Portfolio II by Collen Mfazwe

This visual project is about some  young black men who resides in Daveyton township where I come from. It is the beginning…
I want to share with the viewers that not all black men are hooligans or criminals as portrayed in the mainstream media.
Some are making ends meet by selling fruits and vegetables at the corner stop nearby my home.
My mission is to change the perception and bring forth the photos plus the voices of those featuring in this particular series.
The project will also feature my younger brother.

There are thousands of men who live in Daveyton. I, as a lesbian woman have a general fear for men, but somehow I don’t fear all men, especially the ones who live from the same street as I do. I’ve realised that not all men are cruel and evil as we think.

Here in Daveyton there are strong men who fight for what they believe is right for everyone, the kind of men that take lesbians as humans and treat them with the respect they deserve.

Everytime I walk on the streets, and I see a bunch of men in the corner, and as the scream out to call my name, I am not scared to go to them because I take them as brothers, friends and neighbours, so sometimes there’s no need for me to be scared.

The kind of black men I’m talking about here, is the one that worries  about putting food on the table, so they strive to wake up and be at the corner selling their sweets, chips, fruits and vegetables.

If we take our time and think positively we will see that they are good black men that live amongst us, we need to remove the mind set that says a black man is always black and bad.

NB:  Project to be continued…

Previous by Collen

2013 May 19: There’s beauty in aging
and

2013 April 17: Collen’s black & white album