Against a backdrop of Afrobeats and electric cheers, 29 models from The Organization of African Students stepped onto the runway. They pranced, twirled and posed. They maneuvered their garments to catch the gleam of the spotlight. And they carried objects, from clay pots to gold jewelry, that are symbolic of their roots. Their performance told a story of the memory of their ancestors, the cultural richness of the African continent and the unity of people across the African diaspora — the very “essence” of who they are.
This modeling show was at the heart of Africa Day, an annual production put on by OAS to celebrate African culture. Saturday's sold-out event featured a four-hour program of modeling scenes, dance performances and musical acts in the Newcomb Ballroom. The theme, “Essence: The Sankofa Journey,” centered reflections on African heritage and demonstrated the collective pride of Africans around the world.
Stephanie Sylla, treasurer of OAS and fourth-year Commerce student, said that Africa Day is a labor of love. She said that throughout the last six months of preparation, members of OAS grew close, working hard together to put their culture on grand display for the University community.
“[Africa Day] is a way for us to get together on one project and just celebrate who we are, celebrate the essence of us,” Sylla said. “It's a way for us to display it to our community, African or non-African.”
According to Sylla, this year’s celebration was the largest to date, both in terms of budget and participation. Africa Day was sponsored by the University Programs Council, the McIntire School of Commerce and the Honor Committee, among other donors. The event drew 350 attendees, including University students, OAS alumni and community members from across the DMV.
The modeling show, the hallmark of Africa Day, ran piece by piece throughout the evening. It opened with a display of 29 African flags, where each model unfurled one at the top of the runway. The three scenes that followed — “Unrefined,” “Rite of Passage” and “Soulaan” — took the audience on a journey from the African continent to America.
Onyii Eze, co-president of OAS and fourth-year Batten student, said that the modeling show embodied the “Sankofa” theme. She explained that “Sankofa,” a Ghanaian philosophy, says to retrieve the past and embrace the wisdom of ancestors. The scenes, which showcased narratives from across the diaspora, encouraged Africa Day attendees to reflect on who they are and where they come from — and stressed that it is not taboo to revisit forgotten histories.
“The Sankofa principle [says] sometimes, in order to move forward, you have to circle back to your origins,” Eze said. “This year, I feel like it's really a lot of looking back at ourselves, reflecting [on], ‘How did we get here? What really matters to us, who has influenced us and who have we been influencing?’”
During the modeling show, OAS models took to the runway with outfits, props and personality to tell the story of each scene. The first, “Unrefined,” drew attention to the richness and resourcefulness of Africa with representations of rubies, cobalt and gold. The second scene, “Rite of Passage,” told stories of the Middle Passage, demonstrating the difficulties of the journey and the preservation of African traditions. The last scene, “Soulaan,” celebrated the resilience and lasting legacy of African American culture, featuring fashion, accessories and music characteristic of Black culture in America.
According to Princess Wuraola Olubuse-Omisore, co-president of OAS and fourth-year College student, the “Soulaan” scene marked a new creative direction for Africa Day, as it included African Americans in the discourse about African culture. She said that collectively, the three scenes aimed to instill pride in students of all ancestral backgrounds, not just those with ties to the continent.
“We wanted to be able [to] really bring that togetherness together for the show, and just really touch on everyone Black — not only the African continent, but the entire diaspora,” Wuraola Olubuse-Omisore said. “It's a celebration for everyone.”
Throughout the evening, the modeling show was broken up by cinematic pieces, a performance from Afrobeat artist Temi, dances from the Ethiopian Eritrean Student Association Dancers and Afro-Hoos and crowd work from MC Philoo. During intermission, attendees also enjoyed a catered Nigerian dinner. All together, the evening’s festivities created an immersive experience that allowed attendees to feel the spirit of African culture.
Africa Day may only be one of the several events that OAS organizes every year. But for Sylla, Africa Day is uniquely representative of the mission of the organization as a whole — to foster community among African students at the University and invite non-Africans to learn more about African culture.
“The Organization of African Students is a family. It's a way for us to stay connected to the continent, even though most of us were born here,” Sylla said. “It's a way for us to … debunk a lot of the stereotypes [that] have been made around Africa, revitalize the image of the continent and just honestly show our pride.”
According to Sylla, although this year’s Africa Day was perhaps the most successful in OAS history, OAS hopes to make the event even larger in the years to come. Sylla said that she especially hopes that OAS will draw a more diverse Africa Day audience in the future so more of the community can share their joy.
“We continue to scale, continue to make it bigger and better, and then have more people come. I would love to see a diverse group of people come to Africa Day next year when I come back as [an alumna],” Sylla said. “This is for everyone. It's not just for Africans.”
For now, Africa Day attendees and OAS members are left with recollections of Saturday’s event, from the bright patterned fabrics onstage to the joyful energy in the crowd. Eze said she hopes that everyone who participated in Africa Day walked away from the event with a sense of pride and a deeper understanding of what it means to be African.
“[We’re] trying to spotlight the togetherness of what it means to be Black, even more what it means to be Black in America,” Eze said. “We're trying to really instill that community pride and making sure that no matter what other people tell us, we do have culture, we have history and we should be proud of it.”
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