49 minute read
MY CLONED RACIAL
MY CLONED RACIAL EXPERIENCE BY KEVIN GEORGE
The murder of George Floyd forced me into a place of reflection. The world around me was changing, Black people were starting to post about their personal experiences, as victims of racism. The world within me was changing too, but why?
I was confused and angry, it was a strange feeling, that led me to feeling curious as to why I was feeling this way. Watching the latest video of a Black person being murdered by the Police was not the reason. This reality show has been aired on social media for years, different lead, same outcome. So, I am now partially desensitised to it.
In the past I would share information about racial injustices, and attend Marches, but I (and my group) never felt heard. For example, I would attend the Reparations March from Brixton’s Black Cultural Archives to Parliament and there was no outcome. I would share information on the March, petitions etc on social media but there was little to no engagement. There was never a direct outcome, in a strange way, that kept me motivated.
After the Police murdered George Floyd, everyone paid attention, engaged in conversation, and shared their experiences. George Floyd was the catalyst for people to share what this world is truly like. It became a time of forced reflection. My experiences I believe that this feeling of confused anger, was 30 years of suppressed emotions coming to the surface. Suppressed emotions from primary and secondary racial experiences. Starting from the age of seven.
My older brothers and I went to a local fun fair. That evening, one of my brothers was stabbed by the National Front and we had to run for our lives, the reason? Because we were Black! The next day I went to school as though nothing had had happened. I learned about my mortality at seven years of age. I learned that suppression was part of the process, to survive under oppression.
I collected more experiences as the years went by, between the age of seven and fourteen, I had the Police brazenly telling me that they’re questioning me because I was Black, advised to avoid New Cross on select dates due to the National Front (NF) march. At the time, New Cross was a place that was like my second home, due to my first school, first football team and first community centre being there. When I was 14 years old, I had my first opportunity to pursue my dream as a Professional Footballer with Charlton Athletic FC, in Eltham, an area I am supposed to avoid due to its racist history. Unfortunately, this was where the training ground was and two years after Stephen Lawrence was murdered for being Black! The opportunity was a dream! But, travelling to and from training was a nightmare!
I did not speak to anyone about my experiences because I had already learned from a young age that, that is just the way it is. It was a childhood of “Ah well, I guess I’m going to have to suppress that too.” As time went by, I collected more experiences and so did those around me but that’s life, suck it up, suppress it and keep moving.
Our experiences Black people were forced to revisit their reality, there were fall outs on social media, people breaking down in tears on corporate zoom calls and challenging their senior leaders in group emails. I used my experiences between seven and fourteen, to add context to what took place on social media, zoom calls and email chains. Years of suppressed emotion erupted! Mixed emotions from personal trauma and guilt from where people feel they could have done more. When speaking to friends and colleagues, they confirmed that we had the same experiences, with different content.
What now? If you can relate to the above and want to positively change how you feel, how your family feels and change the culture at work. I recommend –
• Therapy: Suppression can be a great temporary coping strategy, but never a good permanent one. Speaking to someone about your experiences helps you to unload the baggage you have been carrying. • Facilitating therapeutic conversation:
There is “The Talk”, within the Black community where they tell their children they must work harder than others and how they will be treated because they are Black. Some do it, some do not. It would be great to facilitate a space for young people to speak about how they feel, with regards to what they have been exposed to.
Kevin George is a Clinical Consultant, professionally trained in Person-Centred Therapy (Counselling). Specialising in group programmes, to develop emotional literacy. Twitter @_kevingeorge Instagram @iamkevingeorge www.kevingeorge.online www.soccology.com
Looking back, I never made a conscious decision to become an ally to the BAME community (as no one was calling it back then!) Born in Ladbroke Grove (for those not in the know, it’s in the heart of the
Notting Hill Carnival area) in the mid-60’s.
Growing up in a community of some many different cultures, supporting your neighbourhood and those that lived in was a given. My parents, in line with so many, took it as part of their class conscience, a “simple act of solidarity” as we used to say back then.
You didn’t need to have read intellectual texts or books or have gone to university to reflect to decide to be an Ally. We just knew that when our Black friends were being picked up indiscriminately under the Sus laws , or our friends were having their doors kicked in just because they had a different skin colour or were being murdered in police cells. It was wrong and I had a responsibility as a white man to say so!
As I grew up through the 70’s and 80’s individuals and groups tried to reach into white communities to suggest that if the UK continued to embrace Diversity (as no one called it then) we would become a poorer country (spiritually and economically). The narrative of the age was that one of a loss of housing, jobs, identity etc which was meant to encourage us to reject this “invasion”. For my friends and I, however, it had the opposite effect - how could any harm come from the sounds of Bob Marley & Nina Simone, the urgent incisive poetry of Gil Scott-Heron, the stunning and sumptuous food and spices from India, Jamaica, Africa and the beautiful clothing and textiles from Africa, India and beyond. This was going to be our world of different and equal cultures and we were going to immerse ourselves in it.
As we looked on through the uprisings in Notting Hill in 1976, the creation of the
Anti-Nazi League in 1977, and the further uprisings in Liverpool, Bristol and Brixton in the early 1980’s. It was clear that our friends and families in the BAME communities needed those in the privileged white community to offer solidarity - not to lead or speak for them, but simply to stand next to & link arms. The current Covid crisis demonstrates clearly that we have so much more work to do. Starting work in 1984 at Willesden County Court (a corner of North West London) I have resolved to continue this work and hope. Over the past 35 years I have lived up to this personal credence working and supporting a full range of Diversity and Inclusion initiatives, learning and growing as I go. I will let others judge whether this is the case. It was at Willesden County court that I met Rob Neil, OBE and formed a life-long friendship that continues to this day and which has enabled me to grow and develop as an Ally.
