Queendom: Black female and Norwegian

On October 14th the Norwegian group Queendom had the television premiere of their comedy series for TV-action 2009. Queendom has written the script and plays all the supporting roles. Place of action is Sogndalstrand in Norway and Bagamoyo in Tanzania,the themes are women, Africa, development aid and multicultural Norway.

Queendom about Queendom: “Queendom is based in Oslo, Norway, and draws on the talent and experience of five performing artists with backgrounds from Ethiopia, Nigeria, Uganda, Trinidad and Gambia. The group was established in 1999 and is unique in that it represents the first time young, black women have set up their own performing arts group in Norway. The members of the group are professional actors, journalists, singers and songwriters.



Queendom aims to raise the profile of black women by creating both socially aware and entertaining performances. Our shows touch on themes relevant to our everyday lives in Norway, such as racism, identity and women’s issues. While most of our material is original we also present a selection of texts and music written by other black artists - both in Norwegian and English. Through humour, satire, poetry and song, we wish to raise the level of awareness and understanding between men and women of all ethnic backgrounds.”

Queendom performers:
Hannah Wozene Kvam, born 1972 - background Ethiopia
Asta Busingye Lydersen, born 1970 - background Uganda / Norway
Isabell Dahlsveen Sterling, born 1972 - background Trinidad / Norway
Monica Ifejilika, born 1977 - background Nigeria / Norway
Haddy Jatou N'jie, born 1979 - background Gambia, Norway

Read the review of Queendom on Jamati

Website Queendom
Queendom on Myspace

Haddy Jatou N´jie

Black History: Black European nobility tucked away

Black nobility in Europe? According to black Dutch researcher Egmond Codfried and author of the book "Belle van Zuylen's forgotten grandmother" there was black nobility in Europe, but there history and images were later carefully tucked away. His claims are controversial, and of course not accepted by European historians and the man in the street.

Codfried has systematically studied hundreds of paintings of famous and less famous nobility. He regularly stumbled upon people who looked black or coloured, or although they were white, clearly had African facial features.

About his work he writes: “This study of historical sources and literature on black and coloured historic persons was inspired by the chance finding of a portrait of Maria Jacoba van Goor (portraited in the picture). We get a view of the problems and of the methods to identify these Europeans. This beautiful painting was also a reason to cast an afrocentric view at Belle van Zuylens life and her works, the biographies en the origin of her financial fortune. Through her coloured grandmother, the Dutch Belle van Zuylen (1740-1805) also known as Madame de Charrière, joins the rank of writers as the Russian Alexander Pushkin, the French Alexander Dumas and Colette, the Britons Elizabeth Barrett and her husband Robert Browning. As well as the German classic composer Ludwig von Beethoven and Queen Charlotte of Britain. These are Europeans of great merit, who had black forefathers. Also we find that Belle was a friend of Pierre Alexander Du Peyrou (1729-1794), a brown coloured and wealthy Surinam plantation owner in Swiss. He is renowned as a close friend, benefactor and publisher of the most famous philosopher of the Enlightenment, Jean Jaques Rousseau.

The reason why he studies nobility has to with the fact that nobility has left traces in the form of portraits and writings.

Some of his claims

Queen Charlotte Sophie of Mecklenburg Strelitz (1744-1818), Wife of George III

Described by others in her time as 'a true mulatto face' , ' brown' or ' yellow.' Her nose is to wide and her mouth shows the same fault.













Maurits Huygens (painted by Rembrandt in 1632) the older brother of Constantijn Huygens. Constantijn was one the most famous poets in the Golden Century.












The way black people were portraited

A painting of the French-Swiss painter Liotard (1702-1789) "Portrait of a young woman". Liotard is also considered coloured by Codfried.













A Moor by Juriaen of Streeck (1619-1673). Most people do not realize how many pictures exist of Moors in Europe. Why the love of Moors? Names, family crests, geographical indications, all references to the Moor, according to Codfried.

On the forum someone writes, that this is a picture of a servant.








