Please can you circulate this email to your contacts to encourage them and others to attend the upcoming US screenings of this extraordinary film about Ethiopian coffee called Black Gold. It is crucial that as many people see this film as possible. Details below. The film opens in New York and Seattle this weekend and is then being shown around the US - a full list of screenings can be found here
The first carnival of African women will be held on African Women’s Blog http://www.africanwomenblogs.com/ site on October 9th. is open to everyone registered on the African Women’s Blog Agregator. The coordinators are asking for pieces on Blogging and Identity for this carnival. For more info, contact Sokari on info@blacklooks.org.
There is an interesting debate going on here regarding the inclusiveness of African Women’s Blog and a reaction to that here. For what it's worth, I'm offering my two cents about the issue. Obviously, as the name suggests, the African Women's Blog is essentially a forum for African women bloggers. However, I don't see any harm in opening it up for those who are committed to African women – bloggers and non-bloggers. I don’t think it's a matter of race or who's real African or not. Rather, it is standing together behind a cause as human beings. There were white people marching alongside blacks during the civil rights movement in the US. Their presence didn't make the movement any less black-focused. If a white Danish woman wants to join, shouldn't we say 'be our guest!' The more the merrier, I would say. She has more contact to African women whose voices she could represent than I, as an African blogging from the swamps of the US, could.
A better Africa is possible: Voice of African Mothers
I came across this organization called Voice of African Mothers. Their website doesn’t provide information of their current work. However, I contacted their office in New York, and learnt that they are well and still active.
I believe organizations like this could achieve a lot with the right help from concerned individuals and organizations. Here is their brochure for more info. If you want to contact them…
Canada: 2554 Scott Street Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, V8R 4H7 Tel. 001 (from overseas) 250-598-4664 Email: joyanddavid@shaw.ca
USA 13 Glenbrook Avenue, Yonkers, New York 10705-1650 USA Telephone 1-914-963-8725 Email: info@vamothers.org
Ghana P.O. Box AN12982, Accra North, Ghana, West Africa Telephone: 011-233-21-502126 or House Number 44, Trasacco Valley, East Legon, Accra, Ghana, West Africa Telephone: 011-233-27-772-5378
The New York Times has a very interesting article on Ethiopia and tourism here. Check out the photo slide show while you’re at it.
And it is now possible to travel across Ethiopia with some degree of comfort. Abercrombie & Kent, the Kenya-based safari specialist, this month is starting a guided tour through Ethiopia’s historic Christian route: Aksum, Lalibela, Lake Tana and Gonder. But those who want to venture on their own will discover that Ethiopia is reasonably well set up for independent exploring. They will find a proud, if bedraggled country with ruggedly beautiful landscapes and a unique sense of its identity — shaped in part, by Ethiopia’s stubborn refusal to submit to Western colonizers.
Meskel Square offers a survival guide to deal with unpleasant encounters on the streets of Ethiopia. It is that simple, so go see the country.
Kamilat - victim of acid burning
The face of VAW - violence against women. It should and can be stopped with enough commitment. Helping one woman at a time is a start. Go to the blog
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