For The Wild
May 16, 2023: The Edges in the Middle, II: Bayo Akomolafe and V
Continuing the conversation series, The Edges in the Middle, presented in collaboration with UC Berkeley’s Othering and Belonging Institute, For The Wild is delighted to share Bayo Akomolafe in conversation with V (formerly known as Eve Ensler, playwright, author, and founder of V‑Day and One Billion Rising). Speaking on the theme The Promise and Limits of Restitution: Returning to Congo, Bayo and V dance together in a conversation that shows us portals of possibility that edge us towards deep change. Discussing the Congo as both place and portal, Bayo and V contemplate the persistent and fugitive glimmer of possibility within trauma and repression. As we pay slow, deep attention and care to unraveling and processing our stories, how might we create the sacred space from which movement and growth may flow?
The Edges in the Middle is a series of conversations between Bayo Akomolafe and thought companions like john a. powell, V, Naomi Klein, and more. These limited episodes have been adapted from Bayos work as the Global Senior Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Othering & Belonging Institute. In this role, Bayo has been holding a series of public conversations on issues of justice and belonging for the Institute’s Democracy & Belonging Forum, which connects and resources civic leaders in Europe and the US who are committed to bridging across difference to strengthen democracy and advance belonging in both regions and around the world. Bayo’s conversations encourage us to rethink justice, hope, and belonging by sitting amidst the noise, not trying to cover it up with pleasant rhythms. To learn more about the Democracy & Belonging Forum, visit democracyandbelongingforum.org.