#African Young Leaders

[realjaysumlin]

POWERFUL Speech BY 13 Year Old NIGERIAN

Our children are speaking because we as adults are too afraid to fight for them but they are taking matters into their own hands because we are too cowardice to provide the right protection they need.

It's sad 😭 when our innocent babies have to stand and fight for themselves while we as adults are too busy selling ourselves for a few bucks or trying to fuck. These kids are doing great things because we are too afraid or we don't think they know what is going on in our world.

[mindfulldsliving]

Refuting LDS Racism Critiques: Brigham Young, Joseph Smith, and 19th Century Christianity Explained

Samuel and Amanda Chambers, 19th Century Mormon Couple, ca. 1900 – Public domain image Understanding the discussions around racism in the Latter-day Saint community can be complex. Recently, Glen E. Chatfield’s post on this topic sparked a wider conversation. His claims about Brigham Young, Joseph Smith, and the church’s historical context need critical evaluation. In this post, I’ll clarify…

[amnhnyc]

🐘 Nothing quite compares like the bond between a mother and her child. Related African elephant (Loxodonta africana) females and their young live in tight-knit families led by a matriarch. This older, female leader helps the group survive by sharing her hard-earned wisdom, like remembering the locations of  watering holes in times of drought. 

Elephant family groups grow very attached. Mothers are extremely protective of their calves, and younger females act as attentive “babysitters.” These giants show their affection through touch, especially with their trunks, as well as through gesture and sound. Individual elephants remember their feelings for one another even when separated for years. Learn more about these incredible animals in the Museum’s exhibition The Secret World of Elephants.

Photo: Timothy A. Gonsalves, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons 

[transmutationisms]

can u elaborate on posture being a lie

As Beth Linker explains in her book “Slouch: Posture Panic in Modern America” (Princeton), a long history of anxiety about the proximity between human and bestial nature has played out in this area of social science. Linker, a historian of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, argues that at the onset of the twentieth century the United States became gripped by what she characterizes as a poor-posture epidemic: a widespread social contagion of slumping that could, it was feared, have deleterious effects not just upon individual health but also upon the body politic. Sitting up straight would help remedy all kinds of failings, physical and moral [...] she sees the “past and present worries concerning posture as part of an enduring concern about so-called ‘diseases of civilization’ ”—grounded in a mythology of human ancestry that posits the hunter-gatherer as an ideal from which we have fallen.

[...]

In America at the turn of the twentieth century, anxieties about posture inevitably collided with anxieties not just about class but also about race. Stooping was associated with poverty and with manual, industrialized labor—the conditions of working-class immigrants from European countries who, in their physical debasement, were positioned well below the white Anglo-Saxon Protestant establishment. Linker argues that, in this environment, “posture served as a marker of social status similar to skin color.” At the same time, populations that had been colonized and enslaved were held up as posture paradigms for the élite to emulate: the American Posture League rewarded successful students with congratulatory pins that featured an image of an extremely upright Lenape man. The head-carrying customs associated with African women were also adopted as training exercises for white girls of privilege, although Linker notes that Bancroft and her peers recommended that young ladies learn to balance not baskets and basins, which signified functionality, but piles of flat, slippery books, markers of their own access to leisure and education. For Black Americans, posture was even more fraught: despite the admiration granted to the posture of African women bearing loads atop their heads, community leaders like Dr. Algernon Jackson, who helped establish the National Negro Health Movement, criticized those Black youth who “too often slump along, stoop-shouldered and walk with a careless, lazy sort of dragging gait.” If slouching among privileged white Americans could indicate an enviable carelessness, it was seen as proof of indolence when adopted by the disadvantaged.

This being America, posture panic was swiftly commercialized, with a range of products marketed to appeal to the eighty per cent of the population whose carriage had been deemed inadequate by posture surveys. The footwear industry drafted orthopedic surgeons to consult on the design of shoes that would lessen foot and back pain without the stigma of corrective footwear: one brand, Trupedic, advertised itself as “a real anatomical shoe without the freak-show look.” The indefatigable Jessie Bancroft trained her sights on children’s clothing, endorsing a company that created a “Right-Posture” jacket, whose trim cut across the upper shoulders gave its schoolboy wearer little choice but to throw his shoulders back like Jordan Baker. Bancroft’s American Posture League endorsed girdles and corsets for women; similar garments were also adopted by men, who, by the early nineteen-fifties, were purchasing abdominal “bracers” by the millions.

It was in this era that what eventually proved to be the most contentious form of posture policing reached its height, when students entering college were required to submit to mandatory posture examinations, including the taking of nude or semi-nude photographs. For decades, incoming students had been evaluated for conditions such as scoliosis by means of a medical exam, which came to incorporate photography to create a visual record. Linker writes that for many male students, particularly those who had military training, undressing for the camera was no biggie. For female students, it was often a more disquieting undertaking. Sylvia Plath, who endured it in 1950, drew upon the experience in “The Bell Jar,” whose protagonist, Esther Greenwood, discovers that undressing for her boyfriend is as uncomfortably exposing as “knowing . . . that a picture of you stark naked, both full view and side view, is going into the college gym files.” The practice of taking posture photographs was gradually abandoned by colleges, thanks in part to the rise of the women’s movement, which gave coeds a new language with which to express their discomfort. It might have been largely forgotten were it not for a 1995 article in the Times Magazine, which raised the alarming possibility that there still existed stashes of nude photographs of famous former students of the Ivy League and the Seven Sisters, such as George H. W. Bush, Bob Woodward, Meryl Streep, and Hillary Clinton. Many of the photographs in question were taken and held not by the institutions themselves but by the mid-century psychologist William Herbert Sheldon. Sheldon was best known for his later discredited theories of somatotypes, whereby he attributed personality characteristics to individuals based on whether their build was ectomorphic, endomorphic, or mesomorphic.

