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With various platforms making news accessible we have become inundated with information, most of which is deeply distressing. It easily becomes exhausting and convenient to disengage from issues that plague our world. In the end, we don’t know what we don’t know, so how can we care about what we are unaware of?

When we choose to pay attention to the issues, our appreciation of the circumstances of others tends to only be superficial. By that virtue, we are several degrees removed from the experience so we can afford to be complacent or devoid of compassion.

Empathy and compassion require that we listen to the experiences of others. Listen to understand, not to impose our judgement. It forces us to detach from our own experiences and allow ourselves to hold space and suspend our thoughts. Without the interference of our preconceptions and limited perspectives we begin to recognise the affliction of others.

This discussion intends to bring to the forefront, with the help of Francis Deng, the experiences and impact of those subjected to conflict and war in Sudan and South Sudan.

As a victim of war, Francis emigrated from South Sudan seeking refuge in Australia. In A Child ESCAPES he writes about his journey of hardship and resilience to survive an ordeal that few of us ever have to experience. From being recruited at an early age to become a rebel soldier, to escaping to Kenyan refugee camps.

 
Host:
Fungai Mutsiwa
Instagram:       @ blackfor30

Guest:
Francis Deng
LinkedIn:        Francis Deng
Website:          https://www.francisdeng.com

 
BlackFor30 is a place for your voice to be heard. DM us your thoughts and questions @blackfor30 or via email at [email protected].

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BlackFor30 is a place for exploring Pan-African theory and praxis through discourse. Send us your thoughts and questions @blackfor30 or via email at [email protected].



Support BlackFor30
At BlackFor30, we believe that liberation begins in the mind and manifests through action. Your donation helps us amplify Afrocentric perspectives, foster critical conversations, and create initiatives that challenge narratives and inspire change. Together, we can keep the mission alive and impactful. Thank you for being part of this journey.

Send a text

African societies generally observe a collectivist culture. We have been raised to understand or believe in the spiritual philosophy that keeps us tethered to our cultural identity through our ancestors. It's at the heart of our way of life – Ubuntu. The concept that we are, because they were.

I believe we are manifestations and beneficiaries of the actions and choices of our ancestors, whether we choose to see that spiritually or literally – our generational inheritance. To highlight the importance of genealogy – to be able to continuously trace our descent – I invited Misheck Samanyanga to share about his efforts in preserving culture.

Misheck is the founder of ZimTribes, an online platform that documents the history of Zimbabwean chiefdoms, carries on the tradition of totems, and facilitates an open database for Zimbabweans to create their family trees. We talk about the relevance of belonging to a people, the general desire we have to want to be remembered, and adaptive ways to preserve our culture in an ever-changing world.

Host:
Fungai Mutsiwa
Instagram:       @ blackfor30

Guest:
Misheck Samanyanga
Twitter:           @Zimtribes1
LinkedIn:        Misheck Samanyanga
Website:          www.blog.zimtribes.com 

Support the show

BlackFor30 is a place for exploring Pan-African theory and praxis through discourse. Send us your thoughts and questions @blackfor30 or via email at [email protected].



Support BlackFor30
At BlackFor30, we believe that liberation begins in the mind and manifests through action. Your donation helps us amplify Afrocentric perspectives, foster critical conversations, and create initiatives that challenge narratives and inspire change. Together, we can keep the mission alive and impactful. Thank you for being part of this journey.

Send a text

Society has developed in a way that has driven a lot of us into an individualistic mindset. One that tends to allow personal interests to take precedence over all else.

As an African, I’m familiar with the concept of collectivism which a lot of us have grown up with. A way of life that teaches us that we are descendants of our ancestors, meaning ‘we are, because they were’ – ubuntu.

 A philosophy that embraces the idea that our identity, our consciousness, and our morality are shaped by the connections we share with those around us. So naturally, we value the concept of family and community, and understand that the individual is tethered to a people – a place of belonging.

These principles help us seek humility and reserve during moments of conflict or potential embarrassment.

 So, in this discussion Sean is back to help me explore the public feats of three prominent figures who have left a polarising sentiment within pop-culture and the black culture in some instances. We talk about Candace Owens, Kyrie Irving, and Kanye West and critically look at what happened over a year in respect to each.

