Posted on 01/19/2018 8:53:23 AM PST by Red Badger
Accra, Ghana - They have come from the big cities of San Francisco, Chicago, and New York. Thousands of them. And many refuse to return.
A new wave of African Americans is escaping the incessant racism and prejudice in the United States. From Senegal and Ghana to The Gambia, communities are emerging in defiance of conventional wisdom that Africa is a continent everyone is trying to leave.
It is estimated that between 3,000 and 5,000 African Americans live in Accra, the Ghanaian capital. They are teachers in small towns in the west or entrepreneurs in the capital and say they that even though living in Ghana is not always easy, they feel free and safe.
Take Muhammida el-Muhajir, a digital marketer from New York City, who left her job to move to Accra.
She says she moved, because despite her education and experience, she was always made to feel like a second-class citizen. Moving was an opportunity to fulfil her potential and avoid being targeted by racial violence.
She told Al Jazeera her story: On life as a second-class citizen in the US...
"I grew up in Philadelphia and then New York. I went to Howard, which is a historically black university. I tell people that Ghana is like Howard in real life. It felt like a microcosm of the world. At university, they tell us the world isn't black, but there are places where this is the real world. Howard prepares you for a world where black people are in charge, which is a completely different experience compared to people who have gone to predominantly white universities."
I can't say what's happening in America today is any worse than what's been happening at any other time.
Muhammida el-Muhajir
On her first trip to Africa...
"The first country I went to was Kenya. I was 15 and travelled with a group of kids. I was one of two black kids. I saw early that I could fit in and wasn't an outsider. Suddenly it switched, I came from America where I was an outsider, but in Africa, I no longer felt like that. I did graduate school in Ghana in 2003 and went back to New York and then moved to Ghana in 2014.
"I have no connection to Ghana. Some people in my family did tests, and we found ties to Senegal and The Gambia, but I don't think you can ever figure it out. No matter where you were sold or left the port, Senegal or Ghana, no one can be certain where you came from."
No matter where you were sold or left the port, Senegal or Ghana, no one can be certain where you came from.
On leaving New York for Accra...
"Even when you live in a place like New York as a black person, you're always an outsider.
"You hear stories about the richest black people, like Oprah Winfrey, getting shut out of a store or Jay-Z not being allowed to buy [an apartment]. Those things happen. It doesn't matter if you're a celebrity, you're a second-class citizen. This was the biggest issue for me.
"In America, you're always trying to prove yourself; I don't need to prove myself to anyone else's standards here. I'm a champion, I ran track and went to university, and I like to win, so I refuse to be in a situation where I will never win."
You might not have electricity, but you won't get killed by the police either.
Muhammida el-Muhajir
On moving to Ghana...
"There are amenities that I am used to at home in New York - like parties, open bars and fashion, so when I realised I could do the same things in Africa as I could back in the US, I was sold. There is also a big street art festival here, and that was the difference from when I came [as a student]. I saw the things that I love at home here, so I decided that now is the time." On Ghanaian reactions...
"When Ghanaians find out that I live here, they're usually confused about why I chose to live here as an American. There is definitely certain access and privilege being American here, but it's great to finally cash in on that because it doesn't mean anything in America.
"There are also plenty of privileged Ghanaians; if you take away race there's a class system."
On the 'Blaxit' documentary...
"In my documentary, I chose five people that I've met since I've been here and every one of them went to a black college in the US. It's something that prepares you mentally to realise you aren't a second-class citizen. Something like that can help you make a transition to live in Africa.
"I made Blaxit because of this wave of African-Americans moving to Africa. This trend started to happen around independence of African countries, but the new wave [comprises] people who come to places like this. This new group has certain access in America and comes here to have that lifestyle in Africa.
"Unbeknown to us, we're living out the vision that [Ghanaian politician and revolutionary] Kwame Nkrumah set out for us, of this country being the gateway to Africa for the black diaspora.
"I don't want people to think that Africa is this magic utopia where all your issues will go away. It's just that some of the things you might face in America as a black person - you won't have to suffer with those things here.
"You might not have electricity, but you won't get killed by the police either.
"I want people to understand that they have options and alternatives. Most black people in America don't know that these options exist; they think they have to suffer because there's nowhere else to go. But no, there are other places." On the prospect of more African-Americans moving...
"I think more will come when they begin to see it as a viable alternative. But it's not easy and it's not cheap. I can't say what's happening in America today is any worse than what's been happening at any other time. I think now is the time that people are starting to see they can live somewhere else."
This interview was edited for clarity and length.
Trading incessant racism and prejudice for persistent malaria and ebola. To each his own, I guess.
Perhaps more adds on TV extolling the virtues of Africa is needed. After all, remember those adds about Belize!
Who knows! Maybe some for returning to England and Ireland!
I’ve been to Africa. Instead of police there are usually soldiers. Low paid, with automatic weapons and usually high. Thy supplement their income by shaking down folks that may have looked like they might do something wrong. And everyone is black.
Whenever leftists say they are going to leave the USA because of Trump or whatever, they only ever consider the whitest places on earth. Australia, New Zealand, somewhere in europe, maybe scandanavia. NEVER mexico, africa, etc.
They are really very happy when i point out they are only considering the whitest places on earth
Wow, the lady sounds like a loser.
They don’t have cops over there
They have drug/war lords
The cops are just security for the drug/war lords.
ROTFLOL, ... Puleeezz don't let 'em come back, or word might get out that this is a so fake story only morons would be such suckers!
How about free one way airplane tickets..?
This would be the cheapest and most effective social program we ever had!
We could start Fund Me programs for those ready to leave!
From the National Review: "...Last year, according to the Washington Post’s tally, just 16 unarmed black men, out of a population of more than 20 million, were killed by the police. The year before, the number was 36. These figures are likely close to the number of black men struck by lightning in a given year, considering that happens to about 300 Americans annually and black men are 7 percent of the population. And they include cases where the shooting was justified, even if the person killed was unarmed..."
So, we can recast the comment above in a less idiotic, stupid, and racist manner to appropriate reflect the situation.
"...You might not have electricity, but you won't get killed lightning either..."
I went to Howard, which is a historically black university.
Good education.
...despite her education and experience, she was always made to feel like a second-class citizen.
And yet...
...I chose five people that I've met since I've been here and every one of them went to a black college in the US. It's something that prepares you mentally to realise you aren't a second-class citizen.
Maybe Howard wasn't such a good choice after all if she didn't come to the same realization.
Cue Curley Bill
Black or not, based on the smug, arrogant, self-righteous tone of their comments I suspect these folks will burn out there welcome with the locals in short order.
They will then become American-Africans.
I hire an American black man for housework for $20/hout. He says as an American he wouldn’t dare travel to several black-run countries.
I have been telling people for years, and had the discussion last night with friends: The most poisonous and dangerous things to black people are:
1.) Other Black people
2.) American Black Culture
Howard prepares you for a world where black people are in charge,
...
Sounds racist to me.
The truth is they do not have the political/ social infrastructure and philosophical evolution that America has reaching back to the Magna Carta.
That is why Africa is in total disarray. The main stream is still tribal oriented as they have billions (lol) of years of their system “working”. They also suffer the tribal rooted barbaric and piratical 7th century islam.
Combined, they will be their largest anchor preventing success.
Just like Baltimore, DC, Detroit...
Africans generally don’t care for “African-Americans”.
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