Category Archives: Visual activism is a language

2015 Jan. 3: I dropped out of the closet many times

“It is a story about my coming out, its more significant than any part of my life history” Being who I am should not compromise who you are. The road to coming out was not easy. I was born in … Continue reading

Posted in Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Beatings, Creating awareness, Expression, Eyes, Face, Faces & Phases portraits, Faces and Phases (2006 - 2014), Gratitude, Gratitude to my lover, Inner feelings, Insulted, Interaction, Interpretation, Intervention, Irritation, Issues of sexuality, Knowledge, Language, Lesbian, Lessons learnt, Life, Life is a production..., Life lived, Life Stories, Life story, Live, Living, Living by example, Longing, Look at me, Loss to the black lesbian community, Lost Lives, Love is a human right, Love is Queer, Loved, Lovely words, Mainstream media, Mainstream spaces, Mainstreaming our queer issues, Making a mark, Memories, Moments, Moments in herstory, My body, My life in short, Nasty, Nature, Participants, Participation, Patience, Personification, Photo Expressions, Pleased, Political space, Politics of existence, Portraiture series, Power of the Voice, Powerful, Presentations, Pressure, Previous life stories, Privilege, Proud lesbian, Proud to be, Queer & Straights, Queer Africans speaking for themselves., Queer Power, Queer visibility, Queer Zimbabwe, Questions, Questions and Answers, Readers, Readings, Real, Reality, Realization, Reason, ReClaim Your Activism, Recognition, recognized, Recognizing the problem, Recording, Records and histories, Reflection, Reflections, Related links, Relationship, Relationship with own body, Relationships, relative, Relatives, Remembering, Reminiscing, Report, Representation, Representing, Resentments, Respect, Respect & Recognition from our community, Respected person, Response, Reviews, Reviving the culture of reading and writing, revolution, Rumours, safe, Scared, Scripted, Scriptures, Sexual orientation, Sexuality, Sharing, Sharing knowledge, Silence, Smile, Solidarity, Solution, South Africa, South African Black Female Photographers, South African townships, Speaking for ourselves, Statement, Straights, Struggles, Struggling, Suffered, Supporters, Supporting each other, Supportive friends and families, Survived, Teachings, Tears, Texts, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Thankful, Time, Timing, together, Together we can, Togetherness, Touching, Transformation, Transparency, Trust, Tshona is a Zimbabwean language, violation of rights, Violence, Visibility, Vision, Visual activism, Visual activism is a language, 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 our lives, Visualizing public spaces, Visuals, We Are You, We Care, We love photographs, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, Weeping, When home is a crime scene, When Love is a Human Right, Where & Who is Justice?, Writing is a Right, Zimbabwe | 22 Comments

2014 Dec. 29: Reflection for the end of 2014

  2014 is fast drawing to an end. For some it has been a challenging year, while for others, it was smooth sailing. In all that has happened we need to thank God for the good and the bad that we … Continue reading

Posted in Achieve, Another Approach Is Possible, Archived memories, Articles, Creating awareness, Despair, Expression, God, Important, New challenge, Pain, Power of the Voice, Privilege, Proud lesbian, Proud to be, Public spaces, Queer visibility, Reality, Reason, Recognition, recognized, Reflection, Relationship with own body, Relatives, Remembering, Reminiscing, Reports, Representation, Representing, Resentments, Respect, Response, Reverend, revolution, Scripted, Scriptures, Seeing difference, Serve, Solution, South Africa, Spiritual activists, Strength, Thankful, Trust, Understanding, Visibility, Vision, Visual activism, Visual activism is a language, We Are You, We Care, We Still Can with/out Resources, Words, Worked for us, Writing is a Right, Writing matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2014 Dec. 7: My eight weeks at Market Photo Workshop doing FC

by Smanga Shange Being at Market Photo Workshop was the best thing that ever happened to me, not only did I learnt about photography, I also found myself a new family – my classmates, my first real contacts in the … Continue reading

Posted in ‘South African Photographer’, Culture of reading and writing, Facilitators, Facing You, Facts, He(ART), I am not the only one, I can't do it ALONE, I love photography, I use CANON, Incredible, Independence, Inkanyiso media, Penetrating mainstream spaces, Reminiscing, Sharing knowledge, Sharing thoughts, South Africa, Sponsored Foundation Course in Photography by Zanele Muholi, Stage, Thoughts, Time, Visual activism, Visual activism is a language, Visual Activist, Visual Arts, Visual democracy, Visual diaries, Visual historical initiative, Zanele Muholi | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

