Latest news with #Afrocentric
TimesLIVE
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- TimesLIVE
EMBO festival to celebrate Winnie Madikizela-Mandela through music, culture and debate
Soweto is about to come alive with the rhythms of resistance and the power of voice as the City of Johannesburg prepares to host the EMBO Festival, a two-day celebration honouring the legacy of one of South Africa's most iconic freedom fighters — Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. Taking place on June 7 at the Soweto Theatre, this festival is more than just a cultural event: it's a bold reimagining of how history can be remembered, retold and reclaimed. This year's theme places Madikizela-Mandela's Xhosa heritage and fearless activism at the centre of a powerful programme that fuses debate, live music and historical reflection. The event will feature artists such as Medudutsane Basadi, Lungiswa Plaatjies and Mr Vee Sholo . EMBO, meaning 'origin' or 'source,' is a project with a purpose: to move the stories of African heroes from the margins into the heart of public consciousness. Through an Afrocentric lens, the festival aims to unearth histories that have been overshadowed by colonial narratives, presenting them in vibrant and meaningful ways to a new generation.
The Star
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Finalists for 2025 Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards share their inspiring journeys
The 2025 Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards (YOBAs) have unveiled its lineup of finalists, celebrating youth-led brands that are making significant contributions to innovation, employment, and economic transformation across South Africa and the broader African continent. Spanning 17 diverse categories, from technology and agriculture to media, wellness, and fashion, these young entrepreneurs share their achievements and challenges with Saturday Star while on a path towards recognition and acclaim. Among the finalists is The Warehouse Boys, a brand that is revelling in the pride of being recognised as a youth-owned entity. Reflecting on their entrepreneurial journey, they describe it as both humbling and transformative. Reflecting on their entrepreneurial journey, they describe it as both humbling and transformative. 'The journey as an entrepreneur has been very humbling; there have been many challenges and lessons along the way. The highlight of it was when we decided to move our attention away from selling our products and focus on building a brand. We invested a lot of time and money into building a brand where our attention was more on building a name for ourselves, being in people's faces and having people ask, 'Who are these boy's?" and we believe that's what led to us being part of YOBAs.' Speaking about being finalists, they state, 'It's a great feeling, not only because we were nominated for an award, but what makes it more meaningful is that it's a youth-owned BRAND award, and like we stated earlier, we've spent a lot of time focusing on building a brand, and to be nominated as a youth-owned brand award made us feel like our efforts are seen and has encouraged us tremendously.' Among the standout finalists is Speakingdom, founded in 2018 by Mahlodi Kgatle, a passionate activist for social impact and eloquent speaker from Tembisa. Her story is one of resilience, as she recalls her humble beginnings providing free public speaking coaching to help young people conquer their fears. 'Building this business has been a faith journey. Looking back to when I started doing pro bono public speaking coaching for local public speaking festivals. I did it out of the fullness of my passion for helping young people overcome stage fright. Before e-hailing days, I would take a taxi to my clients venues, sometimes having to walk a few kilometres from the taxi drop-off point to the venue, take off my flat dusty pumps and put on my high heels as soon as I entered the premises, greet the security with a bold smile, and tackle my assignment.' Another inspiring contender, The Darkies in Tech, represents a vibrant and unapologetic Afrocentric community of tech founders, investors, and ecosystem builders. Speaking to the significance of the Youth-Owned Brand Awards, they assert, 'This platform shines a spotlight on impactful brands. Our work demands such attention to attract value-aligned and mission-driven partners. While we do not seek recognition as our primary goal, it serves as a reminder that we are doing important work," they note, reflecting the ethos of a community dedicated to progress.' Lesego Gumede who is also vying for the coveted title represents the entrepreneurial spirit thriving in townships with Sneaker Cleanic, a business dedicated to sneaker care, operating from its two branches in Pretoria. 'My journey hasn't been easy, but it's been incredibly rewarding,' states Gumede, attributing much of his success to tackling genuine community challenges. Gumede says lack of suitable sneaker cleaning products led him to manufacture his own, illustrating the ingenuity often born out of necessity. 'The TOP 16 Yoba platform is exactly what entrepreneurs like me need. We don't always get the attention we deserve, but we have impactful stories to share.' Pat Mahlangu, the founder of the YOBAs and Lerato Agency, articulated the essence of the awards, detailing the aim not just to celebrate outstanding achievements but to inspire others within the youth community to pursue their entrepreneurial ambitions. 'This platform continues to grow into a powerful movement that validates the efforts of young Africans who are reshaping the business landscape,' said Mahlangu. [email protected] Saturday Star
News24
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
Gaisang Noge, Slee Ndlovu and more rocking bald heads and short hair
