IN a groundbreaking report titled Being African: How Africans Experience the Diaspora, narrative-change organisation Africa No Filter reveals the nuanced experiences of diasporic African youth in France, the UK, and the US. The report, authored by academics Lusike Mukhongo, Winston Mano, and Wallace Chuma, delves into the challenges faced by young Africans living abroad and their unique journey in navigating cultural identities.
The research, based on interviews with 70 participants aged 18–28 from the USA, 20 from the U.K., and 20 from France, brings to light the various forms of discrimination faced by diasporic African youth. In France, they grapple with exoticisation, in the UK, microaggressions, and in the US, surveillance and profiling.
Contrary to mainstream narratives, the report highlights that these young diasporans hold a dual heritage, taking pride in African languages, food, music, and history while embracing the language and culture of their host countries. The study also explores their perception of Africa, which is not solely shaped by negative mainstream media portrayals but rather influenced by interpersonal relationships, social media, and occasional visits to the continent.
The research underscores the significance of African languages as a marker of identity, even for those who do not speak them. Additionally, recent racial reckonings in the US, UK, and France, coupled with movements like #BlackLivesMatter, have spurred young diasporans to explore and embrace their heritage, manifesting in a renewed interest in African history, attire, and names.
Moky Makura, Executive Director at Africa No Filter, emphasises the report’s importance for African governments and host countries, urging them to consider the unique perspectives of young Africans in the diaspora as potential assets for economic, social, and cultural development.
‘This report is a must-read for African governments and host countries in the diaspora because it focuses on an under-researched group. The unique, first-hand accounts of life in the diaspora are an opportunity for African governments and host countries to think about how to turn young Africans in the diaspora into an economic, social and cultural asset for their host and home countries,’ she says.
Despite facing marginalisation and unequal access to resources in their host countries, diasporic youth demonstrate a strong thirst for knowledge about Africa. The report highlights their varied sources of information, including parents, relatives in Africa, books, and social media.
Interestingly, participants across the three countries expressed scepticism about global news coverage of Africa, considering it biased and mostly negative. Even positive stories were perceived to focus on individuals, reinforcing a narrow and often unfavourable framing of the continent.
In essence, Being African: How Africans Experience the Diaspora not only unveils the challenges faced by young Africans abroad but also serves as a call to action for governments and host countries to recognise and harness the potential of this under-researched group.
