About

About Us

Journey Home Film Festival: ATL Edition

The Journey Home Film Festival: ATL Edition is a U.S.-based expansion of the Journey Home Film Festival, originally founded in Monrovia, Liberia. Rooted in the spirit of cultural connection, creative expression, and Diaspora storytelling, the festival serves as a bridge between Africa, the Caribbean, and the global African Diaspora.

Hosted in Atlanta, Georgia, the Journey Home Film Festival: ATL Edition will be held on June 12 – 13, 2026. The ATL Edition brings together filmmakers, students, scholars, creatives, and community members to experience powerful films that explore themes of home, identity, memory, resilience, migration, and cultural legacy. Through curated film screenings, panels, workshops, and community conversations, the festival creates space for storytelling that honors the past while shaping the future.

Submit your Film

Submissions are now open from JHFF:ATL and can be made through Film Freeway online at https://filmfreeway.com/JourneyHomeATL.

Our Organizers & Leadership

The Journey Home Film Festival: ATL Edition is guided by a dedicated leadership team, advisors, and host committee members who bring deep experience in film, education, cultural programming, and community engagement.

Dr. Clarice Ford-Kulah

Co-Executive Director (Program Director) & JHFF Co-Founder
Dr. Ford-Kulah provides strategic leadership for festival programming, curation, and creative vision. She oversees film selection, thematic development, and educational programming, ensuring the festival remains grounded in cultural integrity, artistic excellence, and global perspective.

Candace Bazemore

Co-Executive Director (Marketing Director)
Candace Bazemore leads the festival’s marketing, branding, and audience development strategy for the ATL Edition. She oversees digital presence, communications, partnerships, and community engagement, helping to expand the festival’s reach while aligning storytelling, mission, and impact.

Advisory Team

The Journey Home Film Festival: ATL Edition is supported by a distinguished Advisory Team comprised of cultural leaders, creatives, and founding voices who bring deep insight into film, community building, and Diaspora engagement. The Advisory Team provides strategic guidance, institutional perspective, and long-term vision to ensure the festival remains mission-driven, culturally grounded, and positioned for sustainable growth.

Their collective expertise helps shape the festival’s direction, strengthen partnerships, and preserve the integrity of the Journey Home Film Festival’s origins and global impact.

Kara Fenner-Walker

Chair, Advisor Board

Saqar Ahhah Ahershu

Advisor Board Member & JHFF Co-Founder

Den Tut Rayay

Advisor Board Member & JHFF Co-Founder

Host Committee Chairs

The Host Committee Chairs play a vital role in anchoring the Journey Home Film Festival: ATL Edition within the Atlanta community. Serving as ambassadors for the festival, they support community engagement, partnership development, and local visibility while helping to create a welcoming and impactful experience for filmmakers, guests, and audiences.

Through their leadership and advocacy, the Host Committee Chairs help ensure the ATL Edition reflects the spirit, culture, and creative energy of Atlanta while advancing the festival’s mission of cultural connection and storytelling.

Brad James

Executive Co-Chair, Host Committee

LaRonda Sutton

Executive Co-Chair, Host Committee

Samad Davis

Executive Co-Chair, Host Committee