[Music] hello everybody thank you for giving me
hello everybody thank you for giving me
hello everybody thank you for giving me your listening ears first of all I’d
your listening ears first of all I’d
your listening ears first of all I’d like to introduce myself my name is
like to introduce myself my name is
like to introduce myself my name is lungi some more but because you are my
lungi some more but because you are my
lungi some more but because you are my friends today you can call me lungi now
friends today you can call me lungi now
friends today you can call me lungi now I’m a cross a woman for a lot of people
I’m a cross a woman for a lot of people
I’m a cross a woman for a lot of people that may not know Kostas are a
that may not know Kostas are a
that may not know Kostas are a indigenous tribe in South Africa we are
indigenous tribe in South Africa we are
indigenous tribe in South Africa we are one of the largest tribes in South
one of the largest tribes in South
one of the largest tribes in South Africa we are very welcoming we are very
Africa we are very welcoming we are very
Africa we are very welcoming we are very proud of who we are and the women the
proud of who we are and the women the
proud of who we are and the women the clothes of women in my tribe look like
clothes of women in my tribe look like
clothes of women in my tribe look like this this is not a costume and some
this this is not a costume and some
this this is not a costume and some people have been asking how are you
people have been asking how are you
people have been asking how are you performing today no this is just me this
performing today no this is just me this
performing today no this is just me this is what I look like this is what the
is what I look like this is what the
is what I look like this is what the people of my country look like the
people of my country look like the
people of my country look like the people of my tribe look like this and as
people of my tribe look like this and as
people of my tribe look like this and as you can see I have dots and this is
you can see I have dots and this is
you can see I have dots and this is makeup for a lot of the women in my
makeup for a lot of the women in my
makeup for a lot of the women in my tribe we are the matriarch of the family
tribe we are the matriarch of the family
tribe we are the matriarch of the family we are very jovial
we are very jovial
we are very jovial we love family we love community and
we love family we love community and
we love family we love community and some notable South Africans you may know
some notable South Africans you may know
some notable South Africans you may know who are also part of my tribe are Nelson
who are also part of my tribe are Nelson
who are also part of my tribe are Nelson Mandela and Winnie Madikizela Mandela
Mandela and Winnie Madikizela Mandela
Mandela and Winnie Madikizela Mandela these are the faces of the fight for the
these are the faces of the fight for the
these are the faces of the fight for the freedom of South African people thank
freedom of South African people thank
freedom of South African people thank you
you
you and of course for those who may not know
and of course for those who may not know
and of course for those who may not know this is my wonderful mother the woman
this is my wonderful mother the woman
this is my wonderful mother the woman who has inspired me so much to drive
who has inspired me so much to drive
who has inspired me so much to drive what I am coming to speak to you guys
what I am coming to speak to you guys
what I am coming to speak to you guys today about so growing up when I was a
today about so growing up when I was a
today about so growing up when I was a young child like many other young women
young child like many other young women
young child like many other young women of color we used to play with Barbie
of color we used to play with Barbie
of color we used to play with Barbie dolls I’m pretty sure you’re all
dolls I’m pretty sure you’re all
dolls I’m pretty sure you’re all familiar with Barbie dolls and I used to
familiar with Barbie dolls and I used to
familiar with Barbie dolls and I used to love Disney dolls as well they were so
love Disney dolls as well they were so
love Disney dolls as well they were so beautiful they were very magnificent to
beautiful they were very magnificent to
beautiful they were very magnificent to me but they didn’t look like me but I
me but they didn’t look like me but I
me but they didn’t look like me but I always wanted to look like them in our
always wanted to look like them in our
always wanted to look like them in our libraries we had wonderful books we had
libraries we had wonderful books we had
libraries we had wonderful books we had Alice in Wonderland dr. Seuss Peter Pan
Alice in Wonderland dr. Seuss Peter Pan
Alice in Wonderland dr. Seuss Peter Pan and of course my favorite was Beauty and
and of course my favorite was Beauty and
and of course my favorite was Beauty and the Beast now these books were very
the Beast now these books were very
the Beast now these books were very great they were beautiful they inspired
great they were beautiful they inspired
great they were beautiful they inspired me to have a wonderful imagination but
me to have a wonderful imagination but
me to have a wonderful imagination but then again we didn’t have stories of
then again we didn’t have stories of
then again we didn’t have stories of girls and queens and and beautiful women
girls and queens and and beautiful women
girls and queens and and beautiful women who represented my culture I didn’t have
who represented my culture I didn’t have
who represented my culture I didn’t have any stories to share with any other
any stories to share with any other
any stories to share with any other young girls of color when I was in my
young girls of color when I was in my
young girls of color when I was in my teens I attended a school that offered
teens I attended a school that offered
teens I attended a school that offered English and Afrikaans as languages I
English and Afrikaans as languages I
English and Afrikaans as languages I needed these languages to pass my grade
needed these languages to pass my grade
needed these languages to pass my grade now when I enrolled my mother was very
now when I enrolled my mother was very
now when I enrolled my mother was very upset at the fact that I was going to be
upset at the fact that I was going to be
upset at the fact that I was going to be learning the language of our oppressors
learning the language of our oppressors
