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BLACK B R I G H T Stimulates - Educates - Motivates - Elevates (by Challenging Negative Stereotypes)
Issue 5
IF I RULED THE WORLD...
WHO CARES...?
NEWS
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Imagine
BLACKBRIGHT NEWS Stimulates, Educates, Motivates & Elevates
(Condensed version of the Isis Papers by Dr F C Welshing)
by Myrna Loy Imagine yourself as a believer on a live stage With an audience laughing at how you got played. Imagine that you are feeling that your life’s in control But there is a system monitoring your body and soul. Imagine playing a part in a film and thinking: ‘this is a great fit’. Not realising it had been engineered as though you had written the script.
Blackbright Stimulates by: Encouraging our readers to further develop their talents, views and positive ideas in a creative format; Actively inviting participation from people who have constructive ideas, enthusiasm and a passion for our way of life and its direction; and
Imagine a group of black boys doing their best and then being told that they had failed the test. Can you empathise with their feeling of inadequacy when self-motivated they still achieve ‘D’s? Imagine if you knew you were being railroaded in What would you do to decode the plan?
Providing a medium where readers and contributors can express their ideas to a wider global audience.
Imagine if DNA testing and incarceration was to get rid of black boys or make them form gangs? Imagine if you knew that you were deliberately fed drugs, and that guns were available to make you self-obsessed thugs? What would you do differently, how would you change So that you were not performing puppets on a puppeteer’s stage?
Blackbright Educates by: Developing that part of her readers who are partly themselves and who are limited from their full potential because of life experiences;
Imagine if this life was a game where you had been programmed to fail, How would you counter attack on such a large scale? Imagine your life as a Playstation™ that someone else is controlling, How would you foil the enemy to prevent yourself from dissolving?
Removing the ceiling that limits that potential through awareness raising strategies; Providing a new paradigm of thinking, hence its award-winning appeal and global readership; and Acting as a cross-generational and cross-cultural advocate for life-long learning.
This is your life – but it is not a game, The mechanisms are similar but the strategy, the same. The goal is to infiltrate the minds of young boys So if you are not one step ahead you will be destroyed.
Blackbright Motivates by: Focussing on the emotional needs and aspirations of a complete generation from the cradle to the grave;
This may sound extreme to someone in their teens, and for those who feel so frustrated that they just want to scream! But it's a serious thing, You'll be like dead men walking If you don’t everything possible to fulfil your own dreams.
Finding ways to rejuvenate, rebuild, redirect and reshape our culture and history to promote pride in our youth.
WHO CARES? - I DO!
Blackbright Elevates by: Breaking new ground in engaging those hard-toreach segments of society;
Founder & Managing Editor: Myrna Loy Co-Editor: Bianca Edwards Photographer: Yvonne Hector Covers: Lakshmi Narayan Gupta Features: Fiona Whata, Victoria Woode, Jaevion Nelson & Black Citizen Adviser: T Brown
Raising the academic bar for the black youth; and Character building and uplifting our younger generation morally and spiritually. Readers say they have found Blackbright News “Pleasant and helpful”
(Front Cover Images: Centre Wanlov, B/L: Avalanchee, B/R Jaevion Nelson)
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BLACKBRIGHT LTD Studio 57 Saywell Road LU2 0QG (UK) Tel: 01582 721 505 www.blackbrightnews.com or www.myspace.com/blackbrightnews
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If I ruled the world... By Jaevion Nelson (age 21yrs) What if Jaevion Nelson ruled the world? “Oh my God! Heaven help us!” was the comment thrown at me in an instant messenger conversation when I asked a friend in Antigua what his immediate reaction would be.
I am now sworn in as ‘The Ruler of the World’. As I give my opening speech, close your eyes and envisage with me a world where young people and children are willing to hurdle life’s challenges; its inhabitants are kind to their neighbours and the joy of living is not depleted by the frenzy of gunshots from young men and women cursing life for not giving them what they wanted from it.
Fortunately, Martin Luther King some years ago empowered black people with the ability to dream. He charged us to envisage how we wanted things to be tomorrow, or in a year. So my friend may just have to echo his fear even in my dream. (Laugh) 2
Imagine yourself living in a country where fathers take responsibility for their children. Imagine a generation where half the population are not testimonies of single parent families. Think of yourself as an elder, proud to be looking forward to the next generation of leaders, who are well trained, focussed and committed to the cause of living.
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See in your minds eye how different the world would be if it was unpolluted by illiteracy, every child had access to all levels of education and there was no gender bias. Dream of a world where man thinks more positively - where he believes in himself and others; a world where we lose all fear to speak freely about what life should really be rather than subscribe to the negativities of our respective societies. Think of a beautiful land where culture plays a vital role in the development of a people. Imagine the high level of consciousness – black consciousness in us as young people. Imagine a world that holds no limitation in harnessing the potential of youth. Dream of a society where its people have high moral standards. Imagine a time in our history where mothers desist from washing the blood from their children’s hands after committing murder. Envision a community with no incidence of theft or robbery.
Myrna Loy, Managing Editor
CONTENTS
Is this not the paradise? There is an abundance of time for dreams but a scarcity of resources and time to make this a reality. Effecting change on earth I have realised is a mountainous task that no matter how powerful a person – it would be a challenge to achieve. Our dream is now blurred; darkened with the realities of our situations. We are living in a world where ‘dog eats dog’ and ‘money makes the world go ‘round’. But there is still hope! We have the power, we have the vision and we have the ability to embrace the change of our time and cure the world of its plaguing diseases. This dream now becomes a collage juxtaposed against ability, willingness, and the commitment of us all to be the change. How we would get to this point is unachievable unless you make a pledge and subscribe to the cause of building humanity. 3
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Imagine (Poem by Loy)
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If I Ruled the World ... Jaevion Nelson
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Leading by Example Victoria Woode
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What makes a black person, black? Fiona.Whata
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Guinness World Record Holder Skateboarder, Martin Drayton
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Why Volunteer? Bianca Edwards
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Virtual Volunteering Clare Davies
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If I ruled the World... by ‘Professor Baggs’
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Diamond Brown (short story) Myrna Loy
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Blakapitalism by Loy
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Role Models-How effective are they?
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I wanna be good, but the system won’t let me!
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Discover whose telling the truth.
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Women’s Rights - Do we have any?
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said is “I got my qualities from my pops, but my smart and caring side comes from my mum”. Nowadays not many people grow up in two-parent families so consider yourself lucky if you do. Over half of married couples are now divorced. Not having a male influence in the home can be especially hard for male children. N.B lived with both parents and still does. but unfortunately he became “a product of his environment”. Early last year he served a short sentence in prison for fraud related offences. “I turned negative because I grew up around drugs, sex and money so I got involved because it was always around me”. Most of us have experienced social peer pressure at some point in our life; which can be made worse when there is a lack of good role models and support in the home. Some youths hang round with a bad crowd who they know are no good for them, leading them into all sorts of trouble. When a teenager goes slightly off the rails parents are quick to say, “Oh, she fell in with the wrong crowd” but is this true? Sometimes it’s down to the parents who may not have given proper guidance and support during tiresome times.
Leading by Example by Victoria Woode (age 21 yrs)
I am fortunate enough to come from a good family with high morals, but I believe some of the best people are those who have not been as fortunate i.e. coming from an underprivileged environment surrounded by drugs and crime but are able to overcome this. Those are the people that have willpower, determination and all round strength.
