- 8 hours ago
Hailey meets the Americo-Liberians who are trying to shake Liberia out of a cultural coma by hosting “Fashion Week Liberia.”
This video was originally published by VICE in 2017.
ABOUT THE SERIES
Hailey Gates explores global fashion and issues the industry often ignores, showing us what the world wears, and why.
ABOUT REFINERY29
Refinery29 is a modern woman's destination for how to live a stylish, well-rounded life. http://refinery29.com/
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This video was originally published by VICE in 2017.
ABOUT THE SERIES
Hailey Gates explores global fashion and issues the industry often ignores, showing us what the world wears, and why.
ABOUT REFINERY29
Refinery29 is a modern woman's destination for how to live a stylish, well-rounded life. http://refinery29.com/
RELATED CONTENT
The Streets Of The Congo Turned-Fashion Show
https://youtu.be/n61y1Fr_lxE
Is Style An Act Of Bravery In Pakistan?
https://youtu.be/ybQngyhGtZI
Fashion Defined By Borders In Palestine
https://youtu.be/IXZoWsuZYv0
SUBSCRIBE TO REFINERY29
Subscribe to the Refinery29 channel: http://bit.ly/subscribe-to-r29
Follow Refinery29 on Instagram: https://instagram.com/refinery29/
Follow Somos on Instagram: https://instagram.com/r29somos/
Follow Unbothered on Instagram: https://instagram.com/r29unbothered/
Category
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LifestyleTranscript
00:06What is this up here?
00:08This man is the devil.
00:09He's the devil?
00:10Yes.
00:11Want to see him?
00:12Yeah, yeah, I want to see him.
00:13Yeah, sure.
00:25This devil is from the bush.
00:32Is the devil a girl?
00:35The devil is a woman.
00:58I'm in Monrovia, Liberia's capital city, to attend Fashion Week.
01:02Since the late 1980s, the people of Liberia have endured relentless hardship.
01:08First, there were 14 years of a brutal civil war.
01:12And then more recently, Liberia was the center of the Ebola crisis.
01:17But for now, there is peace.
01:20And the country is rebuilding.
01:23We're meeting up with Vinette and Serena, who are the organizers of the Fashion Week.
01:28It's in five days.
01:29Hi!
01:29Hello!
01:30How are you?
01:31Pleasure to meet you.
01:32Yeah, you know how we do in Liberia now.
01:34We've got to get some kisses.
01:35Yeah.
01:36Nice to meet you.
01:38Serena and Vinette sound American because they are.
01:41Their families are Liberian, but both women were born and raised in the United States after
01:46their parents took refuge during the Liberian Civil War.
01:49Now that the country is in relative harmony, they have returned.
01:55Where are we right now?
01:56We are at the police station.
01:58We're going to let them know that we're having this event.
02:00Okay.
02:00And so then they have to provide police officers.
02:03Yeah.
02:04And we're also going to see if there's a way that they could help us to direct traffic.
02:13I work for a petroleum company.
02:15I've been with my company for like three years and so they're like,
02:17American Girl.
02:18They call me like, Oh, Florida.
02:19Hi, Florida.
02:20I'm like, I'm a cool girl.
02:22Party.
02:22They're like, no, not yet.
02:24The names here are really, like, some of them are very Southern.
02:27Well, that's what we were going to explain.
02:28From the slave trade.
02:29From the slave trade.
02:29Exactly.
02:30Many of our families, when you trace back the ancestry, they, like, my, my...
02:34We were the settlers.
02:35Yeah.
02:35Basically, any freed slaves that wanted to leave America and have a different life,
02:39they came to Liberia.
02:40And that's how our family history started here as well.
02:42Yeah.
02:43Serena and Vinette are known as Americo-Liberians.
02:46Due to their family ancestry from the United States.
02:50In the early 1800s, as tensions over slavery in the US were building towards a civil war,
02:56a group of white men known as the American Colonization Society came up with the idea
03:01to send freed slaves back to Africa.
03:05Their goal was to keep the freed slaves from mounting a rebellion against slavery
03:10and prevent them from integrating into American society.
03:15While some African Americans rejected the idea as deportation, others embraced it
03:21and championed a Back to Africa or Black Zionism movement to leave the increasingly hostile and racist America.
03:28The Colonization Society purchased a strip of land from a tribe in West Africa,
03:34and their ships brought freed slaves there to start one of the first colonies of the United States.
03:40The colony became known as Liberia, which translates to Land of Freedom.
03:45The capital city, Monrovia, was named after US President James Monroe,
03:51a slave owner from Virginia who supported the colonization efforts.
03:55As these former slaves settled into their new home, now as the ruling class of colonizers,
04:01they clashed with the indigenous people who suddenly found themselves marginalized.
04:05The relationship was contentious, and the Americo-Liberians ruled politically.
04:11Even today, despite making up only about 5% of the population,
04:16the ancestors of these original Americo-Liberians still retain much of their influence and wealth.
04:23Nice to meet you. I'm Vanette Talbert.
04:25Serena Cooper.
04:26Charlene's sister.
04:27Oh, okay.
04:28Yeah.
04:29So what is this?
