Spectra Speaks

Love and Afrofeminism: 5 Core Self-Care Principles Every Activist Should Live By

Spectra — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:13:11 +0000

I often get requests for practical day-to-day advice for caring for oneself as an activist. It's prompted me to reflect on what it means for activists to really practice self care... not just as some fluffy theoretical concept reserved for the those who can afford fancy yoga retreats, but as an accessible set of principles, applied consistently towards a healthy, sustainable lifestyle.

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A Gay Zulu Wedding and the Danger of a Single LGBT African Story

Spectra — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 19:59:51 +0000

I've been mulling over the gay zulu wedding fiasco over the past few weeks. I was excited to see it, but something left me unsettled. Here are my thoughts, inspired by a TEDTalk by one of my favorite writers, Chimamanda Adichie, "The Danger of a Single Story."

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What Kind of African Doesn’t Speak Any African Languages? Me.

Spectra — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 23:17:28 +0000

Last year, I attended a conference about Africa's development. In a session about African identity, we explored the question of whether one could claim to be African without being fluent in their mother tongue. Some said yes. But many said no. For this, I blame colonialism... and Sesame Street.

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Losing Access to Sisterhood: Tomboys, Masculinity, and the Unmaking of a Girl

Spectra — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 00:27:48 +0000

When I woke up to International Women's Day celebrations today, the first thing on my mind wasn't politics, but the personal connections I didn't know I would forfeit the minute I stopped wearing skirts, traded in my long hair for a frohawk, and fell in love with a woman. In light of international women's day, I can't help but note how often my masculinity is used to exclude me from accessing the same sisterhood that nurtured my unwavery dedication to every woman's empowerment.

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Live Podcast: African Women and Girl Storytellers in the Digital Age

Spectra — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 20:15:55 +0000

On March 13, as part of the Women, Action, and the Media's annual feminist media festival, I'll be hosting a live podcast about African women using media to subvert mainstream narratives about Africa: "African Women Storytellers in the Digital Age." In true kitchen table conversation style, my guests and I will be pontificating on storytelling trends about the African continent, and the role of western media, social media, and the Diaspora in shaping these narratives. Join us live!

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Celebrating Audre Lorde with Jamaican Feminists: Activism, Self Care, and Virtual Sisterhood

Spectra — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 10:49:14 +0000

I was invited by a Caribbean feminist collective to participate as a virtual guest in their Audre Lorde appreciation event this past weekend. After weeks of fighting a winter slump, I ended my Skype session feeling nourished and optimistic, which has prompted some reflecting on the power of sister circles, even when they're only experienced virtually.

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Award-Winning African Artist Shishani Releases Video for New LGBT Equality Anthem, “Minority”

Spectra — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 22:56:20 +0000

Award-winning Namibian indie soul artist, Shishani, has just released the music video for her latest single, “Minority”, a catchy, upbeat, acoustic track that calls for freedom and equality for all people despite perceived differences. She recently sat down with me to chat about her rise to stardom, her thoughts on music in movements, and why she's putting everything on the line now.

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When Doing Good Goes Wrong: One Woman’s Story about White Saviorism in Africa

Spectra — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 19:03:41 +0000

I recently joined the founding team of Africans in the Diaspora (AiD), a new organization that seeks to correct the imbalance of power in African development. But this post isn't really about that organization. I'd like to tell you a story about Lindiwe, an elderly African philanthropist I met on my travels. Her story is one I will carry with me, always. So, I think you should hear it,, too.

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I Have a Dream: Imagine Martin Luther King, Jr. As Weak

Spectra — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 20:39:52 +0000

Rather than the prophetic force he's been eulogized to be, imagine Martin Luther King Jr. as just another man walking down the street, or sitting at a bus stop looking down at his knees, pensive... wondering whether or not he was doing the right thing. Imagine him as human, so that we may walk in his footsteps, and view ourselves, too, as extraordinary.

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Open Letter to Africans for Africa Supporters: Love Is My Revolution

Spectra — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 21:48:37 +0000

This is my last post for 2012. I've been back in the states for almost two weeks, struggling with what words to send you in closing of my Africans for Africa new media training project. I've started about a dozen posts and letters, and have scrapped them each time. But I've settled for this stream of consciousness, this simple offering of gratitude. Thank you, for now, will have to do.

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