Michael Afolayan, born in Athens to a Nigerian family, reflects on how growing up in Greece shaped both his artistic journey and his understanding of identity. Through his engagement with the performing arts within the cosmopolitan environment of Athens during the 1990s and 2000, he gradually developed ways of exploring and expressing African cultures within the Greek context. This path later contributed to the creation of ANASA Cultural Center, a space dedicated to African arts, intercultural dialogue, community engagement, and the visibility of Afro-Greek experiences.

A significant moment in recent years came when he encountered a reference in Nea Makri to an ancient Egyptian temple. Rather than leading to definitive conclusions, this experience opened an ongoing field of research and reflection around the historical connections between Greece and African civilizations. Over the last two years, this exploration has gradually informed new questions and directions within his artistic and cultural practice.

Afolayan also reflects on an artwork depicting a black horseman and on Haiti’s solidarity with the Greek War of Independence, linking historical struggles for freedom with contemporary discussions around memory, participation, and Afro-Greek identity. Through ANASA’s initiatives — including the “I Have a Dream” festival — he emphasizes the importance of cultural dialogue, collective memory, and broader understandings of Greek identity.