Mar 21 • 04:30 UTC 🇪🇸 Spain El País

Odome Angone, essayist: 'Non-white people do not have the right to be ourselves. We always speak on behalf of a collective'

Odome Angone discusses the challenges faced by non-white individuals in expressing their identities and the significance of her latest book in amplifying marginalized voices.

In an interview, Odome Angone, a Gabonese essayist and professor of Hispanic-African literature at the University Cheikh Anta Diop in Dakar, expresses her thoughts on the identity struggles of non-white individuals. She highlights that many of them feel compelled to represent not just themselves, but a collective experience, often overshadowed in mainstream narratives. This perspective raises important discussions about personal identity and the pressures associated with speaking for larger groups.

Angone's latest work, titled '¿De qué color son los blancos?' explores who controls the production of accepted knowledge, questioning the often unchallenged perspectives that dominate academic and social discourse. By highlighting the need for more inclusive representations, she aims to shed light on voices historically marginalized in discussions about race, identity, and culture. Her book has recently been presented in various venues including Casa África in the Canary Islands and in Madrid, suggesting a growing interest in these critical conversations.

The implications of Angone's reflections are significant, as they underscore the importance of diverse narratives in shaping societal understanding of race and identity. By advocating for the acknowledgment of overlooked perspectives, Angone contributes to a broader dialogue on how knowledge is constructed and who gets to be heard in the academic and cultural spheres. This dialogue is particularly relevant in a global context where discussions about race continue to evolve and where the experiences of non-white individuals remain central to understanding systemic inequalities and social dynamics.

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