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Questioning what we call ourselves as people of African heritage in Britain
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Allies, Concerned Citizens And Organisations Urged To Show Support Against Afriphobia By Using Global African Quad Colours Dec. 5-8
December 1 2022 London, UK
Coverage of this year's World Cup has been as much about people and pundits talking about discrimination as about what has been happening on the playing fields.
As with the use of the Ukranian colours in recent months, we've seen in the last week or so, people and organisations adorn themselves in the LGTBQ colours, from arm-bands, mastheads to social media profile backgrounds.
Next week, from Dec. 5 to 8, the 1st Session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent takes place in Geneva, Switzerland. African identity advocacy group TAOBQ (The African Or Black Question) is urging all who are against discrimination to show solidarity with African people and their distaste for Afriphobia, by posting or using the Global African Quad colours on their online platforms next Monday to Thursday.
The Global African Quad colours – red, black, gold and green, combines the four colours the two Pan-African flags have in common.
The Permanent Forum has been formed eight years into the 2015-24 period, which the UN declared in 2014 as IDPAD (International Decade for People of African Descent), within which, among other things, member states and civil society are to raise awareness of discrimination and racism against people of African heritage (this is specifically described as Afriphobia) and to come up with plans to redress the situation.
Ahead of the Permanent Forum's inuagural session, TAOBQ has co-convened a Zoom conference on Saturday Dec. 3, 3-6pm GMT. It is is an opportunity for the Permanent Forum to hear from African community organisations and IDPAD advocates about the work they've been doing in the UK and across the African diaspora in the last eight years.
The conference, entitled International Decade For People Of African Descent 2015-24: What Practical Gains Can We Make From The Last Two Years Of IDPAD?, can be booked at https://bit.ly/IDPAD2022.
IDPAD is also meant to shine a light on marginalised African histories and highlight African contributions to world civilisation. And incidentally, today, Google Doogle highlights the outstanding late African-American video game electronics engineer Gerald Lawson on what would have been his 82nd birthday.
ENDS
Kwaku Whyworry
TAOBQ (The African Or Black Question) lead
Editor's notes
1st Session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent:
https://www.ohchr.org/en/events/forums/2022/1st-session-permanent-forum-people-african-descent
It's advised that the Afriphobia spelling, which makes a stronger connection to Africa, be used, instead of Afrophobia or anti-Black
Call It By Its Name: Afriphobia Is Racism Against African People:
http://l-r-c.org.uk/news/story/call-it-by-its-name-afriphobia-is-racism-against-african-people/
International Decade For People Of African Descent 2015-24: What Practical Gains Can We Make From The Last Two Years Of IDPAD?: https://bit.ly/IDPAD2022
This December makes 58 years since Claudia Jones sadly passed. This will be marked by a Zoom conference entitled Repairing Histories 2: Commemorating Claudia Jones @ 58 on Saturday Dec. 17 2022, 1-4pm GMT.
The aim of the Repairing Histories conference is to have papers that improve or expand the knowledge of the subject, mainly by highlighting the little known aspects of that history, or challenging the received wisdom. It is presented by academic and community historians with a plenary for audience engagement.
Click here to book.
Highlighting Claudia Jones' history in the context of British and Global African history; and to improve or expand our knowledge.
African History Reflection Day: The Global African People's Forum
Wednesday Aug. 31 2022, 6.30-8.30pm BST via Zoom
Click here for more info or to book.
Forum marking African History Reflection Day, by exploring history and social issues put forward by the participants.
African History Reflection Day: The Global African People's Forum
The motion for African History Reflection Day (AHRD) to be marked on August 31 was passed in 2014, the centenary year of the founding of the UNIA-ACL (Universal Negro Improvement Association-African Communities League). It's inspired by UNIA's Declaration Of The Rights Of The Negro Peoples Of The World, which was adopted on August 13 1920 at a UNIA convention in New York.
In 2021, Costa Rica Vice President Epsy Campbell Barr helped shepherd through the United Nations General Assembly the adoption of the resolution which proclaimed August 31 as the International Day for People of African Descent. This new Day, whichshould give higher profile to the significance of August 31, was revealed by Barr, to be inspired the UNIA Declaration.
This year, AHRD 2022 will be marked by history consultant and TAOBQ (The African Or Black Question) co-ordinator Kwaku leading a forum where the focus will be on exploring history and social issues suggested by the participants.
Ten years ago, TAOBQ (The African Or Black Question) organised a workshop entitled What Does It Mean To Be A Global African?, to explore the meaning. We'll screen a short video of Prof Sir Hilary Beckles talking about the history of Pan-Africanism and why he now talks about Global Africa.
