To Be Seen and to Be Whole: Black German FLINTA* on Community, Identity, and Connection

Fambrough-Billingsley, Judy. Too Brown to Keep: A Search for Love, Forgiveness, and Healing. 2019. 156 pp. $12.99 (paper). Mawakha, Nzitu. Daima: Images of Women Colour in Germany. Edited by Sharon Dodua Otoo, Assemblage, 2013. 96 €19.80 Evein Obulor, Rosa Mag, editors. Schwarz wird großgeschrieben: Diversity, Female Empowerment, Black Awakening. &Töchter, 2021. 240 €22.00 Roig, Emilia. Why We Matter: Das Ende der Unterdrückung. Aufbau, 397 (hardcover). The works creative nonfiction under review here—a memoir, a photo book, collection essays, an academic work that blurs the line between scholarship biography—explore how German FLINTA* (Frauen, Lesben, Inter, Nicht-binär und Agender*), living Germany, with heritage have navigated insidious systems racism, heteropatriarchy, capitalism, which shape lives traumatize. These books are not, however, antiracism training texts.1 Judy Fambrough-Billingsley's autobiography Healing (2019) reflects on her experience as member postwar cohort adoptees United States. book Germany (2013) features late Nzitu whose portraits twelve women accompanied short reflection pieces from themselves.2 essay großgeschrieben (2021) foregrounds array voices expressly focusing their own stories, negotiations each individual intersectional identities, visions future. Finally, Berlin-based scholar political science Emilia Roig's Unterdrückung shows oppression materializes all corners modern society offers vision what life without it would look like. This broad-ranging group authors artists has produced texts expect very different things audiences, even they offer reader/viewer various perspectives topics like means be seen, community, visible oneself others whole, complex human beings. Der white gaze macht müde. Er verzerrt den Blick, wir auf uns selbst haben. Es gibt zu wenige Räume, denen unser Schwarzsein seiner Unterschiedlichkeit sichtbar sich entwickeln kann. Schwarze Menschen werden von Dominanzgesellschaft einer homogenen Gruppe gemacht. Blick unsere Unterschiedlichkeiten ist getrübt. Klischees rund ums nehmen Platz zum Entfalten […]. Dieses Buch Platz! (13) Daima's purpose is similar. Series editor Otoo writes book's introduction, “The [featured this book] diverse backgrounds professions yet share similar experiences: being ‘othered’ country consider, varying degrees, home; seeking finding alternative communities; transforming, growing becoming” (7). As Roig outlines great detail Matter, oppressive patriarchy, capitalism creep into every part our lives. scientist, scholar, public speaker, not written explicitly about Rather, she weaves analysis these big, global forces experiences mixed-race French woman Berlin reflections daughter Algerian man Jewish ancestry Martinique. Matter divided chapters, explores specific area workings within them. does employing deep, approach address issues occurring, example, “Zu Hause” (chapter 3), “In Medien” 5), “Bei Arbeit” 7) ultimately hopes make (13). With focus forms communities, such violence supremacy necessitated establishing communities first place often replicated To end oppression, title states, we shed light its forms, includes “Diskriminierung innerhalb Diskriminierung bekämpfen, Ungleichheiten machen, Minderheiten empowern” (16). well contributors Daima großgeschrieben, foreground many differences people outside create or reify divisions, but recognize complexity wholeness individual. Indeed, epistemologically, failure community heterogeneous whole individuals led further isolation some Germans so Studies only “sees” those when considering, literary landscape covered film media. Stories told members adoptees, been relegated other fields excluded “the story” community. Although titled Keep, racism take framing role telling adoptee born racist system. tells story adoption at young age effects adult.3 She interweaves stories politics States encouraged—and instances, made essential—the relinquishing brown babies African-American families military bases worldwide. resulting narrative describes history transnational adoption, geopolitics, readers might unfamiliar. At same time, undermines notion can should read victims history. In theorizing toward why mother relinquished her, come understand although fits historical moment, idea “too keep” refers contextualizing explaining decision did. subtitle—A Healing—much more accurately trajectory main themes. Ultimately, Keep tale search identity self. Fambrough-Billingsley wrote self-published reflected both first-person structure Judy's ability ownership narrative. case memoirs. For Ingrid R. Gade's story, Lars Röper, entitled “Gib mir einen N*kuss”: Ein GI Baby im Nachkriegsdeutschland großen Suche nach Daddy / “Let me Chocolate Kiss!” searching daddy (2016). unfortunately follows, Gade