Illustration by Conrad Walker At age 20, I believe I am a strong, unique, black woman who is able to face anything that comes my way…why? Because of my examples in life. I come from a very westernised African home, so I had the best of both influences when it came to upbringing. The little things I used to roll my eyes at like being corrected for not pronouncing my T’s are actually important in life. It may sound trivial to the average Joe but home habits define class from horrible stereotypes. No one likes to be brushed up on their mistakes, but what you do in the home you subconsciously take with you through your life. So that lack of pronouncing T’s will not fly in a job interview. Articulation is very important as communication is the one thing we all have in common, so the made up street vocabulary really needs to stay out of the home and out of the workplace.
There is an ongoing worldwide debate about ‘nature vs nurture’. I believe that both these factors effect us equally just as Lady Loy said in the last issue “Fathers (parents) can instil good values in their children but peer pressure can be stronger.” Nature cannot be helped but nurture most certainly can.
You may be the brainiest person on earth but if you don’t show the ability to communicate effectively in every aspect of your life you will not be able to progress.
I look forward to the day when I’m a mother and can sit back and look how my children are progressing thanks to my examples.
I had a conversation with N.B a 22-year-old male friend of mine about his upbringing. The first thing he
Becoming a parent is the most important life changing decision one can make that’s why it is up to our par-
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ents to do all they can to assure we as their offspring have the best chances in life.
umpteen black males are behind bars, without qualifications, hopes and dreams
I spoke to 21-year-old Delia who despite the odds has blossomed in every way possible. As a child Delia was exposed to drugs and alcohol but chose not to follow that route, she told me “ I just seem to set myself aside from negative situations, I learn from other people so that I don’t have to go through those experiences.” I asked Delia about the things she learnt from within the home: “Generally I think I have learned the usual; respect for others and elders, but there was a lot my parents didn’t teach me like money management (probably because they did not know how to manage their own finances) nor how I could better myself in life - I had to figure that out on my own.”
I know of families where the children are following in the footsteps of their parents and doing what they know will make their family proud. I spoke to a 20-year-old male student who chose to remain anonymous. I will refer to him as S.E. S.E is an accounting student in his third year at university. It was his own choice to go to university “I went to uni as a stepping stone for my future career”. That was a very wise move that a lot of people chose not to take. S.E is from Peckham and despite the reputation of the borough he had a very good upbringing. As one of the youngest of 6 children he was the first to go straight to uni immediately after college. His elder brothers and sisters went to university but after taking gap years and working. In a sense S.E has followed in the path his parents led for him as they both have degrees.
A role model is someone we all need, simply for guidance and direction. Delia felt that she did not have a role model as she grew up: “Sometimes I would be watching a film or sitting on the train and see a high
As a young male S.E is very determined and career minded “I just want to make money” He believes that his “firm handed” upbringing helped steer him in the right direction. He said:“I could have turned out a lot worse and ended up in prison. The majority of my peers went to college but didn’t bother with uni.” S.E told me what role social issues played in his growing up. He went on to explain to me that:“most of my friends were involved in crime at one point or another, but it did them no good.” I asked S.E if he had any brushes with the law, he answered; “it’s almost impossible not to have a run-in with the law. I’m a young black male so unfortunately I have been subjected to a ‘routine check’. But I have tried to keep my nose clean.”
flying career woman and think ‘that’s how I want to be’.” Delia’s mum had her at a young age and therefore did not pursue post-16 education. Delia on the other hand left school with 9 G.C.S.E’s and went on to do levels at a top sixth form. Delia used her own initiative to stay in school. She told me “From quite a young age I realised the way to get a decent job and live a good life will be to continue in education. Whilst going to visit school friends I realised how nice their homes were, their decent standard of living and cars and tied them to their parents careers which motivated me to pursue further education.”
To me it seems like S.E has his head on straight and said something that a lot of youths need to know, that sometimes you will face negative situations but try to transfer them into positive outcomes. From meeting people who make the most out of what they have (or haven’t got) I too realise that we can not take what we learn within the home for granted.
A lot of teens find it hard to stay out of trouble and to keep on the straight and narrow but Delia was an exception to the rule:“I have a lot of morals and therefore crime was really not a route I would go down. I have self control and don’t give into peer pressure as I do have the capabilities to make my own decisions with everything I pursue.” This is a lot easier said than done for most; hence why
Whether it is nature or nurture that takes the lead in our life we need to work with it to make the best of ourselves.
by Victoria Woode
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“The Neutranoids” by Myrna Loy
W ha t mak es a Black person Black?
by Fiona Whata
One sunny afternoon in Norwich, I was walking back home from college. As I reached an intersection I had a sensation of being watched. Looking around I realised, much to my chagrin, that I was the focus of attention for a group of rowdy white men driving in a car nearby who were in their early twenties. Amidst much laughter they appeared to be calling out to me, though I couldn’t catch what they were saying. Then the traffic light turned green and they sped past, laughing and jeering at me, ‘Nigger, nigger.’ I stopped dead in my tracks, deeply shocked. This was the first time in my life I had ever been subjected to racist taunts. Very shortly after this incidence occurred, I attended a psychology lesson. We were shown a video made during the civil rights movement in America, in which a primary school teacher tried to instil an anti-racist attitude in her students by openly discriminating against the children in her class who had blue eyes, while promoting those who had brown eyes for two days. At the end of this time the teacher revealed that the intention of her behaviour had been to let them know what black people had to live 6
through. After this video ended, a class discussion followed on racism and the actions of the teacher shown in the video. The general consensus was that it had been unethical for her to discriminate against some of her pupils to teach them a lesson about racism. ‘I have two children,’ one of my classmates sniffed indignantly, ‘and I wouldn’t like it if they were experimented on in this way.’ ‘Even if it helps to prevent your child from being a racist?’ asked another. Several people protested that their children would never be racist anyway. ‘But how would you know when they are living in a town like Norwich, where there is so little exposure to black people?’ my tutor asked. There followed a debate on how much racism existed in Norwich. I observed with interest the attitude of my classmates. It seemed to me that most of them were patting themselves on the back; full of self-praise for their racial tolerance. Suddenly my tutor turned to me. ‘What about you? Have you experienced any incidences of racism?’ All eyes were on me. There was a sudden tension in the air. As I opened my mouth to speak for the first time, I realised that as the only black person in class, I was seen as the representative of my race in this debate. This made me feel rather resentful. ‘No,’ I lied and there was an almost palpable sense of relief that flooded the room. With a note of satisfaction, the woman on my right concluded, ‘We are not racist. In fact my son has so little exposure to black people that when he sees a black woman, he thinks it’s exotic and fascinating. He finds them very attractive.’ These two incidences, which occurred shortly after I settled in England, made me feel that the only identity allowed to a black person in Europe is that of a mirror which, if prejudiced against, will either reflect an image of an unacceptable self or, if well-handled, an image of an ideal self to the politically correct Caucasian living in a world where racism is socially unacceptable. The impression I received was that being black in the UK means you are only perceived as a victim or an ego-booster for whites. Though I was unaware of it at the time, my status as a black person in the world had been instantly altered from the moment I migrated from Africa to the UK as a student. Being black in a black Africa is not the same thing as being black in a white Europe. Gradually it dawned on me that not only white Europeans’ perception of blacks, but also black European perception of themselves differ greatly from my own and those of my African counterparts. In contemplating why it is that the same race on two continents has different ways of perceiving itself, I found myself
