The Ubuntu Podcast: Recent Episodes
David Curtiss, Henock Yilma, Nati Bulcho
The Ubuntu Podcast is a collective set of conversations by David Curtiss, Nati Bulcho and Henock Yilma around their cultural upbringings and identity as it relates to their connections as members of the African diaspora.
The Ubuntu Podcast is a platform to share our experiences around issues relating to Africa and its diaspora around the world!
In this episode, we discuss the impact of authoritarianism in Africa, with a focus on the wider implications of Nigeria's #EndSARS movement across the continent. We hear from our special guest,Juliet Ihediohanma.
After graduating from college, Juliet moved to Chicago for three years where she initially worked as an Academy Coordinator at a youth residential treatment facility, then later as a Refugee Employment Specialist at a refugee community partner organization. Her favorite part of living in Chicago was taking walks on the 606 and at the lakefront trail, as well as exploring different Chicago neighborhoods.
Juliet is currently pursuing her Master of Public Administration at Columbia University. She is passionate about issues related to refugee and immigrant rights, gender equity, racial justice, and the economic empowerment of historically disenfranchised groups. She hopes to focus on these issues through a career in policy advocacy.
Juliet enjoys reading in her free time. Her favorite book is Beloved by Toni Morrison, and for those looking to start a new book, she recommends Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga.
For many years we’ve heard that Africa is full of young talent and is burgeoning with innovation that will change the continent and ultimately the world. In this episode, we interviewed Max Ateba, a young African who is deeply involved in the work of cultivating the human capital of the continent and supporting the development of young innovative talent that exists!
In Part 2 of this episode, Henock & David continue their discussion on what it means to be Black & Immigrant, this time globally. We share similarities and differences that black immigrants face worldwide along with the common terms and misconceptions in the global migration narrative.
Episode links:
Africa Migration Report: https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/africa-migration-report.pdf
UNHCR Glossary:
https://www.unhcr.org/449267670.pdf
Key Migration Terms:
https://www.iom.int/key-migration-terms
Paris ‘Spider-Man’ Saves Young Boy. Cue Debate on Migrants:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/28/world/europe/paris-migrant-hero-spiderman.html
Windrush generation: Who are they and why are they facing problems?
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-43782241
In Part 1 of a 2-part episode, Henock & David sit down to discuss what it means to be Black & Immigrant within the USA, and the tensions, misconceptions, and experiences that come with that intersection. They also dialogue on what must be done to continue to build understanding and solidarity within the Black American community and amongst the African Diaspora. They are joined by first generation Haitian-American and Development Professional, Joel Malebranche.
Episode links:
Ousman Darboe could be deported any day. His story is a common one for black immigrants: https://www.vox.com/identities/2019/9/30/20875821/black-immigrants-school-prison-deportation-pipeline
What Does it Mean to Be a Black Immigrant in the United States?:
https://www.ilctr.org/what-does-it-mean-to-be-black-immigrant-united-states/
Black Immigrant Lives Are Under Attack:
https://www.raicestexas.org/2020/07/22/black-immigrant-lives-are-under-attack/
Ice flies African asylum seekers to Nairobi in last-minute deportation push:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/16/ice-african-deportation-flight-asylum-seekers-nairobi
Black Alliance for Just Immigration: https://baji.org/
ACLU & Immigration: https://www.aclu.org/issues/immigrants-rights
UndocuBlack Network: https://undocublack.org/
If it's anything 2020 has taught us, it's that our mental health is key. 🔑 In this episode (our first episode of THE YEAR with Tambo Silavwe, we discuss mental health & the African Diaspora. We talk about wellness & the movement for Black Lives, generational trauma, expanding emotional vocabularies, and much more. Are you ready to go beyond stigma and learn how we can support each other in acknowledging and caring for our mental wellbeing as Black/African people? Then stream this episode!
Africa In the News Links:
- A Liberian man was shackled because of his mental illness — and he's not alone
- Kept in chains: People with mental illness shackled in 60 nations
- Sick and Chained: Plight of Countless Africans With Mental Health Conditions
In Part 2 of our Year in Review, David, Nati and Henock continue their reflections and share the political, social and economic trends they expect to see across the African diaspora in the next year. We wish all of you a Happy New Year!
2020 has been a wild year for all of us. In this episode, David, Nati and Henock share their reflections from the year along with trends they expect to see across the African diaspora in the next year.
Africa In the News
- Joe Biden Has Promised to End Trump's Muslim and African 'Travel Ban.' But Its Legacy Will Be Felt for Years
In Part 2 of this episode, we hear from David Turner, another incredible Black community organizer from the Los Angeles area.
For more information on the topics discussed in this episode, please visit the following links below:
-
ResistCapitalism to #FundBlackFutures: Black Youth, Political Economy, and the 21st Century Black Radical Imagination
As we near the end of 2020, we continue to reflect on the role that black organizers play amidst all the global injustice faced by the black community. In this episode, we hear from Rahje Branch, community organization from Black Lives Matter Los Angeles and Dimah Mahmoud, founder of #AfricaWeek2020 & The Nubian Collective.