portrayed consistently victim agent. It also infantilizes Gade, seventy-something-year-old time Röper (2016), still represented baby “daddy.”4 By contrast, who, following death adoptive mother, begins birth family faces rejection acceptance painful joyful journey self-discovery healing. reconstruction early years subsequent process putting together, reunion, heritage, rekinning, trauma, healing, forgiveness, grief belong narratives always included. day she—then known name, Ute—and sister, Imgard (now JoAnn), were taken Else, eldest Helga, hometown Bingenheim, West reader small village 1952 shares imagined version was said, felt, thinking Else sent two daughters away weeks followed. follow sister Kinderheim St. Josef Mannheim, travel States, meet family. Chapter 6, primarily based research journalist civil rights activist Mabel Grammar's so-called “Brown Project,” gives context Else's relinquish children parents Summari-zing who Grammer was, writes, “Mrs. witnessed struggle had biracial soldiers stationed during war. Recognizing dilemma mothers facing, mission save possible pioneering personal campaign set up adoptions children” (40).5 Aside chapter, half “relies heavily eyewitness accounts; my papers; letters; photographs; recollections original family, neighbors, fellow villagers; orphanage I found myself tender two” (“Author's Note”). Her piecing together core moments effort figure out and, words, “fill hole sense ran deep cloudy doubt guilt somehow cause mother's abandoning us uncertainty” (JoAnn) Ute's (Judy's) older father, soon after Kinderheim. Helga adopted Years before, Ernst, whom girls did know youth. recounts memory chapter 7 (“New Beginnings”), describing Bakersfield, CA, new father (62). recalls school years, equate color one's skin race meant regard attending America” Supreme Court ruled racial segregation schools unconstitutional (66). until middle think relationship identity. asked—and admits asked—“‘What you?’ ‘What you mixed with?’ […] regular basis” (68). grows up, attends college, works, marries, raises convinced biological key (77). wants reveal real reason adopted, feels deeply uncertain whether truth: really love want better (78)? After several trips (and one his States), meetings including concludes factor “abandonment” (128), likely convenience. “Else decisions thought best alone, regardless else affected” (129). complexities highlight fact weave inform peoples' ways, ultimately, reaction leave aspects nearly entirely. exist because policies beliefs where look. exists form informed However, frame terms, memoir degree, render certain discourses. Similarly, recount become hypervisible women, or, racialized objects, subjects. regularly stared transportation (19, Saba). non-consensual, objectifying, invasive stares experienced worst threatening uncomfortable unwelcomed. featured require readers/viewers responsibly, self-reflecting doing. They do physically looking back photographs, situating themselves narrators asking questions reader, must engage actively images rather than merely consume When am feel aware black? Answering question requires distinction black, seems expected black There terms—a multi-faceted, fluid, thing—and then there kind single cell organism. featureless thing, speak properly, floats dimly-lit tank dull backdrop “migration” “Migrationshintergrund.” Being black—as it—would mean forgetting black. (57) contribution, Sonia versions context. self-identifies, signifier multitude being; second one-dimensional caricature easily appear scholarly discourse scapegoat convenient suits third Witnessed series, edited Little Book Big Visions: How Be Artist Revolutionize World (2012) Audre's Footsteps: Transnational Kitchen Table Talk Heidi Lewis.6 reflective paired photos Mawakha groups three. Each author asks before “chapter lives” present smiling directly camera; intently something frame; close seemingly conversation someone, perhaps listening person speaks; laughing; thinking; mid-sentence, active hands emphasizing point making. few cases, Christelle Anna talking, silly, laughing. Some photographs feature longshot sitting standing, most close-ups, women's filling frame. Interspersed reader/viewer; privy asked (if any) themselves. Moments just fraction second, confronted load crap repulsive stereotypes, wild associations, unreflected processes, endless ignorance ideology established over centuries. Every traumatic. eternal hand, gift life. (27) Collectively, looks powerful tell stubborn objects. Over authoritarian objects could ever be. Yet information provided “looking” incomplete, communication one-way only. Looking seeing. contexts male dominated, looked rarely seen. (91) Comprising posed reader/viewer, subjectifying essays response deem worthy Daima—the Kiswahili word “forever” book—is result collective nonetheless reminds complicated