The Nyansapo Controversy
In an article published in the French magazine Libération, Maboula Soumahoro commented on the debate surrounding the Nyansapo festival.
The Huffington Post also covered the story. They write: "The Nyansapo Festival ― organized by the Mwasi Collective, an Afro-feminist group ― aims to be a safe space for black feminists to curate sociopolitical strategies to overcome marginalization and oppression. But the event ruffled feathers, with far-right and anti-racism organizations calling foul after it came out that most of the event’s activities would occur in racially exclusive spaces."
"The controversy over the Nyansapo festival reveals a "racial burden" on non-white women" writes Soumahoro. She defended the festival organizers, who faced backlash for the decision to hold certain events for black women only, saying, "they will meet to discuss and act without having to prove or justify themselves in any way. If this had been possible in other spaces, in mixed spaces, the needs would not have been expressed in this way."