Daughter of the Dyaspora

Is there really no contest?

2011-06-01T13:43:00.001-04:00

While doing research on a British university I hope to attend next fall, I came across an article on the top African universities. Apparently, only two African universities, one in Egypt and the other in South Africa, made it to the Times Higher Education World Rankings list for 2011. The article goes on to suggest that African universities should focus on developing their respective communities, rather than devote vital resources to a somewhat futile cause.

The author lists many challenges that the African continent and by extension, African universities, face. The oft-recited list includes poverty, the history of colonialism and ethnic diversity. However while I have been a proponent of this view in the past (and still am at times), I worry that these challenges are becoming excuses. Yes, poverty and colonialism are problematic, but rather than continuing to lament over our situation we should begin to think of unique and effective solutions to our problems!

Furthermore, the article seems to imply that community development and international recognition (by virtue of rankings) are (and maybe even, should be ) at polar opposites of the African priority list. I’ll admit that rankings can be shallow, but I know I am not the only one who is tired of seeing Africa finish last. While I certainly agree that a focus on community development is essential, the situation seems to raise the question: what is the use of doing good if no one can see it? Clearly, the answer is complicated since the question itself raises several moral concerns. Nonetheless, I believe that in our modern world visibility is vital. High visibility of the work of African universities will quite likely attract much needed funding and talented scholars, both as professors and students. This would no doubt reverse the brain drain that the article so eloquently discusses. Most importantly, the increased physical and social capital will allow the universities to be even more effective in their endeavors to develop their respective countries and local communities.

The article also suggests that a focus on rankings will be a waste of resources. However, the methodology of the report seems to give the most weight to factors that should have minimal cost implications. (The categories teaching, research and citations make up ninety percent of the overall score.) In addition, these factors regardless of cost would certainly improve the quality of African education and overall effectiveness.

To suggest that international rankings are of little import, is to ignore the various cause and effect relationships. That being said, by no means do I suggest that African universities should begin to channel 100 percent of their resources into becoming number one on this and any other ranking list. I only desire to see more African universities receive the recognition that they deserve. Perhaps such positive publicity will be just what the continent needs…

In Referendum

2011-01-19T12:06:00.004-05:00

Last week, voters from Southern Sudan turned out in great numbers to decide whether they should split from the mostly Muslim, Arab majority in the North. For the most part, this page of the story is old news. Major international media outlets have been talking about the vote for months and the referendum itself was stipulated by a 2005 peace agreement. Like most people, I am extremely pleased that the referendum and the drive for secession have been relatively successful and, most importantly, peaceful.

Although I celebrate freedom with the people of Southern Sudan, a part of me is still concerned. I wonder what this secession means for the state of affairs on the African continent. I am aware of the many civil conflicts that have existed in Sudan. From the twenty-year civil war to Darfur and the discovery of oil in Abyei, the problems are, indeed, numerous. Yet, despite the tensions in various parts of Sudan, I still can't help but wonder if secession is really the solution. I am worried about what this says about the African continent and the world community, in general. Does secession really solve the underlying issues? Does the animosity disappear once a group of people get autonomy of their own country? Will it all get better when an imaginary line demarks the Sudanese people as neighbors and no longer countrymen and women? Should we forget about the "global community" and separate back into our comfortable little units because we are all so different and often do not get along? In that case, watch out world, who is going to be next?

On one hand, I'll be the first person to tell you that the current boundaries and conception of nationhood, particularly in Africa, are a product of colonialism... a figment of Western imagination. In this regard, why not scrap all the borders and redesign them as we see fit? Yet, on the other hand, when I envision new borders I have always seen it as an act of unity. Perhaps, a way to reunite tribes and ethnic groups that were carelessly separated in the "Scramble. "

From another point of view, it is clear that the people of Southern Sudan are desperate for their independence. Preliminary results from the poll indicate that well over ninety percent of voters are in favor of the secession. Should my lofty dreams of a united Africa interfere with the right of self-determination? Probably not. Furthermore, with such a united front from the Southern Sudanese people, an interference with this dream almost come true would probably launch the country back into a civil war anyway.

So, what is the solution? Unfortunately, I do not know. I am unsure if anyone does. I only hope that time will gift us with what most of us ultimately desire... PEACE!

Best wishes to the people of Sudan.

The Year of Love

2011-01-04T08:45:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year, everyone!

I have been thinking a lot on religion and have decided to declare 2011 my personal year of LOVE. It seems that we have so many churches and not enough people who are truly engaged with God's word. I have always loved the phrase "What Would Jesus Do" because it reminds those who profess to be Christians to follow CHRIST's example. While Christians have a detailed list of activities that are classified "sin," we are reminded by Christ that we should never cast anybody aside. We are not called to judge the world but to be the LIGHT. Lead by example! If your faith is what you profess it is, people should be changed by the distinction of your life. We should incline people to our beliefs with love and not with harsh words and the power of the sword.

Regardless of your faith or beliefs, I think there is room for a little more love in all of our lives. We should all remember to give to those who are truly needy, to accept those who are different, and to exhibit our best selves. Here's to a HAPPY, PEACEFUL, and PROSPEROUS New Year!

For God is Love...1 John 4:7-21

The Kinky Curly Revolution

2010-12-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

You see them everywhere! From TWAs to huge Afros. Twists. Twist-outs. Coils. And even sometimes just a bit of hair poking out from under a protective style. The natural hair movement is in full swing. Some say it's a fad and others a way of life. Regardless of which camp is right, I am happy to see so many Black women exploring their God-given hair texture.

I "went natural" before it was popular and I still remember the side-eyes and disturbing comments from friends, family and foes alike. Since I've blogged about my hair before (see here and here), I'll just say that natural hair has truly been a journey for me. I've gone from being a naive and curious fourteen year old girl to a women who knows that au naturale is the only way for her. That being said, I am not (as is commonly suggested) anti-relaxer. I AM, however, anti-western cultural hegemony, anti-low self esteem in Black women, anti self-degradation and anti denial.

Getting back to the revolution, I realized it took off when I walked into Target specifically to buy natural hair care products. While the news of Target's new "multiethnic"products has been going around the blogosphere for months, it didn't really click, until I walked in and saw several brands of natural hair care products stocked right there in between Pantene and African Pride (pride my foot, hmph!). The offerings include the very popular Miss Jessie's line, CURLS, The Jane Carter Solution, and SheaMositure. It was nice to have so many in-store options and I finally settled with the CURLS products (which I will review on my hair blog (http://thedyasporanknapsack.tumblr.com/).

I can only hope that the natural hair movement continues to gain momentum and that Black women around the world will leave behind the world of imitation and embrace their own unique beauty. Imitators can only and forever be second best. The revolution is HERE: get in or get out!

Lagos Light Rail Project...Welcome Aboard!

2010-12-15T11:54:00.004-05:00

The plans for a light rail system in Lagos, Nigeria are finally taking off. Although the project has been in the works for over thirty years, it has remained a distant dream until much recently. As one of the largest cities in Africa, traffic flow has been a major problem in Lagos for decades. The Lagos Bus Rapid Transit (Lagos BRT), which was introduced in 2008, has helped to alleviate the traffic issue but the congestion is still overwhelming for many Lagosians.

The proposed line is expected to cover over 35 kilometeres with the Red line running between Agbado and Marina and the Blue line starting in Okokomaiko and also terminating in Marina.

The rail line is expected to be completed in about three years.

For more information visit:

http://www.lagosrail.com/home/index.php

http://brfashola.org/2010/07/26/lagos-rail-project/

http://www.lagosindicatoronline.com/Lagos_rail_project_to_generate_8000_jobs.html

To Be Young, Gifted and...YORUBA

2010-11-07T13:34:00.002-05:00

It's 4pm on a Monday afternoon and I'm sitting in a class I've been eagerly looking forward to since the moment I registered for the Spring in NY program. The room is filled with New York University students and I am the only domestic exchange student and one of four people of color. While this is a far cry from my home institution, Spelman College, my excitement can not be abated. We begin to discuss the material for the day and we get into a discussion about ethnic differences. As the only Black African in the class, I feel obliged to contribute my "two cents." I raise my hand and suggest that the ties that Africans feel to their tribe/ethnic heritage are quite different from the understanding of ethnicity ascribed to by people in the Western world. I go on to explain my reasoning. I suggest that tribal identification is not simply a language and culture as, say, it is when I say I am French, but also includes a worldview of its own-a religion, a way of dressing, customs, and so on. Taiye Tuakli-Wosornu briefly alludes to this uniqueness when she says "to ‘be’ Nigerian is to belong to a passionate nation; to be Yoruba, to be heir to a spiritual depth." In short, my understanding is that the differences in culture between French and English are not as defined and "taken to heart" as the differences between, say, Igbo and Yoruba.Since the class is about independence and the transition from colonial rule in Africa, I tie my comment back to the overall theme of the class and allude to the fact that this may be a cause of the many civil wars in Africa. In my opinion, the comment is valid and not so out of the ordinary. Yet, to my surprise, it appears that the class has stopped breathing. I have rocked the worlds of my "liberal" classmates. In that brief moment, a student turns to me and bursts out "you're ETHNOCENTRIC." I instantly recoil. On one hand, I am silently thanking God for my late grandfather who taught me the meaning of that word and on the other, I am seething. I can't decide which expression to put on my face. I am hurt, angry, and confused. As far as I can tell, this girl has just insinuated that I am a racist. I am offended on so many levels and convinced that I must have been misunderstood! I am NOT opining that African is "BETTER" than any other ethnic identity. Neither am I saying that deep ethnic allegiances are an excuse or justification for ethnic violence (absolutely not!). I am simply stating what to me is a fact: that Africans, an in particular Nigerians, take their ethnic identities VERY seriously and in a way that most Westerners can NOT even begin to identify with, let alone understand.

While this experience occurred almost nine months ago, the feeling of having my tail cut off has not left me. I keep wondering what it is that I said wrong. What exactly offended this girl so much that she would attach such a label to me? I regret not asking that. I regret not stopping the class then and there until the air had been cleared. I regret it because now I will probably never know. The good news, though, is that as I sit here and reflect I can still stand by what I said. I am not sure why but Africans tend to associate strongly with their ethnic group, often more closely to ethnic identity than national identity. What true "ethnocentrists" term as primitive in Africa is merely the retaining of tradition. In other words, much of modern African culture has its roots in the practices of the ancients, so to speak. These practices vary greatly from group to group and something as insignificant as a naming ceremony can distinguish one tribe from another.

