Category Archives: Cultural activists

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. 14: HEAIDS Women’s Health – ZAZI Launch

Text by Christie van Zyl Photos by Lindeka Qampi and Zanele Muholi An inspiring message of Social co-hesion and responsibility was set at the launch of the ZAZI – Know your strength campaign. The event took place at the University … Continue reading

Posted in Captioned, Characters, Claiming mainstream spaces, Class, Combating HIV/AIDS through education, Comment, Comments from the audience, Commitment, Committed, Communication strategies, Community, Community based media, Community education, Community Mobilizing, Community organizing, Community outreach, Community work, Complexities of Transitioning, Connections, Contributors, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Creative Writing, Creativity, Cultural activists, Delegation, Democracy, Description, Details, Documentary, Documentation; Filming; Photography; Community, Documenting our own lives, Documenting realities of the townships, Education, Emotional support, Empowerment, Entertainment, Evidence, Experience, Exploration, Exposure, Expression, Facilitation, Facilitators, Facing abuse and violation, Facing You, Family, Feelings, Female Photographers, Friendships, Gender articulation, Gender expression, Gender naming, Guest speakers, Health, Health bodies, Health matters, Higher learning, HIV status, HIV/AIDS, HiV/AIDS in South Africa, Human Beings, Human Equity and Art (Heart), Human rights, Hurt, Inconsiderate, Independence, Influenced, Interpretation, Johannesburg, Knowledge, Language, Lebo Mashile, Poetry, Steve Letsike, Theatre performance, University of Johannesburg, Youth, Zazi launch | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

2014 Sept. 6: Vaal Pride Photos

© Collen Mfazwe06/09/2014                                            Latest News: From Vaal LGBT group on Facebook Saturday marked a day we took our flags and … Continue reading

Posted in 2014 Vaal Pride, Activism, Activists Act, Africa, Allies, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Art Activism in South Africa, Art Edutainment, Art Is A Human Right, Art is Queer, Art Solidarity, Articles, As we are, Beauty, Before You, Black Lesbians, Black Lesbians & Allies Against Hate Crimes, Black Queer & Gifted, Collaborations, Collectivism, Community Mobilizing, Connections, Contributors, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Creative Writing, Cultural activists, Documentation; Filming; Photography; Community, Education | Tagged | 4 Comments

2014 Aug. 30: I’m a game changer, leader and activist

  My name is Lesiba Mothibe also known as Lee. I was born on the 5 August 1984 in BBH (hospital’s name) now known as Tambo Memorial Hospital. I’m the first born and have two siblings a brother and sister. … Continue reading

Posted in Abantu, Activism, Activists Act, Allies, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Art Activism in South Africa, Art Edutainment, Art Is A Human Right, Art is Queer, Art Solidarity, Articles, Arts, As we are, Beauty, Beauty pageants, Before You, Black Queer & Gifted, Collaborations, Collectivism, Community, Community Mobilizing, Connections, Contributors, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Creative Writing, Cultural activists, Documentation; Filming; Photography; Community, Education, Emotional support, Empowerment, Evidence, Experience, Exposure, Expression, Family, Feelings, Friendships, Gender naming, Homosexuality, Hope, Human rights, Interpretation, Know Your SA Queer History, Knowledge, Lack of Resources, Lesiba Mothibe, Life, Life Stories, Love, Love is a human right, Media works, Networking, Our lives in the picture, Photography, Politics of existence, Portrait, Power of the Arts, Power of the Voice, Queer visibility, Readings, ReClaim Your Activism, Recognition, Records and histories, Reflection, Relationships, revolution, Sharing knowledge, South Africa, Speaking for ourselves, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Together we can, Townships, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, Visual Power, Visual Voices, Visualizing public spaces, We Are You, We Care, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, When Love is a Human Right, Writing is a Right, Youth voices | 10 Comments

2014 July 28: Comfort’s coming of age ceremony

  Where:  Nquthu, KwaZulu Natal. When:  12th July 2014 Umemulo unjengomshado, usuke uwumakoti ushadiswa nabakini, umhlwehlwe usuke umele i-veil. Ube futhi uyafana ne – 21st yesizulu, ngoba uma umuntu wesifazane emuliswa usuke unikwa ukhiye ukuthi usengakhululeka agane. Igama lami ngingu-Comfort BZ … Continue reading

