Category Archives: Commitment

2014 Dec. 1: “The portraits are no longer just pictures”

Book Review by Rene Mathibe I have been fascinated with books ever since I learnt how to read. To be able to read and understand someone’s story is beautiful. Zanele Muholi launched her fourth book titled “Faces and Phases 2006-14” … Continue reading

Posted in Articulation, Artist Talk, Artists, Arts, Arts & Culture, As we are, Attention, Background, Collaborations, Collective, Collectivism, Comfort, Commitment, Committed, Daring, Eight years of photographing Faces and Phases, Frank, Gauteng, Gender articulation, Healing, Incredible, Inkanyiso media, Interviews, Introduction, Legacies of Existence, Lesbian Professionals, Lesbian Youth, Mission, Natalspruit, Platform, Representation, Self love, Self recognition, Self-worth, Sexual minorities, Sexual orientation, Sexuality, South African townships, South African Visual Activism, South African visual history through the eyes of young women, Stories, Touching, Visual activism, Visual Activist, Visual democracy, Visual historical initiative, Visual Language, Visual narratives, Visual Power, Visual sense, Visual Voices, Visualizing public spaces, Visuals, Warmth, We Are You, We Care, We love each other, We love photographs, We Love Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

2014 Nov. 20: Book Review: Faces and Phases (2006 – 2014)

There is no single smile in Zanele Muholi’s Faces and Phases 2006-14 book The book was recently launched in Johannesburg South Africa, and is a collection of black and white portraits captured by Zanele Muholi between 2006 to 2014. They … Continue reading

Posted in Caring citizens, Celebration, Characters, Claiming, Claiming blackness, Collaborations, Commemoration, Commitment, Committed, Faces and Phases (2006 - 2014) book review, We love each other | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

2014 Oct. 22: Paris meets Aurora Young Female Photographers

by Thobe Gumede It is Tuesday, 21st Oct. 2014 in the afternoon at Aurora GHS where guest speakers come and share expertise with young photographers. The interaction started with a traditional icebreaker, a good meal, brought by the visitor for … Continue reading

Posted in 2012 Paris Pride, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Art Is A Human Right, Art is Queer, Art Solidarity, Articles, Articulation, Artist Talk, Arts & Culture, Arts & Sports, As we are, Attention, Audience, “Foot for Love", Beautiful faces, Beautiful people, Before US, Before You, Being conscientized, Blackness, Captioned, Captured, Career, Caring citizens, Caring for our female youth, Celebrating Women, Celebration, Characters, Citizenship, Comment, Comments from the audience, Commitment, Community based media, Community education, Community outreach, Community work, Connected souls, Connections, Consideration, Creating awareness, Description, Details, Different positions, Documentary screening, Documentation; Filming; Photography; Community, Documenting our own lives, Documenting realities of the townships, Education, educator at Aurora Girls High School, Emotional support, Empowerment, Equipe Les Degommeuses, From Paris to Soweto, Introductions, Reviving the culture of reading and writing, revolution, Sharing, soccer player, Social responsibility, Solidarity, South Africa, South African townships, South African visual history through the eyes of young women, Speaking for ourselves, Support, Supporters, Supporting each other, Teaching young women photography, Testimonies from Aurora photographers, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Thobe Gumede, Time, together, Together we can, Veronica Noseda, Videographer, Visibility, Vision, Visual activism, Visual activism is a language, Visual democracy, Visual historical initiative, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, Visual Power, Visual Voices, We Are You, We Care, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, Women's power, Women's Work, Women; Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Writing is a Right, Young Black Women and Photography, Young female photographers from Aurora, Youth voices | 1 Comment

2014 Oct. 16: The lawyer in the classroom

Report by Lerato Dumse & Zanele Muholi Photos by Thobe Gumede         Where:  Aurora Girls High School, SOWETO What:  2014 PhotoXP – Guest speaking Mpho Nefuri was our guest speaker of the day, she addressed the young … Continue reading