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pondering what had shaped my own identity as a black person. A question I thought I already knew the answer to, formed anew in my mind: ‘What makes a person black?’ The biggest adjustment for me when I came to the UK was in getting used to being a lone black person in a white crowd. I was the only black person in my class, the only black person in my hall of residence and so it seemed, the only black person in the city centre. Growing up in a mostly black environment there is no 24 hour awareness; one tends to take it for granted. Over time however, I eventually became used to living in a country where black people don’t make up the majority of the population. I was eventually able to walk into a room without immediately noting that I was the only black person there. It became something I didn’t notice or think about. The first few weeks of living in Britain I would walk in the city centre feeling a bit isolated and would search the crowd for a black face. But after a while, I found I didn’t feel a sense of belonging whenever I spotted a black Briton. In my mind, the contrast between black Britons and black Africans was such that I failed to feel any sense of connection between the two despite similar skin colour. In those first few weeks in my new environment, I couldn’t help but regard black British people as being white. It was then that I asked myself, what shaped a black identity. Of course, before I came to England I was aware that British blacks are exposed to a different lifestyle and culture, and as such, I did not expect them to be similar to blacks from Africa. But I did not expect to feel so alienated from them to such an extent that I often felt that they were two separate races altogether. Perhaps the first difference I noticed was the accent. In my country, blacks and whites don’t speak the same way. Even when not conversing in English, blacks generally have voices that are lower in tone than whites and pronounce their syllables more sharply; indeed when our ancestors first came into contact with the white man it sounded to them as if they were speaking through their noses. Certainly if you are talking on the telephone, you can immediately tell if the person at the other end is white or black. I found that this is not necessarily the rule when it comes to European blacks. It seemed to me that there was no contrast in the way blacks and whites speak; be it in accent, tone or language. Unlike in Africa, blacks share the same types of food, wedding customs, music, religious beliefs
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or certain types of clothing as whites. There is no sense of cultural difference between the two races, and because of this I felt rather disconnected with them. My initial unfavourable impression was that British blacks did not have a strong sense of black identity. My own reaction surprised me, as I always thought before coming to Britain, that similar skin colour and hair would be enough to make me feel a sense of kinship with European blacks. I didn’t realise that perhaps having a different language and customs from white people plays a bigger role in my mind than I’d previously thought in what constructs a black person, than physical appearance. What makes a black person black? Skin colour is the response that instinctively springs to mind. In the UK, which is predominantly white, an awareness of being black is instantly brought about by an awareness of difference in skin colour. Race is brought into existence by physical comparison. If, however, you are living in a country where everyone looks the same, then the colour of your skin is not enough to form a sense of identity as a black person. Skin colour on its own is not as big a factor in what makes a black person in a black environment as it is in a white one. I would say that culture, history and language rather than skin colour, is more significant in the construction of a black identity in Africa than it is for British blacks. The portrayal of blacks in the Western media has often left me feeling insulted. In the African media, being black is something to be celebrated. Reminders of our history of colonial oppression and subsequent independence, and announcements of events and achievements in traditional African dance, literature and music, ensure that there is a constant psychological encouragement to celebrate our race; to see ourselves as survivors who are culturally unique. It seems to me that ever since I came to England, the only mention of blacks in the media is in relation to gun crime, racially motivated killings, poverty and social problems in general. Apart from those areas, the existence of the black race is rarely acknowledged. Of course there is Black History Month, but this celebration of black people is not the major event that any day commemorating black culture would be in Africa. Unlike back home, there are no declarations of national holidays or of television channels dedicating the entire day to black heroes. There is little awareness given to the existence of blacks, except as social victims. Then you are spoken of as a ‘minority’. This is a word I personally think is rather degrading. After two years in this country the connotations I have come to associate with that word are: ‘not as important as the rest of society’, ‘disadvantaged’ and ‘marginalised’. In the African media we are portrayed in a way that will bolster esteem, while the
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images associated with blacks in the Western media serve to lower it. When I moved to Britain to further my studies I thought my learning would be limited to my degree course at university. But being in a different environment has been quite an eye-opener and has taught me much more than I ever expected. Stories of racism and social injustice are often highlighted, but in all fairness, little attention is paid to the plenty more tales of blacks living harmoniously with whites, treated and respected as equals, as I can certainly know from personal experience. Overall I wouldn’t say that I’ve had an unpleasant time adjusting as a black person in Europe, just an interesting one.
Martin Drayton SKATEBOARDER Martin Drayton tells Blackbright News why skateboarding has become such an important factor in his life.
What makes a black person black? I grew up thinking the answer was the same for all blacks all over the world all the time. Now I no longer look at black Britons as being less black than myself; I’ve realised that being black means different things in different places.
Martin started skateboarding back in 1977 at the height of the craze in NW London and before long realised he couldn’t spend as much time as he wanted to at skate parks, so he went to his local park and started going round crushed coke cans and found he was good at it. By1980, he was in the British Team competing internationally. ”Skating was my consuming passion. Every spare moment was spent riding and it wasn’t until I properly discovered girls and discos that I finally took a 7 year break”, says Martin. He continues:“I couldn’t stay away though and came back renewed and faster than ever. Sadly the sport was going through a slump so opportunities to slalom with anyone were few, but I kept going.”
The concept of black identity is more mutable and more socially constructed than I’d previously imagined. Article by Fiona Whata Fiona Whata is a Graduate ofManchester Metropolitan University. Photos in this article are taken by Yvonne Hector (Painting and Photo by Myrna Loy)
In researching the skill, Martin stumbled across a website called www.ncdsa.com and realised he was not alone and that slalom racing was rising again “like a phoenix from the ashes!” Martin achieved a lifetime ambition and won the 2005 Amateur Tight Slalom World Championship title and turned Pro in 2006 aged 46!
Above photo provided by Wanlov the Kubolor (West Africa) Look out ofr his new album “Green Card” www..myspace.com/wanlov
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BBN asked Martin why he loved to skate: “Why do I skate? To quote Jerry Maguire, in sporting terms,“It completes me”. I feel totally in tune with my board riding through a course with power, precision, flow and I hope some style! Nothing else matters when I skate and there is almost nothing else I want to do for that moment, I feel as if I am in my place in the universe. The strange thing is...I STILL feel as though I haven’t reached my peak and every time I ride, I feel as though I get better...the clock seems to agree. The last event I did I was beating former World Champions 20 years younger than myself, and with the new Guinness attempt, I felt so confident. If you believe, you can achieve...”
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Martin created a new Guinness World Record for Skateboarding on 2 October 2007 with a time of 12.82 seconds for 50 cones. In a sport where very few Black athletes take part at all, Martin thought he would see if this milestone/achievement was of any interest to Blackbright News – and of course it is!!! Blackbright News promotes all black people who are doing well in whatever field they choose to illustrate our warrior lineage. Martin’s sporting background: Guiness World Record Holder; 2005 Amateur Skateboard World Tight Slalom Champion; Several podium finishes in the Skateboard World Cup; member of Gecko Skateboards team, www.geckodecks.com; 11th place in the Tight Slalom event in the Pro Division, in the recent European Championships (my 2nd ever Pro race) -ahead of the UK no.1 Pro (2002 World Champ) and the French Champ (2005 multiple World Champ) in that event (-this is the closest type of event to the proposed record attempt); Currently in form-fastest time recorded at a recent race with all the UK’s top racers present; Former TV Presenter of Channel 4’s “Board Stupid” Snowboard Programme and veteran of numerous TV skateboard & snowboard interviews;The UK’s top Snowboard Instructor and Instructor Trainer; “Instructor of the Year” 2005, 2006 & 2007 seasons.-Park City Mountain Resort, Utah where I teach snowboarding.
