Outlook Mixtape: Journeys in nature, to exile and Juneteenth
Opal Lee walked from Texas to Washington at the age of 89, Sviatlana Tikhanouskaya became a reluctant political leader, Kwesia X is sharing her love of nature in the inner city.
Opal Lee is now affectionately known as the Grandmother of Juneteenth. She led the campaign for the 19th June, the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Texas were finally told that they were free, to be declared a national holiday. As President Biden signed the bill into law, Opal stood beside him. She had very personal reasons for wanting all Americans to think about freedom and the damage that racism can do.
Sviatlana Tikhanouskaya never intended to stand for the presidency of Belarus. It was her husband Sergei, a popular Belarusian blogger who wanted to challenge the country’s long-time leader Alexander Lukashenko in the 2020 elections, but he wasn’t allowed to register and was imprisoned. Sviatlana stood in his place.
Kwesia X grew up in south east London, surrounded by busy roads and tower blocks. When faced with tragedy and homelessness, she turned to nature to find peace. Now she's working hard to bring the experience of the natural world to young people in the city, and they're often amazed by the plants and creatures living in the concrete jungle. You can find her videos on her YouTube channel, City Girl in Nature.
Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Julian Siddle
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707
(Photo: Cassette tape. Credit: Getty Images)
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