If bravery had a face it will be her.
She is not the tallest of women folk, small in stature but presence so strong
it is difficult to ignore. She is of African descent and prides herself in the
pursuit of liberation and justice for women emancipation. She is D’bi young Anitafrika.
A Jamaican born and Toronto based storyteller
and playwright, she effortlessly identifies with language and racial difference
while addressing the focus of her work; female liberation.
There are a number of individuals
advocating change on behalf of women, but this lady goes about hers in the most
novel and unique of ways: storytelling. Passionate in her performance,
emotional in her thoughts, artistic in her formulation and carriage, she weaves
in detail and reality in the fine twines of art to project from an entertaining
perspective, what we ought to be educated about. Anyone could have done same.
Really? Anyone can capture an audience that cuts across different races with
spoken words that go to the deep of the soul while, occupying the stage with
the most unconventional stage performance costume? Not that many. I heard her
mutter words in a Nigerian language, I thought was Yoruba. Indeed, it was
Yoruba. Truth is, in difference and uniqueness she has not only addressed but
enlightened as many that cared to listen, and as far as her conspicuous outfits
go, those who couldn’t care less where drawn to listen. Child abuse, rape, chastisement
for being HIV positive- All these are love songs she likes to sing and her
choruses echoed on every stage she stood. Did I mention she has been on quite
few? Yes she has.
Why does she speak?
The little girl in the farms of the
suburbs whose mum had no idea ‘Uncle’ Mark was taking advantage of, Laura in
secondary school who as safe as she tried to live, fell victim to HIV and has
been despised even by those she called family and friends and Lebo who was
scarred as a result of rape just because someone thought it an effective war
tool, who speaks for them? (Watch a video HERE).
