In the larger context of development in Africa, often criticized for its colonial underpinnings, African women demonstrate resilience and empowerment in ways that often go unrecognized.
One visible form of empowerment is where women address community needs as leaders and visionaries. In this episode, we explore the intersection of race, gender, and work through stories of women who are creatively shaping their fields and creating change.
Guest Bios
Adryan Wallace, PhD
Adryan Wallace, PhD is an assistant professor in the Department of Africana Studies at Stony Brook University.
Walter Mswaka, PhD
Walter Mswaka, PhD is an associate professor of social entrepreneurship in the Department of Social Entrepreneurship at Rollins College.
Thabiso Mahlape
Thabiso Mahlape is the founder of Blackbird Books, an independent publishing house in South Africa that is dedicated to giving young Black writers a platform. Learn more about Blackbird Books at www.blackbirdbooks.africa.
Charlot Magayi
Charlot Magayi is the founder and CEO of Mukuru Clean Stoves, a social enterprise that produces clean, affordable and reliable cook stoves for under-served markets to reduce household air pollution. Learn more about Mukuru Clean Stoves at www.mukurustoves.org.
Rachel Laryea
Rachel Laryea specializes in racial capitalism, ethical entrepreneurship, and social good. After working on Wall Street, Rachel pursued a dual PhD in African American Studies and Sociocultural Anthropology at Yale University, and also launched Kelewele to showcase the diversity of Africa and its diaspora through healthy food. Learn more about Kelewele at www.kelewelenyc.com.
Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho
Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho is the CEO of Futuresoft Software Resources, a full-service digital agency and IT Solutions company based in Nigeria. Learn more about Futuresoft at www.futuresoft-ng.com.
Kaylene Stevens Petrin, EdD
Kaylene Stevens Petrin, EdD is a lecturer and program director of social studies education at the Wheelock College of Education & Human Development at Boston University and a former high school social studies teacher and department chair at Framingham High School in Massachusetts.
Taylor Collins
Taylor Collins is a history teacher at Framingham High School in Massachusetts and the director of Step Up to Excellence Mentoring.
Free Resources and Featured Books
Lionesses of Africa provides blogs, audio content, profiles, and other resources on women entrepreneurs across Africa.
“African Women Entrepreneurs: The Hope of a Continent” by Forbes Africa shines a light on the issues and opportunities facing entrepreneurial women throughout Africa.
“The State of Entrepreneurship in South Africa” TEDX video with Abigail Khuluse corrects misconceptions about what drives entrepreneurship in South Africa.
Unbowed: A Memoir by Nobel Prize recipient Wangari Maathai tells her story from growing up in Kenya to her founding of the Greenbelt Movement in 1977.
Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees by Franck Prevot and illustrated by Aurelia Fronty brings Maathai’s story of the Green Belt Movement to younger learners.
“The Danger of a Single Story” TED Talk video by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie provides a reminder of the need to diversify representations of Africa and create spaces for narratives that are too often marginalized.
Voices from Africa: Colonized Women Talk Back from Howard University offers a three-part lesson plan on African women who challenged colonial rule, debunking the myth of submissive African women.
Episode Acknowledgements
Thanks to Adryan Wallace, Walter Mswaka, Thabiso Mahlape, Charlot Magayi, Rachel Laryea, Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho, Kaylene Stevens Petrin, and Taylor Collins for generously sharing their expertise and insights in this episode.
Thanks to Nico Rivers for audio editing, mixing, and mastering.
Special thanks to the Boston University Africa Studies Center and the Teaching Africa Outreach Program for collaborating and providing support for this podcast.
Image Credits
Photo of Adryan Wallace from Stony Brook University website.
Photo of Walter Mswake from Rollins College website.
Photo of Thabiso Mahlape from sheleadsafrica.org
Photo of Charlot Magayi from globalcitizen.org
Photo of Rachel Laryea from kelewelenyc.com
Photo of Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho from linkedin.com
“2017 African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program Product Showcase” by Exchange Photos, under Public Domain Dedication (CCO 1.0 Universal).
Featured Music
“Fogo” by Xylo-Ziko, from the album Polyrhythms, under Creative Commons License Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International (CCBY-NC 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.
“Jardin damour” by Barbara Kanam, from the album Pas de tigre en afrique, under Creative Commons License Attribution NonCommercial Share Alike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.
“Oxum” by Terrero De Jesus, from the album Terrero De Jesus, under Creative Commons License Attribution NonCommercial No Derivs 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.
“Ogum” by Terrero De Jesus, from the album Terrero De Jesus, under Creative Commons License Attribution NonCommercial No Derivs 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.
“LA Flux Ride- Winder Talker” by Flux Bikes, from the album Flux Bikes, under Creative Commons License Attribution NonCommercial No Derivs 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 US). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.
“Lost My Mind (Good Riddance)” by Siddhartha Corsus, from the album Fragments of Light, under Creative Commons License Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.
“Mandlion in Zion” by MurJah Warriors, from the album Celebrity fever/ Reworks and dubs, under Creative Commons License Attribution NonCommercial No Derivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.
“Xaleyi” by Youssoupha Sidibe, from the album Sacred Sound, under Creative Commons License Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US).This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.
“The Fires of Your Peace” by Siddhartha Corsus, from the album Night Psalms, under Creative Commons License Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Internaional (CC BY-NC 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.
“Mwali” by Xylo-Ziko, from the album Polyrhythms, under Creative Commons License Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International (CCBY-NC 4.0). This track has been excerpted and overlaid with narrative.