learning the language of our oppressors Afrikaans and this was required for me
Afrikaans and this was required for me
Afrikaans and this was required for me to pass my grade so when she protested
to pass my grade so when she protested
to pass my grade so when she protested and told the headmaster that my child
and told the headmaster that my child
and told the headmaster that my child will not be learning Afrikaans you need
will not be learning Afrikaans you need
will not be learning Afrikaans you need to offer her a different language they
to offer her a different language they
to offer her a different language they gave me French which was wonderful I
gave me French which was wonderful I
gave me French which was wonderful I managed to learn a new language now
managed to learn a new language now
managed to learn a new language now there are 11 official languages in South
there are 11 official languages in South
there are 11 official languages in South Africa two of which are English and
Africa two of which are English and
Africa two of which are English and Afrikaans and we have nine other
Afrikaans and we have nine other
Afrikaans and we have nine other indigenous and official languages that I
indigenous and official languages that I
indigenous and official languages that I was not offered I could not speak
was not offered I could not speak
was not offered I could not speak my mother’s tongue now another thing
my mother’s tongue now another thing
my mother’s tongue now another thing about post-apartheid we had a lot of
about post-apartheid we had a lot of
about post-apartheid we had a lot of high European standards in the schools
high European standards in the schools
high European standards in the schools and this meant that girls like me who
and this meant that girls like me who
and this meant that girls like me who had hair like this had to burn our hair
had hair like this had to burn our hair
had hair like this had to burn our hair with heat and to burn ourselves with
with heat and to burn ourselves with
with heat and to burn ourselves with relaxer this was required for us to
relaxer this was required for us to
relaxer this was required for us to attend school
attend school
attend school now this hair that grows out of my head
now this hair that grows out of my head
now this hair that grows out of my head was not allowed and was not allowed for
was not allowed and was not allowed for
was not allowed and was not allowed for other young girls like me now imagine
other young girls like me now imagine
other young girls like me now imagine going to school and you had to make sure
going to school and you had to make sure
going to school and you had to make sure that your hair looked a certain way
that your hair looked a certain way
that your hair looked a certain way because it was not accepted and to think
because it was not accepted and to think
because it was not accepted and to think of that you may have heard of women and
of that you may have heard of women and
of that you may have heard of women and young girls that are being protesting
young girls that are being protesting
young girls that are being protesting the same issue in South Africa right now
the same issue in South Africa right now
the same issue in South Africa right now it was actually even reported on CNN a
it was actually even reported on CNN a
it was actually even reported on CNN a few months ago ago called zuleyka Patel
few months ago ago called zuleyka Patel
few months ago ago called zuleyka Patel had said she has had enough of having to
had said she has had enough of having to
had said she has had enough of having to change the way her hair looks in order
change the way her hair looks in order
change the way her hair looks in order for her to attend the school so they are
for her to attend the school so they are
for her to attend the school so they are still protesting right now this is still
still protesting right now this is still
still protesting right now this is still a big issue girls cannot represent
a big issue girls cannot represent
a big issue girls cannot represent themselves with their hair now you gotta
themselves with their hair now you gotta
themselves with their hair now you gotta understand as well that this isn’t just
understand as well that this isn’t just
understand as well that this isn’t just the issue for South Africa this is the
the issue for South Africa this is the
the issue for South Africa this is the issue for many women of color who are
issue for many women of color who are
issue for many women of color who are not allowed the opportunity to to have
not allowed the opportunity to to have
not allowed the opportunity to to have an authentic space for their hair and
an authentic space for their hair and
an authentic space for their hair and for me stories like this now make me
for me stories like this now make me
for me stories like this now make me think hey when I was growing up I didn’t
think hey when I was growing up I didn’t
think hey when I was growing up I didn’t have the opportunities to to to give to
have the opportunities to to to give to
have the opportunities to to to give to be able to read and enjoy stories of
be able to read and enjoy stories of
be able to read and enjoy stories of amazing women of color this book called
amazing women of color this book called
amazing women of color this book called black history by Stefan Jones senior
black history by Stefan Jones senior
black history by Stefan Jones senior gives me and my daughters the
gives me and my daughters the
gives me and my daughters the opportunity to learn about magnificent
opportunity to learn about magnificent
opportunity to learn about magnificent women of color but then you also have to
women of color but then you also have to
women of color but then you also have to understand well why is it that women
understand well why is it that women
understand well why is it that women aren’t reprimand of color not
aren’t reprimand of color not
aren’t reprimand of color not represented in this manner this is
represented in this manner this is
represented in this manner this is because of the Sapphire caricature the
because of the Sapphire caricature the
because of the Sapphire caricature the sulfa caricature portrays women of color
sulfa caricature portrays women of color
sulfa caricature portrays women of color in a very derogatory and very negative
in a very derogatory and very negative
in a very derogatory and very negative manner we are either too bossy too loud
manner we are either too bossy too loud
manner we are either too bossy too loud too malicious or too angry and as dr.
