Katharina Oguntoye
Intercultural
Communication as
Life theme
Katharina Oguntoye is an Afro-German writer, historian, activist and founder of Joliba - Intercultural Network in Berlin eV
Her work "Farbe bekennen", which she published together with May Ayim (then May Opitz) and Orlando Verlag, is a milestone in Afro-German literature that highlights and honors the voices of Black people in Germany.
Katharina Oguntoye is a tireless fighter for justice and equality. Her commitment has been recognized with awards such as the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (May 2022) and the Rosa Courage Prize (May 2023). She also received the Obermayer Award (January 2024) for her contribution to educating and raising awareness about the history and identity of Black people in Germany.
One of Katharina Oguntoye's main concerns is the redesign of terminology. Together with other activists, she coined the term Afro-German, which symbolizes respect for Black people in Germany and overcomes old, foreign-determined and negatively connotated terms.
Katharina Oguntoye is a living example of how experiences of discrimination and injustice can give rise to positive energy and love.
Political engagement
Courage can be contagious
Katharina Oguntoye is co-founder of the Initiative Black People in Germany (ISD) and the Afro-German women's group ADEFRA . In 1997 she founded our association Joliba e. V., which primarily offers services to families of African, Afro-German and Afro-American origin. Katharina Oguntoye's motivation for her commitment is that black people in Germany are still invisible and are not perceived as having equal rights. She has headed the association as project manager and managing director since it was founded.
Interview
Afro-German women on the trail of their history
Although we live in isolation and our skin color is seen as an exception in Germany, there are many of us. We grew up in some German city, we work and live together with white Germans - and yet in this very Germany we are considered the >always different