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Martin went for a “difficult feat of negotiating 50 cones, on the flat, with no cones down! This is extremely hard because a)running clean, no cones down, is a huge feat and b) accelerating on the flat takes huge skill. Instead of going for a 6ft spacing like most s k a t e b o a rd s l a l o m records, Martin went for 5.5ft between each cone which increased the difficulty significantly. The attempt took place on 29 Septmember 2007 in London, Hyde Park . It was televised and shown on Guinness World Record Shows worldwide. Martin says he is keen to raise the profile of black athletes in “Extreme” Sports away from traditional events like Football, Basketball etc. “It has taken me years to get where I am today and I am now an instructor and a World-Class sponsored Athlete in three board sports -Skateboarding, Snowboarding and Mountain-boarding. I believe in positive role models and in leading by example” says Martin. Martin is the type of personality that we promote and feature in Blackbright News. Men and women who realise that it takes passion and determination to achieve their dreams and ambitions and who have the evidence to show that it works! The Editor also interviewed Martin on her radio show and sensed he had all the elements of success through his answers. Well done, Martin! Check out more on Martin Drayton on www.martindrayton.com
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Art Cards Loy’s Travelogue on sale: “The Other Side of Tourism” (it’s the funny side of being British in Jamaica!)
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socializing and being involved, I achieved another valuable experience, an asset to my career. I became a journalist for Blackbright News in September 2006, and since then have been producing features for the magazine. I worked hard to help the editor and produce quality, comprehensive features, using quotes and references to give it credibility. I have developed a good relationship with the Managing Editor and through my hard work I have not only achieved two awards; one for outstanding performance and recognition but I have been promoted to Co-editor. My experience with Blackbright News has enhanced my writing research, interview and communication skills, explored my abilities and interests. The more experience I am encountering, the more it is giving me a better perspective of the direction I want to take with regard to my career and understanding of the media industry.
WHY BE A VOLUNTEER? Bianca Edwards Shares Her Experience People have often said to me, why do you waste your time volunteering, working for free, and have cursed me for being a slave.They have laughed at me for spending endless time in internships and volunteer work and insist on believing that I am a fool for working with no benefits.
My experience with Blackbright News has allowed employers to feel confident that I am an employable candidate as I have the experience and I know what I am doing. Since volunteering for Blackbright News I have received two other work opportunities, one of which was Pride media. Pride magazine is a lifestyle magazine for the woman of colour capturing the talents and ambition of successful black women and inspiriing its black audience. The other was working with a Travel PR agency, representing clients and promoting destinations and hotels around the world, managing the media to deliver key messages.
However my reply would be I am no fool. I enjoy volunteering and helping people. It gives me a degree of self-satisfaction being a supportive individual to those who need help. Also I do believe that I am reaping immense benefits as I am gaining invaluable experience in a less pressurized environment with the ability to learn progressively and develop my knowledge at a steady pace. Apart from practical experience, volunteering has given me an opportunity to widen my network. Sustaining a volunteer position will also enable me to get a good reference when I start applying for vacancies. This practical experience will inevitably prepare me for the outside world and the career I wish to follow.
My advice to all students is don’t think about now - think about long-term, i.e. when you have finished University and you are stepping out into the big and challenging world. It is a dog-eat-dog world out there and you have to stand out amongst the others. It is becoming increasingly hard for people to find jobs, and some even after months or years of leaving University have struggled to find work.
Volunteering is a credit to your CV and boosts your personal profile, and creates a positive perception of you as a respectful, co-operative and supportive individual. Volunteer experience shows that you are enthusiastic, are keen to work and can work as a team. Volunteering also shows a prospective employer that you are willing to go that extra mile, and employers like to feel that they have an employee who is helpful and flexible. Volunteering also indicates that you have the ability to manage your time and often involves multi-tasking, as for example, I attend university, I have family and domestic responsibilities, I work parttime, travelling is involved and yet I still make time to volunteer. Blackbright News is a quarterly publication, subscription only and based in Luton. It’s aim is to educate, stimulate and motivate its audience, encouraging them to replace negative stereotypes with positive associations. My volunteer experience with Blackbright News was via an advertisement on Jobshop. I was to help at a launch event, giving delegates drinks, serving and giving out food and welcoming all guests as they came through the front door including the Mayor. However through this experience of helping other people,
Melanie Fox, 22, PR graduate from Hertfordshire University in 2006, is still struggling to find work. She said:“Sometimes I wish I had taken the opportunities that Hertfordshire had to offer me. I came out of University with just my qualifications and no work experience, now I have to go back volunteering to gain a practical understanding of the PR industry”. It is so important.You need to understand what they do, why and how - this is all made clear with work experience. Melanie is an example not to be followed! Don’t let that be you! Think of the years of study. Many of you (like me) have been studying since the age of 11. Do you really want to be graduated and jobless? Now that would be a waste. University is a learning experience. It is about growing up. One important thing to take on board is that you have to prioritise and manage your time effectively. Start thinking from now “How do I build my career and develop my prospects?” 10
Bianca Edwards, Graduate University of Bedfordshire
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How Virtual Volunteering can enhance existing projects Spot light on Gold Award Winner Yolanda Riva.
By Clare Davies Volunteer Development Officer Student Volunteering Team Volunteering England www.studentvolunteering.org.uk
Myrna Loy, Founder of the magazine Blackbright News couldn’t believe her luck when she recruited student volunteer, Yolanda Riva from University of Bedfordshire, to help her to publicise the magazine which she set up since she felt that mainstream magazines were “notably failing to effectively appeal to a significant section of the black market”. Blackbright News aims to promote material that reinforces achievements of Black people, negates the negative portrayals of the Black community and provides positive role models to its readership. Yolanda felt that the magazine needed to be marketed in a different way to appeal to a younger audience and used her technical expertise to set up a Myspace page for this purpose. Myrna feels that this has really enhanced the work of Blackbright News in helping her to get her message across to a wider audience. “Prior to having a Myspace not many young people had heard about Blackbright News, but now thousands of people have requested to be a part of the Blackbright News Network”. Myrna works full time for solicitors and runs BlackBright news in her spare time with the dedicated support of 8 other Virtual Volunteers. Myrna believes that her magazine would not exist if 11
she was not able to tap into the support of these Volunteers, one of which is based in the far flung reaches of Stockholm (Left). These Virtual Volunteers provide articles, provide images for the magazine and help Myrna to update the website. Myrna explains that “Sometimes, it is not feasible to ask volunteers to leave their homes to come over to help, but when requests/instructions are remote - not only are they clear because they are written down (so errors are minimised) but it means that volunteers can assist in their own time without feeling pressured” “Yolanda has particularly helped me with the technical side to setting up a Myspace page. For example I wanted to add a Pay Pal button onto the site so that people can buy the magazine on-line and she has the expertise to enable this” BlackBright News is a prime example of a community initiative which is capitalising on the talents of young volunteers who understand the opportunities and flexibility that the Internet provides to allow people to volunteer from their own homes. To find out more about virtual volunteering and how your University and Further Education college can benefit from being involved in virtual volunteering contact: Clare Davies at clare@studentvolunteering.org.uk. Volunteers: Topt: Yolanda Riva (webdesign), Middle left: Black Citizen (Features Writer); Bottom Left: Sade Mullings (Junior Writer); Top \left: Lelja Resic (web designer (Stockholm), Middle: ‘Gupta’ (Graphic Designer of Front/Back cover); Bottom right: Yvonne Hector (Photographer) and of course far right, Bianca Edwards (Co-editor/Journalist)
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tutions of morality and governance would endorse its constructs. Putting Love at the Centre of the New “Caring” culture and acknowledging the new paradigm of “I am my brothers and sisters’ keeper, and they are mine”... This would prepare the young souls for governance of their destinies whilst on the planet. When they take over the positions of responsibility, production and service their modus operandi would be based on there overstanding and understanding that they all are their brother’s and sister’s keepers.