As a response Codfried writes: "Part of the Moritzburg Treasure (Renaissance), , with a gold and silver cup in the form of a Moor's head, which was used at high nobilty marriages. Why Moor's head? The Moor was apparently in high regard."











PORTRAIT OF AN AFRICAN MAN January Mostaert (ca.1474-Haarlem Haarlem 1552/1553) Ca. 1520-1530. A unique 16th-century portrait

A painting of a black African in European clothing - with sword - portrayed as a Habsburg-Burgondian nobleman from that period. The self-conscious attitude, clothes and rich attributes demonstrate a successful assimilation of this man within the cultural norms of the European Renaissance. (Research lab Black is beautiful Dutch)

But, the research lab also writes, black Africans were in the 16th-century Europe rarely people of distinction. Most of them were imported as slaves in Spain and Portugal. A small number of them were released over the years, but most were employed as servant to their master. Only the Congo, which in the late 15th century was Christianized by the Portuguese, had a special status as a black kingdom of which the elite was educated in Portugal. Some Congolese made it as scholar, clerk, musician and jester quite far. Most remained employed in subordinate occupations. In the Netherlands, where the slave status was not recognized, negroes usually came along as servants of Spanish and Portuguese traders.


But why is it so important to show that black or coloured people were part of the European nobility? Codfried's motivation is to show that Europe was never as 'white' as we have been taught. Black people were always in Europe, even among the European nobility.

Looking at the portraits of those 16th and 17the century black people in Europe, I wonder what they would think of us now.

Some links

Pictures of nobility

Black nobility tucked away (Dutch) – an interesting article with pictures

Blue Blood Is Black Blood

Update: Also read: First black head of a European state: Alessandro de Medici (Italy)

StrangerFestival: Dutch videomakers sign up now!

For the second time the StrangerAcademy opens its doors in Amsterdam, this year from 13 - 17 October 2009.

Over 150 video-makers between the ages of 15 and 25 from across Europe will together improve their skills in video and storytelling. They will all take part in one of the professional-led StrangerAcademy workshops and show their work to an audience of experts and other video fans. All participants stay in the Stayokay hostel ajoining the festival location (Studio K, Timorplein, Amsterdam Oost).

Programme preview Strangeracademy: click here.
Participants of the StrangerAcademy are the finalists of the StrangerFestival competition, talented video makers selected by our international partners and Dutch talented young video makers. Dutch video makers can still sign up!How? sent an email to puck@eurocult.org and ask for the registration form, or copy the text below & sign up.

One of the conditions for signing up is you have to upload at least 1 self-made video on this website... you can also sign up when you have NOT uploaded a video and you take part in a beginner workshop. More info in the registration form.

Dutch videomakers click here

Joyce Sylvester - First black woman mayor in The Netherlands

Joyce Sylvester (43) is acting mayor of the Dutch city of Naarden. She is the first black woman to serve as mayor in the Netherlands. Sylvester is born in Amsterdam and is of Surinam descent.

Since there is so much attention for Sandy Cane, the first black mayor in Italy who is also a member of the right-wing party Lega Nord, here is a Dutch black mayor who is a member of a party which can be compared with the labour Party in the UK and with the Democrats in the USA.

About being black and female she stated in an interview (Dutch). "Yes, I am a woman and I have a colour, so what? I have experienced no limitations because of that." But during her first position as acting mayor she saw that gender and colour did matter. "You notice the signals from the organisation. You can't escape the fact of being seen as role model."

In 1992 Sylvester survived a serious train accident. Five passengers were killed. They all sat with Sylvester in the coupe. She was seriously injured, was held in coma, was operated on six times and the prospects were poor. Her political party leader Bos said: "You never hear her complain, the accident affected her considerably. Even years later her toes had to be broken to put them straight. She is literally a woman of iron."

On her website she writes about her impressive career: "I am acting Mayor of Naarden.

From October 31, 2008 to May 31, 2009 I was acting mayor of Anna Pavlovna.

Since 2003 I am also a member of the Dutch Senate (PVDA).

