This week, our mic and lens are aimed at Harlem in New York City, by way of Dakar, Senegal. Artist, designer, and experiential creator, Fallou Wadje, whose practice spans mural work, set and scene decoration, tapestry, art installation, fashion and wardrobe styling, digital art, illustration, and full-scale event design shares how the streets of New York found her as a muse and vice versa. Her creative identity is rooted in Baayfall, a spiritual and cultural lineage of self-discovery and elevation passed down from her great-grandfather, Maam Cheikh Ibrahima Fall and it shows up in her work as vibrant, healing-driven visual storytelling.

After moving to the U.S. in 2013 to pursue a graduate studies in finance, Fallou chose to heed her inner voice, which she believes is the guiding spirit of her ancestors. This calling led her to embrace her passion for art and fashion, inspiring her to create a beautiful language of expression through her work.

Her artistic vision manifests in everything she touches, transforming everyday experiences into art. Starting her journey as a street vendor with one table, she has grown her business to include six tables and operated her first storefront on 125th street in Harlem, where she sells custom hats, prints, airbrushed shirts, and African accessories.

The pandemic forced her to close her storefront and redesigned her home to a art studio of creativity and receiving clients until 2025. This week, Fallou's new creative space, Kawsara (Source of Greatness), will host its first open house showcasing both her studio and a welcoming environment for those interested in her art. As a talented fashion designer and Harlem artist, continues to bridge the physical with the otherworldly through her unforgettable works. Check out our tour of her studio on YouTube in the coming weeks!

Where to find Fallou?
At her Kasarwa Open House Saturday, November 7th
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
On Artsy
On Facebook

What’s Fallou reading?
The Prophet Moses

What’s Fallou listening to?
Isaia Huron

Other topics of interest:
Senegal, the land of Teranga
What’s an Outdooring in Ghana?
More about Hamilton Heights and Sugar Hill in New York City
About Amadou Bamba, founder of the Mouride brotherhood
About Fallou’s great grand-father, Maam Cheikh Ibrahima Fall
Jordan Casteel’s The BaayFalls on the High Line
When is World Children’s Day
About Iesha Sekou and Street Corner Resources

Special Guest: Fallou Wadje.

A native New Yorker by way of Panama, Jamaica, and Virginia, Tai’s life story is filled with a history of progressive stands. From his mother’s family being among those that contributed to the suit that integrated schools across the United States—Brown vs. The Board of Education of Topeka to his father’s influential network of academics and thought leaders, his craft was in the making for his entire upbringing—without him necessarily knowing it. #Listenandlearn more!

Where to find Tai?
https://taiallen.com/
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
On Facebook
On YouTube
On Soundcloud

Other topics of interest:
About Yonkers, New York
Perspective on Jamaican Migration to Panama
About Colón and Panama City in Panama
About Saint Ann and Saint Elizabeth Jamaica
The Maroons of Jamaica
How Scots became a presence in Jamaica…
Flyght Tyme, the band
About Tai’s connection to Roots Author, Alex Palmer Haley and Palmer Family Ancestry
The Five Cases that lead to Brown v. Board
About recently shuttered community hotspot, The Brooklyn Moon Cafe and Michael Thompson
What was Real Player?
The Last Poets
Amiri Baraka
Yosef Ben-Jochannan “Dr. Ben”
About Leonard Jeffries
Who is Chi Ossé?
Revisit Anna Malaika Tubbs on Glocal Citizens
CBC - Congressional Black Caucus
What’s happening in policy in Utah?
A timeline of policing, law enforcement and resistance in the US

Special Guest: Tai Allen.

A native New Yorker by way of Panama, Jamaica, and Virginia, Tai’s life story is filled with a history of progressive stands. From his mother’s family being among those that contributed to the suit that integrated schools across the United States—Brown vs. The Board of Education of Topeka to his father’s influential network of academics and thought leaders, his craft was in the making for his entire upbringing—without him necessarily knowing it. #Listenandlearn more!

Where to find Tai?
https://taiallen.com/
On LinkedIn
On Instagram
On Facebook
On YouTube
On Soundcloud

Other topics of interest:
About Yonkers, New York
Perspective on Jamaican Migration to Panama
About Colón and Panama City in Panama
About Saint Ann and Saint Elizabeth Jamaica
The Maroons of Jamaica
How Scots became a presence in Jamaica…
Flyght Tyme, the band
About Tai’s connection to Roots Author, Alex Palmer Haley and Palmer Family Ancestry
The Five Cases that lead to Brown v. Board
About recently shuttered community hotspot, The Brooklyn Moon Cafe and Michael Thompson
What was Real Player?
The Last Poets
Amiri Baraka
Yosef Ben-Jochannan “Dr. Ben”
About Leonard Jeffries
Who is Chi Ossé?
Revisit Anna Malaika Tubbs on Glocal Citizens
CBC - Congressional Black Caucus
What’s happening in policy in Utah?
A timeline of policing, law enforcement and resistance in the US

Special Guest: Tai Allen.