In 2001, Rob asked me to join the team which created the first staff BAME network within the Ministry of Justice called PROUD. This friendship has continued to flourish and over the past 10 months of this year, Rob and myself have developed and conducted a series of webinars and presentations which reflect on our collective experiences and the impact that Race and Class has had and continues to have on our communities. The issues of Race and Class have become sharply into focus during the current crisis and we have called our series “Unfinished Business” for obvious reasons.
So in conclusion , to those white readers who may not know how they become an Ally and what this may mean for them, I say that it can the simplest of acts, a bit like deciding not be removed from a Bus in 1950’s USA (“Thank you so much Rosa Parks!”). Listen to the community and act accordingly - you will not regret it, you have so much to learn, understand and grow.
By Paul Allyship Downer Civil Servant 36 years
A simple act of solidarity
This column is dedicated to my eldest Brother who sadly died too early at the age of 59 in January of this year, and without whom I would not have my lasting love of Ska, Bluebeat, Reggae, Funk, Soul and Jazz. RIP.
If you are interested in learning more about “Unfinished Business” please contact me or Rob on Twitter at either @paul_downer or @robye46
IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC, ADOPTION IS FIRMLY IN THE HEARTS OF OUR COMMUNITIES
Results from a recent survey show that black people have positive and altruistic views around adoption as a new campaign urges potential black adopters to come forward
As we enter Black History Month, we and the world instinctively reflect and celebrate the positive things within black communities. It is widely known in black communities that informal adoption is part and parcel of the fabric of our communities; we raise and nurture children that are not our biological children as if they were. Now new data from the cross sector National Adoption Recruitment Steering Group reflects this truth, showing that black communities have positive and altruistic views around adoption, with 80% stating that they have either adopted, considered or would consider adopting a child in the future. In addition to Black History Month, the data coincides with the launch of the first National Adoption Recruitment campaign, an initiative urging people who are considering adoption to take the next step.
The drive comes as the survey reveals that whilst motivations regarding adoption are overwhelmingly positive amongst the black community, there are a number of barriers and misconceptions that deter people from taking the next step. This includes concerns around people feeling that their housing is not adequate (35%); finances not being in a good enough position (30%) and worries about their age (20%).
At a time when national statistics reveal that black and mixed-heritage children are disproportionately represented in the care system, a factor that one in six respondents was aware of, the National Adoption Recruitment campaign is raising awareness that the key attribute for adopting a child is providing a loving, safe and stable home and that factors such as occupation, salary, the size of someone’s home, home ownership or age are not important.
The data also revealed that there are a number of incorrect assumptions about the type of person who can adopt. Contrary to beliefs outlined in the survey, those for whom English is not their first language, single people and those who are not married can adopt.
Bishop Joe Aldred, broadcaster and writer, said: “People think that if you’re in a low income job or on benefits, you cannot adopt, this is not the case. The National Adoption Recruitment campaign reminds people that not only is the adoption process quicker and simpler than it once was but that the chances are, if you’d like to adopt, it’s very likely you can. Over the years we have seen the fulfilling challenge of adoption at work in several people, including close family, who have benefited from being adopted and some who have adopted. Every child deserves a loving home and I urge anyone who is considering adoption to come forward and take that next step to put a stop to our children waiting longer for an adoptive family.”
Reflecting on her experience, adopter Fran says: “The best thing about adopting is knowing that you’ve made a constructive change to someone’s life and that they have done the same for you. My daughter has made my parents grandparents, my brother an uncle and my friends Godparents. I’m honoured to be her mum, she is such a blessing. To anyone in the black community considering adopting I would say absolutely go for it. There are children out there who need support and love and you can add so much value and make a difference to their lives. Your situation if you are single, married or older for example – won’t matter, if you can provide a loving and nurturing home, I’d say go for it.”
BISHOP JOE ALDRED
Sinitta, singer and mum of two, said: “I would definitely encourage others to consider adoption. I always knew I wanted children and I tried everything from IVF to surrogacy to have them. All of those journeys led to heartbreak, except adoption. The feeling of finally becoming a mother was almost indescribable; it’s just everything. It was everything I wanted and more. I love my children more than anything and I always say that love is thicker than blood.”
The truth about The Windrush Scheme and Windrush Compensation Scheme
Some people from the Caribbean, or countries such as Ghana or Nigeria who settled lawfully in the UK before 1988 have the right to live and work here, but do not have the correct documents to show their legal status.
As a result, they may have found it hard to demonstrate their right to work and access services in the UK, and lost out on things like jobs, housing and healthcare. This has become known as the ‘Windrush issue’ as many of those affected are people from the ‘Windrush generation’ and their families. The Windrush Help Team has been set up to help eligible people get the documents they need to demonstrate their right to live and work in the UK. They can also help people claim compensation.
Here are some of the most common misconceptions associated with applying for the Windrush Scheme and the Windrush Compensation Scheme, as many people don’t realise they are eligible to apply for support or to seek compensation.
