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MsAfropolitan

FEMINISM. PAN-AFRICA. SOCIAL CRITICISM. DIASPORA. CULTURE.

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  • The MsAfropolitan Philosophy Book Club @ Waterstones

New podcast feature on black feminism, women’s liberation, Ancient Egypt and more…

August 13, 2018 By MsAfropolitan 1 Comment

Hey everyone! Sharing a link to an interview on the Badass Women’s Hour podcast, which lives up to its name. I’m so grateful to be able to bring my views to exciting spaces like this. Our wide-ranging discussion covered everything from the difference between liberal and radical feminism, between growing up in Nigeria and in…

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Filed Under: uncategorized Tagged With: African feminism, Afrocentric, feminism, liberation, pan-Africanism

7 films directed by African women to see at Film Africa

October 28, 2015 By MsAfropolitan Leave a Comment

The fifth edition of the Royal African Society’s annual film festival, Film Africa, is taking place on the 30 Oct – 8 Nov in London. Film Africa celebrates the best African cinema with a wide-ranging film programme. This year, over 60 films from 26 African countries will be screened. As one of the Friends of Film Africa, I have selected seven…

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Filed Under: Africa, feminism, Pop Culture, seven Tagged With: African feminism, African Film, Afrocentric, Female Directors, Film Africa, gender, identity

On Bitch Bad by Lupe Fiasco

August 23, 2012 By MsAfropolitan 22 Comments

Lupe Fiasco has just released the video for the ‘Bitch Bad’ track off the ‘Food & Liquor 2 ‘ album. The video (embedded below) examines the impact of the word ‘bitch’ in hip hop and how it negatively affects children and society at large. The chorus line is “Bitch bad, woman good, lady better, they…

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Filed Under: feminism, Pop Culture Tagged With: Afrocentric, gender, identity, stereotypes

MsAfropolitan Boutique interview series – Edith Victoria of All Thingz Nice

July 1, 2012 By MsAfropolitan Leave a Comment

The MsAfropolitan Boutique aims to provide a platform where design by women of African heritage can be purchased, celebrated and reach a wide audience.  We believe that all creativity is a form of storytelling and when it reaches community the outcome is transformation and empowerment. Customers are invited to a shopping experience that centers around community and empowerment, including distinct…

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Filed Under: Interviews, MsAfropolitan Boutique Interview Series Tagged With: African women, African Women's Decade, Afrocentric, Afropolitan, entrepreneurs, fashion, MsAfropolitan Boutique

7 essential tips for natural hair

March 29, 2012 By MsAfropolitan 24 Comments

When I posted an article somewhat up against hair weaves some weeks ago, one of my close friends was in a salon getting a weave. In fact she was reading the post as the hair was getting sewn. Later on that night when we met up, I was expecting to see a woman feeling fly off…

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Filed Under: Pop Culture, seven Tagged With: African women, Afro hair, Afrocentric, beauty ideals

The real reason African patriarchs have a problem with African feminism

March 20, 2012 By MsAfropolitan 11 Comments

Upon hearing the term African feminist, many African men and women will say, we as Africans don’t need feminism, we just need to return to our roots to see that there was harmony between the genders. The first problem with such a statement is that Africa is not that simple. African pasts are complex and…

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Filed Under: Africa, Decolonisation, feminism, Social Criticism Tagged With: African feminism, African women, Afrocentric, decolonisation, gender, identity, women's issues

Speaking about race, sisterhood and citizenship at BE.BOP 2012 Berlin

February 17, 2012 By MsAfropolitan 2 Comments

I’m participating in BE.BOP 2012- BLACK EUROPE BODY POLITICS, an international screening program and transdisciplinary roundtable on Black European citizenship in connection to recent moving image and performative practices. My presentation is on race, sisterhood and citizenship. BE.BOP 2012 aims at facilitating a long-term exchange between specialists and time-based art practitioners of different contexts and…

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Filed Under: events, feminism Tagged With: african diaspora, African women, Afrocentric, Afropolitan, Decolonisation

MsAfropolitan Boutique interview series – Margaret Kadi of Project Sierra Leone

February 5, 2012 By MsAfropolitan 1 Comment

It’s been a few months since the last MsAfropolitan Boutique Interview (with Jessica Huie of Colorblind Cards) and I’m delighted to resume the series. In case it’s your first time here, the MsAfropolitan Boutique is an online shop launched as a tribute to the African Women’s Decade 2010 – 2020 and selling design made by…

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Filed Under: Interviews, MsAfropolitan Boutique Interview Series Tagged With: African Women's Decade, Afrocentric, Afropolitan, entrepreneurs, fashion, MsAfropolitan Boutique

Shop design made by women of African heritage

January 26, 2012 By MsAfropolitan 1 Comment

Launched as a tribute to the African Women’s Decade 2010 – 2020, The MsAfropolitan Boutique celebrates the entrepreneurship of Africa and diaspora women as a one-stop shop for fashion, accessories, art and gift collections made by women of African heritage. In 2011, it was featured in the Huffington Post, catchavibe, SOAS World Magazine, Women of the…

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Filed Under: Africa, Pop Culture Tagged With: african diaspora, African Women's Decade, Afrocentric, Afropolitan, entrepreneurs, fashion, MsAfropolitan Boutique

My Afropolitan fashion shoot with Essentials Magazine

January 13, 2012 By MsAfropolitan 11 Comments

I was recently featured in Essentials magazine in an article about women whose style reflects who they are. Here are some photos from the shoot. How would you describe your style? Who are your favourite African designers? Anything else fashion related come to mind?