My portfolios are Economy, Agriculture and Finance. I am a member of the Committee on Petitions.

I am also housing commissioner of the housing association Alliance, member of the Amarantis school Advisory Board in Amsterdam, a member of the Delta Lloyd Advisory Board, member of a Board of Supervisors of the diversity counsil of the Dutch police, member of the Advisory Council for Microfinance Netherlands, supervisor at the Dutch Philharmonic Orchestra and member of the Advisory Board of the Dutch Society for Industry and Commerce. I am the ambassador of d'ONS Foundation, the acronym stands for Sustainable Development Netherlands Surinam. Finally, and I am owner of Spirit organisatieadvies bv.

I started my career as a controller at the central FEZ Directorate of the Ministry of Transport. After I became adviser to the Mayor of Amsterdam I worked for Twynstra Gudde management consultants."

Sylvester earned a Masters degree in communication science and political science from the University of Amsterdam, and she holds a PhD from the Law Faculty of VU University Amsterdam.

Two Day Caribbean Festival in Belgium: Antilliaanse Feesten

Approx. 45000 people danced the night away at the Antilliaanse Feesten in the small town of Hoogstraaten, Belgium. Not like most festivals, the Antilliaanse Feesten starts when the sun goes down and keeps on going until dawn.
Music from Latin-America and the Caribbean is getting more and more popular in Belgium (as all over northern Europe). So is this festival, which has a summer and winter edition (in-door).

In contrast to ‘World’ festivals where you have a predominant white audience coming to see African, Asian and Latin artists, the Antilliaanse Feesten has a totally mixed audience of all colours. It was surprising how many mixed couples were present. Many men wore white shirts and trousers, while the ladies wore very short skirts and high heels. Not the easiest outfit for a festival in a rural grass field, but everybody wanted to look at its utmost best. And it was beautiful to see.


The most famous act this year was Carlos Vives, a Colombian superstar well known in all parts of Latin America. This was his very first gig in the Benelux (Belgium-Netherlands-Luxemburg). On Saturday the French Creole super band Kassav, from Guadeloupe, came to make the crowd dance and party. Kassav has been on stage throughout the world for 30 years now, and are very popular in the French speaking world. This was the 5th time they came to the Antillianse Feesten and they were still bringing us great Afro-Caribbean vibes .

The crowd was super enthusiastic and going crazy, all over the place you could see people branding flags from Trinidad, Jamaica, Cuba, Martinique, Surinam, …
There were cocktail and champagne bars and delicious cigars. The food was not typical Flemish festival food, i.e. French fries and hamburgers, but Caribbean Chicken grill, cornbread, rice & beans, Surinam Chicken with peanut sauce, …

Notting Hill Carnival in London: the struggle of a community

The Notting Hill Carnival is now a showcase of London’s multicultural society, but in 1976 the Carnival turned into a race riot. See the interesting post of the history of black British people in West London, on the French blog Caraïbes et z'Antilles

In about two weeks, the streets of Notting Hill in West London, will be flooded for two days by more than one million people who come to attend the second largest street parade in the world after that of Rio de Janeiro. The Notting Hill Carnival is so immense popular that it allows the British government today to extol the virtues of its model of integration.

But its success was not obvious if you look at the early years of the Notting Hill Carnival. In the summer of 1976 racial tensions between the police and the Caribbean community sparked a riot after the arrest of two black men. The riot turned Notting hill into a battlefield.

In the compelling documentary 'The Long Hot Summer of 1976' the build up to the riot and the clash with police is told through interviews and visuals. Among the interviewed are black British filmmaker Don letts, singer Eddy Amoo and many others.

Official website Notting Hill Carnival
Read: Remembering the Notting Hill riot

The Long Hot Summer of 1976 - 1


The Long Hot Summer of 1976 - 2

Film: I’m Bi-Racial… Not Black Damn It!

