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International WOMEN’S DAY FGM Zero Tolerance Conference Colourism Within BLACK COMMUNITY Karl White “Retain & Explain” Policy of Statues Page 28-29

Editor’s Welcome Statues and monuments tell historical stories about our societies, cultures and heritage. The stories attributed to many statues across the world are becoming subjects of social and racial discourses. Among them include the topic of slavery and racial injustice which prompted the toppling of one of the most talked about, the Edward Colston’s statue in Bristol. The Black Lives Matter Movement has been at the centre of things and the recent government policy banning the removal of statues without legal authorisation from the Communities Secretary is taking the discourse to a different route. The ministry says the “Retain and Explain” policy is aimed at preserving British heritage which is in conformity with the 1967 Civic Amenities Act. Many argue that statues like that of Colston’s, immortalizes the cruelty of the transatlantic slave trade which he benefited from as a trader. Centuries after the abolition of the slave trade, his image standing in the middle of a city which is characterized by diversity in culture, race and ethnicity, cannot be tolerated. It appears to be condonement of mockery, double standard, sheer racism and white supremacist ideology. His statue did not only offend intergenerational plurality but speaks volume of the class discrimination within our society. Now, “retaining and explaining” has become subjective in this matter. Whose interest would the narration of the history and heritage benefit? Would it be the children of the enslaved heroes and heroines from the African continent and around the world, or would it be in the interest of the continuous deprivation, segregation and marginalization the privileged continues to inflict on the African child? The onus lies on the narrator… HAKUNA MATATA Pa Modou Faal

Contents News & Sports FGM Zero Tolerance Conference .........................4-5 Post-COVID Business Sustainability .......................6 Karl White.........................................................................8 Impact of Knife Crime .......................................... 9-10 Community A Long Journey To Safety........................................ 13 Climate Change.......................................................... 14 Colourism in Black Communities.......................... 16 Our Covid 19 work Post-COVID Businesses............................................. 24 Marcus Garvey Day Centre...................................... 25 Arts & Culture Retain & Explain Policy.......................................28-29 Health & Food Endometriosis Awareness....................................... 32 Harm of Stereotype On Black Women .........34-35 Business & Finance Tax Changes From April 2022................................ 38 Education & Career What Is Misogynoir.................................................... 42 A Wish That Came Through ................................... 43

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Mojatu Media Disclaimer The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers. Every effort has been made to ensure that the contents of this magazine are accurate but the publisher cannot take responsibility for errors, omissions, nor can we accept responsibility for the advertisements or editorial contributions.

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ZERO TOLERANCE Awareness Raising Conference

Awareness raising about FGM to focus & engage with communities & professionals.

FGM ZERO TOLERANCE CONFERENCE - By Varuna Kukrety

Nottingham is the first City in the UK to declare a zerotolerance stance on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Agenda of the Zero Tolerance Conference was to discuss how to create awareness training and make pathways to help eradicate the practise of FGM. The participating speakers were from Mojatu, the Nottingham City Council, the Nottingham Police, NHS, Social Workers and Community Ambassadors with the motive| sloganLET’S WORK TOGETHER TO EFFECTIVELY PUT AN END TO FGM. FGM is associated with cultural ideals of femininity and modesty, which include the notion that girls are clean and beautiful after removal of body parts that are considered unclean, unfeminine or male (WHO, 2022). This thought process can be changed by raising awareness through conferences, having social spaces to bring women together and create safe spaces for discussion and dialogue aiding in self-empowerment and growth. Some people believe that the practice has religious support, although no religious scripts prescribe the practice. Religious leaders take varying positions with regard to FGM: some promote it, some consider it irrelevant to religion, and others contribute to its elimination (WHO, 2022). Community engagement practices involving men and authority figures from diasporic communities can make a positive impact. When informed the community and religious leaders and medical practitioners can prove to be effective propagators of abandonment of the practice. Normalizing discussions about FGM by breaking down barriers and stereotypes within communities and the public is an essential step towards the eradication. Collaborating with local organisations, and local forces of power can aid with better detection, awareness and empowerment of FGM survivors and reduce the prevalence of the practice. Family support involving men and all members of the family to build a community

wide awareness and understanding to stand against FGM should be given priority. Making information accessible to everyone in community centres and having trained representatives in communities that women feel comfortable to approach. To work towards offering a safe space for survivors of FGM to talk about their experiences in anonymity, offering vital therapeutic support and counselling services amidst cultural and religious sensitivities. These services are often the first opportunity women have to openly discuss the impact of FGM on their physical and mental health. No child should ever be subjected to FGM, and the practise is now a Criminal Offense. Since 1985 when the Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act was passed (The Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 replaced the 1985 Act in England, Wales and Northern Ireland), the Act introduced measures to enhance the protection of vulnerable children and others, by strengthening the law to tackle FGM and domestic abuse. With more awareness and training for teachers and support staff in schools, FGM is now more widely known in schools, thanks to the guidance including Keeping Children Safe in Education. Open discussions in schools so the next generation has awareness of issues and feel open to discussions. Getting the government to include educational knowledge about FGM in the national curriculum science and ensure that young women attend sexual health clinics with access to specialist counselling and support, created open discussions in schools; so, the next generation has awareness of issues and feel open to discussions. Wellbeing and Midwifery clinic in the community with confidential and a non- pressurising environment should be established in Nottingham where women feel comfortable to talk with anonymity. More support for the supporters of survivors should be instituted to ensure that they can continue with their work surrounding FGM by creating more awareness and the sensitivity around it through speaking different languages.

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FGM IN WHITE COMMUNITIES - By Mojatu FGM Team Female Genital Mutilation is not an issue isolated to African and Middle Eastern communities. It has occurred in White Christian communities for centuries, dating back to the 19th century as a cure for masturbation. Despite not being mentioned in any religious text, FGM tends to be associated with Black, Middle Eastern and Muslim communities. However, in recent years a number of white Christians in America have begun to come forward and tell their stories and experiences of undergoing FGM. They hope that this will help to raise awareness of how widespread the issue is and encourage others to not be afraid to tell their stories too. The practice of FGM in communities across the world is form of genderbased violence which is used to control young women and girls’ sexuality and reaffirm men as dominant figures in society. In 2016, US citizen Renee Bergstrom tells her story of having her clitoris removed in a church clinic when she was 3 years old. Although this sounds like a rare case, FGM is swept under the carpet and not spoken about in Western communities, with many survivors maybe not realising that they have experienced any wrongdoing at all.

Within Conservative Christian communities in America, religion is sometimes used to scare people into keeping secrets or doing what they are told, with threats that if they do not cooperate, they will go to hell. One survivor notes that they believed that FGM was something that all girls go through until they were an adult, attended nursing school and learnt about human anatomy. FGM within Christian communities is used to establish a women’s submission to men and celebrate their obedience to God. It controls women’s sexuality and encourages the narrative that women’s sexuality and masturbation is a sin. Currently, FGM is not criminalized in 21 US states. It is so important for people and policymakers to realise that this is not an issue confined to African and Muslim communities but one that affects everyone. Increased dialogue and awareness of FGM taking place in all communities can help to prevent more young girls and women from becoming at risk. According to the United Nations, 200 million women and girls have undergone FGM. More discussions around FGM can help survivors speak up and question what happened to them, stopping the cycle and helping self- empowerment.

SEXUAL VIOLENCE - THE CASE OF MASON GREENWOOD - By Ifeanyi Ogbonna Mason Greenwood, a twenty-year-old footballer for Manchester United was arrested on suspicion of rape, sexual assault, and threats to kill after his former girlfriend, Harriet Robson, leaked videos and pictures of him on social media supposedly perpetuating these acts. This is not completely unusual in the professional football community, as there are numerous other examples of players being accused, arrested, and even convicted of different forms of sexual violence. These all highlight the persistent problem that remains in our society – domestic violence against women. It is crucial especially for young women to understand what counts as sexual assault|abuse. In England and Wales, the legal definition of sexual assault is when someone intentionally touches another person in a sexual manner without that person’s consent, and the touching can be with any part of the body or anything else.Sexual assault and sexual violence, in general, is not something that is spoken about enough in our late childhood|teenage years, and adulthood

is too late to begin these conversations. Not only is this because it would make women and men more aware what constitutes these actions, but research shows that the more we talk about this before adulthood, the less likely it is that abusive dynamics will occur. Two places are crucial for these discussions to happen: the home and school. If we have these uncomfortable conversations in places where they are not normally held, this will go a long way to beginning to tackle this large problem. The reason why it is important to highlight Mason Greenwood and other footballers is because perhaps when these acts are perpetuated by people of great influence or fame women may feel pressured to keep quiet or intimidated. Whilst looking at tackling the causes, we also must address the punishment one receives for these acts. The current maximum sentence for sexual assault is 10 years, with the offence range being 0-7 years. This does not go far enough, but education whilst in custody about sexual violence could be compulsory.