Host:
Fungai Mutsiwa
Instagram:       @ blackfor30

Co-host:
Sean Solole

Support the show

BlackFor30 is a place for exploring Pan-African theory and praxis through discourse. Send us your thoughts and questions @blackfor30 or via email at [email protected].



Support BlackFor30
At BlackFor30, we believe that liberation begins in the mind and manifests through action. Your donation helps us amplify Afrocentric perspectives, foster critical conversations, and create initiatives that challenge narratives and inspire change. Together, we can keep the mission alive and impactful. Thank you for being part of this journey.

Send a text

Personally, the news of Kirshnik Ball (aka Takeoff) dying from what is said to be an accidental shooting has been distressing. It’s ‘just another black man’ who has become a statistic. It makes this discussion about gun and gang violence ever more pertinent as I’m joined again by Ish and Trey.

News and media platforms choose to push the narrative of the black-on-black violence trope, as though we’re killing each other because we’re black. That surface level understanding minimises the issue and allows black people to be dehumanised. When we take a closer observation, we realise that these killings are not driven by race, but rather because of the run-down environments black people in America are subjected to. These similar environments also exist in other racial communities within America and expose them to the same issues of violence, poverty, unemployment and hunger. This narrative also lacks the element of humanity to care as black people are dying at alarming rates while we watch and judge from the sidelines!

This agenda influences and preserves the existing systems that continually fail black people. We examine the different layers of this topic and explore this culture of indifference and wilful ignorance shown by society as black people are blamed for their circumstances. 

How do we address these issues that plague the black community? Who are the actors in our society that are enabling and reinforcing these systems? How do we fix our institutions? Can they be fixed? To what degree and in what ways can black people, the society, and our institutions take ownership of this gun and gang violence endemic?

Host:
Fungai Mutsiwa
Instagram:       @ blackfor30

Guests:
Trey Alexander
Instagram:       @trey.alexander
Website:          Trey Alexander

Ishmael Khepri
Instagram:       @mrfilmlogik
                               @americathemixtape

BlackFor30 is a place for your voice to be heard. DM us your thoughts and questions @blackfor30 or via email at [email protected].

Support the show

BlackFor30 is a place for exploring Pan-African theory and praxis through discourse. Send us your thoughts and questions @blackfor30 or via email at [email protected].



Support BlackFor30
At BlackFor30, we believe that liberation begins in the mind and manifests through action. Your donation helps us amplify Afrocentric perspectives, foster critical conversations, and create initiatives that challenge narratives and inspire change. Together, we can keep the mission alive and impactful. Thank you for being part of this journey.

Send a text

Personally, the news of Kirshnik Ball (aka Takeoff) dying from what is said to be an accidental shooting has been distressing. It’s ‘just another black man’ who has become a statistic. It makes this discussion about gun and gang violence ever more pertinent as I’m joined again by Ish and Trey.

News and media platforms choose to push the narrative of the black-on-black violence trope, as though we’re killing each other because we’re black. That surface level understanding minimises the issue and allows black people to be dehumanised. When we take a closer observation, we realise that these killings are not driven by race, but rather because of the run-down environments black people in America are subjected to. These similar environments also exist in other racial communities within America and expose them to the same issues of violence, poverty, unemployment and hunger. This narrative also lacks the element of humanity to care as black people are dying at alarming rates while we watch and judge from the sidelines!

This agenda influences and preserves the existing systems that continually fail black people. We examine the different layers of this topic and explore this culture of indifference and wilful ignorance shown by society as black people are blamed for their circumstances. 

How do we address these issues that plague the black community? Who are the actors in our society that are enabling and reinforcing these systems? How do we fix our institutions? Can they be fixed? To what degree and in what ways can black people, the society, and our institutions take ownership of this gun and gang violence endemic?

Host:
Fungai Mutsiwa
Instagram:       @ blackfor30

Guests:
Trey Alexander
Instagram:       @trey.alexander
Website:          Trey Alexander

Ishmael Khepri
Instagram:       @mrfilmlogik
                               @americathemixtape

BlackFor30 is a place for your voice to be heard. DM us your thoughts and questions @blackfor30 or via email at [email protected].