For the film 'I’m Bi-Racial… Not Black Damn It!' see the interesting post and comments on the film blog Shadow And Act

Of course I've asked a bi-racial Dutch African-American woman about her opinion. She feels that the title, I’m Bi-Racial… Not Black Damn It!, is wrong. Being bi-racial means not black not white, but both. It's a combination.

People with a bi-racial background are a fast growing group in Europe. It's a consequence of the fact that Europe is less racially segregated then the US.


4 minute trailer


For more information go the website http://videoproduction.battlecatt.com

Black French celebrities attend Trace TV event

Photo and copyright: Régis Durand de Girard
The French urban media organisation Trace has moved to a new location in Paris. On July 8th Trace celebrated the event by throwing a party for French urban celebs and media officials. Almost 300 people attended the event. The French blog Fxgpariscaraibe made full a photo report of the day. For the photos click here. (On the photo: Vicelow de Saïan from the Supa Crew and Virginie Koné from Trace.)

But what is Trace? Trace is the biggest French urban music and culture channel in the French speaking world. Launched in 2003, TRACE is available in over 1OO countries through digital TV, radio, magazine, web and mobile. But unlike it’s American rival MTV, Trace TV also airs European and afro Afro-Caribbean artists. With eight million subscribers it has become the third French channel behind TV5 and Euronews.

But its success didn’t start in France. Finance for a multicultural urban music channel was hard to find in a country where a black news anchor was seen as revolution. It was the prestigious American investment bank Goldman Sachs who first saw the potential and injected 6 million dollar in the concept.

Trace TV is a black success story. Trace is owned by Claude Grunitzky, Olivier Laouchez and Richard Wayner along with Goldman Sachs Group and other private investors.

Olivier Laouchez , who is born in Martinique, is now the CEO of Trace television. He is the only Black to head of a French television channel. Claude Grunitzky, born in Togo, is the editor in chief of Trace magazine. And Richard Wayner was one of the first members of the new Urban Investment Group of Goldman Sachs. The group was established to focus on investing in urban venture capital and real estate with a specific focus on minority and female entrepreneurs.

www.mytrace.tv
Photo report of Trace event

Ital food: Eating vegetarian like a Rasta man

In urban city life vegetarian food with a touch of spirituality is seen as food for tree huggers only. But vegetarian Ital food of Rastafarian roughnecks of Jamaica is – of course – a different story.

Since I watched the video of London chef Hassan Defour going back to his Caribbean food roots and meeting Rasta farmer Iral Axum, I am interested in being a little bit green.

So what is Ital food? Is is just health food or more?

Ital is a term used by Rastas, derivated from "vital", who means a natural and sane way of life. One aspect of Ital is the Ital food: because the body is a temple, you should not eat unpure food. Also you must take care of your body, cause it is Jah creation.

Ital is generally a vegan diet, even if some Rastas eat fish. Some prohibit salt, some not.

In all cases, Ital prohibits pork, preservatives, chemical ingredients.
Ingredients have to be the most natural possible.

In Jamaica, Ital cooking is most often inspired from Indian and African cooking. But lot of recipes can be "Italized" if prepared only with vegetables and natural ingredients. (Rasta meal.)

The video

See more videos at UK Itzcarribean.com

In the video Iral made a shake called ‘Live forage’, it's made of:
Raw oats
Peanuts
Sesame seed
Pumpkin seed
Raisins
Molasses
Bananas

(It tastes very sweet!)

To end, some recipes links and comments

Ital on Wikipedia

Earthcultureroots - 24 Ital recipes from a Yard man (Jamaican). But there is much more to see on the site Earth Culture Roots

Rastafarism - More then ital 10 recipes, information about Rastafarism and a dictionary of Rasta slang.

Jamaican Vegetarian Food…Ital! Jamaican-recipes - 5 Ital recipes, some anecdotes and Rasta wisdom from a Jamaican

The Rasta Cookbook: Vegetarian Cuisine Eaten With the Salt of the Earth

The dread library "Ital is Vital"- A long interesting story about Ital food with recipes from The Rasta Cookbook. If you want check out the recipes first, go the last page and scroll up!