We're used to seeing good hair days defined by big afros, sleek installs, and perfectly styled edges, but sometimes, a good hair day can mean having little to no hair at all. There's something powerful about baring it all, when you go bald or rock a short cut, you fall in love with your face all over again. The cheekbones, the jawline, the raw beauty that hair can sometimes hide steps into the spotlight. Whether you're starting afresh, shedding something old, or just switching it up for the fun of it, bald heads and short cuts bring their own kind of glam. Here are a few celebs showing us just how beautiful less can be. Celebs rocking bald heads 1. Gaisang Noge in bald glam Her bald head elevates the entire aesthetic, drawing full attention to her glowing skin and expressive eyes. Her glossy lips and softly blended eye shadow are complemented by orchid-like flowers in the last slide of the Instagram post below, adorning her ears and giving a natural, high-fashion elegance. The absence of hair amplifies her bone structure and allows every detail, from the floral accessories to the sculptural neckline of her outfit, to take center stage. View this post on Instagram A post shared by thickleeyonce@ (@thickleeyonce) View this post on Instagram A post shared by thickleeyonce@ (@thickleeyonce) 2. Shudufhadzo Musida's power in bare In this radiant look, the bald head exudes strength and serenity. The absence of hair draws the eye to her glowing skin, soft makeup, and sculpted facial features. It strips away distraction, creating a minimal yet powerful visual impact. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shudu Musid?a (@shudufhadzomusida) 3. Nomuzi Mabena's crown in bare Rocking a leather patchwork crop top, her striking bald head amplifies the entire ensemble. It draws attention to her glowing skin and sculptured features. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nomuzi Mabena (@moozlie) Celebs rocking short hair: 4. Slee Ndlovu's modern boss lady cut The short pixie cut with soft waves and defined edges has sides sleeked with a smooth fade into the curls on top, giving it a polished look. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Slee Ndlovu (@slee_thebosslady) 5. Zozibini Tunzi's power and poise The hairstyle features a neatly trimmed high-top fade with short, natural curls on top and a clean, tapered fade on the side. It's minimalist and highlights her facial features. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Zozibini Tunzi (@zozitunzi) 6. Nandi Madida's modern afro revival It is a classical high top afro with a sharp undercut and clean line detailing on the side. It pays homage to vintage Afrocentric style with a modern twist. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nandi_Madida ???? (@nandi_madida)
CBC
10-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
N.S. announces clean energy funding for new Black business hub
The Nova Scotia government is investing in a new facility for African Nova Scotian businesses that will use clean energy. Twila Grosse, the minister of African Nova Scotian affairs, announced Wednesday that more than $100,000 has been awarded to Akoma Holdings for the space that's to be built in Cherry Brook near Kinney Place, a Black business and community hub that the non-profit opened in 2022. The cash is coming through the sustainable communities challenge fund, which supports community efforts to reduce or remove greenhouse gas emissions. Veronica Marsman, the property manager of Akoma, said in an interview that since the organization repurposed the Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children in 2022 to create Kinney Place, other Black and African Nova Scotian businesses have been looking for space to operate. Marsman said since Kinney Place opened, it's been "packed" with business, so much so that she had to move her own office so that space could be rented out. "I have nine organizations and businesses tapping at the door saying, 'Hey, we'd like to be in this space' … so we're looking at building a second business hub," she said. New space will have 'Afrocentric flair' She added that once the new space is completed, it "might look different than your traditional business hubs elsewhere," complete with "Afrocentric flair." It will also serve as a centralized space for the three historic Black communities that are nearby. As for the energy efficiency piece, Marsman said the funding from the government will be used to assess the best ways to ensure the facility is keeping with the most up-to-date technology when it comes to clean energy. "We could be groundbreaking," she said. "We can come up with, maybe, the best energy efficient building around. Probably one of the best ones in the Black community, for sure." All told, the building is expected to cost around $7 million, and Marsman said Akoma is continuing to look for funding. The hope is to break ground on the facility sometime this summer, she added. Skills organization eyes spot in new facility So far, none of the tenants are officially confirmed, but the Africadian Empowerment Academy has expressed interest in the new space. Formerly known as the East Preston Empowerment Academy, Africadian is a non-profit organization focused on education and skill development for people of African descent. The organization works with several other institutions, including Akoma, to offer skilled trade programs. It's currently also located at Kinney Place. Omolara Ogunbosi, the executive director of Africadian, said in an interview the academy has also seen significant growth in recent years. "We are expanding by the day ... so we are looking forward to having this building with Akoma so we can have enough space for our operation," she said. "The office is growing and we also [need] a place to accommodate the staff to do their work comfortably."