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POST-COVID BUSINESS SUSTAINABILITY - BRAAI KING BISTRO & GRILL - By Pa Modou Faal The COVID-19 Pandemic has affected many businesses for the past twenty-four months, some crumbled while others fought hard to stay in operations. One of the businesses that has persevered during the pandemic is the Braai King Bistro and Grill. Mojatu Magazine visited the proprietor and asked him how he is going on with business. Patrice Musarurwa is the proprietor of Braai King Bistro and Grill, a local restaurant located on the Aspley Lane in Nottingham where Southern and Eastern African food is specially prepared to meet customer demand. Patrice as he is widely known together with two other chefs, prepare the food in a grand African style with locally homemade spices. Giving a description of the name, Patrice said “Braai” means barbeque and as experts in it, the “King” represents their uniqueness. Patrice told Mojatu Magazine that it is a pleasure to be back in full operation which everyone was looking forward to. He said the lockdown was a very difficult moment for him and Braai King as well as other food selling businesses, but he tried other avenues that government was encouraging them to take up. He explained other strategies that government encouraged them to venture in such as take-aways and deliveries through food delivery companies even though it was not easy to meet the requirements for those platforms. He said that they had to adopt to the then new norm that was food delivery through those platforms and some few catering services as well. Identifying the problems they have gone through, Patrice revealed that it was hard for the regular clientele to come support the business because of the strict restrictions. “Everyone was literary struggling, but people love to be at Braai King while profiting at the slightest opportunities through easing of restriction”’ he funnily charged. He expressed gratitude to his landlady for being reasonable and considerate. He said government supported them through funding to keep the space because there would be life after lockdown and bills will pile up as expected. The bounce back loans through the banks were very help which he said thanks to the government that they were able to access those facilities for their sustainability against the financial overheads.

With all the government support, they were missing the human presence because Braai King is not only a restaurant but a chilling spot and community hub for African diasporic communities. The quality of human interaction is very important and that is the next face of Post- COVID. “As Braai King, we provide that platform for people in the form of family and friends gatherings, focus groups for researchers, university students, meeting spots and live football matches and entertainment, all within our chilling and delicious Braai King menu of grilled steak, chicken, lamb and sausages served with specially hand-made salad and vegetable”, he said. He further mentioned that “people missed these kind of sessions and even if they continue working from home, they can’t wait for Braai King kitchen to start from Wednesday all the way to Sunday evenings for their delicious budget meals”. Customer patronage has been brilliant because he has been able to maintain his clientele and further attracted new clients since Braai King operates within a network of local businesses around Nottingham. Through this network, they compliment each other and increased their coverage within the community. University students who have lineage with Southern and Eastern African food, regularly converge at Braai King and enjoy the home-made food and the friendly atmosphere provided by the place and the people they meet there. According to Patrice, the students have been very patronising to Braai King. When asked what his immediate priorities are, he said they are looking forward to growth, “we were in the dungeons, we were all tired…everyone is out there now and want to experience life once again”, he noted. He said when something is taken away from you, you don’t realise the values that thing has until you need it again which for him, is the human interaction. Braai King is fully active in community-based voluntary services working with many charities in Nottingham. Since the COVID outbreak, Braai King had been involved in humanitarian services such as providing Ramadan “Iftar” meals to the needy and providing medication and food to many who were mandated to isolate, and these were all self-funded ventures. Braai King also joins other organisations in Nottingham in their quest to make the summer enjoyable through sporting activities and festivals.

News & Sports FGM Global Ambassadors Training Programme

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AIM: Develop a team of community embedded and based volunteers to help end female genital mutilation (FGM) by helping Mojatu to work with communities at all levels. TARGET: Community members from or working with BAME communities whose girls and women are living with the consequences of or are at the risk of undergoing FGM OBJECTIVES: 1. Recruit and train ambassadors to to tackle FGM 2. Empower and support the ambassadors to act as agents of change in ending FGM 3. Equip ambassadors to counter religious & cultural views sensitively

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BLACK STUDENTS CAUGHT BETWEEN THE UKRAINE-RUSSIA WAR By Pa Modou Faal

Thousands of international African students were trapped at the beginning of the Ukraine-Russia crisis. Many of the students experienced not only the hardships of war, but the fear of racist attacks on their way to escape while stranded between Ukrainian cities and neighbouring countries like Poland. Since the war began, hundreds of foreign students, most of them from India and Africa, have been stranded in the Ukrainian university towns and cities. More than 500 international students have been trapped in Sumy, a city 40 kilometres from Ukraine’s north-eastern border that had been bombed. As fighting around many of Ukraine’s major war-torn cities intensifies due to Russian artillery and rocket fire, authorities across Eastern Europe are scrambling to take in the growing wave of refugees. Ukraine which was meant to be a cheaper alternative to training than in Western Europe or the United States, became a war zone overnight as Russia launched Europe’s largest invasion of another country since World War II. Before the conflict, thousands of foreign students were studying in Ukraine, attracted by the low cost of tuition and living, as well as the legacy of close ties between the Soviet Union and developing countries, especially in Africa. Africans make up more than 20% of foreign students. Nigerians make up the second largest group of international students in Ukraine with more

than 4,000 students. Morocco, Nigeria and Egypt are among the top ten countries with over 16,000 students, according to these African students were studying medicine, engineering and other technical fields. At the Medyka pedestrian crossing in Poland, refugees from various countries - Africa, the Middle East and India - were seen, mostly students, fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. Most African students said trying to leave Ukraine was like a “squid game”, with Ukrainians and Europeans having the top priority, Indians and Middle Easterners in the middle, and Africans at the bottom of the urgency list. All foreigners, including Africans, had been ordered to travel to Medyka Junction from Ukraine to Poland. At the border crossing points, Ukrainians are always allowed free passage first before others. The African Union and other African countries reacted to the racial outcry from their nationals by issuing statements reiterating media and institutional reports that Africans are singled out for unacceptable dissimilar treatment which they described as shockingly racist and in breach of international law. The African Studies Association also issued a statement condemning the discriminatory treatment meted out to African students trying to flee the conflict. The statement also condemned actions by immigration officials in some neighbouring countries reportedly preventing African refugees from entering their respective countries.

KARL WHITE: PEACE & LOVE AMBASSADOR DIED WITH A LEGACY The Community of Meadows and Nottingham at large mourn the death of a great youth worker and community peace champion. Karl White, who was known by many as “Mr. Meadows” met his untimely death to the Coronavirus on December 26th, 2021. Since his passing, tributes have been flooding in through the media for his work. Karl who dedicated his life to helping others especially within the community of The Meadows where he lived, worked for the council for 32 years until 2016 when he retired. Even after his retirement, he continued to organise football for local children and having previously formed the local football team FC Cavaliers, Karl did not retire from volunteering in youth development and mentorship. He had helped shape

- By Pa Modou Faal

lives of many young people and The Meadows was a better place with him. For young Black people, Karl touched their hearts through sports, pioneering grassroot football, promoting diversity and instilling love and respect to them as a way of life. He was a champion of peace who preached against crime and violence, and inculcated culture in them. Karl who moved into Nottingham from Jamaica in 1968, used his experience as a Black man growing up through difficult times of injustices to inspire others. This served as the benchmark for the man who transformed resentment into peace and love and later documented it in his book, ‘My Journey: Four Decades of Transition’.

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THE IMPACT OF ‘REFLECTION OPPORTUNITY’ ON YOUNG PERPETRATORS OF KNIFE CRIME By Edrissa Touray opportunity to reflect on the effect of knife crime upon people and making them aware about where to access information and help relating to knife crime.