Photo provided by Many Different Variations (MDV) Their new album: ‘Roots All Sorts’ is available now!
If I ruled the world by Professor Baggs I would firstly dictate that love be the modus operandi of the day. Everybody would have to love themselves, everybody would have to love others and everybody would have to love the planet. I’d instigate the education of truth, truth about our existence - how did we get here in the first place? (World History, the original story - “OURSTORY”). The truth about what we all are supposed to do whilst we’re here, from cradle to the grave. If I ruled the world I’d propose a consensus government, governing for the people and by the people(s) of the whole world. I’d instigate a thorough investigation into the differences between peoples that have been instrumental in those violent conflicts with the aim of preventing such events ever happening again. I’d also instigate a thorough investigation into the commonalties between peoples of the earth and highlight those that have proven good. The commissioned Report would be clearly written in all languages and in such a way that everybody, young and old could understand it. The report would be used as a compulsory guide for schools, colleges, universities and all other centres of learning. All the world’s existing insti-
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As for the older sections of the world community that have an innate goodness in them but have been disenfranchised, the brother and sister’s keeper motto would stand them in good stead for their Re..(Ray) Juvenation giving them faith (you know, the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen) to be realized; and indeed materialised so they, this older section, could not be unemployed. There would be plenty of work for them to do in the implementation of this New World Order. This New Word Order of Universal Love (schools to build, hospitals, institutions and standards to keep up, etc) - all in preparation for when those young ones of the world are ready to take over and carry the institution’s Love forward. If I ruled the world the emotionally intelligent people amongst the “Good” peoples of the world would be given the task of managing the process of change and coming up with agreeable ways of how we on planet Earth can live as one, and they would be entitled to draw from any philosophical school of thought that supports the implementation of Freedom, Justice, Liberty, Equality, Equity and Love. This commissioned Report/strategy would give us all a clear consensus on the right(s) and wrong(s) of our predecessors - those of previous centuries and those still in positions of power and influence now. It would give us a clear view of all the things we, of the Institute of Love, see as proven to be not good and not good for our people and our planet. The Change Managers (m/f) would delegate a worldwide proxy whereby everybody would tick whether they wanted those things that have proven not good for us to continue or whether they wanted those things to discontinue. Once the results were assessed, if negative (i.e. they wanted those no good things to continue) I wouldn’t want to rule the world because what I would want to see would not be possible - it just wouldn’t work; it would be like fools’ gold! However, if the results came back positive, I would deem that the positive forces inherent in the human family are crying out for the discontinuance of those things that are proven to be no good for us all, which means they want and need
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(Change), hence the Change Manager(s). If I ruled the world....I would follow the current practice when a person is found negligent in any institution - they sack them so I would dismiss those found negligent, which could include Popes, Rabbis, Archbishops, Kings, Queens, Princes, Princesses, Barons/Baronesses, Babalawos, Chiefs, Shamans, Gurus, Captains of Industries, Government Ministers, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Heads of Quangos, NGO’s, professional bodies, local, national, continental and inter-continental bodies, etc. etc. Since I’ve been on the planet I’ve heard about the devil, originally through my mother and she heard about it through the church. So if it was proven that the Head of Church was negligent, I’d sack him too if I ruled the world, and all his lackeys!! If I ruled the world I’d have all this done in a moment, so no one need suffer anymore but I don’t rule the world. I hear through those monotheistic religions that God rules the universe and the world. Other religious schools of thought also say some God or deity rules the world and the universe. They also say that man was given this earth as his home to rule. Now since I am a man and I’d like to think a “good” man on behalf of all the “good” men and future “good” men of the planet Earth. Let me go and ask all of these gods, deities, etc. if we can we have all the “Good” things for us and our planet in our lifetime and in the life time of our future generations since we have experienced the “Bad” things and some of the good things and we have made a choice that we don’t want the “bad” things, but we do want more of the “Good” things. Where do I start? Isn’t that from within? If so, is that “within” on the
planet or in the cosmos or both? Sounds like I have to go to the mental/spiritual plane to deal with this -what do you think., reader? Shall we go there? OK, lets go! Ooops before we go, I hear someone cry out from the Monotheistic religious schools of thought (that’s’ Judaism, Christianity and Islam for those that may not know) quotes (cliché’s) like: “seek and you will find” “Ask and it will be given unto you”, “knock and it will be open”, “a mustard seed of faith” and so on. Another persons says from the Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) school of thought “whatever a person can conceive he can achieve”. Wow we ain’t gone anywhere yet on our own thinking. - we’ve been bombarded with instruction or tips from others who, possibly in good faith, have expressed an interest in our wellbeing. Now the monotheists get on with us and so do the polytheists however, they don’t seem to get on with each other – why is that? (- a question for another day perhaps) If we are all dealing with
the universality of love, why are these people getting on with us but not each other? Surely if they had the right stuff the good stuff they wouldn’t fighting - would they? So they want us to adhere to their institutionalised doctrine that is not born out in the deeds. Yes, there are good people in these religions, many being misguided and misinformed, which is preventing the universal nature to come out for the betterment of all. I don’t rule the world or the Universe, but if I take the view that the Christians say: Jesus said “Ye are all Gods, Children of The Most High God”, some don’t like to highlight much or indeed live it out - I wonder why is that? (Again another question for another time perhaps). Yeah! We are getting somewhere now. Let me use the quote that Christian say Jesus (Yashua) said: “Ye are all God’s children of the Most High God.” So God, does my Daddy and your Daddy and He/She rules the world and the universe? So as a Child of God am I to get an inheritance like any other child would? Course I (we) am (are). You see we don’t rule the world but are des-
tined to do so. Even if you look at the natural wastage of nature, our future generation does not have a birth problem. We are the original peoples of the planet - we are not affected by the sun-rays in a negative way. We don’t rule the planet but we are the custodians of it. It is our turn to sit in the driving seat as the new generation of young elders. It is our job to help prepare minds and hearts of those innately good peoples, especially those youngsters who must take up their heritage as genuine, bonafide Children of God and run and rule the planet for real and Mother Nature will take care of the rest. If I ruled the world, I’d share it with all those “Good” peoples of the planet, if that is what the Most High wanted. All the up and coming Love-Centred Leaders would get a turn in riding the bike - possibly assist in the preparation of ruling our solar system and maybe even a galaxy or two - who knows - hmmm! The possibilities are endless when you have an open mind and a inheritance of the most High’s love; the Highest Love. As a side note Ziggy Marley’s ‘Love is my religion’ comes to mind and also the quote Jesus was said to have made: “In my Father’s house are many mansions”. By Professor Baggs
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weave option was perfect. The weave fell just below her shoulder blades in a soft swoop and the front swished across the side of her face giving her glamorous appeal. Marika’s appearance, however, was not consistent with her attitude as she stood at the doorway looking at her new manicure on uncreamed hands. Attired in slinky black leggings with a loose top she kissed her teeth: “I just broke my bloody nail trying to get my keys out of my bag and it just cost me 40 quid to have them done. I am going right back to that nail shop and tellin’ ‘em that they didn’t do ‘em properly” she announced, swishing her hair off her face with the toss of her head as though it was real. Do you like my hair Marika said, changing the subject? Diamond didn’t answer but nodded ineffectually and switched her thoughts from the guy who the police were ‘escorting’ away, to her son Eli, or Birberry as his friends called him, and back in time to her boyfriend Desmond. Eli was always finding himself in trouble for some reason or the other. It was never anything serious and as far as she understood, it was never his fault. He was a good boy. When she asked him a few months ago why his friends nicknamed him Birberry, he said it was because he always wore a checkered cap at school. Diamond should have known - Eli was always wearing that cap – but she didn’t realise that it would become a trade mark - a symbol that would alert attraction and give him a nickname.
