EDITIONS editionbhm.com
LIFESTYLE
OCTOBER 2019
BLACK HISTORY MATTERS
BLACK HISTORY MONTH MAGAZINE
25 YEARS ON THE SLAVE ROUTE PROJECT
GENDER EQUALITY
LEGACIES
EMPOWERING WOMEN
BBBA CHALLENGING STEREOTYPES
10
GREAT BLACK BRITONS
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
TOP TIPS
DIABETES & LIFESTYLE CHOICES
Making
Memory British-Ghanaian architect Sir David Adjaye OBE
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Editions Lifestyle Magazine Black History Month 2019 Is published by Editions Media Limited 78 York Street, London, W1H 1DP Website: http://editionbhm.com Tel: 020 7692 8311 Email: info@editionbhm.com Editor and Publisher: Joy Sigaud Assistant Editor: Serena Lee Design: Propeller Design Admin and Subscriptions: Debbie Lawrence Consultants: Errol Drummond Yasmin Prest Olivier Antoine Sigaud Sybil Kretzmer Cover: Sir David Adjaye OBE courtesy Adjaye Associates Contributors: Amina Mohammed, Patrick Vernon OBE, Michael Williams, Anna Hunter, Leighton Smith, Carolyne Hill, Primrose Granville, Adam White, Arike Oke, Ciara Leeming, Antonia Comrie.
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EDITIONS LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE® wish to acknowledge 2IO¬DE¬*ANEIRO and thank UNESCO, the Deputy Secretary General’s office of the United Nations, Black Cultural Archives, Cambridge University, Ministry of Communities and all -ONTEVIDEO who have participated and contributed"UENOS !IRES to this issue. ISSN 2632 - 9883 ABC Registered All the content of this magazine is copyrighted and may not be produced in whole or part without the express permission of the publisher in writing.© Disclaimer: We disclaim any and all liabilities, including damages or loss that may result from your use or misuse of the magazine, its website or any of the content. No reproduction is permitted as a whole or in part. All rights reserved. Editions Lifestyle Black History Month Magazine® Editions Lifestyle Black History Matters™ Note: the content of this magazine does not necessarily reflect the publishers views
EDITIONS LIFESTYLE 03
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We welcome you to the first issue of Black History Month’s Editions Lifestyle Magazine. 2019 1UELIMANE 2IO¬DE¬*ANEIRO has been a pivotal year for the Black British Community having celebrated the first National ! 4 , ! . 4 ) # Windrush Day with funds being made available for projects, events and celebrations for 2OBBEN which virtually anyone can apply. Racially offensive goods and services have been brought )SLAND -ONTEVIDEO 6ALPARAISO to book, leading to "UENOS¬!IRES greater diversity in many sectors including the arts, fashion, industry and government. The concept behind Editions Lifestyle Magazine is to highlight inclusivity. So ¬ / #and % !Afro-Caribbean . many men, women and young people from the African Diasporas, against a backdrop of negative news, Brexit and uncertainty, simply move on with their daily lives and silently impact our social cohesion, economy and culture in profound ways. Non-politically aligned, Editions Lifestyle brings news and stories ranging from health matters to abuse and general well-being from a lifestyle perspective to inspire and inform.
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EDITOR’S NOTE
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The Coordination of the Slave Route Project
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These slave trade maps are only a “first draft”. Based on currently available historical data gathered by Joseph Harris (USA) about the slave trade and slavery, they should be completed to the extent that the theme networks of researchers, set up by UNESCO, continue to bring to light the deeper layers of the iceberg by exploiting archives and oral traditions. It will then be possible to understand that the black slave trade forms the invisible stuff of relations between Africa, the Arab World, Europe, the Indian Ocean, Asia, the Americas and the Caribbean.
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The history of this dissimulated tragedy, its deeper causes, its modalities and consequences have yet to be better elucidated: This is the basic objective that the UNESCO’s member states set for the “Slave Route” Project. The issues at stake are: historical truth, human rights, development, identity and citizenship in the modern multicultural societies. The idea of “route” signifies, first and foremost, the identification of “itineraries of humanity”, i.e. circuits followed by the slave trade. In this sense, geography sheds light on history. In fact, the slave trade map not only lends substance to this early form of international trade,Deputy but also, by showing theGeneral courses it of took, The Secretary the UN illuminates the impact of the system.
26
SCHOELCHER*
P. ROBESON*
,ONDON "RISTOL
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writes on Gender Equality
OCTOBER 2019
TOUSSAINT LOUVERTURE*
he slave trade represents a dramatic encounter of history and geography. This four century long tragedy has been one of the greatest dehumanizing enterprises in human history. It constitutes one of the first forms of globalization. The resultant slavery system, an economic and commercial type of venture organization, linked different regions and continents: Africa, the Arab World, Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean and the Americas. It was based on an ideology: a conceptual structure founded on contempt for the black man and set up in order to justify the sale of human beings (black Africans in this case) as a mobile asset: For this is how they were regarded in the “black codes”, which constituted the legal framework of slavery in the Americas.
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Message from
H.E. SETH GEORGE RAMOCAN, CD HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR JAMAICA It is my honour and pleasure to warmly greet the readers of this Black History Month magazine as we celebrate and highlight Black History Month 2019. The month of October is also observed in Jamaica as National Heritage Month, when we pay homage to our six national heroes and one heroine, whose rich contributions have paved the way for what is now a progressive and free Jamaica. Jamaica’s first National Hero, the Rt. Hon. Marcus Mosiah Garvey said, “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots”. It is therefore important that we seize every opportunity to highlight and celebrate the important cultural heritage of the Afro-Caribbean community. For this reason, I commend this magazine for its focus on lifestyle issues affecting the Afro-Caribbean Diaspora, as well as its focus on empowerment. As we highlight these important issues, I am reminded of the many challenges which we have and continue to face as a people, many of which we have overcome through our unified strength, resilience, support and positive spirit. In this regard, I wish to use this opportunity to encourage my brothers and sisters from our sister island the Bahamas, as they grapple with the numerous challenges facing their beautiful
I AM PLEASED THAT JAMAICA HAS A RICH LEGACY OF EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN
04 EDITIONS LIFESTYLE
islands in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian. Please be assured of our solidarity with the people of the Bahamas at this difficult time. Among the activities for Black History month this year, the Jamaican High Commission will be involved in two important activities highlighting the role of Afro-Caribbean nationals and their messages of empowerment. The first relates to a collaboration with the Sam Sharpe Project on the 8th Annual Sam Sharpe Lecture titled “Reparations”. The lecture will be delivered by Professor Verene Shepherd noted Jamaican Professor of Social History, Vice Chair of the CARICOM Reparations Committee, first woman to be made full professor of the Mona History Department and first Jamaican-CARICOM member to be elected to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD). This lecture is certainly timely and appropriate as we further promote the culture, history and heritage of people of African descent during the UN declared International Decade for People of African descent 2015-2024, under the theme “People of African descent: recognition, justice and development”. The other important highlight of the month is the release of the publication entitled
“Jamaicans in the United Kingdom - A legacy of leadership”. This publication which is a collaboration between the Jamaican High Commission and the Nurses Association of Jamaica (UK), highlights the positive stories of some five-hundred persons of Jamaican heritage and their contribution to the development of a multi-cultural Britain. Among them, is the late Honourable Louise BennettCoverley, OM, OJ, MBE, Jamaican icon and mother of Jamaican culture, who in 1945, was the first black student to study at the Royal Academy of the Dramatic Arts (RADA) on a British Council scholarship. I am pleased that Jamaica has a rich legacy of empowerment of women, many of whom have been trailblazers right here in the United Kingdom. The publication of this book which was made possible by a grant from the Ministry of Housing, Community and Local Government, is also a most fitting tribute to these women in particular and will be distributed in schools, libraries and communities across the UK as a useful source of information for generations to come. I extend my best wishes for a productive rest of year and beyond.
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MESSAGE FROM THE COMMUNITIES SECRETARY, RT HON ROBERT JENRICK MP Black British people have enriched our national life beyond measure, and their contribution can be felt in every facet of society, including business and commerce, culture, the arts and sport. Black history in Britain is a story of resilience and ingenuity. It is the story of ordinary people overcoming extraordinary odds, time and again, to build successful lives. And it is absolutely right that we celebrate this rich legacy. Looking forward, as the country prepares to leave the European Union, we must harness the wealth of talent and diversity in the UK to fire up business and the start-ups, industries and organisations of our great economy.
BLACK BRITISH PEOPLE HAVE ENRICHED OUR NATIONAL LIFE BEYOND MEASURE
As Communities Secretary, it is my mission to ensure that everyone, regardless of their background, is able to pursue their ambitions and go as far as their talents will take them. To ensure that everyone is able to share in a new era of prosperity, this Government is committed to ‘levelling up’ our regional economies and addressing the stubborn disparities which exist in access to housing or education. With your support, I am dedicated to making this vision a reality. Credit: Chris McAndrew / UK Parliament
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M A J portroyalpatties.co.uk 06 EDITIONS LIFESTYLE
N A AIC
One Picture
BLACK HISTORY MATTERS IN BRIEF
A THOUSAND WORDS... AFRICA BURNS
As the world’s focus is fixed on the Amazon, Bloomberg reported there were near 7000 fires in Angola and circa 3400 in DR Congo alone, compared to the 2100 the international community were witnessing in the Amazon at the time of going to press.
MOTOWN AT 60 1959 - 2019 THE BEAT AND UNIQUE SOUND LIVES ON
Never to be forgotten: 1965 The Temptations, The Miracles, Stevie Wonder, Martha and The Vandellas, The Supremes, Smokey Robinson at EMI London for the UK Launch of the Tamla Motown label. photo credit Paul Nixon
SANDALS FOUNDATION 10TH ANNIVERSARY
The popular resort for couples’ charity arm gives back to the communities through Ocean Conservation, Women Empowerment and Reading Programmes. The projects supported by the Sandals Foundation across the Caribbean to date are valued at more than $58 million USD and have helped more than 850,000 people across the Caribbean.
ONE FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS - A FAVOURITE PHOTO OF THE YEAR
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex with a doting family all admiring Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor who is seventh in line to the throne.
THE BEAT AND UNIQUE SOUND LIVES ON
NEW DAUGHTERS OF AFRICA AND NOW ‘THE MARGARET BUSBY NEW DAUGHTERS OF AFRICA AWARD’
This new generation of writers have waived their fees from the groundbreaking book to support a project that will provide scholarships for women from Africa to study in the UK at SOAS. A collaboration between the publishers Myriad Editions and SOAS these anthologies continue to attract unprecedented interest, a brainchild of editor Margaret Busby OBE, Britain’s first Black female book publisher shown here. She says “The really exciting and heartwarming part of it all is the award.”