04:30Prepare for Monrovia Fashion Week this year.
04:32Oh, the Fashion Week?
04:33Yeah.
04:34So we just want to show that Liberia is more than just Ebola and war.
04:38We want to empower and inspire the youth and the artists.
04:41We want to remind people where we came from.
04:44Patriotism.
04:45It's going to be definitely a unified event.
04:47If there's anything we can do to kind of...
04:49Lessen the traffic.
04:51Direct traffic or, you know, maybe...
04:53What I can do, though, we can control the traffic route.
04:58We can open up the traffic.
04:59We can also provide you security at the venue yourself.
05:03And can I have a personal security officer to take around to the after party as well with me?
05:07After party?
05:08Where's the after party?
05:09Capitol Room.
05:09Capitol Room.
05:10You should come to that.
05:11Yeah, you should come.
05:12I mean, I should be able to get my uniform off and...
05:15What kind of fashion do you like outside of your uniform?
05:18I wear jeans and t-shirt.
05:20Yeah.
05:21Keep the classic.
05:22Sweet.
05:23Well, thank you so much for being so cooperative.
05:25Yeah.
05:26All right.
05:26We'll be seeing you Saturday.
05:28Yeah.
05:28I'll be right there.
05:29Okay.
05:30All right, guys.
05:31All right.
05:35I mean, if we could ambush the police station, I think anything's possible at this point.
05:39I'm feeling pretty confident.
05:41Yeah, that was impressive.
05:42Yeah.
05:44So we just sort of waltzed into the police headquarters here, which I think for most Liberians is frankly
05:51a terrifying place.
05:52We were welcomed with open arms and it seems like everywhere they go, they're treated quite
05:57well.
06:00When did you guys come here?
06:02I've been here three years now.
06:04So I came here with the idea that I could work a corporate job in America and just live
06:10a comfortable life.
06:11Or I could come here in a place of discomfort and learn more about myself, learn more about
06:16my culture and also create a lane for myself that I might have necessarily not been able
06:21to have in the States.
06:22Well, it took me a little while to kind of get settled in and get comfortable because,
06:26you know, there are some things that we're used to in the States like Chipotle.
06:29I miss Chipotle and I miss Starbucks.
06:31Yeah, those types of things.
06:32Like you miss those things.
06:33Definitely.
06:34But you get used to it and there are opportunities that you can create.
06:38Because it's like you wake up in the morning and you're like, oh, you know, there's no
06:42whatever.
06:43And then it's like, wait a minute.
06:44There's an opportunity.
06:45There's no whatever in the country.
06:47So maybe that's an opportunity.
06:48Our family definitely, they compare it to like the wild, wild west.
06:53Hey.
06:54Hey.
06:55Good.
06:57Sample.
06:57I have another one.
06:58Great.
06:58Is it possible to have the black a little bit darker?
07:01That would be better.
07:03And then the tickets.
07:04How many are we doing the tickets?
07:06How many does the venue hold?
07:07The venue is huge.
07:09It's huge.
07:09It's huge.
07:09Like there's probably like a thousand people in there.
07:11It was actually built in the seventies.
07:13Oh, really?
07:14For the purpose of having an African Union conference in Liberia.
07:17My grandfather was the architect for the building.
07:20Oh my God.
07:21And her grandfather was a really famous sculptor and painter.
07:24So you'll see a lot of his art all over.
07:26It's so exact.
07:27Undamaged by the war.
07:28So this mural here tells the entire history of Liberia from slave trade all the way down to my other
07:34grandfather who used to be president.
07:35Oh my God.
07:36I know, right?
07:38Turns out Vanette's grandfather was William Tolbert, who was president of Liberia in the 1970s.
07:45President Tolbert, an Ameri-co-Liberian, was overthrown by Samuel Doe, an indigenous Liberian, during a military coup.
07:53In 1980, Tolbert was murdered and most of his administration was publicly executed.
08:00The historical struggle between the ruling Ameri-co-Liberians and the indigenous Liberians had reached a tipping point.
08:07And it began a cycle of political violence for the next 24 years.
08:13You can see from here the history of Liberia.
08:17Each of these images represent some part of our history.
08:20Right.
08:21Conflict settlement, you know, coming down to my father.
08:26Winston Tolbert is Vanette's father.
08:28He is helping her organize the Fashion Week here at the African Unity Center.
08:33He is also the son of President Tolbert, who was assassinated.
08:37Were you in the country at the time?
08:39Yeah.
08:40I spent a year and a half, almost two years, in military detention.
08:45Before the military coup, when you were younger, did you feel like there was a lot of art and culture?
08:49Yeah.
08:50That was alive here?
08:51Yeah.
08:51This is part of it.
08:53Yeah.
08:54We see that a lot of the hopelessness in the youth here is because they have nowhere to go and
08:58learn how to express themselves.
09:00Right.
09:00Artistically.
09:01You don't feel that exists right now?
09:03It doesn't.
09:03Or it's in what I call a social coma.
09:06Because kids born after 1980 don't know much about that part of their life to wake it up on their
09:14own.
09:16Now that there is peace, a new generation of Liberians have the opportunity to wake the country up from this
09:22so-called social coma.