Posted in 2014 Cape Town Month of Photography, 2014 Photo XP, About PhotoXP, Act, Acting, Activism, Activists, Activists Act, Advocacy, Allies, Alternative family, Announcement, Another Approach Is Possible, Art Activism, Art Edutainment, Article, Articles, Articulation, Attention, Aurora Girls High School, Background, Beautiful faces, Bringing photography to the community, Cameras, Captioned, Captured, Career, Caring citizens, Celebrating Women, Celebration, Characters, Citizenship, Claiming, Claiming mainstream spaces, Class, Collaborations, Collective, Collectivism, Comments from the audience, Commitment, Committed, Communication strategies, Community education, Community Mobilizing, Community work, Connected souls, Consideration, Conversation, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Democracy, Details, Documentation; Filming; Photography; Community, Documenting our own lives, Documenting realities of the townships, Education, Emotional support, Empowerment, Evidence, Experience, Exposure, Expression, Eyes, Facing You, Faith, Family, Feelings, Friends, Friendships, Gender activist, Health bodies, Hope, Human rights, I am not the only one, I am Somebody, I can't do it ALONE, I love photography, I was (T)here, I was here, Ignorance, Interpretation, Intervention, Introduction, Lawyers in the classroom, Learning, Let us give a girl child a chance, Life, Life is a production..., Life Stories, Linda Mankazana, Lindeka Qampi, Living, Love, Love is a human right, Love is Queer, Lovely words, Mainstream media, Media works, Memory, My body, Organizing, Peers, Perception, Photos by Thobe Gumede, Power of the Arts, Power of the Voice, Presentation, Relationships, Remembering, Report, Respect, revolution, the attorney, We Are You | 1 Comment

2014 Oct. 13: See you @ Upcoming Mbokodo Awards 2014

      2013 winners in the different categories are as follows: 1. Women in Indigenous Art: Peki Emmelinah “Nothembi” Mkhwebane 2. Promotion of Language and Story Telling: Nthabiseng Sibanda 3. Creative Writing: Devarakshanam Betty Govinden 4. Poetry: Myesha Jenkins … Continue reading

Posted in 11 South African official languages, 20 Years of Democracy, 20 Years of Democracy in SA, 2013 Mbokodo awards winners, 2014 Mbokodo awards, Acceptance, Acceptance speeches, Act, Acting, Activism, Activists, Activists Act, Affair, African Queer Beauty, Allies, Alternative career choices, Announcement, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Art Activism, Art Activism in South Africa, Art Edutainment, Art for Humanity, Art Is A Human Right, Articles, Articulation, Artist Talk, Arts & Culture, As we are, Audience, Background, Beautiful, Beautiful faces, Beautiful people, Beauty, Before US, Before You, Body Politics, Captioned, Captured, Caring citizens, Categories, Celebrating Women, Celebration, Characters, Choice, Collaborations, Collective, Collectivism, Comfort, Comments from the audience, Commitment, Committed, Communication strategies, Community, Community based media, Community education, Community Mobilizing, Community organizing, Community outreach, Connected souls, Connections, Consideration, Contests, Conversation, Creating awareness, creative artist, Description, Discussion, Dress code, Elegance, Emotional support, Empowerment, Evidence, Excitement, Exhibition, Exhibitions, Experience, Expertise, Exposure, Expression, Facing You, Families and Friends, Family support, Fashion, Feelings, Friends, Function, Future, Gender articulation, Gender expression, Generations, Gift, Gifts, Gratitude, Health bodies, Human Beings, Hurt, I can't do it ALONE, I love photography, Independence, Influenced, Interpretation, Intervention, Interviews, Invitation, Kyalami Business Park, Lessons learnt, Liberation, Life, Living, Love, Loved, Lovely words, Loving, Media works, Memories, Memory, Messages of support, Midrand, My body, Networking, Opinion, Our lives in the picture, Out, Participant, Participation, Perception, photographers, Photographs, Photography, Politics of existence, Politics of representation, Portrait, Poster, Power of the Voice, Presentation, Privilege, Proud to be, Publication, Readings, Real, Realization, Reason, Recognition, recognized, Reflection, Reflections, Relationship, Remembering, Reports, Respect, Respect & Recognition from our community, Respected person, Response, South African Women in the field of Arts & Culture, Visuals, Woman, Women in South African Arts, Women's power, Women; Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Words, Zanele Muholi, Zanele Muholi is the winner, Zulu is a South African language | Leave a comment