FARMING
No not agriculture, but a term used to describe a system of private fostering whereby West African children were sent to live with and be raised by white working class families in the UK. This new film, showcased at the BFI at the S.O.U.L. (Screening Our Unseen Lives) Black Film Festival is a disturbing yet revealing picture of the psychological and physical impact. It is estimated that 70 percent of Nigerian children who grew up in the UK without their parents were Farmed.
EDITIONS LIFESTYLE 07
ART FOR EVERY INTERIOR Nelson Mandela | Royal Art | Pop Art | Sculpture | Art Advisory | Installation
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08 EDITIONS LIFESTYLE
AMINA MOHAMMED ON GENDER EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND UNITY Deputy Secretary General of the UN Amina Mohammed explains how Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is key to achieving sustainable development goals, peace and social cohesion. I am pleased to contribute to this inaugural issue of Editions Lifestyle on Diversity in Britain theme during Black History Month. The issue of diversity is more relevant than ever as our world becomes increasingly interconnected and interdependent, and as we see a groundswell of hatred and discrimination affecting so many societies. My own story is one of multiple identities. My background encompasses Nigeria and the United Kingdom, the public and private sectors, and the United Nations. I am an African mother and a grandmother; my children and grandchildren are Nigerian, British, Syrian, Brazilian and more. I am a former government minister, a survivor of gender-based violence, a faithful Muslim, the granddaughter of a Presbyterian minister; and the second-highest international civil servant in the world. Such diversity in just one person is far from unusual. We all embody many different identities. The growth of DNA-testing proves this in the most literal way, but it is also true socially and culturally. There is no homogenous culture in our world; there are simply those that are more and less honest about their history.
In recent years, we have seen a resurgence of populism, including leaders who seek electoral and political gain by dividing us on the basis of identity and difference. But in reality, diversity unites us and our differences only serve to emphasise what we have in common. It is through recognising and embracing the richness of diversity that we can address the most pressing global challenges we face today, from poverty and inequality to conflict and injustice. Gender equality and the inclusion of women and girls provides us with the clearest example. Despite growing evidence that women’s equal participation is correlated with greater prosperity, more responsive governments, better bottom lines, greater stability and more sustainable peace and development, we continue to deny and exclude half our population. A recent report by the World Bank found that just six countries give women and men equal legal rights across the board. At the current rate, it will take two centuries to achieve meaningful gender equality. The current pushback against women’s rights and gender equality in all regions of the world is not only an affront to our core values; it is a deathknell
for our chances of peace and prosperity. It also runs counter to the global roadmap agreed by all 193 countries of the United Nations just four years ago - the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. These start with the eradication of poverty and hunger, and include goals on health, education, gender equality, climate and more. They are a transformational roadmap for peace and prosperity on a healthy planet, based on inclusion and the value of diversity. No goal stands alone, but the goal on gender equality is essential to achieving all the others. Without the diversity of perspectives brought to every facet of our lives by the equal inclusion of half our population, the qualities women bring to leadership in all areas, and the talents of young women innovating in science and technology, we will never succeed in building a better world. As we celebrate Black History Month, let’s take a moment to think about how diversity of all kinds informs our opinions, increases our understanding and advances progress for all.
SUCH DIVERSITY IN JUST ONE PERSON IS FAR FROM UNUSUAL. WE ALL EMBODY MANY DIFFERENT IDENTITIES.
EDITIONS LIFESTYLE 09
LEGACY
VICTORIA MUTUAL 140 YEARS AND STILL GROWING
BY LEIGHTON SMITH
The Victoria Mutual Group was established more than 140 years ago on the dreams of a group of clergymen who wanted to create a more equal society where hard working but economically marginalised Jamaicans would have access to home ownership and could achieve financial independence. The business has grown significantly over the years with increased offerings and a reach that has expanded into other regions. What has remained consistent however is the purpose of the business which continues to be helping Members and Clients to own their homes and achieve financial independence. Victoria Mutual Group is composed of: The Victoria Mutual Building Society - with 16 branches in Jamaica and representative offices in the UK and the US; Victoria Mutual Wealth Management; Victoria Mutual Pensions Management; Victoria Mutual Property Services; Victoria Mutual Money Transfer Services; and VM Finance (UK). British Caribbean Insurance Company is an affiliate company. The range of offerings allows the team to carry out its mission to empower Jamaicans in different ways. And the team is committed to the cause. Since 2016 the Group has been involved in a transformation process led by President and CEO, Courtney Campbell. This involved a revision of the Group’s strategic goals to become a Modern Mutual and a Strong Integrated Financial Group, supported by a clearly defined Mission and Core Values. Group Human Resources, led by Chief Human Resources Officer Laraine Harrison, has been driving the structural change of the Group, ensuring the optimal framework for a purposeful move towards the business’ bold ambitions. This has included a dedicated training, development and talent management programme which has been reaping tremendous results. An Employee Value Proposition was created to declare the business’ commitment to the financial and professional upliftment of its team. The Group has also adopted a ‘Great Place to Work’ agenda which facilitates provisions such as flexi-work arrangements and a relaxed dress code to cater to the preferences of the modern workforce. Victoria Mutual has modernised its performance appraisal system and refreshed its Culture of Accountability programme which ensures that all team members are aligned on the values of the organisation. In 2017 the Victoria Mutual Group achieved a major win in having the rules of the Mutual 10 EDITIONS LIFESTYLE
Allison Morgan and Governor General Sir Patrick Allen
VM team give a helping hand on Labour Day
changed and approved by Members. The change in the rules, led by Group Chief Legal, Risk and Compliance Officer & Corporate Secretary Keri-Gaye Brown facilitated the introduction of exciting new products including auto, commercial and unsecured loans, as well as new service-delivery channels. The business also introduced Specialised Lending in the United Kingdom, where it operates three overseas representative offices. Importantly, Victoria Mutual has been a pioneer in forging relationships with members of the diaspora and was the first Jamaican financial institution to establish overseas representative offices to serve the needs of the diaspora community. The first VMBS overseas representative office was established in the United Kingdom. The business now operates offices in the UK, Florida and New York.
Victoria Mutual Pensions Management led by Conroy Rose is focused on addressing the low rate of participation in pensions arrangement in Jamaica as pension coverage in Jamaica falls below comparable developing countries. Victoria Mutual Money Transfer Services, led by Michael Howard ensures that, alongside its provision of remittance services to its customers, it focuses heavily on providing financial education to encourage customers to save more of the money they receive.
The launch of the new products has been led by Peter Reid, head of the Building Society and his team who are committed to offering the service and products that customers had been asking for. The team works closely with Michael Neita who led Victoria Mutual Property Services to help Members and clients select, purchase and manage properties in a way that will lead to their financial empowerment. Victoria Mutual’s efforts to empower Members and clients are spread across the Victoria Mutual Group. The team at Victoria Mutual Wealth Management, led by Rez Burchenson is earnestly engaged in building wealth for clients through the strategic application of its team members’ expertise. The team focuses much of its efforts: • On introducing innovative investment solutions which are best in class allowing ordinary Jamaicans to build wealth, and • on growing small and medium businesses
As the business continues to grow, more emphasis is being placed on mergers and acquisitions. In January 2019 a special unit was created for this purpose. Headed by Group Chief Investment Officer Devon Barrett, the team is focused on local and regional opportunities to grow the business. The Group is undergoing this transformation because, as one of our Cultural Beliefs declares, we are Customer Obsessed. Though we are always aiming to improve service delivery, the team achieved a big win in 2018 when the Victoria Mutual Group was awarded six of seven sectionals awards as well as the coveted Large Business Category Award at the Jamaica Customer Service Association’s Service Excellence Awards. In keeping with our strategic objective to be a Model Corporate Citizen, we officially launched, in 2018, the VM Foundation, giving greater structure and focus to our philanthropic efforts. Headed by Naketa West, the VM Foundation focuses on leadership and nation building, youth empowerment and improving health and family life. This is an exciting time at the Victoria Mutual Group. The business is buzzing. This means more lives will be positively impacted and, for the team, this is the fulfilment of our purpose.
Raising the bar The Philharmonia Orchestra on diversity, inclusion and digital technology. The team at the Philharmonia Orchestra write for Editions Lifestyle on how they are using new and digital approaches to tackle issues of diversity and inclusion in the orchestral sector. A much welcomed approach but we still have a way to go. How many people in the UK have seen an orchestra perform live before? It’s impossible to know, but the percentage of the population to have attended at least once would probably be higher than you would think. The BBC Proms alone has in the region of 300,000 attendees each year, which over the decades gives millions of people their first experience with live classical music. However, if you ask how many people attend regularly, say once a year, then that’s a different story. It’s a much smaller figure. Audiences for what orchestras in the UK have to offer are not, it is fair to say, very diverse. That’s across a range of definitions, from ethnicity to age to educational background. All orchestras in the UK are working hard to turn this around, to increase the diversity of our players, visiting artists, our administrations and boards, and – of course – our audience. We want to be more representative of the communities we serve. The Philharmonia Orchestra is based in London, at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall. We also have a national footprint, with residencies in towns and at festivals across England, where we are present both on stage and through our extensive outreach programme. At the Philharmonia, we are thinking deeply about how to make what we do – delivering thrilling experiences in orchestral music – more inclusive and attractive to a broader audience base. As with colleague orchestras across the country, we recognise that we need to change, to diversify both what we offer and who is on
ADVERTORIAL
THIS WAY OF WORKING ALLOWS US TO REACH A WHOLE NEW AUDIENCE stage. Our way of approaching this challenge has been to draw on our uniqueness as an orchestra, and that has meant working with digital technology. Founded in 1945, in part as a recording orchestra for the emerging home audio market, today the Philharmonia uses the latest digital technology to reach new audiences for symphonic music. Over the last 10 years we have developed digital experiences designed to get the orchestra out of the concert hall and out into different spaces and communities. We have created multi-screen walk-through installations and VR experiences that can popup in a shopping centre in exhibition formats. We call it The Virtual Orchestra.
The people who came to see the exhibition and follow-on concerts were much more representative of those places than our usual concert audience. 17% of The Virtual Orchestra visitors in Leicester were Asian or Asian British, for example, which is far higher than our usual concert audience in that city. Families loved it: in Bedford 35% of our visitors were under 16. In short, we changed up to appeal to more people and, crucially, to break down barriers to classical music and what an orchestra is and does. We were careful to present the exhibitions and concerts in a way that didn’t assume knowledge on the part of our visitors, and people seemed to respond to that. These efforts don’t stop with the end of a project. We are actively designing new experiences – live and digitally – off the back of The Virtual Orchestra, including new concert formats for families, so that we have more to offer the new audiences we’ve engaged. We have a long way to go, but the future is bright. From movie scores to symphonies, orchestral music has something to offer everyone, whatever their background. The Virtual Orchestra proves it.
This way of working allows us to reach a whole new audience. We have just finished a run of The Virtual Orchestra in our four residency towns of Bedford, Leicester, Canterbury and Basingstoke, with six weeks in each location (including a workshops and Fringe programme), ending with an informal live concert from the real-life Philharmonia.