09:24It's Sunday morning and we are on our way to Carneta's house.
09:28She's one of the models that's going to be walking in the fashion week.
09:32Hi.
09:33Hi.
09:34Hi.
09:35Carneta is part of the generation born during the Civil War.
09:39We're meeting up with her as she gets ready for Sunday church.
09:43Hello?
09:43Yeah.
09:44Hi.
09:46Hello.
09:47You have so many shoes?
09:49Yeah.
09:50Wow.
09:52How often does the power go out here?
09:54Um, usually it goes out on Sunday.
09:57Okay.
09:58It comes back at 6.
10:00How old are you?
10:01I turned 18 July.
10:03I'm in a college right now.
10:05I want to be a lawyer, right?
10:06But then I love fashion also.
10:08Yeah.
10:08Are you excited for the fashion week?
10:10I am.
10:11Yeah.
10:12Pretty much excited.
10:13Are you nervous?
10:14A little bit because it's going to be my first time.
10:17Yeah.
10:19Sweaty.
10:20Mm-hmm.
10:23Are there a lot of Americans here?
10:25Mm-hmm.
10:25Yeah.
10:26Yes.
10:26Can you tell the difference between, like, an American here and a Liberian?
10:32Yeah.
10:33Talking voice.
10:34It sounds differently.
10:35Yeah.
10:35We speak colloquy.
10:36Oh, okay.
10:37Colloquy.
10:38Right.
10:38Uh-huh.
10:39And then you guys speak what?
10:40Series?
10:41What do I speak?
10:43Series, right?
10:43Can you do an impression of series?
10:46Okay.
10:46Today I met a girl and she was, like, talking to me.
10:49And I was like, oh.
10:50And she was like, really?
10:51You're cute.
10:52I'm like, thank you.
10:53And she's like, oh, wow.
10:55Oh, wow.
10:55Oh, my God.
10:55I think I'm trying this big series.
10:57I just, something like that.
11:00Carneta lives with her father, who is an auto mechanic, born and raised in Monrovia.
11:05Dad.
11:05Dad.
11:06Nice to meet you.
11:06Thanks so much for having us.
11:08Come in.
11:09Are you excited that she's walking in the fashion week?
11:13Well, at first, I told her that I didn't trust it from experiences around.
11:20But then, I said, well, nothing like giving them a try, you know.
11:24Mm-hmm.
11:25Were you here in Monrovia during the Civil War?
11:28Right here.
11:29It was terrible.
11:30Mm-hmm.
11:31Terrible.
11:32There were times we had to run.
11:33She was about four years old, four, five years old.
11:37Yeah.
11:37And there was this rocket, yeah, that, that trapped right in front of the house, yeah.
11:43I killed about six persons, and I was so scared for her.
11:46Do you remember anything from the Civil War?
11:49Um, I can remember 2003 war.
11:53Yeah.
11:55It was bad.
11:56I mean, people were shooting.
11:57People died.
11:58People were hungry.
12:00People were displaced.
12:01Mm-hmm.
12:01No way to go.
12:03Family lost their relatives.
12:05Children lost their parents.
12:08Parents lost children.
12:09It was just sad.
12:11The back-to-back civil wars lasted 14 years, and around 250,000 lives were lost.
12:18Charles Taylor was at the center of both wars.
12:21He was the leader of the rebel uprising during the first war, where he was notorious for recruiting child soldiers.
12:29After winning the first civil war, he became president.
12:33Rebels then tried to topple his regime, which started the second civil war.
12:37And eventually, he was exiled and put in prison for crimes against humanity.
12:42And how does it feel now?
12:44It's much better now.
12:45It seems different.
12:46Yeah.
12:47Everybody free.
12:48Yeah, we're back.
12:49And what are your wishes for your daughter?
12:52Every time I look at a successful lady, I put her in that picture.
12:59Uh-huh.
13:00Tomorrow will be her.
13:01She will make the hair waves.
13:02She will make the hairlines.
13:03You know, people will talk about how, you know, this person moving forward, a lady.
13:07People talking about how, oh, tomorrow will be my daughter.
13:09People will talk about.
13:10All across Monrovia, this new generation is laying the groundwork for Liberia's future.
13:16I like that as a Liberian, I have the power to move the country forward.
13:30We're going to Archele's studio.
13:33She's one of the designers and showing at the Fashion Week.
13:36She's going to make me something to wear the Fashion Week.
13:39Nice to meet you.
13:40Nice to meet you.
13:41So this is my store.
13:42We opened it about four years ago.
13:45Archele is an AmeriCo-Liberian who was born in Florida after her parents took refuge in the States.
13:51She returned after the Second Civil War to start her business, Bombshell.
13:55All of her clothing and materials are 100% Liberian made.
14:01If I have to buy cloth, I want to buy it from the women who are on the street.
14:07I don't want to order it from somebody in China or Dubai.
14:09You know what I'm saying?
14:10Of course, yeah.
14:11I want to keep that authenticity.
14:12I want for the Africans who've been wearing this to keep making it and to grow profit off of it.
14:19As I was growing up, I knew I was not American.
