Jessica Huie is truly a woman to be inspired by. She is a serial entrepreneur, founder of not only Colorblind Cards, but also a columnist, an ambassador for government initiatives and the brains behind JH PR. What I love about her the most is how down to earth she is. She radiates a confidence that…
Interview feature on black feminism, Afropolitanism and more
Cross-post from my two part interview with Kathryn & Miriam from the much recommended Live Unchained project blog www.liveunchained.com @liveunchained —— For Minna Salami feminism sparked a revolution within, meaning the end of many illusions. Namely, the illusion that anything would be handed to us in terms of respect and empowerment in a world that denied…
A Diaspora canvas: Exploring the feminine heritage of African art
If creativity isn’t about community in one-way or another it is dull at worst and provoking at best. Artists that manage to emphasize the spiritual, aesthetic and social elements of living are those that bring to us gifts of understanding. Artists that exemplify this idea are musicians like K’Naan, Baaba Maal, Nneka, Blitz the Ambassador, Fela,…
MsAfropolitan Boutique interview series – Mary Ononokpono of Mononoko
The mission of the MsAfropolitan Boutique is to showcase a handpicked range of products made by African Diaspora women on a rotating basis. Visit us here. Through this work, I meet many inspiring women whose Afropolitan stories are featured in an interview series features which you can follow here. Last week the MsAfropolitan Boutique added its…
African style in an ethical context
Not for the first time but nevertheless significantly, African fashion (that is to say fashion from the range of African countries and the diaspora!) is again at a historical conjuncture marked by an increased consumption of what the continent has to offer style-wise. This time around the African fashion revolution is coming at an age…
Riot, rage and rebellion
Mark Duggan This is the picture the media is using to remember the man who unawarely, post-mortem, instigated the UK riots. Some see what is intended – a dangerous black man making gun gestures. To others, this is a picture of another ‘cheap’ black life taken unjustly and irreplacably. A man with a defiant look in…
Listed as 1 of 7 African diaspora women using fashion for change
Do you know of the Africa Centre in London’s Covent Garden? If you don’t it’s a kind of home away from home for Africans in London. It hosts regular events of interest to diaspora groups, it sells books and other lovely products and it’s of historic significance. Despite this, it was revealed this year that…
Engaging the Diaspora, Afropolitans and Africa
I’m glad that I’m a young African woman now rather than in the 60s. Yet watching this clip of Angela Davis and discussing it on my FB page this week made me miss those rebellious and more importantly, revolutionary, times. By the way, the reason for this preference is of dual nature. I am African…
MsAfropolitan Boutique Interview Series – Douriean Fletcher, founder of eKlektik eKhos
The mission of the MsAfropolitan Boutique is to showcase and offer a handpicked range of products made by African Diaspora women on a rotating basis. Visit us here. As part of my journey to achieving this goal, I’ve met many inspiring women whose stories I want to share with you in an interview series features which…
Breaking it down – V&A Friday Late Afropolitans
Last Friday MsAfropolitan and I (some split-personality going on) participated in a wonderful event at the V&A Museum in London. We presented a fashion show and a panel discussion to a visitor count of over 5,000 people. Here are some of our, okay my, thoughts on the event. By the way, if you’re new to…
MsAfropolitan presents – Fashion and Talks at the V&A Friday Late: Afropolitans
MsAfropolitan is taking part in Friday Late: Afropolitans at the V&A, the world’s largest museum of art and design. In “MsAfropolitan presents – The rise of Afropolitan Fashion” myself with the help of creative director Ola Shobowalewill conceptualize the contemporary creativity and beauty of Afropolitan fashion for women. Visitors will be able to experience the fusion of bold African patterns and…
More Afropolitan artists you need to know
Thanks for all your recommendations to the ‘7 Afropolitan artists to watch’ list. As I’m sure you will understand after listening to these three artists, I simply cannot choose. So I’ve got three runners up. 1. Blitz the Ambassador Seriously, you got to hit play and groove to this full album stream. Ghanaian, US-based emcee…
7 Afropolitan artists to watch
1. Kay Elizabeth Kay Elizabeth is a vocalist living in London, born in California, of Jamaican and English heritage. Her unique sound and performance style has formed through her personal voyages through history, experience and education. Becoming disenchanted in her youth with American education and popular culture, Kay found her musical interests moving away from…
An Afropolitan between worlds
Bright red double-decker buses. I don’t know why these particular vehicles have come to represent any sense of alienation that I feel in England. Nevertheless, the reflection of one against my window feels unwelcoming. I miss Lagos. It started last week, I began to prefix all my actions with the word ‘last’. I ate my…
Bad luck with sweets, Goodluck with presidents
There comes a point during my stays in Lagos when I feel like I’m going to have a nervous breakdown. I dare say that most people who live in the developed world and travel to the developing world will experience a similar frustration if they stay long enough. Usually it is something trivial that triggers…
The melodious song of longing, Baaba Maal – In Praise of the female voice
Apart from lyrical gratification, what do you get when you fill the Royal Festival Hall in London Southbank with artists like Senegalese superstar and advocate of women’s rights Baaba Maal, Speech Debelle, VV Brown, Eska, Krystle Warren and Annie Flore? You get a powerful evening of inspirational female voices from across three continents aptly title…