KASA hopes films will educate others

The Kent African Student Association will continue its efforts to educate students about African culture with its African Film Series event.

The event will feature African films that bring up issues such as “Darfur Now” and others that shed a positive light on African culture.

KASA has not yet selected its first film, but the Film Series will begin at 8 p.m., Feb. 11, in room 250 of Oscar Ritchie Hall.

Tristian Holmes, junior business management major and president of KASA, said he’s critical of the media’s portrayal of Africa.

“Their picture of Africa is very slanted,” Holmes said.

Holmes stressed the importance of painting the whole picture of Africa so students “can get a picture of how Africa is depicted by Africans.”

Holmes said the association expects to show films monthly, but the group has yet to reach a final decision.

Taiwo Adesina, vice president of KASA, said the event is “an opportunity to make education and entertainment one.”

Each film will give insight into African culture, Adesina said, in areas like family and social life, clothing, food and music. Discussions and question sessions will follow each movie.

Holmes said the Film Series is important because it’s consistent with KASA’s ideals, like the communication of Pan-African culture, which advocates a worldwide community of African natives and descendants.

Also important, Holmes said, is that the event educates students and improves their understanding of Africa through both the films and in-depth discussion.

“African films are very different from American, Hollywood-type films,” Adesina said. “There’s a lot of thought that goes into these movies in terms of critical thinking the audience has to do.”

Adesina said the idea came about last May, and planning went on throughout the Fall 2009 semester.

Though KASA is hosting the African Film Series, the idea came from the department of Pan-African studies, Holmes said. KASA’s programmer, Deyeatee Morris, got it from the department’s interim chairperson, Francis Dorsey.

“She was in contact with him, and he gave her the idea of the African film series,” Holmes said. Morris notified KASA and the group agreed to move on it.

“KASA is trying to program more (events) centered around social, cultural and intellectual themes,” Holmes said. “We also want to increase our outreach to students.”

Contact ethnic affairs reporter Aaron Kinney at

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