14:22But I didn't know where I belonged because I had never seen this place because all I knew of Liberia
14:27was war.
14:28Right.
14:28And when there was finally peace and I got to come see it for the first time, it was like
14:33I was made whole again.
14:35It's funny, my mother always said, reminds me of a story when I was little and she would pick me
14:38up from school in the pickup lane
14:40and she would always wear these full-on African dresses, right?
14:43Uh-huh.
14:44And one time I was in the fifth grade and I was like, Mom, when you come pick me up
14:47tomorrow, can you dress like a normal mom?
14:49Oh.
14:49And so we always laugh at that now because I've made the African clothing my life.
14:54Right, right, right.
14:55You know what I'm saying?
14:55You're like, Mom, can I get that?
14:56I know, right?
14:57Can I borrow that?
14:57Why do you have that in a drawer?
14:59Yeah, yeah.
15:00You can do long length, you can do short length.
15:02I like this long wrap skirt, I think.
15:05Yeah.
15:05Okay.
15:06I feel like maybe this with the long wrap skirt.
15:10I think that would be perfect.
15:12Yeah, like a set.
15:13Okay.
15:13Well, let's go get you some cloth.
15:14All right.
15:18So we're headed to a lady who sells her cloth outside on the street.
15:22Oh, I see some stuff I love.
15:25Hi.
15:25I told you I would come and bring friends, yeah?
15:27Yeah.
15:28Okay.
15:28See what you like and just feel free.
15:35Woo!
15:35Why do you buy from these ladies in particular?
15:38Because they're nice.
15:39The quality is excellent.
15:40And...
15:41Since Eva is a hustler.
15:42Yeah.
15:42When I see women who are hustling their businesses as hard as I hustle mine.
15:46Yeah.
15:46We got to stay family.
15:48Yeah.
15:48What are you thinking, Hayley?
15:50I like this one.
15:50You like this?
15:51Yeah.
15:52Weird?
15:53No, I think it's awesome.
15:54Ah!
15:56Oh, no!
15:57Oh, no!
15:58Oh, no!
15:58It's like cloth Jenga.
16:00Okay.
16:01So pack me up.
16:02And then we take it back to the factory and we start working.
16:07Above her store is our Chell's factory and studio, where she will be making all of the clothes
16:11that will be on display at Fashion Week, including my dress.
16:15So this is the resort skirt that Cornetta's gonna wear.
16:18Cool.
16:18You gotta walk and show leg.
16:20Yeah.
16:20And that's our main goal.
16:21Show the leg, not the cooch.
16:24Why aren't you cutting it from up here?
16:26I kinda want it up a little bit more.
16:27That way you don't waste anything.
16:29You know?
16:31We wanted to hire women who were struggling to regain their footing after Ebola.
16:36So I said, you know, we're just gonna make it a place where we can bring women who haven't
16:41had the opportunity to have a formal trade.
16:43Yeah.
16:43To learn a formal skill.
16:45Yeah.
16:45But wanna do something incredible with their life.
16:48I really do think that if given the proper opportunity to sink or swim for ourselves, we would swim.
16:56I like that as a Liberian, I have the power to move the country forward.
17:00Right.
17:01And we don't just talk about it, we act on it.
17:05I would say take it in to like 36 and a half.
17:07Don't be scared to touch her, okay?
17:09All right?
17:10She would rather...
17:11She would rather fit good than you be scared, okay?
17:19Will you just tell me a little bit about your story?
17:51More people died in Liberia from the virus than in any other country.
17:56Between 2014 and 2015, more than 4700 lives were lost.
18:18What do you wanna do next?
18:21What do you wanna do next?
18:32Anything you believe that you can do, you can do that.
18:34Because once a woman is educated, she will be able to impart that education onto her children
18:39in Liberia.
18:40It will help Liberia to get better.
18:42Our child seems to understand that by both helping these women and making her clothes with
18:49them, by helping herself also, that like, this thing can grow.
18:53It's making a massive change in their lives and both sides are benefiting from it.
19:00Yes!
19:00Oh my God!
19:02Do you like it though?
19:04What do you think?
19:04I mean, I can't...
19:05I haven't seen myself, but...
19:06I love...
19:07You don't look like you're trying to be so African and it's very like...
19:11Yeah.
19:11It's very flattering.
19:12How's my, like, white girl level of offensive right now?
19:15It's super awesome.
19:16It's zero to Rachel Dolezal.
19:18I'm just kidding.
19:20You're...
19:22You're totally good right now.
19:24Okay, cool.
19:25While Archelle has been able to improve the lives of these women with her small business,
19:30many other Liberians are still struggling to find a place for themselves post Ebola.
19:35They say we should move on the street, they're not finding a job for us.
19:39Anytime they come, they beat us, carry us for jail.
19:56Can we get out on foot?
19:58Yeah!
20:02Yay!
20:04Okay!
20:08With Fashion Week Liberia right around the corner, everyone is busy getting ready.
20:13Carneta and I are at a salon so she can get her hair done before walking the runway.
20:25I think they're trying to change power.
20:28Okay.
20:28Okay.
