At One People ASBL, our most cherished quote is: “Anti-racism is a team sport.”
Celebrating Black History Month is a diverse and inclusive event that highlights and promotes the rich culture and history of the Afro community. It caters to people of all backgrounds, including children, youths, entrepreneurs, and employees. The event includes a wide range of activities such as concerts, discussions, topics such as the role of technology like AI in combating discrimination, explorations of Afro-feminism and Pan-Africanism, and screenings of media and films that delve into the experiences and contributions of the Black community.
Migrant Tales had the opportunity to talk to One People ASBL Madeline Yougye, One People chairperon.
“I was born in Cameroon, moved to France at the age of 3, and have been living in Luxembourg for nearly a decade,” she said. “I was immediately drawn to the cultural diversity of Luxembourg, with 70% of the capital’s residents hailing from different parts of the world, such as Africa, Asia, and Europe.
Yougye said that upon moving to Luxembourg, she noticed the disparities in the treatment of expatriates. “This realization inspired me to become involved in the local community, particularly after the death of George Floyd,” she said. “In collaboration with like-minded individuals, I founded One People dedicated to fighting racism and promoting equality of opportunity.”
Black History Month is celebrated during the month of October and organized by One People ASBL of Luxembourg and aims to forster fosters a sense of belonging and unity among all communities while promoting a deeper understanding of the challenges and achievements of the Black community.
One People ASBL Chairperson Madeleine Yougye.
Yahya Rouissi: Can you tell us a little about your organization?
Madeline Yougye: One People is a not-for-profit association created in Luxembourg in 2021 that works to strengthen citizen and intercultural anti-racism, for real equal opportunities while respecting everyone’s fundamental rights.
Our aim is to raise awareness of the exclusion suffered by people who are discriminated against because they belong to an ethnic group.”
YR: Are there any role models or experiences that have shaped your activism and work?
MY: My father used to wait for Mohammed Alie’s fights all night long with jet lag, I didn’t understand why, it was only afterward that I became interested in this personality and understood his commitment.
My first real job was as an event organizer for the AIDS association in Paris. I had the opportunity to go to the French West Indies when I was 25, and it was the first time for me to see a book with a Black person on the cover. I realized that after a more or less successful schooling, after having read Molière, Zola and Orwell, I had never read an Afro-descendant writer. So I bought this book and several others: “Peau noir masque blanc” by Frantz Fanon. It was this book that helped me answer many of the questions I was asking myself at the time, and awakened my awareness of the profound nature of systemic racism and the biases it could introduce into my own vision of the world and the way others looked at me because of my skin. Then I start reading all books i could find written by people of color, like Cheik Anta Diop, Aimé Cesaire, Tony Morrison… “
YR: What are the key objectives of your association to fight against racism?
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