Monica Macias Black Girl from Pyongyang: In Search of My Identity

About

The extraordinary true story of a West African girls upbringing in North Korea under the protection of President Kim Il Sung.

In 1979, aged only seven, Monica Macias was transplanted from West Africa to the unfamiliar surroundings of North Korea. She was sent by her father Francisco, the first president of post-Independence Equatorial Guinea, to be educated under the guardianship of his ally, Kim Il Sung.
Within months, her father was executed in a military coup; her mother became unreachable. Effectively orphaned, she and two siblings had to make their life in Pyongyang. At military boarding school, Monica learned to mix with older children, speak fluent Korean and handle weapons on training exercises.

After her university education at Pyongyang University of Light Industry, she went in search of her roots, passing through Beijing, Seoul, Madrid, Guinea, New York and finally London forced at every step to reckon with damning perceptions of her adoptive homeland. Optimistic yet unflinching, Monicas astonishing and unique story challenges us to see the world through different eyes.
Monica Macias is the daughter of Francisco Macias, the first president of Equatorial Guinea following its independence from colonial Spanish rule. She has lived in several countries around the world and now resides in south London. Black Girl from Pyongyang is her first book to be published in English, and she will be the subject of a forthcoming documentary film.

In 2013, Monica gained media attention with the publication of her memoir, "I'm Monique from Pyongyang" written in Korean. The book provided a glimpse into her life in both North and South Korea, shaping her unique perspectives on the two countries' issues.
In March 2023, Monica released her second memoir: Black Girl from Pyongyang, which garnered even greater recognition. In this book, Monica shared the results of her interviews with more than 3000 people who knew her father directly and indirectly challenging the official narrative surrounding his legacy. She also revealed her exceptional relationship with Kim Il Sung, whom she considers her second father, and the challenges of reconciling her upbringing with the realities of Western perceptions of dictatorship.

Monica has emerged as a prominent voice on North Korean issues, sharing her personal experiences and insights at conferences and events around the world, including at institutions such as LSE, SOAS, Seoul University, University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, Czech Republic, and Yale University. She believes in the power of sharing experiences and knowledge to foster mutual respect and understanding, ultimately contributing to the resolution of social and interstate conflicts.

A Q&A Session will follow.