‘An evening with Mama Nozipo’ was held in Building 12’s conference center and from the moment I walked in I was hit by an overwhelming sense of community and love. We were there to meet a great anti-apartheid and anti-racism activist renowned for her empathy and love. It felt like everyone in the room knew each other and you were greeted with a warm smile the moment you arrived.
Nozipo Glenn, known popularly as ‘Mama Nozipo’, was born in Cape Town and expelled from South Africa for opposing the country’s Apartheid regime. During that era, South Africa’s was ruled by a racist government that enforced white supremacist rule through legalized racial segregation. While the system would be brought to an end in the early ‘90s after over five decades of oppression. But the work of activist like Glenn continued.
Her years of sacrifice were reflected in the reverence shown to her at the event. The warmth and sense of community made it easy to be drawn in and hang onto every word that was spoken.
Glenn spoke on what village life was like and her experience leaving her community behind. She described it as a heartbreaking experience that attendees like me were inspired by thanks to her perseverance. Over time, Glenn was able to shape her new community and those around her.
At what the term village meant to her, she said, “You know it’s not that complicated. Its family and family takes care of each other. ‘Family’ means responsibility, it making sure food is cooked for everyone around you. When I was growing up, we children had one big dish or bowl and we would all sit around that bowl and eat. This taught us to share and really underlined that family meant seeing to the needs of each other.”
It was amazing to some of what Glenn was able to accomplish and know that we, too, can have a positive impact on our environment and neighbors. On the subject of apartheid, Glenn described it as beginning in the time of her great grandma and something that affects people to this very day.
Glenn spoke on what village life was like and her experience leaving her community behind. She described it as a heartbreaking experience that attendees like me were inspired by thanks to her perseverance. Over time, Glenn was able to shape her new community and those around her.
At what the term village meant to her, she said, “You know it’s not that complicated. Its family and family takes care of each other. ‘Family’ means responsibility, it making sure food is cooked for everyone around you. When I was growing up, we children had one big dish or bowl and we would all sit around that bowl and eat. This taught us to share and really underlined that family meant seeing to the needs of each other.”
It was amazing to some of what Glenn was able to accomplish and know that we, too, can have a positive impact on our environment and neighbors. On the subject of apartheid, Glenn described it as beginning in the time of her great grandma and something that affects people to this very day.
After leaving South Africa and coming to the US, the activist continued to spread her message and work to end racism. She has made as much of an impact on Dayton as she did her country of birth through the same love, kindness, and warmth she utilized to fight prejudice in the past.
Speaking about the next generation of activists, Glenn said, “When we pass on the baton we need to give it to the right person. We want to continue and make sure our information and legacy stay with the right team.”
There are so many things that we can learn and take away from seeing her work and seeing her passion for people. One lesson I learned was that if we loved each other as passionately and as hard as Glenn, there would be no place for hate and only room for love and kindness.
Words and photos by Breanna Gambill, Intern