Subverting Alienation
With Moro Yapha (Migration and Human Rights Advocate, GM/DE), Stella Nyanzi (Activist, Poet and Digital Rights Defender, UG/DE), Nyima Jadama (Activist & Moderator, GM/DE). Moderated by Mo R. (Project Lead, Tactical Tech, EG/US/DE).
This panel explores the pivotal role of media and technology in raising awareness and fostering community bonds among migrants and refugees. It discusses the challenges faced by migrants in Germany, Europe and beyond, and how the process of gaining agency can shift the focus from 'being a migrant' to 'becoming a citizen'. Through their individual stories, speakers will also illustrate the power of media and self-advocacy in combating systemic alienation and oppression.
Reflecting on his personal migration journey from The Gambia to Europe, Moro Yapha recounts how the lack of communication tools initially limited connectivity. This experience inspired the creation of a Facebook group in 2014 to document the perilous journey to Europe and highlight human rights abuses faced by migrants, especially those from sub-Saharan Africa. The group aimed to share untold stories, search for missing persons, and raise awareness of the struggles and exploitation faced by migrants in Europe. Motivated by the need for self-representation, Moro Yapha became a migration and human rights advocate, leveraging online platforms to challenge prevailing narratives and promote migrant voices. In 2016, this advocacy led to the co-founding of Wearebornfree! Empowerment Radio, the first self-organised African radio station in Berlin and Potsdam, now known as Kangkiling Radio. The station serves as a platform for raising awareness, empowering black music and cultures and building community among African migrants in Europe. Additionally, Moro has worked for seven years as an intercultural mediator at Fixpunkt e.V, supporting undocumented sub-Saharan Africans with health, legal, and social services.
Stella Nyanzi is a dissident poet and activist from Uganda working
