Be deliberate
Greetings,
Seven things I thought are worth sharing:
How Did James Baldwin Become A 21st Century Influencer? Interesting piece on how James Baldwin “reduces nicely to Twitter, which may seem surprising for a writer of novels and long essays, but he had a knack for language that was well suited to oratory (which may be another reason why he’s so captivating as a speaker), and Twitter, while a silent medium itself, likes the pithy phrase that can “silence” a room.” I read Go Tell It On The Mountain in high school but realised, upon reading this, that I haven’t engaged with his writing much in recent years yet he continues to be on my radar regularly because of Twitter and Instagram.
A friend put me onto Tank and the Bangas recently, in particular their 2022 album Red Ballon. I’ve been going through their discography and found this NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert from 2017.
SAVAMA-DCI is an organisation that is focused on “the preservation and enhancement of the Timbuktu Arabic manuscripts that constitute the Islamic cultural heritage of Mali, Africa's collective memory and part of the World heritage.” Part of this is a project - The Timbuktu Manuscripts - with Google to scan and share thousands of books from this era online.
Documenting Africa’s history is important otherwise we will continue to be viewed through a colonial, Western lens. They were the world’s only all-female army. Their descendants are fighting to recapture their humanity.
A few years ago, I started a little journey into the world of productivity and how to work better. One of the books that stood out for me was BJ Fogg’s Tiny Habits
. I must admit that I have slacked a bit when it comes to following his methodology, Micro Habits: The Easy Route to Lasting Change may just be the thing to get me back on it.
I am getting a rhythm with my podcast Listen To Your Footsteps and recently published episode 21 with Ugandan actor, TV presenter and radio host Gaetano Kagwa, who I grew up with on the streets of Maseru, Lesotho. Recent episodes have included designer David ‘Slaying Goliath’ Tshabalala, communications entrepreneur Mimi Kalinda, photographer Lee-Roy Jason, DJ Kenzhero, and broadcaster Leslie Kasumba. Check them out and let me know who you love for me to chat to.
It’s been a year since I started writing a monthly column on cigars and one on motorcycles for Wanted Online. My two most recent musings are Essential Cigar Accessories and Hunting for the Ultimate Bike-Friendly Jeans.
That’s it for today. If you enjoy receiving the Zebra Culture By Kojo Baffoe newsletter but are not subscribed, please do subscribe.
I would also appreciate it if you shared with a friend who might also like it.
I also welcome comments, thoughts, etc. A big thank you to those of you who have sent me messages.
And if you would like a copy of my book Listen To Your Footsteps, it is widely available online and in bookshops (primarily in South Africa but also on Barnes & Noble and Amazon) both in digital and physical form.
Easy
Kojo