It is not an idealism, it is what we all deserve in our communities. In reality, and as social beings, humans are susceptible to factors that are environmentally induced or situationally inflicted to increase the risks of some becoming perpetrators of crime. Youth crime, particularly knife crime, is a perennial issue with its continuing untold devastation on lives, livelihoods, and families. A lot has been documented including statistics on the offenders and the economic and structural challenges it poses for the Criminal Justice System. This article acknowledges that but pays attention to the impact of rehabilitation initiatives for youth offenders of knife crime by Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (Nottingham) in partnership with Fearless Youth Association. Fearless Youth Association (FYA) and HM Prison & Probation Service (Nottingham) work closely in a Referral Scheme partnership in which FYA directly engages young perpetrators of knife crime on a tailored knife crime awareness training. The training paces young offenders on their perspectives in social issues including prejudice and discrimination, enhance their knowledge about the principles of knife crime, offer them an

For the young perpetrators, the opportunity to discuss and interrogate the social environment of prejudicial acts and discrimination as part of their lived experiences, generate a relieved sense of ‘being understood’ in an active two-way conversation in which their input is actively listened to and valued. Their victimhood through social injustice is deemed finally understood and they can begin to apply criticality in their consideration of their reactions to those ‘perceived’ sense of injustices and how that might impact others within their vicinity or the society at large. The state of assurance that comes from the knowledge of being understood often provides the durable building blocks of their engaged participation in this training program. A look at the general environment factors for young people from marginalised communities and the reasons why young people become involved in crime strikes that chord of relatability for all the perpetrators. These are often what they experience first-hand (for example, social or school exclusion, peer pressure, gangs), and are the things professionals do not factor in their considerations as part of their interactions with them. The grievances against the police and their work are often characterised by dogmatic itching in the minds of these young perpetrators of knife crime. However, what has been telling in these trainings is how the basic understanding of the definition of knife crime, its associated criminal law, and the role of the police in

enforcing that law introduces a perspective angle in them that recognises the position of the police and the justification for their actions in the greater good of the public. Exposure to the national statistical data on the human cost of knife crime often triggers reflection and an evaluative opinion that portrays a new understanding of its gravity. The fulcrum of the impact of this training can be in its reflection opportunity. It enables young perpetrators to consider the long-term effects of knife crime on them as perpetrators, their families including the stigmatisation their parents often suffer, the victims and their families who in worst-case scenarios lost loved ones in gruesome ways and the traumatic battles they succumbed to as a result. This often draws genuine deeper and thoughtful reflection about the troubles they had with the law, the experiences of their immediate family, the experiences of other families and community members they personally know and the tragic changes that happens in their lives because of knife crime. This segment of the training, which is always participant centred, achieve realisation, regret, remorse, and commitment for a changed direction away from crime of all sorts. The difficult lived experiences of perpetrators are no excuse for their involvement in any crime particularly knife crime. However, what has been demonstrated by the young perpetrators through this partnership is the ability to change course through a ‘Reflection Opportunity’ that is orchestrated in an environment of trust, relatability and with an institutional awareness of the catalytic effect of young people’s environment.

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KNIFE CRIME: HOW BAD IS IT, WHERE ARE THE DISPARITIES AND WHAT CAN BE DONE TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION? By Ifeanyi Ogbonna

Knife Crime. A plague that has swept across the UK and claimed thousands of lives and ruined countless families. Whilst this is a problem that affects many parts of the country, Nottingham is a hotspot for this type of crime. According to statistics, Nottinghamshire experiences a high rate of knife crime offences than both the national average and the average in core cities. In 2018, there was an increase by nearly 11% in this type of offence. In London, the problem is much worse which is evident as we are constantly told about this problem. In 2019/20, for example, there were over 15,900 knife offences, which was an increase of over 6,000 when compared to 2015/16. Whilst it would not make sense to compare the problem London faces with that of Nottingham, because of the drastic difference in volume, there are still similarities in who is affected and who commits these crimes. The BAME community are disproportionately involved with these types of offences. If we focus on the black community, in Nottingham they make up 7.26% of the population, however they are responsible for 39% of knife crime. In comparing this to London, 53% of possession of a knife suspects were black despite making up only 13% of the population. The numbers are similar for other ethnic minority communities. “Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime” (Aristotle). This quotation does not only encompass the ethnic disparities when it comes to knife crime, but it explains the root cause of this in general. Impoverished communities in the UK’s major cities including London and Nottingham are disproportionately populated by BAME. This reason, paired with systemic issues, are the main cause for the ethnic differences, but in addressing the cause for knife crime in general there is one overarching issue I have identified: social deprivation/a lack of intervention. Over the past many years, due to a decline in funding there has been a lessening in the amount of youth clubs and similar, which help reduce crime. These types of extra-curricular organisations are a place where young people and adults can interact, and it gives an opportunity to spot early warning signs and stop them in their tracks. London itself is a good example of this: The City of Westminster experienced a 91% cut in funding for youth services, and simultaneously there was a 47% rise in knife crime offences for the

Metropolitan Police. The link between investing in our youth and lessening of knife crime is undeniable, and therefore it seems like a solution to tackling this epidemic is funding into youth centres and organisations like this. This is very simple to say, but are there any countries or cities where they have solved their knife epidemic? Indeed, in Scotland they have managed to half the number of violent murders. In 2004/05 there were 137 homicides, and by 2016/17 this had more than halved to 62. So how did they achieve this, and how can we mirror this in various other parts of the UK that are still tackling large amounts of knife crime. Scotland implemented a Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) which was solely set up to tackle knife crime. This is the first move that needs to be made: specialist units need to be set up in cities like London and Nottingham where knife crime is particularly a big problem. The VRU focused on a few different areas: emphasising opportunity, engaging in the education system, targeting gang hotspots and other things. One of the VRU’s main objectives is to offer young people an alternative path, and this is how they emphasise opportunity. They run different schemes that show them that violence and being in a gang is not the only life they can have. For example, in 2010 they ran an adventure and leadership training scheme with former gang members. Another example is in 2016, Street & Arrow in Glasgow’s West End set up a modern street food truck, where they hire former offenders for 12 months: the former offenders are paired with a mentor who helps them develop employment skills. Engaging in education is an obvious point. The VRU set up mentoring projects in schools to not only teach about knife crime, but also to encourage children’s online safety. Workshops like this make young people think about their behaviour towards other people and how to challenge those who have unacceptable behaviour. Combining these two with approaching the problem head on was the reason for the great effectiveness of the VRU. Officers took steps to visit gang members, target hotspots and monitor their activity. They took a no-nonsense approach and made clear statements to young people that they would face severe consequences for their actions. If steps like these were taken across other parts of the UK that are affected by the knife crime epidemic, such as Nottingham or London, the rate for this type of offence would undoubtedly decrease.

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DOMESTIC ABUSE DURING THE PANDEMIC By Saida Barbar

Domestic abuse involves emotional, physical, psychological or sexual abuse in an intimate relationship or between family members. It is behaviour that is used to control and assert the power dynamic in a relationship. Anyone can be a victim of domestic abuse, and anyone who is forced to alter their behaviour because they fear their partner is being abused.

partner violence and with the closing of schools, were more likely to experience abuse themselves. 38.3% of women experiencing abuse had said that the children were increasingly being used as a tool of abuse, for example partners preventing visits to children.

As many people struggle to come forward to find support due to their safety, it is key that safe spaces created by communities and the government remain in place. For Being trapped under lockdown rules with an abuser, example, the ‘Ask for ANI scheme’ launched in partnership as well as having reduced contact with any external with the government and pharmacies to create safe and support systems meant that victims and families private spaces to allow survivors to access support. experiencing domestic abuse were more at risk than before. Risk factors for abusers to perpetrate abuse UN Women, an entity of the United Nations, launched such as increased financial pressure and mental health a public awareness campaign in order to help prevent domestic abuse and make victims more aware of help problems only escalates this problem. that is available to them. The UK government funded One fifth of women who reported experiencing £25 million into domestic abuse services in May domestic violence said that they had tried to leave 2020 and a further £10 million in November 2020 the situation but were unable to access housing due for funding into rape and domestic abuse support. to increased demand caused by the pandemic.This For UK- wide help and support contact Refugee’s impacted families as domestic violence skyrocketed National Domestic Abuse Helpline - 0808 2000 247| in the pandemic. Children were exposed to intimate Nottinghamshire - 01909 533610

DOMESTIC ABUSE IN LGBT RELATIONSHIPS - By Saida Barbar Whilst domestic abuse can happen to anyone, there is a lack of public awareness and research into domestic abuse in LGBT relationships. A reported 22% of people female same sex and 29% of people male same sex relationships have experienced some form of abuse. Studies have found that incidences of domestic violence in LGBT relationships is comparable and, in some countries, reported to be higher than in heterosexual relationships. If this is the case, why is only 3% of the research into domestic violence focused on LGBT couples? Existing stereotypes surrounding the perpetrators of domestic violence helps to explain why it may be under reported and under researched. The general public heteronormative views of what domestic abuse looks like is with a man as the inflictor and a woman as the person experiencing it. However, in a same sex relationship, these stereotypes cannot be met. This can make reporting domestic abuse even more daunting, as survivors may not know if their partner’s behaviour is abusive or not. Survivors of domestic abuse in same- sex couples may not see the abuse they are experiencing as something worth reporting. This belief can stem from a homophobic view, for example that

gay men are not as strong as heterosexual men and therefore gay men cannot commit abuse. Members of the LGBT community experiencing domestic abuse may be afraid to report it and seek help due to bringing stigma to an already oppressed community. For example, people in lesbian relationships may feel a sense of shame that women can be the perpetrators of abuse, not just men and therefore will not report it. With increased knowledge of how to access support and spreading awareness that abuse between anyone, no matter the gender is equally as damaging and harmful as abuse in a heterosexual relationship, survivors may feel more comfortable to come forward and seek help and support. Help can be found at Galop, an LGBT specific domestic abuse charity. 0800 999 5428