EDITIONS LIFESTYLE 11
Global Citizen
WHERE ARE YOU FROM? Designer Carolyne Hill writes
The almost proverbial question that many just can’t seem to resist and furthermore, it always comes as a surprise every time one is asked. Where are you from? Where do you live? Where are your parents from? And… What does your father do? Is there a compartmentalised box somewhere in the brain where this information is stored for future reference or simply an imaginary form to decide whether you fit or not? In this issue, Brixton born Carolyne Hill examines, through her own experiences, the impact of the need to compartmentalise and has come up with her preferred term, ‘Global Citizen.’ She was recently commissioned to create an installation for the Tate Modern and here she elucidates on her thinking. ‘Where are you from?’ is often the first question I am asked after ‘what is your name?’ Why is it so important to place people? Is this the same for
everyone, or is it just an expected question as a person of mixed heritage? Often I feel that people cannot place me in the regular order of things because of the way I look, my complexion, hair type or the way I speak. It feels like a loaded question because when I answer, I’m from Brixton, London, nearly always the answer is ‘yeah but where are you really from?’ which usually means they want to know my actual heritage. I then explain that my mother is from Jamaica and my father English. Society constantly wants us to put each other in (tick) boxes to categorise each other so we can be defined as one or the other but increasingly this is a problem because that choice of who we are (I believe) is a personal one and not necessarily so easily defined. I know my background is both black and white, I know who I am, and I’m proud of my heritage. Being a Londoner speaks to me the loudest as that is where I was born, that is where I went to school,
where I live, work and experience life. Curiously we are all from different places and spaces but at this time in 2019 we find ourselves in a hostile environment. Our identities are being questioned and an idea of fear is being implanted by the current political climate with some leaders pushing for separation and nationalism rather than a positive future goal of unity and togetherness. The hostile environment induced by the Windrush scandal; the throwaway racist comments and slogans from our current leader and ‘go back home’ message from Trump and the right wing trolls who are creeping into plain sight need to be challenged. We need a new ideology which embraces our different backgrounds and is tolerant and respectful. We are all different, from different places with different skin colours and languages. And we are all human. I feel it is important to celebrate our differences because in fact, we are all different and yet the same.
‘Mi belly it a fill’ Buns, Patties & Fried Fish! Who can live without them! Mouth-watering traditional food from Jamaica that packs a whopping dose of flavour at every bite. Jamaican Easter bun is similar to British hot crossed buns, made with molasses, loaded with dried fruit, and in Jamaican tradition is eaten with cheese. The history dates back to ancient Babylon’s hot cross buns. The tradition of baked goods as offerings to deities made its way to England, where cross buns were made and consumed on Good Friday with the cross understood as a symbol of the crucifixion. When the British inhabited Jamaica, they brought the cross bun custom to the island. The Jamaican version is bun and cheese, dear to the childhood memories of many a Jamaican at Easter and the tradition for many continues here in the UK. ‘Nice and sweet the patty them nice and sweet’ Golden flaky pastry Jamaican patties are a Caribbean staple eaten all year round. Traditionally filled with curried ground beef, 12 EDITIONS LIFESTYLE
spiced with onion, garlic, and Scotch bonnet pepper, plus a slew of aromatic herbs and spices. In recent times, vegetarian or fish options are available. Formed into half-moon shapes - eating them is almost as good as an actual trip to Jamaica! Fried fish, or fry fish refers to the large, tasty, whole fried fish, for which Jamaica is well known. Fish, when fried, can be had with any side dish. It’s the perfect partner to festival or to steamed or fried bammy. The snapper fish is usually the preferred choice as this particular fish has a lot of flesh and a great taste. The fish is served with a vinegar-based pickle of onions, hot pepper and pimento seeds. This succulent dish can take less than five minutes to cook. Good thing it takes less than two minutes to eat! For a flavour of Nigeria… A good helping of
NICE AND SWEET THE PATTY THEM NICE AND SWEET!
the crimson tinged Jollof rice never goes a miss and for the truly adventurous the very spicy irresistible Suya is a must! Surely these delightful slivers of beef are a healthier snack than say… a large packet of crisps?
GREAT BLACK BRITONS As preparations are well underway for the publication of the new 100 Great Black Britons book, social commentator, journalist and African/Caribbean Rights Campaigner Patrick Vernon tells the backdrop to the founding of the 100 Great Black Britons. By Patrick Vernon OBE 100 Great Black Britons is even more important in a post Brexit and Windrush Scandal Britain.
SUCCESSES AND MILESTONES:
For Black History Month in October 2002 I established one of the first websites in the UK looking at family genealogy (www. everygeneration.co.uk) based on my experience as volunteer mentor working with African and Caribbean boys and young men in Brent and Hackney who were either on the verge of being excluded from school or suffering from low selfesteem resulting in difficulty finding work.
• Mary Seacole and many other black historical figures are now included in the national curriculum in spite of Michael Gove’s attempts to remove it in 2013 whilst he was Secretary of Education. This resulted in a petition signed by over 40,000 people plus a letter in the Times signed by politicians, celebrities, public and voluntary sector leaders, academics and activists forcing him to back down.
The issue of identity and belonging is a key factor for achievement and success, which is why in 2003 I launched the first 100 Great Black Britons to tackle the issue of the invisibility of the Black achievement and contribution to Britain. The original campaign was in response to the BBC 100 Britons campaign in 2002 where the public voted for Winston Churchill. The 100 Great Black Britons was inspired by the non-existence of people of African descent on the BBC campaign despite the fact there had been a Black presence in the UK for over a 1000 years. Freddie Mercury was the only person of colour on the original list BBC list.
• Mary Seacole was adopted by the Royal College of Nursing and given the same status as Florence Nightingale.
To date 100 Great Black Britons has become one of the most successful campaigns in raising the profile, history and achievement of the African and Caribbean presence covering the last 1000 years. Such was the impact of the campaign that I was invited by Channel 4 news to announce the results live in February 2004. The BBC also did major news reviews.
• Greater public awareness of Black British History and achievement in schools and the media.
100 Great Black Britons (GBB) has become a brand, an institution and the first major media campaign to inspire the role and impact of people of African descent as part of British history. It is difficult to assess the impact of 100 GBB over the last 16 years but we can point to several successes and milestones:
THE ISSUE OF IDENTITY AND BELONGING IS A KEY FACTOR FOR ACHIEVEMENT AND SUCCESS
• The campaign kick started the Mary Seacole Memorial Appeals Committee chaired by Lord Soley raising over £500k for a statue that was unveiled in 2016 in the grounds of St Thomas’s hospital facing Parliament. • More statues, memorials and blue plaques from the 100 GBB list Mary Seacole, Rev Olive Lyseight, and Walter Tull to name a few, also Nubian Jak has launched over 23 blue plaques in the last 10 years.
• More radio, television programmes, books and publications have been commissioned and developed as a result of the impact and influence of 100 Great Black Britons (David Olusega Black Britons successful book and TV series is one example). The new campaign has the potential to further educate, inform and advance the contribution of Black people in Britain and inspire a new generation of role models and achievers.
100 GREAT BLACK BRITONS NOMINATION PROCEDURES We are now looking for nominations under the following categories: • Overall Great Black Briton • Female • Male • LGBTQ+ • England • Scotland • Wales • Northern Ireland And across the following sectors: Faith, music, politics, academics, social justice/civil rights, sports, entertainment, community development, entrepreneurship, arts and film, heritage and culture, creative industries literature and theatre, medicine health and, social care, science and technology, public sector, equalities, housing, education corporate and financial services. The closing date for Nominations is 1st December 2019 and results will be announced for Black History Month 2020 Further details for nominations and schools competition are available from: www.100greatblackbritons.com
EDITIONS LIFESTYLE 13
DAVID ADJAYE’S
MAKING MEMORY
BLACK HISTORY MATTERS
Proposed design of Holocaust Memorial in London courtesy Adjaye Associates and Ron Arad Architects
British-Ghanaian architect Sir David Adjaye OBE has long been designing structures with emblematic meaning. His projects include honouring the memory of the African American narrative; a dedicated memorial to the mass slaughter of six million Jews and an upcoming contemporary cathedral in the Ghanaian capital Accra.
How can a designed space encompass impactful moments of remembrance? “Architecture as emotion. That powerful and resonant core is one I very much look forward to seeing develop and come to fruition for all of us to experience” David Adjaye’ words on the Holocaust memorial 2017 David Adjaye: Making Memory - was an installation at the Design Museum earlier this year. It was the first major architecture exhibition at its Kensington home. The exhibition celebrated Adjaye’s landmark structures with full-scale installations, films, exquisite architectural models, and rare artefacts that influenced the creative process. It was a chance to peek at ongoing projects, alongside recent buildings that are already world-famous. The pioneering architect is riding high after the triumph of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in
14 EDITIONS LIFESTYLE
Washington. Adjaye won the international commission as lead designer in April 2009, to design and deliver the groundbreaking museum which opened in September 2016 to much accolade. The building infuses its architectural roots in Africa and the African Diaspora, especially the American South and the Caribbean. The building features a three-tiered façade inspired by a crown in Yoruban art from West Africa. Furthermore, the entire building is wrapped in an ornamental bronze-coloured metal lattice, paying homage to the intricate ironwork crafted by enslaved African Americans in Louisiana, South Carolina, and elsewhere. A testament to a museum that seeks to stimulate an open dialogue, promote reconciliation and healing. Adjaye has an extensive and prestigious portfolio, in 2009 he was commissioned to design The Stephen Lawrence Centre, London; also the Nobel Peace Centre in 2005, Oslo;
and he has also designed homes for, fashion designer the late Alexander McQueen, visual photographer Juergen Teller and actor Ewan McGregor, to name a few. No wonder the Royal Institute of British Architecture alum received an OBE in 2007, then a Knighthood for his services to architecture in 2017. Current projects include the National Cathedral of Ghana, the concept, where religion, democracy and local tradition seamlessly and symbolically intertwine. Adjaye Associates hope to create a rich authentic celebration of Ghanaian tradition, reflection and common devotion. Adjaye explained how it was an immense honour to be granted the opportunity to contribute something of this scale and import to his home country. Another upcoming project is the UK Holocaust Memorial, set to be located next to the Houses of Parliament in Westminster. The design is proposed
Proposed design of the National Cathedral of Ghana
Portrait David Adjaye Courtesy Ed Reeve
by a team led by Adjaye Associates, with Ron Arad Architects as Memorial Architect, and Gustafson Porter & Bowman as Landscape Architect. The new monument and learning centre will honour the six million Jewish men, women and children who were murdered in the Holocaust, and all other victims of Nazi persecution. “Through this project, we stand up as a nation; we stand together regardless of our religion, race or background; and we stand against ignorance and bigotry. The new Learning Centre will not only remind us of mankind’s capacity for darkness, through the story of the Holocaust and other genocides - crucially, it will also remind us of our incredible capacity for good.” A quote from Sajid Javid, whilst he was Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.