2014 Nov. 27: The night that was…

… with Miles Rutendo Tanhira (right) and Pendo James (left)  at SATS gym in Stockholm. Camera used:  Canon 6D with 50mm lens. © Photos by Zanele Muholi             Related links 2014 Nov. 27: “I am … Continue reading

Posted in Africans Abroad, Another Approach Is Possible, Baring, Beautiful, Beautiful faces, Beautiful people, Beauty, Black Queer & Gifted, Black Queer Professionals, Blackness, Bodies, Body Politics, Consent, Feminine, Friendships, From Harare to Stockholm, Healthy bodies, Masculinity, Muscle, Participant, Participants, Participation, Pendo James and Miles Rutendo Tanhira, Shona is a language, Stockholm moments, Swahili, Talented, Time, Together we can, Togetherness, Touch, Touching, trans-ing, Transformation, Transgender visibility, Transgender Voices, Transgenderism in Africa, Visibility, Vision, Visual activism, Visual activism is a language, Visual Activist, Visual Arts, Visual democracy, Visual diaries, Visual historical initiative, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2014 Oct. 29: Court Beat: Suspected lesbian killers remain behind bars

by Lerato Dumse Sthembiso Yende made her third appearance at the Tsakane Magistrates court on October 27, facing a charge of murder. The 20-year-old is accused of fatally stabbing Phumzile Nkosi (27) a lesbian mother of two boys. Sthembiso has … Continue reading

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2014 Oct. 21: SA Lesbian Feathers of the Year

  They are both South African lesbian icons. Most influential in different ways. Some of the commonalities between them is their sexuality and being born in South Africa during the ’70s. Bev from Soweto and Zanele in Umlazi township. About Bev … Continue reading

Posted in Acceptance, Awards, Bev Ditsie, Black Lesbian Icons in South Africa, Know Your SA Queer History, Knowledge, Language, Learning, Lesbian Professionals, Life, Life lived, Life Stories, Living, Living by example, Love, Love is a human right, Love is Queer, Loved, Lovely words, Media works, Memories, Moments in herstory, Moments in our history, My life in short, Our lives in the picture, Owning our bodies, Participation, Perception, photographers, Photographs, Photography, Power of the Arts, Power of the Voice, Privilege, Proud lesbian, Proud to be, Publications, question of history., Reason, ReClaim Your Activism, Recognition, recognized, Records and histories, Relationships, Respect, Respect & Recognition from our community, Respected person, SA Lesbian Feathers of the Year, Self love, Self portraits, Self recognition, Self-worth, Sexual orientation, Sexual Politics education in South Africa, Sexuality, Sexuality in South Africa, Sharing knowledge, Sharing thoughts, Social responsibility, South African politics, South African struggle, South African townships, Statement, Supporting each other, Survived, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Together we can, Togetherness, Townships, Trust, videographers, Visibility, Vision, Visual activism, Visual activism is a language, Visual Activist, Visual democracy, Visual historical initiative, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, Visual narratives, Visual Power, Visual sense, Visual Voices, We Are You, We Care, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, When Love is a Human Right | Leave a comment

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. 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

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2014 Oct. 2: Long trip to Cape Town from Johannesburg

Photo album by Nonhlanhla Maluleka (17) from Aurora Girls High – 2014 Photo XP young female photographers…   Passing De Doorns informal settlements on way to Cape Town       De Doorns II   Breasted mountains of the Western … Continue reading