You can only receive help if you are from the Caribbean. This isn’t true. If you have settled lawfully in the UK from ANY overseas country before the end of 1988 and have been affected by the Windrush issue, you should call the Windrush Help Team to confirm if you are eligible for support.
You can only apply for support if you have the correct paperwork You can still apply even if you don’t have the correct paperwork. The UK Government recognises that those affected by the Windrush issue did not have documentation to prove their lawful status and so has set up the Windrush Scheme and the Windrush Compensation Scheme to help affected groups get the documents they need and compensate them for the impacts and losses they suffered.
It can take years to receive support or compensation Getting help is quicker and easier than you think.
The Windrush Help Team is a dedicated group of individuals, committed to guiding eligible people through the application process to secure the support they need – be it acquiring the correct paperwork to prove their right to remain in the UK, or receiving compensation.
If you call the Windrush Helpline your details will be passed on to Immigration Enforcement This is absolutely not true. The Windrush Help Team was set up to help those that have been affected by the Windrush issue. All active Windrush cases are dealt with sensitively by the Windrush Help Team.
The information provided by callers to the Windrush Helpline is not shared with Immigration Enforcement.
The process is expensive The helpline is free, and any applications made for support are free. another team in the Home Office. If you are still unhappy with the offer, you can have it reviewed by the independent Adjudicator.
You cannot apply if you are based overseas You are still able to apply for support from the Windrush Help Team, but the process is slightly different. If you are applying from outside the UK, you must use the online application form.
To learn if you can receive help from the Windrush Scheme and the Windrush Compensation Scheme, even if you are unsure of the documents you need, visit https://windrush.campaign.gov.uk/ or call the FREE helpline 0800 678 1925 for assistance.
You cannot apply if you have a criminal record The Windrush Help Team is focused on supporting people that were affected by the Windrush Issue. You may still be eligible to receive help if you have a criminal record.
All claims for support have been put on hold due to the Covid-19 Pandemic The Windrush Help Team has continued to process applications during the pandemic and is working tirelessly to make a difference to the lives of those affected by the Windrush issue. Anything you tell the Windrush Help Team will be treated with sensitivity and won’t be passed on to Immigration Enforcement.
You will be forced to accept the first offer of compensation If you are offered compensation and aren’t happy with the amount offered, you are entitled to have the offer reviewed by
BLACK HISTORY
12 MONTHS OF EVERY YEAR...
By Prof. Geoff Thompson MBE FRSA DL
Black History Month 2020 has been identified by many as the most important month in the 33 years of its inception that defines the social, cultural, economic, and political progress that Britain’s Black community has made.
With the on-going Windrush scandal and compensation shortcomings along with the statue controversy. The health inequalities, disproportionately high infection rates and mortality because of Covid-19. We have also seen the global and national impact following the killing of George Floyd on 25th May. This led to the Black Lives Matter momentum, especially in the lives of our young people and how they are able to overcome the mental, physical and emotional disaffection that can lead to lives being lost; when hope and opportunity are seemingly distant.
The challenges we face are stark within the uncertainty in Britain and throughout the world. However, there is much that can be realised within the resilience, hard work and dedicated effort that has characterised the post war migrating Windrush generation and the intergenerational heritage, motivation and inspiration that can give confidence, trust and respect. Since May 25th, hundreds of discussions, debates, and dialogue have taken place as to how Black lives can matter in Britain. I have always found it a social and economic anomaly as to how a very small percentile of ethnic minorities with over 400 years presence in Britain cannot be imbedded into all levels of society. Despite many attempts by governments and failed policies and strategies. The institutional and systemic culture conspires either by intent or ignorance. I have reflected on my own humble beginnings that have seen me go from racial disaffection to multi medal winning success for Britain in my sport of karate and having served in public life for 30 years.
I have taken a long hard look intergenerationally in the lives of my parents with my mother being the survivor of that post-war Windrush migration. Now as a father myself and a Black man who has soul searched and asked the difficult questions and had uncomfortable discussions that are still taking place. I ask, “What does the future hold for my children and the disaffected and disadvantaged young people that look
like me and the Diaspora as a whole?”
I believe we have reached the societal tipping point. In 1999, the MacPherson Report was launched following the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993. Over two decades later, the recommendations have had little to no impact. The intergenerational Diaspora deserve to be celebrated and recognised during this month. However, we must remain relevant throughout the year within educational attainment, employment, and entrepreneurship. There must now be a national coalition of solidarity.
Our leading lights in professional and public life need to reflect the historic changes that are taking place in the USA, Africa, and the UK with decisive leadership. This is our moment in time to make a real and lasting impact and difference in the lives of our young people as society is judged in how it treats its young and old. The Youth Charter has fought for young people for 27 years to be given an opportunity to develop in life through sport, arts, culture, and digital technology and has launched its “BLACK HISTORYwise” education programme. This is a year-round offer – not a month and can be embedded within mainstream cross curricular learning. This also responds to Baroness Doreen Lawrence’s tireless campaigning for Black history to be taught in every school. To ensure we give Black pupils and ALL pupils and society as a whole an insight and appreciation of the rights and responsibilities that we should be afforded in this green and pleasant land.
Geoff Thompson is Founder and Chair of the London based Youth Charter a United Nations accredited Non-Governmental Organisation. He is a Board Member of the London Legacy Development Corporation, Deputy Chair of the British Caribbean Association, an Advisory Board Member at the Muhammad Ali Centre in Louisville, USA and was Chair of the Board of Governors at the University of East London between 2017 - 2019.
