Spectra Speaks
I was invited by a Caribbean feminist collective to participate as a virtual guest in their Audre Lorde appreciation event this past weekend. After weeks of fighting a winter slump, I ended my Skype session feeling nourished and optimistic, which has prompted some reflecting on the power of sister circles, even when they’re only experienced virtually.
The following interview was originally published at Ms. Magazine via the Femisphere, a profile interview series about feminists in the blogsphere. The series featured three Nigerian feminists, prompting my reflection on “internet lists” via the post, “What Does an African Feminist Look Like?” (and even a head-nod from Melissa Harris-Perry!). I’m reposting it on here because, apparently, some of my readers missed the original interview, and had trouble finding it on the Ms. Magazine site. Enjoy.
Last week, I had the pleasure of participating in the West African Civil Society Institute (WACSI)‘s Social Media Experts conference in Accra, Ghana. The conference brought together African social media experts, enthusiasts, and activists from across the continent, which got me thinking about ways we can strengthen “digital activism” across the continent.
I prepared this short presentation as part of the “Feminist Cyborgs: Actvism, Online Fundraising, and Security” webinar, hosted by African Feminist Forum and Association for Progressive Communications. My 10-minute presentation includes a brief introduction to crowdfunding and some popular crowdfunding tools. Using my Africans for African new media project as a case study, I share 5 quick tips for running a successful fundraising campaign.
I am an African feminist cyborg! The feminist cyborg is at home both online and offline, and her activism is reflected in her online life (whether it is through blogs, tweets and general online presence) as well as in what she does offline (working for a feminist organization, working with women’s rights organizations and social justice movements, or in progressive media).
BET.com interviews me about my work as a media activist focusing on gender and LGBT issues in Africa. The piece, which was very positive and optimistic, prompted some thoughts about what “good” media activism means to me. Surprisingly “good” media has nothing to do with it. Read the interview, and my thoughts here.
My career path in media hasn’t been linear or conventional by any means. I went to MIT to study Mathematics, before realizing that I was really an artist. My parents are still in recovery. But everything will work out. It always does. Don’t drive your career with someone else’s rear view mirror. Don’t tailgate an externally constructed ambition or let someone else’s version of success distract you the most important driver on the road… you.
“Various charities in and around Johannesburg will add impetus to their fundraising drive if Spectra has anything to do with it.”
I just received a scanned image of an article that was printed in a local Johannesburg paper about my Social Media and Online Fundraising training for African NGOs, hosted by REEA Foundation and GlobalGiving! Read the full article here, along with overwhelmingly positive feedback from the attendees! #geeked
In case you missed it, Hollywood is gearing up to release a biopic of Nina Simone, an African-American singer, pianist, and civil rights activists whose music was highlight influential in the fight for equal rights for blacks int he US. Zoe Saldana, a light-skinned Dominican actress has been cast to play the role (replacing Mary J. Blige), causing controversy about depictions of Black women in Hollywood. But this debate is completely missing the point.
I’ve been working on a collection of erotica, poetry, and other free-form expressions for about a year now and just recently printed them into booklet form for editing. Flipping through the pages for the first time felt like the cold sensation of fingers slowly running down a soft layer of brown skin, which of course inspired me to make a short teaser trailer in video form. You should probably watch this while you’re alone.
About Me
Meet Spectra: Queer Nigerian Afrofeminist Writer and Media Activist. Social Entrepreneur Nurturing Principled Diaspora and Women's Philanthropy in Media and Tech. Self-Care and Self-Love Evangelist. Idealist Warrior Woman. Big Dreamer. Big Thinker. Big Doer, Too.
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