By Marcelle Mateki Akita Pastel yellows, pinks, and mauves flash in kaleidoscopic patterns across the blank canvas of her lids, she smiles that beautiful smile and sinks. Vibrantly her vessels bump a deep gravelly bass of colours, rich and flagrant, into her wiring. Her lids dance trying hazily to keep up with the flashing pastels. Glitters sprinkle and she squints. The sun rises, a throbbing citric orange explodes against the
From awkward school encounters to offensive questions, our founder and editor Ella Achola often finds herself at the intersections of identity, and shared her big idea for bringing ourselves into the stories we tell at the last TEDxCoventGardenWomen conference at the Museum of London on 30 May 2015. About the speaker: Born in Berlin, Ella identifies as Afro-German, discovering a history she only recently stumbled upon. She writes and
In part one this interview our events coordinator Prisca Vungbo speaks with black feminist Feminista Jones about her activism, harassment and diaspora feminisms. “Just email her!” The women of AIAWC drummed into my ears as I nervously hovered over the send button, reminding myself that my introversion would need to be put aside for this kind of task. “Sent.” There was no turning back now… [I google ‘how to evolve into an ambivert]. The response
By Lydia Naomi Rose Recently, I had a conversation with a young black man of 19 years old. I have known him since he was a child and after years of not seeing him, it was great to see how much he had grown up. We discussed a wide array of issues including alternative education for young Black British students and his future career endeavours. Eventually, the conversation took a
By Nadine Robinson Dear Woman of Colour, Today I write to you! I choose to take this moment to address you and illustrate the importance of you living as yourself – for who you are and not what you parents, peers or society dictate to you. Your subtle changes in hue does not imply your status in life. It does not stress your level of value within this world
By Yossie Paul In recent times, I have come to learn that my writing is informed by two aspects of my life: my womanhood and my Blackness (African-ness, if you will). These things inform both my writing and my reading. I only began to understand this in the year gone by: my literary records were rather colourful and womanly – authentically womanly. I discovered new things about myself and
By Siana Bangura; commissioned for the Ain’t I A Woman Collective launch I am woman Ain’t I? A black woman And you will hear my cry Today is the day you will see me Larger than life Bigger than I have ever been before My voice is loud My eyes are wide And I am fearful no more I bit off my shackles and my chains with my bare teeth And then