That being said,I think my classmate made an error that is not unique. Many people confuse racial/ethnic pride with SUPREMACY. The fact that I am proud of being Black, Nigerian and Yoruba does not take anything away from who someone else is. The problem comes in when someone uses a difference to justify an action. Ironically, the more I think about it the more I realize that my classmate's anger only served to buttress my point. She doesn't understand. She can't. She doesn't know the values that have been imbibed in me from the moment I took my first breath. She doesn't realize that I have been taught to greet my elders on my knees, while my best friend from Edo State has been taught that is an abomination to bow to anything other than God. She doesn't understand how that influences our thought. How that makes us different. How that's OKAY. She thinks that to be liberal, is to be accepting and to be accepting means an erasure of anything that makes us different. To people like her, diversity is a paradox, of sorts. We value people for their unique experiences, and then critique them for expressing what it is that makes them unique. Maybe that's why we need more people of color in international development discourse, but that's a topic for another post.......

Art by Dawn Okoro

2010-08-03T17:46:00.002-04:00

Born to a Nigerian father and an African-American mother, Dawn Okoro is an artist whose projects include paintings in oil, acrylic and pencil. Her work is inspired by her interest in the fashion industry and some of her celebrity clients include Shaun Robinson and Erykah Badu. A Chicago native, her work has been exhibited in Harlem, Chicago and London.

In addition to her skills as an artist, Ms. Okoro holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Texas and a Juris Doctor from Texas Southern. She is one talented lady!

Her work can be purchased in person or by emailing her at info@dawnokoro.com

Visit her website at:http://www.dawnokoro.com/

Babangida Wants to Help Nigerians in the Diaspora...Really?

2010-07-29T23:04:00.008-04:00

Am I the only one who is amused by Former Military President Ibrahim Babangida's (a.k.a IBB's) aspirations to become the next democratically elected president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria? I mean really! So far, the 2011 elections seem somewhat of a joke...

I'll be the first person to admit that my knowledge of Nigerian history is lacking in some areas. I did not grow up in Nigeria and most of what I know is from personal research or hearsay. That being said, "Babangida" is one of those names that really rings a bell in Nigerian politics. Growing up, we knew the two infamous dictators were Babangida and Abacha. I mean, my mom (as well as the rest of the country) came home dancing and singing when Abacha died. So for Babangida's name to be tied to Abacha's you know it's not good. Even my younger brother who is far less informed about Nigerian politics than I, asked "isn't that the bad guy?" when he heard Babangida is running.

To add to this delight, Babangida is now seeking the inclusion of Nigerians in the diaspora in the electoral process (see HERE). I don't know but it surely sounds like someone is trying to butter up the ballot box. As a second-generation Nigerian (and proud holder of a green passport), I admit that I personally would enjoy the privilege of voting. However, not if that will give someone like IBB the chance to orchestrate and manipulate the vote.

I am all for second chances, but not when it comes to something as momentous as running a country. Nigeria is already in a frail state what with the violence in Jos, high (& highly visible) corruption, and economic mismanagement.

I love my country, Nigeria, and I dream big things for the entire African continent in the next 50 years. IBB should do us all a favor: return peacefully to his "retirement" and be grateful no one has prosecuted him.

Apparently, I'm not the only one who thinks so......... ;)

Reparations?: Response to Dr. Gates Op-Ed "Ending the Slavery Blame Game"

2010-04-27T16:33:00.011-04:00

In "Ending the Slavery Blame Game", (New York Times Op-Ed, April 23), Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., discusses his belief that the role of Africans in the slave trade complicates the issue of reparations for descendants of American slaves. His basic argument seems to imply that because some Africans took an active role in the slave trade, advocates of reparations in the United States (and elsewhere) stand on shaky ground.

Gates claims that there is "very little discussion of the role Africans themselves played." In fact, throughout the article his words indicate that he believes that the role Africans played in the slave trade is a novel discovery. While I disagree, I admire Dr. Gates for attempting to engage this topic. It's a very painful realization. I first learned of African involvement in the slave trade in the latter part of my elementary school years. I still remember sitting at my desk and feeling that my world had been shattered. Everything that I had ever learned about slavery was turned upside-down. As the daughter of African immigrants, I know longer felt entitled to my righteous indignation. In fact, the idea that Africans enslaved other Africans is a concept that still baffles and perplexes me. Yet, there is nothing new about African elite (and elites, in general) exploiting their citizens and neighbors. The same structure stands as an obstacle to African development today. Regardless of it's novelty, I don't believe that it matters.

Dr. Gates's discussion of the African role completely misses the point. He notes that "slavery was a business, highly organized and lucrative for European buyers and African sellers alike." He later adds that "the conquest and capture of Africans and their sale to Europeans was one of the main sources of foreign exchange for several African kingdoms ." But how lucrative was it for these African rulers? How much did they really gain? While Gates's attempts to denounce the idea that Africans were ignorant, I still can't help but wonder. If these kingdoms flourished because of the slave trade, then where are they today? This past weekend I visited some friends in Philadelphia. It was my first time visiting this city and as we walked through we discussed which parts must have been built by slaves. The sheer amount became so overwhelming that we eventually concluded that the conversation was futile since all of America was essentially built by slaves. I say this to point out that the American economy was established because of the slave trade. No African country has this claim.

Gates points out that "the culpability of American plantation owners neither erases nor supplants that of the African slavers." The reverse is also true. The African role in the slave trade does not remove America from its duty (as this type of discussion often tries to do). It was Americans, not Africans, who separated families, whipped slaves into obedience and committed some of the gravest human rights violations the world has ever seen. It was an American who gained prominence by immorally testing his medicine on enslaved women. It was Americans who enacted Jim Crow laws and harassed, beat and/or killed people like Charles Person and Emmet Till.

That being said, Gates does allude to one important point. Acknowledging the complicity of different actors is essential to healing. At the end of the day, that's what this is all about. All parties should acknowledge AND apologize for their role in the slave trade. This is especially critical for African countries, as we attempt to engage others of African descent around the world. We can not cry for Pan-Africanism, while we sweep past atrocities under the rug.

At the end of the day, I don't believe that the issue of reparations in the United States has anything to do with the African slavers. If it did, Affirmative Action would be redundant. Gates gets it wrong when he suggests that reparations are about attributing blame. It's NOT, it's about justice! Honestly, I do not understand why this issue is so polarizing. African-Americans are not the first people to seek reparations. There have been success stories! What makes the African-American situation so new, "unworkable" and "impractical? " Although I'm classified as African-American, I don't believe that I, or anyone like me, should be eligible for reparations. While I was born in the United States, I am not a descendant of slaves. The people who are, are entitled to the unpaid wages of their ancestors, and the American government has a moral duty to pay. It's as simple as that.

#WelcometoNigeria: A MAJOR Disappoinment

2010-04-19T20:34:00.012-04:00

Welcome to Nigeria happened to be one of the top trending topics on Twitter last week Thursday. For those not familiar with Twitter, "trending topics" are the most popular/ most discussed topics on Twitter at a given moment. It was pretty random because nothing particularly special was happening in Nigeria, except for maybe BBC's new documentary Welcome to Lagos.Usually trending topics are about major current events that affect a broad range of people, so for "Welcome to Nigeria" to have been one of the top ten topics for almost 24 hours was a pretty big deal. At first, I was excited because it seemed like an amazing PR opportunity. Nigeria has a pretty bad rep in the international community and this was the time for young Nigerians all around the globe to shed some light on what makes Nigeria so special.

I just did a quick search on the hashtag #WelcometoNigeria to see how popular trending services defined the topic.

Whatthetrend.com explained it as:

People are introducing Nigeria to the world and tweeting things that are unique to Nigeria.

Tagdef.com noted:

people are writing advertisments for Nigeria

Identi.ca:

People are introducing Nigeria/Nigerians to the world..."with random jokes".

All sounds pretty good, right?

Unfortunately, it didin't pan out quite that way. If that was how Nigerians introduced themselves, then it was a fairly horrible introduction. At first, it was all harmless fun and jokes but then it got messy. The majority of the tweets by Nigerians were negative and while many of them were true, Twitter may not have been the best place to voice these complaints. Twitter is accessed by MILLIONS of people around the world, many of whom no little to nothing about Africa, let alone Nigeria. This became apparent when many non-Nigerians began to send messages about Nigeria being the homes of AIDS and African Booty-scratchers. Sadly, these were often from other people of African descent. Things got even sadder when people began to air their tribalist/racist and all around discriminatory views.

In short, as a Nigerian and avid Pan-Africanist, I was pretty disappointed. There were a few positive spots and I was happy that I wasn't the only one who noticed the excessive negativity. So far, the experiment of using social media as a tool to change perception has been a failure. If Nigerians think so negatively of themselves, how can they expect others to think any better? The whole charade was a major eye-opener for me. There's work to be done......

Like a Piece of Cake: On Partitioning Nigeria

2010-03-30T10:29:00.007-04:00

Sooooooooo word on the street is that Colonel Muamaar Gaddafi of Libya is suggesting that Nigeria split due to the constant ethno-religious violence in the country. He first suggested that Nigeria follow the model of British India and split into two countries, a Muslim one to the North and a Christian one to the South. However, he has now revised his comments and suggests that Nigeria follow the Yugoslavian model and split into several different states.

Now obviously, Gaddafi is quite a character and there are some people who feel that we should disregard anything that comes out of his mouth. Others find his comments on Nigeria to be hypocritical because he has also been a champion of a politically and economically united Africa, which has been whimsically termed the United States of Africa (a topic I will be returning to in an upcoming post) . However, I must admit that I gained a bit of respect for him after reading his position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It may not be THE solution, but I thought it seemed fair and was pretty well-stated. I say that to say that I personally do not think Gaddafi is necessarily crazy. Wrong, but not crazy!

I certainly understand the logic behind what he's saying, but I think Gaddafi has it wrong! Splitting Nigeria will cause more harm than good. The potential side effects outweigh the good. For one, Nigeria has at least 250 DIFFERENT ethnic groups. If we begin to divide the country along ethnic lines when will we ever end? I personally think it would be unfair to grant certain groups the right to self-determination and then turn around and deny it to others. In addition, I believe that the conflict is more than just an ethnic or religious problem. Part of the problem is economic ie conflict over scarce resources such as water. That being said, splitting Nigeria would just be a bandage solution. Furthermore, just because the country is split doesn't mean that there still won't be conflict....it would just go from an intrastate conflict to a full out interstate war. I'm also concerned because many of the successions of this nature were anything but peaceful and it may lead to many more people being slaughtered if the lessons from past cases are not taken.