Smithsonian’s National African American Museum of History and Culture Douglas Remley/Smithsonian
The initial designs are large bronze fins that propagate from the ground creating 22 spaces – the number of countries in which Jewish communities were destroyed during the Holocaust. It is to be noted that Sir David Adjaye OBE is responsible for the Education and Learning Centre, Ron Arad for the bronze fins, and Gustafson Porter & Bowman the landscape architecture. Westminster gardens are notable for their existing memorials to oppression and emancipation: The Buxton Memorial Fountain is a memorial and drinking fountain, that commemorates the emancipation of slaves in the British Empire in 1834 and the Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst Memorial is a memorial to Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughter Christabel, two of the foremost
British suffragettes. The Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre are due for completion by 2021. The final design will be subject to the planning processes. Sir David Adjaye OBE’s portfolio of architecture, design and nationally significant buildings, were celebrated at the Design Museum in February 2019. With its focus on experiential space and narrative, it was a satisfying lens through which to view the trajectory of his work. The show’s curator, Alex Newson said, “The exhibition is a way of exploring David’s sensibility – it’s about process, place, people and memory.” Adjaye’s approach is to derive inspiration from an artefact – a ceremonial stool, a textile, a crown – to which he translates into representative constructions of unity and identity.
ARCHITECTURE AS EMOTION. THAT POWERFUL AND RESONANT CORE IS ONE I VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING DEVELOP AND COME TO FRUITION FOR ALL OF US TO EXPERIENCE. EDITIONS LIFESTYLE 15
MOTHERLAND HERITAGE CONFERENCE BY WANIPA NDHLOVA
2019 MOTHERLAND CONFERENCE 19TH OCTOBER Cambridge Union building
Stormzy at Cambridge Motherland Conference 2018. Picture of Stormzy courtesy of University of Cambridge.
The
Motherland
Following the success of the 1st Motherland Conference held in 2018, the new President of the African Caribbean Society gives an insight into the forthcoming 2019 conference. This year the focus is Heritage. My grandfather Ephraim always stressed the importance of education as a way to break down social barriers; an opportunity he never had owing to his experience growing up in apartheid South Africa. The word Heritage describes the cultural traditions that have been passed down to us from our forefathers that we continue to pass down and bring into everything we do, be it business, leadership or the arts. It is only fitting that as I embark on my role as president of the African Caribbean Society (ACS) at one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the world that the theme of our 2nd Motherland Conference is Heritage. This word means so much to all of us who are the descendants of fighters, and is a testament to the legacies and proud memories of the Ephraims of the world. Every single one of us stands on the shoulders of the giants who came before us. Our lineages and our heritage makes us who we are and this year we celebrate not only our ancestors, but the opportunities and futures that we have because of them. 16 EDITIONS LIFESTYLE
The 2019 Motherland Conference will take place on 19th October in the historic Cambridge Union building, which has welcomed luminaries such as the Dalai Lama, Jesse Jackson and Rev Al Sharpton. The aim of the Conference is to educate and empower talented students in the diaspora about our histories, opportunities and legacies, and empower us to become future leaders in whatever we do. With Caribbean and African narratives the conference serves as an inclusive and powerful reflection of all of our Motherlands throughout the global diaspora. Following the success of last year’s Motherland Conference I felt buoyed to try to become the next president of the ACS. Hearing the Vice President of Malawi, Dr Saulos Chilima, Mr Ozwald Boateng OBE, Stormzy, and many more reflect on their journeys and hopes for the future, I felt steadfastly convinced that there was nothing I couldn’t do. I have every confidence that that feeling will be replicated again this year.
OUR LINEAGES AND OUR HERITAGE MAKE US WHO WE ARE We are proud to be part of the changing face of Cambridge and in the same way that those who came before us remained hopeful, we will carry on pushing for the positive developments, some we have already seen, and we strive to remain optimistic. Heritage is a mother’s strong message of affirmation, the warm voice of a father, the proverbs of our grandparents. Above all, heritage is a strong connection to the places we call home. It is with this in mind that we hope we can bring our Motherlands to Cambridge on 19th October in a proud display of excellence as we explore our varied heritages together.
Mark Dalgety
MASTER TEA BLENDER
Mark Dalgety Founder
Dalgety Teas is the largest and most established black owned tea company in the UK. The Dalgety brand of teas has existed for over 2 decades in the UK, has over 25 variant flavours of tea, can be found in over 3000 independent ethnic retail shops in the UK and has teas listed in the World Foods section in the UK’s two largest multiple retail supermarkets, Tesco and Sainsbury’s. Dalgety teas supports over 300 small farmers and their families across the Caribbean and works quietly with many charities in the UK that enhance the health and well being of peoples of African and Caribbean origin. Dalgety Teas is also the proud sponsor of many costume bands that compete in the Notting Hill Carnival. For more information Dalgety Teas, CKR House, 70 East Hill, Dartford, Kent, DA1 1RZ Website: www.dalgety.co Email: markd@dalgety.net
EDITIONS LIFESTYLE 17
Health Taboos
& THE AFRO-CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY
Award winning journalist and BBC presenter Primrose Granville reflects on the silence that so often surrounds terminal hereditary illnesses. Imagine being whisked from your home somewhere in built up London to the idyllic West Country? Imagine you’re nearly 7 years old, taken from your mother’s home to live with your aunt and her family, not seeing your mother for months, with no explanation at all?
“Kidney Sickness”. Anyone ever heard of such a diagnosis? 7 years later I’m sitting in front of Mummy’s Renal Consultant being told I have Polycystic Kidney Disease. An actual diagnosis! something that didn’t sound like a prehistoric term. Forget being frightened, I was relieved.
All of that happened to me, only it was a move from Barbican in St. Andrew Jamaica to Moneague, St. Ann, also in Jamaica. The geographical analogy is identical except for the weather.
Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) is hereditary. It came from my grandmother to my mother, then from Mummy to my eldest sister and I, the baby of 3 girls. I have passed it on to my son, who has known since he was 9. There is no cure, only treatment including medication, dialysis and a kidney transplant - if you get one. Mummy waited 14 years for a kidney transplant. Years that traumatised me, years of her just going to hospital and preparing for her death. Not once did she sit me down and explain to me how she felt emotionally and the fact that she believed that 4 of her 6 brothers’ premature death was because of the ‘kidney sickness’. It would’ve made things so much more bearable. I had no one to share this with. I. Just. Stayed. ‘Strong’. A strength that was a façade.
I spent 2 years of my young life with my aunt and her family. Two amazing years exploring the countryside; walking 2 miles to school everyday with neighbouring children, which in itself was an adventure. Fields and ponds, animals and lots of land to explore. I chased cows, picked fresh fruit, played hide and seek, ran down the famous ‘Scott Hill’ where only the strong survived. I did. I guess I was strong, even then. I don’t remember missing my mother, such was the love I received and the belonging I felt in a village, a community, a home so far removed from my own existence. I often describe it as the best 2 years of my life that now accounts for the love I have for the town. It would take years, dozens of hospital admissions and dialysis for me to find out what actually made my mother ill. I knew in May 1990 that she had the ‘kidney sickness’, that was it!
Some might ask why I didn’t research things sooner or ask more questions. However, when your parent is constantly in hospital and you’re doing what you can to keep your head above life’s water, you don’t care to research. You know ‘you inherited this from your mother’. Your own kidneys fail and you think about your favourite uncle
I HAD NO ONE TO SHARE THIS WITH. I. JUST. STAYED. ‘STRONG’ who died suddenly, you start the Genealogical research and the penny really drops. Why is it so difficult for our families to talk about their health history? Why are the youngsters in families told “is not your business” when a family member is ill or drops dead and they ask why? Do our older relatives not know how devastating it is to keep this information from us and leave us in the dark? Why is talking about family illnesses such a taboo subject? I was determined not to repeat the deeds of Mummy and cause my son trauma he didn’t deserve. I told my 9 year old son everything about my own diagnosis and his, in a gentle and loving way. I had my own kidney transplant last November. We joke about my foreign body part. He knows what every single tablet is for and he’s comfortable with it and protective of me. I need him to be informed so he can make conscious decisions. I’m pretty sure he prefers it that way and I certainly do.
A CUT ABOVE THE REST
Senyo Amedewonu affectionately known as Anku, a master hairstylist is the best kept secret of the VIP elite.
From September 2019 he will open his new multicultural salon Homme XY in fashionable Notting Hill London which aims to address a market gap by creating a space where male consumers can “relax, groom and consume.” He says “all three is achieved by a combination of creating a classic luxury interior space which is conducive to relaxation.” By combining the elements of fine grooming and lifestyle Homme XY will be the quintessential lifestyle and grooming choice for style and image conscious male consumers. His impressive client list includes His Highness Prince Fahad Al Saud, Ramires (Palmeirass & Brazil), Tom Cleverly (Watford FC), Scott Sinclair (Celtic FC & England), Kennedy (Chelsea FC & Brazil), Nathan Dyer (Swansea FC), Alex Teixeira (Sunning FC Brazil). Anku’s creative talents and organisational skills enhance the whole experience. He also holds a Bachelor of the Arts in Graphic Design & Photography. 18 EDITIONS LIFESTYLE
Anku - has clients in China, LA and St Tropez.
DIABETES & LIFESTYLE CHOICES
Reducing The Risk Factor Award winning Michael Williams is an highly motivational Healthy Lifestyle Coach with a passion for helping people to make healthy lifestyle choices. With 18 years of working as a fitness professional, and a background in Nutrition and Psychology, he approaches health in a holistic way, empowering his clients to use food and exercise as medicine, and put their health and wellbeing at the forefront of their priority list. There are 3.8 million people living with diabetes in the UK and 90% of those people have type 2. This does not include the figure for those who are as yet undiagnosed and researchers believe the final figure is much higher. The Government has been investing in programmes to increase awareness of lifestyle changes that can be made to reduce the risk factor and it’s never too early nor too late to start. Michael is a naturally engaging speaker and has the wonderful ability to translate and convey serious topics concerning health and wellbeing with humour and easy-to-digest practical advice. He runs a variety of workshops that focus on helping people to reduce stress levels and encourages people to develop healthy habits such as eating mindfully and intuitively. By breaking through barriers and developing a positive mindset he believes one can achieve powerful, healthy lifestyle transformations with lasting success.
TAKING CONTROL THINGS YOU CAN DO... Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is up to 3 times more common among African and African-Caribbean people, but addressing 3 controllable risk factors can pack a powerful punch in fighting it.
• Each week aim for 150 minutes of aerobic exercise – that’s just 30 minutes a day for 5 days of brisk walking, cycling, dancing, swimming, badminton, netball, or running. If you’re not currently active, start doing 10 minutes a day and gradually progress.
