Stay Updated!
Sign up now to be the first to receive updates like new releases, tour dates, ticket details, and more!
ACTOR. POET. ARTIVIST
Malaika Umwamahoro, a versatile artist hailing from Rwanda, seamlessly weaves her talents in acting, poetry, directing, writing and advocacy for social justice into a rich tapestry of creativity and purpose.
Fluency in English, French, and Kinyarwanda underscores her prowess as an accomplished actress, recognized for her captivating performances across a diverse array of film and theatre productions. Born in Kigali on September 2nd, 1990, Malaika’s early life was shaped by both her personal narrative and the broader socio-political landscape of Rwanda.
“Art has the power to transform hearts and minds, it has the power to influence action.“
Press
The Amsterdam Press
“I am so happy to take a Rwandan story onto the New York stage. Often our stories are told by non-African people so I feel privileged as a Rwandan to be able to tell the story of Rwandan genocide survivor Immaculée Ilibagiza.
The East African
“..In the poem she tackles the subject of rape, a topic that has often been muffled by the heavy wall of patriarchy everywhere it has tried to permeate to the surface.
Portland Press Herald
There is a moment during the play “Cartography” when audience members are asked to turn on their phones and chart on a digital map their own migration stories. Where are they from, and how did they get here?
Forbes Africa
“We had previously been pondering ways to make art in our home. This poem seemed like the perfect push to set us in our new path. Our home became the film set, using blankets and cake mix as props, windows and office space as locations, myself as the talent, him as the crew, and now you as the audience,”
America Magazine
I sat down with Leslie Malaika Lewis at a rehearsal studio in New York to discuss the new production of the play opening in April. Our conversation has been slightly edited for length and clarity.
The New York Times
The show’s title refers to the study and drawing of maps, but even those keep changing. “I know my passport has expired,” a migrant played by Malaika Uwamahoro says. “So has my country.”