[...]

Today, the descendants of Jessie Bancroft are figures like Esther Gokhale, a Bay Area acupuncturist and the creator of the Gokhale Method, who teaches “primal posture” courses to tech executives and whose recommendations are consonant with other fitness trends, such as barefoot running and “paleo” eating, that romanticize an ancestral past as a remedy for the ills of the present. The compulsory mass surveillance that ended when universities ceased the practice of posture photography has been replaced by voluntary individual surveillance, with the likes of Rafi the giraffe and the Nekoze cat monitoring a user’s vulnerability to “tech neck,” a newly named complaint brought on by excessive use of the kind of devices profitably developed by those paleo-eating, barefoot-running, yoga-practicing executives. Meanwhile, Linker reports, paleoanthropologists quietly working in places other than TikTok have begun to revise the popular idea that our ancient ancestors did not get aches and pains in their backs. Analysis of fossilized spines has revealed degenerative changes suggesting that “the first upright hominids to roam the earth likely experienced back pain, or would have been predisposed to such a condition if they had lived long enough.” Slouching, far from being a disease of civilization, then, seems to be something we’ve been prone to for as long as we have stood on our own two feet.

[missmayhemvr]

Like halfway through "how Europe underdeveloped Africa" cause I decided I'd read/listen to it after I had a strong base on knowledge on African history and just holy fuck is he right about nearly everything so far.

Having learned about how extensive African trade was prior to the 18th century and how heavily most African kingdoms shifted in the 16th it's very clear that what he points out in the way the slave trade and the need to aquire firearms grew the European economies while near completely emptying out African economies and how the hard shift to European import goods after Europe had grow through the use of African slave labor and monopoly of trade routes is still a largely still at play in the era of neocolonialism.

The way that Walter Rodney not just points out that this is true, but the depth to which he covers a variety of African kingdoms, their economies, and cultural practices puts even some college level courses to shame while also showcasing the exact ways in which some of these stronger or more expansive kingdoms like the Ashanti, oyo, borno, Kongo, and Benin kingdoms had explicitly tried everything to get guns through any other trade and how the Ashanti, merina, Ethiopian, Burundi Benin kingdoms sought our education and scholars to begin industrialization and the systematic way in which Europeans and Americans prevented that is just, well it's damming.

It's a continuing reminder how from the first stage of European expansion and control they had precisely zero good intentions for the peoples of Africa. That Europe saw Africa as nothing more than a way to grow itself, it's institutions and improve its economies by depriving Africa of labor, materials and freedom which is true to this day, most starkly in the Congo but true across the whole region.

But while the book shows the crimes of Europeans without sugar coating, it also doesn't glorify the African leaders and more importantly those that became collaborative with European despitism. It also does not abide by the word games the European powers like to play and goes in depth to the way Europeans had no actual interest in ending slavery, and that while invading the various kingdoms and communities to "end slavery" the created some of the most brutal slave conditions on this side of the globe, not just in Leopolds Congo but in French forced labor camps and British controlled regions, with the Portuguese being particularly up front about it.

Truly a shame that like most other black radicals Rodney was murdered so young. The rarity to which black radicals even get to 40 shows how desperately capitalist and white supremist try to prevent even the slightest push back from black voices. It also makes clear how much we all need to know this stuff, from debois's black reconstruction to nkrumah's neoimperialism these books give a great understanding of the past and the precise way in which we arrived to the current situation.

I pray that with the new scramble for Africa that is unfolding in front of our very faces, the genocides in the Congo, and Sudan, and the way in which these interlock with the genocide of Palestinians, that we all take the time to properly read and reflect so that we may properly organize and fight back for a fully free and sovereign Africa and Palestine and a world free from white supremacy.

[girlactionfigure]

THURSDAY HERO: Giorgio Perlasca

Giorgio Perlasca was an Italian fascist and emissary of Benito Mussolini who had a change of heart and used his diplomatic status to save 5,218 Hungarian Jews from the Nazis.

Born in Como, Italy in 1910, as a young man Georgio became a fervent believer in fascism, believing it was the best system for achieving societal safety and prosperity. Dedicated to fascist ideology, he joined the Italian army to fight prime minister Benito Mussollini’s war of aggression against Ethoipia (the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, 1935-37). Italy invaded Ethiopia and sent leader Haile Selassie into exile in 1937. Still a committed fascist, Giorgio pivoted straight from Ethiopia to Spain, where he fought on the side of Franco’s Nationalists against the defenders of the Spanish Republic. 

Giorgio went back to Italy in 1938, and that’s when his world was rocked and his personal belief system made a 180 degree turn. Just as he was returning to his native land, the Nazi-allied fascist government adopted the Italian Racial Laws, which persecuted and segregated Italian Jews and African immigrants from the Italian colonial empire. The first law banned Jews from working with the public or attending college. Books by Jewish authors were burned. The next set of laws confiscated Jewish property, prohibited them from traveling, and finally arrested and imprisoned them. Italian newspapers were filled with vicious anti-Jewish propaganda and hideous caricatures.

Giorgio Perlasca, the man who’d spent the last decade fighting for fascism, was horrified. Perhaps he’d been in north Africa and Spain for so long, he wasn’t aware of the extent of Nazi persecution of the Jews. He’d joined the fascists because, young and naive, he thought they had answers to societal problems. But he never signed up for the Nazis’ “final solution.” He believed in human rights, freedom and tolerance and therefore realized he had to reject fascism.