DIET
• At least twice a week do some resistance training such as lifting weights or using bands, or do squats or press-ups.
T2D is mostly linked to sugar consumption, but excessive carbohydrate intake is the main culprit, so: • Avoid snacking on all forms of carbohydrates between meals. • Eat lower glycemic index foods (e.g. pulses, vegetables, fruit, root vegetables, seeded bread, nuts, whole grains) as they cause blood glucose levels to rise and fall slowly which reduces your appetite and promotes weight loss. Higher glycemic index foods have the opposite effect, so eat less of them (e.g. sugar and sugary foods, white rice, white bread, potatoes and breakfast cereals). • Reduce carbohydrate portion sizes: just 1 or 2 slices of toast at breakfast, 4 to 8 tablespoonfuls of cooked rice (not 20!) for dinner.
EXERCISE Think of it as medicine - regular doses help you burn calories, gain leaner muscles and lose body fat. Exercised muscles use glucose much more than non-exercised muscles. Aim to: • Reduce sedentary time and increase your daily physical activity – use your car less, take stairs instead of the lift, get off the bus a stop earlier and walk.
LOSE WEIGHT 90% of adults with T2D are overweight or obese. Losing just 1kg of weight has been proven to reduce the risk of T2D by a staggering 16%. • Low carb or Mediterranean diets, eating healthy portions of wholesome foods including healthy fats, are excellent for weight loss. Not for everyone, but intermittent fasting (e.g. eating only during an 8-hour window, maybe 9am to 5pm or 12noon to 8pm) can also help as it puts the body into fat-burning, as opposed to fat-storing, mode. • Set realistic short and long-term goals for your weight loss. • Be mindful of what you eat, not mindless. Eat only when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full. We can’t control our age, heredity or race, but by addressing 3 controllable risk factors – diet, exercise, and weight – we can reduce the risk of developing T2D!
EDITIONS LIFESTYLE 19
Is it abuse?
EXPLORING SIGNS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ABUSE Is it abuse or is he just a very nice person... really, terribly clever, always doing good, but just a little bit highly strung and clingy?
BY ANTONIA COMRIE
He’s not stalking me, he’s just ringing several times a day and keeping a close eye on what I’m doing because he has a genuine interest in me? The oddest coincidence is that I keep bumping into him everywhere I go. There are potentially so many scenarios but I think the point is clear.
where emotional and psychological abuse is proven, it still remains a very difficult area to substantiate as the perpetrators are often one step ahead, cloaked in charm, very plausible and often appealing, not to mention covering their tracks. And, if I’m honest, this practice can affect any age group.
We are all aware of the obvious signs of physical abuse but one of the worst kinds, where the thin veil of clarity just slightly clouds one’s perception, is just where the trouble starts. Something just doesn’t sit quite right in the mind but you put it to the back and bury it your subconscious. Slowly and over time one questions a motive for a cutting comment, a slight, the reasoning behind a totally inappropriate comment, confusion that arises from a very simple situation and is then blown up out of all proportion. Apologies may well follow.
My advice is to be on guard once this starts to happen. It could be the start of a grand manipulation programme where in time many facts could be lost and all that remains is confusion, discomfort and maybe even fear. This can happen in the workplace, at home, with friends and with such subtlety that it is only the intended victim who actually notices. One of the common tactics used with women and men is flattery, promulgation of the intended victim has been known to set the tone and provide camouflage for the perpetrator. My advice is to be on guard and be honest with yourself as to whether it is warranted. If it is not, it could lay a foundation that will later be very difficult to disprove. Whilst we welcome the government’s initiatives and laws to protect and prosecute
My advice is to ensure you are armed with the truth from the very beginning so you know when to step back, get out or take appropriate action. If the perpetrator is really clever, you may well find yourself also being blamed for his actions. Be alert. Staying silent should never be an option. The gender bias in this article is not a reflection on men, it is simply written by a woman from a woman’s perspective. The same issues can apply to any gender.
HAVE YOU BEEN AFFECTED? HELP IS AT HAND... Here are some organisations to contact if you have been affected by emotional/ psychological abuse or would like further information about how to recognise signs of emotional abuse: Women’s Aid 0808 2000 247 Live Fear Free 0808 8010 800 The Men’s Advice Line 0808 801 1327 www.relate.org.uk have a lot of online information with an option to talk to a counsellor
20 EDITIONS LIFESTYLE
The celebrations and commemorations continue as we approach the end of the 60th Anniversary Year of the most successful soul music record label of all time. As Hitsville The Making of Motown, a new film about the iconic organisation, has been screening in the US and in the UK, we can’t help but remember with fond nostalgia the unrivalled contribution Motown made, not only to the popular music industry but also on so many levels including fashion, dance and a sound that was previously unheard. Their contribution to the prolific rise and recognition of Black Stars to mainstream screens can never be over estimated nor equally captured. Recording Martin Luther King’s rally in Detroit against a backdrop of civil rights campaigns was a unique stroke of genius by Berry Gordy. They gave us the Temptations, The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Mary Wilson and many more during a time when racial discrimination, segregation and Jim Crow Laws were the norm. Author Adam White captures many moments both in photographs, many of which had never been seen, and previously unheard stories with behind the scenes banter in his book MOTOWN The Sound of Young America.
WE CAN’T HELP BUT REMEMBER WITH FOND NOSTALGIA THE UNRIVALLED CONTRIBUTION MOTOWN MADE
01 03 05
01 Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson and Diana Ross in London’s Manchester Square, outside the headquarters of EMI Records in October 1964. Courtesy of the EMI Archive Trust and Universal Music Group. 02 The Supremes, Berry Gordy hails members of the Motown house band, left, and his Holland Dozier Holland hitmakers in 1965. Courtesy of the Library of Congress. 03 Motown released an album of the Freedom Rally held in Detroit on 23 June 1963. Courtesy of the EMI Archive Trust and Universal Music Group. 04 Detroit’s booming car industry was the inspiration. Courtesy of Adam White. 05 Stevie Wonder at Abbey Road Studios. Courtesy of EMI Archive Trust. 06 Motown’s in-house musicians. Courtesy of Adam White. 07 Tammi Terrell. Courtesy of Paul Nixon.
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07
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EDITIONS LIFESTYLE 21
BLACK HISTORY MATTERS IN BRIEF
Trailblazers
Trailblazers, making a difference in the community, each of these ladies received an award for services to the UK Diaspora.
Hopeful for the 2020 Mayor of London Elections, Shaun Bailey with Editions Lifestyle Editor Joy Sigaud following an interview.
Courtesy UN Library New York
REMEMBERING HAITI
Luxury Cave Ecosystems Launch by Darren Miller
Jamaican Independence Day Service Youth Choir 22 EDITIONS LIFESTYLE
Stereotypes INNOVATING AND CHALLENGING
LEGACY
Melanie Eusebe is the chair and co-founder of the Black British Business Awards, which recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievements of black people in businesses operating in Great Britain and encourage diversity across all industries. Passionate about uncovering role models and inspiring a new generation of exceptional business leaders, Melanie Eusebe started the Awards in 2012 to reflect the outstanding achievements and contributions of black business people to the UK economy. For her, the awards challenge the outdated stereotypes and most importantly, is a vehicle for economic empowerment and community partnership. Melanie is a management consultant with over 18 years international business experience, specialising in strategic transformation initiatives for leading global brands. Her online YQA (Your Questions Answered) sessions which provide useful productive guidelines, creative solutions and tips for aspiring businesses is open to everyone. She is a regular speaker, lecturer and broadcaster who is respected for her contributions to promoting business leadership skills, harnessing business talent and economic empowerment. She has also delivered and participated in sessions for numerous organisations including Sky, BT, GE, IBM, UCL, The Guardian, Better Bankside Women in Business, Trade School Westminster and works with various schools as a mentor.
A HUB WHERE BUSINESSES SHARE IDEAS AND TAKE AWAY CONCRETE SOLUTIONS The BBBAwards, designed to transcend stereotypes and highlight the often unsung contributions of black people to the British economy, is the only premium awards programme which recognises and celebrates the exceptional performance and outstanding achievements of black entrepreneurs and professionals throughout the United Kingdom. Over the last six years, it has grown into a powerful change agent for the wider BAME talent agenda, creating a hub where businesses share ideas and take away concrete solutions to create working environments for all talented individuals to succeed.
BRITISH BLACK FILM FESTIVAL SOUL FEST LAUNCHES AT THE BFI Aptly named Screening Our Unseen Lives, SOUL Fest, was launched on the weekend of 30th August and is a collaboration of four organisations: The British Blacklist, The New Black Film Collective, We Are Parable and S.O.U.L. Film, created to serve Black audiences and Black talent.
British Black filmmakers are making a difference! In recent years we have witnessed the rise of Black British actors, producers and directors on the Hollywood stage and now Black British filmmakers have their own place, at home, in the British film industry. The two day British Black Film Festival opened to a standing ovation on the showing of the first film ‘Farming’ at the British Film Institute (BFI) Southbank. In a packed auditorium, guests were invited to a Q&A session and were able to put a range of questions to the actors and directors following screenings of all the films. On the 31st August the SOUL Fest Symposium and Short
Films, a first, brought together leading thinkers from Britain’s diverse communities as well as screen shorts by emerging BAME talent. In addition to promoting the Black British Film industry the films themselves give an insight into the lives of others within the Black community that have never had any exposure thus bringing the community together and creating greater understanding amongst the various African/Afro Caribbean diasporas in the UK that co-exist side by side. We are very much looking forward to SOUL Fest 2020.
EDITIONS LIFESTYLE 23
Courtesy Gabriela Celeste
BLACK HISTORY MATTERS
Dapper Dan
HIP HOP FASHION ORIGINATOR GETTING HIS DUE
The former unsung fashion icon from the wrong side of New York By Serena Lee Before he reinvented haute couture, he was a poor but bright boy with holes in his shoes who gambled with drug dealers and spent time in jail. He pioneered high-end streetwear, remixing classic luxury-brand logos into his own innovative, glamorous designs - today he is finally in his rightful place as a shining symbol of American fashion history.
Dapper Dan was shamelessly appropriated.
If you have ever wondered who the originator of the street style aesthetic is and whose innovations started the ‘80s fashion hip-hop revolution? Well it’s Dapper Dan.
Times were tough in the ‘40s and ‘50s in Harlem. Dan grew up respecting the street hustlers whom most would consider criminals. His poor Harlem surroundings saw him caught up in what was known as “the life” as a teenager. He dropped out of school, was affiliated with gangs and got into gambling. The streets named him Dapper Dan, known for his style of playing craps (dice). Eventually he got out of “the life” and went back to school. Sponsored by the Urban League Educational Programme he had the chance to tour Africa.
