Sisterhood was the theme of the day‚ in celebration of International Women’s Day‚ as the University of Johannesburg hosted a packed public lecture on Women‚ Race and Revolution on Wednesday.
Sci-Bio Diversity Centre‚ based in Newtown in Johannesburg‚ had its auditorium packed to the brim‚ with people having even sat on the floor for the talk in celebration of the day which was formally recognised 100 years ago.
American Professor. Ericka Huggins who was part of the founding members of the Human Right’s Revolutionary Party‚ The Black Panthers‚ was the keynote speaker‚ alongside filmmaker Anita Khanna‚ a student activist and a union leader.
While the talk takes place on a day made to recognise women‚ Professor Huggins did not speak mainly about women but rather spoke on humanity and human rights.
It is also the centenary of the first day of the Russian Revolution. Women textile workers used the occasion of International Women’s Day to launch a mass strike and illegal marches that inspired others to participate in an uprising that led to the overthrow of the Czar.
Fast forward to this year‚ and women in the US and elsewhere have been protesting against US president Donald Trump’s perceived sexism.
Khanna gave a brief history on the day and the women’s right movement as an introduction to the evening.
She said that women continue to have problems where they are side-lined and subconsciously told to be seen less. “We are put in peripheral roles in leadership positions… our place in history gets erased‚” she lamented.
Khanna said that unfortunately women continue to experience sexual oppression.
“Sexual oppression is everywhere‚ it’s not like you can leave the office‚ for instance‚ and get away from it because it’s often the men closest to us that oppress us‚” said Khanna.
Professor Huggins‚ on the other hand‚ approached her talk under the greater theme of humanity and human rights‚ throwing in one of the Black Panthers mottoes‚ “All Power‚ to all the People“.
Huggins added that the struggle and the fight that continues to be fought by young people‚ especially those of colour‚ is not about the current people fighting it but for future generations‚ as the Black Panthers did.
“It’s important to remember as we struggle; the generations below us and the ones unborn — it’s not about us.”
The activist who was arrested for conspiracy‚ at age 20‚ and held without bail‚ three months after she had her daughter‚ said that the focus should be human rights‚ not civil rights because “Civil rights are the rights you deserve by law and human rights are the rights you are granted by birth”.
She currently does work with youth activists of the Black Lives Matter movement and emphasises that the youth are key to the revolution.
While admitting that she cannot speak on South Africa’s history‚ she believes that the struggle doesn’t change even if you change the place in which it happens. “It doesn’t matter the location we are in‚ we can use that location to free ourselves“.
- TMG Digital
'We must struggle for future generations' - Women unite to fight oppression
Sisterhood was the theme of the day‚ in celebration of International Women’s Day‚ as the University of Johannesburg hosted a packed public lecture on Women‚ Race and Revolution on Wednesday.
Sci-Bio Diversity Centre‚ based in Newtown in Johannesburg‚ had its auditorium packed to the brim‚ with people having even sat on the floor for the talk in celebration of the day which was formally recognised 100 years ago.
American Professor. Ericka Huggins who was part of the founding members of the Human Right’s Revolutionary Party‚ The Black Panthers‚ was the keynote speaker‚ alongside filmmaker Anita Khanna‚ a student activist and a union leader.
While the talk takes place on a day made to recognise women‚ Professor Huggins did not speak mainly about women but rather spoke on humanity and human rights.
It is also the centenary of the first day of the Russian Revolution. Women textile workers used the occasion of International Women’s Day to launch a mass strike and illegal marches that inspired others to participate in an uprising that led to the overthrow of the Czar.
Fast forward to this year‚ and women in the US and elsewhere have been protesting against US president Donald Trump’s perceived sexism.
Khanna gave a brief history on the day and the women’s right movement as an introduction to the evening.
She said that women continue to have problems where they are side-lined and subconsciously told to be seen less. “We are put in peripheral roles in leadership positions… our place in history gets erased‚” she lamented.
Khanna said that unfortunately women continue to experience sexual oppression.
“Sexual oppression is everywhere‚ it’s not like you can leave the office‚ for instance‚ and get away from it because it’s often the men closest to us that oppress us‚” said Khanna.
Professor Huggins‚ on the other hand‚ approached her talk under the greater theme of humanity and human rights‚ throwing in one of the Black Panthers mottoes‚ “All Power‚ to all the People“.
Huggins added that the struggle and the fight that continues to be fought by young people‚ especially those of colour‚ is not about the current people fighting it but for future generations‚ as the Black Panthers did.
“It’s important to remember as we struggle; the generations below us and the ones unborn — it’s not about us.”
The activist who was arrested for conspiracy‚ at age 20‚ and held without bail‚ three months after she had her daughter‚ said that the focus should be human rights‚ not civil rights because “Civil rights are the rights you deserve by law and human rights are the rights you are granted by birth”.
She currently does work with youth activists of the Black Lives Matter movement and emphasises that the youth are key to the revolution.
While admitting that she cannot speak on South Africa’s history‚ she believes that the struggle doesn’t change even if you change the place in which it happens. “It doesn’t matter the location we are in‚ we can use that location to free ourselves“.
- TMG Digital
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