Geoff is a former five times World Karate Champion with four honorary degrees to his name. He has been listed in the top 100 BAME leaders in the UK and the Evening Standard’s top 1000 influencers in London and was this year awarded an honorary professorship of the International Business School at Xi’an JiaotongLiverpool University, Suzhou, China.
The Black Farmer - A new range of sausages, packaged to inspire!
Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones is a towering figure of a man, instantly recognisable by his trademark hat. He is a man who makes things happen. In the 2020 New Year’s Honours List, he received an MBE for services to British farming and is continuing to use his profile to promote British farming.
He has a number of achievements to his credit. From running a rural scholarship scheme to give young people from inner city communities the opportunity to experience what it’s really like to live and work in the rural community; to The Hatchery, a collaborative incubator for ambitious food entrepreneurs, through which Emmanuel-Jones mentors, advises and supports young brands – including the Black-owned business Gym Kitchen.
Above all, Emmanuel-Jones wants to encourage the use and enjoyment of rural spaces and flag up the importance of everyone having a physical stake in the country they call home – both in the built and natural environment, land and buildings.
This Black History Month, EmmanuelJones is following up these social responsibility initiatives with another one, which will not only benefit the Black community, but everyone who buys the Black Farmer brand of sausages. He has used his influence to encourage major supermarkets like Sainsburys and The Co-operative to run special promotions – to raise awareness of Black History Month and show their support for changes in society that recognise Black Lives Matter.
These promotions include bringing two new varieties of Jerk sausage into The Black Farmer range – jerk pork sausage and jerk chicken sausage – to help others experience a little more about Caribbean food culture. Not only will people be able to enjoy sausages made even more delicious by Caribbean flavourings and seasonings, they will also be able to discover more about Black cultural icons thanks to the brand’s inspirational packaging for Black History Month.
These icons include the British-Jamaican nurse, healer and businesswoman Mary Seacole, and Sergeant Lincoln Orville Lynch DFM, a Jamaican pilot who volunteered to serve with the RAF during World War Two. These icons of achievement and civic contribution have delivered and inspired generations, against all the odds they faced. Emmanuel-Jones’ aim is to keep them at the forefront of people’s minds and encourage others to follow in their footsteps, inspiring everyone to think about what they can do to improve the present and the tomorrows of us all.
Profits from the sale of The Black Farmer products will be donated to the Black Cultural Archive based in Brixton, and the Mary Seacole Trust based in Richmond.
Emmanuel-Jones is someone who thinks outside the box, and inspired by his Black History Month initiative, he hopes others will do the same. Mary Seacole certainly did. Her contribution to helping soldiers and the wounded during the Crimean War went beyond providing medical aid, the comfortable and compassionate medical quarters she created to nurse people back to health saw the space described as the “British Hotel”. How great was her thinking?!
So, having enjoyed your sausages and been inspired by the stories on the packaging, please tell everyone about this exciting and innovative way of introducing AfricanCaribbean history into everyday life – when people are out shopping or at home cooking.
Emmanuel-Jones acknowledges the great contribution of Black people to music and sport, but through his Black History Month campaign, he wants everyone to consider all the ways in which they can make their mark and leave a legacy. What will yours be?
THE RISE OF SYSTEMIC RACISM IN EUROPE
he first quarter of this year
Tsaw the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus in China which spread to virtually every corner of the globe. While people were getting infected and sadly dying from the Covid-19 virus, the whole world witnessed the heartless killing of George Floyd, a Black man, by a group of policemen in Minneapolis, USA. It took almost 9 minutes for these uncaring officers to take the lifeof another unarmed African American.
In the 1960s the African American author, James Baldwin, described America’s treatment of its Black citizens as “morally monstrous.” And in May 2020 the killing of George Floyd is further evidence that America is still a morally monstrous country. And this is just one more example of systemic racism at work.
In examining systemic racism in countries in the West it is important to be aware that it was launched in 1452. In that year Pope Nicholas 5th issued a Papal Bull that gave permission to Portugal to treat all people they encountered in new lands, who were not Roman Catholic, as less than human, take their possessions and enslave them.
This 1452 Papal Bull was an act of pure evil that gave permission to the first European nation to treat everyone whose faith was not Roman Catholic as property. As explorers from Spain vied with those from Portugal to discover new lands, the Popes who followed Nicholas 5th also gave permission to the Spanish to treat anyone they encountered who were non-Catholics or Christians as less than human, take their possessions and enslave them.
These Papal Bulls were soon embedded into the laws of European countries such as Portugal, Spain, England, France, Belgium and Holland. Through these laws everyone who was not deemed to be a European
had limitations, restrictions and barriers put in their way in every country under the control of Europeans. This situation endured for hundreds of years.
As we are aware, the UK passed a law to end the slave trade in 1807, and another law to end the enslavement of Black people in the British Empire in 1834. In addition the UK’s political control over most of its colonies in Africa and the Caribbean ended in the 1960s. And other European countries also released most of their former colonies.
However, despite these laws the impact of the evil that was launched on non-Roman Catholics or non-Christians in 1452 by Pope Nicholas 5th still persists. People of African and Asian descent are still suffering from limitations, restrictions and barriers which are placed in their way to limit their progress and social mobility in every aspects of their lives.
