When Africans perpetuate their single story

“The problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete…”

 

In “The danger of a single story”, Chimamanda Adichie eloquently describes the ways in which her life has been shaped and affected by stereotypes about Africans. Her message is not new, Binyavanga Wanaina’s “How not to write about Africa”  was hot when it was first written and is still doing the rounds.  

Clinton Should Tell African Big Men to Emulate Asian Dictators

by Edwin Okong’o of New American Media

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she is carrying a new message of tough love to Africa. But changing the message is not enough. Africa’s leaders are used to talk. It doesn’t mean they will walk the walk.

In Ghana last month, President Barack Obama pointed out that at the beginning of the 1960s, Kenya, the country of his father’s birth, “had a per capita economy larger than South Korea’s.” Recently when Kenyans from the diaspora gathered in Boston to discuss how they can be more involved in the governance of their country, the question of why South Korea had overtaken Kenya came up. One cannot look at South Korea’s history and say that it’s too different from Kenya or many African countries. In the last 50 years, the Asian nation has had corruption, poor governance and violence and dictators – all major ingredients of the perils of the African continent.

As the conventioneers, most of who were born in the last half century, struggled to find the answer, Ali Mazrui, a renowned 76-year-old Kenyan-born professor at the State University of New York, came to the rescue. The answer, he said, was in the nature of the African dictator.

International Movie Star in Minneapolis Aug 16th

Ghanain heartthrob and much adored African actor, Van Vicker, will be back in Minnesota promoting ‘Raj, The Dancer’ which is his second movie as a producer and director.

Van Vicker gained global attention as Raj in the hit movie ‘Beyonce’, but this new Raj is not a continuation of the former one. According to Van’s official website, in Raj, The Dancer, Van plays a guy who goes on a holiday trip with a friend and gets hosted by a retired military officer, Telio. Kofi Arjololo who plays Telio maltreats his wife, Susan, and enjoys flirting. He has an alcoholic problem. Raj steps in against his friend’s will and love takes over.

No need to hear anymore from me when you can hear it from Van Vicker a.k.a ‘Raj’ himself in person at his movie premiere at the Earle Brown Center. Tickets are already selling fast so get yours before the event is sold out – and it will sell out.

Obama’s Visit Must Be About More Than Promises

by Earl Ofari Hutchinson for New America Media

President Obama’s two-day visit to Ghana is history making only in the sense that he’s the first African-American president to visit the continent. President Clinton and Bush also made extended trips to African nations during their presidency. And both former presidents made big promises to boost trade, business ties, aid dollars, and wage an aggressive battle against corruption and disease, and to promote democracy.

Though Clinton and especially Bush did substantially boost cash to fight HIV-AIDS and other diseases, the score of other promises they made were just that, promises.

Now Obama has a chance to add real body to those promises. He talks of a new partnership with Africa. This implies that the U.S. will bump Africa higher up on the White House’s radar. He must be true to his word.

Obama Ghana Speech

Good morning. It is an honour for me to be in Accra, and to speak to the representatives of the people of Ghana.

I am deeply grateful for the welcome that I’ve received, as are Michelle, Malia and Sasha Obama. Ghana’s history is rich, the ties between our two countries are strong, and I am proud that this is my first visit to sub-Saharan Africa as President of the United States.

I am speaking to you at the end of a long trip. I began in Russia, for a Summit between two great powers. I traveled to Italy, for a meeting of the world’s leading economies. And I have come here, to Ghana, for a simple reason: the 21st century will be shaped by what happens not just in Rome or Moscow or Washington, but by what happens in Accra as well.

Twin Cities World (Africa) Refugee Day Celebrations

What is today known as International or World Refugee Day was first declared as African Refugee Day by the African Union. Africa hosts the most refugees in the world and in 2001 the African Union and UN agreed to have International Refugee Day coincide with the June 20th Africa Refugee Day.

