Black rights on the global agenda

The Black Lives Matter movement was propelled into the global spotlight as protests spread following the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020. Having started as a grassroots movement protesting racially motivated violence and police brutality in the United States, Black Lives Matter has now grown into an international social and political phenomenon, with activists organizing protests and social media campaigns worldwide.

In this episode, we explore how this once US-based movement has triggered action against racism in places as far away as the Nordic countries: A region traditionally seen as being at the forefront in the fight against inequality and discrimination but which still has its battles to fight regarding these issues.

We also ask what the struggle for black people’s rights will look like in the future. Will it remain global? And what would that mean for black people?

This podcast episode comes from a Nordic Talks live event organized by the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto, Canada. The talk is part of “Nordic Bridges 2022”, a year-long initiative fostering cultural exchange between the Nordic Region and Canada.

“Race exists, and so does police brutality. Let’s talk about it globally and locally.”

Nontokozo Tshabalala, a South African multidisciplinary artist, living in Sweden.