Can white people be black? These four women say they are

Cultural appropriation has been a growing concern in the black community. The damaging part of this notion is the blood, sweat, and tears produced from the intellectual and physical labor of blacks worldwide are often sought, replicated and yet not credited to blacks. 

One case in point is African designs being seen on American runways without proper credit given to the originators. Another side of this coin is “Transracial” individuals – those who are born as a particular race yet identify with another lineage.

The following women although, born white, “identify” as black.

Martina Big

German-born Martina Big has radically changed her appearance. She now self-identifies as a “Black German.”

Beginning her transformation in 2012, Big has had her legs, waist, and hips narrowed, several breast augmentations, lip injections and then a procedure that has caused her skin to darken over time.  In 2017, Big officially changed her race with the German government to Black.

Rachel Dolezal

Now known as Nkechi Amare Diallo, the former Africana studies teacher and civil rights attorney caused much banter in 2015 for stepping down from her position as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s Washington state chapter president.  Dolezal also referred to as Diallo led her chapter members and others to believe that she was African- American and lied about other aspects of her background.  She was outed by her parents as being fully White and subsequently, she resigned as NAACP president of the Spokane, Washington branch.

She also lost her positions as an instructor of Africana studies and police ombudsman commission over a “pattern of misconduct.”

Since then, Diallo has worked as a hairdresser and in 2017 it was reported that she was homeless and using government subsidy programs as a means of survival.

A Netflix special titled “The Rachel Divide” documents Diallo’s journey since she revealed that she identifies as black; it’s due to premiere on April 27th. 

Filmmaker and the brains behind the before mentioned project Laura Brownson stated, “Regardless of how people feel about Rachel, I hope the film will challenge audiences to think more deeply about race and identity in America.” 

Whoa Vicky

The Instagram socialite is notorious for claiming that “thug life” and dropping N-bombs left and right.

Named Victoria Waldrip, she caused an uproar when after a brawl at the four seasons mall in Greensboro, North Carolina, she was arrested. She then proceeded to include on an IG post of her mug shot, #blacklivesmatter despite the police report confirming her arrest lists her as white.

Waldrip has some fuming by claiming to be “25 percent white and 45 percent black,” selling hair weave, rapping, twerking – activities that generalized as things “black people do.”

Iggy Azalea

The Australian rapper has been accused of jacking hip-hop culture. Born Amethyst Amelia Kelly, Kelly migrated to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a rap career.

Settling in Miami, Houston, then Atlanta, Azalea raps with a southern U.S. accent; very unfamiliar from an Australian accent.

Azalea has gotten heat from A Tribe Called Quest‘s Q-Tip when he asserted that she “picked and chose from black culture but ignored larger issues.” Underground rapper Azalea Banks also brought Azalea to task for her landing the 2012 XXL freshman cover; Banks stated: “how can you endorse a white woman who called herself a ‘runaway slave master’?”

You can’t deny what individuals identify with, however, one thing is clear, no one can deny their history.

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MY FAMILY MEMBERS, FRIENDS IN ETHIOPIA NOW WEAR NIGERIAN DRESSES BECAUSE OF ME —ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES BOSS CONFESSES

Pretty and delectable Firiehiwot Mekonnen is the General Manager of Ethiopia Airlines in Nigeria.Before rising to her new position, the mother of one was head of traffic and sales in Abuja. Firiehiwot Mekonnen In the wake of the news of Ethiopia Airline powering with an all female crew of pilots, engineers and cabin crew members in an international   flight from Boles International Airport Addis Ababa to Lagos,   she speaks of the massive responsibility of managing   ET’s huge business of five daily flights to and from Nigeria   and her love for and relationship with the country. She also speaks about the new ET policy of empowering women to be the very best of what they could be and other issues. What was your first impression about Nigeria upon your arrival? My first impression about Nigeria was very nice and very beautiful.

 Nigerians are very enterprising people. They are very happy and bubbly with energy. I like that. They can start up a conversation with  you   even when they do not know you. Did you hear any stories about the country before your arrival? Yes I heard a lot about Nigeria before my posting that Nigeria is Africa’s giant with lots of blessed resources. I also heard some crazy stories about how Nigerians act. I have since found out that most of the stories are exaggerated. Yes to some outsiders, Nigerians are different but Nigerians are one of the most welcoming people I have met. Did your real impression fit into the stories you heard? In fact the impression I got once I came to Nigeria was different from what I heard. I came to really connect with Nigeria and Nigerians. I eat Nigerian food, dress in Nigerian attire, participate in different social gatherings. All these and others doubled my love for the country and its people who are really friendly. I cannot describe how it feels to attend Nigerian parties and events. It is so colorful. Are there Nigerian foods, culture and traditions including fashion that you connect with? I love Nigerian food. In fact, I go out with friends to Nigerian restaurants. I love the culture of friendship and family ties too. The attires are really different and I have quite a number of Nigerian national dresses because they are beautiful, colorful and graceful. I feel happy whenever I wear them. Even my family members and friends now have Nigerian dresses. I have been exposed to the richness of Nigerian culture and its people, Nigerian films (Nollywood) and the music. Do you know that Dangote has become a household name in Ethiopia since he built one of his factories in Ethiopia? There are very few women managing many big organizations including airlines like you; do you see this development as a change from the norm and a win for women in the world and especially in Africa? I see the world as continuously changing as to give more opportunity to women to become more leaders at the top of organizations and this is already proving itself by the way of increased productivity and improved efficiency Ethiopian Airline, the leading aviation group in Africa is taking the leading path in making this come true. One of the value statement of Ethiopian Airline is “ equal opportunity, employer committed to diversity and fairness” So you can see that this is happening already. 

