What if the African history you know is only part of the story?

In Episode 7 of Identity Spectrum with SUPERSHARDA, SUPERSHARDA sits down with Malawian entrepreneur and creative Mpilo Mizere, founder of Malaika Productions, to explore African history, identity, entrepreneurship and his mission to bring African stories to new generations through comics and gaming.

Born in South Africa with Malawian and Zimbabwean roots, Mpilo grew up across Africa, Europe and the United States. Yet he realized how little African history he had actually been taught, beginning a decades-long journey of self-study.

That journey eventually inspired 14th Century Africa, a graphic novel that uses entertainment to introduce readers to medieval African history. Mpilo discusses Mansa Musa, Ibn Battuta, the Moors, African architecture, international trade and Africa's historical connections with the wider world.

He also shares why he is expanding 14th Century Africa into gaming, his entrepreneurial journey, and his vision for using modern storytelling to reconnect Africans and the diaspora with their history.

This conversation asks a bigger question: Who gets to tell our stories, and how do those stories shape the way we see ourselves?

🎙️ CHAPTERS

00:00 Meet Mpilo Mizere
00:51 The Story Behind His Name
02:43 African Identity & Colonial Borders
05:54 Growing Up Around the World
09:14 Building an African History Community
11:48 Why Africans Are Searching for Their History
18:50 African Renaissance, Identity & Our Roots
20:24 Did Humanity Begin in Africa?
24:32 From African History to Comics
27:33 Ibn Battuta & Creating the Story
29:01 From Netflix Pitch to Graphic Novel
30:47 Why Mpilo Is Moving Into Gaming
33:18 Selling 14th Century Africa
36:46 Comics in the Short-Attention-Span Era
40:07 Why the 14th Century?
41:28 The Moors & Medieval Africa
43:56 Africa's Golden Age
45:58 The Power of Marketing History
50:09 What Mpilo Wants Readers to Learn
51:40 Africa's Connections With China & India
54:38 Lessons From Entrepreneurship
59:49 Africa & the African Diaspora
1:08:25 Where to Find 14th Century Africa
1:09:28 The Game & What's Next
1:11:17 Final Thoughts

Mpilo Mizere is a Malawian entrepreneur, creative and founder of Malaika Productions. He created 14th Century Africa to bring African history to new audiences through entertainment, graphic novels and gaming.

SUPERSHARDA is an international model born and raised in Suriname, working as a strategic bridge between international creators and Suriname through her network, expertise and cultural insight.

Identity Spectrum with SUPERSHARDA explores identity, consciousness, culture, purpose, human experiences and the stories that shape who we are.

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