20:31So we had to come outside because there's no... the electricity went out.
20:39It's kinda tight.
20:42What kind of body type is, like, popular?
20:45For Liberia, you can be anything.
20:48You can eat whatever, you can be whatever.
20:51Yeah.
20:51You still found a man who will like you.
20:53Yeah.
20:54And society don't mind.
20:55Okay.
20:56So you got a lot of people fat.
20:58Big summer.
21:00Yeah.
21:00No problem.
21:01No problem at all.
21:03The lights still haven't come on yet, so we don't know if it's gonna work.
21:07We're gonna try and light it with cell phones and just do it on her wet hair.
21:16I'm trying to hold it.
21:18Magic finger.
21:20This is your girl, Naz.
21:22You're coming right here on Capital FM 89.7.
21:26So on today, I'm hosting Fashion Week Liberia.
21:29Agonazas.
21:30Hello.
21:30Now moving back home to Liberia.
21:32How was it like for you both?
21:34It's been a very interesting experience.
21:37I came back and I wanted to make a difference in some way.
21:39Okay.
21:40And a lot of people think, oh, it's fashion.
21:42It's so superficial.
21:42But what we're doing right now with Fashion Week Liberia is we are showcasing artists.
21:49You know, let us help to renew a sense of pride in our nation.
21:52Let's put Liberia back on the map for something other than Ebola and other than war.
21:56And war.
21:56Shout out to you, Baku.
21:57You're always doing your thing.
21:58Because, you know, I support Liberian at 100%.
22:01I play nothing else on my radio show but Liberian music.
22:04Hope you enjoy it.
22:14Since arriving in Liberia, Abdullah has been my KK driver.
22:18I don't know how to do that very well.
22:20What do I do?
22:21I put in some quality time with him and I think we are finally friends now.
22:26The scissor?
22:30Good move.
22:35How long have you been driving this KK?
22:37Eight months.
22:38Eight months?
22:38Yes.
22:39You like it?
22:39Yes.
22:40Where do you live?
22:41I live in West Point.
22:42What's it like there?
22:46What's a grown-up?
22:54Are you a grown-up?
22:55Yes.
22:56I can say I'm a grown-up man because I'm a hustler for myself.
23:00Did you fight in the war?
23:01Me?
23:02Yeah.
23:02No, I don't fight.
23:03Yeah.
23:04But some of your friends?
23:05Some of my friends fight because, like me, I was living with the president, Charles Taylor.
23:10Yes.
23:11You were living with Charles Taylor?
23:13And you're having a compound to put all the children in the compound to label him.
23:18Yeah.
23:18Every day he bring food and some clothes for us.
23:21You like him?
23:22I love him.
23:23I get the love for him.
23:24Yeah.
23:24And the feeling.
23:25Yeah.
23:25Yeah, because I see a benefit.
23:27Yeah.
23:27If that man came, come back in Montreal, play the poker and vote for that man.
23:31Really?
23:32You really?
23:32You think he would win?
23:33Yes.
23:34Because doing a stamp, we're not suffering like this.
23:36Can you take me to West Point?
23:38I can take you to West Point for you to see West Point.
23:40Yeah?
23:41Yes.
23:43West Point is where many displaced civilians and ex-child soldiers ended up after Liberia's civil wars.
23:50It's one of the most densely populated and economically depleted areas in Liberia.
23:56Your parents were born here?
24:01Yeah, I'm born here, my parents, everything here.
24:03Yeah.
24:04Many residents in West Point feel abandoned by the government and that they were better off during Charles Taylor's presidency.
24:11Or this one.
24:12Like, last night in the sea, eat off this one.
24:15Yeah.
24:15Last night.
24:16West Point is also at high risk of flooding due to rising sea levels.
24:22I have a girlfriend.
24:23I was telling you my girlfriend.
24:24What's her name?
24:25Her name is Agatha.
24:26Agatha.
24:27Hi, Agatha.
24:28I'm Hayley.
24:29Nice to meet you.
24:30Good evening.
24:31You look great.
24:33Hi.
24:33It's Princess.
24:34I'm Hayley.
24:35Nice to meet you.
24:35What's your name?
24:37What's your name?
24:38Yeah.
24:39It's my woman.
24:39She's beautiful.
24:40She's beautiful.
24:41She's beautiful.
24:43Abdulla and his girlfriend Agatha and their whole rainbow-clad crew are taking me to the
24:47beach where they like to hang out on the weekend.
24:55What's this cool tattoo thing you guys do?
24:57It's a fashion.
24:58It's a fashion?
24:59Yes.
24:59It's super cool.
25:00And what do you guys do?
25:13Oh, yeah?
25:15You want to braid my hair?
25:16Yeah.
25:16I want to braid.
25:17Okay.
25:19What's it like living here?
25:36What about when you're working?
25:37You ever get scared?
25:52Does the government ever do anything for you?
25:54Do you feel them helping you at all?
25:58No.
25:59It's so fair that they don't have time for us.
26:01Yes.
26:01What was it like here during Ebola?
26:04During Ebola.
26:05During Ebola, the people put down.
26:11Were you guys still working during that time?