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A LONG JOURNEY TO SAFETY

The story of Soraya, asylum seeker from Eritrea By Ophelie Lawson

I met Soraya in a women’s shelter in Mytilini, Lesvos while visiting on assignment. I needed to photograph the premises, showing how women who came from the refugee camp of Moria managed to turn a simple shelter into a safe home after coming from hostile environments. Soraya was one of the first women I met in the women’s shelter. She was peacefully holding her baby in her arms. Soraya was born in Eritrea, a country of about 5.3 million people with over 480 000 displaced. In 2015, the UNHCR estimated that five thousand people fled Eritrea every month to bordering countries, from dictatorship and human rights violations. However, tens of thousands of them have made it to Europe, hoping to get asylum, just like Soraya. After tea, Soraya started sharing her journey with me. She asked me to record it. She wanted people to know about her story. How dangerous the journey must have been crossing the sea with her baby. “Erythraea is no good…crossing the sea, I was really scared. It was the first time in my life I saw so much water and I was pregnant. I was scared, not only me but also for my baby”, she stated. During her journey on the boat, there were 50 other people including many children. To cross the sea and get to Greece, was not only risky but expensive - cost over 1000 Euros. To make money, Soraya had to go to Izmir where she found work. Her husband, whom she met in Turkey also helped her. Soraya was 3 months pregnant when she attempted the perilous journey through the Mediterranean Sea where she was caught and imprisoned. It was her first pregnancy, “I had no choice” she said, “but I was worried. Erythraea was not safe for me, Turkey not safe for both me and my baby”, she revealed. Despite her traumatic prison experience, she tried again. Soraya said she thought that she would die as the boat left Turkey in completed darkness. “I cried,” she says, “lot of us cried. It was cold and dark”, she explained. When

they arrived on the shores of Lesbos Island, nobody was there to rescue them. All of them had to walk until they encountered Greek police. They were then taken to the UN offices where they received some clothes and other essential items from UNHCR before taking them to Moria camp. “I never want to have an experience like that again. My time in Moria, now I think I don’t want to remember.” She paused. “It was cold, toilet disgusting, people are not nice, and I didn’t feel safe there. How can we live like that?” she asked. Soraya stayed 2 months in the Moria refugee camp at the early stage of her pregnancy before being taken to one of the UNHCR shelters, after finally being recognised as a vulnerable case. She stayed there for 9 months and had Isaac but was later asked to leave. “I thought Europe would be better. That we would be safe. Life in Erythraea was hard. I left home with hope one day I can provide for my family and have better life” she continues. She disappointedly noted that “in Africa, you know, everyone assumes that Europe is so much better. Easier for your family to find jobs, make money. Government better. Now, every time I can speak with friends in Africa, I tell them do not come to Europe.” On an island where there is a high level of hostility towards refugees, it was in a woman’s shelter that she found safety again. Female asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants, particularly single mothers and pregnant women face a unique challenge as they are very often victims of violence, exploitation, and human trafficking. After surviving the difficult Mediterranean Sea crossing, they find themselves stranded in places where they have no legal rights, and where their fundamental human rights are not being respected while facing further dangers of sexual and genderbased violence. Although she reached a safe place and is away from neglect and abuse, Soraya’s journey does not end up there. She is still waiting for asylum to be granted to her.

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CLIMATE CHANGE: WHO IS TO BLAME? Global warming is transforming the world as we know it. We also know that climate change is caused by human activity but nailing down exactly who is mostly responsible is trickier than it might seem. But we need to start pointing fingers at the right people.

By Ophelie Lawson

Warming weather also causes animal migration. Entire species of important insects are going extinct, other insects will emerge that will devastate entire continents. Climate change could displace two billion people due to rising ocean levels. It is the ‘defining crisis of our time and disaster displacement one of its most devastating consequences’ (UNHCR). It will (and is already) trigger displacement for entire populations. It will limit natural resources, such as drinking water. Deforestation and land degradation, as well as forced evictions of Indigenous Peoples, attacks on environmental activists, and other human rights violations, are consequences of it. Fossil fuel companies

The dominant and recurrent narrative is that individuals, WE, are to blame. And this is a dangerous narrative as it gives too much importance to individuals’ actions and takes the focus out of the ongoing lack of action from fossil fuel companies, politicians, rich people, and wealthy countries. This argument focuses on changing individuals’ behaviour, or the consumer, misplacing the responsibility of the entire climate crisis on the individual consumer, conveniently ignoring the disproportionate climate impact of corporate interests. It also creates a conflict between the individuals who are ‘trying their best’ to act and those who do not because of multiple reasons (like not having the means to), ignoring again those whose actions have a bigger impact than ours. One of the most frustrating things about the climate crisis is that it could have been prevented. What are some of the effects of Climate Change? Everyone around the world is experiencing directly or indirectly the effect of climate change, whether you live in Europe, North or South America, Asia, the Caribbean, or anywhere else. Climate change and global warming are the results of an increasing temperature, it warms up the entire globe. Warmer temperatures mean that fishes will become smaller over time as a result of warm water starving the animals of oxygen. Hurricanes have become more frequent and intense. Each decade, damages due to hurricanes have increased. What started with only tens of millions in the 1950s has turned into 474 billion between 2010 to 2020. It will increase and intensify extreme weather events: abnormally heavy rainfall, prolonged droughts, desertification, environmental degradation, or sealevel rise and cyclones, already are causing an average of more than 20 million people to leave their homes and move to other areas in their countries each year.

Historically, fossil fuel companies have been among the most responsible for climate change. Research shows that just 100 fossil fuel-producing companies are responsible for 71% of global greenhouse gas emissions since 1988. There is also evidence that big fossil fuel companies have known for decades about the harmful effects of burning fossil fuels and rather than doing anything to find solutions they have attempted to suppress that information. (Amnesty International). So not only are fossil fuel firms playing a significant role in the climate problem, but they have also worked hard to control the public narrative in order to be able to continue extracting and burning fossil fuels regardless of the cost. Rich countries The United States, Canada, Japan, and much of Western Europe, account for just 12% of the global population today. Over the past 170 years, they are responsible for 50% of all the planet-warming greenhouse gases released from fossil fuels. Countries emitting the most are also playing important roles in global warming. At international negotiations, the question of whether richer countries who are historically more polluting, should take more responsibility for climate change than others, has for long been debated. History matters because the cumulative amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted since the start of the industrial revolution is closely tied to the 1.2C of warming that has already occurred. (Carbon brief analysis). Big companies such as banks, insurance institutions, also play a key role in driving the climate crisis, especially when they fund fossil fuel companies linked to deforestation. Yet popular rhetoric always proposes simple solutions: no more plastic straws, no more plastic bags. Banning plastic straws and bags, though environmentally friendly, is too small-scale to make a serious difference given the importance of the climate crisis. Big role players need to be made accountable, should take responsibility and address climate change.

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VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES By Joshua Wright In what can often feel like a self-centred and individualistic society, volunteering is an astoundingly generous act in which one sacrifices a small part of their free time in order to help their neighbourhood or further a good cause. This article will promote the benefits of volunteering and highlight several opportunities local to Nottingham for those wishing to get actively involved in helping their community. Why Volunteer There are several reasons why one may consider volunteering in their spare time. First and foremost, volunteering is a great way to give back to society. It’s an opportunity to do something selfless and demonstrate that you care about your local community. Many charitable organisations simply couldn’t operate without ordinary people volunteering so individual support can make a huge difference. Secondly, volunteering opportunities can be good fun. Teamwork roles enable participants to meet new people and develop friendships whilst working towards a common goal. Besides being a great chance to socialise, evidence of volunteering looks impressive on a CV. It demonstrates grit and determination among other skills that are often highly sought after by prospective employers. Where to Volunteer? If you are local to Nottingham, the

Nottingham CV’s website lists a whole host of volunteering opportunities in a variety of different fields. Whilst I strongly recommend having a look at the full catalogue of listings, I’ve highlighted a few of the opportunities below to give a sense of the available roles. The Fearless Youth Association are looking for young people between the age of 16-30 to volunteer as Youth Ambassadors. Volunteers will help to tackle many of the employment barriers young people experience. Participants would be expected to volunteer for approximately 10 hours a month, whether that be attending events in-person or online. If this is something that interests, you can find more information about the opportunity using this link (https:||fyaonline.com|fya-ambassadors|). FMB Radio (FMB) is a Community Interest Company (CIC) Nottingham based media production and online radio broadcasting organisation. FMB helps individuals and organisations to capture, store and share their stories and experiences creatively and factually while enabling them to amplify their authentic voices thereby addressing issues affecting them including meeting their goals and objectives. FMB Radio is looking for candidates to fit in the government’s “New Start Programme” and volunteers in the areas of broadcasting, podcast production, music DJs and talk show hosts. To apply, please follow this link ( https:||www.fmbradio.com|work-with-us|).