Ironically, just as he was rejecting Mussolini’s ideology, he was rewarded for his service by being granted diplomatic status and sent to Budapest to represent the interests of the Italian government. As an emissary, Giorgio’s most urgent mission was traveling throughout Eastern Europe to purchase large quantities of meat for Italian army soldiers fighting on the Russian front. Despite his political shift, he remained committed to what he felt was honorable work procuring food for Italians who’d been drafted into the army.

On September 8, 1943, Italy surrendered to the Allied forces. Diplomats like Giorgio had a choice to make: pledge allegiance to Mussolini, or join the Allies. Giorgio switched sides and instead of returning to Italy he was arrested and detained with other diplomats sympathetic to the Allies. After several months in captivity, he used a medical pass to leave the facility. He went straight to the Spanish embassy, which was being run by Angel Sanz Briz*, a diplomat who was secretly saving Hungarian Jews. Sanz Briz enabled Giorgio to claim asylum as a veteran of the Spanish war. Giorgio called himself “Jorge” (the Spanish version of Giorgio) and as a nominal Spaniard, was untouchable by the Nazi-allied Hungarian authorities since Spain was officially a neutral country.

Giorgio Perlasca during the war.

Giorgio immediately teamed up with Sanz Briz to save Jews from the Nazi death machine, which was systematically massacring the Jews of Hungary at shocking speed. He later said, “I couldn’t stand the sight of people being branded like animals… I couldn’t stand seeing children being killed. I did what I had to do.” Giorgio convinced diplomats from neutral countries to shelter Jews in their embassies and homes. He created “protection cards” that identified Jews as being under diplomatic guardianship and therefore impossible to arrest. In November 1944, Sanz Briz was transferred from Hungary to Switzerland, and he urged Giorgio to go with him. However, instead of traveling to a safe country, Giorgio put his own life at risk by staying in Hungary so he could continue saving Jews from the Nazis.  

The Hungarian authorities got wind of what Giorgio was doing, and they used Sanz Briz’ departure from the country as an excuse to order the Spanish embassy building and residences to be emptied and shuttered. In response, Giorgio made a bold move. He announced that Sanz Briz would be returning shortly, and he’d been appointed consul-general in the meantime. This bought him enough time to continue saving Jews, providing them with sanctuary and vital supplies. He also issued fake transit visas based on a 1924 law giving Jews of Sephardic heritage Spanish citizenship. The law had expired in 1930 but Giorgio managed to keep that part secret. 

In December 1944, Giorgio stood up to high-ranking Nazi officer Adolf Eichmann – architect of the genocidal “Final Solution” – who was about to force two Jewish children onto a freight train headed to a death camp. Swedish rescuer Raoul Wallenberg later described watching Giorgio boldly defy the vicious Eichmann and rescue the Jewish boys.

Around this time the Nazi-aligned Hungarian government known as the Arrow Cross set up a squalid ghetto in Budapest for the city’s 60,000 Jews. As “acting Spanish consul-general” was privy to top-secret information, and he learned that the Arrow Cross was going to liquidate the ghetto – which meant murdering the men, women and children who lived there. Giorgio demanded – and got – a private hearing with the Hungarian interior minister Gabor Vajna. He threatened the high-ranking government official with severe repercussions against the “3,000 Hungarians” currently living in Spain. Unless the government backed down on destroying the ghetto, those Hungarian expats would be harshly punished financially, legally and professionally. The fact was, there were nowhere near 3000 Hungarians in Spain and the real number was a fraction of that. That bold threat, combined with a promise to help Vajna and his family escape the advancing Soviet army, prevented the Budapest ghetto from being liquidated, saving thousands of lives.

After the war, Giorgio Perlasca returned to Italy where he lived a quiet life as a businessman, married and raised a family. and didn’t tell a single soul about his heroic actions during the war. Meanwhile, a group of Hungarian Jews saved by Giorgio searched for him for decades. They knew their rescuer as a Spaniard named Jorge and it took 42 years for them to finally locate him. In 1987 Giorgio’s wife, children and community were utterly shocked to learn that this unassuming man had saved the lives of a documented 5,218 Jews and probably many more. The famous rescuer Oskar Schindler saved a quarter as many people as Giorgio Perlasca did.

Once Giorgio’s heroism was known, he became famous in Italy and a source of national pride. Giorgio Perlasca was the subject of a bestselling biography, “The Banality of Goodness,” which was made into a popular movie. He received many honors, including Righteous Among the Nations by Israeli Holocaust Memorial Yad Vashem, the Wallenberg Medal, the Hungarian Star of Merit, the Spanish Knight Grand Cross, the Italian Gold Medal for Civil Bravery, and many others. Noted Israeli composer Moshe Zorman wrote an orchestral piece, “His Finest Hour,” about Giorgio. There is a statue of Giorgio Perlasca in Budapest and a high school named for him, and he was featured on an Italian and an Israeli stamp. 

Giorgio died in Padua, Italy in 1992. 

For saving thousands of lives, and proving that people can change, we honor Giorgio Perlasca as this week’s Thursday Hero.

[msfandomsblog]

Alastor x fem!ballerina-reader

This is my first alastor x reader fic! I don't know how many parts imma make but it will be somewhat a slow burn.

Also this is mostly your backstory

Hope you enjoy!

warnings: use of y/n, being laughed at, implied death, blood, readers insane like Al, guns, suicide, kinda short anddddddd yeah

In life you were one of the greatest pointe dancer in the world. In death, eh, not so much. Yes you danced but this was simple practice, hell wasn't exactly known for its refined~ practice. Your demon form was simple, you were tall (charlie sized) pale and had small wings on your back. Swan wings, that you could enlarge in and out at your will, not that you usually needed to. You mostly had them compact to your back. Most of your friends wondered why you were in hell to begin with, you were always civil to most characters. There was ofc the off-hand time where you'd threaten any demon who'd dare touch you or close friends, but... who's keeping count!?

