At 16years old, Abel Simon Mekonnen fled his homeland of Ethiopia for a three-monthjourney to neighboring Sudan; an odyssey of missed connections, 4 a.m. truckrides, and bouts of malaria. It would be three long years before he reunitedwith his family in the United States. Fast forward to 2024, Abel is now thelead singer of the D.C.-based reggae band Nkula, waging a new battle against anunjust global system with reggae music as his weapon of choice.