ET has given women the chance to be pilots, engineers, ground handlers,   aviation instructors, regional and country managers. If you come and see the biggest aviation Academy in Africa is in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia you will see lots of women studying these fields from all over Africa countries. ET did an amazing thing recently when it launched an all women crew; do you see this as also one of the winning ways for African women? ET brought the all women operated flight to Lagos on December 16, 2017 to show that women can do anything and to show that Nigeria can be a leading country that empowers women. This all women operated international flight was the first in Africa and it got applause from all corners of the world. 

Again on March 8, 2018,  ET will do another all women operated flight to one of our new international destinations   Buenos Aires, Argentina. This is intended to inspire African girls. This very bold statement is very important. Could you make an assessment of ET business in Nigeria and Africa in general? ET the only SKYTRAX 4 star airline in Africa is now flying to five destinations in Nigeria everyday including to Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna, Kano and Enugu. It airlifted the highest number of international passengers out of Nigeria in 2017 according to NCAA analysis. 

This is history; that an African airline carried the highest number of passengers in another African country. We are happy that we were able to defend Africa in this rating. Even during the closure of Abuja airport, ET was the only international airline that agreed to fly Kaduna Already we are seeking partnerships with other African countries to strengthen their capacity to thrive like us. We are doing this in Togo, Malawi, Zambia, and more recently in Guinea. We fly to over 100 destinations worldwide with the most modern fleet of Boeing B787, Dreamliner B777 and Airbus A350. With our vision 2025 strategy, we are opening up more international routes in the next six months including to Geneva Switzerland, Buenos Aires Argentina, Nosybe Madagascar, and Kisangani DRC.





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A TEACHER TELLS HIS CLASS NOT TO DATE AFRICAN-AMERICANS 'BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT WORTH IT'

A teacher tells his class not to date African-Americans 'because they are not worth it'

(CNN) A Florida teacher has been suspended after his school district concluded he repeatedly used the N-word in class, and told his 7th and 8th graders not to date African-Americans "because they are not worth it," among other violations. David Swinyar, who says he is white in his personnel, teaches math at Kernan Middle School in Jacksonville. The school has 1,148 students — 22.6 percent of whom are African-American.

Just after lunch on October 6, 2017, a student told a school board investigator that their teacher, Swinyar, and students were discussing relationships.

"If your boyfriend says bad things to you and/or treats you wrong, that means he's acting like a n-----," Swinyar said according to student testimony in a school district investigative report. "You all should not be dating all these different African-American boys because they are not worth it."

A separate incident

In what appears to be a separate incident covered in the investigative report, students said Swinyar made other racist remarks in August 2017.

According to the report, Swinyar used the N-word during an argument with a student.

"If my daughter was dating someone who used the 'f' word, I wouldn't have any respect for that n-----," a student recalled Swinyar saying, according to an investigative report. Another student then confronted Swinyar about using the racial slur; he denied using it.

The school counselor, quoting a student, reported that Swinyar said, "If [Swinyar's daughter] was dating someone and that 'n' said the 'f' word, I would beat him up."

After he was confronted by a student, other students said Swinyar said, "I would never say that, but if I did, I am sorry."

A 10-day suspension

Swinyar reportedly said he attended an African-American church, and students said he made fun of the preacher's preaching style. The district also concluded in the report that Swinyar made inappropriate comments to students, such as calling some of them "dumb."

CNN reached out to Swinyar for comment, but has not yet received a response.

Florida's teacher union, the Florida Education Association, declined to comment on the situation Thursday.

"One of the FEA's core values is to 'value and respect the diversity among all individuals,'" said FEA communications director Sharon Nesvig, when asked for the organization's general policy on racist language in the classroom. "So, clearly FEA is opposed to using racial slurs and derogatory language inside or outside the classroom."

Swinyar received a 10-day unpaid suspension for the behaviors documented in the district's investigation. CNN affiliate WFOX-WJAX reports Swinyar will also get a letter of reprimand and a mandatory referral to the Employee Assistance Program.

After this story was published, CNN was sent a letter Duval County Schools Superintendent Patricia Willis sent to the school board members on Thursday afternoon. That letter further outlined what the district plans to do with Swinyar.

"Following the employee's suspension without pay, he will be reassigned to an appropriate district position with no contact with students for the remainder of the year," said Willis. "As an annual contract employee, Mr. Swinyar's employment contract with the district expires June 30, 2018. In May, recommendations for contract renewals for all annual employees will be considered."

Records indicate Swinyar has taught in the Duval County school board system since 2012.

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US TELLS AFRICAN COUNTRIES TO WEIGH CHINESE LOANS CAREFULLY

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Thursday that African countries should weigh Chinese loans carefully, while adding that Washington was not trying to keep Chinese investment away from the continent.

Tillerson, a former Exxon chief executive, is seeking to bolster security alliances on a continent increasingly turning to Beijing for aid and trade.

He may also seek to smooth relations after US President Donald Trump reportedly dismissed some African nations as “shithole countries” in January. Trump later denied making the comment.

“We are not in any way attempting to keep Chinese dollars from Africa,” Tillerson told a news conference in the Ethiopian capital during his first diplomatic trip to the continent.

“(But) it is important that African countries carefully consider the terms of those agreements and not forfeit their sovereignty.”

He arrived in Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous nation, on Wednesday and visited the African Union headquarters on Thursday. The complex was fully funded and built by China and is seen as a symbol of Beijing’s thrust for influence and access to the continent’s natural resources. 

The top US diplomat’s comments followed a speech earlier this week in which he criticised “China’s approach” to Africa which he said encouraged dependency through “opaque contracts” and “predatory loan practices”.

CREDIT :

http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/US-African-countries-weigh-Chinese-loans-carefully/2558-4333588-11f3dg7/index.html

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