As for the reason why you were there well... yes being a dancer had its purks but, it had just as many faults.

More then once at a young age in life you were cast for the villain rolls of dances, plays, etc.

You asked you teachers why and their answer was always, "the way you play it y/n! your body language, face and being on stage! you just do it so well"

As you progressed through as an actress and dancer you were never the 'princess' or the main heroin. Only the dark, cold villain. The black swan, The mouse king, Maleficent. How you longed to be the beauty and not the beast.

Not only did this anger you but soon after a while many other dancers would avoid you because of your 'villain' demeanor on stage. This caused you to grow a hatred for your fellows. It all became too much one day.

It was dress rehearsal, your last one before your last show, and the boys got a wise idea for a prank to play on their black swan. When rehearsing your first entrance you moved over to stage right when suddenly a type of slime/glue pored on you, burning your eyes and ruining your clothes. Then the lead boy shot what looked like a party popper at you but instead of confetti, landed black feathers. The boys were on hunched over laughing, 'childish' you thought while glaring at them.

Every other dancer turned their heads or ran over to see what was oh so funny. Once they all started laughing or turned their head to hide smiles, the director yelled at them all, "oi! that's enough, this isn't a baby recital that you did when you were 5! this isn't mature! Boys, help y/n and run 40 laps around the stage ey?" But it was too late, you'd decided right then and there.

So they saw you as the villain hm? You'd be happy to oblige.

The next day you played your part amazingly well but it was your next audition that excited you. It was for the seasonal part in the nutcracker. As always you were given the part, The mouse king.

When you met the lead playing Clara, the young girl heroin, you saw she was a perfectly civil young dancer. She met her end quickly enough tho.

When you came around to auditioning for The Sleeping Beauty and once again did not get Aurora, you found it quite enjoyable to get rid of the blonde broad that played her.

Then there was Romeo and Juliet. you never did audition for this one, reasons unknown to you. But when you did you somehow found that you felt no sadness you got the email saying that you didn't get the part of Juliet. You instead found joy when you cracked a wide smile as the blood of the girl who did get the part flowed down your hands.

Pretty thing she was, good dancer too. poor thing. ah well.

After about 3 years of of getting away with this little 'hobby; of yours you were found out and surrounded by a large S.W.A.T team. The team leader spoke softly to you.

"Miss y/n, please put your hands up, and drop the gun."

You were so annoyed by this, you'd had to use the damn thing to kill a small African-american girl who was playing Coopelia. You didn't like using guns but this was supposed to be quick. You'd even bought a silencer for the job.

"No officer, I don't think I will." You said back. you smiled as you turned to face the 20 guns pointed at you.

"You won't make it out alive L/n" He said trying to convince you.

"I don't plan on it," And smiling you flipped them off as you shot the gun at your own neck.

OKKKKKKK that was part 1! I hope ya'll like it and stay tuned. I don't know if you could tell but I am ballet dancer, I'm not professional yet but I know quite a bit.

y/n might be oc just a warning but again my first fic sooooo.

Anyway!!!!!! have a good day/night little humans!

part 2!

[world-of-wales]

✦ UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS

The Prince of Wales will travel to Cape Town, South Africa on Monday, 4 November, for the fourth annual Earthshot Prize ceremony. His visit will last four days, covering the following engagements -

His visit starts with an event with young environmentalists from across Africa and South East Asia taking part in the inaugural Earthshot Prize Climate Leaders Youth Programme.

He will have an audience with South Africa's president, Cyril Ramaphosa as a followup to the 2022 South African State Visit. The two men will sit down for talks and be joined by Foreign Secretary David Lammy, in the country for a meeting with his South African counterpart Ronald Lamola.

He will also be part in some rugby & attending a United for Wildlife summit.

Prince William will also deliver two speeches and meet more than 100 young environmentalists, park rangers, conservationists, and fishermen. 

Additionally, he will join sea rescue volunteers on the water & enjoy the local cuisine at a traditional fish braai in Kalk Bay Harbour.

The highlight of the trip will be the Earthshot Prize ceremony, held in a custom-built eco-dome powered by renewable energy, where Prince William will announce the latest prize winners.

[keyaho]

.summary: Their university had some of the best conjurers in the world. A group of powerful beings forced to fight for equal rights they were entitled to as citizens of the country. In the midst of that, Malcolm X (Aaron Pierre) leads a secret organization hellbent on taking what is theirs. The waiting game and peace was over. The only thing that could stand in his way was Sasha Laveau -a powerful conjurer and the current Madam Protector- and his growing affection for the sweet and caring woman beneath the power.

.some character information: Malcolm in this is a little more rough around the edges. He does some questionable things through out the story.

Prologue:

Laveau University was the top school of magic for African Americans in the country. Hidden in the Louisiana bayou, the college boasted some of the best magical users. Yet, that wasn’t why the school saw such high enrollment rates over the past three years. That had to do with Professor X, a radical leader in the movement for magical rights for black people. He was tall, smooth talking, and handsome though that’s what Sasha heard. The counselor had heard the whispers of his classes, seen the way girls young and old linger around after hours to gossip about how much of a gentleman he was.

She had seen him a couple of times on campus, greeting students warmly as he walked in his long coats and hats. His glasses were black and clear, the frames exposed around the edges. He had smooth skin, full lips, and he was dangerously tall.

Sasha sat up in her chair, thankful her office door was closed because she was sure if anyone walked by they would see her fanning herself at the thought of a professor like she was one of the students. It wasn’t like her group chat with the majorette coach, english department head, and girls magical parkour team hadn’t spoken about the smooth talking conjurer.

