Following the repeated harassment waves that white supremacists have been sending our way, we've been hard at work putting together an alternative option/model for Black folks to engage with the fediverse.

[tillshadeisgone@blackqueer.life]

Following the repeated harassment waves that white supremacists have been sending our way, we've been hard at work putting together an alternative option/model for Black folks to engage with the fediverse. And I am very happy to now be able to announce publicly that we are open for signups!

This new instance is called NiggasAndFriends (shout-out to Kid Fury for the name inspiration ) and will be open to any Black folks on the fediverse. We will have very limited federation, with us predominantly (but not exclusively) being connected to BIPOC-run instances.

When I started BlackQueerLife, I was hoping that with robust moderation, we could have a space that had open federation and was relatively sheltered from white supremacy. I now believe that given the stranglehold whiteness has on this network (particularly on Mastodon), that just isn't possible. It reminds me of what MLK once said about integrating his people into a burning house. That’s a very apt metaphor for this space imo. It's also very clear that the current state of affairs is just how most fedizens want it. I can yell at folks for being antiblack until I'm blue in the face, but as Pharrell once said, “They're gonna do it anyway.”

So, we will continue to do what Black folks have always done: build something for ourselves. If you're interested in making an account with us, DM me and I can send you the signup instructions. Thanks for reading!

#BlackMastodon #BlackFedi #BlackFediverse @blackfedi

[hisham_hm@mastodon.social]

@tillshadeisgone @blackfedi not sure you're aware because of the language barrier, but Brazilian Black users have done the same a while ago, when they started https://bantu.social !

[sinuspl@mstdn.funil.de]

@tillshadeisgone @blackfedi I was always thinking, that Mastodon and Fediverse is known for inclusion. Oh boy, was I wrong. Now blacks are doing whitelists to allow blacks only, thus creating ghettos. Btw. and inb4, blacklist/whitelist has nothing to do with people or their skin color.

[mabande@mastodon.social]

@sinuspl It's always been known for inclusion by people who like to tout inclusion while ignoring harassment.
And every. single. time. a Black person either complains or does something to protect themselves or others, up pops some random douchebro who rants about "the blacks" not understanding the fedi spirit and self segregating.
Reply guy stop being such a disgrace challenge. Level: impossible (apparently).

[oliphant@oliphant.social]

@tillshadeisgone Right on! Allowlisting is the way to go, imo.

Have you considered setting up your own island network?

[atax1a@infosec.exchange]

@sinuspl white people when theyre told something isnt for them:

[jdp23@blahaj.zone]

Great idea -- very exciting!

@[email protected]

[jdp23@blahaj.zone]

I didn't know that! I added a reference to https://privacy.thenexus.today/free-fediverses-and-consent/

"Even Mastodon (despite its philosophical objections to consent) supports basic allow-list federation.6 awoo.space has been running in allowist mode since 2017, and Brazilian Black users decided to take an allow-list approach when they started bantu.social."

And @[email protected] I also referenced your new instance

"Update, October 2024: The Website League is a confederation of instances taking an allow-list approach, and a recently-announced new instance for Black folks is also taking an allow-list approach. It feels like a tipping point!"

@[email protected]

[raccoon@techhub.social]

@sinuspl @tillshadeisgone @blackfedi
Always good to have examples to point to about racist harassers on Fedi, so thank you for outing yourself as one in public. :3