He says his family sent him away to school “in the hope that if I get to that education, I can bring that knowledge for collective empowerment.” But Ngugi says studies in English and other European languages mean educated Africans can no longer communicate with their communities or even their families.
“The messenger … becomes a prisoner. He never returns,” he explains, “because he stays within the language of his captivity.”
My piece on solidarity has secured the fact that most of the people reading & following me are black women which I am really happy about/thankful for because I wouldn’t like to be that person who acts like she’s writing about POC issues for POC but is in fact writing for white people (or white + nonblack people if you are a Black writer) because in the end that’s their gaze and validation that’ll give you the social/economic capital & recognition you so desire.
There are so many of these fake asses writers and activists thriving on the internet & their favorite hobby is throwing black women under the bus while preaching solidarity and positivity.
