Reflection by Melissa Browning

In reflecting on our first week here, the aspect that has been most meaningful is the connections that are being formed by the Kenyan and US participants. We each keep reflecting on how grateful we are to be part of this community of brilliant and gifted women. We have been in classes together, in the field together, eating and living together for a week and we are thrilled to watch as connections are formed. As the month together progresses, we are looking forward to what we will learn together as the dinner table and the classroom become cross-cultural (and postcolonial) spaces.

At this point, we’ve formed “collaborative-writing teams” with one US and one Kenyan participant working and writing together. These teams will be focusing (broadly) on the following topics within a postcolonial feminist context: sexuality, post-election violence, food, leadership, and women’s narratives. As we work on these topics, we will be doing fieldwork with African women and listening to their stories. Keep checking back on this blog, and we will share what we’re learning!