In 2018, the Gucci fashion label blatantly ripped off one of Dan’s designs and they were swiftly called out online. They sent a model down the runway wearing a print leather and fur coat with ballooning sleeves. There was an outcry on social media, with high profile fashion names, pointing out the design was a replica of a 1989 custom look Dan had created for the US sprinter Diane Dixon. The only difference was the logo on the material. The very nature of fashion is to regurgitate looks, but this was a copy without the usual tribute high-end brands regularly give, citing their inspirations, but not this time 24 EDITIONS LIFESTYLE
Dapper Dan’s real name is Daniel R. Day. He was born on August 8th 1944 in Harlem, New York. His parents were poor, often holding down three and four jobs at a time to feed Dan and his six siblings. He was forced to wear his brothers’ hand-me-downs.
Inspired by the street dressmakers and tailors there, he decided to open a store. He raised money to travel back to Africa and buy a plethora of material to take back to the US. Dan’s boutique opened in 1982. The school
of hard knocks had sharpened his awareness to the urban beat of the ghetto and formed the basis of his creative calling, a blessing in disguise some would say. Dan faced prejudice as manufacturers and wholesalers wouldn’t work or sell to him in Harlem so Dan would go to the stores like Fendi, Gucci and Louis Vuitton and buy the large bags, cut them up and redesign them into new garments and products. He was refashioning heritage European brands, transforming the style, material and logos for his community, a community the brands themselves had never considered in their marketing programmes. He told the New Yorker in 2013 “I started putting —inside and outside, so you could reverse It.” In the early 1980’s he would utilise the wrong side of a garment emphasising the lining, facing and labels sparking the ‘logomania’ trend. His first clients were ‘hustlers’ of Harlem, then, hip-hop artists, notably LL Cool J, Bobby Brown, Salt-N-Pepper and many more.
Courtesy Ari Marcopoulos
Bottom row, images courtesy of Dapper Dan Harlem
Located on 125th Street between Madison and Fifth Avenue, his store stayed open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to accommodate his celebrity clientele. At the height of his growing status, boxer Mike Tyson was photographed outside the store wearing one of his leather jackets. This brought notoriety and scrutiny. As a result, European Fashion house Fendi pursued Dan and in 1992 succeeded in getting his store and brand shut down. He was shunned by the high-end fashion world for decades. In spite of this, for 25 years continued to work underground as a designer whilst supporting the youth in his community. The recent scandal with Gucci fashion it was said “the reference was so obvious” they did not credit Dan’s designs. Publicly shamed, the fashion brand saw the error and apologised for their “oversight”, resulting in an invitation for Dan to meet the Gucci creative director, Alessandro Michele. Ultimately, Michele and Dan collaborated on a very successful capsule collection, plus in 2018 Dan’s famed Harlem Store was reopened.
TODAY HE IS FINALLY IN HIS RIGHTFUL PLACE AS A SHINING SYMBOL OF AMERICAN FASHION HISTORY His new atelier which is on Lenox Avenue, in partnership with Gucci, called Dapper Dan of Harlem, is the first luxury fashion house/store in Harlem. Dan was able to highlight the brand’s issues surrounding ‘cultural insensitivity.’ In addition to the Dan scandal, last year Gucci faced backlash for racist products, including “blackface” balaclava sweaters and an “Indy full turban” resembling a Sikh headdress. Other luxury brands including Dolce & Gabbana, Prada and Burberry faced similar criticism over products and campaigns. Recently, fashion houses Burberry, Prada and Chanel have all introduced Diversity Initiatives. Dan explained “You’ve gotta have us in the room, you know? We’ve got to be a part of
this so things like this, they don’t happen.” In addition, Gucci has created a new initiative to support diversity and inclusion, The Change Makers Programme aims to positively influence fashion and diversity through community schemes, scholarships and a $5 million fund to specifically aid communities of colour. Gucci now has a Global Head Of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, African American Renée Tirado. Her first task will be to create, develop, and implement a global strategy to help make Gucci’s workplace more inclusive. The recent fashion scandals have brought a welcome resurgence of Dapper Dan’s lasting influence, in turn, bringing to light inequality and much-needed change to leadership roles at luxury fashion labels.
EDITIONS LIFESTYLE 25
BLACK HISTORY MATTERS F. DOUGLASS*
TOUSSAINT LOUVERTURE*
St-BENEDICT * Il Moro
A. DUMAS*
W. E. DU BOIS*
SCHOELCHER*
P. ROBESON*
A. S. PUSHKIN*
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THE GLOBAL DISPERSION 17th Century
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Anyone who has had2%6/,4 their DNA tested will have noticed groups of people carrying the same DNA in far fetched regions. How did this come¬ to be ¬ ¬ 0ERNAMBUCO one would ask oneself? A Tongan ancestor? It "AHIA may well be the case as our ancestry is so diverse that nothing is impossible nor surprising. There is yet a more sinister side to the story which isn’t told. We focus on the Atlantic Slave Trade quite naturally because the Western Hemisphere where we live was quite remote until relatively recently to, for example, Macao. Do we dare to think, what if?
26 EDITIONS LIFESTYLE
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BY JOY SIGAUD
1
18th Century
*AMESTOWN
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© UNESCO 2006, J. HARRIS (USA)
Of The African People
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'/5!$%,/50% Thanks to groundbreaking work /UIDAHand research What '(!.! if, there was a mother long ago whose #ALABAR %LMINA #/.'/¬¬ children were separated either intentionally or by UNESCO and Universities throughout Africa +/.'/ through enslavement and one ended up on one amongst others, we can now see the #ABINDA history of :ANZIBAR ¬ ¬ ,UANDA another on the other side. side of the world and the Great Dispersion of the African people, the "AHIA !.'/,! All lost to their homelands and relatives forever! global effect on economies, culture, race and 2IO¬DE¬*ANEIRO much more. It hardly bears thinking about. The enslavement of black Africans was an -ONTEVIDEO "UENOS !IRES This pictorial feature, however, will focus economic/commercial venture spanning on facts. What is the true story behind the several continents and regions from the Arab enslavement of the “black-being” over a four World, Asia, The Indian Ocean, The Caribbean century long period in one of the greatest the Americas and of course Africa. Based on a dehumanising enterprises in history? contemptuous ideology these “mobile assets”
¬
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25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SLAVE PROJECT
3UGAR ÂŹCOFFEE ÂŹCOTTON ÂŹTOBACCO #HEAPÂŹJEWELLERYÂŹETC ÂŹWEAPONS 4RANS !TLANTICÂŹSLAVEÂŹTRADE 4RANS 3AHARANÂŹSLAVEÂŹTRADE 4RANS 3AHARANÂŹSLAVEÂŹTRADE %UROPEANÂŹORÂŹ!MERICANÂŹSLAVE SHIPÂŹPORT ,ARGEÂŹSLAVE TRADEÂŹPORTÂŹINÂŹ!FRICA 3ORTINGÂŹANDÂŹDISTRIBUTIONÂŹCENTER 2AIDINGÂŹZONE 3LAVEÂŹIMPORTÂŹZONE 3UPPLYÂŹSOURCEÂŹOFÂŹTHEÂŹ TRANS !TLANTICÂŹSLAVEÂŹTRADE
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0ERCENTAGEÂŹOFÂŹDEPORTEDÂŹSLAVES "%.).ÂŹANDÂŹ'(!.!ÂŹAREÂŹCURRENTÂŹDESIGNATIONSÂŹOFÂŹAREASÂŹCALLEDÂŹDIFFERENTLY ATÂŹTHEÂŹTIMEÂŹOFÂŹTHEÂŹ3LAVEÂŹ4RADE
ÂŹ (ISTORICÂŹPERSONALITIESÂŹWHOÂŹFOUGHTÂŹAGAINSTÂŹTHEÂŹBLACKÂŹ3LAVEÂŹ4RADE ÂŹ3LAVES ÂŹ ORÂŹDESCENDANTSÂŹOFÂŹ3LAVESÂŹ 3T ÂŹ"ENEDICTÂŹANDÂŹ0USHKIN
TH T HE S L AVE AV E R RO O U TE TE .AGASAKI
F. F. F.DOUGLASS* DOUGLASS* DOUGLASS*
A. A. A.DUMAS* DUMAS* DUMAS*
W. W. W.E. E. E.DU DU DUBOIS* BOIS* BOIS*
It is 25 years since the inception of the Slave Route Project which has served to elucidate the greater economic and social impact of the enslavement of African People whilst dealing with the facts of the greatest tragedy of this age. The effects of this have reverberated around the world and the consequences are still fractious. A prickly subject at best as we struggle to gain recognition and change mindsets. St-BENEDICT St-BENEDICT St-BENEDICT*** IlIlIlMoro Moro Moro
3UGAR ÂŹCOFFEE ÂŹCOTTON ÂŹTOBACCO 3UGAR ÂŹCOFFEE ÂŹCOTTON ÂŹTOBACCO 3UGAR ÂŹCOFFEE ÂŹCOTTON ÂŹTOBACCO #HEAPÂŹJEWELLERYÂŹETC ÂŹWEAPONS #HEAPÂŹJEWELLERYÂŹETC ÂŹWEAPONS #HEAPÂŹJEWELLERYÂŹETC ÂŹWEAPONS 4RANS !TLANTICÂŹSLAVEÂŹTRADE 4RANS !TLANTICÂŹSLAVEÂŹTRADE 4RANS !TLANTICÂŹSLAVEÂŹTRADE
A. A. A.S. S. S.PUSHKIN* PUSHKIN* PUSHKIN*
4RANS 3AHARANÂŹSLAVEÂŹTRADE 4RANS 3AHARANÂŹSLAVEÂŹTRADE 4RANS 3AHARANÂŹSLAVEÂŹTRADE 4RANS 3AHARANÂŹSLAVEÂŹTRADE 4RANS 3AHARANÂŹSLAVEÂŹTRADE 4RANS 3AHARANÂŹSLAVEÂŹTRADE %UROPEANÂŹORÂŹ!MERICANÂŹSLAVE SHIPÂŹPORT %UROPEANÂŹORÂŹ!MERICANÂŹSLAVE SHIPÂŹPORT %UROPEANÂŹORÂŹ!MERICANÂŹSLAVE SHIPÂŹPORT
In recognition of this, a series of events was organised to take place in Cotonou and Ouidah, Benin, once a great empire which became the source and exit points for vast numbers of Africans who were then enslaved and taken to the “New Worldâ€? indeed to the entire world never to return. ,ARGEÂŹSLAVE TRADEÂŹPORTÂŹINÂŹ!FRICA ,ARGEÂŹSLAVE TRADEÂŹPORTÂŹINÂŹ!FRICA ,ARGEÂŹSLAVE TRADEÂŹPORTÂŹINÂŹ!FRICA
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"ASRA "ASRA "ASRA The following is a list of some of the UNESCO events which were held during the month of August: -ARZUQ -ARZUQ -ARZUQ
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19th 19th Century Century
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,OURENÂ O ,OURENÂ O ,OURENÂ O -ARQUES -ARQUES -ARQUES
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NUMBERS AND MORE NUMBERS How often have we heard figures ranging from -ONTEVIDEO "UENOS !IRES 11 million people to 100 Million people but in fact these figures only cover certain periods in certain places at a given time. Note the vast numbers by the 17th Century that were going North and when one compares the flow in the
15th-16th centuries to the Caribbean islands it is devastating, because these were not places where people survived for very long under ÂŹ :ANZIBAR +ILWA enslavement. By the 19th Century the figures )BO that we know about had dramatically increased in all directions.
