HAZLETON, Pa. — When Ibiyinka Alao first moved to Hazleton from Nigeria a decade ago, he never thought he would have the opportunity to share his story to a room full of people.
“I find it hard to articulate myself, so right now, I have so many things to say because your life is a combination of your experiences as you travel around. So the mere fact that people think that I'm interesting enough, it makes me humbled,” he said.
The Hazleton Art League is hosting Alao's art exhibit throughout Black History Month, created to share his stories about growing up in Nigeria.
His goal is to show people his culture without having to put it in words.
“It unifies people despite language barriers or differences that may be there culturally,” said Yosara Gonzalez, Downtown Hazleton Alliance For Progress Director.
Alao has been recognized all over the world for his different mediums of art, winning awards, and being published in books.
This exhibit is called "My Fireflies," inspired by fireflies lighting up the night sky back home in Nigeria.
The exhibit has been transformed into a children's book called 'Ibyi's Fireflies,' and the real message is about.
“By just making friends, you can see you build community. People can come together, you can discuss what can be helpful to each other in the practice of art, and you can use that art to better your community,” Alao explained, showing that art can bring different cultures in communities together, which is the mission of the Hazleton Art League.
“Everybody can appreciate art, everybody can appreciate food, everybody can appreciate music without necessarily the whole cultural background,” Gonzalez added.
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