VOICES OF FESTIVAL:African, African American or FBA ? What's Our Identity? Prof. James Smalls Pt. 1

African Americans, Continental Africans & The Question of Identity 🌍✊🏾 In Part One of this powerful two-part series of Voices of Festival, co-hosts Damien “Beware” Vanzant and Sakina Kennard sit down with world-renowned author, civil rights activist, and professor James Smalls to explore the growing conversations, disagreements, and misunderstandings surrounding African Americans and continental Africans living in the United States. From debates about civil liberties, access to opportunities, and programs established for descendants of enslaved Africans to the stereotypes and assumptions each group may hold about the other, this conversation examines the historical experiences that shape how we see ourselves and one another. We also explore another emerging conversation involving Foundation Black Americans—those who identify as a distinct people with roots in America that predate slavery and who challenge the assumption that their identity is defined solely by African ancestry or the history of enslavement. Where do these perspectives intersect, and where do they differ? Professor Smalls breaks down the often-confused concepts of racial identity, ethnic identity, and national identity, helping us understand how people can share aspects of their identity while describing themselves in very different ways. 🗣️🌍 Could it be that some of the disagreements we are having stem from using different words to express similar experiences, histories, and connections? Join us for an important, thought-provoking discussion about ancestry, belonging, history, and the language we use to define ourselves. ❤️✊🏿 #VoicesOfFestival #JamesSmalls #DamienBewareVanzant #SakinaKennard #AfricanAmericanIdentity #FoundationBlackAmericans #ContinentalAfricans #AfricanDiaspora #BlackIdentity #RacialIdentity #EthnicIdentity #NationalIdentity #BlackHistory #AfricanAmericanHistory #DiasporaConversations #CulturalUnderstanding #KnowYourHistory #BlackUnity #IdentityMatters #InternationalAfricanArtsFestival