,OURENÂ O -ARQUES
)NHAMBANE
THE MAPS Whilst they give us great insight as to the scope ÂŹ of this tragedy, its deeper causes, modalities and consequences have yet to be explored and this is the basic objective the UNESCO member states set for the Slave Route Project.
Sources UNESCO 2006 Joseph Harris (USA) and UNESCO Slave Route Project
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2IOÂŹDEÂŹ*ANEIRO 2IOÂŹDEÂŹ*ANEIRO 2IOÂŹDEÂŹ*ANEIRO
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%STIMATEDÂŹTOTALÂŹSIZEÂŹTHATÂŹTHEÂŹ!FRICANÂŹ %STIMATEDÂŹTOTALÂŹSIZEÂŹTHATÂŹTHEÂŹ!FRICANÂŹ %STIMATEDÂŹTOTALÂŹSIZEÂŹTHATÂŹTHEÂŹ!FRICANÂŹ POPULATIONÂŹWOULDÂŹHAVEÂŹREACHEDÂŹ POPULATIONÂŹWOULDÂŹHAVEÂŹREACHEDÂŹ POPULATIONÂŹWOULDÂŹHAVEÂŹREACHEDÂŹ INÂŹTHEÂŹMIDDLEÂŹOFÂŹTHE THÂŹCENTURYÂŹ INÂŹTHEÂŹMIDDLEÂŹOFÂŹTHE THÂŹCENTURYÂŹ INÂŹTHEÂŹMIDDLEÂŹOFÂŹTHE THÂŹCENTURYÂŹ INÂŹTHEÂŹABSENCEÂŹOFÂŹANYÂŹSLAVEÂŹÂŹTRADE ÂŹ INÂŹTHEÂŹABSENCEÂŹOFÂŹANYÂŹSLAVEÂŹÂŹTRADE ÂŹ INÂŹTHEÂŹABSENCEÂŹOFÂŹANYÂŹSLAVEÂŹÂŹTRADE ÂŹ ÂŹMILLION ÂŹMILLION ÂŹMILLION
This co-operation between African scholars, researchers, professors and UNESCO has served and continues to bring a clearer view as to what really happened during this ‘mal’ epoch. We still have much to learn.
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EDITIONS LIFESTYLE 27
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LEGACY
Black Cultural Archives CEO of the BCA Arike Oke updates us on the purpose and poignance of the Black Cultural Archives. Following the successful Windrush Exhibition and National Windrush Day celebrations on site, with a new injection of funds BCA are looking to the future. BY ARIKE OKE
Benjamin Zephaniah, and Jason Reynolds; literary launches; highlights of new research into Black British history; family events and more. We use our national voice to raise awareness of issues affecting people of African and African Caribbean descent in the UK. Last year, we were able to offer advice surgeries for people affected by the Windrush Scandal and this year we have received additional funding to host advice sessions to enable people to access the Windrush Compensation scheme. History is not the past to us nor the communities we serve, it is the present. Our research library is open to the public, as are our precious archive collections. With a series of exhibitions held in our gallery, and homecooked food in our café, we are a home for culture in its many forms. Black Cultural Archives, also known as the BCA is the home of Black British history. We collect, preserve and celebrate the stories of 2000 years of history of African and African Caribbean people in the UK. Telling the story of Britain’s shared history is our passion: by doing so we address omissions and erasures from mainstream history; challenge inequalities through an understanding of Britain’s shared
past; strengthen communities and combat racism via new research. From our headquarters at 1 Windrush Square in Brixton, we have a rich programme of events, and a schools programme. Our events programme includes: film screenings, in June 2019 we co-presented Hero: The Ulric Cross Story; ‘in conversation’ events including with
BCA is unique. We want everyone to be part of our story. We work with partners and volunteers to get the word out about Black British history and culture. The past is now and the future is BCA.
SONITA ALLEYNE OBE ELECTED AS NEW MASTER Sonita Alleyne OBE FRA FRSA has been elected as the next Master of Jesus College. She will take up the role from 1 October 2019, coinciding with the College’s 40th anniversary of co-education. The 42nd Master and first woman to lead Jesus College since its foundation in 1496, Sonita succeeds Professor Ian White FREng, who was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bath earlier this year. Sonita brings a wealth of governance experience to her new role. Brought up in East London, Sonita studied for her undergraduate degree in philosophy at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. A career in radio followed, including founding production company Somethin’ Else which she led as Chief Executive from 1991 until 2009. 28 EDITIONS LIFESTYLE
Winner of the Carlton Multicultural Achievement Award for TV and Radio in 2002, Sonita is a Fellow of both The Royal Society of the Arts and the Radio Academy. She was awarded an OBE for services to broadcasting in 2004. On the announcement of her election, Sonita Alleyne said: “It is an honour to be elected to lead Jesus College and I’m looking forward to becoming part of such an energetic and innovative community. Having met many Fellows, students and staff in recent weeks, I was struck by the positive and forwardlooking ethos shared across the College.
Professor James Clackson, Jesus College Vice Master, said: “Sonita Alleyne has innovative leadership skills and a wide-ranging expertise across education, culture, media and business. She is an outstanding choice to steer Jesus College through the challenges of the coming decade.”
IT IS AN HONOUR TO BE ELECTED TO LEAD JESUS COLLEGE
NELSON MANDELA
BLACK HISTORY MATTERS
HISTORY OF HIS ART by Anna Hunter Curator and Award Winning Gallerist
In 1997 we were at a meeting at St James’s Palace to discuss some new watercolours by Prince Charles and the programme we were involved with publishing his art. One of the courtiers questioned why the sales had been so successful over the years - to which I replied - it’s simple, “there are only three people in the world whose artwork sold for charity would attract so much interest: the Pope, the Prince of Wales and Nelson Mandela.” In 2002 whilst in New York, I learned that Nelson Mandela had indeed started to draw and that his lithographs were to be launched a few months later. Belgravia Gallery was deeply honoured to be asked to be associated with this spectacular initiative. We were amazed at the work itself which was fresh, bright, well drawn iconic symbols of the struggle in South Africa and the triumph over the tyranny of the apartheid years. In 2001 Mr Mandela was approached with a proposal for him to draw a series of works that could achieve similar results to Prince Charles. After very little persuasion and in his usual charming and self-deprecating manner, Mr Mandela agreed to attempt the project, however quickly admitting that his artistic abilities...if any... were “...in the far recesses of his very old mind.” In May 2002 he began with a series of sketches with the subject of Robben Island. He revisited Robben Island, scenes of some of the most painful years for so many whose lives were blighted by the cruel repressive regime.
At his home, under the watchful eye of his art tutor, Varenka Paschke, he quickly adapted from being a world leader to a budding artist. The works were completed in a series of colour separations, the strong black charcoal lines providing the guide to each of the colourful shades selected for sketches. It was and still is inspiring for us to have been in Mr Mandela’s presence as he signed many of the works. During the signing session at his home in Johannesburg in 2002, he shared many wonderful stories about his life experiences... those that make up the inspiration that he has become to so many of us. He made it very clear that he loved the experience of drawing and joked that when he retired he wanted to become a full time artist. We sharpened his pencils and placed the unsigned lithographs in front of him to sign. When the Robben Island Series was delivered to our gallery in London we were quite astonished at the directness, the strong use of line and colour, the confidence with the form. The Robben Island Series are Mr Mandela’s early works but few professional artists could have captured the appalling sacrifice of 17 years on Robben Island with such skill. Instead of the expected dark greys and morbid browns, the strong colours made a clear statement. For it is clear that although these were places where many suffered, they were drawn with a love which triumphed over adversity and brutality. His work emanates the grace with which he had triumphed over the past and offers us, as all great art should, an opportunity to reflect on its message in our own lives.
HAND OF AFRICA AN ENDURING SYMBOL OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY We first saw the lithograph ‘Hand of Africa’ with its paint still drying, on our visit to the Mandela home in 2002. A British newspaper called it, “an enduring symbol of the twentieth century.” In his speech, launching his art on Robben Island, Mr Mandela spoke of the vivid colours of Africa when he was a child, recalling the colours of the moon as it changed from silver to bright red and the colours in a rainbow. He contrasted these with the grey and khaki on Robben Island, then the experience of growing tomatoes which turned from green to red, and, much later the yellow of his first banana in 20 years. Throughout history few have left so indelible an imprint on the international stage as Nelson Mandela. His courage, his compassion and his humanity are among the qualities than have led to this Nobel Laureate being recognised as the world’s greatest statesman. It is therefore fitting that the extraordinary imprint of his right hand should so closely resemble the shape of the continent of Africa. It is as though its rhythms, sources of strength and dynamism were reflected in the character of this truly amazing man who was also a talented artist. EDITIONS LIFESTYLE 29
LEGACY
CELINE OGOAMAKA AKIGWE
Ancient Africans
EDITIONS’ LIFESTYLE PICK OF THE MONTH
REVEALED
Celine Ogoamaka Akigwe is the founder of Afristoricals and creator of the UmojApp. Afristoricals offers a range of events and products that go beyond the standard run-of-the-mill education and marketing tools. Since 2003, Celine has been educating and promoting the vast and amazing history of the world and humanity from an African perspective.. She decided the best way to tackle racism in the world is to re-educate people on the significant achievements and events in history from an African perspective. In 2004 she established Afristoricals to re‑educate people on the vast contributions to civilisation that have been made from pre recorded history times to the present day by Africans all over the world and successfully launched the Afristorical Calendar & Diary Range at The Best of Nigeria Expo in London Excel in 2006, as well as at The Enterprise Exhibition in the Eko Meridian Hotel, Victoria Island, Nigeria.
THE SMARTEST WAY FOR PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT TO ACHIEVE SOCIAL & ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT
30 EDITIONS LIFESTYLE
African culture being central in all her undertakings from 2007 to 2016, she served on the Executive Committee as General Secretary of the Nimo Brotherhood Society (NBS) UK & Ireland, a community group that supports a town called Nimo in Anambra State, Nigeria as well as the diasporas. During this time, she also served on the Executive Committee of ICSN (Igbo Cultural & Social Network) as Business Executive. More recently, Celine has undertaken the role of Executive Committee Secretary for Anambra State Association (ASA) UK. By 2016, the Afristorical Desk Calendar had evolved into the UmojApp, which takes its name from the Kiswahili word Umoja meaning Unity. The UmojApp, makes it easy for anyone who wants to learn African history by sending daily notifications to a phone.