There has to be another solution! The problem is not that we are different, but rather that we use difference to justify DIVISION. We need to understand and then rectify the underlying causes of this tension. I can only hope against hope that this is the not the beginning of the end for Nigeria because while "Nigeria" is really only a figment of the colonial imagination I worry about what this split says for the future of regional stability and African/Pan-African unity.

Personal Space?

2010-03-10T08:54:00.012-05:00

Yesterday, I somehow ended up at a screening of "Good Hair." I still haven't seen the whole thing, so I'll reserve my comments for an upcoming post. The screening was hosted by BAMSA, the Biracial and Multiracial Student Association at New York University, and after the film we segued into a candid discussion about hair.

One of the students, who was African-American, decided to enlighten us on her perspective. One of her arguments was that Chris Rock made it seem like all women wear weaves for the same reason. She noted that she often wore weaves because she liked the length and not because of the texture. I wanted to remind her that privileging long hair is also a racial issue, but I let it go. However, things got really interesting when two other students began to bemoan the idea that an Afro/ "natural" hair is not "professional." The first student responded that she didn't see a problem with employees asking Black women to "pull their hair back" in "professional" settings. She would only have a problem if these women were asked to relax their hair. To her, asking someone to pull back their hair or make it more "professional" was not the same as asking them to change who they are as a person. Her reasoning was that large Afros (which she demonstrated were the length of her arm span) were outdated. They were from the 80's and no one wore them anymore. She justified the idea of asking women with natural hair to pull back their hair by noting that large afros took up other people's "personal space." She suggested that every one has been allocated a certain amount of personal space and people who rock large 'fros are extending their limit and intruding on someone else's space.

The rest of the conversation was irrelevant because in all honesty I was a bit peeved at this point. Why is it that Black women always feel the need to apologize for who they are? It's not like I wake up every morning and tell my hair "stand up tall and be proud." This is the way it grows out of my head. No one tells women of other races that they have to pull their hair back, so why is there a different standard across the board? One of the students mentioned that in certain professions, such as ballet, there are standards of appearance. This I completely understand, especially as a a former ballet dancer myself (I was horrible). However it is not ok to have different standards for people in the same field. If I have to pull back my hair, so does everyone else otherwise I believe I am right in saying that I am being unjustly targeted and discriminated against. On the other hand, I think it is time that we evaluate what it means to be inclusive. Women of color were banned from fields ranging from dance to education, however as we begin to incorporate these women we should also be able to reevaluate the standards that have been set in terms of appearance. In other words, an able African-American ballerina should not be expected to coif her hair the way a white one would. If an up-do is expected, then my hair tied into an afro puff (something like THIS) should be acceptable. The way I see it, either the standards should be reevaluated or ways should be created for me to achieve the expected styles without damage to my own hair.

One student mentioned that she could understand the "personal space" argument because she can imagine having to sit behind someone with a big afro in a movie theater. Of course, I understand this frustration...it's the same way I feel when someone with a really big GELE sits in front of me in church. However, that being said I think that is more evidence that the world we live in was not designed for or by "us." Of course theaters are not compatible with "big" hair!!! Obviously, the majority of the people who designed them don't have afros and are unfamiliar with the experience. If we lived in a world that was truly inclusive, then maybe engineers would design theaters where the hair of the person in front of you would not be a problem (and while they're at it they can make bigger seats). Technology/innovation is supposed to serve us (humans) and not the other way around. We design ramps for the handicapped/elderly. We create spaces in public bathrooms where women (mostly) can change and feed their babies. We don't ask these people to change who they are or suppress their needs. We work with them to find solutions. Why can't we find ways to include people with afros?

Black Women and the Politics of Hair: My Hairstory

2010-03-02T08:43:00.019-05:00

In my boredom this weekend, I came across a video that criticized "natural" women for putting down other black women on YouTube. I watch a lot of videos by "natural" women and I have never heard them putting anyone down (although I have seen the phenomenon on certain blogs and websites), so I decided to snoop around YouTube to see what I could find. I came across alot of different insights on Black issues, but I specifically want to respond to the issue of hair. I'll focus specifically on the two videos below because they alerted me to the "controversy" and effectively sum up the different sides of the issue.

So, the video above is a response to the video below. I came across the first video while searching for pictures of natural hairstyles. I was shocked by the allegations against "natural" women but I decided to give the video a chance. The woman in the video says A LOT of ignorant stuff, but at the end of the day I could not dismiss the more legitimate points of her argument. After watching this video, I decided to watch the second video to see what had offended her so much. I found that I agreed with the second women on certain points, but I could definitely see how her views could be offensive.

Why is Black hair a source of so much controversy? I got my first relaxer around the age of seven because my mom got tired of me crying every time she wanted to braid my hair. At the age of fourteen, I decided that I wanted to wear my hair "natural" again. At the time, I was in boarding school in Nigeria and I noticed that the handful of girls who had "virgin" hair (as it's called in Nigeria) had nicer cornrows than those of us who didn't. Since then, it's been a rollercoaster ride.

Yet, I understand why many women with afro-textured hair are so "militant." I remember being in the seventh grade and after more than six months in school the only time I was told that I looked beautiful was when I came to school with a freshly done relaxer. However, my most comic and most painful experiences occurred after I returned to the States with my new do. I can still recall a certain day my junior year in high school when I walked into my math class with my natural hair in cornrows after wearing braids/extensions for a couple of months. We had a fire drill that day and as my class evacuated the building, the girls behind me pointed at my hair and laughed. For the rest of the day, their mockery rang in my ears. To make matters worse, later in the day I walked into my environmental science class where there were a couple of guys in the senior class and one in particular who I had always had a crush on. I took my usual seat at the front of the class and as soon as I sat down the whole class burst into laughter. One guy named my hairstyle the "olympics." I sat helplessly as the class laughed for a full five minutes, while the teacher sat shaking her head in pity. To add insult to injury, I heard the friend of my crush yell "I told you dawg that bitch ain't got no hair." I recall these events so clearly because they were some of the most painful experiences in my life. Later that summer, I worked at a Six Flags amusement park. One day, one of my coworkers came up to me randomly and grabbed my 'fro. I wasn't sure how to react especially when he exclaimed "DAMN, girl! Your hair is long as shit , but you got that nigga nigga hair." At least, that's a story that I can look back on and laugh.....

I said all that to say, this is what most Black people in America think of natural hair. Some girls get away with it in elementary school, but after that the slave mentality kicks in. No one with hair like mine could possibly be beautiful. The images of my classmates laughing stuck with me for a very long time and after four years of being natural I decided to get a perm.My friends were incredulous epecailly because they suspected the change was for a guy. The perm only lasted for about two months, but it was the turning point because I realized once and for all that relaxed hair is not for me.

Getting back to the matter at hand, "natural" women get defensive because of experiences like mine and others like THIS. Sometimes, it seems like every day is a battle field. We have to ward off all types of unwanted and negative comments. At then end of the day, even some of the most confident women begin to feel the effects of all the negativity on their self-image. While I understand the first women's critique that she has never seen a women with a weave or a perm get on YouTube and bash women with "natural" hair, she has to realize that YouTube videos are not isolated responses to other YouTube videos...they are a response to REAL life. This is what women with natural hair go through every day! Everything out there seems to tell Black women, and worse, young Black girls, that who they are underneath the layers of make-up and Indian hair is not good enough.

That being said, there is a huge difference between airing grievances and bashing other people for their choices. I personally have nothing against women who get their hair relaxed or who wear weaves. There's a lot that can be said of weaves...they are certainly more versatile and provide more options than real hair. However, it is a shame that many Black women can not confront the person who they really are. I noticed how severe the problem was my first year in college. My room mate at the time was so uncomfortable with her real hair that she only wore wigs. She owned several long wigs that she would switch up. She would wash her hair every two weeks and then immediately put on one of the wigs. She wouldn't step more than two feet away from our room without some sort of wig on her head. We were good friends so I asked her about it and she told me that that was how she had grown up and she was too uncomfortable with herself to even think about trying anything different.

For many Black women, the way they wear their hair is NOT an issue of choice. They really believe that having afro-textured hair would show them up as being less than they are. Lots of women stop me an admit that they wish they could wear their hair like I do. However, they also admit that they have fears of "natural" hair being unprofessional or being hard to manage. ALL of their excuses are absolutely ridiculous. As someone with "nigga nigga" hair, I certainly would know. It saddens me that we have bought into all the lies and myths about ourselves. Afro-textured hair is associated with everything bad and dirty. The woman in the first video actually has the audacity to compare "natural" hair to not taking a shower or brushing one's teeth. I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm tired of being told to "comb my hair."

That being said, Black women with "natural" hair have to be careful about getting all high and mighty. It's not my place to down other people for whatever decisions they make. I found that I've been able to "convert" people to "naturality" by just being myself. Women meet me and are inspired. All these wars just create more animosity and lead to the very division and unrest we are trying to prevent.

Nowhere, is this problem more evident than in the United States of A. Interestingly enough, a large proportion of the Black women in the US that I know with afro-textured hair are of direct Carribean descent. Even while hair is an issue with many women on the African continent, it certainly is not to this extent. I wonder why! I still don't have all the answers but these are my thoughts for the day and you can be sure that I'll return to this issue.....

Is Avatar Racist?

2010-02-21T18:45:00.001-05:00

I recently came across an article that suggested that the box office hit “Avatar” was “racist”. Of course, I became intrigued since I happened to watch the movie not too long ago. I automatically assumed that this article meant racist towards Caucasians because of my interpretation of the movie. To me, the depiction of Western society was so unflattering that I was surprised to see the film was not only in mainstream theaters but also doing quite well.

As I read this article, it became clear that the racist allegations were not what I thought they were. Apparently, many people were offended that the hero was a white character especially considering the fact that many of the supporting actors were people of color. The overall questions from this camp is “why do we have to be saved by white people?” and “can’t we save ourselves?” One commentator noted that the story line was similar to that of Pocahontas where a white man lives among the people and eventually becomes their hero.

While I understand the issues raised by these viewers, I was struck by an entirely different sentiment. When I watched the film, I was very much reminded of colonialism. In fact, my main thought was something along the lines of “this-is how-technology-and exploration-have-destroyed-the-world.” I was reminded not only of Africa and Asia, but particularly of the Native Americans in the Western Hemisphere. Prior to the 14th century and the age of exploration/ scientific revolution, many societies lived in harmony with nature. However, now it seems like we are doing everything in power to destroy nature’s balance. Avatar illuminates some of the downfalls of chasing after money at all costs. These costs are evident in many of the environmental and societal problems we face today.