For more information on the topics discussed in this episode, please visit the following links below:
- Kamala Harris and Black Women Voters Helped Joe Biden Get Elected. Here's How America Can Do Right by Them
- 6 Black women organizers on what happened in Georgia — and what comes next
- Stacey Abrams says efforts against voter suppression made 'the difference' in Georgia
- Sudan sit-in: How protesters picked a spot and made it theirs
- Sudan: A Year On, Justice Needed for Crackdowns
In this special election themed episode, we are joined by Kamani Harris, a community organizer from South Central Los Angeles (LA) and Sharpy Maluba, an international development student at American University with experience working in civic engagement in his home country of Zambia. Both Kamani and Sharpy share their thoughts on the challenges and hopes ahead for diaspora civic engagement along with how we can collectively utilize our voices at the polls.
We're back! In our first episode of Season 2, co-hosts David Curtiss, Nati Bulcho and Henock Yilma host a conversation with our good friend, Abner Bropleh on his return to his family's homeland of Liberia. Abner shares what inspired him to make the big move along with some of the biggest lessons he's learned along the way.
Please see the below reference links from this episode's Africa In the News segment!
- The Telegraph: Investigation: African migrants 'left to die' in Saudi Arabia’s hellish Covid detention centres
- The New Humanitarian - Thousands of African migrants smuggled into Saudi Arabia, say community leaders
We're back! In our first episode of Season 2, co-hosts David Curtiss, Nati Bulcho and Henock Yilma host a conversation with our good friend, Abner Bropleh on his return to his family's homeland of Liberia. Abner shares what inspired him to make the big move along with some of the biggest lessons he's learned along the way.
Please see the below reference links from this episode's Africa In the News segment!
- The Telegraph: Investigation: African migrants 'left to die' in Saudi Arabia’s hellish Covid detention centres
- The New Humanitarian - Thousands of African migrants smuggled into Saudi Arabia, say community leaders
Our season finale! In Part 2 of Episode 8, Nati Bulcho the Ubuntu Podcast continues his conversation with Isaac Cudjoe, a Ghanian American who started the organization called the Return Movement, which seeks to help members of the diaspora reconnect and reengage with their places of origin. In part 2, we hear more on Isaac's personal career trajectory and how it led him to start the Return Movement. You can learn more about the Return Movement here.
We also have a very special segment to tap off our first season - featuring a DNA ancestry reveal from our very own co-host, David Curtiss! Listen in to hear more.
In this two part series, the Ubuntu Podcast shares a conversation with Isaac Cudjoe, a Ghanian American who started the organization called the Return Movement, which seeks to help members of the diaspora reconnect and reengage with their places of origin. In part 1, we hear about Isaac's personal story and what it was look growing up in the United States as a member of the African diaspora.
Some relevant links from the episode are below:
Africa In the News Segment:
- BBC: History of Marcus Garvey
- The Exodus Alliance: 6 Organizations Align to Bring 1 Million Families back to Africa
Main Interview with Isaac
- The American Intern
- The Return Movement
- Brothers With Books
What is colonialism? And what are some of the impacts that it has on us as members of the African diaspora? What are some of the long-term effects of colonialism in diaspora societies today? In this episode, David, Dau and Henock discuss what they learned about colonialism in their own upbringings along with why we see it as an important conversation to hold within our community.
Links from this episode's Africa In the News segment are also below:
- Burundi opposition takes presidential election dispute to court
- Floods cause destruction in Burundi amid the COVID-19 pandemic
- WHO seeking further details on staff expulsion from Burundi
Welcome to The Ubuntu Podcast's first-ever Ubuntu MINI! Short, bite-sized episodes curated by one of our co-hosts following a theme of their choosing related to Africa and the African Diaspora.
This Ubuntu MINI is brought to you by David, where in his segment entitled Africa Creates, David will be highlighting key projects and works of art in Africa and the Diaspora's Creative industry. For this episode, he talks about the critically acclaimed Senegalese film, Atlantique (Atlantics), and why it's a must-see movie for everyone.
LINKS:
https://www.netflix.com/search?q=atlant&jbv=81082007&jbp=0&jbr=0
In part 2 of "Development Talks," our co-hosts continue their discussion of the international development sector and its impact on the African continent. Hear more from our special guest co-host, Meriam Salem!
In the first episode of a two-part series, our co-hosts are discussing the international development sector. Particularly, how Africa is portrayed through the gaze around aid, development, charity. We feature our special guest co-host, Meriam Salem, as we tell our perspective as Africans within the system.
For more information on the topics discussed, please review the following links:
Africans in Guangzhou are on edge, after many are left homeless amid rising xenophobia as China fights a second wave of coronavirus
https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/10/china/africans-guangzhou-china-coronavirus-hnk-intl/index.html
African Nations, US Decry Racism Against Blacks in China
https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2020-04-11/african-nations-us-say-blacks-mistreated-in-chinese-city
In this episode, our three co-hosts are discussing a complicated, necessary, and at times, uncomfortable, topic: exploring the Diaspora Divide, most specifically between African-Americans and different African immigrant communities. Pulling on each of their lived experiences and calling into question many systems and institutions responsible for the separation, Dau, David, & Henock go deep on why there's consistently tension amongst many of us, and how and why we must overcome it. Also, an in-depth Africa In The News Segment on COVID-19 in Africa and the many issues it is causing in Uganda, and how YOU can help by supporting Building Hope Project!
