IANA Blog

  Blog Happy July, It definitely feels like it has been up-and-down as I help IANA get ready for the convention in August. During this month, I got to go to one of my friend’s events in Oakland. It was a Paint and Plant event. We get to choose our own pot and design it. I figured it would be fun to do, especially considering the last time I planted anything was in Elementary school. My friends from an organization known as the Committee for South African Solidarity were planning this event all week, along with another friend from high school. They had plenty of donated flowerpots, plants to plan, soil to use, along with paint markers for the painting. I already knew what I was going to design for my flowerpot. I also wanted my pot to represent me and my views a little bit. The first part of the design is the continent of Africa. I then divided it into the Pan-African colors Red, Black and Green. Of course I added Africa, because that’s what I am, but I also added the Pan-African co...

  Blog Happy June, Also, Happy Juneteenth and Happy Pride Month.  Similar to how I did my February Blog with Black History Month in 2022 and my March blog with Women’s History Month for last year, I figured I’d do something for Pride Month. I wanted to take some time to focus on some famous LGBTQ Nigerians. I also thought about doing this, because back in 2017, I helped make a short documentary that focused on Black masculinity from the POV of two straight black men, a straight black woman, a gay black man and a transgendered black man. Not all of the people I focus on are Delta/Anioma, but I think it’s still right to recognize them. Bisi Alimi Bisi Alimi, born Ademola Iyandade Ojo Kazeem Alimi, is a British Nigerian gay rights activist, public speaker, and blog writer. He gained attention for being the first Nigerian to come out on television. Alimi was born and raised in Lagos, to Idiatu Alake Alimi, a university clerk and Raski Ipaedola Balogun Alimi, a police officer. Afte...

  Blog Happy May, My May has definitely been busy so far…especially with Mother’s Day, to events that I’m a part of, to African Liberation Day, but I wanted to talk about something off-topic… …the Kendrick Lamar-Drake feud… Let me start off by saying one of my favorite hip hop artists in the industry today is Kendrick Lamar. Rising from the streets of Compton, California, Kendrick has been credited for bringing social commentary into his music, just like many other great hip hop artists. I’ve been a big fan of Kendrick, ever since listening to his first album Section 80 . I remember me and my brother playing that album whenever we would go out. I never got to listen to his EP or his mixtapes, but I did remember watching videos of him when he was younger, especially the video of him being passed “the torch,” by hip hop artist Snoop Dogg and other legendary West Coast hip hop artists. I stayed playing his three albums Good Kid M.A.A.D. City , To Pimp a Butterfly and DAMN wh...

  Blog Happy April, Hope y’all are getting ready for the convention in April. I wanted to talk about something different. As I mentioned a couple of blogs ago, I’ve been paying attention to what’s been happening in other parts of Africa, especially with Niger, Burkina Faso, Sudan and the Congo, but I wanted to focus on what’s going on in Senegal. Just recently, they elected a new president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye. He is the fifth President of Senegal, and won the election and took over from disqualified candidate Ousmane Sonko, who was elected as their Prime minister.  Diomaye was raised with left-wing views, as his father comes from the Socialist Party of Senegal. He is also a Pan Africanist. He is also planning to fight the economic stranglehold of France. Seeing this also leaves me with a smile on my face, as I see other parts of Africa, especially West Africa fighting back against the oppressors. One thing I did notice though, he is polygamous. He actually has two w...