26:14During the time, people was not working.
26:16Yeah.
26:17Because it's currently in the community.
26:19No one going out.
26:20No one coming in.
26:21Yeah.
26:22If you didn't have to go on the street, what would you want to do?
26:27Yeah?
26:28Yeah.
26:29Yeah, I love that.
26:31Yeah?
26:31You know there's a fashion week going on?
26:33No.
26:34No.
26:42Hi.
26:43Hi.
26:43How are you?
26:44How are you?
26:44Good.
26:47We going that way?
26:49Okay.
26:53Hopes are high for the future of Liberia now that Ebola has been eradicated and the wars are over.
26:59But as the country rebuilds, there are still some cracks in its foundation.
27:04One issue that seems to be rampant is corruption.
27:07And as the creepy baby billboard suggests, corruption is public enemy number one.
27:15Corruption is a hot button issue that's even made its way into Liberian pop culture.
27:20Instead of singing competition shows like American Idol, they have Integrity Idol, where government officials compete to see who is
27:28the most honest government employee.
27:30And Liberia's most popular music, known as Hipco, is also rapping about combating corruption.
27:41Even the fashion week itself has fallen victim to issues of corruption.
27:45Last year's organizer fled the country after people complained about not being paid.
27:52It seems to have become a catch-all phrase to describe any of the murky issues facing Liberian society.
27:59And there's one article of clothing that can help break down the many levels of corruption here.
28:05The police uniform.
28:07These are the police uniforms.
28:08Ezekiel is vice president of the Liberian Tailors Union and claims that his tailors have been cheated out of a
28:15contract to manufacture the police uniforms.
28:18The problem here is that we have been getting contracts from the government.
28:22There is too much corruption going on when it comes to contracts.
28:26So who has the contract?
28:28Foreign nationals.
28:30They pay big braves.
28:31We have to take the contract, give to the Liberian people, and then poop.
28:35We are not getting contracts for anybody.
28:39The Liberian government has mandated that police uniforms must be made by Liberian businesses only,
28:46as a part of the country's policy to boost the local economy.
28:49There's no definitive proof that a bribe was paid,
28:53although it's rumored that a Lebanese business currently has the contract,
28:57and they outsource their production to China.
28:59The former police director is currently on trial for corruption charges,
29:03and in the meantime, Ezekiel's shop is quiet.
29:08So our tailors here, they are not making no more money.
29:11Right.
29:11They're suffering.
29:12Yeah.
29:13So government need to come down high, strong, on their feet,
29:17to help the tailors, because we are capable of producing uniform,
29:20but we are not getting it.
29:22You think you can make me one of these?
29:24Sure.
29:25Do your chest.
29:26You have nine and a half.
29:28You're going to remember all this?
29:30That's my fee.
29:31Yeah?
29:32Oh yeah, that's my fee.
29:33While the manufacturing of police uniforms is at the center of a scandal,
29:38those who wear the uniform are also often accused of corruption,
29:42most commonly for taking bribes.
29:45But if you talk to the police, they too have their own reasons.
29:52Are you taking bribes to make up for the money that you're not getting?
29:59And how much is a uniform?
30:06That's a lot of money, dude.
30:07Oh, yes.
30:08I have to dream.
30:09How much everyone wants to school.
30:11How I eat, you know?
30:12Definitely.
30:13It's not.
30:14It's not enough money.
30:15It is not anything.
30:18This is a genuine Liberian police uniform, and it's very well made.
30:24This piece of clothing can explain the entire community of corruption within the police force here,
30:30from the bottom to the top.
30:31You know, whether it's these street cops taking bribes in order to pay for uniforms that they're not given,
30:37all the way to, you know, these tailors not being able to get bids because foreigners are coming in with
30:42more money.
30:44Even the president of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who is the first woman to lead an African country,
30:50a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, and credited with bringing peace and democracy to Liberia.
30:55Even she and her cabinet's legacy has been tarnished by allegations of corruption and nepotism.
31:02But presidential elections are coming up in the fall of 2017,
31:06and there's hope that whomever is elected to office will battle corruption.
31:11We're in the Capitol building right now.
31:14We're here to meet Jewel Taylor, who is running for vice president.
31:19Senator Taylor was Liberia's first lady during Charles Taylor's presidency.
31:24They eventually divorced after he was tried at The Hague and convicted of war crimes.
31:30So nice to meet you.
31:32Jewel Taylor has never been convicted for involvement in these crimes,
31:36but her relationship with President Taylor is still controversial.
31:41Good morning.
31:41She's currently championing an anti-corruption bill that's proving challenging to gain traction.
31:46She's also a front-runner for vice president, despite her contentious past.
31:51Talk to me about corruption.
31:54Our country's level of corruption runs from the top to the bottom, and that's the truth.
32:00And what do you think is the root cause of the corruption here?
32:03I think moral decadence.
32:06The level of corruption is just something that's prevalent to our society.
32:11When people go to ministries and agencies to get your work done, you must pay your way through.
32:15Every place you get, oh, where my lunch?
32:18Oh, I don't have a pen, so give me money for pen instead of saying bribe.
32:22So you want me to sign this document? I don't have a pen.
