Women And Resistance

In this episode of Women and Resistance, hosts @Aya Fubara Eneli, Esq., and Adesoji Iginla sit down with the embodied voice of Dr Ida Gray Nelson Rollins, the first African American woman to earn a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in the United States, and the first Black dentist of any gender to practice in Chicago. We explore the inspiring life of Dr Ida Gray, the first African American woman den...

Abducted as a teenager, held in conditions her own poetry calls slavery for a decade, and rescued by a cousin who crossed the Indian Ocean to find her. A century later, she was East Africa's most revered female Islamic scholar, and the reason Qur'an schools in her hometown of Barawa are still run by women today. In this episode of Women and Resistance, hosts Aya Fubara Eneli, Esq., and A...

This conversation delves into the life and legacy of Josephine Baker, exploring her journey from a challenging upbringing in St. Louis to becoming a cultural icon in France. The discussion highlights her struggles with racism, her reinventions, and her impact on art and activism. Baker's story is a testament to resilience, identity, and the complexities of fame, as she navigated societal expe...

This episode features the inspiring story of Mary Fields, also known as Stagecoach Mary, an African American woman born enslaved who became a legendary mail carrier in Montana. She defied racial and gender barriers, showcasing resilience, loyalty, and strength in the face of adversity. Takeaways *Mary Fields' early life and slavery in Tennessee *Her journey to Montana and life on the frontier...

She was a princess, a Cambridge-trained lawyer, the first Black woman on the pages of Harper's Bazaar, a foreign minister under one of Africa's most feared dictators — and she said NO when that dictator demanded she marry him. This week on Women and Resistance, we tell the full, extraordinary, and largely untold story of Princess Elizabeth Bagaaya Akiiki of Tooro. Born in 1936 into the a...

This is a story about Black motherhood as resistance. About the legal limits of so-called “freedom.” About the Freedmen’s Bureau — what it promised, what it delivered, and where it catastrophically failed. And it’s about the unbroken thread that runs from Monemia McKoy to Mamie Till-Mobley to Sybrina Fulton to every Black mother who has ever had to fight for the right to simply keep her child. In...

Mbokomu, the Ancestor Goddess of the Ngombe What if the first woman on Earth wasn’t a passive creation — but a divine disruptor? What if she were sent down not because she was weak, but because she was too powerful to be contained? This week on Women and Resistance, hosts Aya Fubara Eneli Esq. and Adesoji Iginla dive deep into one of Central Africa’s most captivating and under-explored mythologica...

🎙️ SEASON 4 REVIEW | Women & Resistance Podcast They resisted empires, fought colonial armies, rebuilt broken communities, and wrote words that outlived every system that tried to erase them.  In this special review episode, hosts Adesoji Iginla and Aya Fubara Eneli, Esq., look back at the twelve extraordinary women featured this season — women whose courage, sacrifice, and genius shaped histo...

What does it mean to resist when the whole world has decided your body is a spectacle?  In this episode Aya Fubara Eneli, Esq. and Adesoji Iginla sit with one of the most shattering stories in the long history of Black women’s resistance: the life of Saartjie (Sarah) Baartman, a Khoikhoi woman from the Eastern Cape of South Africa, who was taken to Europe in 1810, exhibited as a freak show attract...

She was a teacher who refused to teach poison. A social worker who went to prison for housing rights. A writer who threw stones with her mouth. A politician who entered Parliament at 79. Her name was Ellen Kuzwayo — and the world called her Mama Soweto. In this episode of the Women and Resistance Podcast, hosts Adesoji Iginla and Aya Fubara Eneli Esq. sit with the extraordinary life of Nnoseng Ell...

She crossed the Atlantic in a winter storm. She was pushed down a staircase for sitting where she chose. She was denied a visa, expelled from schools she'd passed the entrance exams to enter, and told — by an entire nation — that her skin made her less than human. And then she stood before 2,000 people in Edinburgh, Scotland, and made them listen. Meet Sarah Parker Remond (1826–1894), an abol...

She was pregnant when she fought. She was pregnant when they captured her. She gave birth in a prison cell. The next morning, they hanged her! Her name was Solitude. And she chose that name herself. In this week's episode of Women & Resistance, hosts @Aya Fubara Eneli, Esq., and Adesoji Iginla bring you the story of La Mulâtresse Solitude — born 1772 in Guadeloupe, a woman whose life span...