As she was closing another student’s file, three soft knocks landed on her door.

“Come in,’ she called, her eyes scanning the new email she just got.

CAMPUS WILL BE CLOSED FOR WARDING. STUDENTS MUST TRANSPORT HOME BY THE END OF CLASS TOMORROW AND NO LATER THAN 4:30 PM.

Why hadn’t she been given a heads up? Before she could reply to the email in a separate chain, the object of so many desires stepped into her office. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, the black sigils in his arms exposed. He wore suspenders today, the crisp white shirt beneath went well with his gray slacks and brown shoes.

“Good evening, Counselor Laveau.” He said.

Yes, she was a descendant of the founding Laveau family. She had chosen to become a counselor instead of a professor. She could connect with the students in more of a trainer role. She loved using her magic. She was one of the most powerful conjurers on campus.

Malcolm's voice was as rich as she had heard it to be. He looked like everyone else, slightly tired but there might have been a herb or two floating around his tea for alertness. Sasha’s own alwaysful enchanted cup stayed warm and ready when she wanted it. She wondered what his blend was.

“Yes Professor X?” She replied, finding her voice after looking away from his eyes. “If this is about the warding email, I’m just now getting it. I would have pre warned if I was awa-‘

“No no no,’ he says, taking a step forward, further into her office, into her space. “Did you finish the email?”

He had looked around her messy desk, student files, her grimoire, a quill, and the remnants of what looked to be an attempt at a spell. He watched as she looked back at her screen in confusion, then surprise, then slight disappointment. The latter had been the opposite for him.

“I also didn’t know they had us doing the warding,’ she abruptly stood up.

Some tension is released in her shoulders. She had more time to finish up her work as warnings took priority for the pair that had to do them. That meant his classes for not only tomorrow, but the rest of the week were canceled as there was a heavy sickness that came with warding no magic could relieve.

“I really told them about not telling me beforehand.” She sighed.

“I can do the preparations.” He offered, sensing her haste to gather her things.

“I can not ask you to do that alone. We both know the ramifications of that.” She shrugged and ran a hand through her fresh silk press.

She was going to sweat this bitch out and she just got it. Ramona was going to kill her next week.

“It must be urgent,’ she turns her back to him, reaching towards her shelf for a small book on the top shelf.

Whispering a few words, she turns her hand palm up and beckons the book off the shelf. Slowly, it appeared floating to her open palm with ease.

Malcolm had heard how the Leveau women used their magic freely. It allowed them a safe way to decompress after using heavier magic. It smelled floral and spicy, a delightful mix of flowers and her bayou blood.

“I can meet you in the common room in about an hour. I have to gather some things and change.”

Grabbing her purse she poured out the contents of her steaming mug and placed it upside down so it wouldn’t refill in her absence. Second nature, she used a series of small hand movements and the room began tidying itself, the computer shut off and while she slung her arms into her jacket, the blinds and lights closed and turned off. The only light was now the golden orb that followed all the Laveau women. Their familiars and their anchor between the real and spiritual worlds.

“Are you sure there is nothing I can do to take some of the load,’ he pressed.

He wouldn’t admit it was his first major warding. And for it to be with a Laveau of all people he was concerned about meeting their standards so directly. He was a skilled conjurer, mostly defensive, but she was an embodiment of what their magic came from. Power seeped through her pores and yet, she was flustered, unprepared, and dare he say relatable. He was excited to spend this week getting to know her, as peers, of course.

“Bring lots of food and plenty of clothes. The isolation afterwards is the worst part.”

Taglist: @nayaesworld @peachbuttetfly @harmshake @heauxvibez @avoidthings @mymindisneverhere @sabrina-carpenter-stan-account @eilujion @heytaewrites @browngirldominion @insidefeelingofanadult @blackerthings @gwenda-fav @brandithecrystalgem @captainwithoutmakingitlove @dremmmm @kindofaintrovert @jimmybutlrr @beenathembo @theereina @randomhood @ash-ketchum @dundienominated @zillasvilla

[qin-qin16]

[CW: mention of animal bodies, dead animals, cannibalism, fanon Killer Sans]

Alright! Since many people liked the idea of ​​Hyena coded Killer, I decided to bring some characteristics of these beautiful animals so you can see why so many people like to compare Killer with these creatures.

NOTE: I will comment on some of his canonical details, as well as characteristics that the fandom attributes to him, that is, we will have both fanon and canon Killer here!

First of all, what are hyenas? Hyenas are carnivorous animals from the family Hyaenidae (and during this research, I discovered that hyenas are more similar to felines than dogs, so no, they don't have much in common with dogs or wolves!) that inhabit the African continent and western Asia. They are nocturnal animals, but they can function well during the day as well, and they hunt and live in large groups.

After this brief synopsis, I will now report some characteristics of these curious animals that I, personally, find similar and related to Killer Sans!

Hyenas are very intelligent animals - even with the negative stereotypes surrounding them - and are considered one of the most successful animals in hunting! In addition, they have a very complex social relationship with each other, respecting hierarchies and the leader of their respective packs.

In this excerpt, I can already relate this intelligence to Killer, mainly because many people think that, in fact, he is just a charming, idiotic little guy - but, just like hyenas, he is extremely smart and cautious. About the hierarchy part, I have a divided opinion: in some arts of the creator of Killer, we can see him with Nightmare, but it's not like he respects Nightmare as a leader, but rather as if he fears him or has a certain dislike for him, but also has nowhere to go, so he prefers to stay under Nightmare's "care", acting with false respect so as not to be mistreated so much (?).

