Stop the European sale of African Mothers representation by Amrita Fascia Portabebe

The Issue

As an African woman, I am so offended by this. No one draws white mothers from a European village doing laundry or vaccuming or their daily life on wraps, but yet people draw caricature of little African mamas on expensive wraps for white people to carry their white children in, and they think they are "embracing" my people that way. I am so tired of being used as an object, i am so tired of white people tokenising and exoticing me. I am so tired and angry to see Africans be portrayed like zoo animals or museum-worthy creatures. It really hurts. My Indigenous African relatives and friends have always been scared and discouraged to tell Europeans to stop exploiting us. Stop. Stop making Africa a commodity. For the last 500-400 years ago, we were sold as slaves, likw like we were properties; we had a price tag, European would bargain us, they saw us a sub-human, as 'things' to acquire and to dispose, to display and to trade. Today, same thing is happening with our image. Our identity is being objectify and exoticised for European profits and fashion needs. Slavery has not ended; it has evolved. I wonder when it will all end, if it will end, this exploitation of Africa and it's people. Please, Amrita Fascia Portabebe, do not sell us, we are human. We are a living culture. Please, do not sell my mothers, do not sell me. https://www.facebook.com/amritafasciaportabebe/posts/1050197525033825
This petition had 1,096 supporters

The Issue

As an African woman, I am so offended by this. No one draws white mothers from a European village doing laundry or vaccuming or their daily life on wraps, but yet people draw caricature of little African mamas on expensive wraps for white people to carry their white children in, and they think they are "embracing" my people that way. I am so tired of being used as an object, i am so tired of white people tokenising and exoticing me. I am so tired and angry to see Africans be portrayed like zoo animals or museum-worthy creatures. It really hurts. My Indigenous African relatives and friends have always been scared and discouraged to tell Europeans to stop exploiting us. Stop. Stop making Africa a commodity. For the last 500-400 years ago, we were sold as slaves, likw like we were properties; we had a price tag, European would bargain us, they saw us a sub-human, as 'things' to acquire and to dispose, to display and to trade. Today, same thing is happening with our image. Our identity is being objectify and exoticised for European profits and fashion needs. Slavery has not ended; it has evolved. I wonder when it will all end, if it will end, this exploitation of Africa and it's people. Please, Amrita Fascia Portabebe, do not sell us, we are human. We are a living culture. Please, do not sell my mothers, do not sell me. https://www.facebook.com/amritafasciaportabebe/posts/1050197525033825

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This petition had 1,096 supporters

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The Decision Makers

Amrita Fascia Portabebe
Amrita Fascia Portabebe
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Petition created on 5 August 2016