What was it like to live in South Africa during its apartheid state?
The upcoming event “Let’s Talk About Apartheid” will feature two South African guest speakers who will address this topic through their personal experiences.
Jamie Mithi, author of “Your Student Secrets,” and Khanyisa Pinini, the president of the University of Cape Town’s Student Representative Council aim to inform a new generation of the reality they dealt with in a racially segregated South Africa.
Hosted by 49ers for Israel, a campus organization dedicated to student activism and Israeli culture, the event commemorates Black History Month.
“As the new generation, it is our responsibility to make sure that history never repeats itself,” President of 49ers for Israel Tali Shaddaei said, “As minorities, we have all experienced struggles and we believe that it’s important to come together and stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters.”
The event also aims to discuss the meaning behind the broadly disputed word: apartheid.
Mithi and Pinini will also underline the differences between the South African apartheid and their experiences in Israel in an effort to disprove the widespread belief that Israel is currently an apartheid state.
“The experiences both speakers will share will emphasize how comparing Israel to an apartheid state is extremely insulting to South Africa,” Shaddaei said, “as it undermines South African history by grossly abusing the term apartheid to push a personal, destructive agenda.”
“Let’s Talk About Apartheid,” will take place Feb. 8 in USU: Manhattan Beach Room 205 at 4 p.m..