The challenge for this decade and beyond is to balance technological development with concerns for the environment. To balance the love of MONEY with the love of PEOPLE. But these are just my thoughts…..

Welcome to 2010!

2010-01-07T15:10:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year, everyone!!! It's been almost 2 months since I last made an entry :(, however I'm working on some exciting new projects and will be returning to the blog world shortly. Please feel free to browse through my old posts and leave comments....

Review: Confessions of an Economic Hitman

2009-11-10T07:31:00.006-05:00

I know it's a bit early for another post, but I really have to put my thoughts on paper while they are still fresh in my mind. I've been up since about 6am reading "Confessions of an Economic Hit man", so I could return it to the rightful owner. The book raised a lot of interesting points and I would like to share my thoughts with you.

I can't remember exactly when I first heard of this book-- all I know is that I have been trying to get my hands on it for a long time. I thought to include it in the bibliography for my Data Analysis class until I realized that we weren't actually supposed to conduct any research. Anyway, the book seemed a bit slow at the beginning but I was determined to finish it. I'm really glad that I stuck with it because it really got me thinking.

Ok, now for the spoiler: John Perkins describes his role as an "economic hit man." He alludes to how his background as the son of two teachers and a student at a preppy boys' high school contributed to his eventual employment as an EHM. His job at a private corporation, known as MAIN, is to cook up economic figures to justify staggering loans from financial institutions, such as the World Bank, and/or the United States Congress to developing countries. The intention is that the countries will be unable to pay and will be forced to dance to whatever turn their benefactor (ie the United States government) decides to play. The loans are used to finance "development" projects such as roads, schools and dams which make the developing country's government look good to its people, but in reality only benefits a select elite group.

If I am honest, in the beginning, I found it difficult to believe the book. I am always very skeptical of bestsellers because people will write any story to make money. However, as I read on I found that the book was so detailed in its contents that it would not have been worth the effort to cook up the facts. In addition, from my standpoint Perkins musings were backed by historical truths. In general, I will say that Perkins was very open about his position at MAIN, however at times it seemed like he was trying too hard to justify his behavior. It read something like, "aren't I such a good guy for coming clean despite all the obstacles? You all should applaud me." Other than that, I think it was an interesting read and I plan to get a copy for my bookshelf.

One of the issues raised that really got my attention was the trade-off between development and environment/culture. This is a issue that really concerns me because many African countries (and other "developing" countries) are rushing towards modernity in all it's glorious splendor without considering the real implications of this move. As I asked in this post how can Africans move "forward" with compromising some important aspects of our culture--the very thing that makes us "African"? I also found the interpretations of Manifest Destiny and the Monroe Doctrine compelling. Perkins also convincingly demonstrates that the global empire led by the US is the complete opposite of the society that America's forefathers' envisioned. It undermines the rule of law and all that is good about democracy. However, the most important thing highlighted by the book was the role we (i.e. ordinary citizens) play in supporting the American "corporatocracy." Perkins notes that while the global empire is supported by governments, corporations and leading financial institutions, it is NOT a conspiracy. All Americans (and by extension other people living in the "developed" world) are privy to this "corporatocracy," which is why we have such a hard time doing something about it. We work for the US government, buy oil from Shell and Texaco, own several pairs of Nike and Adidas shoes and eat lunch at McDonald's, Wendy's or Burger King. The point is that we are ALL guilty. When I came to this part of the book, I was immensely disturbed. When I watched a documentary a couple of months ago about a future water crisis I vowed in my blog never to purchase bottled water again. But in this instance, even if I decided to boycott fast food places and designer labels, could I drive my car without oil? As a college student with a second-hand VW that I bought for peanuts, how could I even begin to think about alternative fuel or a hybrid car? The fact of the matter that we, YOU AND I, have a lot of work to do to even begin to tear down the walls that have been erected.

I charge you, similar to what Perkins does in the epilogue, to:

READ Confessions of an Economic Hit Man. If nothing, it will provide food for thought.
Don't believe the hype. Most American media outlets are owned by major corporations, so you know where their loyalties lie. Learn to read between the lines.
Challenge the things you learn/learnt in school particularly in regards to democracy, capitalism, dictatorships, etc.
Become civically-engaged. Interact with your elected officials. Come on people! We say that America is a democracy, yet we shy away when leaders do things that we claim not to have sanctioned.
Control your capitalist impulses. Reduce your spending especially in places that you know (or have reason to suspect) employ sweatshops to produce goods.
SPREAD THE WORD!!!!

The Crazy Things We Do to Stay in THAT Country

2009-11-07T23:31:00.010-05:00

I just read this blog post by my homegirl, BIBI! It was quite funny (so you should definitely check it out), but it got me thinking about some of the more serious issues that were brought up.

To give you a quick summary, Bibi was basically saying that she has never got her braids done since she has left Nigeria because she thinks that the way hair is done in the States is horrific. She then goes on to say how she sees one of her friends with a beautiful hairstyle and she immediately books an appointment with the hairdresser. At first, everything is good, but it gets heated when the hairdressers who are Cameroonian began to speak negatively about Nigeria. The Cameroonian ladies basically complain that Nigerians are selfish and only help themselves. This complaint arose because apparently the ladies do not have proper documents and are trying to figure out a way to stay in the country at all costs.

As funny, as the blog was I was really saddened by the extent people will go to stay in the United States . Apparently, the Cameroonian women had come to the conclusion that they had two options: find a mumu (a stupid person) and deceive them into holy matrimony or exaggerate/lie about the situation in their country and seek asylum. The women finally concluded that they would have to take option 2 because the Cameroonian community was to small and if they started having sex with their mumu the word would get out and damage their reputation. I could NOT believe my eyes as I read. To make matters worse, one of the women had been able to get papers by lying to the immigration officers that she had raped during a conflict in her village.

This is completely horrible to me, but maybe I don't understand because I was born into U.S citizenship and going anywhere in Africa is a vacation for me. Most of the other commenters on the blog were really offended by the statements made against Nigerians and the perceived jealousy of Nigeria and Nigerians by other African people in the States. In fact, one of the commenters mentioned a website where someone was complaining about a modelling show coming out and how it only focuses on Nigeria. The website noted that only Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya seem to get any limelight and wanted to know why no one was paying any attention to people in other countries in Africa. While the commenter was bringing this up to confirm how jealous people were of Nigerians, I find myself siding more with the anonymous dissenter. We are developing imperialistic tendencies if we continue focusing only on the "promising" (translate valuable to the West) states in Africa. Personally, I just don't want another situation where South Africa gets to colonize South West Africa (Namibia). I recently went to Botswana and many of the companies were South African. When I commented to my friend that at least it was another African country she pointed out that South Africa itself is merely a front for Western control. I couldn't agree more with that...

Anyway, back to the issue at hand. It really breaks my heart that people are willing to lie, cheat, steal or whatever just to stay abroad. Then, we wonder why people say that Africans are corrupt. What does this say about our countries when all we want to do is flee? Why do we run to the US or the UK rather than work on building up our own countries? Don't people realize that all they are doing is adding to the GDP of the foreign country and in the process bringing down their own country? Maybe I'm being a hypocrite because my own parents are also immigrants, but God knows I would willingly give up US citizenship to see the African continent thrive ( and I will soon enough). The point is we really have to stop getting things dishonestly and then wondering why people call us names. I just can't understand how we expect to make Africa a better place when half of us are working to build up other countries. We have crazy people over here lying about rape and taking away from the people who really need to seek asylum.

Case closed.

Eko Atlantic City: A Model of African Development or Africa's Atlantis?

2009-10-24T05:18:00.007-04:00

This morning I stumbled across "Eye on Lagos" a show on CNBC Africa that discusses Lagos State, Nigeria's economy, upcoming industries, etc. This morning the segment on Eko Atlantic City really caught my eye. It was my first time hearing of this development, but I was immediately filled with a sense of apprehension.

Eko Atlantic City is a new development in Lagos that is being built to counter the erosion that Lagos has been experiencing for the past couple of decades. It is being hailed as a model African and world class city that will meet international standards of building, carbon emissions, and so on. There is also hope that this new city will promote drastic growth in the financial, tourist and commercial sectors of Lagos and West Africa at-large.

I must say that I have heard very good things about Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola. In fact, many believe that he will be the one to bring Lagos to its full potential. I must also say that the plans for this new city look absolutely beautiful. That being said, I'm not convinced and I question the astuteness of pursing a project like this. For one, I do not like the idea of anything that is "man-made." It just screams DANGER. Neither do I like or understand this obsession "people" have with fighting nature. When are we going to learn? YOU CAN'T FIGHT NATURE. Nature will always get the final K.O. I understand the fear that Lagos (particularly Victoria Island and Bar Beach) is being eroded, in fact I witnessed it myself. One day it was beach and the next it was water. However, I really don't understand how building a city on top of WATER is going to help any of that in the long run. If Lagos is being eroded we should address the reason why and not just come up with another bandage remedy. According to the CNBCA report, these people are pumping 80,000 gallons (?) of sand into the ocean EVERY DAY. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that is NOT a good look. The earth already has enough problems!

I'm also concerned about the demographics of the people working on this project. There is no nice way to say this, so I'm just going to come out with it : I am sick and tired of people trying to make a quick buck out of Africa!! Lately, I have been hearing so much about the returns you can get from investing in Africa. It seems that there are many people interested in moving their businesses to the continent. While that may seem great at face value, the reality is that these people are not interested in development. Their main concern is how to strike rich and quick! Apparently, the developers have been consulting with firms in Holland, Denmark and China to test the sea wall. I'll just say that the role China is playing in Africa is sketch and I'm not too sure if I trust the other two either. It was also a bit disturbing that the developers are not "African", but I was bit comforted by the fact that the founders are of Lebanese-descent but were actually born in Nigeria. However, I'm truly disappointed because from what I gathered from the website the majority of the people directing this project (consultants, contractors, & developers) are foreigners. Are there no firms on the continent that are qualified to be engaged in this type of work?

Finally, my biggest fear is that this model "world-class" city will lack an African essence. The greatest challenge for African nations will be to develop without regurgitating what is being done and thought of in the West. I find myself wondering whether this is the best project for Lagos to begin with. I have found that most African nations have become obsessed with "proving" themselves. They want to show that they are just as good as "developed" countries and rush to build grand estates, stadiums and the likes. My question is this: what is being done for the everyday people? Clearly, Eko Atlantic is another development for the people who are already so rich they don't know what to do with themselves. What will happen to the "little" people who will be doing the brunt of the work? What benefit will this be to them?Development has its costs environmentally, culturally, etc, but it is up to us to make sure that we contain the effects of this trade-off as much as we can.