Support the show

BlackFor30 is a place for exploring Pan-African theory and praxis through discourse. Send us your thoughts and questions @blackfor30 or via email at [email protected].



Support BlackFor30
At BlackFor30, we believe that liberation begins in the mind and manifests through action. Your donation helps us amplify Afrocentric perspectives, foster critical conversations, and create initiatives that challenge narratives and inspire change. Together, we can keep the mission alive and impactful. Thank you for being part of this journey.

Send a text

Commonly society depicts certain drugs and substances as desirable and others as objectionable. Although the rationale itself is questionable, mainly due to our association and perception of those drugs and substances, we conform to norms that accept them as either good or bad. How we distinguish cigarettes, prescription drugs, cannabis, mushrooms, or alcohol, especially when we consider the demonstrated health consequences attributed to each.

So, unsurprisingly we choose – whether consciously or unconsciously – to judge others and ourselves based on what is ‘acceptable’ before we show empathy. We also tend to be more interested in ‘how’ much alcohol is consumed which oversimplifies the issue. We forget that understanding the ‘why’ is equally as important, because abuse and addiction tend to stem from underlying issues. A considerable number of people do this to escape or self-medicate. Some struggle with their identity from a young age, so they drink to fit in. Others do so to escape from a reality of violence or abuse. Some are simply predisposed to succumb to addiction.

 If we exercise more curiosity, we can understand these issues from a holistic perspective and that informs how we decide to address them. Sometimes when we stand too close to an issue it takes stepping back to be able to see the full picture.

Listening to Martin talk about why he began drinking and what that led to made me believe this is a story many of us can learn from. 17 years after his fateful night we get to reflect on the ways his life changed and how he has now dedicated his life to help the lives of others as a Counsellor and speaker.

Host:
Fungai Mutsiwa
Instagram:       @ blackfor30

Guest:
Martin Lockett
Website:          Martin Lockett
Instagram:       @martinllockett         
LinkedIn:        Martin Lockett

BlackFor30 is a place for your voice to be heard. DM us your thoughts and questions @blackfor30 or via email at [email protected].

Support the show

BlackFor30 is a place for exploring Pan-African theory and praxis through discourse. Send us your thoughts and questions @blackfor30 or via email at [email protected].



Support BlackFor30
At BlackFor30, we believe that liberation begins in the mind and manifests through action. Your donation helps us amplify Afrocentric perspectives, foster critical conversations, and create initiatives that challenge narratives and inspire change. Together, we can keep the mission alive and impactful. Thank you for being part of this journey.

Send a text

Culture is a complex series of shared beliefs and behaviours that bind a group of people together. Recently, there has been an increase in things that are synonymous with Black culture that mainstream culture has adopted.

In this episode, Sean and I discuss appropriation in its many forms, ranging from stolen traditional artefacts during colonial times to body alterations that mimic the somatotypes of black women. We explore how appropriation has evolved over time, blurring the line between appreciation and appropriation. How the need to belong and feel accepted can be an opium to a people who struggle with their identity. 

Host:
Fungai Mutsiwa
Instagram:       @ blackfor30

Co-host:
Sean Solole

BlackFor30 is a place for your voice to be heard. DM us your thoughts and questions @blackfor30 or via email at [email protected].

Support the show

BlackFor30 is a place for exploring Pan-African theory and praxis through discourse. Send us your thoughts and questions @blackfor30 or via email at [email protected].



Support BlackFor30
At BlackFor30, we believe that liberation begins in the mind and manifests through action. Your donation helps us amplify Afrocentric perspectives, foster critical conversations, and create initiatives that challenge narratives and inspire change. Together, we can keep the mission alive and impactful. Thank you for being part of this journey.

Send a text

Sustainability is an issue that has become topical in recent years. It’s an indication of how progressive society continues to be as we strive to be more conscious of how we treat the environment, but more importantly how we impact each other as humans.

As with all new things there is a considerable number of aspects we don’t yet understand, which impresses the importance for us to be holistic in our approach. This starts with opening up the conversation and inviting more voices to the table. Doing away with the notion that these are issues well-appointed just for the esoteric.

