TEDWomen 2017
Mwende "FreeQuency" Katwiwa: Black life at the intersection of birth and death
Mwende "FreeQuency" Katwiwa: Sortes liv i krydsningen mellem fødsel og død
Filmed:
Readability: 3.3
935,328 views
"Det er kunstnerens ansvar at afdække historier, som folk forsøger at begrave
med skovle af ligegyldighed og tid", siger digter og frihedskæmper Mwende "FreeQuency" Katwiwa. Idet hun fremfører digtet "Moderskabets glæder", udforsker Katwiwa sorte mødres oplevelser i USA, og inddrager indflydelsen fra bevægelsen "Black Lives matter" - fordi, siger hun, de to ikke kan adskilles.
Mwende "FreeQuency" Katwiwa - Writer, youth worker, freedom fighter
Mwende "FreeQuency" Katwiwa is a storyteller, a truth-teller, a builder and breaker trying to figure out what it means to be human in a world that removes so much of our humanity in order to survive. Full bio
Mwende "FreeQuency" Katwiwa is a storyteller, a truth-teller, a builder and breaker trying to figure out what it means to be human in a world that removes so much of our humanity in order to survive. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
My name is Mwende Katwiwa
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Mit navn er Mwende Katwiwa,
00:15
and I am a poet,
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og jeg er digter,
00:17
a Pan-Africanist
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pan-afrikaner
00:18
and a freedom fighter.
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og frihedskæmper.
00:21
I was 23 years old
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Jeg var 23 år gammel,
00:22
when I first heard
about Reproductive Justice.
about Reproductive Justice.
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da jeg først hørte om
"forplantningsretfærdighed".
"forplantningsretfærdighed".
00:25
I was working at Women with a Vision,
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Jeg arbejdede for Women with a Vision
00:27
where I learned that Reproductive Justice
was defined by Sister Song as:
was defined by Sister Song as:
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hvor jeg lærte, at Søster Song definerede
forplantningsretfærdighed som:
forplantningsretfærdighed som:
00:31
One: A woman's right to decide
if and when she will have a baby
if and when she will have a baby
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Et: En kvindes ret til at beslutte om og
hvornår, hun vil have et barn,
hvornår, hun vil have et barn,
00:36
and the conditions
under which she will give birth.
under which she will give birth.
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og de betingelser hun føder under.
00:38
Two: A woman's right
to decide if she will not have a baby
to decide if she will not have a baby
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To: En kvindes ret til at
beslutte ikke at få et barn,
beslutte ikke at få et barn,
00:42
and her options for preventing
or ending a pregnancy.
or ending a pregnancy.
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og hendes muligheder for at
afværge eller afbryde en graviditet.
afværge eller afbryde en graviditet.
00:45
And three: A woman's right
to parent the children she already has
to parent the children she already has
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Og tre: En kvindes ret til at opfostre
de børn, hun allerede har,
de børn, hun allerede har,
00:49
in safe and healthy environments
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i sikre og sunde omgivelser,
00:51
without fear of violence
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uden frygt for vold
00:53
from individuals or the government.
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udført af individer eller statsmagten.
00:56
I've always wanted to be a mother.
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Jeg har altid ville være mor.
00:59
Growing up, I heard
all about the joys of motherhood.
all about the joys of motherhood.
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Under min opvækst hørte jeg
alt om moderskabets glæder.
alt om moderskabets glæder.
01:02
I used to dream of watching my womb
weave wonder into this world.
weave wonder into this world.
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Jeg plejede at drømme om at se min
livmoder bringe et under til verden.
livmoder bringe et under til verden.
Ser I, jeg vidste godt, at jeg var ung;
01:07
See, I knew I was young.
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01:08
But I figured,
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men jeg tænkte,
01:10
it couldn't hurt to start planning
for something so big, so early.
for something so big, so early.
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at det ikke kunne skade at planlægge
så stor en ting i god tid.
så stor en ting i god tid.
01:15
But now,
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Men nu
01:17
I'm 26 years old.
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er jeg 26 år gammel.
01:19
And I don't know if I have what it takes
to stomach motherhood in this country.
to stomach motherhood in this country.