ONE BAD THING STARTS ANOTHER- By Lynnette Wairegi My name is Ash. In year 11, there was a boy named Jimmy. One day, Jimmy said ‘ I went into a Lamborghini with Arianda Grande.’ ‘oooooooo…’ said all his friends who were gullible enough to believe him. Believe it or not, there were a lot of people. Every day he told a lie or two. This one (or two) spreaded amongst all the students. Then another lie… then another. However, there was a teacher assistant who saw him tell these lies every day. Her name was Miss Autumn. Miss Autumn was a young lady who always smelt like flowers. She was strict when she needed to be and that’s why everyone tries to be on her good side. She wasn’t as strict as a lot of the other teaching assistants or teachers. And when she saw Jimmy lie to all his friends, class, teachers and parents, it made Miss Autumn have a plan. Poor Jimmy didn’t know what she had in

store for Jimmy. On Wednesday, Miss Autumn ran the class instead. We learnt about the current events. After that, while we were all doing the work Miss Autumn set us, Jimmy told another lie. However, this time it was even crazier due to the fact he said ‘ I am related to King Henry the VII’ Miss Autumn acted surprised. Furthermore, she said “ Oh really?” “Yes said the boy” “ Was he a king? “ Yes” replied the lying boy “ Huh, your knowledge is really good” “Yep” he replied proudly “How many wives did he have?” asked the teacher knowing that she never told him, and it will stump the young boy. Once again, Jimmy confidently replied “one… no two… yeah two I remember” Miss Autumn knew he was wrong. “If you were related to him, your

mum or dad should have told you everything about King Henry and his 6 wives who were beheaded and sadly died.” Everyone stared at little Jimmy. Jimmy knew his lying act was over. Gone. Demolished. At the end of the day, Jimmy went home alone like he always does. On the other hand, Miss Autumn got a call from Jimmy’s parents saying he wasn’t at home. Miss Autumn got scared. Butterflies flew around in her tummy. Then she noticed something on Jimmy’s desk. It said ‘ Don’t run , don’t hide I will be back ’Miss Autumn flew the country and was never to be seen again. But for Jimmy, people still say he is out there. Waiting. Waiting for someone gullible enough to come pass him. He kept lying . Oh, he definitely lied. He stole as well. He is always there waiting. Waiting… As people say one bad thing starts another.

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COLOURISM IS CREATING DIVISION WITHIN THE BLACK COMMUNITY By Ophelie Lawson

What is colourism? In simple words, colourism is the discriminative practice of showing preference to those with lighter skin and being discriminative to those with darker skin. It takes roots in racism and goes way back. During slavery, Black people with lighter skin tones would receive “better” treatment. Those with lighter skins were perceived to be ‘better’ ‘more beautiful’ ‘more intelligent. Lighter skin slaves were often also the product of slave owners raping their slaves. They would receive preferential treatment because they were deemed closer to whiteness than their peers. Throughout history, colourism was supported by practices such as the brown paper bag test. Whether or not you could pass the brown paper bag test would determine your status in society. Those with lighter skin than the paper bag were more likely to be accepted into the upper classes than a person with darker skin. It would determine your privileges based on your skin tone and whether you were worthy of an education. People darker than the brown paper bag would be marginalised. Sadly, it was not just white people doing the test on Black folks, but Black people would also do it amongst themselves. Why exclude their darker brothers you might ask? Because of internalised racism and how proximity to White skin and Eurocentric features was a marker for cultural, social, and personal superiority over darker people who were assumed dull. Colourism within the black community D.C., Audrey Elisa Kerr, a professor of African American literature in her book, The Paper Bag Principle: Class, Colorism and Rumor and the Case of Black Washington, talks about how the brown paper bag test was sometimes used by African American fraternities, sororities, churches and social clubs throughout the 20th century. This is how ugly internalised racism can get. Colourism created a separation within the

black community based on a hierarchy of skin tone rooted in anti-blackness. Communities of colours are sometimes unwittingly furthering white supremacy through colourism. There is a common assumption (and this is internalised racism) that aligning with whiteness might and will provide benefits, access, opportunities and privileges. That it would open doors. It is not just a thing of the past and is still very present nowadays. It is as if assimilating into white society would grant some sort of protection against institutional racism when really this only sustains and upholds white supremacy. It gives the idea that to be white or as close to white is ideal. It puts whiteness on a pedestal and furthers the belief that white people are superior to those of other races and thus should dominate them. This is white adjacency: aligning with whiteness and distancing yourself from your ethnic and racial identity for better opportunities. It is White supremacy manifesting as colourism. And what is it saying about black skin? Well, it pushes for anti-black perceptions, it demonises black skin. It justifies and encourages practices such as skin bleaching, which is still widely happening in some African countries and in the West. From that active culture demonising Black skin results in things like Black people fearing tanning and risking tanning and getting darker, reinforcing the idea that lighter skin makes you more beautiful. It puts darker skin people at a greater risk of discrimination. Colourism isn’t just something that is touching the Black community. Other communities also experience colourism. Perpetuated by the beauty industry, the skin tone bias affects racial equality at work. In the entertainment industry, it remains pervasive; while in the film industry, starring roles tend to go more to lighter skin people.

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SOCIAL MEDIA AND SOCIETY By Riyad Hussain

Over the last few years social media has dominated our lives, becoming the main way we communicate and express ourselves. Connecting with people across the globe can now be done from a tap or click. Social media has helped connect the world in numerous ways, allowing us to easily access and share information between us all. However, the platforms that make it up have a dark side to them, with their rise in popularity leading to unintended negative consequences for its users. Social media may be doing the opposite of what it was set out to do, as it dramatically setbacks how we look at ourselves in the society that it promotes. Influencer content has skyrocketed over the years, with Instagram becoming the home of them. They have helped popularise and glamorise certain lifestyles and looks that have become mainstream. The problem is that these lifestyles and looks are for the most part completely unattainable for regular people. Social media allows people to only post the highlights of their lives, completely missing out the boring, monotonous or difficult things that many others go through instead. Influencers normalise this unrealistic perspective of luxury and easy living that is completely fabricated but is broadcasted as the norm instead. Viewers get a completely falsified feeling of missing out on something that for the most part is out of reach for many others instead. The same can be said for beauty standards that it promotes. Influencers that are the most successful are seen with picture perfect, almost unrealistic faces and bodies, that have now slowly become normalised as the only way to be seen as attractive. Many influencers use plastic surgery and photoshop to hide their imperfections while coming across to their audience as if they were completely natural. This considerably twists beauty standards that their viewers believe in, glamorising things that for most people are completely unattainable. Social media has also led to the rise of political echo

chambers, allowing misinformation that can be easily shared. Fake News’ rise has been linked to political campaigns and the divisions that modern day politics now has. These divides have been strengthened due to the echo chamber effect that social media has allowed to happen. The echo chamber occurs when sites like Facebook and Instagram, through their algorithm, promote posts with similar political points to the ones you have previously liked. But those sites fail to show you the other side of these arguments, focusing only on the opinion that you agree with. Echo chambers on social media have resulted in much more heated online discussions as both sides fail to understand each other’s viewpoints. Social media has helped make politics more divided, stirring hatred and discontent within wider society which has had real life consequences because of it. Lastly, the addictiveness of social media has real impacts on our health. With the never-ending timeline that makes us continuously swipe down and down, social media can be time-consuming to go through. The algorithm these platforms use, try to keep our eyes glued to the app for as long as possible. For many people including myself, it has negatively affected the amount of sleep we get. Social media and our phones have been widely reported to be leading causes for sleep deprivation, which has knock on effects in our lives, whether that be mental or physical. Social media’s addictiveness through all the sneaky ticks it uses, plays a major part to why we are obsessed with our phones. We need to change our relationship with social media, be able to fully detach from it when we need to. Social media blurs what is seen as real and what is not, distorting our perception of ourselves and other people. Social media is good in short bursts, but we need to make it less important in our lives and reemphasises what matters the most, real life and the beauty that its imperfections have, as regardless of what social media says, no one is flawless.

