Decolonizing Marketing Facilitator Spotlight: Getting to know Ashanti Kunene

Author: Gary Spinks

Where does the energy, drive or spark for activism to change the world come from?

For Ashanti Kunene, one defining moment was as a student at a peaceful sit-in protest at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, in 2016.

She was given a piece of paper that read: “You are in contravention of Act 6 of the Trespass Act of 1959. You have 10 minutes to vacate the area, failing which you will be forcefully removed”.

Born just a few days after the release of Nelson Mandela from prison in 1990, Ashanti is part of the born free generation, raised “on the rapture of the Rainbow Nation” which speaks to democratic equality in South Africa. The warning note filled her with anger.

Ashanti says: “I was raised on the story of freedom, democratic freedom, the end of apartheid, that we were all equal. To be told, officially, that apartheid era laws were still valid in my time  triggered an ancestral rage that has not left me. It allowed me to find the courage of my conviction.

That day, I understood that if I die today, it’s actually okay because I’m not doing anything wrong. I’m just asking questions about the nature of my freedom

That courage of conviction, I suppose that was the catalyst to the work that I do now, because I’ve been speaking truth to power ever since.”

In our Spotlight series on co-facilitators for our forthcoming Decolonizing Marketing course, we share some of Ashanti’s wisdom.

A provocation poet, writer, TEDx speaker – and founder of the decolonial strategic narratives consultancy Learning 2 Unlearn – Ashanti pulls no punches but does so “from love”.

She argues difficult conversations are needed around colonialism, empire, “dehumanising” capitalism and white supremacy – and the trauma they bring.

She says: “The capacity to have a conversation in an open, honest way is a prerequisite for systems change or for anything that you think you want to do.”

During the course, Ashanti will explore historical narratives, slavery and colonialism; modern culture and messaging; empire, and the power of words and language.

Ashanti says: “Global trade began with trading people. If that is the foundation of our current capitalist system, when you now think of marketing and selling products, it’s based on the ideas of extraction, of dehumanization.”

“When you think about the purpose, it’s in the name marketing. You’re telling stories for the market. What is the market? The capitalist. It’s capitalism.”

“Words have power. That’s why we call it spelling. You’re literally casting spells.”

Ashanti says we are all the same, regardless of ethnicity or colour. Anger is understandable but trauma is no excuse to harm others. Kill only with kindness. Leaders’ actions must back up their words…

… And love is the answer.

Ashanti says: “Love is the mandate. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing. Politician, money, banker, what have you. You have to move with love. Love your neighbour as you love yourself and everything else will fall into place.”

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