrists as a sign of protest as he approached the finish line during the Rio men’s marathon. He is Oromo and made the gesture in solidarity with Oromo protests that have occurred in Ethiopia since last November over issues including land rights and fair representation in the government.

U.S. Representatives Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican; Keith Ellison, a Minnesota Democrat; and Mike Coffman, a Colorado Republican, presented House Resolution 861, “Supporting Human Rights and Encouraging Inclusive Governance in Ethiopia,” during the news conference. The resolution calls on the government of Ethiopia to end the use of excessive force by security forces and investigate the killings and disturbances during protests in the Oromia and Amhara regions. It also urges the government to hold security forces accountable for wrongdoing through public proceedings.

Feyisa Lilesa of Ethiopia arrives at a news conference in Washington, DC, September 13, 2016. (Reuters)

Smith said he met with Prince Zeid Ra’ad Al-Hussein, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, in New York to discuss human rights issues in Ethiopia.

“He’s called for a major fact-finding effort where we could get to the bottom of people who are being killed, tortured, slaughtered in the streets, and then to hold the perpetrators of these crimes to account,” the lawmaker said.

Eleven civil society organizations have signed the resolution.

“It’s an effort to say to Ethiopia, ‘Yes, you’ve been friends and allies in the war on terror. You’ve got some very good things with regards to Somalia, but you are mistreating your own people and it’s time we spoke out,’ ” Smith said.

Since Lilesa made his gesture, other athletes have followed suit. Ebisa Ejigu crossed his arms in the Quebec City Marathon in Canada, and Tamiru Demisse, an Ethiopian paralympic runner, did the same as he won his silver medal in the men’s 1,500 meters for the visually impaired at the Paralympics in Rio.

Lilesa, in the U.S. on a temporary visa, said he was figuring out his future but was not seeking asylum in the U.S.

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Washington Post Interview With Feyisa Lilesa

Feyisa Lilesa said of his Olympic gesture: ‘It’s almost as if I opened the shutters and now people can know, people can hear.’ (Bill O’Leary/The Washington Post)

The Washington Post

September 13th, 2016

Marathoner Feyisa Lilesa packed his bags and left his wife and two children last month, with plans to post a blazing fast time at the Summer Olympics, earn a spot on the medal podium, bring attention to the plight of his people — and most likely never be able to return home.

“It was very hard to say good-bye,” said the Ethiopian long-distance runner, “but I also knew that it’s not harder than what people are going through in my country.”

Lilesa indeed won silver at the Rio de Janeiro Games and made international headlines when he approached the finish line with his wrists crossed, flashing an “X” symbol that the world soon learned was a bold protest against the treatment of his people by Ethiopian government. He has lived in limbo since, convinced that if he returned to Ethiopia he would be imprisoned or possibly killed.

After nearly three weeks of uncertainty, living covertly in a Rio hotel room, the 26-year-old finally left Brazil and arrived in Washington last week, a temporary stop en route to a new life, one in which he’s indefinitely separated from his family, constantly worried for their safety and thrust onto a global stage as a visible lightning rod for political dissent back in his native country.

“I think what I did is good so far because the government has shut off the people’s voices and no one knows about the fight,” Lilesa said Monday in an interview with The Washington Post through an interpreter. “It’s almost as if I opened the shutters and now people can know, people can hear.”

Read more at The Washington Post »