Posted in 2014 Cape Town Fringe, 2014 Oct. 2 Cape Times article, 2014 Photo XP, Cape Town, Conference, Consideration, educator at Aurora Girls High School, Experience, Expertise, Exploration, Exposure, Expression, Facilitation, Facilitators, Facing You, Family, Feelings, Female being, Income generation, Independence, Inkanyiso media, Interpretation, Invisibility, Mainstream media, More than 67 mins, Nonhlanhla Maluleka, Power of the Arts, Power of the Voice, Presentations, Professionals, Questioning, Questions & Answers, Readers, Readings, Reason, ReClaim Your Activism, Recognition, Reflection, Relationships, relative, Remembering, Reports, Respect, Respected person, Reviving the culture of reading and writing, revolution, SA mainstream media, Seeing difference, Self love, Sharing knowledge, Sharing thoughts, Social responsibility, Society, South Africa, South African art, South African struggle, South African townships, South African Visual Activism, South African visual history through the eyes of young women, South African Youth, Speaking for ourselves, State of Art, Struggling activist, Students, Studying, Style, Stylish, Subject of Art, Support, Survivor, Teaching, Teaching young women photography, Testimonies from Aurora photographers, The Castle, Together we can, Togetherness, Translation, Transparency, Victim of hate crime, Videography, Visibility, Vision, Visual activism, Visual activism is a language, Visual Activist, Visual Activist in the classroom, Visual Arts, Visual democracy, Visual diaries, Visual history, Visual history is a Right not a luxury, Visual Language, Visual narratives, Visual Power, Visual sense, Visual Voices, Visualizing public spaces, We Care, We love photographs, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here | 4 Comments

2014 Sept. 28: An emotional farewell for the recent victim of hate crime

Text by Lerato Dumse Photos by Lindeka Qampi and Zanele Muholi   It is a Sunday morning and like in most townships, the streets of Daveyton township are a buzz of activity. Many carry bibles, making their way to different churches. In … Continue reading

Posted in "We'll Show You You're a Woman”, 'We live in fear', 1986-2014, 20 Years of Democracy, 20 Years of Democracy in SA, Activism, An emotional farewell for Lihle, Article, Brutal murders of black lesbians in SA, Daveyton, Documentation; Filming; Photography; Community, Documenting hate crimes, Documenting our own lives, Documenting realities of the townships, Farewell, Funeral, Gender Equality, Gender expression, Gender naming, Hate crime, Hate Crimes, Hate crimes Victims names, He(ART), Human rights, Humiliation, Hurt, Identity, If not documented, In memory of Lihle Sokhela, Independence, Influenced, Inkanyiso media, Institution, Intellectualism, Interpretation, Intervention, Interviews, Invisibility, Issues, Jealousy, Know Your SA Queer History, Knowledge, Lack of Resources, Language, Learning, Legacies of Violence, Lerato Dumse, Lesbian Love Is Possible in South Africa, Lesbian Youth, Lessons learnt, LGBT community, lgbti, LGBTI community, Liberation, Life, Life is a production..., Life Stories, Lihle Sokhela, Lindeka Qampi, Lindeka Qampi sharing her PhotoXP experience to Valerie Thomas, Living, Loss of parents, Loss to the black lesbian community, Lost Lives, Love, Love is Queer, Loved, Lovely words, lover, Loving, Mainstream media, Mainstreaming our queer issues, Mally Simelane, Memories, Memory, Moments in herstory, Moments in our history, Motivation, Mourning, Murder suspect, murdered, Networking, Open relationships, Organizations, Organizing, Our lives in the picture, Ownership of the self, Owning our bodies, Participants, Penetrating mainstream spaces, Perception, Photo album, Photo Expressions, photographers, Photographs, Photographs from the funeral, Photography, Photography as a therapy, Politics of existence, Politics of geography, Politics of representation, Power of the Voice, Previous life stories, Privilege, Professional black lesbians in South Africa, Proud lesbian, Queer & Straights, Queer Africa, Queer Africans speaking for themselves., Queer Power, Queer South Africa, Queer texts, Queer visibility, Queer Youth, queerity, Questioning, Questions and Answers, Readings, ReClaim Your Activism, Recognition, recognized, Records and histories, Reflections, Relationships, Religion, South Africa, South African Council of Churches, Supportive friends and families, Survived by aunts and brothers, Survived by..., Survivor, Teaching, Textualizing Our Own Lives, Together we can, Togetherness, Townships, Unemployment, Uthingo - The Rainbow, Victim of hate crime, Victims, videographers, Videography, Violence, Visibility, Vision, Visual activism, Visual activism is a language, Visual Activist, We Care, We love photographs, We Love Photography, We Still Can with/out Resources, We were (t)here, Women's power, Women's struggles, Women's Work, Women; Voices; Writings; Education; Traditions; Struggles; Cultures, Womenonwomen, Words, Writing from court, Young Women and Visual Activism, Youth, Youth voices, Zanele Muholi, Zulu is a language | 5 Comments