So why is this happening? It is our belief that Europeans have been encouraged to be morally monstrous to non-Europeans for so long, this behaviour has become second nature. It is our belief that laws without effective enforcement shall be ignored.
Consequently, in 2020 we are seeing this behaviour in North and South American countries, in the UK, and in countries in continental Europe. It is our belief that systemic racism can end, but this will only occur when there is effective enforcement of existing laws in order to send a clear and consistent message that being morally monstrous is no longer acceptable in our society.
On 25 May 2020 the killing of George Floyd horrified virtually everyone who saw the video and it triggered protests by Black Lives Matter groups in the USA, the UK, and across the world; and they involved people of all ethnicities and ages. These protests were by the “alliance of conscience,” or fair minded people who want our society to change, who want society to move away from morally monstrous behaviour that has blighted the lives of citizens of African and Asian descent for too long. It is our belief that the BLM movement will harness this “alliance of conscience” and drive the required transformation.
Reach Society believes that the 21st century will be known as the century when the evil of systemic racism (that was launched in 1452 by Pope Nicholas 5th) will be ended because the decent people, of all ethnicities, who have forged the “alliance of conscience” will no longer tolerate this morally monstrous behaviour.
In addition, the modern Black community needs to teach its young people of the foregoing historical timeline of systemic racism. It needs to teach its young people that the familiar abuse and persecution of people of African and Asian origins by Europeans was launched as an act of evil by Pope Nicholas 5th, and which was acted upon for centuries by colonial nations from Europe. And despite the recent passing of laws against racial discrimination change in behaviour by employers, in institutions, and service providers is very slow because of poor enforcement by governments.
Consequently, white individuals remain free to indulge their ingrained habit of discriminating and obstructing the development and progress of people of African or Asian descent.
The modern Black community (or MBC) needs to teach its young people that they are fully capable of developing their God given potential to do whatever they desire to live meaningful, happy and rewarding lives. They need to be taught from an early age to reject messages from anyone - white or Black, family member or stranger - who tells them that they are less than other people because of their skin colour or ethnicity.
That notion has never been true, and it will never be true. Why? In the 21st century scientists have mapped the genetic code of human beings and have shown that people of all ethnicities have the same genetic make-up.
Consequently, parents in the MBC need to invest in their young people from birth. They need to nurture and prepare them to live and succeed in our qualification society. That requires all parents and carers to encourage young children to fall in love with reading through bedtime stories; and fall in love with numbers by memorising their times tables.
Parents need to speak with their children about things they have read and what happens in society as that will help them to learn how to think critically about a wide range of matters. And our young people need to regularly look things up on the Internet in order to increase their general knowledge.
“What we do in life echoes in eternity.” This was said by general Maximus, in the film Gladiator, just before the Roman army attacked a local tribe in Germania. What Pope Nicholas 5th did in 1452 has echoed across the world for roughly 570 years.
In the 21st century we have an opportunity to dissipate the echo of the evil released into the world (in the 15th century) by what we choose to say to our young people to inoculate them from the trauma of systemic racism, strengthen their resilience, and develop their potential to shape their future.
In Reach Society we believe that the leaders in our modern Black community need to make this inoculation process our top priority; and in so doing we shall ensure that what we do will also “echo in eternity!”.
Dr Dwain Neil OBE, Reach Society, Chairman (September 2020) & Dr Donald Palmer, Reach Society, Networking Programme Director.
Over the last six months, as the world has struggled with a global pandemic and nations have battled the crippling effects on their economies, the US has also had to manage, the divisive and long-standing issue of race. This finally came to a head, and was pushed onto the world platform, by the tragic death of George Floyd. The initial shock and outcry quickly cumulated in a resurgence of a more prominent, and widely supported Black Lives Matter movement, and as the shockwaves reverberated around the world the effects were immediately felt in many cities in the UK. This came at a time when Covid-19 deaths in the UK were at a peak, and evidence was showing that it was disproportionately affecting ethnic minority groups. The Office of National Statistics (May 2020) reported that when taking into account age in the analysis, Black males were 4.2 times more likely to die from a COVID-19- related death and Black females were 4.3 times more likely than White ethnicity males and females. With these two major topics simultaneously hitting the forefront of the mainstream media, many individuals were made to face the uncomfortable, almost taboo issue of race, and they were forced unpick and examine the various inequalities experienced by black people in the fields of health, housing, employment, the judicial system and education.
Consequently, many discussions centred around racism and the ongoing controversial issue of stop and search, and people questioned the way in which various institutions in the UK treated the black community throughout the years. The toppling of the Edward Colston statue in Bristol further fuelled the debate and led many to focus on the impact and effects of Britain’s colonial past, and the way it is entwined in our daily experiences from statues on street corners, to names of buildings, etc. This particular awakening meant that for many, this was the first time that they queried the history of their local area, which in turn led to them questioning the way in which they were taught history as well as challenge the content of what they were taught, often acknowledging that the teaching of history at school failed to be broad, balanced or reflective. It is well established that Black Britons have a history spanning centuries, and in more recent times Black British history has reached many milestones i.e. 72 years since the Empire Windrush sailed to the UK and 52 years since the enforcement of the 1968 Race Relations Act to name a few, so it is surprising and somewhat disappointing that the teaching of black history has not been embedded into the curriculum, as it is currently taught in a flexible manner and its coverage is very much dependent on the school. For example, in years 1 and year 2, children are taught to focus on the lives of significant people and schools are given a choice of many different figures to teach about i.e. Mary Seacole, Florence Nightingale, etc. From this example, it may be difficult say one should override the other or it may be argued that there definitely should be space for both, and it simply should not be dictated by the lack of age appropriate or suitable resources, all children should get a chance to learn about different historical periods and backgrounds. A range of cultural heritages should be adequately reflected in the curriculum. It is essential that a classroom environment should reflect the diversity of the real world,
IS THIS THE IDEAL TIME FOR SCHOOLS TO EMBRACE A MORE INCLUSIVE CURRICULUM?