For more info, visit: http://www.ekoatlantic.com/index.htm

Water: Are we in too DEEP?

2009-10-08T00:44:00.010-04:00

Yesterday, I watched a film called "Water," by now -controversial director/screenwriter Deepa Mehta, as a part of my Gender & Human Rights class. Water is a part of a trilogy which discusses the conflict between tradition and individual freedom. In this film, the director depicts the treatment of widows in Hindu culture. The movie opens with the story of a 7 year-old girl named Chuyia. Chuyia has recently been widowed and according to tradition must now live in an ashram with other widows for the rest of her life. The film is also a love story between a widow, Kalyani, and a law student, Narayan. One of the climaxes of the film is when Narayan decides he wants to marry Kalyani, despite the fact that she was once pimped out to his father, only to find that she committed suicide during the night.

The film made it clear that widows have been treated quite badly in Hindu society. According to film Hindu scripture gives widows three options, marry their husband's younger brother, burn on their husband's grave or spend the rest of their life in self-denial. This idea of "self-denial" has been interpreted to mean that the women should live in an ashram and never remarry. Also, it was apparent that widows were not highly regarded as human beings. It was considered "bad luck" for a widow to come into contact with a married woman or to cast her shadow on a newly married bride. There was also a sense in which the women were forced to beg because they had no other way of earning an income. In fact, some of the women in this particular ashram were "pimped" out to men. Interestingly enough, while some condemned Kalyani for wanting to get married they considered it perfectly okay that she was being turned into a prostitute in order to survive.

For me, this film was particularly hard to swallow because I have always been a big promoter of cultural relativism, multiculturalism, etc. However, "Water" made it perfectly clear that sometimes culture is the very thing that constrains us. It seems I wasn't the only one was who was disturbed because apparently an extremist Hindu group decided to burn the set of "Water" and the production had to be delayed for several years (although it has been said that they were protesting an earlier film by Mehta). While I definitely don't condone their actions, it is clear that culture is still a very sensitive topic. Anyway,the film raises a lot of questions for me. I'm reminded of an article by Susan Moller Okin which argues that multiculturalism is bad for women. While I disagreed with the majority of Okin's argument, I'm forced to examine the issues more closely. I found it interesting that the film was set in 1938, when Gandhi first began to mobilize people to kick the British out of India, and touches on the conflict between Western influence and Indian tradition. To me, there is a very similar problem in Africa today. During a love scene, Narayan points out to Kalayani that "all the traditions are dying out." When Kalayani asks why should something that is good die out, Narayan responds with a question I've always asked myself, "who is to decide what is good?" In Africa and many other Black communities around the world, I have noticed a tendency to value things that are "White" above all else. In other words, many people are still conforming to the stereotypes of superior and inferior. I noted in an earlier post that development in South Africa looks so much like development in America. Is it possible to develop in a way that places value on all that is "African?" And if so, how?

One of the main problems I see in today's world is that globalization only appears to be going one way. Africans have adopted Western customs, but you rarely, if ever, see trends in the other direction. Westerners have poked their nose into every other cultures way of life. So, how then do we determine when a cultural practice genuinely needs to be changed because we need it to be so rather than because an outsider can not comprehend it. We had a very similar debate about genital mutilation. Personally, I am still grappling with this issue. While I would not want the procedure done on me, that does not mean that other people do not. I was not socialized into a setting where gender mutilation is the norm, so how can I claim to truly understand it? Clearly, there is no objectivity in life. While it has been argued that women who are educated are less likely to condone such practices, I feel it is important to note where this "education" comes from. By negating the agency of poorer or less educated people, don't we risk a patriarchal tendency towards paternalism that we seek to avoid. I really think that are too many people involved in the business of speaking for people and not with them.....

As a final thought, I was having a similar discussion with the the director of the IHRE program and she gave me an answer to a question that I've long been asking. In class one day, a fellow student asked me how we deal with issues like genital mutilation when we've all been socialized into particular communities. The student's argument was that if you don't that anything else exists, then you will be unable to aspire towards it. The director's tale gave me some sort of an answer. She spoke of a family friend from Sudan who is about 20 years old. Last year, her mother and aunts arranged a marriage for her. However, the young lady in question is very well-traveled, especially when compared to her peers, and decided to refuse the marriage. In fact, she met with the man, but decided she didn't like him. Her family was very upset because they felt she was becoming too Westernized. Interestingly enough, after her refusal of the marriage many of the other young women in her area began to refuse marriages as well. In her retelling, the director pointed out that the young woman did not say she did not want to get married and raise a family or even that she was against arranged marriages. The young woman just wanted to have some sort of input in such a major decision about her life. This for me is KEY. I'm not standing on any particular side of the fence because while I bemoan the woes of Westernization, I still appreciate the contributions that the West has made to the world. The message here is that you should give people a choice. Expose them to the options. This is what education should really be about. Unfortunately, more often than not, we engage by TELLING people, especially women, what to do. In fact, many African "feminists" have critiqued Western feminism for being just as patronizing an oppressive as colonialism, itself. For me, the point is that we should appreciate our various religious and cultural backgrounds, however we should realize that culture also has its constraints. I still do not believe in the complete removal of multiculturalism because as Narayan asks "who will decide?" There is a REASON why we weren't all born to be skinny jean wearing, bible-toting people. It is our diversity that makes the tapestry of this world so rich and beautiful. While culture is a deeply divisive issue, we must all realize that it too is adaptable. Culture is here to serve us and not the other way around.........

For more info about the film, you can visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIQkaOpA8KM

All the Rave

2009-10-06T11:31:00.003-04:00

I recently started a product review blog. The blog focuses on natural hair care products that I have tried, but I will also venture into other products that I have used. Please feel free to check it out at:

http://daughterofthedyasporasreview.tumblr.com/

49 Years of Freedom

2009-10-06T10:19:00.005-04:00

THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

Arise, O compatriots,
Nigeria's call obey
To serve our fatherland
With love and strength and faith
The labor of our heroes past
Shall never be in vain
To serve with heart and might
One nation bound in freedom,
Peace and unity.

Oh God of creation,
Direct our noble cause
Guide our leaders right
Help our youths the truth to know
In love and honesty to grow
And living just and true
Great lofty heights attain
To build a nation where peace
And justice shall reign.

THE NATIONAL PLEDGE

I pledge to Nigeria my country
To be faithful, loyal and honest
To serve Nigeria with all my strength
To defend her unity and uphold her honor and glory
So help me God.

Five days ago, Nigeria celebrated its 49th year of "independence." There was a lot of excitement and many young Nigerians celebrated the day with #lightupnigeria tags on Twitter. While many of the remarks were quite hilarious, the campaign underscored one important point- that after 49 years there is still a lot of work to be done in Nigeria.

While I was born and raised in the United States, I spent three of my secondary school years in a boarding school in Nigeria. It was in boarding school that I learned to recite the pledge and national anthem of my family's homeland. In some ways, we, the students, were forced to become civically-engaged because our school was owned by then-President Olusegun Obasanjo. However, I never realized the beauty of the words I had recited several times a week for three years until I heard the anthem sung by Beyonce at a concert in Lagos. Unfortunately, we have failed to meet even the aspirations of this song written eighteen years after independence..

We, as Nigerians, take great pride in the fact that we have both the natural and human resources to be truly developed. However, much of what Nigeria could be has been squandered by hate and greed. Yet, I still have faith that Nigeria will one day be everything that we hope for and more.

I have come up with a list of ten things, in no particular order, that I would personally like to see in Nigeria's next 49 years:

* an end to ethnic tension

* an end to religious tension

* stable electricity

*women in active government positions (whoever said that all African societies are/were patriarchal needs to think again)

* reclamation of our heritage

*diversification of exports

*dignity/honesty in our leaders

*properly paved roads

*greater co-operation in the region and continent at-large

*connection with people of Nigerian descent in the diaspora (Brazil, Cuba,etc)

One of the most powerful questions I have even been asked is: "When are you going to stop looking into the microscope and start looking into the mirror?" I will be the last person to deny the many negative events that have played out in our collective history as Black people. However if we constantly look into the past, we will never be able to propel ourselves into a glorious future. Of recent, I have met many amazing African scholars, however it seems like there is so much talk and so little actually going down on the ground. I charge all Nigerians, and by extension all people of African descent, to stop complaining and BE the CHANGE you want to SEE.

One Woman Gripes About Hairdressers in S. Africa

2009-09-21T10:02:00.002-04:00

I came across this while I was looking for hair products. It's pretty interesting, so take a look....

DESTINYCONNECT - Is there anyone who can do my hair?

Shared via AddThis

Blue Gold : World Water Wars

2009-09-20T01:30:00.001-04:00

It has been said that the next world war will be fought over water. When I first heard this statement, I thought it was completely ludicrous. However, from watching this documentary the severity of the situation has become very clear. I definitely think this is a must-see film!

To be honest, the documentary contained A LOT of information. I actually watched the documentary yesterday at Cinema Noveau, but I needed some time to digest the information and gather my thoughts. The basic premise of the film is that factors such as pollution, dam-building, and the mass privatization of water is leading up to a global water crisis. The end result will be that only those who can afford to buy water will get any at all.

I'll try not to give too much of a spoiler, but the film began with a dramatic portrayal of how long a human can survive without water. The answer is about two weeks and after that (according to the film) your "eyes will cry blood." While I was EXTREMELY freaked out by this introduction, the point was that the issue of sustainable water use is a life or death matter.

Of particular interest to me, was the way this water crisis has been effecting the "developing" world. According to the film, organizations like the World Bank and World Trade Organization (WTO) have basically been forcing "developing" nations to privatize their water in exchange for aid. It was also interesting to note how much water developing nations lose from exporting agricultural products.

Another interesting issue is the number of multi-national corporations that have been or will be benefiting from this water shortage. Many European water companies (such as Suez and Veolia) have begun to buy up the fresh water sources around the world. Of course, once these sources become private the local citizens end up paying an infinite amount more than they were paying before. However, the film made it quite clear that this issue is not solely a problem for developing regions. To my utter surprise, many major US cities have already signed contracts with these private water companies. Often, these European companies have disguised themselves under other names. While we, the public, have been deceived in to thinking this is the most efficient course, the reality is that many of the city officials who have signed these contracts have been paid off. (And they say, corruption only exists in Africa...hmph!)

Multi-nationals have been profiting from our ignorance. We continue to buy bottled water when, in fact, several studies have shown that the difference between the water in the bottle and the water in the tap is inconsequential. Personally, I have decided that I will never purchase bottled water again.