They told her she couldn't play. She told the whole world she was Black. 🖤 This week on Women & Resistance, Aya Fubara Eneli Esq. and Adesoji Iginla go deep into one of the most extraordinary — and underknown — stories of resistance in the African diaspora: the life and legacy of Victoria Santa Cruz (1922–2014), Afro-Peruvian choreographer, composer, activist, and author of the poem that...

This episode explores the life and legacy of Queen Mother Moore, a pioneering Black activist and advocate for reparations, highlighting her contributions from the post-slavery era to modern movements for Black liberation. Takeaways *Queen Mother Moore's early life and heritage *Her role in the Black activism and reparations movement *Her involvement with African independence and Pan-Africanis...

In this episode of Women and Resistance, Aya Fubara Eneli Esq and Adesoji Iginla explore the life and work of Zimbabwean writer Yvonne Vera, delving into themes of silence, patriarchy, and historical memory.  The conversation highlights her contributions to literature, her personal journey, and the importance of addressing taboo subjects to foster liberation. Takeaways *Yvonne Vera's backgrou...

This episode features the inspiring story of Fannie Lou Hamer, a civil rights leader who overcame unimaginable hardships to fight for voting rights and racial justice. Her journey from sharecropper to national icon highlights the power of resilience, activism, and community organising. Takeaways *Fannie Lou Hamer's early life and hardships *The civil rights movement and grassroots activism *V...

In this episode of Women and Resistance, we explore the fierce resistance of Her Majesty Lingeer Ndate Yalla Mbodj in 19th century Senegambia, highlighting her leadership, sovereignty, and the ongoing struggle against colonial forces. Through her story, we learn about African resilience, sovereignty, and the importance of resisting cultural and political domination. Takeaways *Her Majesty Lingere...

In this episode of Women and Resistance, we explore the life and legacy of Ida B. Wells, a pioneering journalist and activist known for her fierce opposition to lynching and her commitment to social justice.  The discussion covers her early life, the impact of racism and slavery, her groundbreaking work in journalism, and her enduring influence on civil rights movements.  Wells's story is a t...

In this episode of Women and Resistance, we explore the life and legacy of Audre Lorde.  In this conversation, she discusses her life, identity, and the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality.  She emphasises the importance of collective struggles against oppression and the need for solidarity among marginalised groups. Lorde reflects on her experiences in education, activism, and the power...

In this episode of Women and Resistance, we explore the life and legacy of Yaa Asantewaa, the Queen Mother of the Ashanti Kingdom, who led her people in resistance to British colonialism.  The conversation delves into the historical context of the Ashanti Kingdom, the significance of the golden stool as a symbol of identity, and the vital role women played in resistance movements.  Yaa Asantewa&ap...

In this special episode of Women and Resistance, host Adesoji Iginla and Aya Fubara Eneli Esq., with special guest Mama Peggy Miller, mark the first anniversary of the Women and Resistance (W.A.R.) Podcast and reflect on the journey of celebrating resilient women throughout history. They discuss the emotional and spiritual connections to the ancestors, the importance of representation, and the nee...

In this episode of Women and Resistance, host Adesoji Iginla celebrates the life and legacy of Anna Julia Cooper, represented by Aya Fubara Eneli, Esq., who shares her life story, emphasising the importance of education, the role of women in society, and the ongoing struggles for equality and empowerment.  She reflects on her experiences as a black woman in the 19th and early 20th centuries, discu...

In this episode of Women and Resistance, host Adesoji Iginla engages with Aya Fubara Eneli, Esq.,  and celebrates the life and legacy of Celia Cruz, the Queen of Salsa, exploring her early life, the influence of family and faith, her journey to stardom, and the challenges she faced as a Black woman in the music industry. They spoke on how Celia's experiences of exile shaped her identity and a...

In this episode of Women and Resistance, host Adesoji Iginla engages with Aya Fubara Eneli, Esq., who embodies the spirit of Queen Kambassa of the Niger Delta.  The conversation explores the historical significance of women in leadership, particularly in African cultures, and the legacy of Queen Kambassa as amanayanabo. They discuss cultural practices, marriage dynamics, and the role of women in s...

In this enlightening conversation, Adesoji Iginla had Aya Fubara Eneli, Esq., walk us through the life and legacy of Alice Allison Dunnigan, the first African-American woman to receive White House press credentials. Dunnigan (played by Aya) shares her experiences growing up during the Jim Crow era, her journey into journalism, and the barriers she faced as a black woman in a predominantly white fi...