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RACIAL PROFILING: WHAT IT IS & WHY IT MUST END Edited by Pa Modou Faal

What is racial profiling? Racial profiling is the act of suspecting, targeting or discriminating on a person based on their race, colour, ethnicity or even nationality. It’s purely based on stereotypical assumptions and is rooted in pure racism. Racial profiling is when a police officer stops and searches a young black man in the street for no other reasons than being black. It’s when people act based on their racist stereotypical views in a way that is harmful to people of colour, and people racialised as black are primarily affected. Recently, and I think most of you have heard about it, there was a 15-year-old black teenager, known as ChildQ, who was strip-searched by Metropolitan Police officers at school without another adult present and knowing she was on her period. That strip and search should have never happened. I cannot even imagine the trauma that young girl had to endure. It was concluded by authorities that the strip and search was unjustified, and that racism was likely to have been an influencing factor. This is a good, and yet very horrible and traumatising case of racial profiling. Racial profiling is often carried out by persons in positions of authority and often threatens the safety of young black persons. Police officers often assume that someone is more likely to have committed a crime because he|she is black. In stores, security guards are more likely to follow black shoppers because of

the internalised racism belief based on a racist stereotype, that a black person is more likely to steal. Is racial profiling legal? Police authority to stop and search vary from one country to the other. But in theory racial profiling—the targeting of specific individuals or groups based on skin colour— constitutes illegal discrimination under European, and international law. In theory still, you can only be stopped and searched without reasonable grounds if it has been approved by a senior police officer. This can happen if it is suspected that: serious violence could take place, you are carrying a weapon or have used one (source: gov.uk). Yet, stop and search disproportionately affect black people. In 1965 the Race Relation Act was enacted. It was the first piece of legislation in the UK addressing the prohibition of racial discrimination. It banned racial discrimination in public places and made an offence the promotion of hatred on the grounds of ‘colour, race, ethnic or national origins’. (Parliament UK) STOP and SEARCH Between April 2018 and March 2019, black people were 9.5 times more likely to be stopped and searched. For every 1000 other people, there were 4 stop and searches compared to 38 for every 1,000 black people. (Stopwatch, Committee Parliament UK). Between April 2019 and March 2020, 97% of stops and searches were made under Section 1 of

the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984: the police can stop and search someone they think is carrying items like stolen property or drugs. Which is more likely to be black people? 35 in 1000 people arrested are Black compared to 10 in 1000 White People. Even the statistic shows us how racial profiling is negatively impacting black people. Black communities have reported and continue to report discriminatory treatment by the police. Racial profiling is still prevalent in the UK and Europeans countries. Young black people are routinely stop without cause. It is becoming much more prevalent for Muslim, Arab, and South Asian communities. “In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be antiracist” Angela Davis We need to introduce more anti-racist policies to be actively dismantling our racist institutions so that such common practices are eliminated. It is time that communities of colour stop experiencing racial trauma or the traumatic stress resulting from an accumulation of the negative effects of racism, discrimination and unjustified racial profiling. We need to be able to live in a society where our black youth is safe, where we can safely send our children to school, knowing that they will not be experiencing violence. Because yes, strip searching a teenager on her own and on her period with her parents not knowing, is, violence.

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RACE COMMISSION TO SCRAP USE OF ‘BAM’E LABEL By Riyad Hussein

The Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities was set up after protests over George Floyd’s death. Campaign groups have voiced concern that the commission set up by Prime Minister Boris Johnson might achieve little following a report that one of its main recommendations will be that public organisations no longer use the term “BAME”. However, Johnson’s spokesperson has stated No 10 would back the effort to end the official use of the term stating that the government does not regularly use the term. Unnamed sources have it that the report will say the term is “unhelpful and redundant”, and too broad to describe the varying experiences of people from different backgrounds. The CEO of the UK’s leading independent race equality think tank Runnymede Trust, Halima Begum, said she was deeply concerned that the commission, would end up doing little to tackle structural inequalities. Halima said if advice on the use of the term BAME is the extent of the commission’s findings, or the most pressing of its recommendations, then Britain’s ethnic minority communities are being insulted by this report and its authors. Despite many government departments advising for years against use of the term BAME, many activists say that we live in a country where black women are many times more likely to die in childbirth than their white counterparts, and young black men are 19 times more likely to be stopped and searched by the police than their young white neighbours. According to the activists, these are the issues the commission should be looking into at institutional and structural levels if they want to be taken seriously.

By looking at all minority ethnic communities together, Maurice McLeod argued that the experiences of groups, such as AfricanCaribbeans or the Gypsy, Roma, Traveller communities, will extinct. He further said that he welcomes the suggested language change but continuing to say that the report would just be a ‘style guide’. In an unconnected report, thinktank British Future released polling showing that 47% of minority ethnic Britons were confident about the meaning of BAME as a term, with 29% saying they were not. According to other sources, another idea being considered by the commission is ordering larger companies to disclose any pay gaps between white employees and their minority ethnic colleagues. Ministers previously have committed to making annual ethnicity pay reporting mandatory for companies that employ more than 250 people, mirroring the

requirements for gender pay. But more than two years after it released a consultation on its plans, further developments have not materialised, and more than 130,000 people signed a petition calling on the government to make ethnicity pay reporting mandatory. Campaigners have expressed wider concerns about the likely recommendations of the commission, predicting it is likely to reflect the views of Munira Mirza, head of PM Johnson’s policy unit. She has previously been critical of the concept of structural racism and was given the job of setting up the panel. Tony Sewell, her choice to chair the commission, also previously questioned the effects of institutional racism. After he was appointed, in July last year, Sewell apologised for “wrong and offensive” comments he made in a newspaper column after the former footballer Justin Fashanu disclosed, he was gay in 1990.

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FMB RADIO CELEBRATES DIVERSITY IN COMMUNITY ON THIS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY - By Anmol Agrawal

#BreakTheBias Many questions it is the 21st century, do we still need a day to celebrate women? Yes, we do. Unfortunately, gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence against women, these are the terms we are still fighting in 2022. International Women’s Day is celebrated to acknowledge the achievements of women all around the world, it is crucial that they are treated equally despite their colour, race, and origin. We here at FMB radio provide authentic voices to those who are muffled. We have women working at FMB from different parts of the world. Not only these women make their voices heard, but they create opportunities for other women to tell their stories in the community. Paula Pontes who works for Angolan Women Voice Association UK said, “diversity is very important at the

workplace, you feel you belong, you feel free, you feel more important, you feel you are part of the society and development”. Erin O’donoghue who is Training, Learning, and Development Manager at Fearless Youth Association said, “it is important for the next generation to have representation at the workplace seeing both men and women at powerful positions, it only is going to inspire the next generation”. As of August 2021, approximately 46 percent of women in Great Britain thought that more should be done to address equal pay in relation to gender inequality. A lot of work needs to be done to make women feel safe, equal, and secure in society. Thus, it’s essential to commemorate these women’s achievements in different fields to make the women of the next generation feel more empowered.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2022

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POST-COVID BUSINESSES – VISITING ANGELS By Pa Modou Faal

Since the declaration by government officially ending the COVID-19 Pandemic, Mojatu Magazine has been going around Nottingham capturing businesses owned and operated by Black people. This is in line with our social responsibility to capture and tell the stories of strong people challenging the odds of Post-COVID. Rohey Safari Rohey Safari is one of many strong Black women who stood their ground. She gave us an account of her background. Being a mum of two beautiful children is my proudest achievement. I am originally from The Gambia, and I moved to the UK when I was 20 years old. I have worked in hospitality as a college student, then moved on to retail, sales, and recruitment where I gained most of my skills. I am now the owner and Director of Visiting Angels, a home care domiciliary agency. What motivated you to venture into the Care industry? I came into this venture due to a very traumatic experience. A sibling of mine was diagnosed with cancer whilst I was pregnant with my son. I was heavily pregnant during his chemo and radiotherapy treatments, and we had to get a carer to help me care for him. The service was not consistent, different carers each time and they would often miss calls. Through this period, I learnt that there is high turnover of carers because they do not feel valued or appreciated and this had a huge negative impact on my brother’s care. My passion is to provide a service which gives assurances to family members and clients and also appreciate, motivate, and take care of my carers as well to avert a recurrence of our experience. Could you please give an account on your breakthrough into the industry? Well, it wasn’t easy. I had a clear vision of what I wanted my company to represent, the high-quality standards, what its value and ethos should be but because I wasn’t from a care background and didn’t want to compromise it, it took me months of research, talking to individuals and franchises. Luckily, I found the franchise that shares my same values: honesty, family, and integrity. We had our own first client before the completion of the CQC registration. It is easy for me to market and promote my company because I believe in the service I provide, which is manifested by my passion and personal experience.