BY FOLA AWOFADEJU >>>>>>>>>
the CLPE reports that 11,011 books were published for children in 2018, of which 743 books were found to have a BAME presence. BAME pupils make up 33.1% of the school population in England. This lack of diversity that exists in texts, characters and amongst writers ensures that there is a lack of representation of the black voices.
With the latest school exclusions figures showing that black Caribbean pupils are at least twice as likely to be permanently excluded from school and at this current time, when young black children may have been exposed to the current discourse, where many struggle to see consistent positive representation in their external world, it is essential that some books in their school environment reflect their stories and they have the opportunity to learn more about people that look like them who have been successful, who have worked hard and who have made an impact.
Over the years, after witnessing such a variation in the teaching of black history within schools and acknowledging some of the practical issues i.e. the inability to find age appropriate varied materials, I decided to develop some books to assist with the teaching of black history in schools. World Figures – focuses on icons of the 20th century, who have made a long-lasting impact on the world. Maintaining the teaching of the ‘more established’ figures in black history i.e. Nelson Mandela, etc. has over the years of teaching garnered such interesting responses, as these figures are often barely familiar to primary aged children. Young people regardless of their background, are gripped by an inspirational story, and these stories cannot be forgotten. Since then, I have worked on Windrush Activities – Primary book. This book aims to celebrate and commemorate the lives of the Windrush Generation, as well as acknowledge their contributions to the UK. Currently, I’m working on the third title in the series Black Britain and Beyond. This book mainly showcases our own stories and talent in the UK, as well as looks beyond, focusing on the Benin Empire. The process of researching and compiling these books has been extremely enlightening and enjoyable, as well as, at times sad, but regardless, it has instilled me with so much pride, the pride that I would love to see replicated in young people. In my opinion, it is important that schools embrace the wave of change and make the effort to ensure that their curriculum is more inclusive and that it reflects the real world.
We’re a museum without walls connecting Caribbean communities across the UK through heritage, art, music, performance and more.
Take a look at our latest project inspired by the Windrush Generation museumand.org/objeksandtings
We create compelling, original, innovative and unusual exhibitions and events dedicated to preserving, celebrating and sharing Caribbean history and culture in tangible and intangible ways. Support our work, champion Black culture and make sure the Caribbean contribution to life in the UK isn’t forgotten Donate to Museumand The National Caribbean Heritage Museum
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Interview with MARK ELIE
by Drew Kulow and Keri Seymour
Mark Elie, Artistic Director and Founder of the Mark Elie Dance Foundation and Portobello Dance School has successfully developed young talent in Notting Hill for a quarter of a century. Mark is one of the UK’s most successful classically trained professional dancers having enjoyed a stellar career with some of the world’s leading companies; Rambert Ballet, Lisbon’s Ballet Gulbenkian, and the legendary Dance Theatre of Harlem.
Could you tell us a bit about yourself and how you ended up being a classical dancer? I was brought up in a Westminster children’s home in Paddington by a lovely lady named Helen Parry that I called Auntie Hele. And I was a really hyperactive child – growing up today I would have been diagnosed with some form of attention deficit disorder – but instead, I was diagnosed as a young drag queen!
There was a weekly programme on Thursday nighst – Top of the Pops – and one of the featured groups was Pans People. And in the Pans People was one particular dancer called Babs, with long blonde hair…..and I used to stand in front of the tv and just basically imitate Babs. I’d put a jumper on my hair, flick it to the right, flip it to the left!
At the time I had a wonderful social worker called Julia Grahame who just thought “right…I think maybe you should just send this young man to dance school”. So I auditioned for the Ballet Rambert and all I remember was meeting this incredibly glamourous elder lady, who was actually Rambert’s daughter Angela Ellis. I was in her living room, and she asked me to run run run and do a jeté (and of course I’d seen Nureyev), so I ran and I did a big jump, and the rest is history.
Now, in ’79, when I was completing my training at Rambert, there were almost no working black classical dancers in the UK. Any black British dancer that showed promise went directly to the Dance Theater of Harlem in NY.
Can you tell us a bit about your work and your school? In ’86, a good friend and mentor, Carol Straker – this amazing black British ballerina – she said “Mark, let’s start a company”.
So with all the experience she had with her Russian ballet training, and my training with Rambert, the Dance Theater of Harlem and the West End, we started the Carol Straker Dance Foundation. We founded a school, we wanted to do it properly – we knew what the blueprint was. To cut a long story short, we were launched by the BBC but, sadly, due to a lack of support from the Arts Council, she had to close down the company.
I took everything I learned from that experience and I brought it to west London. I knew I had to contain it, condense it, so I kept everything small and tight. I got the Mark Elie Dance Foundation (which is a registered charity) and the Portobello Dance School going, and from the school I now produce three shows each year, including Classically British, which is my Black History Month show.
