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About Black Speaks Back

Black Speaks Back is a grassroots media platform focused on diverse and underrepresented narratives of Afro-descendants in Belgium and The Netherlands. It was founded by Emma-Lee Amponsah (NL) and Heleen Debeuckelaere (BE) in 2016.
They were frustrated with the unidimensional mainstream media landscape in their respective countries and wanted to create a versatile space to discuss race and racism in a European (rather than American) context. Through a wide variety of videos and occasional events, Black Speaks Back aims to shed a positive light on the experiences, cultural heroes and political happenings of the Afro-diaspora in Belgium and The Netherlands. It also tries to facilitate connectivity, exchange and collaborations between Afro-Dutch and Afro-Belgian intellectuals, artists and activists, and with the global Afro community.

About: About

Mission & Vision

Black Speaks Back's main objective is to entertain, inform and empower its communities, by creating diversity of and in Blackness that can help build powerful Afro-European futures.


As a growing platform, Black Speaks Back aims to give back to the community by creating job opportunities, visibility and structural help for young Afro-descendent creators.

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Behind the Organisation

Emma-Lee Amponsah

Co-founder Black Speaks Back

NL/Ghana


PhD candidate in Cultural Media Studies and a founding member of Black Speaks Back. She is in charge of the video production and creative direction.

Heleen Debeuckelaere

Co-founder Black Speaks Back

BE/Rwanda


Journalist, writer and a founding member of Black Speaks Back. She is in charge of BSB’s organization, video production and long term projects.

Christoper Daley

Senior Editor & Filmmaker

BE/US


A documentary filmmaker and co-founder of Critical Narratives. He has worked with Black Speaks Back since its inception. He is in charge of most of the filming and editing of BSB’s video content.

Nohely Koeyers

Communications Officer

NL/Curaçao


A writer and (visual) storyteller. She has been involved with Black Speaks Back since she contributed to the making of EUphoria as a script writer. She worked as a communications officer for BSB.

Jacqueline Goegebeur

Accountant

BE/Rwanda


Seated in various anti-racism, feminist and Africa-focused organizations. She is in charge of BSB’s accounts and is involved in some of the long term projects.

Olave Nduwanje

All-round Collaborator

NL/Burundi


Olave Nduwanje is a Black non-binary Trans Femme. She identifies as a Queer Feminist Umurundikazi. She is an activist, writer and content creator, notably of her Olave Talks. She is an all-round helpful hand behind the scenes.

Pamela Evbuomwan

Communication team

BE/Nigeria

Brice Gabiro

Communication team

BE/Rwanda

Eunice Kanda

Set design / all-round collaborator

BE/Congo

All-round creative with a passion for interior design. Always in for new challenges, an empathetic thinker who aims to create metaphorical concepts that are tactile, recognizable and accessible for everyone.

Diego Nurse

Editor & film maker

BE/Suriname

Eleah Artibonite

Editor & film maker

BE/Haiti

Rita Habib

Camera / Editing

FR/Lebanon

Lydia Tewodros

All-round collaborator

BE/Ethiopia

About: Team

General Assembly

Pitcho Womba Konga

BE/DRCongo

Sophie Withaeckx

BE/Senegal

Quinsy Gario

NL/Curaçao

Dorrie Wilson

BE/US

Joachim Ben Yakoub

BE/Tunisia

Ted Bwatu

BE/DRCongo

About: Team

Our Volunteers

Want to volunteer for BSB? We're always looking for creative minds who have some time on their hands and would like to contribute to our platform.


Send us an email (blackspeaksback@gmail.com) or use the contact form.

Melissa Opara

Harmony Benegusenga

Serine Mekoun
Effrem Tewodros

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Vacancies

Black Speaks Back is currently looking for:

Job Title: Volunteers

Job Description
Are you good at languages (EN/NL/FR) and do you want be the first to preview BSB content as you provide subtitles to our videos? Are you a cinematographer, do you know how to edit videos? Or are you a beginner who would like to improve their skills? Are you a social media expert and do you know exactly how to communicate with a digital audience? Are you a graphic designer or are you handy enough with Photoshop, seeking to step up your game? Or do you have something else that you feel we could use? Don't hesitate to send us an email!

Experience Required

We require no professional experience. However, we expect our volunteers to be team players, flexible and engaged with our philosophy and work.

Send an email to blackspeaksback@gmail.com 

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Website Design

Nohely Koeyers

Photos on the website are made by
Eloi Nsanzabandi, Robert Koeyers & Nohely Koeyers

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