West Philadelphia is home to many Ethiopian immigrants and Ethiopian-owned businesses. On Saturday, Sept. 30, the Ethiopian Community Association of Greater Philadelphia, located at 44th and Chestnut, and other Ethiopian organizations in the city will celebrate Ethiopian Day with a day-long festival. The annual event will kick off at 11 a.m. and will feature live music, cultural shows, games and activities for children, food, and more.

Over 15 vendors and 20 organizations will participate in the festival and street fair. The event is free and open to the public. Chestnut street between 44th and 43rd streets will be closed during the festival, from approximately 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The mural “Ethiopian Garden” at 44th and Ludlow. (Photo West Philly Local)

New construction underway on the corner of 44th and Ludlow will cover up a striking mural honoring the Ethiopian community.

Artist Shira Walisky painted the mural, entitled Ethiopian Garden, along with a University of Pennsylvania class in consultation with the Ethiopian Community Association of Greater Philadelphia in 2006. It includes stunning and intricate patterns and images of doves. The mural faces a vacant lot at 17 S. 44th Street, which was purchased in October 20014 by a Norristown-based firm, according to city records. The city issued a construction permit for the lot, which is zoned mixed commercial and residential, on April 24 and work has begun on a residential building that will conceal the mural.

“It’s my favorite mural in the city,” said neighbor Veronica Slaght, who lives nearby on the 4400 block of Chestnut. “It would be a shame to lose it.”

Cathy Harris, the director of community murals at the city’s Mural Arts Program, said the city loses about three murals a year to construction. Usually when one is about to be destroyed or covered, they photograph it, notify the artist and, sometimes for iconic works, ask the developer for money to reproduce the mural if the community is interested.

“I’m sad to see this one go,” Harris said. “It’s really beautiful.”

The mural also includes mosaic tiles from artist Joe Brenman. Penn students helped out as part of the Urban Studies course class “Big Picture: Mural Art.”

– Mike Lyons

West Philly is home to many residents of Ethiopian heritage, with many Ethiopian businesses in the area and the Ethiopian Community Association of Greater Philadelphia located at 44th and Chestnut Streets. This Saturday, Sept. 27, the Ethiopian Community Association celebrates its 30th anniversary. Established in 1984 as a non-profit organization, it is the oldest African community organization in Pennsylvania, according to its board member Addisu Habte. The city of Philadelphia has also recognized September 27th as Ethiopian Day.

To mark the anniversary the Ethiopian Community Association is organizing an Ethiopian Day Festival (Facebook page) on Chestnut Street near 44th on Saturday. The festival will take place from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and 44th Street from Chestnut to Sansom will be closed during these hours for the event.

The Ethiopian Day celebration will include a cultural show, with live music by Ethiopian musicians (see flier), food and children’s games. Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell and the great Ethiopian filmmaker, Professor Haile Gerima, will speak at the event. Close to 700 people are expected to attend the festival.

Here’s the festival program:

11:00 a.m. – Opening speech
1:00 p.m. – Keynote speaker councilwoman Blackwell
1:30 p.m. – Keynote speaker Professor Haile Gerima
2:00 p.m. – Cultural show

UPDATE (2/3/2014): The photo above is from the check presentation event on Sunday, Feb. 2, courtesy of Addisu Habte.

Since the 1960s, Ethiopian immigrants have moved to Philadelphia, settling largely in West Philadelphia—one of the largest African communities in the Greater Philadelphia region. Today, West Philadelphia is home to over 10 Ethiopian restaurants, bars, and businesses, and is the epicenter of the Ethiopian Community Association of Greater Philadelphia.

Male returnees arriving at the Bole Int’l Airport Processing Centre. © IOM 2014 (Photo: Alemayehu Seifeselassie)

West Philadelphia’s Ethiopian community will come together this Sunday, Feb. 2, in an effort to raise awareness regarding the treatment and deportation of Ethiopian immigrants in Saudi Arabia. The event will take place at 3 p.m. in the headquarters of the Ethiopian Community Association of Greater Philadelphia, located at 4400 Chestnut Street.

According to the International Organization of Migration (IOM), over 150,000 Ethiopian immigrants have returned to Ethiopia since Saudi Arabia began deporting undocumented migrant workers as part of a “crackdown” on irregular migration in November. Since deportation efforts started, IOM has helped Ethiopian returnees with emergency medical assistance, post-arrival health assistance, psychological aid, food, transportation, essential items, and reintegration allowances. The organization is also working with the Ethiopian government to manage the influx of vulnerable migrants.

Addisu Habte, a local community organizer, told West Philly Local that the Philadelphia Ethiopian community raised over $23,000 in funds to contribute to the IOM in its efforts to provide assistance to deported immigrants. The Ethiopian Community Association will present a formal donation check to a representative of the U.S. Association for International Migration, which works in partnership with the IOM, on Sunday.

A presentation on the situation of assistance in Ethiopia and to Ethiopians returning from Saudi Arabia will also be given during the event.

–Annamarya Scaccia