What was happening, was I was running this Saturday dance school and I had all these talented children. And still there still wasn’t that black ballerina at the Royal Ballet, there was one black ballerina in the English National – Precious Adams, who came to visit the school during the creation of a ballet I was choreographing called Belle, inspired by the life of Dido Belle. We had a Q&A with the students from the school and Precious Adams, which was very much appreciated by all.
So I wanted to find a place in the calendar for an event that would actually spotlight black British talent in the classical aesthetic as well as the contemporary. You see, we have been trained, here in the uk but not but not embraced. And I thought Black History Month would be a perfect fit. So we have a dress rehearsal in the afternoon for local schools and the public (which we supplement with an educational side touching on the historical accounts of past and present pioneers), and a performance in the evening.
This year Classically British is being showcased virtually. Can you tell us what we can expect? This year we’re going to go global. With everything that is happening now with Black Lives Matter, this is – I think – a perfect platform to discuss inclusion and diversity and to be able to share that with a wider audience. I’m fortunate to be working with a really incredible Oscar and BAFTA-winning cameraman – Frank McGowan – and we’re bringing together some stunning artists who bring to the table gorgeously varied visions of dance. Our dancers – Pàje Campbell, Bela de Souza, Nathan Geering, Mukeni Nel, Sam Salter and Layton Williams – are producing pieces (classical, neoclassical and modern) that touch upon diversity, intimacy in isolation and the Black experience – celebrating passion in this challenging time.
We will be launching globally on 16 October for anyone to be able to tap into through Eventbrite or my website (www.portobellodance.org.uk). For more information, feel free to contact me, Mark Elie - CEO and Artistic Director - 079 4748 4021.
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I was elected as National Chairman of the POA in August 2002 and served in that position until May 2011. I am to date the only BAME member ever to be elected to lead the POA, and within the wider criminal justice system of trade unions and staff associations.
The Professional Trades Union for Prison, Correctional and Secure Psychiatric Workers (POA) is the largest UK union in penal establishments, representing uniformed prison staff and those working in secure psychiatric care. However, it has not always been viewed by many in the labour movement as a “proper” trade union, more as a staff association. The POA is a union that has come under attack and been undermined by far-right groups that have infiltrated its membership.
I joined the Prison Service in 1986, at a time when the right-wing views of many staff went unchallenged by management. There were those who openly flaunted National Front badges and voiced support for racist views. As a man of colour entering this world, I was welcomed by the majority of staff but there was a hardcore element that viewed me with suspicion and racist bigotry. In the 1980s there were not many BAME staff and in the majority of prisons there were none. Senior management was a sea of white faces.
At the same time the prison population was growing, and this was highlighted by more and more Black and Asian men and women receiving custodial sentences. In the 1980s through to the 1990s the POA had no BAME members on its national executive. Prisons have always been able to foster extreme views among inmates, whether it be the National Front, British National Party, or other neo-Nazi groups. These groups can flourish inside prisons if they are not strongly challenged by senior management. Prison officers should be the guardians of both the security and safety of those put in their charge. For them to hold extreme right-wing views is a massive danger to the stability of our prisons.
The POA in the early 1990s challenged racist views and behaviour in HM Prison Service. In 1993 the union expelled from its membership a leading neo-Nazi who had been allowed by senior management to promote his extreme views. In response the POA leadership came under attack by certain elements of the membership and the union’s executive determined it would set up a race relations advisory committee made up of BAME members of staff. In 1996 I was elected to the national executive committee of the union - the first BAME member to be elected to such a post.
Through the late 1990s we saw a series of deaths in custody of Black inmates while they were restrained by staff and this led to a total overhaul of restraining hazards. The next ground-breaking moment came with the publication of the Macpherson Report, published in 1999 following the public inquiry into the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence. The report found there was institutional racism in the Metropolitan Police Service, and this sent shock waves through the prison service’s senior management. Many of the professional issues and competencies in the report on the Metropolitan Police could be mirrored in the prison service.
In 2006 there was another momentous public inquiry, this time focused on prisons. The focus of the inquiry was the racist murder of Zahid Mubarek. He was an Asian teenage inmate at HMP Feltham Young Offenders Institution in West London, who was killed by his racist cellmate Robert Stewart. The published report highlighted the danger posed by far-right extremists such as Stewart. Today our prisons are breeding grounds for extremists: while the media will often highlight Muslim extremists, the spotlight should also be turned towards far-right recruitment.
The Lammy Review, chaired by MP, David Lammy, focused on the criminal justice system and called for a series of reforms after finding overt discrimination and bias against BAME people in the system. The report highlighted the disproportionate numbers by stating: “Despite making up just 14% of the population, BAME men and women make up 25% of prisoners.” As of January 2020, employment statistics for the prison service show that 93.1% of prison officers in England and Wales are white, 6.9% are Asian, Black and Mixed Race, and from 2015 to 2019 BAME staff in the service increased from 2.3% to 3.1%.
No one can accurately say how many prison staff belong to far-right groups. What can be identified, with the arrival and growth of social media, is that more and more are expressing hard-right views on different platforms.
The current POA general secretary, Steve Gillan, and the present national chairman, Mark Fairhurst, have given their support to Black Lives Matter. However, their statements have been greeted by personal attacks on social media by those who claim to be members of the POA or former members.
