Hannah Giorgis Yohannes

profiles and other reported stories

All my writing at The Atlantic can be found here. Selected features include:

The World’s Newest Republic — October 2022
How one nation’s sovereignty movement is setting off a chain reaction among former British colonies in the Caribbean.

How Issa Rae Built the World of Insecure — December 2021
The show’s behind-the-scenes collaborations were as important to its success as the bonds portrayed on-screen.

The Fleeting Promise of a Peaceful Ethiopia — April 2021
A new prime minister was met with overwhelming optimism that he would help stem the country’s long-standing tensions. But military violence in the Tigray region dispels any hope of a unified republic.

D.C. Statehood Is More Urgent Than Ever — January 2021
“The real fraud is that we call ourselves a democracy yet deny the people of our capital political representation.”

When Your Hometown Team Gets a New Identity — November 2020
Black fans of the Washington Football Team are adapting to a new future for their beloved franchise—and reckoning with its past disregard of Native Americans.

What Incarcerated Rappers Can Teach America — September 2020
This year’s national reckoning over policing means that more people could stand to seriously listen to the music of young artists who have firsthand experience with the system.

The ‘African Giant’ Challenging Musical Boundaries — July 2019
With a new album, a solo track on Beyoncé’s Lion King compilation, and a global fan base, Burna Boy is pushing the limits imposed on artists from the continent.

The Photographer Fighting Visual Clichés of Africa — June 2019 Issue
Aïda Muluneh’s vibrant images explore Ethiopian identity, and her photo festival aspires to shape a new vision of the continent.

Nipsey Hussle’s Eritrean American Dream — April 2019
The slain rapper, who was known for his investment in his Los Angeles community, also inspired fans and fellow musicians who share his East African heritage.

The Teenage Girl Leading Jamaica’s New Reggae Scene — April 2019
Since her tribute to the track star Usain Bolt went viral, Koffee has shown she has staying power.

The Queens Rapper Connecting American Hip-Hop to African Audiences — March 2019
Bas, raised in New York, wants to bring his music to his Sudanese parents’ homeland and to the broader continent. And so do his fans.

Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Expansive Vision of Africa — March 2019
The 12 Years a Slave actor on writing and directing his first feature film, about a Malawian boy’s innovation in the face of famine: “There is no generic African space.”

Barry Jenkins Brings James Baldwin Home to Harlem — October 2019
The U.S. premiere of the film adaptation of If Beale Street Could Talk, held at the historic Apollo Theater, captured all the generous, urgent love the writer’s work conveyed.

How the ’90s Kinda World of Living Single Lives on Today — August 2018
Twenty-five years after its premiere, the cast and crew of Yvette Lee Bowser’s iconic ensemble sitcom talk about the show’s classic characters, memorable looks, and impact on how Hollywood tells black stories.

Abiy Ahmed Meets the Ethiopian Diaspora — August 2018
After years of dire political dispatches from back home, Ethiopian immigrants greeted the nation’s new reformist prime minister with displays of hope and unity as he traveled across the U.S.

Popcaan Keeps Dancehall Moving Forward—With Its Roots Intact – June 2018
An interview with the Jamaican singer ahead of his sophomore album, Forever, which cements his status as one of the genre’s most important figures.