Black Looks

Kenyan performance poet and activist Shailja Patel speaks on her work as an activist and the responsibility of individuals and civil society in pursuing social justice. Shailja discusses a range of issues from the role of civil society in Kenya, climate change, capitalism and Barack Obama and excellently brings together the connection between the local and global.

2009-11-07-HouseRadioShailjaPatelInterview by herbstradio

in October had a special focus on Kenyan women poets. Shailja Patel also shared a platform with Ngwatilo Mawiyoo in a special focus on Kenyan women hosted by the Stockholm’s International Poetry Festival.  The theme was  reflections on “Literature And Independence In Kenya”with particular reference to “artistic responses to the post-election violence.”
Watch the seminar on Youtube:

Part I: Introduction by Madeleine Grieve, director of the Stockholm International Poetry Festival, and Ngwatilo’s richly melodic poem on exile, belonging, identity, goat meat….

Part II: Shailja Patel performs Offering, which first appeared in Pambazuka News.

Part III: Discussion on the Kenya Crisis and post-election violence.