The battle against the far-right in our penal system goes on and must be won.
The march of the far-right in the penal system
By Colin Moses, former national Chairman and an honorary life member of the POA
ARE YOU NUMB YET?
Are You Numb Yet?, is a short film, written, choreographed and directed by Anthony and Kel Matsena of Matsena Performance Theatre.
We are Anthony and Kel Matsena, the Co-Artistic Directors of Matsena Performance Theatre.
The drama, beautifully filmed by Alex Hermon, is set in a post pandemic world where ‘Dre’, a young black man, feels he has been left behind and everyone else in the world around him seems to have moved on. Set in the aftermath of the Black Lives Matter movement and the Covid-19 pandemic, This story is told through a potent mix of poetry, dance, theatre, and music. Full of suppressed anger and fear, we watch Dre as he implodes from the traumatic effects of dealing with two pandemics. Are You Numb Yet? is the beginning of a journey that follows a young man on a quest to find hope through his trauma.
To watch Are You Numb Yet? check out the Matsena Performance Theatre - MPT page on YouTube.
THE NEW YORK TIMES
THE SCOTSMAN
THE GUARDIAN
BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE
We are Zimbabwean born and Welsh raised brothers who were very early on inspired by our oldest brother Arnold Matsena to enter the world of creativity and performance.
Through our experience of being brought up in an Afrocentric house and having Eurocentric schooling, we have built a love and curiosity for telling stories that express themes of culture, race, change and belonging. We trained at prestigious schools: London Contemporary Dance School and Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, which then led to us developing a passion to drive narratives using a wide range of performance disciplines. Our dream as creatives is to continue to encourage people to have conversations about the difficulties we face in our society.
We have co-produced and co-created with Matsena Performance Theatre (MPT) for the last 3 years for Sadler’s Wells, Jasmin Vardimon, The Bunker Theatre (Play House), National Dance Company Wales (NDCW), Messums (Fine Arts) and many more.
We are currently planning a tour of our most recent work ‘The Geometry of Fear’ which premiered at the Messums Wiltshire last September. We’re in the early stages of organising the tour to be taken around England and Wales in 2021.
We’re also investigating how we can continue to improve the art of digital storytelling as well as how we can use non-conventional performance spaces to connect with a more diverse audience of theatre-goers. This year has been extremely difficult for the arts industry, which has brought about the quick realisation that we need to reimagine performance and break out from the traditional proscenium arch.
Love without Borders
By Wali Rahman
Recent events around the Black Lives Matter movement have highlighted racism in wider society. They have also shed light on anti-Black attitudes within some minority ethnic communities, including the Asian community, presenting an opportunity for introspection, and raising awareness.
Wali, who is British with Indian heritage and Mariama, who is British with mixed Gambian and English heritage, have faced racism individually throughout their lives but also collectively in their quest for acceptance as a mixed Asian and Black couple, which is still quite rare despite an increase in mixed race relationships.
The couple who both grew up in Wiltshire met towards the end of their school days and have been happily married for 14 years, with two children. Despite both being Muslim, it is still hard for many Asian families to accept ethnic and cultural differences when it comes to marriage and therefore Wali had to work hard to gain the blessing of his family and at one point faced the possibility of being cut off from them as a result. However, Wali’s (now late) father, a firm believer of the racial equality taught by Islam, supported his son’s decision, and convinced the rest of the family to accept the marriage.
For Mariama recent events have also re-opened some wounds from childhood and the challenges she faced being born and raised in rural Wiltshire as one of the only mixed-race children in her village and school. The recent events have forced her to confront the trauma she faced growing up as she recalls being taunted at primary school on a regular basis and endured years of bullying and name-calling.
Mariama remembers being always singled out and feeling inferior due to her skin colour, threatened with violence, and being called the N-word frequently. This was once sprayed across her family’s fence. Sadly, the children and the parents in her neighbourhood were at times no different in the way they treated her.
Mariama remembers that her late father also suffered racism throughout his life in the UK, after arriving from Gambia in the 1970’s as an engineering apprentice with Cable and Wireless. Fast forward a few years and after years of working for a company in Wiltshire, he felt he was held back from progression due to racism. He was subjected to racist “jokes” and comments while being overworked up until his death in 1998 from a heart attack. Mariama believes this was a direct result of what he had suffered for all those years.
Mariama feels that despite being born in the UK to a white mother, she will always be considered inferior due to being Black. She felt she was a victim to a double disadvantage as a visible Muslim woman, after she made the conscious decision to wear a headscarf at the height of post 9/11 Islamophobia in 2003.
However, despite the challenges Wali and Mariama have faced and continue to face as a couple and as individuals in society and in the workplace, they believe they are stronger and more resilient as a result. They also hope that more people from backgrounds and situations like theirs will be brave enough to fight against the cultural barriers that exist between their communities when it comes to love and marriage.
Today, Mariama is a successful interior designer whose innovative service was one of the first of its kind in the UK (www.online-interiors.com). She was recently featured in the Times Sunday Supplement as part of a feature on the best online interior design services. She is passionate about making quality interior design services accessible to all groups and communities. Mariama has a classic decorating style, emphasising colours and style.
Wali is an Organisational Development Officer at Wiltshire Council and a Diversity and Inclusion professional delivering consultancy services and training on Unconscious Bias and Equality and Diversity. Connect with Wali on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ walirahman/).
