#ImStaying

In September 2019, Cape Townbased entrepreneur Jarette Petzer posted a video on Facebook. It was an emotional recognition of the difficulties faced by South Africa, as well as a heartfelt plea to nurture everything he loves about this country. Friends suggested that Petzer start a Facebook page to continue the conversation, and #ImStaying was born. Within weeks, 400 000 South Africans of every race, socio-economic and political background joined the page to tell their stories of everyday life of beauty, of hardship and the magnificence of their fellow citizens and to share stories across cultural barriers, which many had never crossed before. By the end of December 2019, the page had more than a million followers, and it continues to grow. Adhering to the maxim Good Thoughts. Good Words. Good Deeds., #ImStaying is about South Africans creating social cohesion through storytelling reaching out to each other to inspire real change in the country they love and want to see succeed, and shaping a new future out of a painful past. This book provides another platform for the diverse voices and stories of the #ImStaying movement, as well as giving an overview of how this uniquely South African group came about and why its so important.