image via on Instagram
The #EndSARS protests in Nigeria have galvanised a new generation of Nigerians and I am hopeful for the potential to harness the energies unleashed during the period to begin the difficult process of creating something different as we craft a new future for ourselves.
What I left unsaid in the podcast episode is the fact that part of building alternative futures starts with being able to imagine them. Through art, films, plays, books, music. Stories. We must begin imagining bright futures that are collective not individual. We must provide alternatives to the collective dystopias that have become so easy to imagine and believe in. We must find bright futures that we can believe in ourselves.
At Newtype, the direction that I have decided to follow is Solarpunk. Solarpunk appeals to me primarily because it is so amorphous, it supports a multitude of interpretations. I will be sharing a lot of the output of Newtype in this vein - along with some proposals for experiments not just in Nigeria, but all over the world - in the coming weeks, and I look forward to engaging in these things with all of you.
Links
Feminist Coalition (Instagram); Feminist Coalition (Twitter); Feminist Coalition (website)
Papa Omotayo on Instagram
Atedo Peterside interview on Arise TV - Nigerian businessman speaking about young people mobilising for the elections in 2023. He focuses on political activism and activity.
Dutch Design Week Talks: Connected Living - I also participated in a talk hosted by Seetal Solanki’s Ma-tt-er earlier this week called Material Therapists. It was a spot of fun, design related work in the midst of all this chaos. Do check it out!
What I am reading/watching/playing/listening to
Nassim Taleb - “Small is Beautiful - but Also Less Fragile” - Nassim Taleb speaks on “antifragility” at NYU. Great talk, have a notebook and pen handy!
Defining Sovereignty with Jordan Greenhall - I might have shared this topic before, but I think it is worth reiterating. This is a very short snippet explaining his version of sovereignty in particular, but the whole podcast is worth listening to.
Re_ It Takes A Future to Fight a Future with Scott Smith & Susan Cox Smith - Great talk with the couple behind the book “How to Future”. Part of the Re_ festival hosted by the Department of Dreams.
Re_ What is a constitute with Pat Kane - Another great talk from the Re_ Festival. I love this concept of a “constitute” as compared to “institute”. I have been trying to develop something similar under the concept of the “manifold” and other organisational investigations in collaboration with Carmen Ho and hopefully more people soon.
Please stay safe wherever you are in the world and remember to take care of yourself.
image via
Newtype Vocab #11 - #EndSARS