JUMP BALL: THE AFRICAN DIASPORA STORY

CONFLICT

We noticed a cultural disconnect within the African diaspora relating to basketball. There was a lack of stories regarding athletes growing up as cultural hybrids (first-generation Africans), and we needed to create a perspective that offered more insight about their upbringings.

Jump Ball: Mighty Migration (Cultural Storytelling)

MANCHESTER

In the third installment of Jump Ball, Mighty Migration, Sunday School continued to dive into the ethos of the African Diaspora and its connections to the game of basketball. Jump Ball landed in an unassuming place to some, Manchester, New Hampshire. Manchester is the home and community for many South Sudanese immigrants in the United States, including the Gabriel family.

Click Here For Visual Summary and Q & A Interview

Photography: Joshua Kissi - Videography: Samuel Pierre - Creative Direction: Josef Adamu - Production: Andrew Somuah, Malik Sulieman

Jump Ball: (Cultural Storytelling)

NEW YORK

Following the Toronto story, we travelled to New York to expand the series in Little Senegal also known as Harlem. The story involved basketball players from 6 different nations as we aimed to learn more about their cultural upbringings, their love for the game, while expanding on our story. The nations presented were Gambia, Ivory Coast, Mali, South Sudan, Guinea, and Senegal.

Photography: Joshua Kissi - Videography: Emmanuel Afolabi - Creative Direction: Josef Adamu - Production: Josef, Malik Sulieman, Andrew Somuah - Graphic Design by EZM.

Jump Ball: (Cultural Storytelling)

TORONTO

We developed a concept named Jump Ball that allowed us to collaborate with creatives, athletes, and storytellers, to document the cultural blends between basketball and African traditions. We gathered research and scouted teams of athletes starting in Toronto. The visual story in Toronto highlighted various African nations with large a presence in the city such as Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, Somalia, Ethiopia, and Congo. The project featured clothing that represented their native land and/or religions, with a westernized twist. (See below)

Photography: O’shane Howard - Creative Direction: Josef Adamu - Graphic Design by EZM.

RESULTS

The project has been a success thus far. Many people from various nations feel proudly represented, more informed about other cultures, more educated on the influence of basketball, and captivated by personal upbringings. The reception via social media has been remarkable, with features in Vogue Italia, CNN Africa, etc. Stay tuned, as we plan to expand this story in to different communities.