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Hello {{ first name | friends}},
It's a mixed bag of perspectives on bigotry this month, looking at maps, migration, liberation, reparations, anti-Blackness, and much more. Ready to dive in?
1. Liberation isn't somewhere else. It's a decision. by Crystle Johnson
This article spoke to me when I originally saved it, but even more after my return from hosting the Still & Sovereign Retreat. It's about making the first move to choose yourself, something more women racialised as Black need to do.
โWhat I learned is that liberation was never a place I had to get to. It's a decision. It's building your life around what you actually need โ rest, softness, self-trust, room to breathe โ instead of what you've been told you have to earn.โ
2. UN votes to adopt new world map to reflect Africa's true size by Thomas Mukhwana
This happened a while ago, but it's still worth highlighting, I think. It's also interesting to note who voted against the adoption of the map (the US) and who abstained. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?
"A map is never neutral. It shapes perceptions, influences how the place of peoples and continents in the world is understood."
I don't think this is a huge surprise, but it's good to see it acknowledged. As always, the question is, what are the powers that be going to do about it, if anything? I'll wait...
โFor Africans and people of African descent, freedom of movement continues to be shaped by racial hierarchies with deep historical roots. While some are welcomed as โexpatriatesโ, others face unequal treatment driven by racialised perceptions, despite the equal entitlement of all migrants to human rights and dignity.โ
4. Let UNGA 2026 Be a Watershed for Reparatory Justice by Ken Bosire
As you know, I'm in favour of reparations, and calls from descendants of the enslaved are becoming louder. This article explains why it is necessary and points to how it should be handled:
โThe debate should move from whether reparations are justified to the practical questions of how historical harm is documented, who bears responsibility, what forms of redress are appropriate and how progress is measured.
There should be no apology for asking those questions. Nor should African and Caribbean countries be required to make their case as though the descendants of victims are petitioners seeking a favour from the descendants of beneficiaries. Reparatory justice is not charity--it is about accountability.โ
