A Fanonian-Freireian Analysis of the Belize Grassroots Youth Empowerment Association's Land Distribution Activism: Where Are the Grassroots?

• In Event: Social Justice as Decolonizing Leadership: Global Responses to a Call for Action, Reform, and Change

Abstract

The first organized and structured challenge to the hegemonic, hierarchical, political, and government-dominated land distribution system emerged as BGYEA, an advocacy group promoted as grassroots people’s voice. However, there has been no study about the grassroots claims of this advocacy group. Employing an Analytic/Conceptual/Philosophical methodology through a Fanonian-Freirean lens, I analyzed the BGYEA activism, illuminating their grassroots’ claims and gender representation in relation to their actual constituency. Specifically, I examine artefacts as logos, banners, photos, executive documents, and local news articles. This study reveals the sense of fatalism, false hope, and non-being this group’s advocacy has imposed upon an already oppressed grassroots people through their colonially influenced mindset and actions.

Author

• Ray Adolphus Lawrence, Oklahoma State University - Stillwater