"We are turning our students into fugitives when we should be their first line of defense."

~ @mukomawangugi.bsky.social

“As a teacher, I do not see how we can call ourselves professors and allow our students to be arrested in our classrooms, or while driving, shopping, or walking down the street—arrested, in short, for being human.” My take on what is happening on campuses throughout the the US

Certainly a lot of things to talk about. If you are in or around Nairobi, please join me for this conversation with Abigail Arunga.

My New Year's wishes, may 2025 not make us look at back at 2024 with nostalgia coz that was a rough year. And may we continue finding strength and supporting those resisting nightmares of genocide and violence, and the centering of extremely dangerous rightwing politics.

The absolute bliss and terror of finishing writing a book (it is quiet now) – that final exhale and realization for the last number of years I have been holding my breath.

2025! In the words of K'Naan “I come prepared.”

The price of my speaking out on behalf of my mother in the Ngugi story was to be shunned by family. A total being cast out (shunning, I testify is a most effective tool :) But I go into 2025 believing silence should never be anyone’s 1st choice. brittlepaper.com/2024/03/the-...

"The inspiration behind Mkuki na Nyota lies in a lifelong understanding of the deep connection between liberation and language." Congrats to @MkukiNaNyota for being named @brittlepaper's Publisher of the Year, 2024. brittlepaper.com/2024/12/tanz...

Kenya! Happy independence day from Cuba. The work remains ahead for all of us but you are our country, our countries, our worlds. May we celebrate your next birthday on December 12th, 2025 with land, justice and freedom.

African indie publishers are crucial in the production of African lit. They identify critical missing pieces without having the cookie cutter of profit-and-all-else-be-damned approach of big publishers. With this prize, Cassava Republic Press does that for Black women's non-fiction.

The Arabic translation of The Rise of the African Novel: Politics of Language, Identity and Ownership joins it sisters and brothers for a book picnic at home. Makes me want to dine, wine, and dance at the table of translation.

This was my first published poem outside of school mags back in 1999 by Blue Milk, an Atlanta City lit mag. I was so excited. I grabbed all the free copies I could and distributed it myself, signing away for anyone within arm's reach. Your first piece, if you care to share? :)