Search results for: racism

By Sarah Henry

As the Pathfinders are transitioning into the next phase of their journey, Ghana, Wendy shares a reflection on their time in Uganda. She takes a look at race relation in Uganda — not just at the common conception of whites against blacks, but at the tension between Indians and Ugandan Africans.  Her post is a great reminder of the dangers of stereotyping an entire group of people with one sweeping generalization:

This man told us point blank that Indians are selfish. They keep to themselves and try to take all of Uganda’s money for themselves. He tried to make a compliment to us by comparing us to Indians.  Whites are interested in sitting down with Africans. Whites want to meet with Africans and make friends with them. When we asked what would happen if Indians came into this “bar” looking to sit down with us what would happen. The man rejected the idea outright.  He said, “Would never happen.” But, we prodded, just pretending that it did happen, hypothetically, what would happen?  This man would not play the game. “An Indian would not come,” he said. Maybe the Indian would not come, but it sounds to me like the Indian is not welcome. 

As Conor, Wendy, Ben, and Michelle move on to their next nation, sure to bring new lessons, new challenges, and amazing stories, experience Uganda through Wendy’s camera lens.

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This guest post comes to us from Donald R. Wright, a licensed professional engineer in Texas and owner of an engineering consulting firm in Houston. Married and father to one daughter, Mr. Wright is author of the book The Only Prayer I’ll Ever Pray: Let My People Go.

“No man is an island.”
“A rising tide lifts all boats.”
“It takes a village to raise a child.”
“I am my brother’s keeper.”
“Together we stand, divided we fall.”
“One for all and all for one.”

Above are a few popular phrases that imply a sense of community-centered principles rather than focusing on individual accomplishments. Our culture overwhelms us with individualism. The natural rights of individuals must be maintained and their abilities must be allowed to flourish. But can a human experience life without some influence from another human? In our contemporary society, how often does a person accomplish anything without some involvement from another human?

Africa is the source of humankind and civilization. The Pyramids in Egypt are testaments to early science, mathematics, architecture, and engineering. So it is with tremendous joy to write briefly about an African word that when adapted throughout our universe could be transformative regarding human relationships.

Ubuntu is a traditional African philosophy that binds us in each other’s humanity. (For a video presentation, click here.) The word originated in the Bantu languages of southern Africa. It has as its core meaning, “I am what I am because of who we all are.” It promotes caring, sharing, and cooperation amongst individuals while working for the good of the whole. Archbishop Desmond Tutu describes ubuntu as the essence of being human. “A person with ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are good, based from a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed.” Nelson Mandela offers: “A traveler through a country would stop at a village and he didn’t have to ask for food or for water. Once he stops, the people give him food, entertain him. That is one aspect of ubuntu, but it will have various aspects. Ubuntu does not mean that people should not enrich themselves. The question therefore is, are you going to do so in order to enable the community around you to be able to improve?” This concept goes beyond charitable contributions and community volunteerism. It takes on a definition and philosophy of being and existence that permeates the community. It redefines the phrase “There is no I in TEAM.”

By Sikivu Hutchinson
Editor of blackfemlens.org

The L.A. Times news item was buried at the bottom of the page in the bloodlessly tiny print reserved for marginalia. A 7-year-old black girl named Aiyanna Jones had been murdered in her sleep by the Detroit police after a military-style raid on her home. In the wake of the shooting, neighbors and loved ones placed stuffed animals in front of the house in memoriam. Rows of stuffed animals stared out from Associated Press photographs of the crime scene in dark-eyed innocence. In black communities across the nation, Aiyanna’s death elicited a firestorm of outrage from activists critical of police misconduct and excessive force. Recalling New York, Los Angeles, Oakland, and scores of other cities where black lives have been cut down by trigger-happy police officers, many condemned the murder as yet another instance of law enforcement’s criminal devaluation of black lives and “inner city” communities.