This film really got me thinking: why is it that we pay for water? Not to return to an overused topic, but oh the evils of capitalism! To re-state one of my favorite quotes from the movie, when we make money more important than human lives you know something's wrong. Water is an essential good, without it you can not survive. So why do we now trade it on the market as if it's a luxurious commodity that only the rich should be able to enjoy? To further illustrate, the documentary mentioned a situation here in South Africa that I have been studying extensively in my human rights classes. A couple of years ago, the city of Johannesburg decided to install pre-paid water meters that dispense a limited amount of water for free and then cut-off once the credit on the meter has finished. Not surprisingly, this was only done is the poorer areas of town. Due to this, the people had to ration water in ways they never had before. It became a common practice for parents to remove the water tokens when they were not at home so that their children would not have any water to "waste" . On a particular day, one woman removed her token and went to work. While she was gone the house caught on fire. Unfortunately, without the token there was no way to access water. Furthermore, the neighbors refused to use their tokens and already scarce water supply to put out someone else's fire. As a result, the woman's two young daughters who were left at home died in the fire. How shameful is that! As one commentator noted, capitalism has begun to take away our humanity.

Although we were taught way back in elementary school that the earth's supply of water is inexhaustible because of the water cycle, this no longer holds true. We have now begun to use water faster than the earth can replenish it. This problem is compounded by the extreme levels of pollution. In addition, rapid urbanization has contributed to this problem because when rain falls in the city it runs into the sewers and is lost. This is in contrast to more rural environments where rain is able to penetrate the ground and replenish the aquifers underground.

Anyway, this documentary was filled with vital information and I strongly recommend that you go out and see it. To leave you with the documentary's advice: you do not have to do anything major to rectify this issue, just think about where your water comes from i.e know the name of the watershed in your area. That's the first step! In addition, you can implement traditional water (and money) conservation methods such as installing low flow shower heads and toilets. However, the BEST advice from the film is this: if the climate that you live in can not support a lawn then you DON'T need to have one!! Just some Food for Thought!

GOP Activist Compares Michelle Obama To A "Gorilla"

2009-09-14T02:26:00.002-04:00

It's crazy the things people still get away with saying.....

Mokgadi Caster Semenya and the Politics of Gender

2009-08-29T01:40:00.003-04:00

Am I the only one who thinks it is wrong that Caster Semenya has been forced to take a "gender" test?

The front page of the newspaper at the University of the Witwatersrand featured an article that suggests that this is not an uncommon phenomenon among female athletes. Several female soccer players noted that they had been mistaken for men.

From doing a little research I found that "gender" tests have been utilized by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and other organizations since 1966. Since then, there have been several instances of people who failed the test- some who were men impersonating women and others who simply had "dis"orders.

However, it is interesting to note the use of the word "gender." Since gender is correctly defined as the SOCIAL (and socially constructed) attributes that differentiate men and women, wouldn't it be more appropriate to call them "sex" tests? I mean how you can test someone for charactestics that are made-up in the first place.

On the other hand, the politics of gender are quite clear in this case. Women, as a sex, are socially constructed to be passive, domicile and weak. Why is it automatically assumed that a woman can not be powerful? To date, all the people who have been tested are "women." If a women is fast, then she must be a man. Why aren't men who are slow (by virtue of losing a race) tested for being women? Or men who break records tested for "true" manhood, rather than drugs? More importantly, why is their such a dichotomy between what it means to be male or female? Are we implying that all women who are good in sport must be deformed?

I think it's quite sad actually........

Infiltrated by the West: The Plague of the DWEM

2009-08-19T10:49:00.006-04:00

Johannesburg is a beautiful city, but I must say that I am awfully disappointed. I often forget I'm studying in Africa. With its massive shopping malls and Mickey D's and KFC's on every corner, Johannesburg is a pinnacle of the West masquerading in African garments. No wonder with a name like that! The structure of this lovely city raises a question that I've been asking myself for so long: Is Development in Africa possible without a Western model?

It's frustrating that even in school here, I'm learning about Grotius and Shakespeare. The plague of the DWEM (dead, white European male) seems to be inescapable! What happened to all the great African leaders and thinkers? Who will tell their story?

It appears that the problem is multi-faceted. Even African scholars in their critics of Western misconceptions, must resort to Western concepts and citation styles. It's sad that these scholars can wax eloquent about Zeus, but know virtually nothing about Oduduwa.

So, what is the compromise? I'm not suggesting a complete upheaval of the status quo. However, it truly disturbs me that things must be Western-stamped before they can be deemed legitimate. Who died an gave these DWEMs and their protégés a monopoly on intelligence, knowledge, beauty and power? Must we imitate the West in EVERYTHING we do? Do we truly believe that our African forebears were the barbarians they were ascribed to be and that they had no wisdom or knowledge of their own? We can not erase colonialism- the damage has been done. However, the least we can do is preserve what is left of our customs. To encode them for future generations. If we don't, who will?

A Day in the Life of Rural South Africa

2009-08-03T01:13:00.003-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit a rural area in South Africa. My stay in Mpumalanga was definitely an exciting one. We listened to several lectures about the inhabitants of the area, visited Kruger National Park, planned and executed activities with local youth and learned cultural norms and basic phrases in the local language.

One of the most valuable experiences I had was our visit to meet a group of local herbalists. The group consisted entirely of "elders", five women and one man. It was interesting because the Christianization of African people has led to the devaluation of most traditional practices. For this reason, I have always been taught to associate herbalists with "black magic." I was surprised that the faces I saw were open and friendly and the members of the group could easily have been my grandparents. The women in the group explained to us how they grew the herbs they used to make their medicine in the front yard and transplanted them at the appropriate stages. They had medicine to cure everything from a cough to joint pain. The group has also moved into making soaps and creams from the herbs they make. All in all, it was a very impressive venture and I was forced to do away with my preconceived notions. However, it was disheartening to hear that the younger generation has little value for their practice and their was a concern that there may be no one to carry in their footsteps.

While we spent most of our time at the University of Witswatersrand's Rural Facility, we did spend one night with homestay families. The homestay was an integral part of the trip. Our hosts were local "caregivers" who functioned as health aides. The caregivers go from house to house to check on their "patients", many of whom are suffering from HIV/AIDS. We were told that HIV/AIDS is highly stigmatized in the area, and I was surprised by my homestay mother's openness about her personal experience with HIV. She showed us a lovely garden where she grows most of the vegetables needed by her household. It was really moving to see how she has taken charge of the situation. I also had two new experiences:I used an outdoor toilet and I helped the family skin chicken legs(I didn't even know people ate those.) The next morning we had to be up by 5:30. My task was to sweep the front yard. I've always thought that sweeping sand was a pointless task, but nonetheless it was interesting (and back-breaking) work. Later in the day, we followed our caregiver on her rounds for the day. There were many interesting stories, but the one that sticks out the most is that of a grandmother who was left to take care of her eleven orphaned grandchildren. All but one of her children died from HIV/AIDS. The family has little income and has to make due with the small pension she receives. The woman told us that her eyes were failing and it was clear that she was worried about what would happen to the children after she left. It was really heart-breaking especially because there was nothing I could do.

Overall, it was a very valuable experience and I'm so glad I was able to be a part of it....

Ranting About These Quotas

2009-07-27T06:22:00.000-04:00

In my Gender and Human Rights class this morning, we veered slightly of topic and started talking about the quota system that has been instrumented in Zimbabwe to help reduce the gender disparity. Sounds like a good idea in theory, but, personally, I'm not convinced. Of course I want to see my fellow sisters get a quality university education, but is this really the way?

The whole situation got me thinking about the Affirmative Action policy in the United States. I know many people are bound to disagree, but to be frank I think the policy is crap. I dislike Affirmative Action (hitherto known as AA) and the quota system, in general, for several reasons. Let me start by saying that as an African American female I'm very much aware of the reasons why AA is deemed necessary. The legacy of slavery and years of legalized discrimination have posed a major setback to Blacks and other minorities. AA was designed to level the playing field, in a sense. However, what has AA really accomplished? After more than 4o years, has AA eliminated discrimination in education, the workplace and/or society-at-large? The answer to me is clearly a resounding "NO" ! I am NOT necessarily advocating for AA to be eradicated, just reformed. AA in its current form is not equipped to deal with the complexities of ANY form of discrimination. While quota systems are often well-intentioned, they do absolutely nothing to address the basis of the problem. It's like putting a bandage on a third-degree burn. For example, in the US the issue was that minorities had been denied access to education, jobs, etc. The government instituted a policy that would open doors to these previously disadvantaged groups with the hope that it would rectify the situation. Unfortunately, it hasn't. This is most likely because it CAN'T. You can't just throw a couple of good people into a corrupt business and think that the whole system will be revived. You have to change the ENTIRE system. Of course, there are many AA success stories, but the vast majority of people, African Americans in particular, have not benefited from this program. In fact, research has shown that white women are the major benefactors of AA. The system, itself, is corrupt. Minority neighborhoods still get substandard education. Blacks are disproportionately represented in prison. Blacks (especially women) are the most vulnerable to HIV/AIDS and other diseases. People still think it's appropriate to touch a woman's behind on the job or to make a statement like "you're so articulate for a black person." Heck, a black man trying to open the door to his own home can still get arrested. This is not an accident and AA, by itself, can not reverse these negative trends.

That being said, I would like to concede a bit of "arrogance"on my part, if you will. As a Black Woman, I find that AA is an insult to my intelligence. I know that I am more than capable of getting a position that I am qualified for if I put my mind to it. I know that am just as, if not more, capable than my male and/or white counterparts. Someone making concessions for me, only serves to perpetuate the notion that I am inferior and incapable of doing it on my own. Personally, I don't think that qualifications such as race and sex should even appear on an application. IDEALLY, an admissions committee or a human resources personnel should be able to look at an application and decide whether or not one is qualified on the basis of merit. Why should it matter whether I am tall and skinny or short and fat? The question is: am I qualified for the job?

So, getting back to the issue in Zimbabwe... I applaud the effort to eliminate gender disparity. It is a noble and just cause. However, quotas do not eliminate the fact that boys are encouraged to go to school because they "carry on" the family name thereby bringing joy to the clan. Quotas do not negate the fact that girls are essentially bred to be mothers and wives and nothing else. Quotas do not buy books neither do they pay school fees. Quotas are only numbers and percentages that give little regards to the human faces they refer to. Until the underlying issues are addressed, very little progress can be made.....

Because I'm Colonized.....