Hyenas are scavengers! They can eat animals that are still alive or recently killed, but they are best known for feeding on remains (even bones). And, as mentioned before, they are very successful in their hunts, but unfortunately, these kills are mostly stolen by lionesses - which forces them to keep the remains.

I've already discussed a few times the possibility that Killer has already submitted to cannibalism purely out of curiosity, so it wouldn't be surprising to see him hunting monsters just to devour them (humans too, since Howl brought up a headcanon (I don't know if it was really or if it's something canon) about how Killer doesn't see himself as either a monster or a human with the merging of Chara's soul with his). And I also think that Killer has already tested eating at various stages of body composition.

Due to the high levels of male hormones (such as testosterone), hyenas are also very aggressive animals, which results in many deaths of young hyenas among themselves.

Here I am already relating this characteristic more to the instability between the stages of Killer - like the apathetic change from the second stage to the third, which enters into a kind of aggressive frenzy. I believe that not only triggers in interactions or gestures (such as eating or sleeping), but also smells and Killer's own body are affected by this aggression.

One fact that characterized hyenas as intelligent animals is their complex sociability as a group!

Okay, here comes the fanon part: In many Bad Guy fanfics, headcanons and fanarts, Killer is always treated as the best in social interactions, or the one who breaks up fights and the one who tends to “respect” the certain hierarchy he has in the group. Like hyenas, he has an easier time interacting with others, whether to create emotional bonds or mediate conflicts.

A pack of hyenas can have up to 40 members!

So... Do you know how they like to put Killer in different groups? Well, there's the explanation! His place with the Bad Guys, his partnership with Epic Sanses (more because of Color), his rare appearance with the Star Sanses (more with Ink and Swap). As aggressive as Killer is, he also likes to live in large groups, so he needs to rotate between them to satisfy this social need of his.

Now, some ideas that were taken from the depths of my head and that I won't explain much about:

Many people write/draw Nightmare as a trans woman, so Hyena coded Killer would make much more sense, since in the hyena monarchy, the females lead the pack! And they mostly have more power and decision-making in the groups, in addition to being larger than the males.

The sound that the hyenas can reproduce seems to be a strange laugh. There's not much to comment on, except that I imagine that Killer laughs exactly like that.

Hyenas don't usually lick themselves for better hygiene. Yep. Stinky Killer confirmed!

Now here's a touch of mine: I can see Killer being quite aggressive with his displays of affection, biting, pushing and play fighting, as well as enjoying chasing his friends, pretending they are some kind of prey.

And that's it! I hope you enjoyed it! I accept constructive criticism and more ideas for this headcanon that so many were waiting for!

Tagging people who would like to see about Hyena coded Killer (I guess???)

@howlsofbloodhounds @what-have-i-unleashed @toffeebrew @twinribbonz

[thiziri]

The Princess Royal visits South Africa 🇿🇦

Tuesday 21st January

Today, The Princess Royal conducted her first day of engagements in South Africa.

The Princess Royal’s first visit in South Africa was the South African Riding for the Disabled Association (SARDA), which has provided free equine therapy, sport and training to the most vulnerable in society for the last 52 years. Her Royal Highness previously visited the organisation 30 years ago, on 25 November 1994. 

SARDA is the only remaining riding for the disabled training facility of its kind - it has served over 9,500 previously and currently disadvantaged children and their families. 

SARDA scholars have won 6 Gold, 2 Silver and 4 Bronze Medals at the Paralympics.  Her Royal Highness is President of the Riding for the Disabled Association, becoming Patron of the RDA in November 1971, and President in March 1986. 

Later, The Princess Royal toured the British High Commission Residence Garden with Mr Leon Kluge, gold winner at the 2024 Chelsea Flower Show with Cape Floral Kingdom, and Mr Bulelani Bashe, Head Horticulturist at Grootbos Foundation.

The Foundation works to conserve the environment of the Cape Floral Kingdom and to develop sustainable livelihoods through ecotourism, education, enterprise and sports development.

Her Royal Highness planted a Princess Anne Rose in the Residence Garden to symbolise the visit.

Wednesday 22nd January

As President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, The Princess Royal began the day at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), where she unveiled the Cape Town Labour Corps Memorial. 

The new memorial, which honours the contribution of South African military labourers in the First World War, is part of the CWGC’s commitment to ensuring all those who died in the two World Wars are commemorated equally.

Following this, Her Royal Highness visited the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation. Here, The Princess Royal heard about the life and work of Archbishop Tutu, his role in supporting healing from discrimination and injustice, and how his legacy is being continued through the current work of the Foundation’s programmes.

On a tour of the Museum, The Princess Royal met staff members at stations throughout the ‘Truth to Power: Desmond Tutu & The Churches - In the struggle against apartheid’ exhibition. Her Royal Highness finished the tour by meeting young people and staff who are taking forward Archbishop Tutu’s legacy through the Leaders for Humanity programme.

Later, The Princess visited the Royal Cape Yacht Club, where she learnt about the work of The Royal Cape Sailing Academy, an organisation that empowers young people to development their skills through sailing. 

The Academy teaches young people from some of the most under resourced communities how to sail, thereby developing self-confidence and leadership skills. Her Royal Highness met previous participants from the Cape 2 Rio Race including Jennifer Webb, who was sunk by a whale during the race in 1971.

The Princess Royal also visited the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), where she toured the observatory and had an in-depth look at the McClean Telescope. The SAAO is the South African national centre for optical and infrared astronomy and is the foremost establishment for optical astronomy across the African continent. 

Her Royal Highness met and heard from those who work within the observatory and learnt a little about the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), the largest optical telescope in the southern hemisphere, which SAAO owns and bears operational responsibility for. 

