Poetry as a Cultural Weapon: Black Poets and the Power of Spoken Word

by Ona Ojo. ÔÇÿI began to write verse, not only because I liked it, but because it was a way of expressing the anger, the passion of the youth of my generation.ÔÇÖ – Linton Kwesi Johnson YouÔÇÖve stumbled across spoken word before. You may have watched a few viral performances, from HBO’s Def Poetry or on the Button Poetry and Youth Speaks channels on Youtube. … Continue reading Poetry as a Cultural Weapon: Black Poets and the Power of Spoken Word

Blackfish. Blackface. What next?

Katherine Waldock   At the end of 2018, Instagram influencers across the world were accused of ÔÇÿblackfishingÔÇÖ, a term coined to describe white people who dress up and alter the way they look in order to┬á┬á┬áappear black. This includes wearing make-up, tanning, and even having surgery, such as lip fillers or bum implants. The conversation first started when a freelance writer, Wanna Thompson, tweeted about … Continue reading Blackfish. Blackface. What next?