32:25The lower level people do that.
32:26Right.
32:27Because the salaries are very low.
32:29Mm-hmm.
32:29They're just making ends meet.
32:30Right.
32:30And that's what they will say.
32:32But it's wrong.
32:32And so we must find a formula that allows us to begin to change the mindset of our people.
32:39Yeah.
32:39If you have good leaders that are strong, that are doing the right thing and setting the right examples, everyone
32:44flows.
32:45So it's going to come from the top directly to the bottom.
32:47Why did you choose to keep the last name Taylor?
32:50That's how I am known across the country.
32:53Mm-hmm.
32:53To do anything otherwise becomes political suicide.
32:57Mm-hmm.
32:57So for me as an asset, it gives me a lot of political leverage.
33:00Mm-hmm.
33:01And it opens many doors.
33:02They say to me, okay, at least there's a Taylor involved here.
33:05Yeah.
33:06And so hopefully she can do some of the things, positive things that he did.
33:11Does he give you advice?
33:14I plead the fifth on that one.
33:16Okay.
33:19In a country where you have to pay your way through a ministry just to get a piece of paper
33:23signed,
33:24the pursuit of putting on an event like the Fashion Week requires a lot of tenacity.
33:29Yeah, running water is going to be an issue tonight.
33:31Why?
33:31We don't have running water.
33:40Let's go, Troy.
33:43You should see them.
33:44Hi.
33:46How are you?
33:48So pretty here.
33:49Yeah, we got here to set up.
33:50We're just to, like, start setting up yesterday.
33:52And, um, only one room had power.
33:56So we had to call some guys.
33:57And they came at the last minute.
33:58They were so amazing.
33:59They stayed all night.
34:00Oh, my God.
34:00And rewired the entire building.
34:03Unfortunately, they still need fuel.
34:04Um, well, the cocktail reception starts in about an hour.
34:08There are two 5kVA generators.
34:10Is there any way we could get the fuel here?
34:15Ma?
34:15Uh-huh.
34:16If we can find one more like this.
34:18To just pull...
34:19Yeah, so they can bring some gas and diesel fuel.
34:23For the generators.
34:24Chief, don't have...
34:25Small oversight.
34:26We kind of, we have a gas and fuel sponsor.
34:28But we don't know where he was all day.
34:31So he just called us.
34:32And he's coming.
34:33But we ran out of light.
34:35We don't...
34:36Oh, yeah.
34:37Running water is gonna be an issue tonight.
34:38Why?
34:39We don't have running water.
34:42This place is really far away from town.
34:44So they're, like, frantically calling their friends
34:47to try and get a gasoline.
34:49So that we can have lights for the show.
34:51Because the sun's gone down now.
34:53So I think we have probably, like, 30 more minutes left of light.
34:58Carneta, can you come put on your outfit for us?
35:01The cameras came and the nipples went away.
35:03It was like...
35:05And I tell you, in Liberia, they say iron titty.
35:07Yeah?
35:08What does that mean?
35:08That means, like, when you're younger, your titties sit high.
35:12You know?
35:12So it's iron meaning it's strong, right?
35:14So I thought I was young.
35:16But I'm looking at, like, iron titty back here,
35:18and I'm like, oh, damn.
35:23Hello.
35:24Um...
35:25Hello.
35:26I'm Vanette.
35:27I'm one of the organizers of this event.
35:29We're going to have a lot of, um, ministers and ambassadors
35:32and important people here tonight.
35:34So, um, we just want your presence here.
35:36I don't think anyone's going to act crazy,
35:38but we will have some liquor in there,
35:40and we just want to make sure that everyone's safe tonight.
35:42Nothing gets stolen.
35:44Nobody gets hurt.
35:44But it should be pretty easy.
35:50Give tickets.
35:52It's open to everyone.
35:53Anyone could buy tickets and come.
35:55If people don't have tickets, they don't have money to buy a ticket,
35:57they will be escorted out.
35:59The other thing, if you see anyone acting unruly,
36:01please get them out of here, okay?
36:03Don't...
36:04You don't even have to ask us.
36:06This is the $25 ticket, the $35 and the $50.
36:21The show was supposed to start at 6pm,
36:25but guests are only now starting to arrive at 9pm,
36:29which actually works out because the rest of the generator fuel
36:32is just getting here now.
36:41It's 9.30.
36:44Um...
36:45The night and Serena told the police
36:46that we'd be out of here by 10.
36:48It doesn't look like that's going to happen.
36:50There are many seats that could be filled
36:51by attendees wanting to experience fashion.
36:58But it seems like a lot of people are outside, actually.
37:02You're here for the fashion week?
37:03No.
37:04I'm here for another show.
37:05Another show?
37:06Mm-hmm.
37:06What is it?
37:07Beauty pageant.
37:08A beauty pageant!
37:09It's coming after?
37:11Yes.
37:11Do you want to go into this fashion week?
37:17Yeah.
37:18Too expensive?
37:20In the new turn of events,
37:22apparently there's a beauty pageant that's happening here,
37:24but all these people are waiting outside for the beauty pageant.