—
Related:
VOA Interview: Feyisa Lilesa Says Olympic Protest Was Planned
From Rio to America: Olympian Feyisa Lilesa’s Washington Post Op-Ed
Olympian Feyisa Lilesa Arrives in the U.S.
In Seattle, African Athletics Org Renames 5k Race ‘Feyisa Lilesa Heroic Run’
In Pictures: Feyisa Lilesa’s Daring Protest Reminiscent of 1968 Olympics
Over $100000 Raised For Ethiopian Olympian Runner
Medallist Feyisa Lilesa fails to return to Ethiopia after Olympics protest
Olympian Feyisa Lilesa Shows Solidarity With Protesters in Ethiopia at Rio Games
Ethiopia Says Protesting Marathoner to Be Welcomed as Hero, But Does He Want to Go?
Ethiopia ‘hero’ runner gets asylum donations after Oromo protest sign
Olympian Feyisa Lilesa Shows Solidarity With Protesters in Ethiopia at Rio Games »
Ethiopia Olympian Feyisa Lilesa Protests Government With Marathon Medal
Ethiopian Marathoner’s Protest Puts Him at Odds With His Government
Ethiopian runner makes protest sign as he crosses line in Rio
Rio 2016 Olympics: Genzebe Dibaba Takes Silver Medal in the Women’s 1,500 Meters
Rio 2016 Olympics: Etenesh Diro Advances to 3,000-Meter Steeplechase With 1 Shoe
Ethiopia’s First Gold at Rio Olympics: Almaz Ayana Smashes 10,000m Record
Ethiopia’s Olympic Swimmer Robel Kiros: Body Shaming & Questions of Nepotism
All Eyes on Brazil as 2016 Olympics Starts

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Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Published: Saturday, September 10th, 2016

New York (TADIAS) — In the new Ethiopian year we share our wish for peace, stability, freedom, progress and love for all our brothers and sisters. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, and hope the brightness of Ethiopia’s stunning landscape covered in Meskel flowers in this season uplifts spirits and reunites hearts and minds!

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Related:
17 Artists Cancel New Year Concerts Due to Protests
Unrest mars Ethiopia’s New Year, Eid parties

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Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Published: Friday, September 9th, 2016

New York (TADIAS) — Ethiopia-inspired furniture by U.S.-based Jomo Tariku, Founder of Jomo Design Furniture and Hamere Demissie of Actuel Urban Living will be featured at this year’s international Dubai Design Week festival in October.

According to the festival press release Jomo and Hamere’s works were selected as part of “design concepts from five international design weeks from across the globe, including Design Week Addis,” which brings to the event “the modern-inspired minimalist spirit of traditional Ethiopian design made locally by skilled artisans.”

Hamere Demissie’s Actuel Urban Living “will be previewing a collection of furniture, rugs and textiles with a refined organic feel, while Jomo Design Furniture will display a contemporary take on traditional African chairs crafted in hardwoods, inspired by African hand carvings, baskets and traditional woven textiles,” states the press release from Dubai Design Week.

Makeda armchair. Made of solid wood frame upholstered with the greatest care. (Photo: Actuel Urban Living)

The Founder of Design Week Addis Ababa, Metasebia Yoseph, adds: “As a newly created design week, we are looking forward to the exposure of being a part of Destination and joining the global conversation on design. The emerging design scene in Ethiopia is groundbreaking, and Dubai Design Week is the perfect platform to showcase the unique work coming out of the region to a design savvy global audience.”

Jomo’s products — which were highlighted in the Thames & Hudson publication entitled Contemporary Design Africa that was released in June 2015 — celebrate the traditional aesthetic of Ethiopian household items with modern design and artistic sensibilities. Jomo, who lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area, says his designs are available for licensing and could be manufactured for any potential large orders, adding that “the furniture pieces will look great inside one of the many lodges and hotels found all over Africa as well as any residences that want to have unique spaces.”

Ethiopian furniture by Jomo Design featured in the book “Contemporary Design Africa.” (Courtesy photo)

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Dubai Design Week is scheduled to take place October 24th-29th, 2016. You can learn more about the festival at www.dubaidesignweek.ae.

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VOA News

Cartoonists are having a ball with this election.

Trump’s bombast and Clinton’s caution put both candidates at the center of nearly every satirist’s jokes.

Both Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton are well-known to the public. Their campaigns are also fraught with scandal, secrets and vastly different ideas.

(Drawing by Politico Magazine Cartoonist Matt Wuerker)

“It’s easy to depict [Trump] as a 70-year-old balloon of bombast, topped by artificial-looking hair— colors that don’t exist in nature.” – Michael Cavna | Washington Post. (Drawing by Politico Magazine Cartoonist Matt Wuerker)

(Drawings by Ramses Morales Izquierdo | Cuba and Oleh Smal | Ukraine)

VOA spoke to Pulitzer Prize-winning POLITICO cartoonist Matt Wuerker and Washington Post’s “Comic Riffs” cartoonist Michael Cavna on how this cycle’s cartoons differ from previous elections.

