Naomi’s Choice

1. Person: Her friend Samuel Kiriro she met when I was 16
2.   Event: Kenya’s Post-election violence in 2007/8
3. Movement of activists: Mathare Social Justice Centre (MSJC) came up in 2014 to fight for justice for people in Mathare, especially with regard to rampant police killings of young men cast as ‘thugs’ in dominant discourse. Shockingly, 1 out of 5 young men is shot dead by police in these ghettos. I lost many young friends myself, and support MSJC, from behind the scenes and on their terms, as much as possible, because I deeply believe in social change from below.
4. Ermias Ekube, Three women

5. Art/painting: Three women by Ermias Ekube. An Ethiopian Artist who was first living in exile in Nairobi and now lives in Sweden.Sex workers activists: For instance, Brandon (the last name is anonymous). He is a gay male sex worker who I met three years ago when he was living on the streets and who now coordinates the PrEP program in Nairobi. I am in awe of the way in which sex workers, especially gay male sex workers, organize themselves and contribute to change for sex workers, claiming space and demanding their rights.

Naomi was nominated by Nairobi based writer and independent political analyst Nanjala Nyabola, and she elected writer, filmmaker, producer and activist Agunda Okeyo