2009-07-15T01:01:00.000-04:00

While sitting with a group of friends, I recently witnessed the following exchange....

Black-South African Male: Why are you eating with your hands?
Indian-South African Female: Because I'm Indian and if you have a problem with that then go deal with it.
White-South African Male: (also eating with his hands): The real question is: "why are you not eating with your hands?"
Black South African Male: (thinks for a while) Because I'm colonized....

There you have it folks.....

Biko Really Does Write What He Likes...

2009-06-30T21:15:00.001-04:00

"I Write What I Like" is a selection of essays written by Steve Biko, a prominent leader in the anti-apartheid movement. I just finished reading the book in preparation for my trip to South Africa. Anyway, while I normally reserve book reviews for my website, he covered some topics that really got me thinking.

My favorite chapter is entitled " Some African Cultural Concepts". He speaks about how a lot of African culture and history has been lost because Europeans have done their best to either erase or negate the facts. In South Africa, history books often mislead people into thinking that South African history began in 1652 when Europeans landed in the Cape en route to India. History books often depict Africans as savages whose way of life consisted of nothing more than sex, liquor, and tribal wars. This "history" has no regard for African customs and certainly gives no respect to African tribal leaders and warriors. He gets into how African culture, in general, is very community focused. People generally don't use others as ladders to their own success. He goes further to describe the general love for rhythm and the ability of Africans to communicate through music. Biko gives an example of the creation of Negro spirituals by slaves in America as proof of African retention. However my favorite (and probably the most controversial) part of this chapter, is when Biko begins to speak about religion. He notes that the tribes in Southern Africa where deeply religious and believed in God and a community of saints. However unlike the predominant colonial religion, the native religions did not play on emotions of fear and hell neither did they believe that worship was an activity that should be carried out once a week. Africans embraced worship in every day's activities. He notes that the missionaries brought with them a "cold cruel religion" that helped to undermine African culture and values.

Biko also has a very interesting view of what he describes as "white liberals." They think they know about the "movement" because they oppose apartheid and invite Blacks over to their house for tea. Yet, when it comes to important issues they are unable to stand in solidarity with the Blacks. They a) refuse to acknowledge that they are privileged and b) refuse to give up the cars, houses, and jobs that come with that privilege. They try to act as a go-between the oppressor and the oppressed and arrogantly assume that they have the right to tell Black people how they should respond to this oppression. They seek a false type of integration that seeks to grant a little more power to Blacks instead of acknowledging that the land actually belongs to the Blacks and they should not have to make concessions in their own country.

Steve Biko is considered the father of "Black Consciousness." A lot of people denounced him as a "reverse racist" because they really did not understand the meaning of his ideas. He basically defines Black Consciousness as Black people realizing their worth and banding together around the issues that concern them. He notes that Black children grow up in poverty while Whites live in plenty- better uniforms, books, houses, cars, the list goes on and on. This may further Black children's feelings of inferiority. Biko pushes consciousness as a means of re-socializing people and helping them to change the way they see themselves.

From reading the book, I could immediately see that Steve Biko was really the type of leader who spoke his mind. He did not cater to white interests nor was he afraid of speaking the truth. The chapter on African culture reminded me of some of my concerns with globalization. While I generally approve of the concept, it appears that the flow seems to be very lopsided. You can go to any African nation and see many Western influences. There has been a change in food, language and even style of dress. But when is it ever the other way around? What's really disheartening is that many Africans have internalized this idea of Western superiority. The affluent either send their children overseas or to foreign schools in the country. They even boast about furnishing their houses with Western goods. To take this issue even further, the same can be said of the African-American community. It's funny how even some of the more "prestigious" Historically Black Colleges and Universities are not given the same respect as what my Economics teacher in Nigeria called "mushroom" colleges. It's funny how so many African American women tell me that they would love to wear their hair in their natural state, but are afraid. It's funny how we have allowed one culture to endanger the existence of another while we sit and do nothing. Some African parents are even opting not to teach their children native languages and instead insist on English. It's so ridiculous! Traditional religions have become so taboo that people don't even appreciate the many herbs and cures that were used by our forebearers. Some even change their names so that they can sound more "Christian". Biko notes that the missionaries denounced African religions as "superstitious" and cited Christianity as "scientific" in spite of the biological discrepancies. It's sad that we have been so deceived. Christianity was used to make us docile and then when we turned our cheeks it stabbed us in the back. It's hard not to be angry. Ironically enough, Christianity- this strong belief in God- has been a saving grace for many of African descent. People clung to their faith when they had nothing else. Like a teacher once pointed out to me, religion is like a fork- on one hand it can be used to nourish and sustain and on the other to injure and destroy.

My Response to Clarence Earl Walker ( A Defense of Afrocentrism)

2009-06-20T16:06:00.000-04:00

Afrocentrism is a mythology that is racist, reactionary, and essentially therapeutic. It suggests that nothing important has happened in black history since the time of the pharaohs and thus trivializes the history of black Americans. Afrocentrism places an emphasis on Egypt that is, to put it bluntly, absurd. --Clarence E. Walker

http://dcn.davis.ca.us/~gizmo/2001/clarence.html and http://www.skepdic.com/afrocent.html

It's a rainy Saturday and I'm quite bored, so I decide to surf the net. I happened across this analysis of Afrocentrism by Clarence Walker, a professor of History at UC Davis. While I don't yet have a Ph.D, the basic meaning of Afrocentrism is clear- a perspective or worldview that is African centered. In a larger context, it is a view that examines and emphasizes the contributions of people of African descent. While I concede that Afrocentrism is reactionary in some ways, I am compelled to disagree with most of what Dr.Walker has to say. Afrocentrism can be viewed as reactionary in the sense that it challenges the status quo and attempts to put things where they "used to be"/"should be". Afrocentrism is also a movement that developed largely in response to racism in all its ugly forms. So what confuses me is how Dr. Walker arrives at the conclusion that Afrocentrism is in itself racist. Many accomplishments of Black people/societies have been ignored and/or downgraded by the West. What is wrong with a movement that seeks to reclaim and celebrate these very accomplishments? I understand that Dr.Walker and many opponents of Afrocentrism take issue with the notion that Europe "stole" civilization from Africa, namely Egypt. Or that Ancient Egyptians were Black Africans. I really don't have too much to say about this because I have not done the research myself ( and do not want to make an argument off of what others have said), but what I will say is that there has not been any historical evidence to discredit these notions (particularly the second). Furthermore, people who discredit the likelihood that Ancient AFRICAN civilizations were run by BLACK people are pretty racist to me. Clearly, that means that these detractors do not believe that anything good could have come from Blacks. Mr. Walker appears to be mostly opposed to this idea because it is historically "inaccurate", which is fine by me. However, the West has done its part to strip Blacks, particularly those in the Americas, of their culture. Due to this, it wouldn't be too hard for me to believe that they have re-written this part of history as well. You can look at the curriculum of most schools in the United States and see how little is taught about Blacks and their accomplishments. This can give children the (wrong) impression that Blacks did NOT make any significant contributions. This is where Afrocentrism comes into play. I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes, "Tales of hunting will always glorify the hunter until the lion is his own historian." Afrocentrism gives people of African descent, who have traditionally been portrayed as the underdog, the chance to become their own historians. Contrary to what Dr. Walker says, Afrocentrism does not "trivialize" the history of Black Americans,rather it embraces and celebrates all that is Black. It is not racist for one to take pride in their people. I was further irritated by Dr.Walker's statement that he has not visited Africa and has no interest in doing so. Dr.Walker's latest book is entitled "We Can't Go Home Again: An Argument About Afrocentrism" and from the title I can tell that I am going to be even more aggravated when I read it. But you know what they say---- "don't judge a book by it's cover"- so I'm going to reserve the rest of my comments till I've actually read the book....

Black in America (One and a half)

2009-04-28T17:20:00.000-04:00

So.....Yesterday, we had a screening for Black in America 2. However, it was pretty disappointing because it was more like a trailer than a screening. After this, we had a panel discussion with some students, professors, and one of the producers. The whole shindig really got me thinking. My main concern is that this whole Black in America thing is pointless. I watched Black in America (1) and while it was quite entertaining, it had very little to offer me. I was having a "debate" with one of my friends and he mentioned that CNN"s target audience is white America or any other demographic that might not be in the know. He stated that because I am a "black intellectual" the show was not meant to "wow" me. To him, the point of the series was to educate people who do not what it means to be Black in America and possibly start discussion. While I must concede that the series has fostered discussion, I really don't see anything else it has done or is trying to do. In fact, the show in many ways only serves to perpetuate the very stereotypes it is trying to "contradict". I do give CNN credit for starting this discussion because it is very RISKY business and airing dirty laundry in public is not something that the Black community is usually fond of. However, this whole venture seems like another capitalistic stunt to me. The show does not tell me anything new. The problems "identified" and discussed have been in existence for decades, if not centuries. What is the point of highlighting these problems if no one is offering solutions? So great, now we are all "educated", but what does this do for those who know too well the reality of being Black in America. Those single-mothers who work to raise kids or those business execs who are denied the coveted corner office space simply because of their race. The producer from CNN was even talking about the possibility of a Black in America THREE!! Can you say money-making venture? I can......

Nawlins-Day Three

2009-04-25T23:41:00.000-04:00

Today was a beautiful day! We woke up early and went back over to Common Ground for some community service. We had breakfast on the way to the site…. I had a Mickey D’s bacon, egg and sausage biscuit….yum yum…. Anyway,we got to the site and helped gut a house. It was a very powerful experience and it felt good to be involved. After this, we drove back to Dillard for a shower and brunch. Then we paired up and interviewed three elders…..Ms. Coreen, Ms. Thomas and Dr. Smith. They even brought us food. The cake was AMAZING!!! Once they left we drove out to the 17th ward and interviewed an elder who was hard of hearing and suffering from dementia. It was a great experience because despite her ailments she was soooo full of vitality. I could see that our visit really meant a lot to her and that made it even harder to leave. Once we wrapped up our interviews for the day we went over to the French Quarter. We stopped at a bookstore called “Peaches” and danced to a live band from Trinidad. Later, we walked to a souvenir shop and then over to Café du Monde for beignets…. All in all…it was a great evening!!! It’s going to be a bitter sweet feeling leaving tomorrow. I’ve learned a lot since being here. It was a tough decision to come because I had so much school work to do, but I think I made the right choice. I don’t think they’ll ever be an opportunity like this. I learned so much about African American culture. New Orleans is definitely a mixing bowl. It’s interesting how the people have combined the elements of their many heritages. I also learned a lot about myself. Best yet, I bonded with my Spelman sisters. I’m overjoyed by this experience and I look forward to what the future brings. Until then….

