Afrikan Diaspora Narratives

The African diaspora is a diverse and rich tapestry of cultures, traditions, and histories shaped by centuries of forced displacement, colonial conquest, and voluntary migration. At De’ Calabash, we are committed to exploring this global legacy through authentic narratives that affirm the identities, experiences, and creative genius of people of Afrikan descent, wherever we may be.

We do not engage in diaspora wars. These conflicts, often shaped by imperial propaganda and internalized colonial logic, are unproductive. They distract us from the real work of liberation. We can challenge misunderstandings. We can clarify divergent worldviews. But we will not mirror the contempt, erasure, or hierarchy of the colonizer in our interactions with one another. Mimicking imperial voices is not a liberation practice; it is a reenactment of our oppression.

Instead, we center storytelling as a tool of resistance and reconnection. Through literature, film, music, and visual art, storytelling allows us to remember who we were before disruption and imagine who we can become beyond it. It fosters empathy, reclaims memory, and builds bridges across oceans and generations. By amplifying the real voices and lived truths of our people, we challenge the stereotypes, silences, and distortions that have long sought to flatten Afrikan identity.

De’ Calabash exists as a living archive of dialogue and dissent, a space where discussions about the Afrikan diaspora are rooted in care, respect, and revolutionary clarity. It is here that we unlearn colonial myths and relearn each other. It is here that we wrestle with complexity, uplift difference, and commit to building a future that honors our full humanity.

As we continue this journey of discovery, let us remember that representation is not decoration. It is a declaration. By honoring the fullness of the global Afrikan diaspora and celebrating cultures on the continent, and by refusing to pit kin against kin, and by embracing the diverse paths we’ve walked, we begin the collective work of healing, reimagining, and rising together.

Join us. Not in competition, but in communion.