New York Times Quotes Alumna Karima 2G on Rome Black Lives Matter Protest

Thousands of people, including a large number of John Cabot University students, faculty, staff, and alumni, gathered in Rome’s Piazza del Popolo on June 7 to express their solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. One of the organizers of the demonstration was JCU alumna Anna Maria Gehnyei, also known as Karima 2G.

Karima 2G at the Black Lives Matter Rome Protest

Karima was featured in an article in the New York Times that reported on the peaceful protests taking place this weekend all over the world: “In Rome, Karima 2G, an Italian singer of Liberian descent who hosted the protest, spoke of “solidarity with African-Americans” even as migrants from Africa struggle to get a footing in Italy and across Europe. She said in an interview later that she was pleased to see a big turnout in Italy, where children of residents of African descent are often not considered Italian. ‘That’s a form of racism, too,’ she said.”

Karima graduated in May 2020 with a B.A. in Communications and a minor in Entrepreneurship. She is working on finishing her second degree in Political Science with a minor in Art and Design. A singer, dancer, and producer, the “2G” in her name stands for second generation. Through her music, she speaks up against injustice and advocates for human rights. She recently produced a comic book called The Italiens for the course EXP 1011 Making Comics as Visual Literacy. The Italiens presents real stories about racism and discrimination towards immigrants and second-generation children. Through her art, Anna Maria seeks to help refugees identify with the stories depicted in a positive way.