Ms. Assumpta A. Oturu transitioned on July 2, 2025, in Los Angeles County, California. Assumpta was a long-standing member of the African Studies Association and a vital force in the Africanist scholarly and media communities. Her death marks the loss of one of the most dedicated voices advancing African perspectives through public scholarship and independent media.
A Ugandan-born journalist and intellectual, Assumpta earned her degree from the University of Southern California and held academic affiliations with Loyola Marymount University. At the time of her passing, she was in the final stages of completing her doctorate in Media Psychology at Fielding Graduate University—a testament to her lifelong commitment to intellectual growth and truth-telling.
In 1986, Assumpta founded Spotlight Africa on KPFK 90.7 FM, a Pacifica Radio affiliate. For nearly four decades, she used the program to uplift African narratives and foster informed dialogue on the continent’s political, cultural, and social dynamics. Her platform brought to the airwaves voices that mainstream outlets often neglected—African women, human rights defenders, artists, youth activists, and public intellectuals—making Spotlight Africa a singular archive of African agency and global Black thought.
Her legacy as a transnational communicator was grounded in a Pan-African ethic, and she stood among the few who consistently used community radio to engage the African diaspora with critical issues shaping the continent. Assumpta’s work exemplified decolonial media practice and epistemic justice—challenging dominant narratives and creating space for African voices to speak for themselves.
Her family is organizing a memorial repatriation to honor her final wish of returning to her ancestral homeland of Uganda. Those who wish to support this effort can contribute through the GoFundMe campaign at:
https://gofund.me/0a6e214f
– Dr. Jill M. Humphries
