#rp22 Speaker Hadija Haruna-Oelker: The Beauty of our Differences

19.05.2022 - The author, journalist and moderator has long been concerned with racism, intersectionality and discrimination.
Image
Porträtfoto von #rp22-Sprecherin Hadija Haruna-Oelker
Photo Credit
Wolfgang Stahr

Political scientist Hadija Haruna-Oelker lives and works as an author, editor and presenter in Frankfurt am Main. She mainly works for Hessischer Rundfunk - including for the programme "Der Tag" (The Day) on hr2 Kultur. She moderates the regular format "StreitBar" at Anne Frank Educational Centre in Frankfurt and writes a monthly column for Frankfurter Rundschau.

Her work focuses on youth and social issues, migration and research on racism. She is the winner of the KAUSA Media Prize 2012 donated by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the ARD Radio Prize Kurt Magnus 2015. Together with Kübra Gümüşay and Uda Strätling, she translated "The Hill We Climb" by Amanda Gormann. She is also active in the journalists' association Neue Deutsche Medienmacher*innen and with Initiative Schwarze Menschen in Deutschland.

In her book "Die Schönheit der Differenz" (The Beauty of Difference), published in March 2022, she tells her personal story as the daughter of a white mother and a black father in the middle of Germany. It is about one's own perception of differences, about connectedness, empowerment and about the beauty that lies in our differences.

Follow Hadija on Twitter or Instagram!

3 Questions for… Hadija Haruna-Oelker

We are looking forward to seeing Hadija on stage at re:publica 22 and have asked her three questions in preparation for her session.

What topic will you be talking about at #rp22?
For a long time, I have been concerned with the question of how we can become a community in which different life experiences become a value that is appreciated, at least by the majority. How can we make an attitude of learning and unlearning the basis of our actions? In my journalistic work, I look for grey areas and spaces in between, avoid pro and con polarising discussions, and consider how reporting can function in a diversity-conscious way in the sense of "responsible journalism". As an author, I am driven by the question of how we can find a common language. This is especially important now in times of war, when the questions of migration, flight and arrival are once again surfacing and people are being systemically evaluated. We have been in the midst of a social transformation for some time. That's what I'm thinking about and talking about at re:publica.

What have you missed out on in the past two years and think is in urgent need of a reboot?  
That we really meet to discuss all the social turning points that have shaken and are shaking our way of togetherness quite a bit. The pandemic and its consequences is one thing, but the racist attack in Hanau also happened in 2020. We had a big racism debate in terms of anti-black racism and then a backlash in terms of identity debates. Diversity is not a trendy topic as many believe and we now need real spaces where we can look each other in the eye to negotiate our differences. That's what I personally want for my editorial work after working in a home office for so long. This, I call it anonymity, has done something to us as a society. We have a lot to deal with and social media alone is not enough in the long run—at least not for me.

The motto of #rp22 refers to the last line of the Queen song "Bohemian Rhapsody". Which song do you think should definitely be included in a karaoke session at #rp22 and why?
Singing..? With me that's really only in a choir, but then I like to do it with power. How about "Q.U.E.E.N" by Janelle Monáe or old songs like "Respect" by Aretha Franklin, "I'm Coming Out" by Diana Ross. I admit it: I love oldies and songs from the 90s.