On Friday, January 22nd, 2021, in tandem with Solutions Journalism Network, FunTimes Magazine hosted the virtual FunTimes Friday event ‘The Diaspora Disconnect II’. Hélène Biandudi Hofer, Manager of Complicating the Narratives Project at the Solutions Journalism Network, and Mikhael Simmonds, Mid-Atlantic Region Manager/Multimedia Lead at the Solutions Journalism Network, led an interpersonal communication workshop with participants and offered the concept of ‘looping’ as a means of healing and exchange to catalyze collective and self empowerment within the African Diaspora.
The concept of ‘looping’, which was introduced in the virtual event ‘The Diaspora Disconnect I: Listening to Understand’, on November 20th, 2021, was put into practice as participants used the process of looping to engage in conversation. This conflict resolution tool works to dissolve misunderstanding and foster empathy through curiosity and deep listening, which includes hearing expressed and implicit ideas, and following up with inquiries to clarify one’s understanding of expressed thoughts.
Looping has the potential to help people of the African diaspora heal from the ills of slavery and colonialism. This communication strategy is a building block of meaningful connection, and as many people in the global African diaspora face similar struggles, developing a collective self-esteem and mutual understanding will lay the foundation for further collaboration.
Vulnerability becomes a two way street with looping, and through taking on this task of cultivating community, one is empowered to become changemaker and create allies, no matter their social status, position or title. Learn more about looping here.
You are cordially invited to celebrate Black History Month with the magazine on Friday, February 5th, 2021 at 6pm at our ‘Generations of History’ event on Zoom! Join this free event here.
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Nana Ama Addo is a writer, multimedia strategist, film director and storytelling artist. She graduated with a BA in Africana Studies from the College of Wooster, and has studied at the University of Ghana and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Visit her storytelling brand at www.asieduasimprint.blog, and connect with her creative agency on Instagram: @chitheagency.