The reggae vibe - 1 recipe! Ital stew

Rastaseed – information about the Ital ingredients

Dem belly full: the evolution of ital food - An article about the Ital eating habits of Bob Marley

Where's the Revolution? - A vegetarian food experience in the Caribbean

Why do black urban children in Amsterdam Bijlmer play classical music?

On June 11th black urban kids from the Amsterdam district Bijlmer in The Netherlands performed in the Amsterdam Concert Hall. In a orchestra they played on violins, tuba’s and bassoons. The idea is called the ‘Leerorkest’ (learning orchestra) and it’s a huge success.

Five years ago when the director of the local music school, Brazilian Marco de Sousa, started searching for a violin instructor he was asked: Why do you need a violin teacher in the Bijlmer? He replied, children's enthusiasm for something that they normally would never touch. Not because children are from Africa it means that they are more connected to a djembe then to a bassoon. Sousa:” Children have a different view. They choose for a bassoon because it’s funny and for a tuba because it’s big.”

In the Amsterdam Bijlmer children of three primary schools are getting music lessons on violins, tuba’s and bassoons. De Souza, saw that black children were not coming to the music school, so he decided to take the music school to them.



De Souza: "The number of children that attends the music school is very small. In Amsterdam only 4.5 percent of children attends a music school, in neighbourhoods such as the Bijlmer it’s about 2.7 percent. "De Souza know why:" Music costs money, books should be purchased, and a child must be brought and be picked up. " Many parents don’t want to make that effort.

Five years ago De Souza began a pilot with forty students, now four hundred children in the Bijlmer play a classical music instrument. The lessons are given in primary schools: "Everyone in the class chooses an instrument. Then the children get compulsory music lessons from a professional musician, one hour every week. Four years in school group five to eight." In the Netherlands it’s in the age from 8 to 12years old.


Child and instrument are carefully linked together. "We start with a visit of a rehearsal of Dutch Philharmonic Orchestra," says De Souza. This is followed by a workshop where children can speed date with a few instruments. After four months, the final choice is made.



UK

In 2002 cellist Julian webber wrote in the Telegraph in the an article entitled 'Who says classical music is for whites only' that there will be no improvement in musical education until the myth that classical music is white, middle-class and elitist has been debunked.

Webber: “What chance does a young British black child have of coming to know classical music? In many urban primary schools, they would be lucky to find two sides of a triangle in a back cupboard.

It may seem an obvious question, but how can anyone like any kind of music if they never hear it? White people decided that they liked MOBO - music of black origin - (jazz, rock and roll, r'n'b) because they had easy access to it - and they particularly liked it when it was "legitimised" by one of their own colour. To interest black people in classical music, we need more young black role models like the organist and conductor Wayne Marshall. Our present system is not designed to produce them.”

Germany

The idea of music education in primary schools isn't new. In Germany it's called 'Jedem Kind ein Instrument' (An Instrument for Every Child).

Keeping it real?

You may ask why black children are learning classical music? We have are own music tradition. So why can’t they play Caribbean or African music or just rap. From a black socio political point of view you may even think it looks like an attempt to ‘civilize’ black children with Bach.

In an interview award winning Dutch Black Cellist Steven Bourne was asked why he played chello. “ My parents, who are from Surinam Caribbean origin, just wanted me get to get in touch with other cultures. They listen to Caribbean music, but they also liked classical music. “ Bourne is the 19 year old winner of the Avond van de Jonge musicus (Evening of the young musician) of 2008. His sister is also a talented piano player.

But the real answer came from the young musicians of the Leerorkest. “You just feel terrific when you play contrabass. Because this is biggest instrument of the orchestra. “ And, "I feel the music. And I realise that I can do that."

Classical music is not Hip Hop or pop, but for black kids it’s a way to look beyond of what is perceived to be black. And maybe that's a part of growing up in Europe.

Read the article Daten met een tuba (Dutch)

See Steven en Daniëlle Bourne play sonate for cello and piano of Debussy, lente, sostenuto e molto risoluto.

