Category Archives: Self discovery

2015 July 10: How it all started

by Sharon “Sicka” Mthunzi It all started with a ‘selfie’ captured using my cell phone. I remember I used to look in the mirror with a phone on my left hand, and take pictures of myself. Before the birth of … Continue reading

Posted in Being, being loved, Bringing photography to the community, Commitment, Faces and Phases participant, hip-hop artist, Hope, Human Beings, I use CANON, I was (T)here, I was here, Life, Life is a production..., Life lived, Mamela Nyamza, Moments, Mr Les Daveyton 2013, Patience, Portraits of the Self, Portraiture series, Positive images, Power of the Voice, Powerful, Public spaces, Queer visibility, question of history., Re-presentation, Readings, Realities, Reality, Recognition, Recording, Reflections, Relationships, Remembering, Reminiscing, Representation, Respect, Respected person, Responsibility, revolution, Sameness, Scripted, Self, Self discovery, Self love, Self portraits, Self recognition, Self-worth, Sexual Liberation, Sexual orientation, Sexuality, Sharing, Sharing information, Sharing knowledge, Sharing thoughts, Silent voices, So much love, Solidarity, Solution, South Africa, South African townships, South African visual history through the eyes of young women, Speaking for ourselves, Statement, Strength, Supporting each other, Survived, Texts, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Together we can, Togetherness, Touching, Treasure, Trust, Understanding, Unique, Vision, Visual activism, Visual Arts, Visual democracy, Visual diaries, We Are You, We Care, We Still Can with/out Resources, Young Women and Visual Activism, Youth voices | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2014 Dec. 5: When black is so strong

… work in progress. Zanele Muholi working with Valerie Thomas. Where:  Belleville, Paris. When:  Dec. 2014 What:  Having conversations with inner self allowing to be seen without shame Why:  Because ‘races matters’ sometimes and gender is really ‘complex’ Period:  365 … Continue reading

Posted in Being seen, Between the neck, Body, Born by African parents, Coming of Age, Culture, Facial features, Gestures, Hair, Ihlombe, Naked, Portraits of the Self, Reflections, Relationship, Relationship with own body, relative, Remembering, revolution, Ritualistic, Robing, Self discovery, Self mutilation, Self recognition, Self-worth, Style, Subject of Art, Topless, Zulu, Zulu tradition | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2014 Nov. 17: Announcement – MoMA present two best South African artists

   The Friends of Education of The Museum of Modern Art present   Conversations: Among Friends, A Perspective on South Africa featuring artist ZANELE MUHOLI and actress NOMONDE MBUSI moderated by Judith B. Hecker, Assistant Curator, Department of Drawings and Prints Monday, … Continue reading

Posted in Archived memories, Art Activism, Art Edutainment, Art for Humanity, Art Is A Human Right, Art is Queer, Art Solidarity, My body, My life in short, Our lives in the picture, periods, Photo Expressions, photographers, Photographs, Photography, Photography as a therapy, Questioning, Questions & Answers, Questions and Answers, Readings, Realization, Reason, ReClaim Your Activism, Recognition, Records and histories, Reflection, Reflections, Related links, Relationship, Relationship with own body, Relationships, relative, Remembering, Report, Reports, Respect, Respect & Recognition from our community, Respected person, Response, Reviews, Reviving the culture of reading and writing, SA LGBTI experts, SA mainstream media, safe, Self acceptance, Self discovery, Self employed, Self love, Self portraits, Self recognition, Self-worth, Together we can, Togetherness, Visual Arts, Visual democracy, Visual diaries, Visual historical initiative, Visual history, Years | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 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 Aug. 8: To be honest I love how I look

My name is Katiso Kgope, and I was born on September 18, in 1995. I was born in Glen Wood hospital, Benoni my parents are Mandla Kgope and the late Mpho Kgope – Monyake. I was given the name of … Continue reading

