The glamorous stage where the English National Ballet performs is worlds away from the grinding poverty of the Kuwinda slum in Kenya. Yet that stage appears to be where one former Kuwinda resident is destined to be seen. Sixteen-year-old Joel Kioko is a phenomenon in the ballet world. Like many male dancers, he came to…
Venice Biennale is an arts organization in Venice, Italy that organizes a prestigious bi-annual contemporary art exhibition. Art collectors and dealers flock to the event and it helps artists get discovered and make sales. This year is a landmark year for Nigeria, with a special pavilion for Nigerian artists included. This is the first time in…
In a political move that would only appease his most ardent voter base, United States President Donald Trump removed the country from the Paris Climate Agreement; in doing so, Trump unequivocally affirmed his personal belief about climate change being a hoax. Trump’s decision has been widely criticized in diplomatic circles, by other nations, and in…
A legislative proposal being considered in the Egyptian Parliament would require citizens to acquire a license if they wish to access Facebook and other online social networks. The social media license would be issued by the government only after the Egyptian citizen has furnished his or her national ID number, email address and the usernames…
With pomp, circumstance, fanfare, some political rhetoric, and lots of promise, the people of Kenya welcomed the maiden ride of the Standard Gauge Railway, now known as SGR, the first high-speed rail project in Eastern Africa. The historic event started in the port city of Mombasa, 472 kilometers away from the capital city of Nairobi. President…
FOLD 2017 accomplished its mission. As a Festival of Literary Diversity, the second-annual event brought together established and emergent writers of varied backgrounds in a space that fed their souls, created dialogue and provided down-to-earth guidelines and information about writing and publishing. Held recently in Brampton, Ontario, a city known for its culturally diverse population, FOLD…
With a total population of nearly 100 million people, Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa. The country’s long history of conflict, drought and famine meant that its huge population has been long considered somewhat of an economic burden rather than a valuable resource. However, the Ethiopian government is now hoping that it can turn the…
The final day of May 2017 will mark a new age of economic progress for the Republic of Kenya; this is when President Uhuru Kenyatta will climb aboard the new Standard Gauge Railway, which people will know as SGR, for a maiden ride from the port city of Mombasa to the bustling metropolis of Nairobi. The…
Brand Africa, a high-level business forum organized in the wake of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, recently published its ranking of the most admired brands in the Continent. In the consumer electronics category, South Korean market leader Samsung has become one of the most admired brands, and this recognition has more to…
In 2017, Nigerian poet Romeo Oriogun stunned readers with his complex, urgent poetry full of brimming emotion, stark imagery, and biting questions. In a unanimous vote, this young poet was awarded the 2017 Brunel International African Poetry Prize. This prestigious £3,000 major poetry award, sponsored by Brunel University and Commonwealth Writers, is given to poets who have not…
2017 has been an eventful year for Tanzanian-born Bongo artist Nasibu Abdul Juma, better known as Diamond Platnumz. He started the year on a high, releasing “Marry You” featuring Ne-Yo. The melodious blend of Ne-Yo’s R&B and Diamond’s African style got many of us dancing to this tune for months. The video did incredibly…
Sexual harassment has been a major issue in the news as of late in America. Time magazine has even named the #MeToo movement as its ‘Person of the Year’ for 2017. But is sexual harassment as prevalent elsewhere in the world? Sadly, yes. Sexual harassment is a truly global phenomenon. There is often a close connection between the prevalence…
When you struggle to find something that meets your own needs, one solution is to create it for yourself. That was the impetus for DeShuna Spencer when she started KweliTV. She told The Root that she was discouraged when looking for something to watch on cable. “I was frustrated because there was not a space…
During three days in January 2017, more than 184,000 people from around the world packed the majestic Las Vegas Convention Center for the 50th anniversary of the Consumer Electronics Show—the largest trade event focused on technology innovation developed specifically at the consumer level. Each CES features the latest and the next in consumer tech. The…
