big jet plane

5 weeks from now I will be on a big commercial airliner taking me farther away from home than I have ever been.

I can not wait.

rolling sea

Perfect song for a long but lovely plane ride.

Cry Freedom: Steve Biko

In my History 355 class: Sports and Society in South Africa, we recently watched a great film about Steve Biko, a political activist who captivated the heart of a white journalist, Donald Woods, and his family. However, even though their were consequences to this biracial friendship, Woods was unwilling to give up on a friend and a mission.

The film was made in 1987, seven years prior to the end of the apartheid.

 After the death of Biko, Woods is determined to unveil the truth behind his friends death. Biko dies in police custody and Woods decides to write a book about it, a very risky thing to do. Woods' family is threatened and luckily escape the forces of death. Having to go undercover, Woods is forced to leave the country to get the truth and his book published to the world.

Also, it is one of Denzel's first roles!

the rainbow nation: ART.

The most vulnerable act you can make is to expose who you are. Through art, not only is the individual exposing themselves but their community to which they live in. South Africa's art community is thriving and their rich culture, full of joys and sorrows, can be seen thanks to the fingertips of its natives. 

Marna Schoeman:

I chose these four to place due to their complete and captivating whimsy. I love the mix of sketch, imprint and painting. The exotic colors and subjects show the beauty of the surroundings the artist is placed in, yet her utterly brilliant mind. A natural psychedelic experience.

Margaret Nel. 

I just love this woman. Her paintings have a "rose" about them don't they? Her retro paintings are realistic, but a kind of reality I wish I lived in. Streamers and cupcakes along with nonchalant expressions. The cupcakes show the plastic captivity that domestic life holds, yet the sweet pleasures of the modern era. I love her coastal hues and inspirations. 

Andre Naude.

His incredible paintings are simply perfect. I adore the whimsical landscapes, calming colors that almost seem to be the photograph of a memory. His quick  and playful brushstrokes gives his work a childlike air. By no means could a child create these, but it is if his perspective is from that of a child's. 

Ilse Fourie:

I just think she is absolutely brilliant. Her vibrant palette exudes that she is from the rainbow nation. I love her scribbled charcoal and use of fish. This last painting here, is called "a conversation with remarkable fish." While it is difficult to foretell what any artists means in their work, this beautiful woman portrays herself with a deep appreciation for the human body, mind and nature. 

NGO Spotlight

CVET.

The Community Education Video Trust in Cape Town is compiling a digital reference for of videos dug up from the 1980s and the 1990s,  crucial and telling times during the apartheid. 

I am very proud to say that this is the NGO I have been partnered with for my summer internship in Cape Town, South Africa. CVET began its efforts in 1976.

All of the resources discovered are completely public and are meant to educate the world, not just South Africa, at the peak of the resistance during the apartheid. 

Yet, the core of the NGO is to train the community of video production, this I am sure will be one of the most rewarding things I do in my life. 

Amazingly, CVET wants to progress South Africa's social development while progressing their media development.

Kathy et Barbara

Ahmed "Kathy" Kathrada and partner Barbara Hogan are coming to UK!

April 15th I will have the opportunity to meet the legendary couple!

Kathy was born to immigrant Indian parents. Barbara grew up modestly in Johannesburg, as so did Kathy. Barbara began her anti-apartheid activism early on in school, but became highly involved while a student at Wits University.

Kathy was imprisoned for 18 years at Robben Island for his activism. Barbara was imprisoned for 8 years, she was the first woman to be convicted of "high treason." Barbara is the former Minister of Public Enterprises in the Cabinet of South Africa and is now very involved in with the Amandla Aids Fund, which she helped to raise millions of dollars for.

The two are visiting UK, as well as receiving honorary degrees from our university. This Friday I will get to meet the power couple!

a front row student

I have always been a student who finds myself meandering into class, finding a hidden seat somewhere in the middle of the classroom. I have been one of the students until this semester when I became enrolled into History 355-South African Sports and Society.

This class is taught by Andre Odendall, a brilliant man who earned degrees from Cambridge University and not to mention, once a professional cricket player in South Africa.

Humble and soft-spoken, I have found myself intrigued more and more each class with what our very interesting professor has to say. The class reflects the long heartbreak of South Africa's apartheid as well as their triumphs and strengths.

Last class, Sara, our teaching assistant, gave a brilliant presentation on what it means to be a youth in South Africa. I closed my notebook, put down my pen and listened intensively.

40 percent of the nation is devastatingly poor. A very small percentage goes to college, and there are not the opportunities such as for funding as we are so very blessed to find in the U.S. HIV is highly normal, a sad reality. The life expectancy for someone living with HIV is 35 years, something that is not only devastating to families but the entire nation. The working gap of the nation is very low, those who have the stamina and education are normally within that very age gap.

As a nearly post-grad in the U.S I began to wonder, well how do I help? I do not have money and I do not have a cure...but I do have my writing. I recently attended a seminar about Haiti and a 25-year-old grad student from NYU was saying that just because you aren't strong, or wealthy or famous does not mean you cannot lend your heart and mind to a nation. So South Africa, this summer is all about you and I will give you my heart, mind and pen.

This class has been exceptional and a perfect way to introduce me to South Africa.

UMBADU

I had never ever gotten to witness the joys of African dance, much less South African dance. 

