Arts Fest Preview: Ohio Is My Second Country
Salif Sarr, Shema Asifiwe, Ohio Immigrant Alliance to Present a Concert and Books at the Columbus Arts Festival on June 13
Watch the video
Download the presentation and links; read a summary
On April 24, the Ohio Immigrant Alliance (OIA) hosted a preview of its upcoming concert at the Columbus Arts Festival, called “Ohio Is My Second Country,” with Demba Ndiath, Shema Asifiwe, and Salif Sarr. Watch the video; read the summary; and view the presentation.
2026 will be the fourth year that OIA has brought community, culture, and music to the “Word Is Art” stage at this flagship Columbus festival. This year’s event follows the joyous “Pulaagam: A Celebration of Fulani Heritage” in 2025 and West African drummers Tam Tam Magic in 2024. The 2026 presentation is named after the coloring book that Shema and OIA are about to publish.
OIA’s concert will take place on Saturday, June 13, at 3pm on the festival’s Cultural Arts Center Stage at 139 W. Main Street (map). Attendees should ARRIVE EARLY (2pm or earlier), as the festival is large and OIA time slot starts right at 3pm. Read more about the event in this Columbus Free Press column by Charlie Stewart, and get all the details here. Watch this promotional video from Salif Sarr and Demba Ndiath.
On June 13, you can dance to hits from Salif Sarr, a Mauritanian-American pop star based in Columbus. Listen to this playlist to get ready; and order your concert t-shirt to wear at the festival. Salif is internationally renowned for his voice and songs that highlight Fulani culture and his love for his people. You can find Salif’s music on most streaming platforms like Apple Music and YouTube; he also gave a brief surprise performance at the Ohio Immigrant Alliance’s Family Reunion last year!
The audience will also hear from Demba Ndiath, Advocacy Director of the Ohio Immigrant Alliance, about his forthcoming book, From Welcome To Deportation: A Story of West African Migrants Who Crossed the U.S./Mexico Border. Shema Asifiwe, a high school-aged artist from Cincinnati, will present his coloring book, with free coloring pages and books for sale. In “Ohio Is My Second Country,” Shema highlights various immigrant groups who have built community and safety in Ohio. The book also includes “teaching words” in the family languages spoken by Ohioans born in other places.
