It’s a strange time to be African in the U.S. or should I say, it’s a great time to be African in America. I was sitting in Starbucks in Philadelphia and heard them playing “On the low” by Burna Boy and I looked around like, “Where am I?” Oh yeah! Africa is IN now… African music, African clothing, African dance moves, visiting Africa, going to live in Africa, you name it. It’s cool to be African in the U.S. in 2020.
But it wasn’t always the case. Many kids have been bullied at school for being African and I’m sure you’ve heard many jokes and sometimes insults geared towards Africans. It all makes me wonder how the change in the times affects how people feel about Africa.
Think about it, the trends in the past 40 years are changing our views of Africa and creating a new history for future generations.
Our societies and our environments influence how we feel and think about ourselves and those around us. During the period of colonization and slavery, black people were made to think their civilizations, features, skin tone, culture, etc were not as valuable as those of people in the West. Today, placing value on “Africanness” may be instilling the message that being African is cool and even desirable.
Yes, thanks Lupita Nyong’o, the whole cast and everyone involved in the making of Black Panther. (It is worth mentioning that Wakanda is fictional and not a real place). Africa does have real beauty, which is why I am giving you the gift below of beautiful places to visit in Africa.
Do you think it’s cool to be African in the U.S. in 2020? Why or why not?
Whoa-Fascinating!!
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