Nawlins- Parte Deux

2009-04-25T23:39:00.000-04:00

Wow!! Today ended on a really great note. We came home to take a little break and then we drove to Pontchartrain Park to visit a friend of Dr.Gayles'. At first, I was very reluctant because I was soooooo tired. But Mrs. Clark (Dr. Gayles’ friend) was amazing!!! Her story was so beautiful and she is one of the sweetest ladies I’ve ever met. She told us about her experiences with Hurricane Katrina. She and her family evacuated to Texas when they realized that the storm was going to be serious. However, because she worked at Dillard and her son-in-law as a state representative- they chose to clear people out before they left. She told us about how horrible the situation was in the Astrodome in Houston. She also mentioned The Church Without Walls and the positive impact the congregation had on her family. Some people noticed that her sister and niece would leave the dome every Sunday for church and because of their faithfulness they bought them a brand new Nissan Sentra, paid a year’s insurance and gave them a fully furnished apartment. She also showed us this beautiful book from her family reunion that gave detailed information about every member of the family. She also showed us the Second Line. What really touched me was the epiphany I had about the Second Line. It reminded me of some of the practices at Yoruba funerals. Also, her story about the Buzzards and Bones at Mardi Gras reminded me of the masquerades we have in Nigeria. Those African retentions meant a lot to me. In addition, she told us about the BabyDolls and the man who wrote the song “Mother-in-Law”. The sad part was when she told us about losing a car that she won from Master P. All in all, it was a wonderful night. I felt good to be surrounded by strength and love and community….

Still "Nawlins"

2009-04-25T08:22:00.000-04:00

I sit on a rock overlooking the Lake Pontchartrain. There is nothing spectacular about it. No pale sunbathers. No sparkling blue water. No pretty sand. Yet, something deep inside me is my struck. I'm moved because I know about this place. I think back a thousand years and picture the "Indians/Native Americans" who lived here. I see their brown-skinned bodies drawing sustenance and life from this water. I think back again and picture D’Iberville and his fellow Frenchmen when they came here claiming this space as their own. I wonder what beauty,what majesty, what opportunity. I think again of all my ancestors who were brought here. Some came by will and even more,by force. Yet, they worked and bled and lived and died here. Then I think back again and I see Hurricane Katrina. I see the water that once provided sustenance come back with vengeance.
My head is pounding from all the information I’ve taken in today. We woke shortly before seven and had breakfast at Dillard. Afterward, we drove over to the ninth and largest ward- the area most damaged by Hurricane Katrina. We had a short tour with an agency called Make it Right. It’s an agency founded by Brad Pitt that rebuilds green homes for the inhabitants of the ninth ward.The project has several bonuses: the homes are efficient, modern and already contain equity. The organization also provides financial counseling and helped people reclaim their titles. But on the flip side the residents have to pay mortgage on the new home. I was disappointed mostly because it was not charity. After all these people have been through, I really think that they deserve a break. My professor and classmates were also disappointed because the ninth ward is a predominately black neighborhood, but there were very few African Americans employed. It short, while we appreciated the effort it seemed like another capitalistic venture. The other program we toured with was located in the same neighborhood. It was called “Common Ground”. This program appeared to have a more humanistic approach. While they also help rebuild houses, in addition they gut houses, lobby, promote education and look after the general needs of the people. We also interviewed an African American woman, Mrs. Sharon Dubard, who worked there and was the author of five books. After this, we visited the home of Phyliss Leblanc- who was featured in Spike Lee’s “When the Levees Broke.” After this, she drove to Dillard’s campus and interviewed her about her life, Creole culture and Katrina. Then we conducted another short interview with Ms. Doris- a worker at Dillard. Now we sit on the lake reflecting and journaling and reflecting some more....

New Orleans---- Day One

2009-04-23T23:04:00.000-04:00

Wow, it’s been a crazy day. I set my alarm for 2:30am so I could have enough time to pack and finish writing my paper, but apparently I overslept. It’s been all rush rush since then. I quickly threw some belongings into a suitcase and then met up with the rest of my Oral History class at the gate. We walked to the MARTA and rode south to the airport. We made it to our gate just as they were boarding our zone. We didn’t take off in time, and to make matters worse our flight had to be diverted to Baton Rouge because of the fog in New Orleans. However, it was a little more bearable because of a conversation I was having with a fellow student about race relations in the United States. Anyway, we finally made it to New Orleans, although we were two hours late. We visited Sojourner Truth Academy where we spoke briefly to the girls about Spelman and college preparation in general. After this, we drove over to Dillard University to prepare for our presentations on age and ageism. Liz and I presented ageism in children’s literature. Dillard is a very beautiful campus, and it gave me a deeper appreciation of HBCU’s. If I’m honest, we sometimes have a tendency to look down on HBCU’s but this experience gave me a deeper appreciation for the fabric of HBCU culture. We also saw the levees near Dillard’s campus and to be honest I was QUITE dissapointed. Are those the little things that are supposed to keep out water? This experience has also helped me appreciate the resiliency of the people of New Orleans and the effort and determination it has taken to rebuild the city. After our presentations, we drove over to the French Quarter to have dinner at Olivier’s- a reknowned Creole restaurant. Our guest of honor was Phyliss Le Blanc- a native of New Orleans who survived Hurricane Katrina and was feautred in a documentary called “When the Levees Broke.” She had a quite a story to tell. Most disturbing was her tale of how rescue personnel basically abandoned her and her family. All in all, it was a very vibrant and productive day. Until tommorrow….good night!!!!

Thinking About Islam

2009-04-15T00:22:00.000-04:00

I've been trying to get this post out for a long time, but I haven't been able to find the words.I'm still searching, but I guess there's no better time to try and get this out. I've been taking a class called Women and Religion. Recently, we've been talking about Islam. To my utter surprise, I found that there were several aspects of the religion that really appealed to me. I'm pretty positive that my family would disapprove. It's interesting because I was never really exposed to Islam when I was growing up. I vaguely remember two children in my elementary school who I thought to be Muslim.My first real encounter with Islam was when I went to Nigeria. Many of my classmates were Muslim and when I put a face behind the notion I found it hard to believe that these people would be going to hell. However, I have always had a bias against Islam because of the way I was brought up. Anyway, this class really has me thinking. Our guest speaker on Islam, Tayyibah Taylor, was the founder and editor of a magazine called Azizah. This magazine focuses on Muslim women in America. Her take on religion and Islam, in particular, was quite amazing. I found it interesting that both Jews and Muslims take issue with the concept of the "trinity." What is even more interesting is that many Christians do not understand the concept but accept it because they believe that is what they are supposed to do. I must admit that I'm drawn partially by this Afrocentric feeling. However, I also appreciated the oneness of God and the sense of purpose. The concept and the controversy of the hijaab is also quite intriguing. However, on another note, I visited an Afrocentric church in Lithonia. I believe it was called the First African Church. In a sense, it provided a lot of what appeals to me about Islam. There was a strong charge of black pride,candles, and many African symbols. However, at the same time something just didn't sit well with me. I think it was just hard for me to combine the Christianity of my upbringing with the ideals of the church. For me, the experience was so radical it bordered on blasphemy. I just didn't know how to take it. In addition, as a Yoruba woman, while I appreciated and relished the attempt to connect with the "motherland" I did not really relate to the use of the word "ashe". No one and I mean NO ONE who speaks Yoruba uses the word "ashe" in a Christian prayer. I don't know why, but that really disturbed me. Anyway, all I can say is I'm still searching. I trust that God sees and knows my heart and will show me the way that is right for me...

Identify 100 things that make me happy (43things.com)

2009-04-02T23:08:00.000-04:00

I'm a big fan of 43things.com :). Anywayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy... one of my goals is to identify 100 things that make me happy. I saw it on somebody else's life list and I thought it was a valuable exercise so here it goes:

Bacon
Warm rain when I have nothing to do but sleep
Steak
Shrimp
Good books
Any conversation about the African Diaspora
True Friends
rekindling old friendships
A good, clean debate
Down time with my family
learning my family history
Getting kissed by the sun
A sincere compliment
the fizzly pop of soda that's going to kill me someday
a successful shopping spree
getting more for my money
dancing with my shadow/reflection
intimate conversation
singing in the shower
singing anywhere
my friends- sometimes they make life worth living
beautiful music
that tingly feeling I get when I wash my hair
the equally good feeling when i step out the shower feeling fresh and refreshed
looking in the mirror and liking what i see :)
walking around naked
good food
back massages
reminiscing on the good ol' days
getting my hair blown out ( you have to have a 'fro to understand)
new experiences
doing things I've always wanted to do
learning something new
acquiring a wise tidbit from a random moment
hot chocolate on a cold winter night
lemonade
having someone to cuddle with
being warm in general
my new car :)
when a close friend/family member calls just to say they were thinking of me
speaking to my family in Nigeria
helping friends solve their problems
SLEEP
any sign that my hair is growing
learning at the feet of an elder
making a useful contribution
SPRING TIME!!!!
Knowing more than I thought I knew
Tea...on those random days
Tortilla Chips
Watching my favorite TV shows
Spelman paraphernalia
the thought of having children
the color blue
the beauty that is nature
having a room all to myself
TRAVEL!!!
surfing the net on my phone when life gets boring
Having a GPS....cheers to never getting lost
Reading my diary and seeing how much I have grown
unexpected gifts
Snow days!!!
when my parents go above and beyond
when my brother excels
meeting amazing new people
the beauty of a new love...before it wears off
when people show genuine interest in me/my thoughts
watching random YouTube videos
alibris.com.....book lovers paradise
holidays with my family
when my loved ones are happy
completing assignments
occasions that call for dressing up (most of the time)
male soloists
some females too
Barack Obama
Charles Person
keeping my room clean
my book on quotes
writing beautiful poetry
having my efforts recognized
a good sermon
Twilight
Disney movies
Fireflies in the summer
Being silly...especially one someone else joins in
other people's laughter (just not at me)
Eating while I study
popcorn and movies
being on time
receiving important emails
receiving relevant snail mail
mental growth/change in perception
birthday cards from grandma
handwritten letters/notes
scrapbooks
creativity
SUYA!!!
Good movies
Feeling Fuzzy

WOW I'm done....ok now I feel fuzzy...lol

Places I've been in the United States

2008-12-23T16:39:00.001-05:00

visited 13 states (26%)
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Places I've Been......I guess I need to do better

2008-12-23T15:59:00.002-05:00

visited 7 states (3.11%)
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