Black life at the intersection of birth and death | Mwende “FreeQuency” Katwiwa

"It is the artist's job to unearth stories that people try to bury with shovels of complacency and time," says poet and freedom fighter Mwende "FreeQuency" Katwiwa. Performing her poem "The Joys of Motherhood," Katwiwa explores the experience of Black mothers in America and discusses the impact of the Movement for Black Lives — because, she says, it's impossible to separate the two.

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52 Comments on Black life at the intersection of birth and death | Mwende “FreeQuency” Katwiwa

  1. I believe there is a police violence problem in your country.
    I believe women should have the right to end a pregnancy.
    And I think this girl isn’t oppressed.

    • All black females are systematically oppressed to some extent. She may not be broke or on the streets or wearing rags but you can bet that at points in her life she was defavourised for the colour of her skin or the fact that she was female or both. Plus she is a representative for those who like her but in worse conditions, she is speaking for them and to prevent their oppression because she has the opportunity for her words to reach a large number of people. She is using her platform well.

    • “defavourised” haven’t heard that one before. but being treated as less than —or rather, perceiving that you are being treated less than when in reality you likely aren’t, or at least not for the reasons you think—is not equivalent to being “systematically oppressed.” slavery, Jim crow, slave codes, grandfather clause. that’s systematic oppression. not this person mooching off the pain of the past—of people that actually went through horrible things—and trying to rip open old wounds that we have been healing ever since.

      and she represents no one and nothing. i’m tired of this identity politics BS. if youre black, you dont speak for all black people. if youre a woman, you dont speak for all women.

  2. So how did the speaker survive the horrors of living in America?
    My guess is education, wealth, and not involving herself in thug culture that permeates black communities.

  3. What about a black mother in Africa or other countries in the world? Genital mutilation and oppression of the female population contributes to a life of subservance. No freedom of speech or the opportunity to speak in a public forum without the risk of death! Living in the United States of America allows you to decide what happens to your body and gives you the right to speak in public and reach millions of people. Maybe we should work together with less anger and accusation for a solution and take responsibility for things we can change and be thankful for having those rights!

  4. I haven’t seen the video yet, and I am not going to. I am subbed to this channel to learn about the new and amazing things and people that I am sharing this world with, not to listen to BLM vocalists or mindless political BS.

  5. Solution: keep the father around, teach children to get a job, graduate high school, and don’t have kids until they are financially ready.

    • Of course yes, she would teach her child it’s wrong. This is a woman with high principles and standards. Her point is she would more importantly (for his safety) have to teach him about the harsher consequences for stealing. That it will likely cost him his life. that because of the color of his skin, her child cannot afford to make stupid mistakes like many kids do growing up, or even innocently hang out with the wrong crowd, because it will likely get him shot and killed, instead of the warning most teens get the first time they try something dumb. How many kids did you know growing up who shoplifted once. How many were reprimanded instead of hunted down and shot. These are things white parents don’t stay up at night worrying about. There are many concerns white parents have at night for their children, like all parents do, but getting shot by police over something small or a total misunderstanding or even nothing at all, isn’t top most on the average white parent’s worry list.

    • Olivia M oh stfu, your virtue signalling and white saviour complex isn’t impressing anyone. everything you said is bullshit and not backed up by data.

    • Then her world will crumble as she’s lying to herself and you can’t twist reality without it snapping back. Then she will either form a new lie to fit her previous lie, or perhaps find out her explanation of life and in particular this issue was a lie and seek the truth. Let’s hope it’s the last. Or even better let’s hope she finds truth without enduring tragedy.

  6. Ted has become a platform for leftist politics and ideologies. Used to be full of really open minded topics that provoked thought. If it doesnt include blacks, its “racist” and not “diverse”. Unsubbed.

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