“Immigration is very weird; I’ve watched people get deported”
In this conversation with FunTimes, Joseph pushes you to confront a deeper question: Can you ever feel truly free or at home in a country that isn’t yours, and what emotional cost are immigrants willing to pay for stability and opportunity?
Thank-you note to the Bridge to Freedom team
FunTimes Magazine launched the Oral History Diaspora Advisory Council on October 1, 2025, at the Nigeria Flag Raising Ceremony in Philadelphia. We chose that day and that setting with intent.
A Look at Congolese Fashion Brands
Across the country, contemporary designers are taking that historic love of style and pushing it in new directions. They are experimenting with tailoring, patchwork, traditional textiles, contemporary streetwear, couture and artisanal techniques.
Black Women Making Waves at the 2026 U.S. Open
From Coco Gauff, a defending champion, finding her spark again, to four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka, using her outfit to pay tribute to Philadelphia, Black women are making this year’s US Open worth watching, and there is plenty to celebrate.
Fired Up For September!
Summer is nearly out the door. But September, brimming with endless events, will save the day. From block parties to wine tastings, it is time to savor summer until the last sip. Cheers!
How Black Activists are Fighting Food Insecurity in Philadelphia.
One organizer running a Philly fridge put it about as plainly as it gets: “It’s not a homeless thing, it’s a people thing.”
A Black Philadelphian’s Guide to Labor Day Weekend
For Black Philadelphians, Labor Day weekend works overtime. It is the unofficial end of summer, sure, but it is also a homecoming and a history lesson, served on a paper plate with extra sauce on the side.
“I love Nigeria, but there’s nothing to come back to”
For Ejiro, who moved to the UK with his family in 2022, relocation was partly about hope for a better future. He spoke to FunTimes about why he left Nigeria, what surprised him about the UK and the mistakes he believes many Nigerians make when they first arrive.
African Independence Days in September and the Stories Behind Them
Starting in September and running through December, an unbroken wave of African nations mark the day they told a colonizer to leave. That happens to line up with our fall almost perfectly. So let’s walk through it, the way you would walk a cousin through a family tree they didn’t know they had.
Why Traditional African Craft Is Fashion’s Defining Trend in 2026
As consumers become more interested in authenticity, sustainability, craftsmanship and the stories behind what they wear, the qualities once considered limitations of handmade fashion are becoming its greatest strengths.