one. calls ways through Germany) objectified, (i.e., representatives larger signifier, Peggy Piesche “carriers race” [al-Samarai, Piesche, Nkosi]) homogenous unified women). While no image represent emphasis importance building people, “being judged [their] skin” (33, Christelle). says priorities at. seen understood person, someone aspect Throughout unseen. People hide hidden behind facades, all, learned prejudice, rendered invisible state measures (54), forced wear masks decide defense mechanism. break taboos built around queerness, race, sex, gender, othered use terms order lead “das Unterdrückung,” argues need undergo shift consciousness radical changes future promotes advocates vast shift, change perspective if “die bequeme Höhle” current (26). left goal strive for—the forms—and clear oppressions exist, necessarily plan get there. understands needs change, begin it, herself, entirely will (350). practice self-care, process—not self-care consumption, coopted neoliberal self-improvement—and worth—not externally defined, ourselves (361)—we see connects all; humanity holistic, binding force (362). transform freedom (369). Transformation argument seeing understanding connected. Just world do, space subjects, among visible. Though published decade later, another Otoo's Daima, “What happens [?]” (93) plea (continue to) deconstruct social hierarchies way solidarity. Obulor “Das für uns. eine Einladung überlegen, wer dieses ‘Wir’ eigentlich ist, wie unterschiedlich Wirklichkeit zeigt” (15). twenty next generation (German) reflecting evident inclusion Meret Weber's “Ein Gespräch mit Katharina Oguntoye” (44–52), authors, carrying legacy feminist activists Oguntoye co-editors Farbe bekennen: Afro-deutsche Frauen Spuren ihrer Geschichte (1986), poetry exploring Afro-Deutsch/Afro-German, identified terms. covers ranging sexism, colonial past present-day topic studies founding Afro-German movement, organizations ISD (Initiative Schwarzer Deutschland), ADEFRA (Schwarze Deutschland). Scholars' May Ayim Oguntoye, editors bekennen, contributors' works—as many, community—in relative obscurity. 1980s forming places Berlin, friends acquaintances contribute bekennen directly.7 What talking foundational text, diversity voices, perspectives, histories given space. All three Germany: 1986, 2013, eight sections titles verbs evoke action necessary to, first, ideas, concepts, processes (for instance, colorism movement) construct futures prejudice. piece trajectories: self-reflection healing (re-)envisioning possible. section called “Hinterfragen.” Alice Hasters, Was weiße nicht über Rassismus hören wollen aber wissen sollten (2020) co-host podcast Feuer Brot, asks, “Who's Black?” divisions light- dark-skinned privileging others' increased emphasize belonging. “Doch je mehr bei diesem Kampf verausgaben, desto vergessen wir, dass es vor allem sind, die diese Probleme überhaupt eingebrockt haben” (27). addition unpacking stereotypes prejudices lot upon concept whiteness functions Authors Dominican queer femme Schwarzrund; Nkwendja-Ngnoubamdjum, Daima; self-described gender terrorist Daddypuss Rex write legacies colonialism manifestations anti-Black (section 3, “Entschlüsseln”); roles colorism, media, misogynoire, adultification girls, transgender 4, “Offenlegen;” solidarity, exhaustion (“Schwarze Erschöpfung”) movement-making 5, “Heilen.” beginning contribution “Licht, Matsch Hagelperlen,” poet Stefanie-Lahya Aukongo “Siehst du mich Wenn gemeinsam Lives rufen Möchtest wirklich, meine komplexe Vielschichtigkeit anwesend wenn hier da ein Empowerment:raum öffnet” (107). thereby signals again themes visibility, complexity, intersectionality, existence subjects across here. Ich bin das, Gesellschaft damit verbindet, verbindet. Aber sein Dinge erklären, zusammenhängen, doch Persönlichkeit. Irgendwann Teil meiner Persönlichkeit geworden. Und sobald das muss—etwa weil mein Partner auch ist—, merke ich, viel eingenommen hat. mache ich dieser plötzlich freien Zeit, vieles, selbstverständlich banal vorkam, erklären muss? (127) finally seen? recognise belonging collective. choose consider whole. “we”, “us”. “us” defined excludes much includes. “other” contains accept ourselves. One splits opposed pairs: subject versus object, female, Black, good evil, emotional rational. recollects (81) continues, “My me; myself. find authentic nature let barriers drop off mask total self-reliance ask help. My recognizes physical body, emotions, thoughts, spirit being” (85). Through four here, readers' responsibility—what demand, carry them—varies. go inward heal harmful, deeply-rooted oppression. Readers/viewers self-reflect critically look, reversed Contributors talk difficulties advantages grapple bringing self necessitates doing so, language tensions, working empowered well. nationalism contemporary exclusion erasure treatment Germans.