37:28And right now, the fashion week, I guess, is starting,
37:31but a lot of chairs are empty,
37:33so I feel like they should just let these beauty pageant people in.
37:36Well, we have just a bit of confusion with the government.
37:41Uh-huh.
37:41Because you paid the government to use this facility.
37:44Yeah.
37:44So we went and paid for the facility,
37:46and they told us at 9 o'clock...
37:48That you would be able to go in?
37:49Unfortunately for us who came, they said they're having a faction week for Manuvia.
37:56So basically, this place was double booked.
37:59So the police have made a barricade here on the stairways.
38:02They're keeping people out, and there's a shit ton of people here.
38:06Like, this entire street is full of people.
38:08Cars are coming in.
38:09It's, like, it's really busy.
38:13The government double booked this place,
38:15and, like, they're willing to take money from people that it means a lot to,
38:19and willing to take money from people that have money to spend.
38:39We just found out that the government double booked the venue
38:42where Serena and Vinette are hosting Fashion Week.
38:45Wait, dude, there's, like, 100 people outside.
38:48To do what?
38:49Apparently there's a...
38:50There's a mist pageant that was supposed to happen tonight.
38:55The police are, like, keeping all these people out.
38:58All the people out?
38:59Yeah. Oh, wow!
39:00It's pretty wild.
39:01There's a ton of people outside.
39:03So why don't they let them in and let them sit?
39:08Liberia.
39:10Dude, did you see what's going on outside?
39:13There's, like, a beauty pageant that's supposed to happen here.
39:17There's, like, a hundred people outside.
39:20It's insane.
39:21Yeah, they double booked.
39:22The same way they lied to us about having a PA system and electricity.
39:26Yeah.
39:26They also sold someone else the building for the same night.
39:30So our parents negotiated with them, and they were like,
39:34okay, as long as you're out by 11, which is not going to happen, so...
39:37Oh, my gosh.
39:37They were just going to wait.
39:38So you've powered this building with lights, right?
39:41Yeah, and wiring.
39:42So we're taking our wiring and our generators with us.
39:45So what's going to happen when they come in?
39:48They're going to have to rewire.
39:49Just the same way we did.
39:51Yeah.
39:53Yeah, they're definitely not going to be out of here.
39:55I mean, I don't want to be mean, but, like...
39:56No, no, no.
39:56Yeah.
40:19I think Cornelia is about to walk.
40:34Meanwhile, more and more people are gathering outside.
40:37Since Malakua, they live in a place,
40:39they want to be a problem for us.
40:43What's going on?
40:45We're going to do our own setup because...
40:47We keep waiting.
40:48Everything is promised us.
40:49Wait, wait, wait.
40:50We keep waiting.
40:51Nothing is happening.
40:52No, we're turning in there.
40:54We're going in.
40:56We're going in.
40:56Of course.
40:57We're going in.
41:02These guys are so fed up with what's going on now.
41:04They're just taking their speakers in,
41:06and they're starting their own setup
41:07because they've paid for this venue,
41:10and they want to have their pageant,
41:11and they're sick of these cops not letting people in.
41:14So I don't know what's going to happen right now,
41:15but it feels like...
41:18It feels like something might go down.
41:26You cannot go that way.
41:27Go that way.
41:28Go that way.
41:28Go that way.
41:28You cannot.
41:37Go that way.
41:39Go that way.
41:40Go that way.
41:42Go that way.
41:42Go that way.
41:42I cannot guess me.
41:43It's 1 a.m.
41:44Vinette's father and the police
41:45are able to hold back the crowd just a little bit longer
41:48so Vinette and Serena can wrap up the show.
41:51Amazing.
41:55That was our final fashion presentation.
41:57So we thank you all for joining us tonight.
42:01At this time, we're going to ask everyone...
42:05At this time, we're going to ask everyone
42:06to move into the reception area
42:08if you'd like to enjoy some more live music.
42:17I feel good.
42:18It was a success.
42:19Everyone enjoyed themselves.
42:21Hopefully, everyone learned something.
42:22And is this...
42:23This is the...
42:24This is the people for the next event.
42:26The next event.
42:27Okay, they're setting up.
42:28So they're going to have it in here.
42:29I guess.
42:30I don't know why, but...
42:32Okay.
42:37Okay, the power just went out.
42:39We're in the big auditorium
42:41where they're supposed to have the pageant.
42:43The girls, I think, are taking their generators
42:46that they brought here,
42:47so I don't know if these guys brought their own,
42:49but this pageant might have to happen in the dark.
42:59I think the Fashion Week was a really clear example of the kind of two worlds of Liberia converging.
43:06Ladies and gentlemen, we are about to start the show.
43:11While Fashion Week Liberia and the local beauty pageant may have seemed at odds,
43:16in their own way, both events represent the next generation of Liberian culture
43:21and a reawakening from the so-called social coma.
43:27It feels as if Liberia is at a turning point.
43:31It's the first moment, it seems, that this place has had a chance to breathe.
43:35And this is the moment when people decide
43:37whether this country is going to press forward
43:40or issues of corruption and social divisions are going to remain.
44:01Whatever we need is, we need to filter out against them.
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