Negro for rent in the Netherlands

Renting a negro is not a problem anymore. In the Netherlands you can hire a negro for just 55 Euro an hour.

The Dutch company BlackPack is an agency exclusively for black men, white women are the main customers. The founder Bryan Oudhoff wants to respond to the stereotypes that exits of blacks: blacks are better dancers and have more sense of rhythm, writes the Dutch paper DePers.

The founder of the firm Bryan Oudhoff is of Afro-Surinamese origin. He daily faces the known stereotypes about black men. So he decided to respond and started Black Pack: a black agency, where only black men are allowed to register. Currently, BlackPack has a list of twelve employees, they are from Surinam, Ghana, the Moluccas and the Antilles. His main customers are white women who hire the men to strip, dj, dance or to play djembe, but also to assist in shopping, playing chauffeur or for exotic cooking. "But I do not run escort bureau, although the strippers are popular," says Oudhoff.

The company got a lot of criticism in the Netherlands, it would only exploit stereotypes about blacks. According to the Dutch Anti-discrimination agency the initiative causes "a strange feeling and colonial thoughts. How can color be relevant with cooking or driving a car?" The company would even violate the law, because it employs people purely on the basis of color, white men don’t have no chance. Oudhoff compares Black Pack with the ‘Miss Black’ contests for black women, he sees it as entertainment. "My staff is not at all stereotype. They are always on time,” he ends smiling. (Translated story.)

The issue of stereotyping seems to be a Dutch black problem at the moment. First there was the novel ‘Alleen maar nette mensen’ (Just fine people) where black woman are being stereotyped as easy and white men lovers. And now there is an agency which rents black men to white women. The novel was written by white author with a black girlfriend and the agency is run by a black man.

So what’s the problem with the black community in Holland. Compared with other European countries there are no books written anymore about racism, black identity or anything else that has to do with blackness.

The reason. The black Dutch community - from former Dutch colony of Surinam and Dutch Antilles - is widely regarded as the most integrated community, compared with other large ethnic (Muslin) communities.

The grim reality is that ‘we’ are not as integrated as we are made to believe. Recently black Dutch author Clark Accord made a statement in the media, about the total lack of black representation in de media and lack of attention for ‘black problems’. He feels black people issues are overrun by problems of Muslim communities.

But I am afraid Accord is too late. Because this is what you eventually get when you have stopped investing in community visibility and black awareness. You will end up to be a powerless black community where every form a racism is regarded as a misunderstanding, a joke or as gay and muslim problem. But what you do get is a world’s premier. A rent-a-negro agency. Black owned.

Dutch novel reinforces sexual stereotypes of black women

Photo Woman Inc
In the Netherlands an author started a row by publishing a book that is sexual stereotyping black women. The book ‘Alleen maar nette mensen’ (Only decent people) is the debut of Dutch Jewish author Robert Vuistjes.

On Wednesday May 13th theatre maker Anousha Nzume, writer Clark Accord en Professor Gender studies Gloria Wekker debated with author about his book at Woman inc.

In the book ‘Alleen maar nette mensen’ (Just fine people) main character David, who comes from a intellectual high class environment in Amsterdam, undertakes a quest to find the ‘real negro’ woman. In his search he meets various stereotype black women, who are each sexy, lusty, and can be picked up for a few euro's. David’s hunting ground is the Amsterdam Bijlmer, the part of Amsterdam where most black people live.

In a column Anousha Nzume wrote about some of the stereotype passages in the novel. "Main character David believes that there are two types of 'Black' women. The Sherida chain (Sherida was a popular Surinam name); very dark skinned, wears at least size 46. Cup size 95 F. Not taller then 1.65. At least one of her garments has tiger print. She dates any man. Breezer desirable but not essential. Available in the “negro women disco". Then there is the “bounty” (black from the outside, white from the inside), highly educated with dreadlocks. Dates only white men, in the absence of negroes of a certain level. She is boring, unsociable and mainly dressed in batik. You can find her at a slavery debate."