You started operating during the Covid Pandemic… how was it - difficult or moderate? It was both. Difficult because there was a shortage of carers and people were not allowed to mix. Recruitment was challenging but we found ways to manoeuvre that, started doing online interviews and trainings and on the other hand work got busy because people didn’t really want to go into hospitals or homes as they felt safer at their own homes. What are your projections considering recent government declaration of the end of the Covid Pandemic? I think with more people living with complex needs, the end of the pandemic would not slow down the industry. People living longer and wanting better quality of life will always be the driving force to propel the industry. The one-to-one care that the elderly and the vulnerable get from good care providers in my opinion, will continue to make the industry lucrative and appealing. What are your current challenges? Recruitment is our biggest challenge, even though at Visiting Angels we put our carers at the very core of our business. We understand that they are the driving force to achieving success and sustainability. We celebrate, motivate, and reward them. We pay above the minimum wage, pay for drive time and mileage which a lot of companies would not do. We train them to the highest standard so that they are able to deliver high quality standard and quality care. As a Black woman in business, what are your encounters? According to Carers UK, 58% of carers are women but a lot of care companies are owned by men. As a Black woman, owning a domiciliary franchise is interesting, a lot of people automatically assume that I am the manager as opposed to being the owner but then again you become an inspiration to other women and a role model for young kids. Being a leader is being confident even when you least feel it. Self-reflective, self-aware and willingness to learn serve as the bedrock to grow every day, which is my mantra.

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MARCUS GARVEY DAY CENTRE REOPENS By Roy Taylor

The Marcus Garvey Day Centre with Charitable Status was established in 1984 as a voluntary sector organisation to primarily provide day care services to meet the needs of African|African Caribbean people, and welcome people of other communities. The Marcus Garvey Day Centre has re-opened, thanks to widespread public support and we’ve improved our services to meet the needs of the aging African Caribbean community. We can provide culturally sensitive support to those with dementia physically sensory and mental health disabilities. The Charity provides a service to residents of rural communities with limited or no access to culturally appropriate services and provides opportunities and access to other services for Black Elders, particularly those of the Windrush Generation who are isolated in their homes.

The Day Centre also provides day care for the Citizens of Nottingham who suffer from Dementia and Alzheimer diseases and afford respite breaks for their carer’s. The Day Centre also engages the service users in Art and Craft activities particularly those with dementia, including board games, floor exercises subjected to their ability to do so. The Marcus Garvey Day Centre is open 4 days per week, Monday-Thursday and the opening hours are 08:30 in the morning to 16:30. If you your parents or family member require Day care services, please contact the Marcus Garvey Day Centre at 0115-9792906 or Adult Social Care, Nottingham City Council-0300-131-0300.

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26 Covid-19 Support Work

THE IMPACT THE COVID PANDEMIC HAD ON BASKETBALL By Toto Fagbenle

Whenever I speak on the topic of basketball, I find myself so engrossed and intrigued on the subject that I sometimes don’t know when to stop talking about it. The feeling of loving something so much to the point where you would do anything for it conveys a passion and a bond none can break. A lack of this specific thing you love can unfortunately lead to negative results more than the positive. I felt the negative results however when the Covid-19 pandemic initially occurred. Basketball and sports in general were hit very hard around the world when the coronavirus disease started to be known in this world. Before, the actual lockdown was initiated, basketball leagues around the world had already taken caution by closing their leagues completely to limit the spread of the virus. The main league and association, the NBA (National Basketball Association), closed early March right after centre for Utah Jazz, Rudy Gobert, joked around with the mics during an interview while saying that the Covid-19 disease was on the mics and so he continued to rub his hand across the mic and table. Shortly after this interview, Gobert was found with the Covid-19 disease and so he had to self-isolate but it was too late by then. The

whole league was closed, and all the players were sent back home and had to quarantine until further notice. While that was happening in the USA, in the UK, non-essential contact and travel were to be stopped. Basketball courts around the UK were locked up while the basketball hoops themselves were boarded up to prevent anyone from entering the court and even shooting the ball. It was a devastating time for basketball lovers, especially the young, aspiring basketball players who wanted to get better so they could go to America. Lucky for me, my local park had not boarded up the basketball hoop, but they did lock the door, and it was impossible to get past. Since the basketball court was locked up, the only way to get onto the court was to climb over a tall fence. It was not easy to climb the fence at all, especially if it was raining|rained. However, where there’s a will, there’s a way. And that was the motto I lived by for the many more months to come of lockdown. Whenever I got past the fence and got onto the outdoor basketball court, I would do a mini celebration as I would feel like I had reached the top of Mount Everest safe and sound. I would quickly snap out of it and straight away start playing

basketball by myself. There is a very high chance that I was doing something illegal but that was not on my mind. What was on my mind was getting better while everyone else struggled to find a court. The joy of playing basketball by myself was ephemeral. Sadly, pedestrians would walk past and see me playing and jump over the fence as well. This would, of course, be ranked as disobedience of non-essential rules, but the passion I had for basketball made the sport ‘essential’ for me. Meanwhile in America, the NBA had come up with a plan where the NBA players on every team were to play basketball in a ‘bubble’ to limit the spread of the virus. The plan worked but it also meant that families could not be seen as the players were to be isolated from everyone but their teammates. This changed not only the NBA forever, but basketball and sports in general. Fans were not allowed to attend games anymore, giving a different feel of games. The pandemic has taken a toll on sportspeople, and it is obvious to see that most have become less fit and essentially lazier during the pandemic. One could also argue that it left a negative impact as it disallowed basketball players and other sports persons in different disciplines to get opportunities to play professionally overseas.

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WILL SMITH OSCAR DEBACLE By Latoya Brown & Marget Jagne

During the 2022 Oscars, a stunning turn of events occurred when Will Smith assaulted Chris Rock by hitting him in the face after he made an insensitive joke, “Jada, GI Jane 2, I can’t wait to see it” about Will Smith’s wife Jada, who suffers from alopecia (the partial or complete absence of hair from areas of the body where it normally grows). To those who don’t understand this was a joke referring to the movie GI Jane where the main character is a female who shaved all her hair off resembling Jada. As the whole globe was exposed to this since it has made headlines on news articles and is one of or even the most trending topic right now on social media. Many people have come to the defense of both parties as a result of this. On Chris Rock’s side, some have suggested that he may not have known that Jada has alopecia, but this is a highly unpopular opinion because Jada is a well-known celebrity, and it would be extremely rare for someone like Chris Rock

to be unaware of her condition. On the other hand, though, people have come to the defense of will smith suggesting his act of violence against Chris rock was totally justified due to the fact that a “man has the right to defend his wife”. Although there are differing perspectives on the incident, no one can disagree that Will’s use of the “F Word” when he sits down after the attack on live air, especially on a show that promotes family friendliness, was exceedingly unethical. Another issue to mention is that the Oscars’ viewership has been steadily falling for years; as a result, the producers of this year’s broadcast attempted to boost viewership by including live performances and small shows to excite the crowd and bring in more viewers. People have speculated that Will Smith’s recent outburst of emotions was a wellexecuted skit to add drama to the show as a result of his recent eruption of emotions. Many other points of view, thoughts, and ideas have emerged as a result of this incident; Will Smith has officially apologised saying,” violence in all of its forms is poisoned and destructive. My behaviour at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally. I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line, and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I wanted to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love of love and kindness”.

COME & WORK WITH US Come and join the Estates and Facilities Team! We are a vibrant and diverse team, responsible for looking after the beautiful campuses of University of Nottingham and are looking for enthusiastic, motivated and customer focused people to provide an excellent experience to our wide range of customers. We have a mix of positions available for cleaners, catering assistants, bar staff and many other roles in our halls of residence, university buildings and Café’s, over a range of hours and days that are flexible and could fit around your family and other commitments. The University of Nottingham has been providing an outstanding student experience for over 140 years and is a leading university of worldwide significance with established campuses in UK, China and Malaysia. Our award-winning sites at University Park and Jubilee Campus are only 15 minutes by bus or tram to Nottingham city centre. https://fumbu.org/0ej

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“RETAIN AND EXPLAIN” POLICY OF STATUES VERSUS THE BLM IDEOLOGYBy Pa Modou Faal The removal of statues following the mass protests of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement in 2020 has been countered by a strict law passed by government. The law states that all historic statues, plaques, and other monuments will now require permission to be removed. They are meant to be “retained” and “explained” for future generations. The purpose of the law is aimed at safeguarding the historical monuments at the risk of removal.

