Episode 37: Suddenly Being Black, Sisterhood, and Identity Politics in Europe with Lena Nzume

Being Black in Cameroon and being Black in Germany are two different things. Discrimination is definitely still normalized in European countries, even in Germany and its history. Which is why people are still fighting the good fight and protecting progressive institutions like democracy wherever they go - including my baby sister Lena Nzume. Lena Nzume (born 7 March 1980 in Kumba, Cameroon) is a German sociologist and politician from Alliance 90/The Greens. She has served as a member of the Lower Saxony State Parliament since 2022. Prior to entering parliament, she worked as a research associate at the Institute of Education at the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg.Nzume, who identifies as a Black German, spent her early childhood in Cameroon before moving to Germany at age 8. Her mother, originally from Oldenburg, worked there for a decade as a social scientist and nurse, including as a development worker in the health sector. Her father, Dr. S. N. Nzume, was also involved in development projects in Kumba.After relocating to Germany, Nzume attended primary school in Westerstede and later graduated from Europaschule Gymnasium Westerstede in 1999. She went on to study sociology, political science, and art and media studies at the University of Konstanz, earning a Magistra Artium (M.A.) degree in 2006.Nzume joined Alliance 90/The Greens in 2014 and has served as an advisory member of the City of Oldenburg’s Integration Committee. She ran for the Oldenburg City Council in the 2021 local elections. In the 2022 Lower Saxony state election, she stood as the direct candidate in the Oldenburg North/West constituency and was also placed 17th on her party’s state list. She entered parliament via the list. In the state parliament, Nzume sits on the Committee on Education and the Committee on Social Affairs, Health, and Equality. She is also a deputy member of the Committee on Science and Culture and the Commission on Migration and Participation. Within the Green parliamentary group, she serves as spokesperson on education policy, with responsibility for areas including labor, diversity and inclusion in schools, teacher training, vocational education, and memorial sites.In this week’s episode, Lena and I discuss how she suddenly became Black, sisterhood, and identity politics in Europe. Growing up in Cameroon and then moving to Germany as a young girl was difficult for my sister. She suddenly became Black overnight, and her German mother had no idea that was going to happen! Nevertheless, she persisted, and now she’s working in the German parliament to make sure that democracy prevails for this generation and the next. Enjoy! And don’t forget to subscribe to the No Boundaries Patreon for exclusive content.Resources Mentioned:The Lorenz case: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/25/calls-inquiry-german-police-kill-black-man-outside-nightclub Follow Lena on:Instagram: @lenanzumeFollow Anousha on:Instagram @‌anoushanzumeFollow the No Boundaries Podcast on:Instagram @‌noboundariesthepodcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NoBoundariesthePodcastSubstack: @noboundariesthepodcast Patreon: NoBoundariesthePodcast Podcast production for this episode was provided by CCST, an Afro-Latina-owned boutique podcast production and copywriting studio.