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Og jeg ved ikke, om jeg kan klare
at være mor her i landet.
at være mor her i landet.
Ser I, i årenes løb har Amerika lært mig
mere om at være forældre
mere om at være forældre
01:23
See, over the years, America
has taught me more about parenting
has taught me more about parenting
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01:26
than any book on the subject.
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end nogen bog om emnet.
01:28
It has taught me how some women
give birth to babies
give birth to babies
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Det har lært mig, at nogle kvinder
føder babyer,
føder babyer,
01:31
and others to suspects.
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mens andre kvinder føder mistænkte.
01:32
It has taught me
that this body will birth kin
that this body will birth kin
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Det har lært mig, at denne krop
vil føde børn,
vil føde børn,
01:35
who are more likely
to be held in prison cells
to be held in prison cells
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med højere risiko for at
opleve en fængselscelle
opleve en fængselscelle
01:38
than to hold college degrees.
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end at afslutte universitetet.
01:40
There is something
about being Black in America
about being Black in America
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Der er noget ved at være sort i Amerika,
01:44
that has made motherhood seem
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som har fået moderskab til at synes
01:47
complicated.
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kompliceret.
01:49
Seem like,
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Det synes,
at jeg ikke ved, hvordan jeg skal
opdrage mine børn
opdrage mine børn
01:50
I don't know what to do
to raise my kids right
to raise my kids right
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01:52
and keep them alive.
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og holde dem i live.
01:54
Do I tell my son not to steal
because it is wrong,
because it is wrong,
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Skal jeg sige til min søn, at han ikke
skal stjæle, fordi det er forkert -
skal stjæle, fordi det er forkert -
01:56
or because they will use it
to justify his death?
to justify his death?
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eller fordi de vil bruge det til at
retfærdiggøre hans død?
retfærdiggøre hans død?
01:59
Do I tell him
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Bør jeg fortælle ham,
02:01
that even if he pays
for his Skittles and sweet tea
for his Skittles and sweet tea
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at selv om han betaler for
sit slik og sin isthe,
sit slik og sin isthe,
02:03
there will still be those
who will watch him
who will watch him
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vil der stadig være folk,
der holder øje med ham
der holder øje med ham
02:05
and see a criminal before child;
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og se en kriminel snarere end et barn;
02:08
who will call the police
and not wait for them to come.
and not wait for them to come.
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som ringer til politiet uden
at vente på, at de kommer.
at vente på, at de kommer.
02:11
Do I even want the police to come?
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Ønsker jeg overhovedet,
at politiet kommer?
at politiet kommer?
02:13
Too many Sean Bells go off in my head
when I consider calling 911.
when I consider calling 911.
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jeg hører klokker [Sean Bells ] i
mit hoved, når jeg overvejer det.
mit hoved, når jeg overvejer det.
02:17
I will not take it for Oscar Grant-ed
that they will not come and kill my son.
that they will not come and kill my son.
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Jeg vil ikke tage for givet [Oscar Grant],
at de ikke kommer og dræber min søn.
at de ikke kommer og dræber min søn.
02:21
So, we may have gotten rid
of the nooses,
of the nooses,
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Vi har nok droppet galgeløkkerne,
02:24
but I still consider it lynching
when they murder Black boys
when they murder Black boys
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men jeg ser stadig en lynchning,
når de myrder sorte drenge
når de myrder sorte drenge
02:27
and leave their bodies
for four hours in the sun.
for four hours in the sun.
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og efterlader deres
kroppe i solen i fire timer.
kroppe i solen i fire timer.
02:30
As a historical reminder
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Som en historisk påmindelse om,
02:32
that there is something
about being Black in America
about being Black in America
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at der er noget ved at være sort i Amerika,
02:35
that has made motherhood sound
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som har fået moderskab til at lyde
02:37
like mourning.
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som sorg.
02:39
Sound like one morning I could wake up
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Til at lyde, som om jeg
kunne vågne en morgen
kunne vågne en morgen
02:41
and see my son as a repeat
of last week's story.
of last week's story.
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og opleve min søn i en gentagelse
af sidste uges historie.
af sidste uges historie.