2014 Oct. 8: Beautiful faces and kisses from Soweto Pride 2014

                                                                                … Continue reading

Posted in 10th Soweto Pride, 20 Years of Democracy, Acceptance, Acceptance speeches, Act, Acting, Activism, Activists, Activists Act, Adoring, After party, Allies, Alternative career choices, Alternative family, an LGBTI organisation, Anger, Announcement, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Arguments, Art Activism, Art Activism in South Africa, Art for Humanity, Art Is A Human Right, Art is Queer, Art Solidarity, Art Therapy, Article, Articles, Articulation, Artist Talk, Artists, Arts, As we are, Attention, Awareness workshops, Background, Baring, Before US, Before You, Begging, Being conscientized, Black Lesbian Love, Black lesbian mothers, Black lesbian visibility, Black lesbians in remote areas in South Africa, black LGBTIQA, Black Queer & Gifted, Black Queer Artists, Black Queer Born Frees, Black Queer Born Frees in SA townships, Body, Cameras, Captioned, Captured, Caring citizens, Celebrating Women, Celebration, Challenging the un-African homosexuality, Characters, Charismatic, Citizenship, Claiming, Claiming blackness, Claiming mainstream spaces, Collaborations, Collective, Collectivism, Comfort, Comment, Comments from the audience, Commitment, Committed, Communication strategies, Community, Community based media, Community education, Community Mobilizing, Community organizing, Community outreach, Community work, Complicated Lesbian Relationships, Confrontation, Connected souls, Connections, Consideration, Contestants, Contests, Contributors, Conversation, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Creative Writing, Creativity, Cultural activists, cultural worker, Culture, Culture of reading and writing, Delegation, Democracy, Demonstration, Details, Different positions, Dignity, disappearance, discourse, Discussion, Documentary, Documentation; Filming; Photography; Community, Documenting our own lives, Documenting realities of the townships, Dress sense, Dyke, Edited, Education, Emotional support, Empowerment, Evidence, Exchanging Queer thoughts, Excitement, Experience, Expertise, Exploration, Expression, Facilitators, Facing You, Feelings, Female Photographers, Food, Forum for the Empowerment of Women (FEW), Freedom of being, Friendships, Future, Gender articulation, Gender Equality, Gender expression, Gender naming, Gender performance, Generations, Give children cameras not candies, Give credits where it is due, God Fearing people, Gratitude, Gratitude to my lover, Hate crimes Victims names, History, Human Beings, Human rights, I can't do it ALONE, I love photography, I use CANON, I was (T)here, I was here, I-N-K-A-N-Y-I-S-O, Identity, Independence, Influenced, Inkanyiso crew, Interpretation, Intervention, Interviews, Invisibility, Issues, Kiss, Know Your SA Queer History, Knowledge, Lack of Resources, Language, Legacies of Violence, Lesbian Professionals, Lesbian Youth, Lesbianism, Lessons learnt, Let us give a girl child a chance, LGBT community, LGBT rights activist, LGBTI community, lgbti issues in South Africa, LGBTIs in Africa, Life, Living, Lost Lives, Love, Love is a human right, Love is Queer, Loved, Lovely words, lover, Loving, Luxury, Mainstream media, Mainstreaming our queer issues, Matters of the He(Art), Media works, Memories, Moments in herstory, Moments in our history, Motivation, My body, Networking, Open relationships, Opening remarks, Our lives in the picture, Our Zulu Pride, Queer poetics, Queer Power, Queer South Africa, Queer texts, Queer visibility, Queer Youth, queerity, question of history., Questioning, Questions & Answers, Reflection, Reflections, Related links, Relationship, Relationship with own body, Relationships, relative, Remembering, Respect, Respect & Recognition from our community, Respected person, Response, Reviving the culture of reading and writing, revolution, Sadness, Safety, South African Visual Activism, Speaking for ourselves, Stage, Statement, Struggle Songs, Struggling, Struggling activist, Style, Subject of Art, Support, Supporters, Supporting each other, Supportive friends and families, Teaching young women photography, Tears, together, Together we can, Togetherness, Touch, Townships, Translation, Trust, Visual Arts, Visual democracy, Visual diaries, Visual historical initiative, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, Visual narratives, Visual Power, Visual sense, Visual Voices, Visualizing public spaces, Warmth, We Are You, We Care, We love photographs, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, Well organized event, What black lesbian youth wants, When Love is a Human Right, Wishing you well, Women loving women, Women who have sex with Women, Women's power, Women's Pride, Women's struggles, Women's Work, Women; Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Womenonwomen, Womyn, Words, Writing is a Right, Years, Young black female photographers, Young Black Women and Photography, Young female photographers from Aurora, Young talent, young women, Young Women and Visual Activism, Youth, Youth voices | 10 Comments

