AfricanS Against Appropriation

I have to start off by saying it was a tough decision to make.  I’ve never left my  my friends and family to embark on a journey to a place where I knew no one. But my world as I knew it was too tiny and there’s so much out there I didn’t know of. 

I visited Europe last month and stayed in this place next to what they call the Eiffel Tower. I loved it. such a strange architecture to symbolize the exotic beauty and power of its people. With my small backpack and my Nikon D7000 camera, I set off futher to explore Europe.

I took pictures along the way. there was a Tomato Festival going on at the time and I managed to get tickets to see a Bull Fighting! The sight was alarming and facinating all at once- a sport to symbolise the raw energy and passion that European people had were shown through this bull fighting. Beautiful!

I went to a shelter and saw some homeless people begging on the streets. It is such a shame how enriched, yet, so poor Europeans are. My heart weeps for Europeans; their courage and strength to survive is inspiring. 

There were loud music playing and people in the streets all looking happy and joyful because they were celebrating ‘OktoberFest’, a day to mark their love of beer and to show that even Europeans have good things to celebrate in life to distract from their everyday pain. I was aware of my privilege so I asked to join this festival incase I upset the natives. What a blast!

I took so many pictures (will post on Facebook later) of the children dancing and smiling but some elders complained about this, they didn’t seem comfortable with a complete stranger touching their young children and taking photos of them to later put on the internet.

I suppose to them, I am a stranger in the midst but it was so joyful having pictures to show back home of my experiences! I am sure they won’t mind in the end. And the children were such wonders! They were so curious about my clothes (I don’t think Europeans have ever seen Nigerian clothes in their life, it must have been so strange for them to view my own culture! It just reminded me of how deprived they were)

After I stopped at the Leaning Tower of Pisa (a great art of their sort!) I went back to  Arba Airport near Helsinki (after I spent a day at Trafalgar Square, pics coming soon) and borded my flight back home, having grown up a little from viewing European Life. 

I am currently saving up to get a tatto of Europe on my shoulder , with a love heart located at the center to represent Belguim. As the Europeans say: 

Τα καλά πράγματα έρχεται σε εκείνους που περιμένουν 

GAZA - heartbreaking

A Palestinian child mourns during the funeral of his father and brother whom were killed by Israeli airstrikes in #Gaza yesterday.

طفل فلسطيني يودع والده وأخاه الذين ارتقيا بقصف الاحتلال أمس.

Yürek burkan sahneler.. Filistinli bir çocuk dün #Gazze'de İsrail hava saldırıları sonucu hayatını kaybeden babası ve kardeşinin cenazesinde yas tutuyor.

ches

1. Port Elizabeth (South Africa)

2. Unknown

3. Nairobi (Kenya)

4. Pretoria (South Africa)

5. Aburi Botanical Gardens (Ghana)

6. Cape Town (South Africa)

7. Pretoria (South Africa)

8. Harare (Zimbabwe)

9. Windhoek (Namibia)

10. Windhoek (Namibia)

To @kushandwizdom this is a rather unfair portrayal of Africa as a whole since half of these are literally just South Africa.  So Instead to add to this post and better dispel the myth of Africa as the vast wasteland of poverty most people think, I found a much more mixed collection of pics from various countries.

Luanda, Angola

Agadir, Morocco

Lagos, Nigeria

Cairo, Egypt

Port Louis, Mauritius

Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire

Algiers, Algeria

Tripoli, Libya

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Tunis, Tunisia

i’ve tried so many things for years so i thought i’d try social media for this now.

i’m an adopted moroccan who’s looking for her birth mother, i was born on september 5th 1995 in Berkane, morocco.

i’ve been searching for her for years with absolutely no result whatsoever, i was born at a woman’s house who was a nursing mother and helped my mother with my birth. the police in berkane were involved and took me to a hospital that now doesn’t exist anymore but i got transferred to hospital al farabi in oujda.

if you know/are someone from berkane it would mean the world to me if you could spread the word about this to any moroccan you know and especially people from berkane.

Sharing on behalf of my friend Ryley

CASTING CALL: Trans Folx to share their stories and the importance of YES ON 3! (especially FTM and POC!)

Hello, my name is Ryley and my pronouns are they/them/theirs. I am a local queer and trans activist, as well as a law student who will focus their work on queer and transgender human rights.  As you may know, on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, Massachusetts is voting on Transgender Rights. Two years ago, the State House added gender identity to the list of protected classes in public accommodations law, but this November, these rights are at risk! This isn’t just about ‘bathrooms;’ public accommodations are about health care, jobs, housing, education, parks, restaurants, and so much more.

I am reaching out because a team of community members and I are recording a short video to raise awareness pertaining to this ballot question and to encourage people to VOTE YES ON 3 to protect transgender rights. I am not officially working with Freedom Massachusetts, an organization many Massachusetts folks may be familiar with as the leaders behind the legislation. They are quite busy and their resources are limited; however, I am seeking permission to use their logo/share their website.

It is essential that the video features an intersectional, inclusive group of transgender people. The other child cast so far in the video a 6 year old trans girl who is white. Specifically, we are seeking to add representation of trans boys/men and people of color. While we would love to feature more trans kids, we are open to ALL AGES! We are also still open to recording other trans folks simply doing their everyday thing, and talking about what question 3 means to them. Please feel free to send this around as well!

Filming will occur throughout August, between August 12 and August 31. Please contact me via Facebook messenger or at [email protected]. Upon receiving a private message, I will provide my cell phone number for easier contact!

PLEASE REBLOG AND SHARE WITH ANYBODY YOU THINK COULD BE INTERESTED!

I feel like it would be much easier if I just made a collective post of information instead of giving people this information individually, also this way we can signal boost this to people who aren’t following my blog and who wouldn’t see it otherwise

Not everybody is in a place financially to donate money, but most of us have things laying around the house that we don’t need/use that could make all the difference in the world to the refugees currently in Calais.

Here are things that you can donate

Clothing

Socks (very very important)

Hoodies/jumpers

Gloves/Wooly hats/Scarves (I stress these things in particular as it’s getting cold)

Jackets

Shirts/T-Shirts

Hijab scarves

Bras/Underwear (for men, women, and children)

Jeans/trousers

Tracksuit bottoms

Shoes/Trainers/Boots (like hiking and wellington boots)

Children’s clothing

Food

Tinned foods (beans, soups, spaghetti, ect)

Cereal/Cereal bars

Rice

Cooking oil

Sugar

Lentils

Olive oil

Pasta

Bottled water

Jars of baby food

Flour

Hygiene products

Pads/Tampons

Razors

Shaving cream

Toothbrushes

Toothpaste

Combs

Nappies

Talcum powder

Bars of soap

Tissues

Q-Tips

Deodorant

Other

Smart phones (with sim card)

Tents

Sleeping bags

Pillows/pillow cases

Blankets/duvets/quilts

Backpacks

Plastic bags

Suitcases

Towels

Cooking utensils (pots and pans)

Cutlery

Torches/Candles, any other sources of light

Books/Picture books for kids

Colouring books

Crayons/pens

Dolls, teddybears (may I suggest ragdolls)

Here is a map of all organizations across the UK who are doing donation drop offs

Some of these organizations are in need of an extra pair of hands to help load and unload things, some need more transportation which would require you to go to Calais with them.