Black Passport: A Migrant’s Memoir
Wednesday, February 17 at 1:00 pm to Wednesday, January 13, 2027 at 2:30 pm
- Hybrid event
- 1706, Dunton Tower, Carleton University
- 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6
- Zoom meeting link
The Institute of African Studies (IAS) is pleased to welcome Paul Akpomuje, PhD Candidate in Queen’s University’s Faculty of Education, for a Brown Bag presentation on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.
Paul recently released his debut poetry collection, Black Passport: A Migrant’s Memoir, published by Griots Lounge Canada. The collection explores themes of migration, borders, identity, belonging, and the bureaucratic realities that shape migrants’ journeys. Through powerful and deeply personal poems, Black Passport offers a compelling reflection on the experiences of Black African migrants in Canada.
In addition to discussing his creative work, Paul will share insights from his current research on visa stories and the poetics of migration, with a particular focus on the experiences of Nigerian immigrants in Canada. His scholarship and poetry examine how migration policies, documentation, and border crossings shape individual and collective narratives of movement and belonging.
Paul has been an active member of the Queen’s community, co-organizing and hosting several poetry and community-engaged events, including Poetics of Migration and Poetics of Love.
Join us for this engaging conversation at the intersection of poetry, migration, storytelling, and research.