02:44
Sound like I could wake up and realize
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Som om jeg kunne
vågne op og erkende,
vågne op og erkende,
02:46
the death of my daughter
wouldn't even be newsworthy.
wouldn't even be newsworthy.
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at min datters død ikke
engang har nyhedsværdi.
engang har nyhedsværdi.
02:49
So you can't tell me that Sandra Bland
is the only Black woman
is the only Black woman
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Så sig ikke til mig, at Sandra Bland
er den eneste sorte kvinde,
er den eneste sorte kvinde,
02:52
whose violence deserves
more than our silence.
more than our silence.
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hvis voldspåførelse
fortjener mere end vores tavshed.
fortjener mere end vores tavshed.
02:55
What about our other
dark-skinned daughters in distress
dark-skinned daughters in distress
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Hvad med vores andre
mørklødede døtre, der lider,
mørklødede døtre, der lider,
02:57
whose deaths we have yet to remember?
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hvis dødsfald vi endnu skal erindre?
02:59
What about our children
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Hvad med vores børn,
03:00
whose lives don't fit neatly
between the lives of your genders?
between the lives of your genders?
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hvis liv ikke passer nydeligt
mellem kønnenes opdeling?
mellem kønnenes opdeling?
03:03
See, apparently,
nothing is a great protector
nothing is a great protector
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Ser I, åbenbart findes
der ingen rigtig beskyttelse,
der ingen rigtig beskyttelse,
03:05
if you come out of a body
that looks like this.
that looks like this.
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hvis man fødes af en krop,
der ser ud som denne.
der ser ud som denne.
03:08
See, there is something
about being Black in America
about being Black in America
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Der er noget ved
at være sort i Amerika,
at være sort i Amerika,
03:12
that has made motherhood sound
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som har fået moderskab til at lyde
03:14
like something I'm not sure
I look forward to.
I look forward to.
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som noget, jeg ikke er sikker på,
at jeg ser frem til.
at jeg ser frem til.
03:17
I've written too many poems
about dead Black children to be naïve
about dead Black children to be naïve
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Jeg har skrevet for mange digte
om døde sorte børn til at overse,
om døde sorte børn til at overse,
03:23
about the fact that there could one day
be a poem written about my kids.
be a poem written about my kids.
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at der måske en dag bliver
skrevet et digt om mine børn.
skrevet et digt om mine børn.
03:28
But I do not want to be a mother
who gave birth to poems.
who gave birth to poems.
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Men jeg vil ikke være en mor,
der gav liv til digte.
der gav liv til digte.
03:32
I do not want a stanza for a son
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Jeg vil ikke være et vers for en søn,
03:35
nor a line for a little girl
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eller en linje for en lille pige,
03:37
nor a footnote for a child
who doesn't fit into this world.
who doesn't fit into this world.
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eller en fodnote for et barn, der
ikke passer ind i denne verden.
ikke passer ind i denne verden.
03:40
No.
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Nej.
03:42
I do not want children
who will live forever
who will live forever
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Jeg vil ikke have børn,
der lever evigt
der lever evigt
03:44
in the pages of poetry,
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på poesiens blade,
03:46
yet can't seem to outlive
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og dog ikke synes at kunne leve længere
03:48
me.
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end mig.
03:49
(Applause)
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(Klapsalve)
03:58
I was invited to the TEDWomen conference
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Jeg blev indbudt til TEDWomen konferencen,
04:01
to perform a poem.
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til at optræde med et digt.
04:03
But for me, poetry is not
about art and performance.
about art and performance.
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Men for mig handler poesi ikke
om kunst og optræden.
om kunst og optræden.
04:07
It is a form of protest.
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Det er en slags protest.
04:10
Yesterday,
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I går,
04:11
during rehearsal,
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under prøver,
04:13
I was told that there had been
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fik jeg at vide, at der har været
04:15
two to three recent TED Talks
about Black Lives Matter.
about Black Lives Matter.
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2-3 nylige TED Talks om bevægelsen
"Black Lives Matter".
"Black Lives Matter".
04:19
That maybe I should cut down my TED Talk
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Måske burde jeg forkorte mit TED foredrag
04:23
so it could "just" be
about Reproductive Justice.
about Reproductive Justice.