The sustainability space continues to grow as we get closer to establishing global frameworks and measures that most western governments have committed to, yet there do not seem to be African representatives invited to this table. This brings to question whether the downstream impacts of sustainability to developing regions such as Africa are being comprehensively considered. This comes laden with the fact that Africa faces rudimentary challenges such as poverty, hunger, and poor health infrastructures.

Neville comes on to help us understand what sustainable resource management is, its importance on a local and global scale, and why we should care. His dedication and knowledge, specifically in the water, waste and energy sectors, gives him a firm understanding of global trends and impact to advise companies on strategy, design, and implementation. We talk about the Paris Agreement and explore the question of how ready Africa is for the fourth industrial revolution.

 Host:
Fungai Mutsiwa
Instagram:       @ blackfor30

Guest:
Neville Tawona
Instagram:      @nevtaw         
LinkedIn:        Neville Tawona

 BlackFor30 is a place for your voice to be heard. DM us your thoughts and questions @blackfor30 or via email at [email protected].

Support the show

BlackFor30 is a place for exploring Pan-African theory and praxis through discourse. Send us your thoughts and questions @blackfor30 or via email at [email protected].



Support BlackFor30
At BlackFor30, we believe that liberation begins in the mind and manifests through action. Your donation helps us amplify Afrocentric perspectives, foster critical conversations, and create initiatives that challenge narratives and inspire change. Together, we can keep the mission alive and impactful. Thank you for being part of this journey.

Send a text

It is such a daunting experience to leave our home countries to begin a new life in a foreign land, usually with no family or friends as a support network. In most instances the reason for leaving is an escape from certain circumstances in hopes for something better.

We are burdened by personal and family expectations to thrive and excel with little room for failure. This is compounded by the natural need to fit into a new environment. To create a space where we feel you belong. In trying to fit in we sometimes integrate the foreign culture with ours, or assimilate and abandon our own.

Similar to me, Matt relocated from Zimbabwe to Australia some years ago, but with every story there are nuances which we explore to understand the experiences of being an immigrant. We talk about how we each have had to navigate the concepts of identity, tradition, and culture to discern what matters to us.



Host:
Fungai Mutsiwa
Instagram:       @ blackfor30

Guest:
Matt Mupfanochiya
LinkedIn:        Matthew Mupfanochiya

BlackFor30 is a place for your voice to be heard. DM us your thoughts and questions @blackfor30 or via email at [email protected].

Support the show

BlackFor30 is a place for exploring Pan-African theory and praxis through discourse. Send us your thoughts and questions @blackfor30 or via email at [email protected].



Support BlackFor30
At BlackFor30, we believe that liberation begins in the mind and manifests through action. Your donation helps us amplify Afrocentric perspectives, foster critical conversations, and create initiatives that challenge narratives and inspire change. Together, we can keep the mission alive and impactful. Thank you for being part of this journey.

Send a text

As an African, history can be a harsh realisation of where society has failed black people, yet we don’t seem to take heed of these lessons – both black people and the wider society. Today, whether driven by moral disengagement, a zero-sum mentality, or a saviour complex we choose to be complacent in pushing for meaningful change.

For all, the reparations to get us to a more equitable society are both internal and external, so Sean and I discuss what black people owe themselves and what meaningful allyship means. We touch on the issues of social activism, from empty platitudes, virtual signalling, to the lack of empathy that seems to be prevalent. We also discuss the social movement #BlackOutTuesday and protests for police reform in America.

 Host:
Fungai Mutsiwa
Instagram:       @ blackfor30

Co-Host:
Sean Solole
 

BlackFor30 is a place for your voice to be heard. DM us your thoughts and questions @blackfor30 or via email at [email protected].

Support the show

BlackFor30 is a place for exploring Pan-African theory and praxis through discourse. Send us your thoughts and questions @blackfor30 or via email at [email protected].



Support BlackFor30
At BlackFor30, we believe that liberation begins in the mind and manifests through action. Your donation helps us amplify Afrocentric perspectives, foster critical conversations, and create initiatives that challenge narratives and inspire change. Together, we can keep the mission alive and impactful. Thank you for being part of this journey.