Trump is no stranger to the limelight

His years in the real-estate business and reality TV made him a household name and the butt of many jokes.

Donald Trump’s signature phrases have evolved from his days on “The Apprentice” (“You’re fired!”) to the campaign trail (“It’s going to be huge!”). He is extremely recognizable with his orange-tinted skin and wispy blond hair.

VIDEO: Cavna on Trump’s unique hair and the art of the the comb-over

“It’s hard to satirize somebody who is already way out there. So Trump tests you that way.” – Matt Wuerker | POLITICO Cartoonist

Donald Trump presents a unique challenge for cartoonists. Since Trump already exaggerates the way he speaks and presents himself, cartoonists have to find original ways to portray him.

Cartoonists emphasize Trump’s physical appearance and portray him as attention-seeking, loud-mouthed bully.

Some international cartoonists have depicted Trump as Godzilla, a Ku Klux Klan member and even Adolf Hitler.

VIDEO: How cartoonists around the world see Trump

The Clinton Legacy

Hillary Clinton has been on cartoonists’ drawing boards for decades.

Before the campaign, she served as secretary of state, first lady and U.S. senator from New York.

Drawing ‘Two-Faced’ Hillary

Hillary Clinton’s years in the spotlight have helped damage her public image: her husband, former President Bill Clinton’s affair while in office; her failed presidential bid in 2008; a deadly attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, during her time as secretary of state; and, most recently, a scandal over her use of a private email server while at State.

For some, Clinton has a reputation of being dishonest, inauthentic and willing to do anything to become president.

Cartoonists emphasize Clinton’s political correctness and portray her as robotic, dishonest and pandering to the electorate to win the presidency.

VIDEO: Cavna on capturing Clinton’s exaggerated ambition

“A lot of people don’t realize that political cartoonists… fancy ourselves just as serious as a political columnist.” -Matt Wuerker | POLITICO

Cartoonists have targeted both candidates’ high poll ratings for “unlikeability.” They share a belief that the presidential election will come down to which of the two is disliked, or even hated, less.

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Join the conversation on Twitter and Facebook.

Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Published: Wednesday, September 7th, 2016

New York (TADIAS) — Recent works by Ethiopian designer Fikirte Addis, Founder & Creative Director of the Addis Ababa-based clothing line Yefikr Design, will be featured on September 10th during the New York Fashion Week Africa at Adiree Concept Store in downtown Manhattan.

Fikirte Addis, who is also a psychologist, “perfectly blends her love and passion for children and culture with creativity in her work,” Africa Fashion Week (AFW) notes. “Her label, Yefikir Design, celebrates urban Africa, featuring everyday wear in Ethiopia. Fikirte gets her inspiration from Ethiopian culture and the vibrant environment to reflect the everyday life of the people. She designs clothing from casual to wedding dresses mainly for women.”

Fikirte says she started designing in high school and launched her own company, Yefikir Design, in 2009. She states, “It is important for me not to lose the connection I have with my culture, just giving it a modern twist and bringing it to the international fashion arena.” Most of Fikirte’s fabrics are made from handspun cotton with design intended to provide comfort while maintaining top-tier style.

Photos: Fikirte Addis designs at Caribbean Fashion Week 2013. (Facebook)

Ethiopian Designer Fikirte Addis. (Courtesy photo/Facebook)

Africa Fashion Week adds: “Fikirte’s design aesthetic gently weaves between modern and traditional styles; using fabrics made by hand, assisted by a weaving machine, albeit producing clothing through century old techniques. Yefikr Design is mainly known for turning this fabric into tailor-made and fashionable designs without losing its cultural touch for the modern day woman..the Ethiopian designer is known for giving everyday cultural wear a modern twist.”