Diamond Brown (A serial short story by Myrna Loy)
Diamond felt an obligation to make Eli look good because she had to raise him alone for the past 6 months. His father was no longer around – he had been taken away from them in suspicious circumstances.
“Hey girlfriend, don’t even go there, I saw the police nab him last week. I don’t know why, but they were roughing him up a bit - he’s always getting himself in trouble!” This statement was in response to a glance. A glance made by Diamond Brown directed at a dark-skinned young man being forced into the back of a police car.
Birberry was now 15 years old and was the envy of all his class mates. They didn’t how he managed to wear such expensive clothes but for the most part it was because Diamond made sacrifices. Birberry’s dad was in prison on what he called a ‘trumped up’ charge and was doing 18 months for it. In his letters he claimed he was innocent and that he had been framed. Diamond didn’t know what to believe. Ever since he lost his job all those years ago, he had changed. He had got jobs since, but they were not jobs he considered he should be doing. He would always say to her “I am better than this Di.. I can do so much more.. but the system won’t let me!”
“How do you know it was him?” asked Diamond, thinking to herself that just because she glanced in his direction, didn’t necessarily mean she fancied him. “It’s him alright!” Marika retorted arrogantly, “He had that same designer cap on and those designer sunglasses with a gold P on the side last week - I just know it’s him!” Marika was one of Diamond’s old school friends. To treat herself, Marika had just had a lace weave done that had cost her £350. Marika thought it was worth paying the £350 if she didn’t have worry about doing her hair every week, plus because of her weak hairline, the lace
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Diamond would get angry with him and tell him that the system had nothing to do with his predicament and that he should get out there and take anything in order to bring in some money. Desmond would try to explain
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how the managers always made him feel as though he was less than a person and he didn’t want to. He often felt goaded and didn’t feel he should tolerate disrespectful behaviour, but Diamond needed the money to come in. She would have to give up work soon, she wanted Desmond to show responsibility. “Just ignore them, I have to” she said. Meanwhile Desmond gut twisted in despair, he felt he had to contain himself.
Diamond was given a supervisory role at the travel agents which meant no more ‘romantic’ trips to the bank.
Diamond Brown was born in the UK of a Jamaican father and Nigerian mother, she benefited from both ancestral pasts Her father’s passion, her mother’s business sense. Diamond met Desmond when she took the takings from the travel agent into the local bank. She saw him there behind a desk and thought it was unusual to see a black man hold such a ‘visual’ position. He was in full view of all the customers who entered the bank and she couldn’t help noticing how neatly he was dressed and how good looking he was. He must be someone special she remembered thinking – to be out front like that. In fact, she couldn’t help smiling, a smile that was reciprocated.
They decided to combine their resources and move in together. However, as fate would have it, shortly after they moved in together, the bank he was working for was taken over and he was not among the staff they were transferring to the new branch. He was made redundant. Diamond discovered she was pregnant even though she ‘had been careful’. The once blossoming relationship suddenly became challenging. Desmond tried to secure alternative employment but competition was fierce and apologetic rejection letters constantly came through the letter box.
Diamond looked forward to depositing the takings at the bank and to seeing this handsome black man every week. After a 5 week routine, he got up and approached her: “Hi, I’m Desmond – I notice that you come in here every week and you give me such a nice smile, I wondered if I could reciprocate by buying you a coffee one lunchtime? What is your name?” “Diamond” she told him “and are you as precious as a brown diamond?” he responded humorously revealing perfectly aligned teeth.
As weeks turned into months, Desmond became quick tempered, frustrated and anxious. He spent more time away from the home to ‘get out of the way’, and Diamond now five months pregnant, had only two months more at work. When they thought nothing worse could happen, Diamond received a call from the local police station saying that Desmond had been arrested, charged with illegal possession... and for resisting arrest and he would not be coming home.
“We are all precious in his Father’s sight” she said and then wondered why the hell she said that. She wasn’t a church goer, and yet those words just came out of her mouth.
“Illegal possession?” the words kept swimming in her mind. Illegal possession of what? She couldn’t imagine. Was it drugs? Was it a weapon? The police officer who called was unhelpful and vague. Diamond wanted to see D+ as he was known, but in her state of shock, she realised that she had replaced the receiver and had not taken down any details of where he was. Her fumbling fingers dialled the directory and asked them for the telephone number of the local police station, but when she called the station, they had “no Desmond Smith” on their books and did not know where he could be: “He could be anywhere?” said the unhelpful receptionist.
“Are you a Christian?” he asked her reservedly? “Not really – I mean, I don’t go to church, but I do believe in God and that there is a force greater than me!” “Oh, OK – a God-fearing woman is a good thing” he said approvingly. They agreed to meet for coffee the next day. And that was how it started. Coffees turned into lunches, lunches turned into dinners, dinners turned into movies, movies turned into an invitation to his friend’s wedding, and the rest is history. Diamond fell in love, not only with the visual but his attitude and the respectful way he spoke to her. After a while, Desmond was promoted at the bank and
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Diamond sobbed hysterically.. She was worried - What would Desmond think if she didn’t go and look for him? What would she tell Eli? They had both been telling Eli to be careful and stay out of trouble, keep a low profile and not do anything that might involve him with the police and now his father was in that predicament. She dialled 1571 maybe the number they called from would show up, but it didn’t - ‘number unavailable’ tiptoed across the grey panel on her phone. By Loy, End of Part 1
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Blakapitalism
Professor Baggs
by Myrna Loy
ON IDENTITY
How does a minority when 2/3rd are the majority, Hold that majority captive?
