In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, people across the world are devising innovative approaches in immediate response to the pandemic. Rights CoLab is pleased to launch DùnDún, a series of mini podcasts designed to help civic actors share their stories of innovation and resilience with a global audience.
The name we’ve chosen for this new podcast is derived from the name of a double-membrane, hourglass-shaped drum of the Yoruba people of south-western Nigeria capable of imitating the tones and glides of the spoken language. It’s also a name used for similar drums in other parts of West Africa, and it has equivalents in East Africa, Asia, and Melanesia. We think it’s a fitting metaphor for our aim, which is to connect voices across geographies and cultures as we all find new ways to work for justice and peace in a changed world.
Stories about the pandemic we will be featuring include:
- Innovative responses to local needs.
- Community-based initiatives to solve problems.
- Advocacy and organizing efforts to protect and defend human rights.
- New forms of international partnerships and collaborations developed despite travel restrictions and other obstacles.
- Efforts to address the pandemic’s impact in aggravating inequality in the society.
- Any other compelling story of innovation and resilience.
In our premiere DùnDún podcast released on Monday, June 1, 2020, our Co-Founder Ed Rekosh paints a picture of the vision behind this new initiative, drawing from his own Brooklyn, New York neighborhood volunteer experiences during the coronavirus pandemic and reactions to the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The 20 episodes of DùnDún were featured every Wednesday, starting June 3, 2020.
Ohimai Amaize is a Nigerian multi-media journalist who previously supported Rights CoLab’s work as a Social Media Manager.
Photo by Ruben Hutabarat on Unsplash