Mission & Vision

Community ⋆ Creating ⋆ Visibility

 

AfroPolitan Berlin is an intersectionally-oriented, transcultural Black community project based in Berlin-Kreuzberg. Through a wide range of platforms and formats, we create spaces for Black and Afrodiasporic people* to learn, explore, and develop personally, collectively, societally, and professionally.

We offer a mostly weekly programme of workshops, seminars, discussion groups, cultural and community events, history- and resource-sharing sessions, as well as long-term labs, coaching, and mentoring programmes, always shaped and led by Black and Afrodiasporic experts.

We create spaces that enable members of the Black diaspora to experience themselves, build knowledge, learn together and connect with each other, either through one-off participation or regular attendance.

Founded in 2016, AfroPolitan Berlin has since supported and empowered hundreds of (especially young) Black people every year, fostering self-confidence, agency, participation, and self-efficacy. See our story page for more.

In 2023, the project changed to “AfroPolitan Berlin – Identity ⋆ Creating ⋆ Community“. Continuing the work, building on past experiences and evolving into a transcultural space for empowerment, learning, and collective growth. See below for more information on our current focus areas.

In addition to partial public funding, we rely on donations and participation fees for external workshops to fund our work. Our programme currently takes place primarily in German and/or English.

Performance-Panorama 2022

* On this website, we generally use the self-identifications Black and/or Afrodiasporic, which include Afro-German, Afro-European, African-American and other terms chosen by people who belong to the African diaspora and/or experience anti-Black racism.

More about the current focus of AfroPolitan Berlin

Black people are standing together in a circle

IDENTITY - Personal Growth & Identity

Especially for Black people in white-dominant societies, having sources, resources and spaces that affirm, empower, and strengthen identity is essential. Empowering individuals is an important goal of AfroPolitan Berlin’s work and the following projects:

  • Psychosocial conversation circles (Machst du mit?, Black Spectrum, Opening the Circle…)
  • Self-Lab (new since 2023)
  • Workshop series
  • External offers & ollaborations (e.g. school programs)
See current events

CREATING - Creative & Professional Development

Experiencing discrimination in Germany and Berlin is a daily challenge for Black People and can inhibit the full expression of our expertise, talents, and skills. AfroPolitan Berlin addresses these inequalities through the following programmes:

Video-Einblicke

Black people are standing together in a circle

COMMUNITY - Culture, Knowledge, and Community

Coming together as a Black Community in Berlin is not always eassy
Black communities in Berlin are diverse, heterogeneous, and shaped by overlapping identities. AfroPolitan Berlin provides spaces — in-person, hybrid, and online — under the guiding theme of: How to be Black in Berlin? Various offerings:

  • Cultural events (performances, readings, film screenings, etc.)
  • Community gatherings
  • Forums for exchange and encounter
  • Collaborative events
  • Lectures and reflection sessions
See current events
Video-Einblicke

Partnerships

Collaborations to date

  • Soul Sisters Berlin
  • Black Brown Berlin
  • Black Lives Matter Berlin
  • S.U.S.I. Interkulturelles Frauenzentrum
  • AstA-Referat für Schwarze Studierende & Studierende of Color der Freien Universität Berlin
  • AfrikAkzent Media e. V.
  • Berlin x Brussels Exchange Program
  • Total Plural e.V.
  • BIWOC* Rising
  • Oberstufenzentrum Handel 1
  • Kulturhaus Brotfabrik (Wien)
  • ARCA e.V. – Afrikanisches Bildungszentrum (Hamburg)
  • Initiative Schwarze Menschen in Deutschland Bund e.V. (ISD)
  • Asian Performing Artists Lab (APAL)
  • Ballhaus Naunynstraße
  • Each One Teach One e.V. (EOTO)
  • BESTIVAL

Current network partner of ndo – neue deutsche organisationen e.V.

Prior funding

AfroPolitan Berlin – Identity ⋆ Creating ⋆ Community (since 2023) funded by the Berlin Senate Department for Labour, Social Affairs, Equality, Integration, Diversity and Anti-Discrimination within the Participation and Integration Fund.

AfroPolitan Berlin – jung. Schwarz. urban. (2016–2019) & Community. Knowledge. Resilience. (2020–2022) funded by the Berlin Senate Department for Integration, Labour and Social Affairs through the Participation and Integration Program.

AfroPolitan Berlin – Performance Panorama (2023) funded by the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion (IMPACT funding and multi-sector funding for one- and two-year festivals and series).

AfroPolitan Berlin – Performance Panorama (2022) funded by the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Europe (IMPACT funding).

You Got This! (2021–2022) & creating the Starter Kits received additional funding by the European Union’s Erasmus+ Programme.