When Simukai felt like he was drowning at a new school, a role model gave him a pep talk that changed everything.

Professor of African politics, Simukai Chigudu, grew up in Zimbabwe as the first generation after the end of colonial rule. This meant growing up against a backdrop of a lot of emotional and political baggage that his parents and his country were trying to process. Something he's still making sense of to this day…

In this episode, Simukai shares the stories of the boy he judged wrongly, who turned out to be a true friend; a university friend of his parent's who helped him understand his place in the world; and a role model from childhood who made an overwhelming school feel like a place he could belong.

Simukai's book Chasing Freedom is available now.

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Kind is created and hosted by Holly Newson

It was audio mixed by Nigel Powell

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