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If You Go:
NYFWAfrica featuring Designer Fikirte Addis
Saturday, September 10, 2016 from 3:30 PM to 8:30 PM (EDT)
Adiree Concept Store (SOHO)
104 Charlton St
between Hudson St and Greenwich St.
New York, NY 10014
Click here for Tickets
www.africafashionweekny.com

Related:
Video: Director of Africa Fashion Week in New York speaks to CNN:

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ThisWeek Community News

The welcome mat is out.

When the New Americans Festival takes place from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, at the North YMCA, 1640 Sandalwood Place, it will be as much a chance for “old Americans” to meet and greet their new neighbors as it will be for members of the many refugee and immigrant populations in central Ohio to showcase their cultures and backgrounds.

“This is our focus this year, to really get the American-born population out and dispel some myths about immigrants and refugees,” said Laura Berger, director for development for Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services, the host organization for the event.

“It’s through learning about your neighbor that we can come together and appreciate one another,” said Nadia Kasvin of US Together, a mutual-assistance agency she co-founded in 2003 that works to resettle immigrants.

“In our mission statement, the last two words are ‘for all,’ ” said Malik Wayne More, director of social responsibility for the YMCA of Central Ohio. “We know that if we’re not taking intentional efforts to welcome our newest Americans, then we’re probably not being ‘for all.’ ”

The New American Festival fills a cultural need for refugee and immigrant communities, according to the website of Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services, a nonprofit that assists this population.

According to the organization, learning a new language and culture and establishing a new life in the United States puts pressure on immigrants to assimilate, which puts them at risk of losing the traditions and cultures of their homelands. The New Americans Festival offers an opportunity to share these cultures with others.

Video: Members rehearse dance Aug. 31 in Columbus, preparing to perform at this year’s New Americans International Festival

Read more at Thisweeknews.com »

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Related:
This is What America Looks Like: Tefere Gebre, VP of AFL-CIO, Helps Immigrants to Vote

Tefere Gebre: Don’t tell me I’m not American – The True story of my journey from Ethiopia to the U.S.

Join the conversation on Twitter and Facebook.

Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Published: Wednesday, August 31st, 2016

New York (TADIAS) — Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie of Ethiopia along with US Congressman Rob Wittman of Virginia will be honored with the 2016 People of Distinction Humanitarian Award on September 13th. The founder of the annual award, Al Cole from CBS Radio, announced the ceremony will take place at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C.

Prince Ermias, who is the grandson of Ethiopia’s former Emperor Haile Selassie, is being recognized with this year’s award for his prolific non-profit activities including his role as a cultural ambassador and “patron of the Haile Selassie Fund for Children in Need, which continues to sponsor student scholarships,” states the news release from The People of Distinction Humanitarian Foundation (PDHF).

Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie speaking at The American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics (AIAA) event in Houston, Texas, December 2015. (Courtesy photo)

“In August 2011, Prince Ermias established the Water Initiative for Africa, which is designed to bring drinking water to the People of Africa. This has resulted in the development of a unique series of water purification units, The Argonaut Series, which totally eliminates 100% of all biological contaminants in water.” The press release adds: It is now deployed in Ethiopia, with trials of this system in the U.S., Australia, Thailand, and Ethiopia. Prince Ermias is currently a Senior Fellow at the International Strategic Studies Association (ISSA), and is a Recipient of ISSA’s Silver Star Award for Outstanding Contributions to Strategic Progress.”

Last winter The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) held a dinner event in Houston, Texas featuring a presentation on the earth observation and water initiative program launched by Prince Ermias whose work was also recognized with an AIAA award at the ceremony.

Per PDHF: “Prince Ermias received his education at Old Ride Preparatory School in England, and then at Haileybury College. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Studies (with an emphasis in Economics) from the University of California at Santa Barbara. From 1983 to 1985, he continued his education at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.”

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If You Go:
2016 People of Distinction Humanitarian Awards (PDHA)
September 13, 2016 (5:30pm-8pm)
Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C.
Tickets: $50 click here to buy via PayPal
Email: Awards@PeopleOfDistinction.org / Office: 508-669-6987
www.peopleofdistinction.org

Related:
Interview With Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie (TADIAS)
In Pictures: 50th Anniversary of Emperor Haile Selassie’s Historic Visit to Jamaica (TADIAS)

Under Pressure from Family Christie’s Skips Auction of Haile Selassie’s Watch
New Book on Triumph & Tragedy of Ethiopia’s Last Emperor Haile Selassie (TADIAS)

Join the conversation on Twitter and Facebook.

