Normalizing Silence in Swedish Society | Lovette Jallow | TEDxUmeå

Let's talk feminism, intersectionality, culture and customs and ask the important question: “Whose voice gets to be heard?” The human condition is ever changing and I believe as a society we can be even richer by allowing various voices a chance to share alternative perspectives we may not be aware of. I am a 30-plus-year-old female based in Sweden who is also a published author, activist, and KZbinr. After spending almost 10 years in England studying, I returned to Sweden and started Scandinavia’s largest forum for black women, men and non-gender binaries as an attempt to bring together black people of all genders with one aim of increasing inclusion in the beauty industry. This became a gateway into a world where exclusion of black people and POC became even more noticeable, and my voice grew. On the Facebook forum, I wrote and had published Europe’s first beauty manual for darker skin tones again as a way of showing that beauty has no colour and all shades should be worthy of celebration, in contrast to the message that has been projected onto us via media and marketing.
In 2017, when news broke of the Libyan refugee crisis, I sprung to action and organized what would become one of the largest demonstrations against modern-day slavery in Sweden with over 7000 attendees and powerful speakers. This also sparked the creation of an organization that is and would journey to Libya to provide aid and assistance in refugee camps where many sub-Saharan Africans are held in transit.
These days you can occasionally find me on KZbin sharing my daily life, struggles and joy. I’m also on Instagram, where I share information from my perspective as a black woman, encouraging and sharing tools that anyone can use in daily life in order to tackle racism and exclusion. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@Realisticallyliteral]

Okay but "foreign origin" does not mean "non-white"

[@kareemkohen4586]

i know I am kind of off topic but does anyone know of a good site to watch newly released movies online ?

[@youremybiggestfan]

Thanks Lovette. I love you

[@danicarlson1506]

Reading through these comments made me realize that it is not just America that is on fire with this issue. I loved what you had to say. Seeing other perspectives and truly opening your mind and heart to those is the key to a better world.

[@romandarius6041]

Dani, instead of handing Europe over to the Africans, why don't you go live in Africa

[@bubblesgrappling736]

also, the swedes are just as native to scandinavia as the sami

[@jodiicneddmitchell]

She never said they weren't

[@Wiley97]

@@jodiicneddmitchell She did say however that the Sami is native to Sweden which is false, it like saying that the native Americans were native to the USA, more correct would be native to Sapmi which is not the whole of Sweden anyway. So maybe they should call themself native if they still live north of Sweden?

[@milkmarie5120]

@@Wiley97 Native Americans are considered native to the USA

[@Wiley97]

@@milkmarie5120 Not USA, USA is the united states of America. they, however, are native to north America

[@youremybiggestfan]

I love sweden.. its my mother land. Best country in the world. Problem is it almost to good

[@mofogie]

what is she saying about 'being silenced'? do they not have freedom of speech and expression?

[@darkwolf4434]

In Sweden only the left can win elections, if the right creates an alliance they could win, but the leftist propaganda has spread a negative view on the second biggest right wing party so that the right winf Alliance can't happen.

[@Wiley97]

I have no idea, I've not seen this woman before so it's hard for me to say that she has been "silenced" but my guess is that for her not being listened to is being silenced

[@Realisticallyliteral]

@@darkwolf4434 Do you mean SD?

[@connfigured4086]

no we dont but its not like in north korea or some of these countries

[@flash4901]

@@connfigured4086 swedes are more sneaky. They put an image in public and another in private. Not like north korea but they def have authoritarianism behind the scenes

[@lisohl7258]

It's so sad I felt so depressed cause I don't feel represented when I open my mouth every body around is so defensive in such a way that I get back to my silence corner 😭

[@youremybiggestfan]

Dont worry thats the Swedish way..

[@mightyc3313]

@@youremybiggestfan Whats the swedish way?

[@BurningSky444]

BRAVA SiS🤎🙏🏽

[@rainbowMFdash]

Super interesting! I am on a learning journey to be a better ally, so this was super helpful. And no, trolls/racists in the comments, I'm not interested in your opinions so don't take time to write a reply.

[@youremybiggestfan]

"Ally" lmao ally to what?

[@bretwein3793]

Lovette Jallow born in Gambia and came to Sweden at 11 years old. Swedish is an ethnicity of the European race only.

[@magdalenaos8215]

I'm wondering... Swedish is not only a citizenship but also an ethnicity. I think that this cause a lot of confusion since European countries developed on the basis of "nation", and African countries (their borders) were shaped by external forces. I can't go to Ethiopia and say for example "I'm Oromo now", but Ethiopian from Oromo tribe somehow would be able to say "I'm Swedish now". Maybe we should make separate words for ethnicity and citizenship, like different endings maybe?

[@elo8602]

And am curious too because the last time i checked Sweden is a country of immigrants including the Caucasians in Sweden whose forefathers moved here from other parts of Europe. The Sami People are the only native of Sweden and they have their own language that is not Swedish. They were of course wiped into line by the White folks/settlers who moved and settled here from other parts of Europe including Germany😊.

