🌈 Introducing 30 Days of Pride

🧘‍♀️ Zen Note

It's that time of the year again when love, acceptance, and self-expression take centre stage. Pride Month is a time to celebrate the beautiful spectrum of identities that make up our diverse and vibrant community. Whether you identify as LGBTQIA+ or an ally, this month is all about embracing who you are and standing up for love, equality, and inclusivity.

At Kenga, we believe in the power of storytelling to foster understanding, empathy, and connection. That's why we are thrilled to introduce our specially curated series titled: 30 Days of Pride 🏳️‍🌈. For this series, we'll unveil a new literary piece every day that amplifies the unique voices and experiences of African Gen Z LGBTQIA+ identifying individuals. To kick off this incredible series, we invite you to read our entries and if you feel inspired, we warmly welcome your submissions to further enrich our collection.

- Edisana Stephen, Newsletter Editor

🥳 Z Brand Spotlight

GRADE AFRICA is a South African streetwear brand founded by Zaid Osman. The brand is on a mission to inspire individuals to elevate themselves and their communities. With community growth at the core of Grade Africa, the community uses products and collaborations to stimulate a positive impact on the public.

From New York to Lagos, to Johannesburg and Cape Town, Grade Africa makes a dynamic appearance, blending modern aesthetics with African heritage in all its contemporary fashion designs.

✍️ New on Kenga

🔥 Hot Topics

• Pride Month 2023: A brief history. (via CBS News)

• How Nigeria’s new president has shocked the nation by removing fuel subsidy. (via BBC)

• Ghana’s famous author and feminist, Ama Ata Aidoo dies at 81. (via BBC)

• This report shows that Gen Z cares more about their dress code and communication skills than work. (via Daily Nation, Kenya)

• Spotify report shows Kenyan Gen Z embrace soothing music and Nigerian Gen Zs love mellow music. (via Nairobi News & The Eagle Online)

• Gen Z style icon, Tobeszn is on a roll. (via The Guardian Nigeria)

• Does ‘bed rotting’, the new Gen Z trend really mean self-care? (via Fast Company)

• Why Gen Z is so motivated by pay. (via BBC)

• Meet the woman dressing Gen Z and their celebrities. (via Financial Times)

• Gen Z and Millennials are embracing a 6 pm workday. (via Yahoo)

• The Gen Z kids of LGBTQ parents are all grown up and sharing their childhood experiences on TikTok. (via Yahoo)

💡 Z-Lang

Ded -a term used to describe something extremely hilarious to an extent it could kill you with laughter.

😮‍💨 Weekenda

• African Love Stories: An Anthology, a book edited by Ama Ata Aidoo

Remember the Ghanaian literary icon and the values she stood by, through this collection of diverse stories from women across the diaspora

•  Demon Slayers S4, on Crunchyroll

Binge-watch the new season of the samurai-style, purely spirited anime

• Outmosphere, an event in Accra

Consider what it means to express one’s true self through digitally illumined surrealist portraits.

• MAD Club opening, an opening event in Accra

Forget home training, and leave decorum to the weekday at this triple-bill club launch weekend.

• Gbada Express Vol. 2: Moving Mad, an album by BOJ

Kick back to this sonically simpler, more raw, more mellow sequel to Gbagada Express.

The Kengaroo is a weekly newsletter that curates the latest on Gen Z culture in Africa and around the world. Subscribe to be among the first to get the next issue when it’s up.