The Guardian

Meet the refugee campaigning against Trump: ‘This is what America looks like’

New York — Few of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s policies have divided voters like his views on immigration. And as his promises to deport undocumented workers and build a wall with Mexico come under ever greater scrutiny, one US labor union is fighting back.

Starting on Tuesday, AFL-CIO, the largest US federation of labor unions, will start airing ads on social media starring executive vice-president Tefere Gebre, to back up a mail campaign in battleground states about what it means to be an American and an immigrant. It’s unlikely to win over Trump or his supporters, but that’s not who Gebre or AFL-CIO is looking to reach.

Gebre describes himself as a quadruple threat in Trump’s world. “I happen to be a black man, a refugee, an immigrant and a labor leader,” he said. The dynamic of this election gives some people a sense that some things are more “American” than others and Gebre wants to correct that. “My belief is that no one is more American than I am. I thought that people need to hear that,” he said.

After escaping Ethiopia as a child, Gebre came to the US. In his role at the AFL-CIO he has traveled across the country sharing his experience. In addition to discussing racial and economic justice, Gebre helped lead the union’s effort to naturalize immigrants across the nation so, come November, they can go out and vote for the America that welcomes everyone.

In 2013, there were about 8.8 million legal permanent residents who were eligible to apply for US citizenship. According to Pew Research Center, applications for naturalization increased 13% between October 2015 and January 2016 with a quarter of a million immigrants applying to become citizens.

“We are processing hundreds of thousands of people to become citizens and go to the ballot box and, one way or another, tell Donald Trump what they think in response of what he thinks of them,” said Gebre.

Read more at The Guardian »

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Related:
Tefere Gebre: Don’t tell me I’m not American – The True story of my journey from Ethiopia to the U.S.
Hillary Torches Trump: He is ‘Taking Hate Groups Mainstream’
How Can America Recover From Donald Trump’s Hatred and Paranoia?
What Will the Next US President Mean for Africa?
GOP Flight From Trump Continues

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Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Published: Monday, August 29th, 2016

New York (TADIAS) — Ethiopian-born actress Ruth Negga has become the talk of Hollywood and Oscar mentions following her highly acclaimed performance in the new civil rights movie Loving, which depicts the 1967 historic U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized interracial marriage in a case called “Loving v. Virginia.” The film Loving is scheduled to be featured on opening night at the Austin Film Festival on October 13, 2016.

New York magazine’s Vulture.com gives an Oscar shoutout to the Ethiopian-born star for Best Actress noting “first-timers with the likeliest shot at a nomination are Ruth Negga, the Ethiopian-Irish actress who slays a practically nonverbal role in Loving using her big, empathetic eyes.”

Ruth, who is 34-years-old, was born in Addis Ababa in 1982, to an Ethiopian father (a medical doctor) and an Irish mother (a nurse) and lived in Ethiopia until the age of four when she moved to Ireland with her parents. Ruth’s father died three years later in a car accident when she was only seven-years old. Ruth grew-up in Limerick, Ireland and has resided in London for the past ten years.

“Ruth Negga’s recent rise is one of those 10-year overnight success stories,” The Hollywood Reporter declared this past Spring featuring an interview with Negga. They asked: “Why has it taken Hollywood so long to really discover you?”

“I have not been aggressive in my pursuit of being a star,” Ruth responded. “I’ve never had a plan. Maybe I need to be more aggressive, because it’s quite tough!”

Ruth’s new film is set to be featured on opening night at the Austim Film Festival on October 13, 2016. (photo credit: Goss.ie)

Ruth-Negga. (The Hollywood Reporter)

And “Your parents are in medicine. How did you become an actress?, The Hollywood Reporter followed up. “You know when you’re a kid and you get to pick a movie every Friday? I watched everything. There’s no particular genre that was appealing. I just loved the idea that you could dress up and play,” Ruth answered.

