Stories about Ethnicity & Race from December, 2019
Global Voices quinceañera: The Caribbean steps out of the box
Pride parades. Cannabis legislation. £20 million in reparations. These were some of the victories in the Caribbean for 2019. Part 3 of 5.
8 West African countries rename currency in historic break from France — but colonial-era debts persist
Changing the CFA franc to "Eco" does not change the fact that many West African countries are still locked in a legacy of debt to France in its colonial-era deposit system.
Protests, internet shutdowns and biryani: 2019 in South Asia
Overall, our coverage in the past 12 months highlighted stories of protests and internet shutdowns from across the region.
After costume controversy at Miss Universe, Jamaicans celebrate Miss World win
The furore surrounding a Miss Universe national costume that played up the horrors of slavery is assuaged by the #BlackGirlMagic of Toni-Ann Singh copping the 2019 Miss World title for Jamaica.
Scenes from Ma'shour: On the brutal suppression of protests in an Iranian city
"In the days after the horrific incident, the stench of charred corpses in the marshes remained so strong that it reached across the city."
In the frenzy over the new $100 bill, Trinidad & Tobago's banking sector reveals its disrespect for an age-old practice
As Trinidad and Tobago makes the changeover to a new $100 bill, the country's Banking Association president declares the age-old cultural practice of "sou-sou" to be illegitimate, provoking an outcry.
Gambian minister brought Myanmar to The Hague ‘in the name of humanity’
"...No one put pressure on President Jammeh to stop his atrocities. ... We don't want others to feel our pain or our fate," said The Gambia's Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambadou.
Ethiopia: Stop hate speech, not free speech
Ethiopia's new hate speech bill aims to "tackle the erosion of the nation’s social cohesion, political stability and national unity." But digital rights advocates say it threatens democracy.
Join Global Voices’ #WritingTowardFreedom Twitter chat on December 11, 2019
How has ethnic hate speech, mis- and disinformation and internet shutdowns become insidious threats to online freedom of expression in Africa? Join us for this discussion in a Twitter chat.
After struggling for 20 years, a Mon-language newspaper in Myanmar is fighting to survive
The Guiding Star newspaper, an important news source for ethnic Mon, is struggling to keep its doors open as news goes digital and as its audience of Mon-language speakers declines.
‘They call for my slaughter': Somali atheists living in fear
The Somali atheist community spans the globe, while many others remain “in the closet,” hiding their beliefs for fear of repercussions. An estimated 1.2 million seek solace online, using pseudonyms.
On Twitter, this Brazilian writer illuminates stories from black history
Ale Santos became a Brazilian internet sensation by chronicling little-known historical events and characters on Twitter threads.