Many people, upon hearing one of the key things that I blog about (ie African feminism and womanhood), proceed to tell me about a humanitarian or development cause they are involved with or have read about.

Having heard this response, one woman recently told me about her company (Vodafone) empowering women with mobile apps in Malawi. Another was in the process of establishing a school for girl orphans in Kenya. A young German man I met at a conference recently simply offered that he had some experience travelling in impoverished parts of Uganda. Very often people ask how my blog reaches women in African villages.

They’re not wrong in asking this question, I do address women’s lives in rural Africa in some of my writing. However, these reactions imply that all too often, the phrase “African woman” conjures a poor woman in rural Africa.  This woman – who of course does exist – has more self-determination than allowed in depictions of her but she is not necessarily my target audience.

The overwhelming majority of my readers are based in urban cities namely, primarily in Europe, North America and in Africa. They are modern, educated and discerning African women. They are women (and men) of all races who are interested in gender and feminism from both scholarly and non-academic backgrounds. They are men and women who enjoy reading blogs about African affairs and pop culture. Quoting Forbes:

They are African women are comfortable in any setting, corporate or traditional. They are able to hold their own in chic Parisian, Dubai or Wall Street circles but totally at home in some of Africa’s great cities: Yaounde, Cameroon; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Cape Town, South Africa; Harare, Zimbabwe. It is the way they embrace this duality of outlook and perspective that defines this new breed of African women.

Also, I myself being a Finnish and Nigerian, African-European woman with strong ties to both continents, share stories and opinions that are based on my experiences. Therefore, my readers are people who have cultural experiences that resonate to some extent with mine whether they are to do with multiracial, multicultural, multiethnic or other forms of urban, hybrid, or Afropolitan identity.

On MsAfropolitan I share opinion pieces and personal stories about the African Diaspora, African feminism, Afropolitanism, popular culture in Africa, African masculinities, race, politics and lifestyle.

For more about my work, check out my bio and resume

Hope you enjoy your visit!