Positive Deviance
Positive deviance – the observation that in every community there are certain individuals or groups whose uncommon behaviors and strategies enable them to find better solutions (https://positivedeviance.org/)
The Women Kings of Africa
My Bachelor’s degree is in Pan African Studies. Many years ago as I thirsted to learn more about my African heritage and the stories of my ancestors before we became refugees in foreign lands, information was hard to come by. As I reveled in the novelty of watching not one but two pretty cool Netflix shows centering African women kings, I imagined how my younger self would have benefited from these stories in the development of my self-esteem and confidence. I thought about how implicit bias must be replaced with new information because implicit bias is the product or symptom of a much deeper problem, learned racism. To unlearn racism one must be re-educated and provided with accurate information, information that humanizes other people and displaces false information that’s been reinforced for way too long.
African Queens: Njinga on Netflix has brought to light a little-known (as far as the mainstream has been concerned) historical figure that defended her people from the insatiable lust for human chattel during the beginning of the transatlantic slave trade in the early 1600’s.
In the midst of this insurmountable loss this remarkable woman king navigates a path towards survival both on the battleground and in the boardroom so to speak. She learned Portuguese and attempted to negotiate peace. A savvy strategist, her story rewrites what we think we know about women’s history. Queen Njinga reminds us that women are powerful beyond measure with a herstory that surpasses our wildest imaginations. People fear what they do not understand and this month encourages all of us to take pause and revel in the genius and strength of the women that surround us.
Las Mujeres Reyes de África
Reinas africanas: Njinga en Netflix ha sacado a la luz una figura histórica muy poco conocida (en lo que se refiere a la corriente dominante) que defendió a su pueblo de la insaciable codicia de pertenencias humanas durante el inicio de la trata de esclavos transatlántica a principios del siglo XVII.
En medio de esta pérdida insalvable, esta excepcional mujer rey recorre el camino hacia la supervivencia tanto en el campo de batalla como en la sala de juntas, por
así decirlo. Aprendió portugués e intentó negociar la paz. Estratega astuta, su historia reescribe lo que creemos saber acerca de la historia de las mujeres. La Reina Njinga nos recuerda que las mujeres son desmesuradamente poderosas con una historia que supera toda imaginación. La gente teme aquello que no entiende y este mes nos anima a todos a hacer una pausa y deleitarnos con la genialidad y la fortaleza de las mujeres que nos rodean.