Under a literary flag Vuijsje sketches -intended or unintended - an archetypal image of (black) women, which some consider stereotype, stigma, caricature and even discriminatory. This book was previously awarded with the Belgian literature prize The Golden Owl with the comments of the jury; the style swings as an African tit. The book is not only praised by the literary authorities, but in many Talkshow praised for its "humorous" and "sharp" analysis of the black woman.

The opinions about the book are mixed. The black local city chairman of the Bijlmer, Elvira Sweet, finds the book a stigma for the neighborhood, and for black woman. Cultural anthropologist Irma Accord finds it racist and sexist. But Mildred Roethof documentary maker of Sex Sell’s finds the book funny. Lynn Spier, social therapist in a clinic for criminal offenders and the black girl friend of the author, doesn’t recognise herself in one of the characters.

But has the author of the controversial novel really stereotyped black women? Good literature is about calling up images without explicitly writing about it. I remember an author’s advice for author wanna-bees; if you bring in a black woman in your story, it will add something exotic and sensual! So Dutch author Vuistjes just followed boot camp guidelines for starters and used stereotypes that already exits in literature, or even worse, in society.

But there's one thing that bordered me. The image of the author's black girlfriend sitting next to him at the presentation of his book. It was the image of: look I am not racist nor a bigot, because I have black girlfriend. And that of course, doesn’t have to be true.

Update: I changed the English translation of the book into 'Only decent people', that's correct translation of the book 'Alleen maar nette mensen'. After seeing the video of the author on Black women in Europe I understood what he really meant. According to the author, this is said by people in the upper class neighbourhood Amsterdam Zuid. They mean that only decent people live there, and not so called "allochtonen" (blacks and other non-western ethnic minorities.

Anousha Nzume's translation of her opinion piece

France's plans for tackling racism and promoting diversity

Yazid Sabeg Commissioner of diversity and equal opportunity presented his plans to restore diversity and reintegration into the French society.

On May 7th Yazid Sabeg, selfmade millionaire and son of Algerian immigrants, handed over his program of action and recommendations for diversity and equal opportunities to French President Zarkosy. Commissioner of Diversity and Equal Opportunities, Yazid Sabeg, has presented his work with a month's delay. The 115 page report is divided into 76 action plans designed to promote, advise and regulate the diversity, by establishing what he calls a "new deal", addressing the foundations of the economy, the education, housing and politics.

The first part of the report is devoted to the revaluation of the youth. "France is not investing enough in his youth, which combines the disadvantages in terms of training, income and access to positions of responsibility" Referring " Intergenerational divorce ", the report shows that the poverty rate is five times more than thirty years ago. Because nearly 20% of the youth does not graduate, and France by 2015 will desperately need engineers, technicians, and scientists, the report considers a national pact for the access to training.

The second part, which is the source of the controversy surrounding ethnic statistics, is dedicated to promoting diversity and the fight against discrimination. Nicolas Sarkozy, in his speech on 17 December 2008 in Palaiseau, had hoped that France "is developing statistical tools to measure its diversity." Faced with the outcry of the proposal, the consensus seems reached, the report states that the objective is to complete the instruments and data already available to "characterize the discriminatory situations. It will eventually be collected by questionnaires and anonymous census surveys. An observatory of discrimination shall use the information for analyses.

This diversity, according to the report, will be promoted to all avenues of society. Also in the political institutions. The anonymous generalized CV will be used within political parties. The reports states that "The election of Barack Obama to the presidency of the States United showed the delay of the representativeness of the French political class. Of the 577 members, only 3 are immigrants from outside Europe, in the Senate they are only 4 on 343. It is also calls for the media to renegotiate their agreements for the hiring of people of diversity.

Finally, the third point of the flagship report entitled "A New Deal for the policy of the City" offers a series of measures to reinstate the "neighborhoods" in the city. This achievement is considered in line with plans for urban renewal, the de-isolation of certain areas, the access to schools to all, regardless of place of residence.