Minnesota is home to many large refugee populations and has the highest proportion of refugees compared to immigrants in the US. Minnesota has the largest Somali population, 2nd largest Hmong population, one of the largest Liberian populations and pretty decent sized East African populations. In fact, the fastest growing group of immigrants in MN are from Africa. If you’d like to read more stats check out the state demographer’s center or the office of refugee resettlement website.

You can celebrate the Twin Cities diversity by at the 3rd annual Twin Cities World Refugee event at Minnehaha Park.  Here’s a snap shot of the schedule.

Saturday, June 20, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

11 a.m.-2 p.m. – Immigrant resource fair and global cultural displays

12-3 p.m. – Diverse music and dance performances

3 p.m. – Main program, featuring speakers from six prominent refugee communities, spoken word and break dancing

4:30 p.m. – Live music by Marimba Africa

For more information click here

What are YOU doing this weekend?

So much to do so little time. Sure it’ll be a little chilly and rainy, but that shouldn’t stop you from partaking in one of these many events. Make sure you get out and have some fun.

Awareness:

• RED 10 is the big event this weekend. A group of Africans will be walking for a cause and so should you. If you can’t make it to the walk there are plenty other of options. Saturday night through Sunday afternoon. For more info click here.
• The West African Collaborative will also be doing some HIV/AIDS awareness on Sat May 16th. You can watch a skit written and performed by Africans on HIV/AIDS at Brookdale Covenant Church from 3:00 – 5:00pm .

Art:

• Art-a-whirl 2009 is upon us – from Friday May 15th through Sunday May 17th. Make sure you catch a glimpse of ‘Gallery AfriQ by Omosh and Rabi’s Studio by Yarbi. For more details click here.

Fundraiser

• REAL (Resources for the Enrichment of African Lives) will be having their annual silent auction and dinner fundraiser  May 16th at Augsburg college. Event runs from 5:30 to 9:00pm.

• Cameroonian group Menchum cultural association (MENCAMIN) in Minnesota will be having a fund raising party on Saturday, May 16th 2009 at Mermaid Event Centre with DJ Moki. Doors open at 8:30pm and cost is$ 15.00

Religion

• The Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church will be in Minnesota accompanied by numerous other bishops, priests and theologians to consecrate the new St. Ourael Church. Event goes from May 14th through the 17th.

What happened to the $10 dollars you donated to charity last year?

by Nelima

If you are a fan of Dambisa Moyo’s Dead AID,  ’What are we doing here?’ is a documentary you may want to watch. Here’s a synposis, for more information visit their website by clicking here.

WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE? explores why the charity given to Africa over the last five decades has been largely ineffective and often harmful. The film tells the story of Brandon, Nicholas, Daniel and Tim Klein who travel across Africa in an attempt to understand one of the great problems of our time; the failure to end poverty.

What are YOU doing this weekend?

by Nelima

Another weekend is fast approaching. If you haven’t got any plans, perhaps we can help out with that. We’ve got a coupla suggestions;

Arts:

• There will be a tour of the African gallery at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts on Saturday at 2pm.

Causes:

• One Twin Cities will be hosting a ‘Kick It to Malaria’ soccer game fundraiser on Saturday at 7201 West 83rd Street, Bloomington. Games go from 11am – 2pm and each player pays $10 which is the cost of a bed net. For more info click here.
• Join the rally for the Invisible Children of Uganda titled ‘The Rescue’ on Saturday at 3pm and stay the night until 10am. Everyone will meet at Rice Park then walk to the Capitol Building in St. Paul. For more info email Lindsey at lmluczkowiak@gmail.com.

Earth Day: WWWD? (What Would Wangari Do?)

by Nelima

Today is Earth Day and that means you will celebrate and appreciate Mother Earth. Africans have a lot to be thankful as our continent is resource-rich and our fauna and flora are diverse and equally bountiful. Anyhow what would ‘African Environmentalist Premiere’ and 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai do on a day like this? Perhaps what she does best – conserve the environment or talk about conserving the environment. I thought I’d leave you with a clip from her documentary, Take Root – to keep you inspired for the day.