Listening to Black Lives 
Tuesday, October 20, 2015, 15:01 - Project News
For those of you who missed my three part series about the experiences of people of African descent in Germany and Poland that aired on KSFR’s Here and There with Dave Marash you’re in luck! You can now listen to all three programs.



Click here to listen to my report about West Germany.

Click here to listen to my report about East Germany.

Click here to listen to my report about Poland.

Each story is accompanied by a discussion with the legendary Dave Marash through which we dig deeper into the issues raised in each report. Thanks for listening!
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Poland For Poles 
Thursday, October 8, 2015, 16:31 - Project News
Tonight the third and final radio documentary piece, this time focusing on the lives and experiences of people of African descent in Poland airs at 7:05pm Eastern time on ksfr.org.



"As a child there were some times that I just wanted to be white and normal… I just wanted to be and have all this problem go away just be accepted by the rest of the kids.” -Damian Abushe, Afro-Polish hacktavist.

You can find podcasts of the three part series here: http://hereandtherewithdavemarash.libsyn.com/
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East Is East 
Wednesday, October 7, 2015, 15:35 - Project News
Part two of my three part radio documentary series airs on KSFR.org at 7:05pm Eastern Time on Here and There with Dave Marash. Today we’ll hear the stories of people of African descent who grew up under Communist Rule in East Germany. Unlike in West Germany, where the influence of American soldiers was widely felt, in East Germany it was the thousands of students brought from Africa to study that laid the basis for that nation’s Afro-German population.



“Sometimes I felt something without being aware of what it was exactly. I thought it depended on my color somehow but because it was a socialist or a kind of communist country and it was said that everybody is treated equal and there is no racism and there is no discrimination at all… It was more or less not allowed this kind of feelings. It was even problematic to talk to my mother about this,” Aminata Cisse Schleicher told me.
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The Lives of Black Folks 
Monday, October 5, 2015, 14:32 - Project News


Today the first of these three documentaries airs of KSFR Santa Fe on Here and There, hosted by Dave Marash at 5:05 p.m. Mountain Time/7:05 p.m. Eastern Time and you'll be able to listen to the podcast of each show here. Following each of the documentaries Dave and I talk about what I found and expand upon the profound stories that each of my interview subjects shared. In total I interviewed over three dozen people for these reports and while many people's stories didn't make it to air I know I learned from everyone I spoke to and I thank them deeply.



Thomas Hurst for example spoke about the mental health impact of growing up biracial in Germany had on him.

"I believe there is some post traumatic stress syndrome as a part of growing up in Germany. You never know if you can go through the day without any racism. I really believe I do have some mental problems a part of racism."



Fashion designer Tanja Herring spoke about a multi-generational struggle for acceptance.

"I would say I'm nation-less. The Blacks don't really accept you because you're too light and the white people say 'no you're too dark for us'…. You always feel kind of lonely."

These are just a few of the stories you'll hear today. I look forward to hearing your thoughts!
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The Great Debate 
Monday, May 11, 2015, 07:34 - Project News
Buncrana, Ireland

We had a great discussion on Saturday about the future of Europe and Ireland's place it in.



I'm grateful to MEP Marian Harkin and Artlink’s Declan Sheehan and Damian Dowds, editor of the Inishowen Independent who moderated the discussion.


For me this discussion was an important opportunity to use art as a starting point for an important conversation. We attracted many people who otherwise would not have come to the gallery which is a wonderful thing.

You can listen to the discussion here.

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The Europeans Now on View in Ireland 
Monday, May 4, 2015, 07:28 - Travel, Project News, Events
Buncrana, Ireland

If you happen to be in Donegal this month come up to Fort Dunree and see my latest exhibition which is on view through the end of May.



We're also having a panel discussion about the future of Europe and Ireland's place in it on Saturday May 9th.


So I hope you can make it to see the show or to our discussion!


