Kenyan Lupita Nyong’o has said the Horror film Us took an emotional toll on her and it was exhausting as she had to play different versions of the same character
“This movie stretched me, it bent me, it cost me a whole lot,” she told the BBC’s Radio 1Xtra. Us is a horror film written and directed by Oscar-winner Jordan Peele – the man behind Get Out.
Continue reading “Lupita Nyong’o: Horror film Us took an emotional toll on me”
By Harold Acemah
The concept, “political tribalism” may come as a surprise to many Ugandans who are familiar with ethnic tribalism. I came across the terminology while reading an interesting book by Yale University Law professor Amy Chua titled, Political Tribes – Group Instinct and the Fate of Nations.
What is political tribalism?
Political tribalism played a major role in Donald Trump’s victory in the 2016 presidential elections of USA, a country which is at a dangerous crossroads. According to Chua, for the first time in USA history, “White Americans” are faced with the prospect of becoming a minority in their “own country”. The truth is that White Americans are migrants from Europe and don’t own America.
Continue reading “On the rise of political tribalism in America”
Use Africa’s wealth to empower youth – Akufo-Addo
Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged African leaders to use the enormous wealth the continent is endowed with to develop and empower their respective youth populations.
With Africa possessing the largest generation of young people in history, President Akufo-Addo indicated that: “I place great hope in their capacity to shape the future of Africa and make Africa the lion that it was meant to be.”
Continue reading “Ghanaian President speaks at Harvard University”
Buloze Rusesera fluffed pillows in Room 322 at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel attached to the Grappone Conference Center.
She sported a purple ski hat promoting “Colorado,” though she’s never been there. She only came to New Hampshire in November after fleeing the Democratic Republic of Congo and spending time teaching at a refugee camp in Burundi.
Rusesera, 21, is one of six Congolese refugees participating in a hospitality training program to help them learn English, American customs and job skills.
Continue reading “Congolese refugees learn job skills, New Hampshire customs in internship program”
Benjamin Muriithi and Maureen Wairimu Waithaka moved from Kenya to Rwanda to Namibia and finally to Nova Scotia, where they’d like to stay. At first they thought the immigration process would mean transferring their lives. They’ve since learned it’s more than that: it’s starting from scratch.
Here’s their story and videos created for CBC, which includes spoken word from Maureen. In the videos, Benjamin and Maureen are speaking the creolized version of Swahili called Sheng’. Benjamin says “Sheng’ freely mixes Swahili, English and our native languages.”
Continue reading “This Kenyan couple wants to stay in Canada, permanently”
When a group of Prince Hall Masons from North Carolina arrived in Cotonou, Benin last month for the inauguration of a new grand lodge in Cotonou, the cultural significance wasn’t lost on the masons from Benin.
After The American Revolutionary War (1775-83), a formerly enslaved man from Massachusetts who had fought in the war for independence, was attracted to Freemason ideals like brotherly love, justice, and liberty, but the exclusively white group wouldn’t allow a black man in its ranks. The man, Prince Hall, wasn’t one to take no for an answer, though.
With all the traditional tenets of masonry, he decided to start his own group of masons.
Relief and excitement spread through Liberian communities in the United States on Thursday (Mar. 28) after president Donald Trump issued an executive order extending the deadline of the Deferred Enforced Departure program for 4,000 Liberians living in the US to Mar. 30, 2020.
In March 2018, the Trump administration announced the termination of the program and gave over 4,000 Liberians a year— until Mar. 31, 2019—to leave the US or risk deportation.
According to the White House, yesterday’s decision was made “in the foreign policy interest of the United States.”
Continue reading “Trump extends Liberians’ migrant status to 2020”
Global streaming giant Netflix has appointed Kenyan award-winning TV producer and Spielworks Media chief executive Dorothy Ghettuba as its manager for International Originals.
The move comes after global streaming giant Netflix announced last year that it would commission original shows from Africa by 2019.
This could increase demand for the platform among viewers from the region and eventually reduce the cost of access.
“Telling our African stories. Onwards and Upwards,” said Ms Ghettuba in an Instagram post announcing her appointment.
Continue reading “Netflix appoints Kenyan as manager International Originals”
South African born space entrepreneur,Elon Musk has treated the world to a graphic look at his large and undeniably impressive rocket glowing vivid red.