Further still, a series of educational events including workshops and seminars and the recently published Ancient Africans in Europe, Asia & America Tour Brochure are designed to show what is not obvious about the displays of Ancient Africans in Europe which Celine Akigwe believes exposes the institutional racism that so frequently writes Africans almost entirely out of world history. Details of her forthcoming tour of the British Museum during Black History Month 2019 are available from Eventbrite.
RESTORING HERITAGE AND OPENING DOORS
BLACK HISTORY MATTERS
NMC officially names The Mary Seacole Room in the heart of it’s London Headquarters On 25 June 2019, sculptor Martin Jennings joined representatives of the Mary Seacole Trust and the NMC, Nursing & Midwifery Council, colleagues for a breakfast and presentation alongside members of the Chief Nursing Officer for England’s BME Strategic Advisory Group, the Royal College of Nursing, the Nurses Association of Jamaica and Black Cultural Archives and Editions Black History Month Editor Joy Sigaud. Jennings told guests how he designed the monument, the first in the UK of a named Black woman, to capture her “strong, bold and present” spirit he explained how in the face of resistance that by facing the Houses of Parliament, the statue shows Seacole “turning her back on the stonewall to march directly towards the heart of the establishment”. The statue is also inscribed with words written in 1857 by The Times’ Crimean War correspondence, Sir William Howard Russell:
“I trust that England will not forget one who nursed her sick, who sought out her wounded to aid and succour them, and who performed the last offices for some of her illustrious dead.” In his speech, Trevor Sterling, Chair of the Mary Seacole Trust celebrated Mary’s legacy and reminded us of the impact of the strength, dignity, pride and industry of the Windrush Generation, which has persisted through the years. It is well recognised that the Windrush Generation greatly contributed to the nursing sector and today approximately 20% of the sector are from ethnic minorities, compared to 13% of the UK population. Today equality, diversity and inclusion are basic principles of the NMC.
I TRUST THAT ENGLAND WILL NOT FORGET ONE WHO NURSED HER SICK
The life of a slave Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass an American Slave is a must read for those who wish to begin to understand or contemplate the life of a slave in the 18th Century Americas. Born around 1817/1818 Frederick Douglass was himself enslaved for twenty years. Whilst conditions varied somewhat throughout the Southern States of America, the basic rhetoric was the same. The oppressed and the oppressor, the enslaved and the oppressor. In this autobiography which covers this period of his life Douglass exudes an eloquence, which
Frederick Douglass
A REVIEW BY JOY SIGAUD
he became very well known for, that puts into perspective the harsh conditions, the mental state of the average slave as well as the mental state of the oppressors. Many of the enslaved believed that whatever their status, that was an acceptable status quo with no hope of anything else. He explains how the alternative for many, who were deliberately kept in ignorance through lack of even the basic reading skills, had no one to turn to but the oppressor and that wasn’t something that most were willing to challenge.
testimony as to how it was for millions of others who would have had to withstand the cruellest and harshest of treatment their whole lives with no hope of reprieve.
He brings to light the understanding behind the “every man for himself” syndrome which completely launders any romantic portrayals of good and bad masters. Yet, there are many traits one can recognise today in his allusions to friendships and interactions between and amongst the slaves themselves. His own experiences in his young life, sometimes very harsh, at other times just about bearable, clarifies that although he was moved around from plantation to other places of work, including being sent off for a year to be ‘broken in’ gives us an understanding and stands as a
Written in time, the book draws one into the very heart of the moment, one example being the way he refuses to elaborate on certain issues to protect those still in bondage and his friends after he makes his escape. The other interesting fact is the way readers’ interpret the book today depending on which side of the fence they are sitting.
He clarifies the role religion had to play which continues to this day, including the interpretation of the bible to one’s own advantage to suit one’s situation, something most people today have witnessed in one form or other - a difficult subject to elucidate at the best of times.
Did you know! Black History Month in the US is celebrated in the month of February to commemorate the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. EDITIONS LIFESTYLE 31
Get Up, Stand Up FREEDOM ISN’T ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL... REVERENCE, WIT AND AESTHETIC AMPLIFICATION Serena Lee reviews the Get Up Stand Up Now exhibition at Somerset House London Get Up Stand Up Now shone a light on a broad spectrum of black artistic practice from the last 50 years. A disregarded part of British art history is culminated in a dynamic contemporary exposition. Are Britain’s cultural institutions finally becoming more open to Black British art culture? It has come some way considering in the 1970s and 80s cultural institutions repeatedly shunned and ignored legitimate Black artists from the Black Arts Movement. Before her career success, Black Arts Movement member, artist Lubaina Himid CBE said, “the notion of Black people being artists was completely alien to people in the British art world. I was told ‘black people don’t make art’”. In 2017, Himid won the Turner Prize for her art on cultural history and reclaiming identities. Himid is the oldest winner and the first black woman to win the art award. British Afro-Caribbean artist Sonia Boyce OBE, gained prominence as part of the Black Arts Movement; she describes the erasure of black arts as “a mass systemic amnesia”. There was a vested interest in subduing black artists, plus a healthy dose of indifference. To counter this, on the heels of the Black Arts Movement of the
SHINES A LIGHT ON A BROAD SPECTRUM OF BLACK ARTISTIC PRACTICE FROM THE LAST 50 YEARS
32 EDITIONS LIFESTYLE
1980s, INIVA (The Institute of International Visual Arts) was founded in 1994 to create a space for black artists previously ignored by the mainstream art world. Zak Ové, artist and curator of Get Up Stand Up Now, believes Black British artists are finally being represented in UK museums and galleries. “The horizons have broadened. Before African art was something old that you looked at in the British Museum”, said Ové son of celebrated black film-maker and photographer Horace Ové. Institutions typically closed to multicultural standpoints are slowly opening their doors to fresh perspectives. In January acclaimed fashion designer Grace Wales Bonner curated an exhibition at the Serpentine. Currently, a lifetime of large-scale artworks by Frank Bowling is at Tate Britain. Spanning 60 years the exhibition gives Guyanese-born British artist his first retrospective in the UK. It highlights his visionary approach fusing abstraction with personal memories. In 2017, the Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power, shone brightly - 20 crucial years of black American art. In a similar tone, Get Up, Stand Up Now, exhibition opened last June at the palatial Somerset House where the neoclassical grey
architecture is juxtaposed by bright psychedelic swirls on the floors, walls and doors. The multidisciplinary and multi-sensory experience featured the work of more than 100 artists. An original soundtrack by Trinidadian DJ and producer Jillionaire was streamed throughout enlivening the usual sterile exhibition space. The large exhibit revealed a thematic, rather than chronological voyage of creative expression, intertwined with several discussions about visibility, self-definition and hidden narratives. Although the exhibition is now closed, one hopes that this is more than a current trend in exhibitions that predominantly investigate Black identity politics. We know from historians for many centuries, black culture has played a key role in the British narrative. Although there is a long way to go, the exhibition opens up a larger discussion of the newfound visibility and vitality of Black British creativity.
PHILIP STEPHEN A WINDRUSH STORY
A GOOD OUTCOME
BY CIARA LEEMING
Faced with the prospect of living in eternal statelessness, no longer having a country to call home Philip Stephen gives an insight into a plight that many victims of the Hostile Policy and The Windrush Scandal that followed have had to and continue to endure. Fortunately for Stephen, his case was eventually successfully resolved. Philip Stephen spent 15 years trying to secure British citizenship – despite arriving in the UK on a Commonwealth passport which stated he had the right to live and work here. Born in St Lucia, he travelled to the UK with his seven-year-old sister in 1967, to join their parents in Huddersfield, where they had lived for four years. His dad, who is still alive, worked in an iron foundry while his late mother was employed in a biscuit factory. Aged 60, Stephen discovered he had lost his citizenship when St Lucia gained independence from Britain in 1979. His sister, however, had successfully applied for British papers in the early 1980s but he says he could not afford to do so at that time. Stephen says: “I became a British citizen when Britain took over my country and raped and pillaged it. I’ve been trying to sort out this issue since 2005. I spent so much money applying for passports and was denied, denied, denied, they said I wasn’t a citizen although I thought I had the right to work here. Then I was made redundant. I retrained as a security guard. But I was asked for ID at my interview and told my old passport and documents from St Lucia had no value so the job offer was withdrawn.”
Philip Stephen’s story finally had a successful outcome after years of stress faced with the prospect of being stateless in a place that had been his home. He goes on to say:
I FEEL RELIEVED AT FINALLY BEING RECOGNISED AND FOR THE FREEDOM TO MOVE ABOUT
“I got my citizenship and passport last year. I feel relieved at finally being recognised and for the freedom to move about.”
What’s on? ANCIENT AFRICANS IN EUROPE, ASIA & AMERICA
A Black History Month 2019 Tour
AFRISTORICALS
Afristoricals have organised a tour on Sunday 20th October at The British Museum as a Black History Month 2019 event to witness institutional racism that writes Africans out of world history and to discover the evidence of Ancient Africans in Europe, Asia and America.
CULTURE TREE CENTRE CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY MONTH
To celebrate Black History Month, Culture Tree Centre are holding a special African drumming and traditional African Storytelling event.
THE ASSOCIATION OF REDBRIDGE AFRICAN CARIBBEAN COMMUNITIES
The Association of Redbridge African Caribbean Communities (TARACC) celebrates Black History Month at Redbridge Town Hall on Saturday 26th October 2019 from 12.30 - 6pm with a presentation of African-British Civil Rights Heroes who fought against British racism over the last 400 years led by Tony Warner from Black History Walks.
MORE EVENTBRITE SUGGESTIONS FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH Black History Month Pop Up Market London The Biggest Black History Month Comedy Show London Black History Month 2019 Manchester Black History Month Cultural Event Showcase Ilford
EDITIONS LIFESTYLE 33
The Book Club Editions’ book choices for Black History Month The Fishermen Chigozie Obioma Another notable book from this author shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize.
People of Colour and the Royals written by Jamaican born Lady Colin Campbell Who can resist even the slightest peek? Her indomitable style remains as she attempts to enlighten the reader with her views and stories in her new book.
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass An American Slave EDITOR’S CHOICE
New Daughters of Africa Edited by Margaret Busby Much acclaimed anthology of writings by women of African Descent. The book is now available internationally and continues to draw readers worldwide.
34 EDITIONS LIFESTYLE
Frederick Douglass Known for his eloquence this is a must for those who wish to begin to understand or contemplate the life of a slave in early 19th Century Americas.
EDITIONS An annual publication available from selected leading supermarkets and distributed with the Evening Standard Central London on 1st October 2019. for further information about editorial contributions & advertising please write to us at:
LIFESTYLE
BLACK HISTORY MONTH MAGAZINE
Editions Media Limited 78 York Street, London, W1H 1DP or email: info@editionbhm.com abc registered
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