Posted in "Scratching the surface", 1995 -, 20 Years of Democracy, Acceptance, Act, Activism, Activists, Activists Act, Adoring, Alternative career choices, Another Approach Is Possible, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Art Activism, Articles, Articulation, Attention, Baring, Beautiful faces, Beauty, Beauty pageantry, Beauty queens, Before You, Being conscientized, Being Scene, Birthdate, Black, Black bodies, Black Queer & Gifted, Black Queer Born Frees, Black Queer Born Frees in SA townships, Blackness, Body, Body Politics, Cameras, Celebrating Youth Month in SA, Chains, Characters, Claiming, Claiming blackness, Claiming mainstream spaces, Collectivism, Comfort, Comments from the audience, Committed, Communication strategies, Community, Community Mobilizing, Community outreach, Daveyton, Documentation; Filming; Photography; Community, Documenting our own lives, Education, Emotional support, Empowerment, English, Evidence, Exchanging Queer thoughts, Experience, Exploration, Exposure, Expression, Eyes, Facing You, Family, Family and Friends, Fashion, Feelings, Female being, Finances, Friendships, Gender articulation, God is with us, God's will, He(ART), Honesty, Human rights, Humiliation, I was (T)here, Identity, Interpretation, Interviews, Katiso Kgope, Know Your SA Queer History, Knowledge, Language, Lessons learnt, Liberation, Life, Life Stories, Living by example, Love, Love is a human right, Loved, Lovely words, Media works, Memories, Modeling, Moments in herstory, New York, No artificiality, Opinion, Ownership of the self, Owning our bodies, Perception, Photography, Photography as a therapy, Platform, Politics of existence, Politics of representation, Portrait, Power of the Voice, Privilege, Proud to be, Queer visibility, Queer Youth, Questioning, Questions & Answers, Readers, Readings, Reason, Recognition, recognized, Respect, Respect & Recognition from our community, Response, Seeing difference, Self acceptance, Self discovery, Self love, Self-worth, Sharing knowledge, Sharing thoughts, She, South Africa, South African townships, South African Visual Activism, South African Youth, Speaking for ourselves, Special event, Studying, Style, Stylish, Support, Talented, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Together we can, Togetherness, trans bodies, Trans Youth, Transgender visibility, Transgender Voices, Transgenderism in Africa, Transwoman, Visual activism is a language, Visual Activist, Visual democracy, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, 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, Womanhood, Women; Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Words, Writing is a Right, Youth voices, Zanele Muholi, Zulu is a South African language | 3 Comments

2014 July 28: Memories never fade away – ‘Foot for Love’

My reflection on our 2012 Paris trip that we, Thokozani Football Club (TFC) had. It all started at the Thokozani football club that I joined voluntarily in 2008, hence I’m proud of myself for making such a good decision. Firstly … Continue reading

Posted in Acceptance, Act, Activism, Activists, Activists Act, Adoring, Africans Abroad, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Archiving Queer Her/Histories in SA, Articles, Artist Talk, Arts & Sports, ARV's, Beautiful faces, Before US, Before You, Begging, Being conscientized, Being Scene, Black Lesbian soccer players, Durban, Eiffel Tower, Equipe Les Degommeuses, Evidence, Experience, Fitness, Gratitude, In memory of Thokozani Qwabe, Inkanyiso crew, Inkanyiso media, Insulted, Intellectualism, Interviews, Know Your SA Queer History, Language, Laurence Prat, Lesbian Love Is Possible in South Africa, Lesbian Professionals, Lesbian Youth, Lesbianism, Lesbiennes of Color (LOCs), Lessons learnt, Liberation, Life, Life Stories, Living by example, Love, Love is a human right, Loved, Lovely words, Mainstream media, Media works, Memories, Memory, Moments in our history, Mourning, My body, Networking, Organizations, Ownership of the self, Owning our bodies, Paris Pride, Parisians, Participants, Participation, Performance, Photo Expressions, Photographs, Political Art, Politics, Politics of existence, Politics of geography, Politics of representation, Portrait, Power of the Arts, Power of the Voice, Privilege, Professional black lesbians in South Africa, Queer Africans speaking for themselves., Queer Education in SA, Queer visibility, Questions & Answers, Readers, Readings, ReClaim Your Activism, Recognition, Reflection, Reflections, Relationship with own body, Respect, Respect & Recognition from our community, Respected person, Response, Safety, Safety and Health, Self discovery, Self portraits, Self-worth, Sexual Liberation, Sexual orientation, Sexual Politics education in South Africa, Sexuality, Sexuality in South Africa, Sharing, Sharing knowledge, Silent voices, Soccer is a human right, Social documentary photography, Social responsibility, Socio-economic, South Africa, South African Black Lesbian Filmmakers, South African Visual Activism, Speaking for ourselves, Sport Activism, Supporting each other, Teaching young women photography, Team Spirit by Thembela Dick, textbooks, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Thokozani Football Club, Together we can, Togetherness, Video archiving, Visibility, Visual activism is a language, Visual democracy, Visual history, Visual Language, Visual Power, We Are You, We love photographs, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, Woman, Women's power, Women's struggles, Women; Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Writing is a Right, Xhosa is a South African language, Young Black Women and Photography, Young talent, Zanele Muholi, Zulu is a language | 2 Comments