This highly anticipated "Action Program and recommendations of Yazid Sabeg received a mixed reception among unions and associations. The CRAN (Representative Council of Black Associations in France) welcomed the measures that will "finally make visible minorities full citizens," they see it as "a great day for the republican equality". Less lyrical are the French Confederation of Christian Workers (CFTC), they are "vigilant" about the tools of measurement set out by the Commissioner. Dominique Sopo from SOS Racisme is concerned about "the absence of strong proposals" and denounced the policy of "rule out the development of a policy against discrimination in favour of a policy to promote diversity.

Read:
Diversité quand tu nous tiens
French Minorities Push For Equality Post-Obama

French exhibit Kréyol Factory Saison Créole 2009

The Parc de la Villete in Paris is the site for Kréyol Factory, an art exhibit that ponders what it means to be Creole in the 21st century. The exhibit, which opened on april 7th, will close on July 5th. It includes works by over sixty artists from the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, and from their European and American diasporas. It is inspired by the work of Jamaican-born cultural theorist and sociologist Stuart Hall, especially his notion of the « three presences »–African, European, and New World-that constitute African-Caribbean identity. It sees Creole identity as stemming from the tragedy of the slave trade, slavery, and colonization-and from the cultural and racial métissage that grew out of it. «Creole worlds were born of violence and plunder, of the disappearance of some-the Amerindians-and of the forced coming together of peoples who had ben separated by an ocean, » Yolande Bacot, curator of the exhibit, explains. The works on view include art installations, paintings, literary texts, photographs, and documentary films.
For more information on the exhibit go to:
Kreyol factory
Parc de la Vilette
Pictures of the opening

The emerge of the black French - ‘Noirs’

Black British, zwart and Afro-Deutsch is a very normal thing to say when you are not French. But not until recently saying ‘Noirs’ or ‘Blacks’ in France was asking for trouble. Recently black people in France saw that they lived in a condition where the mantra of equality, one of the founding principles of the Republic, didn’t work for them. The black French historian Pap Ndiaye wrote a book about the problem, and titled it ‘La condition noire’, The black Condition.

Ndiaye explains in an interview what that condition means. “The black condition in France is a way to feel French, while being considered as not French. If you are black, most people in Paris ask you all the time, where do you come from. As a way to tell you, you must be from somewhere else. You must be not French.” (Video)

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Pap Ndiaye, French historian and Associate Professor at the Ecole des hautes etudes en sciences sociales in Paris, drew wide attention in the current debate over diversity and representation in France with his book ‘La condition noire: essai sur une minorité française’ ,The Black Condition. An essay of a French minority. Ndiaye (1965), has a Senegalese father and a ‘French’ mother.

Pap Ndiaye is a member of Le Capdiv, Le Cercle d'Action pour la Promotion de la Diversité en France (The Circle of Action for the Promotion of Diversity in France).

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This intro explains the French background.

Racial and ethnic categories were until recently officially taboo in France, though in camouflaged forms they circulated widely in media and political discourse on the "integration" of immigrant minorities. In recent years, men and women of color have begun mobilizing as "Noirs" (Blacks) in ways that are hitherto unprecedented in France. Pap Ndiaye argues that the official invisibility of French Blacks, rather than being the logical and peaceful consequence of their integration into French society, can be analyzed as a consequence of discriminatory processes.

On an academic level, the situation is rather similar. In France, there are more books and articles published on African-Americans than on African-French or Carribean-French peoples. Indeed, African-American history is a well-established field in France. By contrast, studies on African immigrants, African students, Guadeloupean civil servants, etc, are scarce, and there is practically nothing on "French Blacks", as if this figuration had no legitimacy or meaning to describe past and contemporary social situations.

The situation is slowly changing, as more and more French acknowledge the existence of a sizable Black minority with specific problems and needs. Professor Ndiaye studies the reasons why this history has been so neglected, emphasizing ideological, political and academic reasons. He also discusses the legitimacy of the notion of "French Blacks" and analyzes the recent rise of Black organizations in France.
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