Tag Archives: African

Black Politics, Life

Our Voices Booklet

Leave a comment

A note from the editor Katswe Sisterhood –

Dear Reader,

Thank you for supporting the our voices project and taking the time to read this publication. Within it you will find chapters that feature submissions from artists in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Some of these women tell stories we have continually heard over the years and others bring topics not previously identified under the 12 critical areas of the Beijing declaration and POA.

You will find women telling stories inspired by personal truths and women using art to arouse deep conversation and feeling.

I really hope you enjoy it as I have enjoyed editing it.

Many thanks once again to our partners at OSISA, Urgent Action Fund Africa, Ford Foundation and Katswe Sistahood: without your support we would not have been able to breathe life into this idea and provide a platform where young women’s voice and art are celebrated. We hope to receive your continued support and that it allows this to become the first of many similar projects.

Download below:

katswesistahood.net/wp-content/uploads/Downloadable/Sept_2020/Our-Voices-2020_sml.pdf

Life

On Love from Africa – On Love from Africa Selections

Leave a comment

You sit and wonder what is more insulting than your ex asking you if you are still fat or travelling over 3000 miles to be with someone who then avoids you and turns you into a stalker.

Somehow you meet a guy he’s cute and seems lovely but somewhere along the line something always goes terribly wrong.

Usually there are signs, little signs that may lead you to think this is not a good guy, but being the ever hopeful romantic who are you to doubt love? 

Who are you to miss out on your “potential soulmate.” Yes you have actually used those words right? 

Who are you to think that a person that spends the first part of your relationship being difficult won’t change?

Then you start to wonder if the problem is you. When the signs that say run this guy is no good why then do you run towards them?

Perhaps too many novels that tell you a happy ending will be yours so bring on the heartbreak and bring on the assholes.

But God we pray that at the end of all this prince kinda charming is waiting. O and God please let him have a job o yes and papers.

Now lets look at what else you want in prince kinda charming. You used to be like “they need a diploma” but you let that standard go. Nothing like dropping your standards and then the person ends up married to someone else.

Then you look for a “good guy” but lets just say the difference between the good and the bad is getting thinner and thinner.

It’s always a contest. Are you the girlfriend having to deal with the harem of sidechicks.  Or are you the sidechick knowingly or unknowing, if unknowing being humiliated when the official bae is made known.

Decisions decisions this is love in 2018.

Now you are almost 30 it’s starting to come up do you have kids? Nope. Are you married? Nope. Awkward silence follows. 

But it’s really not polite to respond with are you happy in your relationship?

Do you wish you had waited to have kids?

If you could do it again would you pick YOUR husband?

Do you worry that you will resent your children for stopping your career?

Are you really and truly happy?

Instead you smile and respond, well I haven’t met the right guy yet or I don’t think I’m ready for children. 

When you are finally around children you honestly start to wonder am I ready to give my life to school runs? Don’t I enjoy sleeping till midday and buying crap that I don’t need?

But those babies are just so darn cute, how bad could one be. And those husbands do seem awfully handy at times.

On the other hand it’s not all bad right because you have a guy that you have never met saying that he loves you. But you are skeptical, it is not because you aren’t “that great” but something must be wrong with someone that tells you they love you without meeting you first right?

Or is that love in 2018?

Or is the problem that if a guy is serious then all of a sudden they are desperate or something must be wrong with them? You don’t know but it just seems highly suspicious.

So back to the point. Do you enjoy wasting women’s time or you just can’t help it? 

Why can’t guys just leave you alone? They see you living your life and all they want is to f up your shit.

This is love in 2018 right?

This thing we want called black love will be our downfall.

But when its right it’s so right that how can you not want it.

It can be right right?

#TThought on Love from Africa

7 October 2018 

To be continued

Black Politics

You cannot excuse yourself from blackness

Leave a comment

In reading the book Here I Stand by Paul Robeson I learnt that I think it is important and we need to keep our eyes on the prize. No-one is excused from the responsibility that comes with blackness. While we have had many celebrities that have helped in moving the fight forward we have to always remember that all celebrities, politicians, or political parties will not always do what is best for Black people.

Some do, some are frauds, some try in their own way usually in a manner that is not harmful to themselves as an individual. However as a marginilized community we always have to keep in mind that those that are trying to change institutional problems are also restricted by those same institutions.

Today you can think of Colin Kaepernick, he tried to do speak out against an institution  but was he punished for it. I think of Zanu PF or Fidel Castro they tried to challenge the international community and their populations have suffered dearly as a result.

Stopping oppression is not the job of one person it is for all of us to do what we can, when we can and in regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in.

Here are the quotes that stood out to me in the book:  

“Reed is dead now. He won no honours in classroom, pulpit or platform. Yet I remember him with love. Restless, rebellious, scoffing at conventions, defiant of the white man’s law – I’ve known many negroes like Reed. I see them everyday. Blindly, on their own reckless manner, they seek a way out for themselves; alone, they pound with their fists and fury against walls that only the shoulders of many can topple” pg 13 

Here I Stand by Paul Robeson
Continue reading You cannot excuse yourself from blackness →
Black Politics

Passion for Policy

Leave a comment

To understand the law is important and not just for my ego. It gives us all a better tool to deal with all those that try to take advantage of the average person.

When something is written down it is a way to protect and remember what is right. Written policies help ensure fairness so we don’t lose our way as a society. 

Continue reading Passion for Policy →