His firm SpaceX released a graphical representation of the Starship, which was once known as the ‘Big Falcon Rocket’ and is designed to take astronauts to Mars.
It was produced for the magazine April 2019 issue of Popular Mechanics and show Musk’s mighty vessel entering Earth’s atmosphere and becoming rather inflamed in the process.
South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe has donated over $500 million to projects in Africa pertaining to health, farming, agrobusiness, infrastructure, and music.
Last year, the African Rainbow Minerals founder also pledged to donate $250 million to South African land reform and $100 million to education initiatives.
His philanthropy was noted by US media giant, Forbes, in a report highlighting the largest philanthropists out outside the US.
They gathered in a clearing by a stream in Baltimore County one chilly early-spring day, some in the colorful African head ties known as geles, others wearing bracelets trimmed in shells or carved in wood.
One by one, they stepped forward to toss offerings into the Gwynns Falls – a pineapple, four oranges, a bouquet of tulips.
And when the lead priestess of these African-American women dropped a handful of shells to the ground and scrutinized their pattern, a message came through: Their celebration of the spring equinox was blessed by the divine.
Malian Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubèye Maïga visited Washington this week to ask U.S. officials to bolster support for his country’s fight against terrorism, warning that the weakened Islamic State in Iraq and Syria could jump-start the flow of extremists across the Sahel, Africa’s arid northwest, worsen the region’s security and jeopardize American interests there.
A lawsuit against Boeing Co has been filed in a U.S. federal court in what appeared to be the first suit over a March 10 Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX crash that killed 157 people.
The lawsuit was filed in Chicago federal court by the family of Jackson Musoni, a citizen of Rwanda, and alleges that Boeing, which manufactures the 737 MAX, had defectively designed the automated flight control system.
Continue reading “Rwandan kids sue Boeing over death of parent in Ethiopian Airlines crash”
Nigeria has the highest number of students from Africa studying in the U.S.
Rachel Canty, Deputy Director, Students and Exchange Visitor Programme, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who made this known at the Foreign Press Centre International Reporting Tour of the U.S. Community Colleges and Workforce Development programme in Washington D.C., said Nigeria has 16,039 students in the U.S.
Continue reading “Nigeria has highest number of African Students In U.S”
By Inemesit Udodiong
Afrobeat, a fusion of African pop, dance, and hip hop, is having a great moment right now. All over the world, people are listening, dancing and buying tickets to sold-out shows by Nigerian artists.
It is also topping streaming and airplay charts across the US and Europe. Earlier this year, Davido‘s 2017 hit single, ‘Fall’, became the longest charting Nigerian song on American Billboard chart. It was the most Shazamed song by New York radio listeners in 2018.
Now, New York-based Warner Music Groupjoins the likes of Universal Music Group andSony Music, who have already boarded the Afrobeat train. The world’s third largest record label has a new partnership with Nigerian music label Chocolate City.
Continue reading “Nigerian music label, Chocolate City, signs new deal with Warner Music Group”
Kenyans in the diaspora have given the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) 30 days to register them as voters.
For over a decade now, they have agitated for their right to vote but with little success.
Continue reading “Kenyans abroad give electoral body 30 days to register them as voters”
By Sophia Wilhelm
Women are starting 1,821 businesses in the U.S. every day. As of 2018, women entrepreneurs have increased by 114 percent in the last 20 years, totaling about 40 percent of businesses overall.
To celebrate Women’s History Month, below are stories of four influential women entrepreneurs in the Chapel Hill and Durham communities. The include Kenyan and Nigerian women.
Continue reading “Kenyan, Nigerian among women leading businesses in Chapel Hill and Durham”
By Samantha Tamplin
Traditional African dancers, drummers, poets and a panel of speakers performed at Eastern Kentucky University’s Africa Today event on March 22.
The event was hosted by the African Student Association (ASA) and was held in the O’Donnell auditorium in Whitlock.
Continue reading “Celebrating Africa Culture at Eastern Kentucky University”
Award-winning U.S. actress Viola Davis is set to produce an adaptation of Octavia Butler’s science fiction novel, Wild Seed, which the script is set to be written by Nigerian-American author Nnedi Okorafor and Kenyan filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu.