I met Elike Kofi Nkansa, a multifaceted creative with a background in literature and art with a keen interest in fine detailng, one afternoon at a place called the Green Butterfly Market in Accra. He was seated in front of a beautiful portrait tapestry which I eventually purchased after visiting his flagship boutique and seeing a sampling of his portfolio. He trained as an architect and is the designer for his fashion brand, Elike Clothing which has become a household name, particularly in Ghana, and he has clothed many eminent personalites. He is currently costumier for three-time Grammy nominated artiste Rocky Dawuni.
Elike was selected amongst 14 other garment manufacturers in Ghana to spearhead an effort in mass production under AGOA--African Growth and Opportunities Act, through which his enterprise gained the requisite training to engage in mass apparel and textile production. His brand is minimalist afrocentric and heavily inclined in technically and functionally artistic design.
He mentors young artisans in the fashion industry helping to release fresh creativity into the fashion space. Through his art he hopes to forge closer bonds of peace and kinship between peoples wilst empowering women and youth.

Where to find Elike?
www.elikeclothing.com
On Facebook
What’s Elike reading?
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
Works by Robert Greene

What’s Elike watching?
Guest Who’s Coming to Dinner
Kramer vs. Kramer

Other topics of interest:
Leklebi Dafor
Coffee and Togo
About the game Chaskele
RIBA - Royal Institute of British Architects
Ghana Institute of Architects
About technical pens
About the Peugot 504
About Ricci Osei and son, Reggie Rockstone
About UT Bank’s Kofi Amoabeng
William Blake’s The Chimney Sweeper
About Ambassador D.K Osei

Special Guest: Elike Nkansa.

I met Elike Kofi Nkansa, a multifaceted creative with a background in literature and art with a keen interest in fine detailng, one afternoon at a place called the Green Butterfly Market in Accra. He was seated in front of a beautiful portrait tapestry which I eventually purchased after visiting his flagship boutique and seeing a sampling of his portfolio. He trained as an architect and is the designer for his fashion brand, Elike Clothing which has become a household name, particularly in Ghana, and he has clothed many eminent personalites. He is currently costumier for three-time Grammy nominated artiste Rocky Dawuni.
Elike was selected amongst 14 other garment manufacturers in Ghana to spearhead an effort in mass production under AGOA--African Growth and Opportunities Act, through which his enterprise gained the requisite training to engage in mass apparel and textile production. His brand is minimalist afrocentric and heavily inclined in technically and functionally artistic design.
He mentors young artisans in the fashion industry helping to release fresh creativity into the fashion space. Through his art he hopes to forge closer bonds of peace and kinship between peoples wilst empowering women and youth.

Where to find Elike?
www.elikeclothing.com
On Facebook
What’s Elike reading?
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
Works by Robert Greene

What’s Elike watching?
Guest Who’s Coming to Dinner
Kramer vs. Kramer

Other topics of interest:
Leklebi Dafor
Coffee and Togo
About the game Chaskele
RIBA - Royal Institute of British Architects
Ghana Institute of Architects
About technical pens
About the Peugot 504
About Ricci Osei and son, Reggie Rockstone
About UT Bank’s Kofi Amoabeng
William Blake’s The Chimney Sweeper
About Ambassador D.K Osei

Special Guest: Elike Nkansa.

We’re back in East Africa by way of Washington D.C. for this two part conversation with singer, songwriter, music producer and designer, Kenny Allen. Kenny is a singer/songwriter/music producer and has travelled the world performing and recording music with acts like Meshell Ndegeocello and Raheem DeVaughn. In 2005, he was given a six month contract to perform at Addis Ababa’s Harlem Jazz club which proved to be life changing. More than a decade later, Kenny is a resident of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and has become a fixture in the country’s media and entertainment scene, including a successful stint hosting a prime time radio show on the first English Radio station, and acting in film and TV productions. He has released seven independent albums. His new album, More Love Now is soulful, world music inspired, lyrically mature, and stylistically journeyed.

Where to find Kenny?

• On Bandcamp
• On Facebook
• On YouTube
• On Instagram

What’s Kenny reading?

• The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera
• The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
• Father of the Tuskegee Airmen, John C. Robinson by Phillip Thomas Tucker

Other topics of interest—

• Grammy nominated singer Wayna
• Africans in the Czech Republic
• Revisit Episodes 29 and 30 with Yana Fleming

Special Guest: Kenny Allen.

We’re back in East Africa by way of Washington D.C. for this two part conversation with singer, songwriter, music producer and designer, Kenny Allen. Kenny is a singer/songwriter/music producer and has travelled the world performing and recording music with acts like Meshell Ndegeocello and Raheem DeVaughn. In 2005, he was given a six month contract to perform at Addis Ababa’s Harlem Jazz club which proved to be life changing. More than a decade later, Kenny is a resident of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and has become a fixture in the country’s media and entertainment scene, including a successful stint hosting a prime time radio show on the first English Radio station, and acting in film and TV productions. He has released seven independent albums. His new album, More Love Now is soulful, world music inspired, lyrically mature, and stylistically journeyed.

Where to find Kenny?

• On Bandcamp
• On Facebook
• On YouTube
• On Instagram

What’s Kenny reading?

• The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera
• The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
• Father of the Tuskegee Airmen, John C. Robinson by Phillip Thomas Tucker

Other topics of interest—

• Grammy nominated singer Wayna
• Africans in the Czech Republic
• Revisit Episodes 29 and 30 with Yana Fleming

Special Guest: Kenny Allen.