Finally, The Princess Royal visited a Thuthuzela Care (TCC). TCCs are intended to be a safe space for survivors of sexual assault, providing one space where individuals can receive counselling, medical and legal support without having to recount their experience to multiple agencies, thereby avoiding secondary traumatisation. 

Her Royal Highness met the team delivering support in the centre, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

© Royal UK

[city-of-ladies]

When she rose to lead the Tlokwa people in southern Africa, Mmanthatisi (c. 1784–1847) emerged as a remarkable strategist and politician, guiding her people through an era of turmoil.

Mother and chief

Born with the name Monylue, Mmanthatisi was the daughter of the chief of the Basia people, in what is now South Africa. She married her cousin Mokotjo, the chief of the Tlokwa people. Around 1800, she adopted the name Mmanthatisi because she had given birth to a daughter, Nthatisi.

In 1804, she gave birth to a son, Sekonyela. When Mokotjo died in 1813, Sekonyela was only nine years old and too young to rule. Mmanthatisi stepped in as leader of the Tlokwa people. Following a common practice of levirate marriage in many African societies, she also had a daughter with her late husband's brother.

The warrior queen

Mmanthatisi governed a population of 35,000 to 40,000 during a time of drought, warfare, and widespread displacement. As the expansionist Zulu kingdom threatened her territory, she chose to lead her people westward. Her leadership proved exceptional, securing significant victories against neighboring groups. She wielded full civil and military authority, forging alliances and resolving disputes among her people.

Although she did not personally fight in battles and raids, Mmanthatisi planned and directed military campaigns—a rare role for a woman in this patrilinear society. In 1817, her warriors triumphed over the Ndwandwe, capturing numerous cattle. While she enjoyed success in many battles, she also faced defeat.

During one notable episode, she cleverly outwitted an attack by the Hlubi people while her warriors were away. She mobilized women and children, positioning them on a hilltop to create the illusion of a large army, which deterred the attackers.

Her fame spread and roaming groups came to be called "mantatees," a distorted version of her name. Despite leading one of the smaller nations in the region, Mmanthatisi successfully prevented her people from being conquered.

Though her son Sekonyela assumed the role of chief in 1824, Mmanthatisi remained a formidable political figure.

Reverend Alfred T. Bryant once wrote: ��Many nations have had their Boadiceas, but none greater than Mantatisi.”

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Further reading

Momodu, S., “Mmanthatisi”

Sheldon Kathleen,  “Mmanthatisi”, in: Kwaku Akyeampong Emmanuel, Gates Henry Louis (eds.). Dictionary of African Biography

Weir Jennifer, “Mmanthatisi”, in: Kefeli Agnes, Smith Bonnie G. (eds.). The Oxford Encyclopedia of Women in World History

[sissa-arrows]

On Friday a group of 5 white supremacists attacked a group of 3 young North African men in Lyon. 2 of the young men got superficial wounds but one of them will have scars on his face, the 3rd one spent 5h in surgery and will be paralyzed.

One of the 5 white supremacists was arrested. He is supposedly the leader of the group.

1: The police refuses to say if they are still investigating to catch the rest of the group.

2: The man who was arrested is a known white supremacists we KNOW where they hang out we know where they plan these attacks but the government doesn’t do anything. I don’t live in Lyon and I still know which bar I should avoid if I don’t want to be attacked because I’m North African.

3: France refuses to admit its own racism so fucking much that I had to search multiple articles before knowing that the “3 young men” were North Africans. Every single article says “Young men” the people condemning it say “young men” like people are collectively refusing to call it an anti Arab racist attack and just saying “racist attack” because that way it can be drowned in the statistics of general racist attacks and they can deny that anti Arab racism is rising.

Source

[fishenjoyer1]

Fish of the Day

Happy Thursday, everyone! Today's fish of the day is the Australian lungfish!

The Australian lungfish, or barramunda, known by scientific name Neoceratodus forsteri is one of the 6 surviving lungfishes of the modern world. The other 5 lungfishes are scattered to other sections of the world, one in South America, and the other 4 all living in Africa. As the name implies, this lungfish is endemic to Australia living in South Eastern Queensland, or for those who don't know the general areas of Australia, the upper right corner of the country. Living exclusively in slow moving streams, still waters, and various waterside banks living entirely in freshwater systems. This fish is primarily nocturnal, and almost entirely carnivorous. Its diet consists of: frogs, larvae, bugs, plant material, earthworms, fishes, small invertebrates, and anything else it can catch.  They are primarily bottom dwellers, and prey is caught directly in the mouth and then crushed multiple times, being positioned correctly by a bone called a hydroid apparatus. Australian lungfish have the most primitive of surviving lungfish feeding behaviors.

Australian lungfish are best known for their ability to survive dry seasons. However, unlike African lungfish, which can survive fully in droughts by submerging themselves into  This is done by submerging the body in the mud, and rising to the surface to swallow oxygen into a single dorsal lung. This lung is only supplementary, and the fish prefer to breathe through their 5 gills. Of the six lungfish, the Australian lungfish is the only one to not have two lungs, but rather a fold down the center of the single lung acting as a wall, which blood capillaries run through, allowing gas exchange. Unlike it's African counterparts, the Australian lungfish can not survive total water depletion, (other lungfish survive this by creating a layer of mucus around itself and living there for several years until water returns). Australian lungfish can survive several days out of the water, but can not do so unless it is in a moist environment, usually mud.

Fossil records of lungfish tell us that some of their first fossils can be found from 410 Million years ago, being the closest living relative to the tetrapod. The last shared ancestor between the lungfish and tetrapod was 420 Million year ago. Originally, these animals started as marine creatures, but sometime in the carboniferous the species became freshwater exclusive, around the same time that the last common ancestor to all remaining lungfish lived.  Australian lungfish in particular appear to have split off about 380 million years ago, and have remained virtually unchanged from their ancestors for over 100 million years, giving them the title of living fossils! 