Continue reading “Okorafor, Kahiu to work on movie based on U.S. author Octavia Butler’s book”
Most University of Georgia students spend the first semester of their freshman yearadjusting to campus and studying for exams.
But after Ramatulai Jagne finished her homework, she worked on launching her business, Ramla Apparel.
Continue reading “University of Georgia freshman starts business selling unique African products”
Morocco, a rising star in Africa, is like a European country where all of its trains, trams, buses, flights and ferries run on time. Morocco, apparently, has many mysteries. Few people realize that it has been rapidly emerging as a new powerhouse in Africa.
By Carolina McCabe
The Moroccan American Network will host its fourth Business Forum – CEO Summit at the Willard InterContinental Hotel, in Washington, D.C. The summit will focus on small business opportunities between the US and Africa. The day of the event corresponds with “Morocco Day,” celebrated March 29.
In 2018, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser proclaimed March 29 as “Morocco Day” following a formal resolution by the D.C. Council.
“Morocco Day is an opportunity to explore economic, cultural, and educational exchange opportunities that are mutually beneficial for the Kingdom of Morocco and the United States of America,” according to Antoine Battle, CEO of Diplomatic Communications.
Continue reading “Moroccan American Network to Host Business Forum on ‘Morocco Day’ in DC”
Ethiopia’s prime minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed—the youngest African leader at 42 years old—has initiated a series of unprecedented economic and political reforms in his first 12 months in office.
The core challenge that he faces is moving the economy from state-led to market-based growth while overseeing far-reaching political reforms. Success is far from guaranteed but his accomplishments so far have created an enormous sense of opportunity within the country.
Celebrated Kenyan rapper King Kaka on Wednesdaygot a moment in the spotlight after his song got played at American Airlines Center, Dallas, USA.
The musician was attending an NBA match between Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings when his song ‘Dundaing’ featuring Kristoff and Magix Enga started playing in the arena.
By Andrew Chung
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday prevented American sailors injured in the deadly 2000 al Qaeda bombing of the Navy destroyer USS Cole from collecting $314.7 million in damages from the government of Sudan for its alleged role in the attack.
In a 8-1 ruling, the justices overturned a lower court’s decision that had allowed the sailors to collect the damages from certain banks that held Sudanese assets.
Continue reading “U.S. Supreme Court Backs Sudan Over American Sailors In USS Cole Bombing Case”
Upper East Siders and Harlemites are now breaking fufu together, dining at the newly opened Teranga cafe, located on Central Park’s northeast corner. Teranga opened last month and features West African cuisine, from kelewele (AKA spicy fried plantains) to occasional specials like the traditional Senegalese fish and rice dish, thieboudienne.
Continue reading “Chef Pierre Thiam Gives NYC a Taste of Senegalese Hospitality at Teranga”
Ghana’s ambassador to the United States, H.E. Dr. Barfuor Adjei-Barwuah, has called on the African American community in Baltimore to visit Ghana their mother land yearly.
Dr. Adjei-Barwuah was speaking at the 203rd Session of the Baltimore Annual Conference at the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Baltimore, Maryland.
Sharing with them the good message of the Year of Return, Dr. Adjei-Barwuah touched on Ghana’s open door community to the African Diaspora, particularly, the African American community.
Continue reading “Ghana’s US Ambassador Calls On African Americans To Visit Ghana “
US civil rights legend Andrew Young jolted many in his audience at the University of Johannesburg last week when he advised them to stop counting on the government to eradicate poverty and to rely instead on themselves – and the private sector.
In an Africa fresh from economic liberalization, music found a new voice, thanks to social media and platforms like YouTube, Spotify and Apple Music, which streamed thousands of African songs into the homes of millions in the diaspora.
Continue reading “Put Your Money Into These Rhythmic Beats from Africa”
When she arrived at the University, Uma Jalloh, current president of the University’s Organization of African Students, wanted to showcase her personal experience as a first-generation college student.
Her parents are immigrants from Guinea, but Jalloh was born in the U.S. After moving back to Guinea for a brief period of time, she returned to the United States and has lived in America since the age of six. She describes her experience of coming to America as a time of self-discovery and a chance to find her true identity, which blends both African and American culture.
You must be logged in to post a comment.