For more information on the topics discussed, please review the following links:
COVID-19 Africa Update: https://www.africanews.com/2020/04/10/coronavirus-in-africa-breakdown-of-infected-virus-free-countries/
David's Building Hope Project-Uganda Rapid Response Fundraiser: https://buildinghopeproject.org/covid-19
COVID-19 In Uganda Violates Human Rights: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/29/coronavirus-uganda-used-to-lockdowns-poor-healthcare-but-we-are-terrified
https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/04/02/uganda-respect-rights-covid-19-response#
Ugandan Health Workers Lead COVID-19 Fight:
https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/28/community-health-workers-lead-covid-19-fight-uganda/
Why African Immigrants Should Celebrate Black History Month: https://blavity.com/why-african-immigrants-are-indebted-to-black-americans?category1=black-history&subCat=editorial-desk
In this episode, Ubuntu is excited to present to you a conversation with two incredible women, Mercy Erhiawarien and Idara Ikafia, from Heritage Africa. In honor of Women's History Month, take a listen as your favorite squad dives deep into discussions on girls and women on the continent of Africa, how men can be better allies, and what we can all learn from incredible African women around the world. Also, get updates around how the COVID-19 pandemic is taking shape across Africa. For more learning:
Africa in the News:
- South Africa: 'National State of Disaster,' President Says https://www.voanews.com/science-health/coronavirus-outbreak/south-africa-national-state-disaster-president-says
- Ethiopia: EthioTelecom's Awareness Campaign https://twitter.com/lia_tadesse/status/1241683825509445634
- Covid-19: How will the coronavirus affect Africa's economy? - BBC Africa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNgGZKe4c9o&t=81s
- WHO Health Emergencies Programs Executive Director - Dr. Michael Ryan: "Speed Trumps Perfection:" https://twitter.com/skynews/status/1238504143104421888?lang=en
- WHO Director General - Dr. Tedros Adhanom: WHO head tells Africa to 'wake up' to coronavirus threat: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-51960118
From Our Interview:
- Heritage Africa: https://www.heritageafrica.org/
- Maternal death rate among black women 2.5 times higher than white women, new report finds: https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/wellness/story/maternal-death-rate-black-women-25-times-higher-68640368
- The Bright Continent: Breaking Rules and Making Change in Modern Africa: https://www.amazon.com/Bright-Continent-Breaking-Making-Change/dp/0547678312
In this episode, David, Dau, and Henock talk sports! They discuss their personal experiences with sports as members of the diaspora. In addition, we talk about the larger institutions that dominate the sports world today. We discuss student athletes playing in the NCAA and March Madness along with the NBA and its new project - NBA Africa. As members of the African diaspora, do these sports institutions help or hurt our community at large? Tune in to hear our thoughts!
To learn more about what we discussed, check out:
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s last Ebola patient discharged
https://www.afro.who.int/news/democratic-republic-congos-last-ebola-patient-discharged
Note: As Corona Virus details continue to shift, additional testing could increase the number of reported cases in Africa. For detailed updates, follow the World Health Organization's (WHO) Africa page here on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WHOAFRO
NCAA - Amateurism Policy
http://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/future/amateurism
NCAA goes back to court, defending its amateurism rules
https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/ct-spt-ncaa-amateur-rules-20180903-story.html
NBA, FIBA announce plans for pro league in Africa
https://www.nba.com/article/2019/02/16/nba-fiba-announce-pro-league-africa
Shortly after the recording of this episode, the NCAA and NBA announced the following updates due Coronavirus concerns:
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/28893285/ncaa-tournaments-canceled-coronavirus
Adam Silver says NBA suspension to last "at least 30 days," then will reassess situation
https://nba.nbcsports.com/2020/03/12/adam-siver-says-nba-suspended-for-30-days/
NBA postpones start of Basketball Africa League due to Coronavirus concerns
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/03/nba-postpones-start-of-basketball-africa-league-due-to-coronavirus-concerns.html
In this episode, David, Dau, and Henock talk about an experience commonly known to the average millennial: adulting. But, does the traditional understanding of adulting fit into an African/ Black experience? Join as we do a deep dive into our families, upbringings, and cultures. Also included in this episode is David delivering Africa In The News and a fun game show. Tune in!
To learn more about what we discussed, check out:
Miami Herald; Colombia is Systematically Killing off its black citizens: https://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article239352468.html
TIME Magazine; Profile on Afro-Colombian Woman Activists: https://time.com/5737099/colombia-women-black-communities/
NPR’s Life Kit
https://www.npr.org/lifekit
Welcome to our first episode of The Ubuntu Podcast! In this episode, the three of us share our personal connections to Black History Month along with how each of us were raised and educated on blackness. We also have a special segment dedicated to black love and Valentine's Day!