[@magdalenaos8215]

@@elo8602 Sami didn't create Swedish kingdom. They lived in little villages. The group that created today's country of Sweden are those white settlers. They builded towns and most of stuff in Sweden.

[@elo8602]

@@magdalenaos8215 You doing well so far. So, where did those Caucasian settlers came from? How did they got here? Define immigrant/migrant? Google is your friend, remember! I will wait!😊

[@magdalenaos8215]

@@elo8602 What do you don't understand? Those white settlers created Sweden. There was no Sweden before so they did not immigrate to Sweden, because Sweden didn't exist before them. There were people there before, but they didn't create a kingdom. What new settlements are created by those new migrants today? No go zones? :/

[@nattygsbord]

Sweden is not a country of immigrants. It is a country of settlers.

[@AlexP-jz9sg]

You're right, normal swedes are silenced into accepting their replacement and dispossession of their own culture.

[@biscott1skandinavia519]

Hurdå? Jag har aldrig hört om det eller märkt det på något vis. Berätta hur.

[@valtontony826]

What are you talking about? What culture has been replaced?

[@MCwalk02]

@@valtontony826 swedish

[@katem331]

So valid all over the world. Thank you for the questions you've posed 💖

[@NjieSeedy]

Impressive well presented and excellent content

[@kyllian4265]

Sis sweden is weird place 😕 always complain about immigration

[@mightyc3313]

Sweden is a great place compared to most others

[@heddaaxelsson3151]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@heddaaxelsson3151]

Jag känner mig hedrad att du tog tid ur din dag för att svara på min kommentar

[@heddaaxelsson3151]

mogli indie Och du är från vilket århundrade nu igen? Var det 1920-talet? Eller 1800-talet? Eller varför inte 1700-talet!

[@lornakim5706]

All of my Comments via KZbin Kentucky Legend Whiskey-glazed Ham Recipe and on Track Town USA of Eugene with Always Endless Prayers ✨🌌⚓✨

[@Sapphireia]

Wow this comment section is just further proves her point... Thank you for the talk Lovette it was very insightful! Intrigued to hear more from you!

You can also leave if you don’t like it

[@antoinettegross5074]

Am saddened by the comments; I looked to Europe to be a bit more ahead of the United States. Seems like it's all the same.

[@mimiko339]

I felt the same reading these comments. They don't even try to understand or care to actually listen.

[@Realisticallyliteral]

A little over a hundred KZbin comments on a video with like 20k total views is not an accurate representation of Swedish culture.

[@volodyamihaelovich4576]

try africa

[@b_rabbit435]

Why are you suprised? European nations were not built by the aid of africans such as USA was. So USA is probably where you would be the most accepted among the people.

[@volodyamihaelovich4576]

@@b_rabbit435 usa wasn't built by blacks. That is something they say to make themselves to feel better .Look at videos of European immigrants building the skyscrapers in NYC. they literally built the entire city.

[@antonslavik4907]

Sami are not natives. It's like calling turks natives of Anatolia

[@AlexP-jz9sg]

Sami, Finns and Germanics all have some paleolithic Northern European ancestry. The Sami and Finns have more North Eurasian ancestry.

[@trollpikken6907]

​@Viktor Turtle True but if you look at Sapmi that covers part of Northern Norway, Sweden, Finland and even part of Russia. Now the Samis can not say the same things that native americans say because they never inhabited the more southern parts that the Norwegians, Swedes, Finns, etc. have inhabited. Still they are native to a part of Sweden just like swedes are natives to the southern part of Sweden.

[@fpavic2885]

Of course you have western standards of beauty when you live in western society.

[@NjieSeedy]

f pavic are you serious and ever been to Africa? Mother Africa has that name for a reason

[@Teufer2]

@@NjieSeedy We only believe in mother RUSSIA here!

[@volodyamihaelovich4576]

She is so utterly delusional and narcissitic. Oh no white standards of beauty in Sweden! Give me a break

[@bibaolaitan5189]

Exactly..

[@auntyjobe1743]

As your intellect grows you and the rest of us, Swedish minority our bond will grow for the better . True talk Lovette our Gambian Queen.

[@elsa3836]

8:07 🙌🏻

[@mikkelcoollinan9285]

If you didn't like eurocolonization of Africa, why do you think African colonization of Europe would be better?

[@yossarincatch6051]

What are you crying about? Do you even know the meaning of colonisation? Just because you hate people as colour as inferiors does not mean there is any colonisation when all the means pf power and finances are held by you. The insecurity is pathetic

[@YoYo-nn4qz]

Well spoken.

[@rajarajab8143]

I like this teaching classroom.

[@BelRahk]

nice so all white swedes can join together create a platform to support eachother and our white scandinaivian culture. And it will be celebrated by the intersectionalitst of the left. or it wont and we stop racebaiting and judge for good or bad the individual.

[@therealalister5042]

Well you missed the point

[@hejdet5394]

Grymt bra! Väldigt lärorikt

[@dickidsrip5262]

Yes !

