The fragments of discovering oneself as black

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Black Brazil Today

Note from BW of Brazil: The question of racial identity and/or black identity has been covered in a number of posts on this blog. While it may seem strange depending on where in the world one lives, but for many in a nation like Brazil, racial/black identity is not commonly something that is discussed in the home. As such, how does one develop a racial/black identity in Brazil when 1) Your country tells you that everyone is simply Brazilian? 2) The same country doesn’t tell you that there are negative stigmas associated with blackness? 3) Many people around you also deny being part of the stigmatized race? 4) People tell you that you are not black? 5) While everyone is programmed to say “we are all equal”, you notice that people say or do things to you that signal otherwise? 6) When all of the…

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In the 1960s, when black Brazilians were barred from white clubs, the Aristocrata Club became the “the most luxurious black club in Brazil”

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Black Brazil Today

Note from BW of Brazil:The roots of racism and black resistance are deep and filled with tragedies as well as hidden treasures. This story falls into the latter category. Although Brazilian elites didn’t post signs that read “whites only”, “preferem-se brancos (we prefer whites)” (see here, here, here or here) were common in job classified sections of newspapers and Afro-Brazilians were routinely barred from areas and establishments using these means as a socially enforced mechanism of exclusion. In 1960s São Paulo, as in other areas of the country, black people came together and did for self, creating what would become “THE place” for middle-class blacks of the era. Check out an inspiring story from the days of way back below….

The Aristocrata Club, “the most luxurious black club in Brazil”

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At a time when “gente de cor (people of color)” were barred at dances and in the…

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Flying Doctors

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POSITIVE ROLE MODELS(Let the Exodus begin…)
About doers & makers…

This is Ola Orekunrin; at 27, she is England’s youngest doctor and the CEO of a program called Flying Doctors Nigeria. Uhm, AMAZING.

Aged 21, Orekunrin had already graduated from the University of York as a qualified doctor. She was then awarded the MEXT Japanese Government Scholarship and moved to Japan to conduct research in the field of regenerative medicine.

After moving back to Europe, the young doctor looked set for a promising career in medicine in the UK. But her desire to improve healthcare services in West Africa brought her back to her roots.

Orekunrin quit her job, sold her assets and went on to study evacuation models and air ambulance services in other developing countries before launching her ambitious venture, which enables her to combine her “deep love for medicine and Africa” with her growing passion for flying — Orekunrin is also a also a trainee helicopter pilot.

Read more on CNN’s website: http://cnn.it/1aSgYDH

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via Afrika Arise

I’MPOSSIBLE DEBATE (GOOGLE HANGOUT): ‘#TALKING TUESDAYS’ (JANUARY 14TH – PART 3)

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MAD NEWS UK

talking Tuesdays

#TalkingTuesdays is a monthly Twitter debate which has been running since 2010 created and hosted by I’mPOSSIBLE to give time for open, effective dialogue on how our followers truly see the world and it’s events as well as positively interact with one another.  

For 2014, we’ve revamped the format and taken the debate to Google Hangout.  Sticking with the same successful formula, but adding a rotating, well-informed, opinionated panel with your views – the debate is getting bigger, more interactive and global.

In last night’s discussion panelists Lorraine Russell, Lisa Bent,  Sheryl Nwosu and I’mPossible founder Simone Bresi-Ando discuss the following:

  • Is servitude and slavery the only themes where Black actors as protagonists win big at the box office and at film awards? http://thebea.st/KeeNmq
  • Is the only way Black British actors can find success is by relocating to the US?
  • 2013 (and early 2014) was when a few…

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