Author Presses Need for ‘Stronger’ Political Ties Among Africans, Black Americans

By Eden Harris | Washington Informer | Word In Black (WIB) – Rahiel Tesfamariam, author of “Imagine Freedom: Transforming Pain into Political and Spiritual Power,” held a book discussion at Busboys and Poets 14th Street on July 11, with a mission of leaving audiences with more than thoughts on literature. Tesfamariam, an Eritrean immigrant, used the moment to emphasize the need for African Americans to cultivate closer ties with Africa beyond the realms of cultural appreciation. “I think that African Americans need stronger ties to the continent that go beyond culture, esthetics, and music,” Rahiel Tesfamariam told The Washington Informer. “I think that we need to look at what our political relationality is.” Tesfamariam, a Stanford and Yale University graduate, is dedicated to raising awareness about the “African freedom struggle,” which she stresses is ongoing. “It continues to this day. It did not end with the end of colonization,” she emphasized. Countries like Kenya have struggled to maintain freedom from external partners like China and the Western world. In recent weeks, Kenyan President William Ruto has been engulfed in political controversy because he tried to force a contentious tax bill to go through, which resulted in widespread violent and deadly...