Posted in Ancestors, Articles, Challenging the un-African homosexuality, Communication strategies, Community Mobilizing, Community outreach, Community work, Complexities of Transitioning, Confrontation, Connected souls, Connections, Contests judges;, Contributors, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Cultural activists, Culture of reading and writing, Dance and song, Description, Details, Emotional support, Empowerment, Engagement, Event, Evidence, Experience, Exploration, Exposure, Expression, Family, Family and Friends, Family support, Feelings, friend, Friendships, Function, Gender, Gender articulation, Gender expression, Human Beings, Human rights, Humiliation, Hurt, Inkanyiso crew, Inkanyiso media, Isimemo, Izinkomo, Know Your SA Queer History, Knowledge, KwaZulu Natal, Language, Learning, Lesbian Youth, Lessons learnt, LGBTI community, Liberation, Life, Life Stories, Lindeka Qampi, Living by example, Love, Love is a human right, Love is Queer, Mainstreaming our queer issues, Matters of the He(Art), Media works, Memories, Memory, Mixed audiences, Moments in our history, Neighbours, Participants, Participation, Recognition, Respect, Sexual orientation, Sexuality, Sexuality in South Africa, Sharing, Sharing knowledge, Social documentary photography, Socio-economic, South African rural areas, Speaking for ourselves, Struggling, Support, Supporters, Supporting each other, Teaching, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Together we can, Togetherness, Veil, virgin, Visual activism, Visual democracy, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, Visual narratives, Visual Power, Visual sense, Visual Voices, Visualizing public spaces, We Are You, We Care, We love photographs, We Love Photography, Zanele Muholi, Zulu is a language, Zulu is a South African language, Zulu tradition | 3 Comments

2014 July 26: The luxury was on another level at the 2014 Design Indaba

  Five months later… by Yaya Mavundla How often does a black transwoman from the rural areas get to meet Victoria Beckham in person; have breakfast in the same restaurant with Carlos Santana, fly around Cape Town in a helicopter? … Continue reading

Posted in "There are few good men", 2014 Design Indaba, Acceptance, Act, Acting, Activists Act, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Art Activism, Art Activism in South Africa, Art Edutainment, Art Is A Human Right, Art is Queer, Art Solidarity, Art Therapy, Articles, Articles; South African Celebrities; Arts; 2013 Feather awards; Lerato Dumse; Song; Dance; Kelly Khumalo; Thembisile Ntaka; Brenda Mntambo; Recognition; Thami Kotlolo; Gays & Lesbians; 5th Feather, Artist Talk, Artists, Arts, As we are, Athi Patra Ruga, Attention, Audience, Awareness workshops, Before US, Before You, Being conscientized, Being Scene, Black Lesbian, Black Lesbian professionals, Black Queer & Gifted, Blackness, Body, Body Politics, Cape Town, Characters, Clear with own plan, Communication strategies, Community, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Creative activist, Creative writer, Cultural activists, Description, Designers from around the world meet in Cape Town, Details, Different positions, Documentary, Documenting realities of the townships, Dress code, Dress sense, Elegance, Emotional support, Empowerment, Entertainment, Event, Evidence, Exchanging Queer thoughts, Experience, Expression, Facilitation, Fashion, Friendships, Gender expression, Gender naming, Interpretation, Know Your SA Queer History, Laughter, Lindeka Qampi, Luxury, Nandi Mntambo, Our lives in the picture, Participants, Participation, Poster, Power of the Arts, Power of the Voice, Recognition, recognized, Records and histories, Reflection, Relationships, Respect & Recognition from our community, Respected person, revolution, Sexuality, Sharing knowledge, Solidarity, South African Artists, South African Visual Activism, State of Art, Style, Support, Supporting each other, Transwoman, VIP area, Visual Arts, Visual democracy, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, Visual narratives, We Are You, We Care, We love photographs, We were (t)here, When Love is a Human Right, Yaya Mavundla | Leave a comment

2014 July 20: Wet Pride in Paris

by Lindeka Qampi 28/06/2014                                                                         … Continue reading

Posted in 2014 Paris Pride, Activists, Africans Abroad, Another Approach Is Possible, Artists, Arts, As we are, asylum seekers, Came out of the closet, Cameras, Committed, Communication strategies, Community based media, Community Mobilizing, Community outreach, Connected souls, Connections, Contributors, Crea(c)tive senses, Crying, Cultural activists, Culture of reading and writing, Darkness, Dating, Demonstration, Description, Details, Different positions, Disappointment, Discomfort, discourse, Documentation; Filming; Photography; Community, Documenting realities of the townships, Drag queens, Dress code, Edited, editors, Education, Emotional support, Empowerment, English and French, Event, Evidence, Exchanging Queer thoughts, Experience, Expertise, Exposure, Expression, Facilitators, Facing You, Faith, Family, Family and Friends, Fantasy, Fear, Feelings, Food, French-South Connections, Gay, Gender expression, Gender naming, God is with us, Grateful, Gratitude, Gratitude to my lover, He(Art)less, Health bodies, Hearts, Heroes of our struggle, homonormativity, Homophobia, homophobic, Homosexual, Homosexuality, Human Beings, Human Equity and Art (Heart), Human rights, Hurt, I am not the only one, I can't do it ALONE, I love photography, I was (T)here, I-N-K-A-N-Y-I-S-O, Independence, Inkanyiso crew, Inkanyiso media, Inner feelings, Intellectualism, Intervention, Invisibility, Know Your SA Queer History, Knowledge, Mixed audiences, Organizing, Paris, Privilege, Proud to be, Public spaces, Public toilets, Queer Africans speaking for themselves., Queer Edutainment, Queer Power, Queer visibility, question of history., Readings, Real, Reason, ReClaim Your Activism, recognized, Records and histories, Reflection, Relationship with own body, Respect & Recognition from our community, Respected person, Response, Self acceptance, Self love, Self recognition, Sexual minorities, Sexual orientation, Sexuality, Sharing knowledge, Speaking for ourselves, Subject of Art, Supporters, Supporting each other, Together we can, Togetherness, TUK Paris, Visual activism, Visual activism is a language | Leave a comment

