by Louise Dunlap

Photo by Victor Dlamini

An awesome figure in the struggle against apartheid died on Friday, with too little attention from the US Press. Fatima Meer–scholar & writer, biographer of Nelson Mandela, continuing friend of Winnie, strategist and risk-taking activist since her teens–died in Durban at age 81. The South African and international press have covered Fatima’s life and independent thinking–her dozens of books, her founding of an Institute for Black Research in the very heart of apartheid, her dramatic history of bannings and detentions, her honorary degrees (some from US universities), her script for an Indian film of Gandhi’s South African years and her rescue of his possessions when his settlement was attacked. Among those who knew and worked with her, countless stories of Fatima’s bold contributions circulate. She deserves fuller attention in this country. (more…)

Photo by Nelson Maldonado-Torres

On February 26th-27th, 2010, I attended a free conference called “DECOLONIZING THE UNIVERSITY: Fulfilling the Dream of the Third World College,” which took place on the UC Berkeley campus. The purpose of the conference was to honor UC Berkeley’s 40th year of Ethnic Studies, communities of struggle and international peoples’ movements for decolonization. The act of decolonizing, simply put, encourages people to think outside the boxes that they’ve been given. It allows colonial people the right to self-determination in order to incite peace and solidarity. The conference hosted a gathering of visionaries in the form of students, academics, and community members. (more…)