by Ennie Chipembere
Dear EJ
It’s been some time since you left us, and your absence is deeply felt. Finding the words to express this grief has not been easy, but I hope this first public letter honours your legacy without dwelling in sorrow. What endures is your profound impact, your influence, your memories, and the stories that celebrate the phenomenal feminist, friend, sister, mother, and mentor you were. You gifted us with stories: stories about you, stories shared with you, and stories learned from you. My hope is that many of us will honour your memory by sharing these stories as I am doing now.
I, like many others, was profoundly impacted by your words. As an economic historian, your research and co-authorship of the 1992 book To Live a Better Life – An Oral History of Women in the City of Harare, 1920-70 offered critical insights into the systemic injustices women have faced since the colonial era. Through this work, you introduced us to the women who shaped the city in often unrecognised ways, yet whose influence was pivotal to policy and urban life. This publication marked a defining moment in your emergence as the social justice and women’s rights activist we came to admire.
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