Black Existential Freedom: A Conversation with Nathalie Etoke

Diverse Voices Book Review host Hopeton Hay interviewed Nathalie Etoke, author of BLACK EXISTENTIAL FREEDOM.  Published in 2022, BLACK EXISTENTIAL FREEDOM explores how Black freedom transcends political and economic success and lies in affirming one's humanity in the face of systemic dehumanization. Etoke draws on historical experiences, Black cultural expressions, and philosophical traditions to highlight the inner and collective struggles of people of African descent across the diaspora. She emphasizes that existential agency—making choices even under oppressive conditions—is a form of resistance and a testament to enduring hope.  Nathalie Etoke is a Professor of Francophone and Africana Studies at the Graduate Center, CUNY. She specializes in literature and cinema of Francophone sub-Saharan Africa, Black French studies, queer studies in Africa and the Caribbean, and Africana existential thought.