I was born and grew up here in the UK, but because of the mix-up throughout our 400-500 year journey in the Diaspora, I’d class myself as a Cosmosan (minimum standard) - a Child of the Universe. This brings one back but yet forward into the school of thought that initially came from our peoples of ancient Kemet. It also shows the youngsters and anybody with eclectism, our relevance in helping to usher in the new paradigms of linking mind body spirit and soul into the physicality of our present existence, challenges and predicaments. For example, teaching youngsters about roots is one thing, teaching how to use the ‘roots in westernised systems is another. How does the youth reconcile roots with physics? (of course we use the current mediums to highlight the points, i.e. Star wars, Power-Rangers, Artificial Intelligence (AI) etc.,). How to be visible yet invisible. How to do, say and be, without suffering the blacklash of disenfranchisement. In my observations, I’d say UK blacks have been very voyeuristic. (watchers) and it is time to come out into the open and show the Black family around the world who we are. The Black world knows US Blacks, they know West Indian (Well, Jamaican Blacks) they know African Blacks, but they don’t know UK Blacks You see we have no land here, no physical resources, no institution to guide our moral and physical being - all we have, which is a great thing, is our minds which has inadvertently been schooled on diversity and eclectism but which we can use to our benefit in this global information age. I went self-employed so I could concentrate on building relationships with UK Black like-minded people to put together a generic, consensual overview of our position in the Global Blak family of thinkers and doers - I am glad I did! (Read also Baggs’ article: “If I ruled the World”)
How does a minority, when 2/3rds are the majority, take away their willingness to live? How does a minority, when 2/3rds are the majority disable a dominant class? How do they switch their thinking So that there is inter- black fighting I don’t know who to ask? How does a minority, when 2/3rds are the majority, distort our boys’ choice to decide? Place subliminal messages in movies, provide drugs, guns and black ‘booties’ making them complicit in their own genocide? How can we talk to our brothers Without sounding racist, To warn them about the trap that exists? How do we turn things around When things are so far gone and protect them from the Blakapitalist? How do we tell our women not to stop having children When the systems sends mixed messages? How can we tell them there is a ploy in place to discredit our men and annihilate our race? How can we continue our line of black men When so many are institutionalised so that they cannot produce children? 16
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How can we prevent our men from being psychologically destroyed - unable to build a foundation because they are under employed? When will we stop calling our men worthless and develop tolerance for victims of circumstance? Some accuse our men of colluding with the system But I say they don’t have a chance! ‘They’ have studied our generation and our tendency towards short-term gratification; So they know how to make an impact! laughing off the term ‘Blakapitalism’ by mocking “what’s the hell is that?” ‘Blakitalism’ is a spin off of capitalism Where the ‘privileged’ get fat off of the disenfranchised’s back. It’s where a calculating few seek machinations to induce Ways to physically incarcerate and mentally abuse, So they can ‘reign supreme’ and foil the sleeping man’s dream! So my brothers rise up, and create a mindset that will not self-destruct! Saggy jeans will not cut it Hip-Hop ‘design’ is a lie They belong to prison misfits, So open your eyes! If you don’t read Willie Lynch’s letter Which predicts our behaviour You will never counter machinations or constructively direct your future!
The DIY Reggae Show Ft. Lady Loy & A K Tramplaz Tel: 0208 965 9566 For Banter, Social Commentary, Topical Debates & Conscious Reggae Music EVERY SATURDAY MORNING 10-12 on Life FM 103.6 or listen live via www.lifefm.org.uk
My heart bleeds when I see A black youth brought down to his knees Just because he doesn’t understand That he is part of a scam. Devise your own game and avoid the prison So that you don’t become another victim. Sisters, I know that our men can be challenging But they need our loyalty if we’re going to win. Support each other - Not the system So you are not a product of Blakapitalsm! HE WHO SEEKS THE TRUTH GETS THE ANSWERS!
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Take the example of Duane Christie (left), 27 living in London. He has always had a passion for music and composition and from the age of 7, he learnt how to play the piano and compose music. Christie felt that Basketball and piano as a child, refined him as an individual, he said: “they fundamentally helped condition me.” Because Duane had positive things to focus his time and energy on, he was able to learn valuable skills, such as concentration and resilience. He said that basketball was a sport that helped him deal with other people, as he had to rely on others and it developed his team work skills. He played for South East and District and England training. Piano for Duane was a tranquil experience, as he said it was the ‘finesse behind my dream and brought me peace.” This goes to show that when you spend your time wisely, and focus your energy positively, you become conditioned to discipline. His father, musician and formerly a member of reggae band, Investigators, had a strong influence on Christie’s life and for this reason he had been exposed to music from a very early age. His passion had grown, and he became dedicated to fulfilling his dream, to become a successful music producer. He has produced for music soul child, Jon B, Santan, Iceberg Slim and Fat Joe as well as UK artists such as Poisonous poets and Korus. He has done shows in Spain, Bratsbrava, Bosnia and Prague. Duane Christie as a mature man and refined individual preaches to the young youths of today how important it is to be educated, stay positive in mind and focussed. He says only do something when you have the heart and the passion to do so: “My advice for the youths today is have a genuine love for what you hope to do.”
ROLE MODELS (How effective are they?) By Bianca Edwards
Some may ask what does this mean? “Role Models - how effective are they?” Well, that is for readers to discover for themselves. However we often come across the notion that the system is failing our Black children, and we have to at some point discover why this is the case. With the constant occurrence of poor results, the prejudgements and labels against Black children as being the most rudest, undisciplined and unwilling to learn in comparison to their non-black counterparts, it makes one wonder what the system is doing to solve this problem. I mean what you do when an individual does not have selfmotivation, does not believe in themselves and lacks the ability? Do you move on or give up hope. Do teachers actually feel that some students who show lack of enthusiasm and ability are not worthwhile, hard to teach and a waste of time?
He describes the ethos of his music as peace and unity and feels that the problem is that most rap musicians at
Maybe it is Black peoples’ mentality that is holding them back, surely if you wanted to be great you could be couldn’t you? There should be no excuses like: “the system won’t let me because I am black” because that is not going to cut it. You won’t get you into the system through sympathetic means - you have to work at it. Be determined just like other great individuals had to.
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the moment are like sheep and think that violence is going to bring street cred or glory; believing that they have created the impression that they are ‘hard’ men - not to be messed with. Duane feels that some rap music have positive messages, however the media highlights the negativity in rap and fails to focus on these core messages.
Duane expresses, disappointedly, that music is often wrongly perceived as being a rebel tool, but says it is an art form - a form of self-expression. He says, “Every time that music explains reality, it is seen as being negative, and that innocence has long-term expired in society. “Internet is more global and easily accessible than it was years ago, so we have exposure to everything that goes on around the world. Society is trying to hold on to the innocence, instead of trying to address new society issues. Because they can’t eradicate the problem they want to eradicate the voice.” Duane Christie is a rapper and producer and is taking the lead in the music industry. Undoubtedly, the music industry is a hard profession to prosper in, but he has ‘made it’ and he is doing well for himself. He is an inspiration and role model to all young black males. For those who believe that Black people don’t get high paid jobs and Black people don’t achieve. Duane Christie stands testament against this. Surprisingly it is normally Black people that have the notion that Black people are failures!! Look at the facts and examples and be encouraged by them, instead of being lead by negative stereotypes. Other positive role-models like Denzil Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey and artists like Alicia Keys, are all examples of positivity. Duane Christie was inspired by Missy Elliot, Timberland, D’angelo and Lauren Hill.
Listen to LADY LOY
on the DIY Reggae Show EVERY SATURDAY MORNING 10 - 12 (banter, topical debates & conscious reggae) www.lifefm.org.uk
When asked do you think that the system holds back our Black race, Duane says: “I can shoot down my race as much as I can promote it. On a whole, they are not trying to hinder their existence - they are trying to prosper, but with no long term plan of how to achieve their ultimate goal. They don’t seem to realise that education is the means. In many cases it’s a case of classical conditioning. The surroundings that you live in can determine your beliefs and define you as an individual. If you have a positive attitude, people will come forward and help you. There are negative stereotypes in the media, which is a way that individuals can receive the wrong perception about what a black person is about., but if you change lead by example, it shouldn’t be a problem.” says Duane. (Duane was interviewed by Bianca Edwards)
Sample of Duane’s tracks can be found at www.myspace.com/ukunsignedhype.
