INSPIRED BY CREATIVITY. DRIVEN BY DIVERSITY.
#BLACKTHJNKERS
As the agency grows and becomes more international, there’s a need for more diverse points of view that stem from real global cultural insights. Our goal? To create unique ideas that address socio-cultural issues, challenge contemporary conventions and inspire positive change.
And this is only the beginning.
BLACKTHJNKERS IS A CREATIVE INITIATIVE BY THJNK, FOUNDED IN EARLY 2023.
ULTURE
REATIVITY
OLLABORATION
OMMUNITY
HANGE
C
CHANGE
We can only create the change we want to see in the world, and this is a core blackthjnkers mission – inspiring positive change.
COMMUNITY
To us, anyone with a forward-thinking, creatively diverse mindset is a blackthjnker – not just black people, POCs, employees of thjnk.
COLLABORATION
True creativity thrives in collaboration. We work with a wide range of creative professionals, agencies and companies around the world to bring fresh ideas and concepts to life.
CREATIVITY
As a creative initiative, we believe that diversity fosters creativity, especially in our increasingly connected world.
CULTURE
We believe in the power of cultural diversity and how it opens doors to new perspectives in different facets of life.
OUR MISSION
This educational e-manual addresses race-related topics for ‘Allies’, non-black people who genuinely support equality and are curious about these issues. The Ally Manual is inspired by blackthjnkers’ real answers to these questions and statements.
THE ALLY MANUAL.
AN EDUCATIONAL PIECE AGAINST »CASUAL« RACISM.
I don't see colour.
This isn't the virtue people think it is, quite the opposite actually. Saying you don't see colour is tantamount to denying one's identity, and the experiences that are a direct result of one's race. It's choosing to be blind to the glaring ills and inequalities around the globe that are a direct result of racism.
You people ...
Besides the fact that most statements that begin this way tend to be somewhat condescending and disrespectful, it's also one of the roots of generalisation and racial stereotypes. Unique Individuals make up any group, not the other way round.
I'm not racist, my
_______ is black.
This is like saying one can't be sexist because we're all born by a woman. Just because you have a friend, colleague, partner or family member that's black doesn't make you immune from racial prejudices.
Your English is so good!
It’s problematic to insinuate that someone cannot speak English because of their skin color. It gives the impression that native English speakers are only white. Africa has many different countries and many of them are native speakers of European Languages - no thanks to colonialism.
Can I say the
N-word?
The funny thing is, if you ask 5 different black people from different origins, you would get different opinions about this. And while it’s true that the word would disappear faster if nobody used it anymore, it’s a lot more complicated than that.
But the real question is this: if a group of people find a word super offensive, why do YOU need to say it soooo bad?
Do you know _____ ?
Asking a Senegalese if he knows someone in Zimbabwe is like asking a Spaniard if they know someone in Finland. Assuming that one knows another person solely because of one's skin colour is very problematic. It perpetuates the notion that all black people are a collective and erases the individual.
You must be a great dancer.
Like every other race on earth, some people have two left feet. One's skin colour doesn't automatically mean one is good or not good at certain activities. This is one of the roots of stereotypical thinking.
This isn't the amazing compliment people seem to think it is. Along with similar terms like 'ethnic', it can convey a feeling of separateness, like one doesn't really belong. Even worse, it has an undertone of objectification and fetishization.
Wow, you look so exotic!
Why can't I touch your hair?
This honestly has nothing to do with race, it’s just basic human decency. We should be mindful of each other's personal space. Nobody likes to be touched without consent. While there's nothing wrong if you’re given consent, who goes around touching strangers’ hair?
Africa is NOT a country, it’s a continent with 54 countries. Each has their own culture, language and history. It’s like asking a person living in Europe if they speak European. What language is »European«?