Are We Our Work?

Are we only as good as our last salary? Ayanda Moholi argues against submitting a payslip when applying for a new job. Ayanda is a freelancer and the founder of ayandaco.

Home-based work is often invisible work. Nothando Moleketi-Williams considers her approach to parenting, and how her privilege equips her work as a mother. Nothando is a stay-at-home parent.

We should not have to choose between a career and a committed relationship. Nancy Moloantoa explains how her marriage came to an end, and why that marked the beginning of her career. Nancy is a programme associate at the Ford Foundation.

Most institutions perpetuate legacies of discrimination and exclusion. Zwonaka Netshifulani reconciles the conflicted relationship she holds with her religion and the law. Zwonaka is a legal researcher at the Constitutional Court of South Africa.

The way we do our work is informed by how we experience our lives. Kieron Jina talks about the interrelationship between his professional and private life, and why he is not sorry. Kieron is a performance artist, queer activist and educator.

Trying to marry our values and our work requires strategy and vision. Hallie Haller discusses her attempts to overcome barriers to representation and creative fulfilment in media and marketing. Hallie is a director, producer and strategist.

Entrepreneurship is an unpredictable journey. Mpumelelo Mfula describes what it means to work with youth and street culture, while also enduring seasons of change. Mpumelelo is the founder and creative director of the RHTC online store.

Financial access to education is just one barrier to flourishing as a student. Alecia Ndlovu remembers the economic, cultural and social shocks that almost stunted her school and university career. Alecia is a politics lecturer at the University of Cape Town.

Working non-stop runs the risk of losing who we are outside of our work. Kemang Wa Lehulere contextualises the decision to shut down his studio and production for a year. Kemang is an artist, represented by Stevenson Gallery.

Striving towards an equal future cannot be done alone. Koketso Moeti shares her views on community building to advance social change. Koketso is the executive director of amandla.mobi. She is also an inaugural Obama Fellow and an Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity.

Finding our own voice in our work is not easy. Loyiso Madinga reflects on public success and personal doubt about his authenticity in comedy. Loyiso is a stand-up comedian, actor and the international correspondent for the Daily Show with Trevor Noah.

Sometimes our passion and our work don't align as a career. Khwezi Mathonsi discusses the gap between her hobby and employment, and how she deals with depression at work. Khwezi is a chartered accountant.

Toxic work environments wear down our self-esteem and morale. Kgosi Motsoane retraces his process to quitting his job. Kgosi used to be a government employee. He is now an aspiring novelist and the co-founder of Bare Stories.