It’s Juneteenth today.
A celebration of the incredible contributions that Africans/African-Americans have made in America and the recognition of the end of slavery. I have performed three times at Museum of Fine Arts, Boston for Juneteenth in service of this day. Each time bringing music, poetry and songs from my home country Zimbabwe at the forefront of my creative offering. I remember my former white female boss annoyed about the fact having seen a flyer with my face on it in her mailbox. She smirked when the next week she mentioned she saw me featured on WGBH . “ I see you everywhere! “ she said. As if there was a quota on what and where black people can go! I recognize then as I still do now that there is so much work to be done to liberate Black people all over the world. As someone who has lived through and marched in South Africa against Apartheid in high school , and in 2000’s and now 202O in America This day is a reminder, a call to all that indeed #Blacklivesmatter.
Recent global events have only solidified what I know to be true in my personal journey as an unapologetically proud African and American woman. I deserve as we all do equal rights, the right to LIVE without exception: in work spaces, school, city streets,museums, in our homes, playgrounds, stores, in our beds, the arms of our loved ones.
Our voices matter, our lives have always mattered.
America was not only built on black bodies but more importantly on the intellectual innovation that Africans brought by force to these shores. That fact should not be forgotten.
Right now many businesses, organizations, non profits, companies, states, are including this day as a holiday for their employees. They are actively recruiting for diversity and inclusion officers, starting book clubs on anti-racist literature , without a plan to execute it’s all meaningless. There has to be action and systematic dismantling of the oppressive racist power structures. And yes it will and should be uncomfortable.
And I am not sorry about that at all!
You get no applause from me!
But if you want to really do the work.
And it will be WORK!
So feel free to hire me, in addition to being an Author, Artist, I have extensive experience in Education, Public Health & Wellness through a multi-cultural lens. And before you say you can’t find other talented black people in Boston, I offer some here and have more.
#juneteenth #BlackLivesMatter #enoughisenough#forHelen
