Progressively over the last decade, feminist creative organising in Accra has taken shape through collectives and projects working to amplify visibility and provide affirming space for women and women’s stories in public spheres. This rise in visibility and inclusive spaces has taken place through a myriad of cultural events, occurring throughout the city, that are led by women practitioners — independent and community writers, digital activists, academics, media journalists, artists and art programmers. This phenomenon is a departure from traditional organisers of culture, that is, national ministries, local councils, NGOs, foreign embassies and religious institutions.
As a womanist researcher, writer, teacher and multimedia producer born and raised in the United States, I have actively participated in multiple cultural spaces within Accra for the last nine years. As cofounder of ACCRA [dot] ALT, an independent arts network that provides space for African artists to showcase unconventional works and make connections and projects with artists across the continent and diaspora, increasing visibility and storytelling initiatives by women practitioners is principal to our mission. This impetus for us, and for many other cultural practitioners, arose out of a persistent battle for accurate information and sincere knowledge-sharing practices.
Critical Reflections, Feminist Africa Issue 22: Feminists Organising - Strategy, Voice, Power, Journal, Latest Issue, Sionne Rameah Neely