Talks bridge two history months

In the transition from Black History Month in February to Women’s History Month in March, Keene State College brought a nationally recognized speaker and writer to talk with students and staff about her past and knowledge of both histories.

The Global Education Office, the Office of Diversity and Multiculturalism and Common Ground worked together in bringing Dr. Imani Tafari-Ama to KSC to speak with students on Monday, March 1 and Tuesday, March 2.

According to Dottie Morris, chief officer of diversity and multiculturalism, bringing a nationally recognized black woman to campus brings both Black History Month and Women’s History Month together and provides a transition between the two.
Tafari-Ama said she majored in journalism to establish a means of giving the disadvantaged a voice.

“Back in the day, when I did journalism, we placed some emphasis on developmental communication because we wanted to see how best to use media,” Tafari-Ama said. “Especially small media for enhancing the communication process with persons and especially with those who have experienced disadvantage and to see how to best use those media to improve lives and foster change.”

In her presentation, Tafari-Ama said she would go into the downtown areas of Kingston, Jamaica and speak with some of the disadvantaged individuals about what was really going on.

Tafari-Ama also said she sees her experiences as a Rastafarian woman as having opened her eyes to not only the small issues but much larger ones as well.
“That has been an evolving spiritual development and that also has given me a perspective on the angles from which to look at small developmental problems we experience in Jamaica but as African people,” Tafari-Ama said.

Having completed a master’s degree in women and development, Tafari-Ama said the degree was important to her, not only because it related to a passionate subject of hers, but also because it helped her to analyze problems.

According to Tafari-Ama, it was especially important because of the work she contributed to the women’s movement in the Caribbean.

“Women’s bodies are the battlefields,” Tafari-Ama said. “They are sometimes injured for proxy victims for men.”

Tafari-Ama said people should recognize the suffering and oppression of both black people and women throughout the year.

“If we developed a general perspective on con-interacting and removing these forms of oppression both black people and women experienced and addressed that from a constructive and discursive point of view, then I think we could advance our social relations in more equilateral ways,” Tafari-Ama said. 

Tafari-Ama said some of the topics discussed over the two days may make some students feel a little uncomfortable.

“Students may feel alienated from what it is that are of passionate concern to me. If you look at my history you can’t help but look at your history,” Tafari-Ama said.
In her presentations she discussed the connections between different races.
“Black people’s and white people’s history are intertwined in very uncomfortable ways,” Tafari-Ama said. “In ways that when I would probably put some issues on the table, students in a New Hampshire college would probably feel guilt and embarrassment and a great deal of discomfort. But I think those feelings are not to be discounted, they should be embraced.”

Throughout her presentations Tafari-Ama discussed identity politics and the violence that results in southern countries like Jamaica.

“Children there can even tell the type of gun just by hearing the sound of the gunshot,” Tafari-Ama said.

A reoccurring topic in her second speech discussed how black skin is associated with social misfortune. Tafari-Ama said brown skin is a sign of wealth and potential.
“Women will even use dangerous skin bleaching creams in order to lighten their complexion,” Tafari-Ama said.

A central message Tafari-Ama said she is trying to express to her audiences is that everyone needs to be concerned with the inequalities in the world.

“We need to question our own position of privilege. I don’t think we can all go through life without making some form of contribution to world peace and social harmony,” Tafari-Ama said.

Tafari-Ama said she hopes students walked away questioning everything.
“Question the things that make them feel good about themselves, question the things that make them feel bad about the world, question the things that they didn’t think they could do anything about,” Tafari-Ama said. 

Lindsey Arceci can be contacted at larceci@keeneeqinox.com.