2014 Oct. 7: Robbed while shooting

by Lerato Dumse A day meant to be filled with photography adventure which is historical educational turned bad, when three photographers were robbed of their camera, on  the 10th July 2014 in Soweto. Lindeka Qampi (45) facilitator, Thando Methane (17) … Continue reading

Posted in 2014 Cape Town Month of Photography, Aurora Girls High School, Broad day light, Captioned, Captured, Career, Caring citizens, Caring for our female youth, Case opened, Celebration, Characters, Citizenship, Claiming, Claiming mainstream spaces, Collaborations, Collective, Collectivism, Comments from the audience, Commitment, Committed, Community, Community based media, Community education, Community outreach, Community work, Conference, Confrontation, Connected souls, Connections, Consideration, Contributors, Conversation, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Creative activist, Creative Writing, Crime, Crime rate, Crimes, Cry the Beloved Queer Mother of the Nation, Crying, Cultural activists, Culture, Culture of reading and writing, Delegation, Democracy, Details, Different positions, disappearance, Discussion, Family, Fear, Frightened, Intellectualism, lunged, Mine, More than 67 mins, Panic, Photography, Photography as a therapy, Poverty, Robbed, Robbery, Scared, Seeking help, Self defense, Self recognition, Sharing, Sharing knowledge, Sharing thoughts, Silent voices, Social responsibility, Society, Socio-economic, Solidarity, South African Visible Arts, South African Visual Activism, South African visual history through the eyes of young women, South African Youth, Soweto, Space, Spana is a slang which means to work, Speaking for ourselves, Statement, Style, Support, Supporting each other, Survivor, Teaching, Tears, Teenagers, Testimonies from Aurora photographers, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Thando Methane, Thugs, together, Together we can, Togetherness, Transcription, Translation, Undermined, Valerie Thomas, Visibility, Vision, Visual activism, Visual activism is a language, Visual Activist, Visual Arts, Visual democracy, Visual historical initiative, Visual history, Visual Language, Visual narratives, Visual Power, Visual sense, Visual Voices, Visualizing public spaces, We Are You, We Care, We love photographs, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, Woman, Womanhood, Women suffering, Women's power, Women's Work, Women; Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Words, Writing is a Right, Youth, Youth voices | 3 Comments

2014 Sept. 24: “At times I’d get jealous thinking she was taking my place”

  My name is Ayanda Masina, popularly known as ‘Ayanda Kiss’ or Kgokgo to some friends. I have a lot of nicknames. I guess it goes with the level we at with our friendship. On a beautiful day on April 25 in … Continue reading