Not only have they remained incredibly similar over the years, they have a long lifespan for individuals as well. A captive Australian lungfish named granddad was shown to live to 108 years (+- 6), with the expected lifespan of wild lungfish surviving at least 20-25 years after they reach sexual maturity. In Australian lungfish, similar to other lungfish species in the world, sexual maturity is reached in males after 17 years, and 22 years in females. Australian lungfish have elaborate courting rituals consisting of three distinct phases. The first phase is searching, where the lungfish will breathe loudly, making mating calls with its single lung. The second is called "follow the leader" where males will attempt to entice a female by nudging and rubbing snouts with her, often at the same time as competitors. The last stage is where two lungfish will descend to lay and fertilize eggs, females producing 2 eggs per spawning season. After breeding, the eggs are left to sink in the vegetation, as Australian lungfish do not nest or care for their young. This is unlike all other lungfish species.

Have a wonderful Thursday, everyone!

[girlactionfigure]

Baruch Dayan HaEmet

Last night I found out the sad news about the passing of a huge pro-Israel Christian advocate from South Africa named Olga Meshoe Washington. 

I posted about her before here.

She was the Chief Executive Officer of DEISI International and a board member of the Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel.

Olga was named one of South Africa's 2011 influential young Christian leaders, and she received the 2016 Jerusalem Award from the World Zionist Organization in recognition of her advocacy for the State of Israel and the South African Jewish community.

May her memory be for a blessing.

I am so sorry for this terrible loss. Heartbreaking.

[aiartwerk]

Carpenter A confident female carpenter working on wood in a workshop. With her curly hair tied back, safety glasses, and tools in hand, she is fully focused on her craft. Wood shavings and sparks surround her as she smoothly planes a piece of wood. Her robust physique adds to the image’s emphasis on empowerment and craftsmanship.

Construction Worker This image portrays a construction worker standing proudly on a construction site, donning a hard hat and tool belt. Her dusty outfit and powerful stance amidst cranes and scaffolding show her strength and dedication to the job, surrounded by a backdrop of a large industrial site under construction.

Crane Operator A woman sits inside a crane cabin, wearing a hard hat and work gloves, operating heavy machinery with intense focus. The interior of the cabin is filled with dials and switches, capturing the mechanical aspect of her job. The background is a vast construction site, highlighting the scale of her work.

Race Car Driver A striking woman in a yellow racing suit stands confidently in front of a Formula 1 race car. Her stance is powerful, with arms akimbo, as she commands attention amidst the high-energy backdrop of a race track. Her sleek outfit and the car’s detailed design contribute to the fast-paced energy of the scene.

Electrician This image showcases an African-American woman working as an electrician, kneeling down amidst a tangle of wires and cables. She holds a tool in her hand while sparks fly around her. Her expression is calm and composed as she works with precision in a high-stress environment.

Firefighter A fierce female firefighter stands in front of a blazing fire, exuding strength and bravery. Her orange firefighter suit is charred, and her face is determined as she readies herself for action. The flames in the background highlight the danger and intensity of her profession.

Pilot A stylish and commanding woman stands in front of a large airplane, dressed in a crisp pilot’s uniform. Her tailored black jacket and cap emphasize her authority and professionalism. The jet behind her and the blue skies reflect her role as a leader in aviation.

Lumberjill A woman in plaid and work jeans is in the midst of chopping logs in a forest clearing. Her strong arms grip an ax as she focuses on the task at hand. The sunlight filtering through the trees adds warmth to the image, emphasizing her connection to the land and hard work.

Mechanic In a garage setting, a female mechanic works on a car, her hands covered in grease. Her denim overalls cling to her toned frame as she holds a tool, surrounded by equipment and automotive parts. Her intense expression shows focus, dedication, and passion for her trade.

Soldier A soldier stands at attention amidst a battlefield, her body armored and weapon at her side. Her camo fatigues blend into the war-torn environment, while her fierce, unyielding gaze suggests experience and readiness for the challenges ahead.

Plumber A woman kneels beside a kitchen sink, tools in hand, as she works on the plumbing. Her determined expression and sturdy overalls emphasize her hands-on approach to fixing things. The homey kitchen setting contrasts with her industrial tools, blending domestic and technical elements.

Power Line Worker High above the ground, a woman works on power lines, equipped with a tool belt and safety gear. She balances on a wooden beam, her face focused as she repairs wiring. The towering power poles and bright sky in the background add scale and drama to the scene.

Spaceship Pilot Inside a futuristic spaceship, a young woman pilots the craft, surrounded by high-tech controls. Her white and black spacesuit glows in the colorful lights of the console, and the cosmos stretches out beyond the window. The vastness of space outside complements her focused expression as she navigates.

Submariner In the depths of the ocean, a woman operates the controls of a high-tech submarine. The control room is dimly lit with screens glowing, showing the sea life outside. Sharks swim past the large windows, creating a mysterious and adventurous atmosphere as she guides the vessel.

Welder A woman stands confidently in front of a welding torch, sparks flying around her. Her protective gloves and helmet highlight the dangers of her job, but her composed expression suggests mastery of her craft. The industrial setting around her adds a sense of strength and power to the scene.

Each image is crafted with ultra-realistic detail, featuring vivid 3D rendering and high-resolution 4K quality. The colors are bold and striking, with detailed lighting that brings out the textures in their environments, outfits, and the characters themselves. Each woman is depicted with strength and beauty, emphasizing her role in her respective profession while challenging traditional gender stereotypes.

These characters not only represent women of power but also pay homage to diversity by showcasing African American women in impactful, aspirational roles.