i can’t remember any time recently when i wanted to kill the pastor of the church i was in [Ben the Priest is kinda cool!]. In fact it’s probably more likely that there were people thinking those kinds of thoughts about me during some of my more challenging or hectic messages back in the day. But this morning at St John’s we were looking at Luke 4 which is an interesting passage and one that [...]
My friend Jacqui Tooke continues the 'How to Be a Better Ally' to people of colour series with this guest piece, looking at Positive Influence: Let’s get vocal… If you are like me, then your heart has been crushed by all the racist attitudes, thoughts and opinions that have been expressed in our country recently. I’m grateful for voices like Brett Fish Anderson and others who have boldly declared their commitment to changing the atmosphere [...]
Greetings and Welcome to Brettfish.co.za - this has been a LONG time coming and huge thanks to my friends, Mandy Papenfus and Simon Streep, for helping me get to this point. The hope of a cleaner, crisper, fresher look for my blog as well as a space to add videos and book sales and other fun things when i get the chance. 2016 feels like it is going to be a significant year, specifically in [...]
Hey, you! Yes, YOU! i see you! Is that maybe not everything we want to hear and know? That i am seen. That someone acknowledges my existence and my presence. That someone knows my name. That i count. i matter. DO YOU SEE? Think back over this week… What was the name of the car guard you tipped with a R2 you found in the corner of your purse? The [...]
My name is Linde Ndaba and I’m addicted. My addiction might not have me shacking relentlessly from withdrawal symptoms, as drug dependence often does or leave me broke and destitute, but it may arguably be just as problematic. As a black person raised in a white suburb (Pinelands) in South Africa, my neighbourhood friends rarely made the effort to know my world. In fact I can count the occasions where they correctly pronounced my name [...]
'Books are a very important part of my life. Books are my wealth and pay my bills. Books have a magic that keeps me going through hard times.' [Philani Dladla, The Pavement Bookworm, opening line] Meet Philani Dladla. You may have seen glimpses of his story that went viral a while back as a young man on a street corner selling book reviews to people. But yesterday morning i got to meet him. i was [...]
Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later as i have been flying high with @AFrikkinHashtag since i started hosting the games. But this game bummed me out. And it was my birthday. So not the best of presents... or presence, really. Sorry, community, but you can do better. With the advantage of hindsight i can see why this went badly, but i certainly didn't see it going in and despite inviting people to [...]
On Point “I didn’t do it,” she said, as she pointed at someone else’s parent’s parents. “I didn’t do it, “he said, “and I have NEVER used that word.” “We didn’t do it,” they loudly declared, as they counted out the coins to pay the lady who was busy raising their children. “I didn’t do it,” she said as she gestured towards her black boyfriend who she had decided to name ‘Justice’ because [...]
i want to continue this series on trying to figure out as white people, how we can be better allies to our friends of colour and i guess people of colour in general. i would LOVE to have more of you contributing pieces to this series, so if you have an idea please get hold of me. This is similar to the 'Just say No' post i did a while back, but i also want to [...]
This is a comment that ‘Jul’ posted on one of my blog posts the other day and deserved to be a blog post of its own [hope that’s okay, Jul?]: For over 21 years, black South Africans have largely forgiven the majority of the white population who repeatedly voted in a racist government that dehumanised and denied them their most basic human rights. […]