And this month The Wrap highlights Ruth Negga among 15 Fall Movie Stars Poised to Break Out, From Ruth Negga to Riz Ahmed (Photos).

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Related:
Ethiopian-born Actress Ruth Negga Gets Thumbs-up for Lead Role in ‘Loving’

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Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Published: Sunday, August 28th, 2016

New York (TADIAS) — A Seattle-based African community athletics association has renamed its annual 5k Race the ‘Feyisa Lilesa Heroic Run.’

The African Sports Federation (ASF) announced via social media on Saturday that the organization is dedicating its yearly competition to honor “the act of bravery by Feyisa Lilesa which took place in the Rio Olympics 2016.”

In a Facebook post ASF added: “As he was crossing the finish line of the Men’s Marathon, winning his silver medal he raised his arms over his head, wrists crossed in gesture of solidarity with protestors against the killings of the Oromo people in his home country of Ethiopia. Beyond that he explained he was protesting for people everywhere who have no freedom. That defining moment at the finish line will forever live on as a gesture that defended human dignity on one of the biggest stages in the world.”

Feyisa Lilesa held his arms over his head, wrists crossed, as he finished second at the Olympic marathon on Aug. 21st, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in a gesture of support for protesters in Ethiopia. (Photo: Reuters)

“ASF second annual 5k race will be named after Feyisa Lilesa, the Feyisa Lilesa Heroic Run,” the Sports Federation said. “Not only do we want to display our gratitude to Lilesa but we also want to encourage other athletes to stand up for what they believe in…The Feyisa Lilesa Heroic Race will take place during the championship game of the 2016 Seattle African Cup presented by African Sports Federation,” the announcement said.

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Related:
In Pictures: Feyisa Lilesa’s Daring Protest Reminiscent of 1968 Olympics
Over $100000 Raised For Ethiopian Olympian Runner
Medallist Feyisa Lilesa fails to return to Ethiopia after Olympics protest
Olympian Feyisa Lilesa Shows Solidarity With Protesters in Ethiopia at Rio Games
Ethiopia Says Protesting Marathoner to Be Welcomed as Hero, But Does He Want to Go?
Ethiopia ‘hero’ runner gets asylum donations after Oromo protest sign
Olympian Feyisa Lilesa Shows Solidarity With Protesters in Ethiopia at Rio Games »
Ethiopia Olympian Feyisa Lilesa Protests Government With Marathon Medal
Ethiopian Marathoner’s Protest Puts Him at Odds With His Government
Ethiopian runner makes protest sign as he crosses line in Rio
Rio 2016 Olympics: Genzebe Dibaba Takes Silver Medal in the Women’s 1,500 Meters
Rio 2016 Olympics: Etenesh Diro Advances to 3,000-Meter Steeplechase With 1 Shoe
Ethiopia’s First Gold at Rio Olympics: Almaz Ayana Smashes 10,000m Record
Ethiopia’s Olympic Swimmer Robel Kiros: Body Shaming & Questions of Nepotism

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Vogue

This weekend marks the 12th iteration of Afropunk Festival, an annual celebration of black music and culture that goes down in Brooklyn. Thanks to previous stars like Grace Jones and Lenny Kravitz, it has grown into a cultural tour de force, launching spin-offs in Paris, London, and Atlanta. This time around, Ice Cube, Janelle Monáe, and Tyler, The Creator will be headlining the event in Commodore Barry Park. As always, the two-day festival’s lineup is rich in established musicians, as well as exciting new ones. Not sure who to check out? We’ve put together a guide to a few of this year’s most vibrant acts, below.

Kelela

Kelela Mizanekristos is a singer-songwriter from Washington, D.C. After years of singing in jazz clubs and cafés, the first-generation Ethiopian-American earned a feverish fan base after releasing her first mixtape, Cut 4 Me, in 2013. Check out her avant-garde brand of dark pop–infused R&B on her contagious EP, Hallucinogen. Fans of FKA twigs will likely approve.

