It has been a pleasure to be able to bring a host of guests to campus, in person and virtually, to hold lectures and panel discussions. My students have had the opportunity to meet and speak with guests from Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.
Some of these interactions have been virtual. The students were able to have Skype chats with hip hop artists in Ghana and South Africa.
Ugandan hip hop artist and activist Babaluku and hip hop photographer and activist Gilbert have visited two of my classes (Intro to Contemporary Africa in Fall 2015 and Hip Hop and Popular Culture in Spring 2017) to discuss their work with youth in Kampala, Uganda through their organization Bavubuka Foundation.
In Fall 2016, Nigerian filmmaker Taye Balogun visited my Intro to Contemporary Africa course to show his documentary film Music is Our Weapon.
In Fall 2016 I was also able to invite Senegalese hip hop artists and activists Xuman and Keyti to campus during their U.S. speaking tour. Both have been artists and activists in Senegal for over 20 years, and both were active in the Y’en A Marre movement which mobilized thousands of youth to vote for change in that country.
Msia Kibona Clark, PhD 