2014 July 16: Through the eyes of young women photographers

  2014 June, 3rd Lindeka Qampi sharing her PhotoXP experience to Valerie Thomas “I am proud of the Aurora visual project. It is a very powerful and strong project, if I were to compare it with previous projects I have … Continue reading

Posted in 20 Years of Democracy, Act, Activism, Activists, Activists Act, Adoring, albino, Alternative career choices, Another Approach Is Possible, Aurora Girls High School, Beauty, Before You, Begging, Being conscientized, Black lesbian visibility, Bringing photography to schools, Cameras, Career, Collaborations, Collective, Collectivism, colored, Comfort, Commemorating the queer youth we lost along the way, Comments from the audience, Committed, Communication strategies, Community, Community based media, Community Mobilizing, Connected souls, Connections, Contests, Contributors, Corruption, Crea(c)tive senses, Creating awareness, Creative activist, Death, Documenting realities of the townships, Experience, Housing, Humiliation, Independence, Inkanyiso media, Intellectualism, Interpretation, Intervention, Interview, Interviews, Invisibility, Know Your SA Queer History, Knowledge, Lack of Resources, Life, Life Stories, Lindeka Qampi sharing her PhotoXP experience to Valerie Thomas, Living by example, Love, Love is a human right, Matters of the He(Art), May her soul rest in peace, Media works, Memories, Modeling, Moments in herstory, Motherhood, My collaborators: Linda Mankazana, My name is Zanele Muholi, normal black, Open relationships, Opinion, Orange Farm, Organizations, Our lives in the picture, Poverty, Power in our hair, Power of the Arts, Power of the Voice, RDP, Readings, Real, Reason, ReClaim Your Activism, Recognition, recognized, Records and histories, Reflection, Related links, Relationships, Reports, Respect & Recognition from our community, Respected person, Response, Reviews, revolution, Sadness, School portraits, Seeing difference, Seeking help, Self discovery, Self recognition, Self-worth, Sexual Politics education in South Africa, Sexuality, Sharing knowledge, sickness, Social responsibility, Society, Solidarity, South African Artists, South African politics, South African Youth, Soweto, Struggling, Support, Supporters, Supporting each other, Supportive mother, Teaching, Teaching young women photography, Textualizing Our Own Lives, The Fair Ladies, the writers, Together we can, Togetherness, Tomboy, Touch, Townships, Visual activism, Visual activism is a language, Visual Activist, Visual Activist in the classroom, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, Visual narratives, Visual Power, 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, When Love is a Human Right, Woman, Womanhood, Women loving women, Women who have sex with Women, Women's power, Women's struggles, Women; Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Words, Writing is a Right, Young black female photographers, Young black lesbian traditional healer, Young Black Women and Photography, Young talent, young women, Young Women and Visual Activism, Youth voices, Zulu is a South African language | 18 Comments

2013 Aug. 13: Love Transcends and Love Prevails

Kopano Sibeko Warmly dressed in a fawn jacket that compliments his light skin tone with a beautiful red, white and black Scottish scarf. Jeremiah Sepotokele greets me with so much excitement. I quickly lit up because all that aura was channeled … Continue reading

Posted in Education, Independence, Know Your SA Queer History, Knowledge, Life, Life Stories, Power of the Voice, Profile, Queer Youth, Readings, ReClaim Your Activism, Relationships, Self discovery, Self-worth, South Africa, We Are You, We Care, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, Womanhood, Women's power, Writing is a Right, Youth voices | Tagged , | 8 Comments