Posted in 1991 -, 1st Prince for Lesbian beauty pageant, 2012, Activism, Activists, Advocacy, Allies, Ayanda Kiss’, Ayanda Masina, Background, Black Lesbian, Black Queer Born Frees, Captioned, Challenging the un-African homosexuality, Characters, Citizenship, Claiming mainstream spaces, Collaborations, Collective, Commitment, Committed, Community, Community based media, Community Mobilizing, Community organizing, Community outreach, Education, EPOC, Equality Project, Exploration, Exposure, Expression, Eyes, Faces and Phases (2006 - 2014), Facing You, Family, Fashionista, Feelings, Forum for the Empowerment of Women (FEW), Friendships, Gender, Girlfriend, Good singer, Grades at schools, Homophobia, Hurt, I Am, I am not the only one, I love photography, Johannesburg, Lack of funds to pursue chosen career, Learning, lgbti, Life Stories, Living, Love, Loving, Marches, Mother, Out, Participant, Photographs, Photography, Politics of existence, Politics of representation, Portrait, Poverty, Power of the Voice, Prejudice, Pride March, Profile, Proud lesbian, Proud to be, Queer Beauty Pageants in the townships, Queer Education in SA, Queer South Africa, Queer visibility, Queer Workshops, Queer Youth, Reflection, Related links, Relationship with own body, Relationships, Respect, Respected person, Response, Reviving the culture of reading and writing, secondary victimisation, Self discovery, Self love, Self portraits, Self recognition, Sexual orientation, Sexuality, Sexuality in South Africa, Sharing, Sharing knowledge, Shift on SABC 1, Single mom, Single parent, South Africa, South African lesbians, South African politics, South African Youth, Tomboys, Tsakane Secondary School, Tsakane townships, Unemployment, We Love Photography, Women's power, Women's Pride, Women's struggles, Women; Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Womenonwomen, Words, Writing is a Right, Young talent, Young Women and Visual Activism, Youth, Youth voices, Zanele Muholi | 1 Comment

2014 Sept. 22: The period pains of documenting hate crimes

Text by Lerato Dumse   I sat down for a reflection session with photographers Lindeka Qampi and Zanele Muholi a few days after they documented Gift Makau’s funeral. Muholi requested for the interview as a way of unloading and shedding … Continue reading

Posted in 'We live in fear', 20 Years of Democracy, Articles, Brutal murders of black lesbians in South Africa, Commitment, Committed, Communication strategies, Community, Community based media, Community education, Community Mobilizing, Community organizing, Community outreach, Community work, Compiled by Lerato Dumse and Fikile Mazambani, Complicated Lesbian Relationships, Conflicts, Confrontation, Connected souls, Connections, Consultation, Contests, Contributors, Conversation, Corrective rape, Corruption, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Creative activist, Creative Writing, Creativity, Crime rate, Crimes, Cultural activists, Culture of reading and writing, Curative rapes, Delegation, Democracy, Department of Justice (DoJO, Description, Details, Disappointment, Discomfort, Discussion, Disebo Gift Makau (1990 - 2014), Documentation; Filming; Photography; Community, Documenting hate crimes, Documenting our own lives, Documenting realities of the townships, Education, Expression, Friends as perpetrators, Gender Equality, Heavy subject, Lerato Dumse in conversation with Lindeka Qampi and Zanele Muholi, New Task Team on hate crime launched by DoJ in April 2014, Reflection | Leave a comment

2014 Aug. 2: Vuyisile and Happy’s umembeso

by Luh Cele Where: B Section, Umlazi Township Firstly I would like to acknowledge and congratulate the bridegroom Happy Mchunu and bride Vuyisile Tshabalala for taking the next step in their relationship without any hesitation. The true reflection of love … Continue reading

Posted in 2nd August 2014, B Section Umlazi township, Beautiful people, Celebration, Commitment, Dr (Pastor) Z. Zungu (VMCI), Education, Elegance, Engagement rings, Families and Friends, Fashion, Friendships, Gifts, Good food, Happy Mchunu, Ilobolo, Laughter, LGBTIs, Love, Motivation, Our Zulu Pride, Pastor Z. Zungu of VMCI, Promise to marry, Relationships, Supportive friends and families, Traditional zulu songs, VMCI congregants, Vuyisile Tshabalala, Well organized event, Witnesses, Zulu traditional ceremony | Tagged , | 19 Comments