Filed Under: Pop Culture Tagged With: Afrocentric, Afropolitan, fashion, style icons, women

Is it unAfrican to be gay? The Nigerian case

December 23, 2011 By MsAfropolitan 15 Comments

Since 1960 Nigeria has had no more than eleven years of unbroken civilian rule. Out of those, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) now led by Goodluck Jonathan has held a tight grip on power whilst barely contributing to any growth. Shell has just admitted that thousands of barrels of oil have spilt in the Bonga oil leak, the worst…

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Filed Under: Africa, feminism, Social Criticism Tagged With: Africa, African feminism, Afrocentric, gender, Islam, lesbian, Life, Nigeria, Religion, sex, Spirituality, stereotypes

Celebrating African Music – The MsAfropolitan Mixtapes vol. 1

December 19, 2011 By MsAfropolitan Leave a Comment

I’m pleased to share that the first edition of the MsAfropolitan Mixtapes is here. Courtesy of Broadcite Music, an esteemed independent label committed to creating unique sounds for the musically aware, we are going on an Afropolitan ride from Ghana to South Africa fusing highlife, juju, afrobeat and more with Detroit House and the edgy beats of underground London….

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Filed Under: Pop Culture Tagged With: Africa, african diaspora, Afrocentric, Afropolitan, celebrities, decolonisation, Ghana, identity, Life, Spirituality

Africa is not a brand

December 2, 2011 By MsAfropolitan 24 Comments

When a region has been subject to genocide, slavery or Maafa (holocaust), colonialism, apartheid and financial exploitation also known as neoliberal multilateral agreements, how do we legitimise its place in a globalized modernity without examining its bruised psyche? Through rebranding it as Bono suggests? MsAfropolitan does not intend to rebrand Africa, but aims to be…

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Filed Under: Africa, Social Criticism Tagged With: Africa, African feminism, Afrocentric, decolonisation, identity, Life, Religion, Spirituality, stereotypes

Why you should visit Lagos

November 18, 2011 By MsAfropolitan 7 Comments

First things first, Lagos is not a bed of roses. You may have Nigerian friends who have told you stories about extravagant nightclubs and cruising on motor boats to privately owned beaches. They aren’t lying, I have often enjoyed such luxuries myself. But that’s the Lagos that makes people forget about the rest of Lagos,…

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Filed Under: Africa, Social Criticism Tagged With: Africa, Afrocentric, Life

7 fucked up things

October 7, 2011 By MsAfropolitan 13 Comments

1. People that moan about the use of expletives. 2. The combination of capitalism and yoga. I can’t claim to know all there is to yoga but I can say for certain that apart from keeping you healthy, yoga philosophy aims to connect with something profound, some call it god, some peace, some essence. There…

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Filed Under: seven, Social Criticism Tagged With: Africa, african diaspora, Afrocentric, happiness, Life, Spirituality, stereotypes

Fashioning Africa exotic, colonial and tribal

September 26, 2011 By MsAfropolitan 6 Comments

African style is very much in vogue. Numerous runways in both New York and London fashion weeks could as well be called African fashion week. There were African influenced textiles such as the Malian Bogolan, also known as tribal in Donna Karan-review-speak. Proenza Schouler also gave a preview of their take on ‘modern tribal’, a key…

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Filed Under: Pop Culture Tagged With: Africa, african diaspora, Afrocentric, black models, decolonisation, entrepreneurs, fashion, stereotypes, style icons

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Feminism. Africa. Popular Culture. Social Criticism.

Hi! I'm Minna Salami, I'm a Nigerian-Finnish and Swedish writer and social critic, and the founder of the multiple award-winning blog, MsAfropolitan, which connects feminism with critical reflections on contemporary culture from an Africa-centred perspective. As a lecturer and keynote speaker, I have spoken at over 300 universities, cultural events and conferences, on five continents. I am the author of "Sensuous Knowledge: A Black Feminist Approach for Everyone - a collection of thought provoking essays that explore questions central to how we see ourselves, our history, and our world." (Harper Collins US) Read full bio

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An African Feminist mixtape

Essay: Oyalogy – A poetic approach to African feminism through Yoruba mythology

ESSAY: A brief history of African feminism

ESSAY: A brief history of African feminism

VIDEO: TEDxTalk – To change the world, change your illusions

VIDEO: TEDxTalk – To change the world, change your illusions

VIDEO: ARISE TV TALKING AFRICA INTERVIEW

VIDEO: ARISE TV TALKING AFRICA INTERVIEW

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more articles

A Historical Overview of African Feminist Strands

August 24, 2022 By MsAfropolitan 3 Comments

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On Abortion

August 23, 2022 By MsAfropolitan 1 Comment

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