Mending Divides: A Journey to Solidarity: Mending Historic Divides between Women of African Descent

Mending Divides is a transformative project developed by the African American Policy & Advocacy Group. The project was collaboratively created by Lori Person-Baynard (CEO), Fiona Baynard (Project Manager), and Tsitsi Michelle Zawaira (CEO, Masiv LLC). This project seeks to address the cultural divides among Black/Afro-descendant and/or African Women who are leaders within their communities, both at the grassroots and policy levels. The project aims to amplify their voices by both supporting and strengthening their influence on the global challenges affecting their communities.

At the initiative’s core is a deep desire to explore the myriad identities and experiences of Afro descendant women. Through a series of ten workshop sessions, facilitated by Lori Person-Baynard, these reflective discussions will center on Afro identity and the divides within our respective cultures and the broader Afro community. Participants will explore critical questions intended to excavate the consequential effects of these divides including questions such as: “Who am I to you, and why does it matter?”; “Where are you from and where are your people from?”; “What are you?”, among many other questions. The conversations will shed light on how Afro/Black women see themselves as well as their peers, which will ultimately draw attention to their complex (and sacred) identities across multiple cultures.

The workshops provide a women-centered space to examine uncomfortable truths about stigmas, biases, and stereotypes—both externalized and internalized, conscious and unconscious—that shape perceptions of the African/Black Woman. Participants will also investigate how societal vocabulary often defines them and their peers, and how this vocabulary differs depending on the community/culture, whilst simultaneously celebrating the languages that reflect their true selves. The overarching vision of Mending Divides is to spark and fan the flames of healing and vision building amongst women of African descent. Mending cultural divides is meant to promote as well as nurture the very sacred African/Black Woman experience. The outcome of each workshop will be shaped by the participants themselves, empowering them to engage with their identity work, the collective stories, and the broader goal of amplifying every woman’s voice.

Each workshop is opened by a speaker who shares their narrative in a way that is most meaningful to them. Then we hold discussions based on the topical questions provided by the facilitators. Our most notable speakers include the Honorable Ambassador Dr. June Soomer, former Chair of the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, and Tsitsi Michelle Zawaira (Unbowed Spirit), author of “Unzip My Skin.” Barbara Horne (Board Member, Athletes United for Peace) is vital to the project. Her technical expertise ensures that we can conduct this workshop with participants worldwide as smoothly as possible.

Mending Divides is currently a pilot program with participants of the open sessions of the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent and their network. We aim to expand this program to all African/Black Women worldwide who are leading their communities and are interested in mending cultural divides as well as networking locally and globally.