Fashion is often used as a creative connector for philanthropic causes. Model, photographer, and activist Nykhor Paul is looking to change for the better her native land of South Sudan, one t-shirt at a time. She’s launched the “We Are Nilotic” campaign in December 2013, Nilotic meaning “of the Nile”, to unify and encourage peace in her country of South Sudan and for those in the conflict to put down their weapons. “When the war broke out — my brother was killed, my friends were beheaded, my entire world went dark. I have 20k followers and these people like me for taking pictures as a model. I decided to use my platform to project out this love I know for Africa and the love we have as Black people as one.” Uprooted from her native country as a pre-pubescent, Paul emigrated to Houston, Texas in 1998 as a refugee but left the family she so desperately loved behind. When she was discovered as model, she still focused on how she can make a difference back home and throughout the continent. We spoke to the fearless muse on the “We Are Nilotic” movement, how the organization started, and how to effectively make a difference.
Why “We Are Nilotic”?
My country is being is being framed as tribal minded — and I’m not only speaking for my country, South Sudan, but also other African countries — so I try and talk to women that share the same passion, that have a platform like me, that have celebrity status so we can come together as a collective for our fame. I got calls from the UN, RED, the Dutch Government—that prompted me to go harder. I’ve been modeling since I was 15 and I’m now 27. Since I’ve always been in front of the camera, now I’m going to take the camera and tell the stories of the women in Africa. It’s amazing how those women maintain their beauty, femininity, and dignity. I want to capture that in my camera.
How did you first think to use your platform as a model for effective change?
They discovered me at 15 in Omaha, Nebraska. I dropped out of college, talked to agents, then moved to New York at 18. The first question I asked at that time was, “Am I going to make enough money for myself to help my family back home?” In the years that I’ve been modeling, I’ve had to pull inside to keep neutral so that I can continue posing. For me, this is just my 9-to-5. The fame is a result of that, and once I have it, that’s a door for me to spread awareness that African girls like me are beautiful. There are 64 tribes in South Sudan. My goal was to find a vocal woman like myself in each of those tribes. We are a very self-sufficient people.
Is it only you furthering this organization?
Yes! I don’t make any money from the organization. I don’t take people’s money. My focus for the campaign is to educate about what’s going on in South Sudan right now. We’re not ready for money with so much civil unrest. It’s easier to go to a bunch of indigenous people who operate on those principles, but in South Sudan, those tribes are not tribes—they’re actually kingdoms reduced down to tribes. Throw politics in with that and people who have been starving alive, it can get really ugly.
What do you think that needs to be done as far as getting to that point where things get better?
To me, what I’ve been trying to do with “We Are Nilotic” is to collect from the other African people. The effect of colonialism has made them forget that they can accomplish on their own! My vision for this campaign is to provide two-dimension perspective to Africans. Many of them only know their existence where us in America see more. People like Akon who are really making a difference. With the sale of these t-shirts, I’m going to buy myself and my team tickets to take Africans in the West back to the continent because they are the ones that need to go. Fashion gives access to the world.
What do you think fashion needs to do?
If I generate enough money, I want to set an example for the UN, Red Cross, Charity Water. In 2014, I bought a little farm that now feeds 50 people. When those organizations seek to work with me, they see me as the black poster child. I’m trying to bring my family here to America because they’re still in the refugee camps. Fashion can do so much. Every February and September during Fashion Week, I want to do an exhibition that goes toward “We Are Nilotic” movement with African designers, creatives, models, and you see also what I’m doing in Africa.
If you’re looking to contribute to the “We Are Nilotic” campaign, email [email protected].