2014 July 15: “Intombi” – Photo of the Day

Title:  Intombi I … in collaboration with Valerie Thomas, Paris (2014)       (Re)inventing Aesthetic and (Re)imagining Meaning: (Re)creating Black Beauty By Bridget Ngcobo   Zanele Muholi, a black South African visual activist standing in Paris, France stands in … Continue reading

Posted in Artists, Arts, ‘freakshow’, Baring, Being Scene, Black bodies, Black Bodies of Silence, Black Queer Artists, Black Queer Professionals, Body, Body Politics, Brave, Breasts, Bridget Ngcobo, Choice, Claiming, Collaborations, Comfort, Cultural activists, Culture, Demonstration, Description, Details, Different positions, Disappointment, Discomfort, discourse, DNA, Education, Emotional support, Eyes, Feelings, Friendships, Grateful, Gratitude, Health bodies, Health matters, Heartbreak, Hearts, History, Hope, I use CANON, Interpretation, M(asked), My name is Zanele Muholi, Not Science, Owning our bodies, question of history., Reflections, Relationships, Robing, Self recognition, Shining abroad, Skin, South African Visible Arts, Stripped, Studio format, Touch, Valerie Thomas | 3 Comments

2014 July 12: From Soweto to Paris for the love of photography

  Teaching photography to young women at Aurora Girls High school with my 3 collaborators/ facilitators: Lindeka Qampi (SA photographer and activist), Linda Mankazana (SA educator and activist) and Valerie Thomas (French physician and activist). We started the visual project … Continue reading

Posted in About PhotoXP, Aurora Girls High School, Commitment, Committed, Communication strategies, Community Mobilizing, Community outreach, Community work, Conference, Connected souls, Connections, Cultural activists, Emotional support, Empowerment, Exhibition, Freedom of being, French is a language, Guest speakers, I-N-K-A-N-Y-I-S-O, Invisibility, Know Your SA Queer History, Knowledge, Lack of Resources, Lack of sponsorship, Language, Lessons learnt, Life Stories, Lindeka Qampi, Love, Love is a human right, Mainstream media, Media works, Memory, Open relationships, Participants, Penetrating mainstream spaces, Photo Expressions, photographers, Photographs, Photography as a therapy, Political Art, Politics of existence, Politics of representation, Power of the Arts, Power of the Voice, Presentations, Professional black lesbians in South Africa, Professionals, Proud lesbian, Publication, Queer & Straights, Queer Power, Questioning, Questions & Answers, Readers, Readings, ReClaim Your Activism, Recognition, Records and histories, Response, Social responsibility, South African struggle, South African townships, South African Visual Activism, Soweto, Speaking for ourselves, Students, Subject of Art, Support, Supported by French Institut - Johannesburg/ Paris, Supporting each other, Uncategorized, Valerie Thomas on 2014 Photo XP, Visual Language, Visual narratives, Visual Power, Visual Voices, Visualizing public spaces, We Are You, We Care, We Love Photography, Writing is a Right, Young Black Women and Photography, young women, Young Women and Visual Activism, Youth voices, Zulu is a South African language | 18 Comments

2014 July 4: Craddock Chronicles

by Christie van Zyl   It never takes long to see, feel or believe; but it always takes forever to act towards trying to heal our nation. I am in the middle of the Karoo desert, in a small town … Continue reading

Posted in "We'll Show You You're a Woman”, bewitching, Black lesbians in remote areas in South Africa, Black Queer Professionals, Blackness, Body, Body Politics, Brainwashing, Community, Corrective rape, Craddock Four, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Creativity, Crimes, Cultural activists, Culture, Curative rapes, discourse, Facing abuse and violation, Fraud, Gay, Heroes of our struggle, HIV status, Lesbianism, Life, National Task Force, Perception, Rapist, Relationships, Ritualistic, Sexual orientation, Society, Territorialism, tom-boy lesbians, Townships, Woman | 2 Comments