African art gallery and streetwear boutique Taswira celebrated their one year anniversary and owner Avery Barnes had a special announcement.

“We’re here to stay,” Barnes said. “I’m so grateful to be the recipient of this space because it’s really a platform where people can see and experience pieces from Africa. Having the space has really been critical for connecting with community.”

Initially granted retail space through a partnership with Seattle Restored, Barnes said that to receive a second year she had to demonstrate her personal connections with the Maasai people in Africa and recently announced their second collaboration with them.

“We’re about sustaining African culture through modern mediums,” Barnes said. “Now that we’ve had this space, we’ve been able to highlight the history of the African diaspora in Seattle.”

Barnes has worked to help the community locally as well as the Maasai people, including hosting small business markets at the space on game days downtown.

“It’s all about being able to create and impact here as well as in Africa,” Barnes said. For Barnes, her goals include continuing to keep the space open and available to community as well as finding new ways to impact the women she works with in Africa.

You can visit Taswira at 510 Occidental Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104 and stay up to date on Instagram @taswira.africa