This is meant to be an inter-generational event, so you are welcome to bring young people to join the Zoom meeting.
See also TAOBQ (The African Or Black Question) Manifesto 2020+ and The Politics Of Racism, Terminologies And Imagery.
Produced by BTWSC/African Histories Revisited and TAOBQ (The African Or Black Question). https:AfricanHistoryPlus.eventbrite.com
29/03/2022
Dear Will Smith,
We know that you love your wife, but do you remember your grandma Gigi's advice, when you started your nascent rap career? She said that intelligent people don't need to use offensive language or profanity to express themselves.
You not only let her down with the words that came out of your mouth on Oscar night 2022. But you also let down a lady you've most likely never heard of, Ms Serwah or Awula Serwah, who was inspired by you almost 20 years to the day, to set up a small, London, UK voluntary organisation that's been inputting positively into people's lives, and urging young people and adults to eschew profanity, or curse words.
Beyond The Will Smith Challenge, or BTWSC, launched with a seminar on March 23 2002 in east London entitled ‘The Uplifting Power of Music & Words’, which highlighted the prevalence of questionable lyrics and imagery aimed at the youth.
The organisation's name and eponymous project was inspired by your hit single ‘Freakin It’, which threw a challenge to gangsta rappers to come up with a hit song without using offensive language.
Subsequent projects, including the current edutainment Music4Causes strand, go further by continuing to encourage prospective young artists and writers to come up with positive themes that uplift, inspire and empower.
Issued by TAOBQ (The African Or Black Question) on behalf of BTWSC, Music4Causes and Akoben Awards For Positive Music.
Ends
Kwaku
TAOBQ co-ordinator
bbmbmc@gmail.com
https://TAOBQ.blogspot.com
BTWSC is a pan-London voluntary organisation that uses the creative arts to develop potential, raise aspirations, and promote social inclusion. It works with youths, adults and inter-generational audiences. Its core areas of delivery cover music industry, event planning, and African history education and programmes. For more details: btwsc@hotmail.com, https://linktr.ee/BTWSC.
AFRICAN HISTORY SEASON 2021
We're repeating much of last year's Monday Xtra History Sessions, plus some additions. It takes place on Mondays Sep. 27, Sep. 30), Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25, Nov. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Dec. 6, Dec. 13 and Dec. 20 2021, 6-9pm. Check for updates at: https://AfricanHistoryPlus.eventbrite.com
You can book individually or get 30% off if you book the first 11 of the events in one go, by booking MondayXHS2021 1st 11 Events Discount Hub here. Plus 35% off discount by booking all 13 events in one go here.
Confirmed programme:
Sep. 27 What's British African History? A Free Online Discussion Forum - click here to book. £Free
Sep. 30 (Thursday) Police & Criminalising Of African Youths guest presenter Dr Adam Elliott-Cooper - click here to book
Oct. 4 THE Reggae Fun, History, Music, Quiz & Prizes Event! guest presenter Colin 'CeeBee' Brown - click here to book
Oct. 11 Interrogating Language 4: Identity, Decolonising, Reparations; Araning & Pan-Africanism: Should Africans Have African Names? - click here to book
Oct. 18 London African History Through Representations In The Capital - click here to book
Oct. 25 Today Brixton Is Locked Off: The Day Black Lives Matter Shut Down Brixton - click here to book
Oct. 27 (Wednesday) Racism, Crime And Policing In The Johnson-(Cummings)-Sewell/Dick Moment! presenter Cecil Gutzmore - click here to book
Nov. 1 Where Would Reggae Be If It Were Not For Migration? click here to book
Nov. 8 Police & Criminalising Of African Youths 2 guest presenter Cecil Gutzmore - click here to book
Nov. 15 1974: That Carib Club Story And Other Clubland Horror Histories - click here to book
Nov. 22 Marking The Centenary Of 1921 Pan-African Congress In London - click here to book
Nov. 29 The True History Of African/Black History Month In The UK - click here to book
Dec 6 African History In Britain: Those Who Built The Foundation - click here to book
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Dec. 13 The Men With Ships And Preaching Back To Africa Before Marcus Garvey - click here to book
Dec. 20 UK African Women Self-Organising (Marking the 57th anniversary of the passing of Claudia Jones. Special guests t.b.c) - click here to book
BTWSC/African Histories Revisited events can be accessed via:
AfricanHistoryPlus.eventbrite.com
and our partner
BBM/BMC (BritishBlackMusic.com/Black Music Congress) events can be accessed via: BBM.eventbrite.com
Follow us on Eventbrite.com. ALL 2021 events are via Zoom