Writer Ruth Gebreyesus introduces four short films from The Diaspora Suite by filmmaker, DJ, and traveler Ephraim Asili. Created over the course of seven years, the suite is built around footage shot in American and international locations—from Harlem, Philadelphia, and Detroit to Ethiopia, Ghana, and Jamaica—each an important site within the African diaspora. Locating a shared geographical and historical lineage, The Diaspora Suite charts a movement from decoding to encoding, documenting and creating within the landscape.

Ruth Gebreyesus is a freelance writer and producer based in the Bay Area. Through stories across various mediums, Ruth explores the creation and consumption of cultural products. You can find her work in The Fader, Open Space, The Guardian, and SSENSE.