About

I started writing Black Looks back in June 2004 after a number of abandoned blog attempts under different names. I wanted to engage with issues of social justice and activism in Africa and the Diaspora. I also wanted to challenge stereotypes by documenting and discussing issues such as LGBTIQ rights and sexual orientation, gender based violence, militarism as well as popular culture and literature from Africa.

Some of these are issues which make people feel uncomfortable because they reach to our core revealing the hidden truths deep within ourselves.

Talking about racism and ethnicity and sexual orientation can be threatening because they require people to consider the possibility that they may have racist or homophobic feelings and attitudes.

Over the years maintaining the Black Looks project has become a greater challenge and in order to broaden the discussion I have invited a number of other bloggers, writers and activists to contribute to the blog. I thank all the contributors past and present for wanting to participate. Some have their own blogs, some do not. But we do have in common is we are all progressives and activists with a strong belief in the power of the pen to bring about change.

Sokari Ekine

The new banner: All the people pictured have touched my life in many different ways. Each of them has used their voices, words, music and actions to stand up for social justice and the struggle for humanity and rights.

From left to right:
Audrey Lorde – Black feminist, lesbian, mother, poet

Miriam Makeba - Mama Africa, singer and anti-apartheid activist

Busi Sigasa – Busi was a young South Africa lesbian – a rape survivor and living with HIV who dreamed of being a poet and writer. She died on 12th March 2007 in her home in Soweto.

Victor Mukasa - A Ugandan transgender person and human rights defender. Victor has been one of the most consistent and active human rights defenders for LGBTIQ rights and decriminalization in Uganda and across Africa.

Eudy Simelane – A young South African lesbian and soccer player who was raped and murdered on April 28th, 2008.

Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti - Nigerian feminist and activist who fought for suffrage and equal rights for her countrywomen and against colonialism, traditional and military dictatorship.

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Contributed to the following blogs and online media:
New Internationalist Regular Weekly Blog posts
PBS Media Shift Regular Monthly posts on African Web 2.0
Pambazuka News: Weekly Forum for Social Justice in Africa Bi-weekly blog review
African Path, Syndicates Black Looks
Kabissa: Space for Change in Africa; Occasional Technology posts
The F-Word UK Feminist Site
Flip Flopping Joy