Happy 100th Issue! Movements, Moments and Memories in 2020

We Made it!

In this our 100th issue of The Mojisola Report, and the first issue of the new year, we wanted to highlight all of the ways in which Africans and Afrodiasporan people from Europe to the Caribbean to Africa to the Americas connected through arts, in the fight for justice and in memorial. This year, we closed the digital divide and opened new doors of opportunity as we collaborated to tell our stories, our way. This year marked an incredible time in the #buildblackglobally movement. In spite of the panasonic and its devastating blows to us in every area of life, we still found ways to bring light in the darkness. The future is truly bright and I cannot wait to see what 2021 has in store. Dive in and tell us, what was your favorite black global moment?

Sincerely,

Amma Aboagye

Founding Curator, The Afropole

This year, we saw the power of black voices globally. From Black Lives Matter protests after George Floyd’s death in places like the UK and Ghana, to #EndSARS protests spreading from Lagos to London to Houston, there was global consensus that black people the world over, were tired of exploitation at the hand of the state. We had stars like John Boyega joining powerful marches in London while the government of Ghana made tributes to George Floyd in Accra, all while millions of people marched all through every single state in the United States. Similarly, during the #EndSARS protests, we saw again the power of social media to draw much needed attention and resources to fight police brutality in Lagos. This movement, led largely by young women, galvanized thousands of dollars and increased scrutiny toward an already unfavorable government. While we have yet to see the massive changes we have fought for, we are indeed seeing an evolution in how these matters are discussed and the increased citizen surveillance presents a new opportunity for democracies the world over.

This year brought a breath of fresh air in the art world where we saw global collaborations from black artists. We all watched in awe as Beyonce’s “I Am King” took over TV and social media, highlighting African and Afrodiasporan customs in hair, makeup, dance, fashion, language and many other cultural elements. Furthermore, the pandemic forced companies to really take a hard look at how they engaged local talent and artistry. For example, Gucci led its first ever fashion campaign in Africa this year with a team of Africans and Afrodiasporans representing Ghana and the UK. There were also big wins in tech, like the Ghanaian fintech startup Zeepay raising US$940,000 seed funding through Good SOIL, a black led British firm. And how can we forget the biggest moment of this panoramic: the rise in the call #buyblack #supportblack #shopblack. Many black owned businesses around the world gained visibility and popularity during this time, companies received investments from corporations like Glossier and Paypal, shelf space as part of the fifteen percent pledge and features on Beyonce’s Black Parade, to name a few. All in all, 2020 provided a glimpse at what the future of the #buildblackglobally could look like across various sectors and I, for one, am excited to see us draw from these lessons and create more together in 2021.

This year we loved hard and we lost. The losses were overwhelming. Many of us lost loved ones or knew people who lost loved ones to the virus. And there were some shockers this year: people we never expected to lose such as Kobe Bryant and Chadwick Boseman. These two were particularly painful both in the US and abroad because of what they represented. Black Panther was an important film because it opened the door for important conversations on the state of, and relationship between, Africa and the diaspora. We therefore honor men and women who have left an indelible mark on the culture and who challenge us in many ways. We lovingly remember these legends, their legacy will live on.

So what am I hoping for in 2021? I hope for more black constructions, in this video I explain what is meant by that but I hope we move past the surface, dig deep and build ideas, products, places, concepts, art forms that are uniquely ours to own, operate and distribute. That when we share them with the world, they will look, sound and feel African and Afrodiasporan whether they feature us at the fore or not. That is my New Years wish for us as we continue to #buildblackglobally. Thank you for taking this journey with us and don’t forget to share!