Immersing in culture, changing lives

Published: April 10, 2015

Every student who graduates from the University of Washington Bothell is expected to take what they’ve learned inside and outside the classroom to make positive change in the world. That is what Amen Gibreab (IAS ’13) is doing. Gibreab, armed with the collaborative, diverse experience that comes with his Media and Communications degree, is helping to create change through his documentary Horeta – The Journey Beyond Culture.

In 2012, Gibreab and 14 other UW Bothell students embarked on a study abroad to Ethiopia, his home. The aspiring filmmaker saw an opportunity to use one group’s immersive experience to change world perceptions. Horeta, Gibreab’s first film, offers a rare glimpse inside the daily life of Ethiopians as students learn about the country’s culture and history. The experience challenged stereotypes that students once had about African countries, and Gibreab hopes Horeta’s impact will be the same for everyone who sees it.

Horeta has been chosen to play in the Langston Hughes African American Film Festival on Sunday April 12th at 12:30 p.m., to purchase tickets and learn more about Horeta, click here.