Thanksgiving is one of our most meaningful holidays. The day is about gratitude and family. Many people travel home to spend time with family while others celebrate “Friendsgiving.” Thanksgiving is usually centered around food and for many, the day is also about football. In many African-American communities, Thanksgiving food goes beyond just the traditional turkey.…
It is generally believed that black people first came to England as slaves. That assumption is a common misperception and one that historian Miranda Kaufmann is working to correct with her first book, Black Tudors: The Untold Story. This remarkable book explores the heretofore unknown history of black people in 16th century England—individuals who lived freely…
As one of the world’s most populous and majestic cities, Rio de Janeiro is home to over six million residents, and about a quarter of them live in favelas, low-income neighborhoods improvised from former shanty towns. The favelas are a reminder of the deep issues of inequality in Brazil; these are poor communities where Brazilian…
It wasn’t a hashtag then, but activist Tarana Burke started the #MeToo campaign in 2007. “Me too” has recently taken on new life in wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal. A tweet from actress Alyssa Milano suggested that women who had been sexually assaulted or harassed write #MeToo on social media to show the “magnitude…
African cultural traditions are alive and thriving in South America in the colorful village of San Brasilia de Palenque, Colombia. Founded by Benkos Biohó in the 16th century, the village of Palenque is a historic treasure. Biohó, a former slave, escaped from the slave port of Cartagena in 1599. The former African King, who…
Liberal MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes who represents Whitby, Ontario in the Canadian House of Commons rose to the floor of the House recently to speak against bullying and body shaming of black women’s features. Not only did the MP call out those who bullied black girls for wearing their hair differently, but she also delivered…
Kazuo Ishiguro has been awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in Literature. In a recent interview, the British novelist says he heard about his win after his agent called him informing him that he had won the coveted prize, just as he was about to take brunch at home. The author, however, assumed that this was…
Is there any couple who embodies #RelationshipGoals more than Barack and Michelle Obama? This week, the former President and First Lady celebrated 25 years of wedded bliss. While Michelle was taking part in the Pennsylvania Conference for Women along with Shonda Rhimes, Barack popped in on a surprise video. As Michelle blushed and the ladies in…
The Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD), is an organization related to the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent. The decade was set aside by the UN to promote the contribution of Africans in the world and also to strengthen international protection of human rights for the people of African…
Did you know we are in the midst of the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent? On the 23rd of December 2013, the UN General Assembly decided on resolution 68/237, proclaiming a decade dedicated to people of African descent. The period runs from 2015 to 2024, promoting the themes of recognition, justice,…
