Botswana transgender activist wins Writivism Mentee
Staff Writer | Thursday February 12, 2015 11:31
The Kampala, Uganda based initiative aims to promote literature from the African continent and has hosted a number of notable Batswana writers in the past.
Fresh from a solo performance showcase in Johannesburg, at POPArt Theatre, Kol-Kes said she was “humbled and honoured to be among the selection of emerging writers who Africans, but most importantly Batswana, can look to, to change the literary landscape.”
Kol-Kes, a self-employed freelance writer, is Botswana’s first openly transgender artist.
Eleven selected writers attended the Botswana workshop, and Kol-Kes was part of the group, which worked with award winning writer, Lauri Kubuitsile and award theatre practitioner, Donald Molosi. Among her work in human rights and open self-representation, Kol-Kes is an advocate for LGBT visibility in Botswana.
This year, her company Kat Kai Kol-Kes International, will produce the second installment of the Queer Shorts Showcase festival. The festival is Botswana’s premier LGBT themed theatrical spectacle, which Kol-Kes said is meant to “open hearts and change minds by writing alternative stories of Batswana; especially us queers.”
Another African history maker, Chibundu Onuzo, is mentoring Kol-Kes. The Lagos born Onuzo is the youngest female writer to sign with UK publishing house, Faber & Faber. She released her first novel, The Spider King’s Daughter, at age 21. Onuzo has been compared to fellow Nigerian literary mover and shaker, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Under the mentorship programme, Kol-Kes will produce a number of literary pieces for competition and publishing under the guidance of her mentor.
Kol-Kes’ work can be found in Peolwane magazine (Air Botswana), The Washington Blade (USA) and on thisiknead.blogspot.com.