Blogging and Activism
November 20th, 2006 | Published in Activism, Africa, Blogosphere, Diaspora | 6 Comments
Culled From EthnicLoft. An excellent display of blogospheric activism!
Sokari of Black Looks has a post on the racial discrimination and disrespect accorded the kenyan author - Professor Ngugi Wa Thiong’o while staying at Hotel Vitale in San Francisco area several days back. If you are wondering who the heck Ngugi is, check his profile on Wikipedia.
Jeremy of Naijablog did a follow-up of the event by contacting the hotel, as suggested by Sokari, and got a response from the hotel management. A comprehensive one for that matter!
The hotel management has promised to find a “mutually-acceptable means of making amends”, and this “include a public apology ad in a local newspaper, a donation to an anti-racism local non-profit, and deeper anti-racism training of staff (beyond just normal diversity training).”
I have written about the Mzalendo project, the “Eye on the Kenyan Paliament project,” The Ngugi ordeal is one another instance bloggers of the African blogosphere have initiated and succeeded in addressing a social ill.
As insulting and aggravating as the Ngugi experience is, it is heart warming to see the synergy of purpose being displayed by (African) blogs on this topic since Ngugi described his experience via an interview on Pambazuka.
This is a indication that various African citizen-oriented media (blogs, independent community and advocacy websites) can work together for the common good of the continent and its people. This is one important effort the mainstream media have failed to address.
Now, what these diverse content providers on African-themed topics need is a pan-African platform on which stories and experiences can be showcased.
After reading and listening to the referenced links in this post, I can’t help but revisit and reflect on Renegade Eye’s post: Why Blog, here is an excerpt:
“Blogging is oppositional because it is an alternative vehicle for the dissemination of information. It represents a small but significant cultural evolution of the working class without the sanction of the ruling elite….The most politically developed within the working class have a tremendous responsibility set out by history to lead society in a new direction. The Internet offers us a wealth of potential which would be foolish and even tragic to forgo.”
November 21st, 2006 at 4:18 am (#)
[…] The post on Professor Ngugi Wa Thiong’o racist incident at a hotel in San Francisco has been picked up by a range of blogs including Gradiose Parlor and Naijablog who with a number of other bloggers and people took up the call to write to the management of the hotel. They have replied via Naijablog that a public apology will be published: On Friday I met with key members of PAN (Priority African Network) and we came up with mutually-acceptable means of making amends to the community. This will include a public apology ad in a local newspaper, a donation to an anti-racism local non-profit, and deeper anti-racism training of staff (beyond just normal diversity training). […]
November 21st, 2006 at 6:31 am (#)
[…] Grandiose Parlor writes about blogging and activism, “This is a indication that various African citizen-oriented media (blogs, independent community and advocacy websites) can work together for the common good of the continent and its people. This is one important effort the mainstream media have failed to address.” Ndesanjo Macha […]
November 21st, 2006 at 10:05 am (#)
[…] African bloggers and activism (via Global Voices). […]
November 23rd, 2006 at 10:55 am (#)
[…] Continuing the thread of an earlier post, blogging and activism, a new blogging initiative: “We blog for Darfur” - launched by Drima, an African blogger at Sudanese Thinker, and some Middle Eastern bloggers - aims to shed more light on the events in Darfur. Drima, is a Sudanese student in South East Asia whose eight month blogging stint has been impressive. In an introductory post, he writes: “The Arab media is a shame… a real shame. Why is there hardly anything on Darfur? Why? Is it because the victims are a bunch of “blackie darkiesâ€?…The Mideast Youth bunch and I have taken in it upon ourselves to spread awareness throughout the blogosphere since the media hardly seems to care. Maybe they’ll actually start picking up more stories and reporting more about Darfur.” […]
December 3rd, 2006 at 1:56 pm (#)
Technorati Bomb for Africa…
I have just been reading a post on African Media on “Africa” in a technorati blog directory search.
Instead, get this, what comes up are some white American guys including a rightwing radio talk show host, a couple of Manhattan “medi…
November 23rd, 2007 at 7:42 am (#)
Very interesting… as always! Cheers from -Switzerland-.