Jade: Afrobubblegum

A few weeks ago, in my ethics class, a girl in my group started raving about this movie she had just seen. It was a private screening as part of a different course, and she even got the chance to meet the director/producer. She went on to explain that the film, RAFIKI, is a love story between two girls who live in Nairobi. Immediately, another member of my group expressed how heartbreaking the movie must have been. I also jumped to the conclusion that there would be a tragic ending.

Enter afrobubblegum, a term coined by the movie's director/producer Wanuri Kahiu. From her website of the same name, she states: "We believe in a fun, fierce and frivolous representation of Africa. To that end, we work to curate, commission and create fun work that celebrates joy."

I think afrobubblegum is awesome. It's a movement that ignores the general, presumed dialogue of African movies and books as either historical, depressing, or strictly morally concerned. I understand that oftentimes movies and books are a great medium for history to be taught and those suffering to be heard (with the hope of raising awareness and support), but there's something to be said about cherishing culture and fostering positivity as well. It's a terribly hard line to draw though, because no one wants to overshadow those who are struggling, those who are in need.

But if we want racial dialogue to ever shift, we need afrobubblegum. In a different context, I try to read Asian American authors whenever I can, but a significant amount of the time, the books I find are some version of historical fiction. While again, I can appreciate that these books are important because they are another voice, another perspective, I just wish that there were more options which integrated Asian culture with the modern day. Otherwise, as I see it, we remain isolated from the society and culture now. I crave a "fun, fierce and frivolous" Asian American story, I don't want more reserved tones or moral lessons.

The podcast I listened to, Books & Boba, gave me some hope. While one of the reviews I listened to was about a book retelling China's history, Game of Thrones style, there were others that seemed to fit this idea of afrobubblegum. Books about detectives, superheroes, modern love—these themes reach beyond race, and make me hopeful that as an Asian American, there is room for my stories even if they aren't a drama that takes place in 1700s Beijing.