Richard

I got to see Italy through Africa when Richard (Nigeria) and I reunited in Pisa, Italy after more than two years since our initial meeting on Lampedusa island in April 2017. He whisked me through the crowds and we posed for a shot where we held up the famous leaning tower––an amazing and very fun day. In this conversation, he talks about testifying against his traffickers in Sicily, the asylum process, racism, and the meaning of the word “lapalapa,” the Nigerian slang term for the rubber boat that crosses the Mediterranean Sea. He now lives in Pisa, Italy with one-year papers awaiting work and the next steps for his documentation. Recorded in Pisa, October 2019.
Read Richard’s original journey story on the site––anche disponibile in italiano. His followup story and photo essay is forthcoming.
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© 2019 Pamela Kerpius