Read the full list at Vogue.com »

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Related:
Afropunk Brooklyn Festival 2016 Line-Up

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Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Published: Thursday, August 25th, 2016

New York (TADIAS) — Ethiopian American playwright Antu Yacob’s critically acclaimed play, Mourning Sun, has been selected to be performed at the 2016 Kampala International Theatre Festival in Uganda this coming November.

Mourning Sun, which premiered in New York last Fall, is set in Ethiopia as well as the U.S. and tells a love story between Ethiopian teenagers, Biftu and Abdi, which gets crudely interrupted by a forced arranged marriage resulting in Biftu becoming a fistula patient. Abdi finds refuge from his loss by getting himself immersed in a new culture in New York City, trying in vain to forget the past. Antu says the theatrical production is inspired by stories of various women that her physician sister shared with her while volunteering at the Addis Ababa Fistula hospital.

“Several years ago my sister, who is now a medical doctor, volunteered at the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia,” Antu recalls. “Hearing the devastating stories of the young women she encountered there, I realized any of one of those women could have easily been me. This realization hit me hard and I wanted to tell their stories, bringing awareness to those of us here in the United States.”

Antu who has launched an Indiegogo campaign to help cover airfare costs for her cast, which the Kampala International Theatre Festival does not include, says “my larger goal in writing the piece was eventually to present the piece throughout countries in Africa affected by the obstetric fistula epidemic. It is a dream of mine to present the play to women who are fistula survivors, for them to see their experiences acknowledged. Equally fulfilling is the idea of presenting it as an educational, and possibly preventative measure for those surrounding them. As artists, we would be given the chance to allow our art to reflect our deep care for the womens’ wellness and desire to eradicate this condition throughout the globe.”

“The play’s participation in the Kampala International Theatre Festival, an annual event that gives a platform to connect the East African theatre-making community as well as broaden the access to theatre and develop new audiences, would be the first step in connecting the imaginary world created in the play and the real life struggles and hope it reflects,” Antu adds.

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You can learn more and support the campaign at www.indiegogo.com.

Related:
In the Gray: A One Person Ethio-American Show by Playwright Antu Yacob

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BeFront

Julie Mehretu’s Work Among 5 Inspiring African Creatives

In celebrating woman’s month, we decided to put together a collection of inspirational designers and creatives, hailing from different corners of the continent. Each selection represents a category on our platform. All the women listed below are renowned in their own respect, propelling their creative agendas to staggering heights.

Julie Mehretu (Art) | Addis Ababa / New York

Julie is an Ethiopian-American abstract artist that creates architectural inspired layered patterns and prints that capture dense urban environments.

© Emmet Malmstrom

© Julie Mehretu

Mehretu was born in Addis Ababa. She received her MFA from Rhode Island School of Design in 1997. Mehretu’s paintings and drawings refer to elements of mapping and architecture, achieving a calligraphic complexity that resembles turbulent atmospheres and dense social networks. Her work conveys a layering and compression of time, space and place and a collapse of art historical references, from the dynamism of the Italian Futurists and the geometric abstraction of Malevich. Mehretu’s work is held in collections at the Museum of Modern Art.

Read the full article at Befrontmag.com »

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Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Published: Wednesday, August 17th, 2016

New York (TADIAS) — Genzebe Dibaba took the silver medal in the women’s 1,500 meters final at the 2016 Olympic games in Brazil on Tuesday.

Genzebe came in second in 4:10.27 following the winner Faith Kipyegon of Kenya who finished the race in 4:08.92. The bronze medal went to American Jenny Simpson who like Genzebe won the first-ever Olympic medal for her country in the 1,500 meters.

“The bell sounded for the last lap and Dibaba was chased by Kipyegon and Muir as the trio opened up a gap on the rest of the field,” IAAF reports. “Dibaba held pole position through 1200m, passed in 3:23.90, but Kipyegon was still close behind. Meanwhile, Hassan and USA’s Jenny Simpson set out in pursuit of the top three. Kipyegon took the lead with 200 metres remaining, while Hassan, Simpson and Shannon Rowbury had caught Muir on the top of the final bend. There was no catching Kipyegon, though, who was away and clear, the Kenyan crossing the line in 4:08.92 after covering the last lap in 58.79.”

