Center for German and European Studies

Racism in Germany. A Black East-German perspective

About the Event

Join speaker Tupoka Ogette for a critical dialogue on racism in Germany from a Black East-German perspective. Together with her husband, the sculptor Stephen Lawson, Ogette will discuss the Black German Experience by comparing Black East and West German biographies and experiences since 1980 until today and reflect on lessons and challenges of their Anti-Racism work in Germany.

 

 

About the Speaker

Tupoka Ogette is an important voice internationally, and especially in the German-speaking world, for highlighting systemic racism and its impact on Black people and People of Color in German speaking Countries. In Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, she is currently the best-known facilitator of critiques of racism. Both her book “exit RACISM. Learning to Think Critically of Racism” as well as her book “Und Jetzt Du. Rassismuskritisch leben.” are SPIEGEL bestsellers.

She works in a team with her husband Stephen Lawson and advises corporations, institutions and political parties. Among others, they work for Disney+, Netflix or Paramount. Tupoka Ogette has spoken at the United Nations and at Oxford University. In 2023, she addressed all the world’s foreign offices in a virtual event.

Her books and concepts are considered standard works in schools and universities. In 2019, Ogette was named one of the 25 most influential women of the year by Edition F magazine. SPIEGEL Online included her as one of ten women in its educational canon on theory and politics. In 2021, she was named “Idol of The Year” by About You. In 2023, she received the prestigious Swiss Emilie – Jäger – Award for individuals who have championed gender equality policies in the context of science, university and education in a special way.

Presently Tupoka and Stephen work, create and travel together. Stephen is exploring new forms of artistic and creative expression.This is their website: www.tupoka.de