Zawya
12-03-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Bizcommunity launch BizTrendsTV: A global first in Afrocentric thought leadership
This month saw the exciting launch of BizTrendsTV. A first-of-its-kind venture and global benchmark for the continent, presenting Bizcommunity's ( annual award-winning trends in exciting new formats, in collaboration with Rapt Creative and The Real-Networks consortium. BizTrendsTV will leverage multimedia platforms, including YouTube as well as podcasts and social media platforms to provide business professionals with accessible, engaging, and authoritative trend resources from Africa's top thought leaders with a uniquely Afrocentric vantage. A leading voice in Bizcommunity's trend offering for many years, fast-talking, fast-thinking Bronwyn Williams, futurist, economist and business trends analyst, has been appointed to host the show which kicked off on 25 February 25, 2025. The first episode on the topic of Afro-optimism is now available on Bizcommunity and The Real-Network YouTube channels. Listen to hear how guest Li Ndube, identifies the trend towards an African growth mindset in contrast to a growing Western degrowth mindset in conversation and a greater sense of optimism that our continent faces versus a pervading Western 'future-pessimism'. Li predicts that technology will level playing fields, enabling everyone with a great idea to participate in new AI economies. The monthly series will deliver predicted trending topics from AI, influencer farming, billionaire bunkers, distraction democracy, Gen Bees, hyper-capitalism, trade wars, exclusionary geopolitical policies, to hot wars and more. Terry Levin, Bizcommunity's Marketing Director explains 'With new world orders changing at speed, BizTrends #CuratingtheFuture will play a vital role in simplifying and demystifying trends for business audiences from learner to leader. BizTrendsTV is a natural evolution and we are honoured to be associating with an A-list of business media partners in this venture.' Garreth van Vuuren, Rapt Creative's CEO and headline sponsor, highlights the strategic importance of BizTrendsTV: 'At Rapt Creative, we believe in the power of insight-driven content to shape the future of industries. BizTrendsTV is a perfect platform to foster conversations that will drive innovation and business transformation and we are proud to be the headline sponsor of this pioneering initiative.' Danette Breitenbach, Bizcommunity's Managing Editor, says: ' BizTrendsTV is a major step forward in how we engage with our audience. By expanding into video and digital platforms, Bizcommunity ensures essential insights are accessible and engaging for business professionals who need to stay ahead of the curve.' Launching 25|02|2025 BizTrendsTV will be available on Bizcommunity's official website ( and social media networks and via The Real Network digital platforms ( and channels BizTrendsTV is a collaboration between Bizcommunity, Rapt Creative and The Real-Networks consortium, and the first-of-its-kind trend show focusing on global topics impacting future socio-economic trends from a uniquely Afrocentric perspective. Hosted by a leading voice in the African business trend ecosphere - fast-talking, fast-thinking Bronwyn Williams - futurist, economist, future finance specialist and business trends analyst - in conversion on trending topics such as AI, influencer farming, billionaire bunkers, distraction democracy, Gen Bees, hyper-capitalism, trade wars, exclusionary geopolitical policies, hot wars and more with leading PanAfrican futurists. A new episode is available on the last Tuesday of every month at 8 am on Bizcommunity's official website and via The Real Network digital platforms. For sponsorship enquiries or to be featured on the show contact BizTrends@ Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Bizcommunity. Media enquiries: marketingnews@ Issued by @ bizcommunity About Bizcommunity: Bizcommunity is South Africa's leading B2B news platform, providing industry insights, business trends, and market intelligence to professionals across multiple sectors. About Rapt Creative: Rapt Creative is a strategic creative agency specialising in brand storytelling, digital innovation and content production. About The Real-Networks Consortium: The Real-Networks consortium is a collaborative hub of media and production experts dedicated to shaping the future of business content. About Bronwyn Williams: Bronwyn Williams is a futurist, economist, business trends analyst, future finance expert, keynote speaker and media commentator.