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And They Called Themselves The Europeans Video 
Friday, December 26, 2014, 16:30 - Project News


I know most of you couldn’t make it to Switzerland to see my multimedia installation And They Called Themselves The Europeans. So I created a short video to give you a sense of what it was like.

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Back in BCN! 
Saturday, November 15, 2014, 14:12 - Project News, Photo of the Day
Barcelona



After a long recovery since donating a kidney in August I find myself back in Barcelona! I'm working on a few things Europeans related as well as editing more images so stay tuned!


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New Media 
Monday, October 6, 2014, 16:07 - Project News
Many of you read the profiles I created during my fellowship with the French-American Foundation. Now is your chance to hear some of the voices of those I profiled as well in a short multimedia piece I created.


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On The Air 
Wednesday, September 17, 2014, 16:04 - Project News
Recently my interview with the legendary Dave Marash aired on KUNM. We had a wide ranging discussion which centered around immigration in Europe and my work on The Europeans. If you’d like to hear it just visit this link: http://hereandtherewithdavemarash.libsy ... ela-diaz

and click on the POD icon or click here


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Goodbye and Hello! 
Friday, June 13, 2014, 17:34 - Project News


It has been a lot of fun to spend time in Switzerland but now it is time to return to Barcelona!


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A Great Show! 
Wednesday, April 16, 2014, 10:14 - Project News
Thanks to everyone who came to the opening!







This was my first outdoor public installation work and I am happy to have shared it with you!





It gave me a chance to incorporate some of the field audio and interviews I have recorded over the years. If you didn't make it to the opening the show is up for a bit so come by!
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Exhibition in Switzerland! 
Thursday, April 10, 2014, 10:10 - Project News
I hope that you can come to my exhibition here in Uster on the 15th of April!



And They Called Themselves The Europeans
A Multimedia Installation
10 March – 22 May 2014
Reception 15 April at 19:00
Poststrasse 3-5
Uster 8610
Switzerland


And They Called Themselves The Europeans is the outdoor multimedia installation by AKKU (http://www.akkuuster.ch/) artist in residence Damaso Reyes currently on display in Uster through the 22nd of May. The installation consists of two separate but interrelated pieces: Some Europeans is a 30 minute projection featuring over sixty black and white photographs taken throughout Europe over the course of eight years. A Day In The Life Of Europe is a 60 minute audio piece comprised of ambient sound, music and interviews collected by the artist during his travels in Europe. Spoken languages in the piece include English, German, Spanish, Catalan, Turkish, French and Ukrainian.

The installation is a glimpse of Reyes' ongoing photographic documentary project The Europeans which is exploring how Europe and its people are changing as the European Union expands and integrates. Begun in 2005 the project seeks to question and expand the definition of who is a European as well as how Europeans see themselves and each other.

Through the sounds and images in this installation visitors have an opportunity to visit places and hear the voices of people they would otherwise never encounter. From a Catalan independence demonstration in Barcelona to a worship service of Pentecostal Christians in Kiev And They Called Themselves The Europeans offers a unique visual and aural perspective on the transformations taking place across the continent. Through the images presented we see the faces of Europe from immigrants and asylum seekers to politicians and soldiers. In this work Reyes takes us on a visual exploration of Europe in distinctly human terms. By listening to the audio we hear the stories of both immigrants and their children as well as the sounds of nature and celebration. Though the works run simultaneously the sounds and images are not directly linked which allows for interesting conflations as the two pieces loop throughout the day and night.
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Hello From Switerland! 
Sunday, February 16, 2014, 09:59 - Travel, Project News
Uster, Switzerland

Greetings from Switzerland. I'm just outside of Zurich where I am serving at the AKKU artist in residence!


It should be an interesting stay!
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A Diamond in the Rough 
Wednesday, November 27, 2013, 15:00 - Project News, Photo of the Day


Jülide Yaşar Soncu grew up in France but moved to Istanbul and started a small business. “I didn’t want to live in a country that doesn’t give equality of chance,” Jülide recalls of what began motivating her to look beyond France.


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