[@Atheist-Free-Republic]

Empowering af ♥ , so much hate from the comments below 😩

[@junglejesus6096]

love her ♥️😍😍😘

[@heddaaxelsson3151]

Jungle Jesus609 positivity!! Good!

[@DizzyDisco93]

Mon-keigh

[@yamabo]

👏👏👏👏👏

[@user-ej3iw8lw3w]

cannibalism in sweden

[@BreadMan-yd9uo]

リンゴ酢 ???

[@kentnilsson465]

As a white person Im pretty sure there is no white plattform for me in africa or asia, and I dont understand the silenced part, in what way was she silenced and if its so bad in Sweden, why on earth did she come back?

[@kentnilsson465]

and just to be clear of swedens 10m people about 1,75% were born in africa

[@umarrahman1914]

Ayyy British accent yessss.

[@ginger942]

🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮

[@raphaeldemo9966]

Sweden has been historically homogenous and are very giving to people in need but accepting refugees.... Due to this homogeneity, there is bound to be some cultural misunderstanding...... IDK, you just come across as ungrateful, you should work on not biting the hand....

[@chukwuemekacaleb]

Täck så mycket Lovett du är duktig.

[@rashmitamaharjan339]

this is so powerful!

[@AlexP-jz9sg]

Actually it's not. The levels of irony and cynicism are powerful.

[@valtontony826]

@@AlexP-jz9sg no

[@coollock5912]

Damn...she is beautiful! ;-)

[@romandarius6041]

I'm a white male, and I don't find her attractive.

[@heddaaxelsson3151]

Yes and her makeup is so well done!

[@heddaaxelsson3151]

Roman Darius Interesting, nobody cares

[@b_rabbit435]

@@heddaaxelsson3151 And nobody cares that you think her makeup is well done, how does it feel?

[@heddaaxelsson3151]

@@b_rabbit435 If you don’t care, why did you comment?

[@johreh]

You cannot say that you are silenced when you get your own Tedtalk and create the different organizations and also write books, etc. All of us have to put in an effort to create things. Another thing, you cannot assume that if we have a large group of first and second generation immigrants, that that group should be equally represented in society.

[@yossarincatch6051]

She is not asking for charity, just equality in opportunities and treatment.

[@johreh]

@@yossarincatch6051 which I would say she has. Or?

[@ore_red1684]

All i am hearing is conplaing

[@mofogie]

is she kidding? Trump had HUGE backlash.

[@Lionheart1188]

You're not Swedish lady, you're African with a western/Swedish upbringing.

[@nethacker91]

Is there a single and unique way to be Swedish?

[@nethacker91]

@Dragooll That's just one of the dominant ethnicities in Sweden. Sweden should move from a village mindset to a city mindset.

[@nethacker91]

@Dragooll Well, the problem with Europeans and this is less so of a problem in Sweden since they get generous maternity and paternity leave is that people don't want to have babies. Immigrants not only are a very important workforce in Europe but they also contribute to the continuity of the countries and their economies. If all the immigrants (you can't have a problem just with subsaharan Africans) were to leave Europe all at once, the continent would enter a recession worst than the great depression.

[@covfefe1787]

@@nethacker91 bruh if they left Europe would turn into Wakanda a peaceful very successful continent without no go zones and economic decline.

[@nethacker91]

@@covfefe1787 Try and study that scientifically and economically and steer away from hearsay.

[@Matias-yf6tz]

why is this african pretending to be swede

[@heddaaxelsson3151]

Governor why did you comment that?

[@junglejesus6096]

Why are you a neanderthal with the Rh Gene

[@alper8966]

Difference between nationality and ethnicity. She is from sweden but her parents are from another country. That makes her a swede.

[@heddaaxelsson3151]

Alper896 thank you for explaining

[@bretwein3793]

@@alper8966 she’s from Gambia and came to Sweden at 11. Swedish is an ethnicity not a place you can squat on and claim.

[@ludivinewittenberg3878]

Afro-Swede LOL........

[@tmpcox]

what is funny about that Ludivine *Wittenberg* ? greetz from the Netherlands

[@annah4267]

You are making fun of her history. That is mean. There are afro Americans, afro Brazilians. So?!

[@mattllaves]

@@annah4267 america and brazil are not old world nations. Things work in a different way in new world nations in a way that you can't replicate in the old world

[@bretwein3793]

You’re not.

[@dajjukunrama5695]

Hon ser inte Svensk ut

[@bretwein3793]

She isn’t.

[@sgjdsyevkfhao]

Hur ser man svensk ut då? Man är svensk om man har svenskt medborjarskap och man går inte runt med det tattuerat i pannan.

[@dajjukunrama5695]

@@sgjdsyevkfhao ok

[@oda1332]

Now the tour is on other immigrants and races .

[@dmar1415]

Fa da fada .. fada fada fa da.... This victimhood! For goodness sake... She's cashing on it of course.

[@elainesabatino7467]

You're not Swedish. I'm more Swedish than you are, and I've never been to Sweden. Smh.