The University of Kentucky gave me this opportunity in February. The even was hosted by Jomo Xulu and the Umbadu South African Dance Company. The dancing was alive, it was a portrayal of the frustrations, tribulations and transitions in life. 

The Zulu tribe epitomized life through their dancing. An intoxicating energy spread through the audience. I wanted to jump on stage and be apart of the culture and part of the tradition. I wanted to see my own culture, here in Lexington, have the same appreciation and expression for life. 

Not only did I get to experience the amazing dancing, but history was beautifully woven into the performance. Xulu spoke about his experiences during the apartheid and being a young protester in the African National Congress. 

The event was spectacular and it made me taste the energy and life that Cape Town will have to offer. 

Long Walk to Freedom

This Fall I began to read Nelson Mandela's "Long Walk To Freedom." What I found was something beyond inspirational, I found a whole new way of viewing the world.

I haven't been given the opportunities to experience many different cultures, yet through this book I found myself identifying with the beautiful culture Mandela has helped create.

To experience pain without muttering a word is a sign of strength. To hold your head high even when you want to hang it low is a sign of character. To not let your woes burden anyone else is a sign of greatness. Nelson Mandela’s ability to not wear his troubles for everyone to see is beyond admirable. He had experienced so much by the time he was a teenager, yet he did not complain, ask why or dwell.  His narrative reveals that he accepted the ways things were, but refused to let the weaknesses in life go unchanged. A passage from “Long Walk to Freedom” that moved me was when Mandela said, “a man must suffer in silence.”

            I believe that this passage says a lot about Mandela’s walk through life. He used this quote when describing what was expected of him when being circumcised as a young man. He did not show any emotion or sign of weakness during the ceremony. His father died, a death that was certain to end his childhood comforts. Mandela did not mourn or make things difficult for his mother, he accepted it. He had to leave his childhood home, friends and land. Mandela describes the loss, yet does not do so in a bitter or empathetic way. When his mother gave him to away, he did not ask her why or doubt her love. Yet, he accepted these conditions internally.  Abstractly, his ability to not let his pain and trials get the best of him was what ultimately made him the international icon he is.

             I got the honor of meeting Eddie Daniels, Mandela’s cellmate at Robben Island, this past semester. He described what it was like being a young activist during the apartheid and the brutality of what he saw. It was amazing to hear someone speak about his personal relationship with Nelson Mandela. I had never heard anyone speak so highly of anyone. Daniels said that the only time he saw Mandela show any sign of sadness was when his mother died. One time, when Daniels was lying sick on the floor, Mandela sat with him for hours until he was well enough to be by himself. Mandela is full of grace and servitude to those he leads and befriends.

            A concrete example of his mindset of “suffering in silence” shows in Chapter 49, when Mandela refuses to want the surgery on his heel, because where he grew up, there was no such thing as an African doctor, and going to see a white doctor was unheard of. It was the summer of 1979, and Mandela says that at that stage in his life he saw seeing a doctor as “unmanly” and having a medical procedure as “even worse”. I believe that it was due to the culture that Mandela grew up in and his own tribulations that he experienced early on that made him develop this silent suffering.

            “I was always prepared for the hardships that affected me personally. But my family paid a terrible price, perhaps too dear a price for my commitment.” Mandela knew what he had to be done to lead his people to freedom, and tried not to let his own troubles get in the way. He had “twin obligations”, one to his family and one to this community. He had to suffer for one twin constantly.

Mandela suffered the woes of everyone. He kept his personal woes silent and spoke outwardly for the freedom of his people. “I am no more virtuous or self-sacrificing than the next man, but I found that I could not even enjoy the poor and limited freedoms I was allowed when I knew my people were not free.”

 Mandela spent 27 years in prison. 27 years his family didn’t have a father, 27 years he couldn’t taste life, 27 years he couldn’t be free.  These 27 years of suffering in silence, were sacrificed so that he could lead his country to multi-racial democracy so his people could be free, so he could be free. 

Fair Play

In October, I watched an amazing film entitled "Fair Play" that was part of the film series, Have You Heard from Johannesburg. 

UK's Kastle Hall was filled with people of all demographics and ages, there were married couples, students and various faculty members in attendance. 

The film took us on an adventure through the apartheid in South Africa, yet also the effect it had upon the nation's beloved sports. Also, not only did the apartheid effect South Africa's sports but also many other countries'. 

Youth around the world protested when South Africa was banned from entering the Olympics in 1964. 

A BBC article from 1964 reads: 

"It said the decision could be overturned only if South Africa renounced racial discrimination in sport and opposed the ban in its own country on competition between white and black athletes."

In efforts to link Kentucky with South Africa, A&S did a wonderful job. Chip Cosby, an African-American reporter from the Lexington Herald-Leader, was there to commentate on his experiences with writing sports stories.

I was very interested in hearing how journalists kept their opinions to themselves while reporting on racial discrimination. One reporter's words, an older man, I will never forget.

He was a reporter during the Adolf Rupp era at UK. He was there to report on when Rupp signed the first African-American to play at UK. 

He became emotional when he commented on an African American man who became his mentor and much more of a father figure than his abusive biological one. 

The event was spectacular and eye opening. While underlying tensions are still very much present in our nation and in the south, we must continue to fight against them and as a journalist, cover news fairly for all demographics.