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så det "bare" handlede om
forplantningsretfærdighed.
forplantningsretfærdighed.
04:27
But that poem and this talk
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Men det digt og dette foredrag
04:29
is fundamentally about
my inability to separate the two.
my inability to separate the two.
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handler fundamentalt om min
manglende evne til at adskille de to.
manglende evne til at adskille de to.
04:33
I was 21 years old --
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Jeg var 21 år gammel -
04:35
(Applause)
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(Klapsalve)
04:43
I was 21 years old
when Trayvon Martin was murdered.
when Trayvon Martin was murdered.
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Jeg var 21 år gammel, da
Trayvon Martin blev myrdet.
Trayvon Martin blev myrdet.
04:47
Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old Black boy,
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Trayvon Martin, en 17 årig sort dreng,
04:51
a Black child,
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et sort barn,
04:52
reminded me
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mindede mig
04:54
reminded us
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mindede os
04:55
how little this nation
actually values Black life.
actually values Black life.
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om hvor lille en værdi,
dette land egentlig tilskriver sorte liv.
dette land egentlig tilskriver sorte liv.
04:59
The hashtag #BlackLivesMatter
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Hashtaggen #BlackLivesMatter
05:02
became the most recognized call
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blev det mest udbredte opråb
05:04
for Black people and our children
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om at sorte mennesker og vores børn
05:07
to live in safe environments
and healthy communities
and healthy communities
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bør kunne leve i sikre omgivelser
og sunde fællesskaber
og sunde fællesskaber
05:09
without fear
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uden at frygte
05:11
from violence from individuals
or the state or government.
or the state or government.
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vold fra individer eller
staten eller regeringen.
staten eller regeringen.
05:15
Months later,
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Et par måneder senere,
05:17
when George Zimmerman
was not held responsible
was not held responsible
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da George Zimmerman ikke
blev holdt ansvarlig
blev holdt ansvarlig
05:19
for murdering Trayvon Martin,
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for at myrde Trayvon Martin,
05:21
I heard Sybrina Fulton,
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hørte jeg Sybrina Fulton,
05:23
Trayvon Martin's mother, speak.
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Trayvon Martins mor, tale.
05:26
Her testimony so deeply impacted me
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Hendes vidnesbyrd påvirkede mig så dybt,
05:29
that I found myself constantly asking,
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at jeg konstant spurgte mig selv,
hvilken konsekvens har det
at være mor i Amerika
at være mor i Amerika
05:32
what would it mean to mother
in the United Stated of America
in the United Stated of America
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05:35
in this skin?
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med denne hud?
05:37
What does motherhood really mean,
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Hvad betyder moderskab egentlig,
05:38
when for so many who look like me
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når det for så mange,
der ser ud som jeg,
der ser ud som jeg,
05:41
it is synonymous with mourning?
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er synonymt med sorg?
05:45
Without realizing it,
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Uden at erkende det,
05:46
I had begun to link
the Reproductive Justice framework
the Reproductive Justice framework
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var jeg begyndt at forbinde
forplantningsretfærdighed
forplantningsretfærdighed
05:49
and the Movement for Black Lives.
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med bevægelsen "Movement for Black Lives".
Mens jeg lærte mere
om forplantningsretfærdighed
om forplantningsretfærdighed
05:52
As I learned more
about Reproductive Justice
about Reproductive Justice
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05:54
at Women With A Vision,
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og Women With A Vision,
05:56
and as I continued to be active
in the Movement for Black Lives,
in the Movement for Black Lives,
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og mens jeg fortsat var aktiv i
Movement for Black Lives,
Movement for Black Lives,
06:00
I found myself wanting others
to see and feel these similarities.
to see and feel these similarities.
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ville jeg at også andre skulle
opdage disse lighedspunkter.
opdage disse lighedspunkter.
06:04
I found myself asking:
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Jeg spurgte mig selv:
06:06
Whose job is it in times like this
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Hvis ansvar er det i tider som disse
06:09
to connect ideas realities and people?
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at sammenknytte ideer,
virkelighedsopfattelser og mennesker?
virkelighedsopfattelser og mennesker?
06:14
I want to dedicate this talk and that poem
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Jeg ønsker at tilegne
dette foredrag og det digt
dette foredrag og det digt
06:16
to Constance Malcolm.
