A ''Black'' Woman's Companion at the start of her Arabic learning journey. Introspective and Afro-Arabic Creative.
Give yourself recognition. Acknowledge and validate the part of you that is often deprived of representation.
Get Afro-Arabic creative or keep it strictly Arabic in a one-on-one with me or in a group interactive setting that embraces your African roots.
When communicating with words is too much, a more subtler approach to self-discovery can make the experience more rejuvenating, refreshing and inspiring as you acquire tools to self-sooth, nurture yourself, unlock your inner wisdoms and rediscover you through art. No artistic skills necessary.
What makes art therapeutic? How can it help express the things that are unsaid be it dismissed, suppressed or unacknowledged? How can it help undo the harm that society can often inflict on itself? Listen in on this episode with Olatunde Spence- Art Psychotherapist and EMDR Therapist as we navigate through a range of topics from the ''black'' autistic child in school, to issues in the mental healthcare system to art as a means of therapy.
Hi there, Salam & Peace!
Thank you for stopping by.
How are you finding the page so far?
My name is Matshidiso ( pronounced mat-see-dee-soh ). A British Third Culture Kid (TCK ) of Afro-Caribbean, Mesoamerican and European ancestry.
I help non-native English & non-native Arabic speakers get comfortable, confident, unstuck & understood in English & Arabic. Teaching English to non-native English speakers has been a journey of +10 years, and providing Arabic learning resources that caters for ''Black'' sisters has been a +5 year journey long. The latter which started as a means of a 'sadaqa jaariya' (ongoing tribute/ continuous charity) for my late mum Hwaa. Hence, the name 'Bint Hwaa' (Hwaa's daughter). So you'll find that I'm providing some resources free for that reason.
I believe that every culture has its right to express itself and share its gifts to the world.
The Arab culture of today, being multi-ethnic in its nature, unfortunately, isn't depicted as such and only one face is often being projected in the media, film industry, children's books and in adult Arabic learning resources. Although, there are and have been attempts to celebrate this ethnic diversity I feel there is more that needs to be done.
The same experiences I had as an only ''Black'' child in an Arabic learning space when I was little I discovered are the same fast forwarding +20 years later.
Through the use of my teaching experiences, my second language Arabic, and teaching qualifications ( CELTA & TEFL ), my services aim to decolonise the Arabic learning resources by adding an Afrocentric spice, with the hopes of making a safer space for sisters who may feel energetically drained as a result of having to be consistently on guard and on stand by in case of an ignorent comment/ racist encounter as small as microaggressions to overt racism.
Racism is a traumatic experience and the mere ongoing exposure to an accumulation of microaggressions can cause an oversensitivity to and a low tolerance to such an atmosphere.
Being creative has personally helped me get back on my feet on multiple occasions from trauma, toxic marriages, processing overwhelm as a single Home Educator of 2 with a special needs child. Being creative isn't solely the resolve of course, however, working alongside a professional for therapy/ coaching is also noteworthy of looking into.
Alongside my recent completion of level 4 Art Therapy and a current student of Art Life Coaching, you'll find that I'll create resources and spaces to help you on your journey of self discovery when words are just too much.
So whether you are an educator yourself looking to add cultural diversity to your Arabic learning spaces, someone who wants to get Afro-Arabic creative, or just learn Arabic where you can let your guard down as a ''Black'' sister, I got you, God willing.
Ready to set sail on your Arabic learning journey, sis? Let's give you a sense of direction and an achievable destination, shall we?
Next workshop Sun-3rd-July : Afrabics - Arabic With a Splash of Africa