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he’s in critical condition - he could possibly die. What will become of me now, I could face life in prison if they catch me. I am a young black youth who has wasted my life and that’s why I’m telling this story to educate other black boys into living their life positively. I’m not going nowhere in life now. I am scared. I am afraid of what will become of me. I was a follower, not a leader and that’s where this has got me. I took drugs because my friends took it, weed, skunk, hash and a line of coke. I sniffed to prove I was a man. I was doing this all to prove to my friends how brave I can be. But where has this got me now? It’s not my friends that will be facing prison, it’s me. They have often said that broken homes, absent fathers are the recipe for messed up lives - is this true? Could be. My father was never around - would things have been different if he had been? I don’t know - maybe. Maybe my mum needed to be more firmer, but I appreciate that it’s hard for women and rear sons. I have done really bad things in the past, and now that I look back, I know it was wrong. My school really made me feel useless - stupid in fact. Now I found out that I have dyslexia. I do have a true problem with my reading, I’m not a retard like they made me feel. I look to my mum with pain, I feel hurt because I hurt her. I’m not someone she can look up to. I’m an embarrassment to her. I have shamed her. Everyone looks down on our family and casts me as a bad boy, badly raised by my mother. I promised myself that I was going to make a change. I turned to my mum one day and I said to her “I’m going to prison mum, but I love you. I did wrong mum and I need to be punished. No church will do me justice now mum. Going to prison is the only way that I can repent from my sins. I now know the severity of what I have done”. She looked at me, cried, held me and said son you have been saved. I am proud of you, that warmed my heart. After all that I had done, my mum forgave me, she could still be proud of me. I went to see the boy in hospital. I apologised and I thanked him. I said you have changed my life - if this hadn’t had happened I wouldn’t of seen the errors of my ways. I shook his hand and said I never wanted anyone to die, I just wanted people to fear me - I just wanted respect. I didn’t want anyone to laugh at me anymore I’ve been through hard times, I was just venting out. I pray for you, I have faith in you. I will be turning myself in soon. I am so happy that I could do this story to show people out there, the youths of today – it’s not no game. THIS IS REAL, don’t play with your life like I did and don’t let anyone tell you that you’re stupid! Lift your head high and live right!
I WANNA BE GOOD BUT THE SYSTEM WON’T LET ME! by Bianca Edwards Formerly, a gang member in South London, 23 with criminal mentality I was up to all kinds of criminal activities-up to no good with negative intentions. I was kicked out of secondary school and my life just spiralled out of control from there. My school never helped me, they knew I had a problem with my reading and writing and they just made fun of me. They humiliated me, and insisting on me reading to the class, why did they pinpoint me? They poked fun out of me, thought I was dumb and when I defended myself they said I had an attitude problem - well they were wrong. Read on I’ll tell you why. Anyway I turned angry, furious in fact and that’s when I started to do some crazy things. I have done everything that you can imagine from stealing, armed robbery, car-jacking, attacking with a knife and handling a gun. I even stole from my mum but I knew it was bad, but I had an appetite for money and an adrenaline for crime. Up till now my mum knew it was me who stole from her purse but she’s in denial. My mother is the epitome of purity, a Christian woman who is always praying for me to change, but I keep letting her down. I saw no wrong in what I was doing at the time. The police have been to my house looking for me. I beat up and stabbed a boy for looking at me in the wrong way,
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A DVD will be out by November on North, West, South and East Gang culture and how it affects young people’s lives today. Look out for it, go to www.myspace.com/tha_endz (see opposite) (Real story by Christian King - the name has been changed to protect the confidentiality of the interviewee).
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Discover who’s telling the truth! Tha Endz productionz started out with the production of Tha Endz DVD with the aim of capturing the real stories behind the urban/ethnic/deprived communities in London. The documentary will help decide whether people are a product of their environment or the environment a product of the people. We will be presenting both the positives and negatives of the different urban/ethnic/deprived communities by asking relevant questions and showing exclusive visuals. Questions are paramount; asking the right people the right questions at the right time, has been key to the making of this documentary. In essence Tha Endz tells the stories behind the stories that are reported daily in mainstream media. The documentary will be covering everything from education to gun crime, from street slang to politics. Tha Endz is focused on people actually living in these communities; basically it’s a documentary by the community, about the community and for the community. We have asked questions that will insight discussion, as talking is good. Many of the people filmed in this documentary don’t have the medium to express their opinions/views on the issues we have raised. ‘Tha Endz’ is basically that medium; some of the discussions/language might offend but we feel there are some strong and key messages that need to be heard. “Identify your problems but give your power and energy to solutions” – Anthony Robbins. Solutions are a big part of this documentary; we will not be imposing solutions on the viewer, merely discussing solutions that have been raised by the participants of this documentary (the very 21
people involved in the issues at hand). Some of these solutions will seem farfetched, but a lot of them will only require a little effort from the right people. Tha Endz productionz (L - R, Richard Akrofi, Yinka Oretuga and Kwame Badu above) developed a passion for reporting the real stories about the urban communities by reading mainstream media and disagreeing with large chunks of what was being reported. The lack of discussion of practical solutions in mainstream media has also been a driving force in the production of this documentary. In our efforts to tell some real stories we managed to contact some of the most influential groups from the urban entertainment industry and the local communities. We have been able to highlight key problems and have had several discussions about possible solutions. This documentary is expected to insight discussion, challenge thought patterns, and provoke positive action. We hope to play a part in accelerating the movement towards long term solutions. “Make amends in the ends”
THA ENDZ PRODUCTIONZ WAS INTERVIEWED BY LADY LOY 17 NOV 2007 on the DIY Reggae Show (Life FM 103.6)
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though you want children and then circumstances or events change your mind or vice-versa. It is not always easy to walk away after feelings are involved and in the latter, would it be our right to bear a child for a man that does not want one? Some may feel you should honour your word in any event, other’s may disagree so what are our rights as women? Another scenario to think about is accidental pregnancy. These days accidental pregnancies are not common with the level of precautions out there but, but nonetheless, it has happened and you are with child. Do you have the right to an abortion? Say the father does not agree? It’s a lifetime commitment, no control over you body for nine months, possibly unwanted time off work. I am not trying to be negative but these are the realities of being pregnant for some, although some see children as a blessing no matter what the difficulties. But is it our right to have an abortion if we want to? Half the responsibility is the male’s so should he have a say in what happens to his baby and his partner’s body? These are some of the decisions and choices that women have to make and the impact can affect a person or a life by having (or not having) the right to do what you want with your own body. Women face dilemmas daily. The right to go to work while raising a family; the right to wear revealing clothes without being subject to ridicule, disrespect or unwanted advances; the right to be treated as equals in a world that is male dominated. If the roles were reversed would the outcome be the same? Would men become as independent as women seem to be. Is it unfair to withhold the power to give life? In society today with sperm donations, a woman is able to have a baby by herself once the seed is planted, does shehave the right to implant someone elses’ seed into her body?
Women’s Rights (do we really have any?)
In the eyes of the law the main responsibility of looking after a child lies with the mother. Women have become more independent and are exercising their rights more and more each day, but is it to the detriment of our male counterparts? Are we, as women slowly demoralising and extinguishing the opposite sex because we are exercising our rights?
What is a woman’s right? Do we have the same rights as men? Should we compromise when our rights infringe upon our male counterparts and can this be perceived as unfair? My first question that I would like you to think about is - is it a women’s right to not want to bear children when in a relationship or married? Some may feel of course it a woman’s right as it’s our body, others may feel this is something that should be discussed prior to entering the relationship, whilst others may feel that women should bear children as long as they are able. However, things are not always black or white, sometimes you are entering into a relationship feeling as
I hope I have given you food for thought… Black Citizen If you have any comments about any of the articles contained in this issue, please write to the Editor at blackbrightnews@aol.com. 22
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Blackbright News Character Building for our Young
www.blackbrightnews.com or www.myspace.com/blackbrightnews email: blackbrightnews@aol.com Photo of little girl by Garfield Hall Image of hands by Jermaine Balfourth
Founder & Managing Editor: Myrna Loy