SOUTH AFRICA
These are some of the recent posts that i and others have made to hopefully challenge and encourage and educate you as you try and figure out how to do life better in South Africa. Please feel free to share any of these posts that are helpful with people you think it might help to take one more step towards…
All Lives Smatter – a collection of thoughts about race, painting all people with the same brush and the need for whites to engage with whites
All White Lives Matter – a “Black Lives Matter for Dummies” kind of post
Ask before you leap [to conclusions] – a post looking at how we engage when we engage with others on race
8 Steps to help me become a better ally of my friends of colour – a short but helpful reminder
But pity the mutants – a painful look at how white people are able to feel more empathy for fictional characters and pets than black people
But What Can I Do? – 40 Tips for white South Africans genuinely asking this question
Entitlement with an “i” – a brief glimpse into the problem of entitlement in our country
If I were white, I’d have been able to breathe – guest post by Thandi Nkomo
Race with me – short video clips explaining race issues simply to white people
She turned to me and asked me if being an Umlungu was something i enjoyed.
The Better Black/Coloured/Indian – some friends share stories about the standard of whiteness that has been pressured on them
The queen, my dad, and Sarafina – guest post by Thandi Nkomo
Ways in which white people are better than black people [part I] – a very short post.
Ways in which white people aren’t better than black people [part II] – a more wordier post.
When someone with an African name gives you their “easier” English name.
When the offence is that you’re offended – looking a little deeper into entitlement in South Africa.
Coffee over Pie Holes
Soooo, i wrote a post with my reflections on the Passion worship event on the weekend as most of you know and BOOM! Oh and then there was the one i wrote titled, 'Sodomy: A [...]
Can’t we All just be Colourblind?
Colour blindness, or colour vision deficiency, is the inability or decreased ability to see colour, or perceive colour differences, under normal lighting conditions. Colour blindness affects a significant percentage of the population. There is no [...]
Please help me help Phil: On Sacrifice
i kinda stumbled into an impromptu dinner after the cricket [Go Proteas!] last night. One of the people sitting at the table with us was Phil Potter [no relation!] from the UK who is here to [...]
Sodomy: A South African Love Story
South Africans, i love you. All of you. i sat in a room this morning with a handful of people, some linked to the university who represented a collective called Disrupting Whiteness and some from [...]
When Equality is not the best thing to chase.
The Search for Justice. i have seen and loved that cartoon many times before, because it helps shift perspective. Some of us might have been clamouring loudly for Equality [or for the things that make [...]
The Biggest “Yes” is a “Know”
Who do you know? Graeme Codrington shared an article on my Facebook page today with this statement at the top of it: For my South African friends, we're having an interesting time at the moment, [...]
We who have choice.
Most days i wake up and am excited to try and do my little bit to hopefully help make things better in South Africa. i write blogs, i engage with people in conversation online and [...]
Breaking Bread [with Linde]: On Allyship, Friendship and Engagement
Hi Linde, thank you so much for agreeing to try this with me. It started with you writing a blog post titled 'For Blacks Only' - https://brettfish.wordpress.com/2016/01/28/for-blacks-only-guest-post-by-linde-ndaba/#comments - although you did tell me that it was also [...]
How to be an Ally: Positive Influence [Jacqui Tooke]
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 [...]
For Blacks Only: Guest post by Linde Ndaba
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 One Story? The Pavement Bookworm
'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] [...]
A poem: On Point
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 [...]