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til Constance Malcolm.
06:19
She is the mother of Ramarley Graham
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Hun er mor til Ramarley Graham,
06:21
who was another Black child
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som er endnu et sort barn,
06:23
who was murdered before their time.
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der blev myrdet før sin tid.
En dag, under et måltid,
06:26
She reminded me once over dinner,
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06:28
as I was struggling to write that poem,
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i en tid hvor jeg kæmpede med det digt,
sagde hun.
sagde hun.
06:30
that it is the artist's job
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at det er kunstnerens ansvar
06:32
to unearth stories that people try to bury
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at afdække historier, som
folk forsøger at begrave
folk forsøger at begrave
06:34
with shovels of complacency and time.
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med skovle af ligegyldighed og tid.
06:38
Recently,
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For nylig
06:40
Toni Morrison wrote,
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skrev Toni Morrison:
06:42
"In times of dread,
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"I frygtens timer
06:44
artists must never choose
to remain silent.
to remain silent.
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må kunstnere aldrig vælge
at forblive stumme.
at forblive stumme.
06:47
There is no time for self-pity,
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Der er ikke tid til selvmedlidenhed,
06:49
no room for fear."
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ikke plads til frygt."
06:52
Yesterday, during rehearsal,
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Til prøven i går,
06:54
when I was told that I should
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da jeg blev bedt om
"måske at skære det om Black
Lives Matter ud" af mit foredrag,
Lives Matter ud" af mit foredrag,
06:55
"maybe cut the Black Lives Matter
portion from my talk,"
portion from my talk,"
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06:59
I found myself fearful for a moment.
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blev jeg bange et øjeblik.
Bange for, at vores historier
igen nægtes adgang
igen nægtes adgang
07:01
Fearful that again
our stories were being denied
our stories were being denied
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07:04
the very stages
they deserve to be told on.
they deserve to be told on.
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præcis de steder,
hvor de bør fortælles.
hvor de bør fortælles.
07:07
And then I remembered
the words I had just spoken.
the words I had just spoken.
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Og så huskede jeg de ord,
som jeg netop havde sagt.
som jeg netop havde sagt.
07:11
"In times of dread,
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"I frygtens timer
07:13
artists must never choose
to remain silent.
to remain silent.
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må kunstnere aldrig
vælge at forblive stumme.
vælge at forblive stumme.
07:17
There is no time for self-pity.
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Der er ikke tid til selvmedlidenhed.
07:19
(Applause)
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(Klapsalve)
07:27
There is no time for self-pity.
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Der er ikke tid til selvmedlidenhed.
07:30
And no room for fear."
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Og ingen plads til frygt.
07:32
And I have made my choice.
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Jeg har valgt.
07:34
And I am always choosing.
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Og jeg vælger hele tiden.
07:37
Thank you.
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Mange tak.
07:38
(Applause)
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(Klapsalve)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Mwende "FreeQuency" Katwiwa - Writer, youth worker, freedom fighterMwende "FreeQuency" Katwiwa is a storyteller, a truth-teller, a builder and breaker trying to figure out what it means to be human in a world that removes so much of our humanity in order to survive.
Why you should listen
Mwende "FreeQuency" Katwiwa is a Kenyan Queer Womyn speaker and performer. Katwiwa is an award-winning, internationally touring poet, author, host, youth worker, social-justice speaker, teaching artist and workshop leader who has spent her life at the intersection of arts, education and activism. Her work in Reproductive Justice, the Movement for Black Lives, LGBTQ+ advocacy and poetry have been featured on Upworthy, OkayAfrica, the New York Times, For Harriet, Everyday Feminism and more.
As a writer, Katwiwa has always centered storytelling as an avenue to create change and believes in "speaking things into existence." Her work is heavily influenced by her heritage and her pan-African upbringing, and centers "the other" and "the in between," places she has often found herself occupying as a black, queer immigrant and emigrant. Her experience of the power of words and stories to impact the lives of those sharing and receiving has pushed her to share and teach the craft as a tool of resistance and advocacy.
Mwende "FreeQuency" Katwiwa | Speaker | TED.com