too malicious or too angry and as dr.
too malicious or too angry and as dr. David pogrom said the Sapphire
David pogrom said the Sapphire
David pogrom said the Sapphire caricature portrays women of color as
caricature portrays women of color as
caricature portrays women of color as rude loud malicious stubborn overbearing
rude loud malicious stubborn overbearing
rude loud malicious stubborn overbearing angry do I look like that no as you
angry do I look like that no as you
angry do I look like that no as you remember even when Ghostbusters came out
remember even when Ghostbusters came out
remember even when Ghostbusters came out you had a situation where Twitter went
you had a situation where Twitter went
you had a situation where Twitter went mad because Leslie Jones as part of
mad because Leslie Jones as part of
mad because Leslie Jones as part of Ghostbusters she’s being compared to a
Ghostbusters she’s being compared to a
Ghostbusters she’s being compared to a gorilla
gorilla
gorilla now you have here Zuleika patel is a
now you have here Zuleika patel is a
now you have here Zuleika patel is a representation of women who are being
representation of women who are being
representation of women who are being grossly misrepresented in society we’re
grossly misrepresented in society we’re
grossly misrepresented in society we’re not being told that we can be beautiful
not being told that we can be beautiful
not being told that we can be beautiful we’re not being told that our history is
we’re not being told that our history is
we’re not being told that our history is part of world history it’s part of world
part of world history it’s part of world
part of world history it’s part of world history it shouldn’t be excluded we are
history it shouldn’t be excluded we are
history it shouldn’t be excluded we are women that are innovative we are women
women that are innovative we are women
women that are innovative we are women that are entrepreneurs we are women who
that are entrepreneurs we are women who
that are entrepreneurs we are women who hold high status in society but why
hold high status in society but why
hold high status in society but why isn’t that reflected why do we only know
isn’t that reflected why do we only know
isn’t that reflected why do we only know about women who are Western and European
about women who are Western and European
about women who are Western and European but we don’t know any of the other women
but we don’t know any of the other women
but we don’t know any of the other women of color who have done the same who have
of color who have done the same who have
of color who have done the same who have fought for women’s rights who have
fought for women’s rights who have
fought for women’s rights who have fought for amazing feet for women to
fought for amazing feet for women to
fought for amazing feet for women to even vote look at us we’re beautiful
even vote look at us we’re beautiful
even vote look at us we’re beautiful we’re doing amazing things were educated
we’re doing amazing things were educated
we’re doing amazing things were educated we travel we have sports we’re in the
we travel we have sports we’re in the
we travel we have sports we’re in the military my girl squad is inspired by
military my girl squad is inspired by
military my girl squad is inspired by women of color it is time for us to tell
women of color it is time for us to tell
women of color it is time for us to tell our own stories authentically and
our own stories authentically and
our own stories authentically and reflect ourselves in a manner that the
reflect ourselves in a manner that the
reflect ourselves in a manner that the world can also receive us as positive
world can also receive us as positive
world can also receive us as positive human beings imagine a world where women
human beings imagine a world where women
human beings imagine a world where women of color can now positively reflect
of color can now positively reflect
of color can now positively reflect themselves reflect their achievements
themselves reflect their achievements
themselves reflect their achievements and have young women of color feeling
and have young women of color feeling
and have young women of color feeling like they can actually have a chance
like they can actually have a chance
like they can actually have a chance without having to be stereotyped this is
without having to be stereotyped this is
without having to be stereotyped this is what my ghost squad is about we’re about
what my ghost squad is about we’re about
what my ghost squad is about we’re about community we’re about telling authentic
community we’re about telling authentic
community we’re about telling authentic stories to the world thank you everybody
stories to the world thank you everybody
stories to the world thank you everybody thank you for your ears
thank you for your ears
thank you for your ears [Applause]
”
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