At this next virtual event, we will focus on the different African traditions and cultures that existed before colonisation. This includes occasions for child-naming, dowry, weddings, divorce, circumcision, funerals, etc. We will also look at where we are still observing these rites and passages and which ones have been abandoned. The panel will educate us on the roles of people like spiritual healers, soothsayers and chiefs and elaborate how aspects like time, weather, food and gender were factored into these customs. We will be joined by the following 3 panelists:

• Mary Waweru is the founder of Crest Impact.

• Ify Okadigbo is a decolonial scholar-activist and Ph.D. researcher in Gender, Feminist, and Women’s Studies at York University, Toronto. Her research investigates decolonial perspectives in African feminism, gendered power, and spirituality. Her work reflects her fervent desire to critically examine the ramifications of the colonial encounter and its enduring legacies on the lives, aspirations, and future trajectories of African women in the Igbo and Hausa communities of Nigeria. Ify serves as a Co-editor for the Journal of African and African Diasporic Studies, (JAADS), is a committee member for the Ph.D. admissions process in Gender, Feminist, and Women’s Studies at York University, holds a student representative role within the Gender, Feminist, and Women’s Studies Association, and is Board of Director for the Nellie Langford Rowell Library at York University. Her work delves into the intersections of coloniality, African spirituality, and western religion, highlighting the resilience and adaptability of African women in navigating these spaces.

• Hope Nwosu is a Nigerian born author living in Finland for over a decade. She has Bachelor degrees from Nigeria and Finland and an ardent believer in the power of resilience even in the face of adversity. Hope is passionate about women empowerment and gender equality. Her debut novel, 'SoldOut' (2024) describes the generational impact of gender inequality and marginalisation of African women in the society. The characters in her book are described as survivors who take their destiny into their hands. They challenge the status quo and dare to rewrite their future against the limitations placed on them by society. Hope will focus on the place of women in pre-colonial African society and explain how, contrary to the assumption that they were subservient to men prior to westernisation, they played a complementary role by contributing significantly to the livelihood of their families and to the well-being of their communities.

  
  We seek to demystify and make corrections around African culture, show our diversity and demonstrate the value of receiving information directly from the source. Preserving many of our African traditions is vital for people who are unlearning anti-Blackness and decolonising in general. This will be our third monthly event. We skipped December to provide space for rest and time with family, friends, pets and loved ones. At these events, we aim to promote cultural, spiritual and racial inclusion whilst adding nuance to our stories and amplifying authenticity and psychological safety. We will continue to include the entire African diaspora to accomplish the following:
  
  ❇️ Educate
  ✳️ Decolonise
  ✳️ Promote unity
  ✳️ Combat racism
  ✳️ Show our diversity
  ✳️ Discuss challenges
  ✳️ Dispel harmful myths
  ✳️ Find avenues of change
  ✳️ Develop effective communication
  ✳️ Promote mental and spiritual health
  ✳️ Explore possibilities for meaningful partnerships