love – The Gloria Wekker Reader
“The route we are about to take is an interdisciplinary one, but with feminist and postcolonial signposting.” These words, as she spoke them at her oration on April 19 2002, aged perfectly into a description of this gathering, happening a good 24 years later. On June 12, in the University of Amsterdam’s packed-packed auditorium, we celebrated the release of the Gloria Wekker Reader. It was lush. And rich. And warm. So loving. It perfectly matched this collection of essays that are so poetic, smart-smart, witty, courageous and free.
Chandra Frank, Nancy Jouwe and Mikki Stelder -who edited the Gloria Wekker- are an editorial ànd programming dream team. What an evening! Nawal Mustafa, Sruti Bala, Sarah Bracke and Alana Helberg-Proctor read their reflections on the reader, Babs Gons recited four of professor Wekker’s poems. When Domenica Ghidei Biidu, Saffa Khalil and Nella Rebero received the first three copies of the Reader, not a tissue or napkin remained unused. Hearing professor Wekker say why wanted to celebrate each of them in this symbolic moment? A lovin’. A delicious softness of the kind only we can extend to each other.
What an honour that she invited me to host the launch of her Reader. While preparing for the launch, my copy of the Reader nearly doubled in size. It is now packed with bookmarks. If you’re studying gender, Queerness, Blackness, feminist movements, sexual cultures in Afro-Surinamese communities and/or colonial mentalities in the Netherlands… this is a must read. As always: Support your local and independent bookstores like Bijlmer Bookstore (Amsterdam), Savannah Bay (Utrecht) and Base Bookspace (Rotterdam).
love – Charl Landvreugd on language and belonging
I adore, admire and will forever champion Charl Landvreugd’s loving efforts to theorize and contribute to the visual language of Afro-Dutch artists. Dutch Afro Becomings: Hybrid Being in Black Art and Culture is a publication to sit with, to closely read. And reread. It’s an art-historical love note about and towards future understandings and redefinings that no longer feel borrowed but are unmistakably ours.
Love.
Last ever GembertheeSessies and Sisterhood (play)
Sometimes, good things come to those who… leave. After resigning from my job at Bijlmer Parktheater, the last ever edition of the GembertheeSessies (Ginger Tea Sessions) is almost here. On Saturday March 28, from 15.00h-17.30h, the ever so marvelous Sheralynn Adriaansz and Janilda Bartolomeu will be our guests. Sheralynn will give a performance lecture about Blackness in the Dutch theatre world. Janilda will screen cinematic sketches of her work on Capeverdean communities in Rotterdam, Cabo Verde’s proverbial 11th island. As always, Labyrinth Amsterdam will be in charge of our tea. Best in NL!
Please note: This edition both the presentations and conversations will be in Dutch.
About the speakers
Sheralynn Adriaansz is the artistic director of Likeminds. Prior to this, she worked as a theater maker, programme maker, project manager, and moderator at Theater Bellevue, De Krakeling and other leading organizations.
Filmmaker and researcher Janilda Bartolomeu’s work centers the stories of the Cape Verdean diaspora, particularly in Rotterdam and Dakar. She is affiliated as a researcher with Het Nieuwe Instituut (Rotterdam) and RAW Material Company (Dakar).
For more info about the program and the ticket link, be sure to check the GembertheeSessies webpage.
Sisterhood
‘What’s the maximum distance between Sisters who claim to be on the same side?’ Actor and director Romana Vrede invited me to write the script for her new play about the friendships between seven women. The story is about imagination, Whatsapp groups, deal-breakers, the World Cup match between Cabo Verde and Portugal, jollof and so much more. I’ll write more about the writing process soon-soon but, just wanted to let you know… the tour is happening as we speak. Between now and April 26, the tour is taking us all over the Netherlands. Be sure to find a theater of your liking and come sit with us.
Please note: This play is in Dutch.
Director: Romana Vrede.
Assistant director: Toni Blackwell.
Music: Shanice Shaynah Redan
Dramaturgy: Aukje Verhoog
Scenography: Dennis Vanderbroeck
Lighting: Tim van ‘t Hof
Hair and make-up: Alejandro Blijd
Choreography: Alida Dors and Henry Tawiah (assistant choreographer)
Actors: Shanice Shaynah Redan, Jennifer Muntslag, Nicole Geertruida, Susan Malaika Bailey, Adanna Unigwe, Ritzah Statia, Denise Jannah
Be sure to check the Sisterhood webpage for more info about the play, the full list of credits and the ticket links.
laZeefuik 
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