IAAF notes: Both Dibaba and Simpson earned their respective countries’ first ever Olympic medals in the women’s 1500m.”

Last week, Genzebe’s elder sister Tirunesh Dibaba claimed the bronze medal in the women’s 10,000m — a race that was won by fellow teammate Almaz Ayana who broke the world record winning Ethiopia’s first gold at Rio Olympics.

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Related:
Rio 2016 Olympics: Etenesh Diro Advances to 3,000-Meter Steeplechase With 1 Shoe
Ethiopia’s First Gold at Rio Olympics: Almaz Ayana Smashes 10,000m Record
Ethiopia’s Olympic Swimmer Robel Kiros: Body Shaming & Questions of Nepotism

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Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Published: Tuesday, August 16th, 2016

New York (TADIAS) — The new documentary film “If Only I Were That Warrior” is coming to Dallas, Texas this month courtesy of the Global Alliance for Justice, which is hosting a screening on Thursday, August 25th at Angelika Film Center Dallas.

The movie chronicles the reactions of the international Ethiopian and Italian community regarding the recent building of a memorial for the Fascist General, Rodolfo Graziani (“The Butcher of Ethiopia”), in his hometown of Affile, Italy. While public funding for Graziani’s memorial was suspended by a new administration in Affile in 2013 the monument still remains standing.

Among the Ethiopian activists featured in the film include Dallas resident Kidane Alemayehu who was leading the anti-monument protest through his organization, the Global Alliance for Justice: The Ethiopian Cause. Kidane had also written a letter to Italy’s Foreign Minister regarding the objection against the building of the Graziani memorial.

Filmed in Amharic, English and Italian and shot on three continents the documentary also captures conversations with citizens and leaders of Affile, as well as Italian Americans and testimonies from Ethiopian elders who witnessed Graziani’s horrific war crimes in addition to the Ethiopian Diaspora’s mobilization against the memorial.

The goal of the documentary includes addressing “examples of revisionism like the monument itself” says Producer Isaak Liptzin, “which is only possible because there is such great ignorance on the topic in Italy, abroad and to a certain extent even in Ethiopia.” In an interview with Tadias this past May Liptzin added: “So the goal is really to bring this back into everybody’s mind and into the public discourse, not in a militant way but in a way that explains how this amnesia came to be.”

“80 years after the invasion of Ethiopia, the case of Affile challenges us to take a first step toward better understanding the past and sharing its burdens,” says Director Valerio Ciriaci who will be present for a Q&A at the Dallas screening. “My hope is that If Only I Were That Warrior can spark a dialogue about this common history — a dialogue we have avoided for too long.”

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If You Go:
Dallas Screening of If Only I Were That Warrior
Thursday, August 25 2016 @ 7:30pm–9:12pm
Angelika Dallas
5321 E Mockingbird Ln,
Dallas, Texas,
United States, 75206
(214) 841-4713
Click here to buy tickets

Related:
Tadias Interview with the Director & Producer of “If Only I Were That Warrior”

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Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Published: Friday: August 12th, 2016

New York (TADIAS) — 24-year-old Almaz Ayana won Ethiopia’s first gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on Friday breaking the world record in the women’s 10,000m.

“2015 world champion Vivian Cheruiyot finished more than 15 seconds after Ayana to earn the silver medal,” NBC Olympics reports. “Tirunesh Dibaba, the 2008 and 2012 Olympic champion, claimed the bronze medal.”

Following in the historic footsteps of Tirunesh Dibaba, Almaz is aiming to score a double victory in the 10000m and 5000m, and is on her way to writing her own Olympic history. She finished the race in Rio on Friday in a new world record time of 29 minutes, 17.45 seconds.

Almaz Ayana shattered the 10,000m world record in 29 minutes, 17.45 seconds at the 2016 Rio Olympic on Friday, August 12th, 2016. (AP photo)

Per NBC: “The women’s 10,000m was the first track and field medal event at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Dibaba’s younger sister, Genzebe, will race in the first round of the women’s 1500m tonight. The men’s 10,000m final will be held Saturday night.”

Read more and watch video at NBC Olympics.com »

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