If heritage is objectively critiqued in conformity with the intended historical explanation in a disinterested manner, then the policymaking dilemma is resolved. Whereas the critiqued is subjective and done in a biased and implicit manner, then it is understood in different ways today. The value judgements of the time when these statues were erected were befitting to the sociocultural set up of the Victorian era. They were revered structures of tangible heritage but in the contemporary era, they are highly criticised and challenged by a section of the society that sees some statues as insulting and unfit for what that represents today.

The concept of BLM through mass protest nationwide, will be used to interpret why statues were toppled during the civil racial and political uprising with specific emphasis on the Edward Colston statue in Bristol, with a view to understanding why the government has come up with the “retain and explain” law.

Uprising against statues is not a new phenomenon especially in the last two decades. Toppling of Saddam Hussein’s statue in Baghdad, “Rhodes Must Fall” movement, Leopold II in Belgium among many others, came from politically and historically charged reaction from a united perspective which regarded them as unfit in our public spaces. The drowning of Edward Colston’s statue was metaphorical but in no exception with others across UK and the rest of the world. One may attribute it as a representation of tens of thousands of drowned African captives enroute to Britain for slavery. Of course, his statue was not ordinarily attacked and destroyed; having it stood in the heart of the city of Bristol, was deemed a mismatch of history, diversity, and modernity. It represented a dark history of slave trade, “White Supremacy” and “Upper Class” ideologies of which the BLM is against. It also idealises the historical negativity and systemic marginalisation people of colour are faced with. In a politically charge argument, this policy to “retain and explain” is implicit and is aimed legitimising the privileges and racial benefits enjoyed by the “white and upper class” in British society. Is the law a political masterclass or blunder? As argued above, policy makers are face with a daunting challenge during decision making because no matter their decisions, it is subject to political, social, and cultural challenges.

Enactment and implementation of cultural policies are the key constructs of what describe our cultural industry. The industry is a composition of legislations, cultural products and services, and monuments and statues are part of the creative industries. The need to “rethink and indeed remake our world”, exposes the inept decision by the policy makers. The decision to obtain permission for the removal of historic statues serves as a pathway to the claim brought forward by BLM for decolonisation of the system, cultural and racial diversity, and intergenerational tolerance. The basis of this argument here focuses on why policymakers came up with this highly disputed law at the hype of socio-political disgruntlement. The new law according to the ministry, is meant to legally protect historic statues for the purpose of “retain and explain” and individuals who want to remove any historical statue would require permission of which final decision shall come from the Communities Secretary. This according to the ministry is in conformity with the 1967 Civic Amenities Act. To retain statues that represent an ideology, event or society that is criticised for inhumane acts by a part of society and challenged through mass protests by the same marginalised voices and their supporters, explains how unpopular such regulations will be met. To explain the history behind the motive of keeping such statues, the question would be who is telling the story, under which perspective, and who are the target audience; will arise. This can bring about unresolvable dilemma within the society.

The policy therefore comes as a huge setback at a time when museums are working on decolonising history. Is it affirming the argument that cultural policy is becoming more democratic, but in whose interest – the statue discourse has provoked a public debate and whose side of the story would be explained, what is the authenticity, and who would it represent? Funding of museum may eventually decline and the purpose of cataloguing and preserving history if not contextualised, would be

Nottingham connected defeated. Museums may become unpopular due to inadequate or unrepresented narrations, and this can impact not only on historical capital but other forms of benefit. As attention has been shifted to activists now, would it appear as a setback for them against the common narrative, and would museums be able to accommodate this responsibility of “retain and explain” to conserve and preserve British heritage. The law to retain will be received in a way as blanket protection for all controversial monuments that outweighs key arguments of BLM in Britain which are decolonisation and systemic racism. This policy according to many critics, is a way of “cancel culture”. It is a punitive disagreement approach based on an ideological sense of cultural pride or belonging but rejecting diversity. Social media attacks against BLM

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and counter attacks by administrators and politicians such as former Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden who remarked that the policy attempts to “defend our culture and history from the noisy minority of activists constantly trying to do Britain down” was countered by many both in mainstream and social media. Notwithstanding, social media played a significant part in the socio-racial mobilisation against racism (social, systemic, and institutional), police brutality following George Floyd death in 2020. Are statues explaining a culturally homogenising nation now or has it become a way of ostracising the protection and challenges of statues standing as British heritage. Protecting and challenging would then serve as the basis of the pull and push factors for a policymaking dilemma and a tolerant intercultural society.

THE POWER OF COLOURING By Paula Pontes The Angolan Women Voice Association UK organise creativity days twice a week for seniors and children in the Marcus Garvey Centre, Unit 7, Howitt Building, Lenton Boulevard, NG7 2BY, Nottingham. The senior creativity sessions are held on Thursdays at 10AM 1PM and the children creativity sessions are run on Saturdays at 10AM - 1PM. Activities can vary from week to week, from painting, to making candles and making marshmallow towers. This year we were gifted with amazing African designs from an artist based in Kenya called Ann Waruga. Throughout the sessions in the first quarter of 2022, both the children and seniors have brought life to the designs by colouring. At the exhibition, the children and seniors were able to speak to the artist. Seeing the creator of the designs see the interpretation of her art by the children and seniors was a joy, the artist could not stop smiling. Colouring has the ability to relax the fear centre of your brain, the amygdala. It induces the same state as meditating by reducing the thoughts of a restless mind. This generates mindfulness and quietness, which allows your mind to get some rest after a long day at work. Adult Coloring Benefits: • Relaxes your brain and improves brain function • Induces meditative state • Improves motor skills • Improves sleep • Improves focus • Reduces anxiety • Relieves stress

The benefits of colouring in for children • Develops fine motor skills • Encourages patience and relaxation • Helps with concentration • Assists with language development • Further handwriting skills • Encourage colour recognition • Preparation for school • Boost their confidence

The act of colouring is one that presents multitudes of benefits for both children and adults. Our creativity days bring a lot of joy, and we welcome anyone to come and join us.

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30 Arts & Culture

HEALING THROUGH SONG WRITING By Ophelie Lawson

Most of us have experienced this phenomenon in our own life: whether it’s the power of a song that brightens our day, makes us feel like we are not alone, or describes our feelings better than put words in our emotions. Often, and especially when it comes to survivors of trauma, explaining things can be challenging and often lead to being misunderstood. Unlike musical education or music therapy, a song writing workshop is a combination of listening, playing, and writing. This process is intended to address a participant’s needs and to help them express emotions. Song writing engages the writers in a creative process, through which they write songs addressing their personal feelings. I met Adam while I was in Greece, documenting the situation for black asylum seekers and refugees. He was a volunteer from America, running collaborative song writing workshops with refugees. His aim is to explore emotions through songs and sounds, use song writing and poetry to help release emotions. At one of his workshops, I met Daniela. Daniela is a transgender woman from Ethiopia. Ethiopia is one of 71 countries where same-sex sexual activity is illegal. The level of discrimination, hate crimes, and abuses against the LGBTQIA community there is very high. During the song writing workshop, every time Adam would play a new loop, Daniela’s eyes would brighten. Over the month and a half that I spent with Adam and Daniela, I was able to observe the significant impact the song writing, and musicmaking process had on Daniela. It seemed to be helping her opening up. “I want to empower LGBTQ people from my country with my

music. I want to sing so that they know they are not alone like I thought I was” she said. In the context of this song writing workshop, a form of recovery was taking place. The relationship that Daniela built with her teacher helped her open up about the trauma she experienced. Adam was offering advice, support, and mentorship, and music was helping Daniela express that which could not easily be said, but that she did not want to keep silent anymore. SHARING THROUGH SONGWRITING Recitation of facts is often accompanied by emotion, and Daniela is no exception to the case. Finding the right words can often be difficult, but in the form of music, she found it to be easier. She started writing and rapping about her story and what happened to her while confronting the horror of her past. One day, she opened to us about her boyfriend back in Ethiopia, before she had to flee. She said, “he was really sweet…the first time we kissed...my heart...oh, my heart”. Back in Ethiopia, Daniela experienced abuse, violence and torture because of her gender identity and sexual orientation. She also lost the love of her life. But here she was, trying to reclaim her space through music. Recently, millions of people have been displaced due to persecution, conflicts and human rights violations. 71 countries in the world still criminalize same-sex relations, 11 still punish it with death penalty. Trauma has destructive effects on the mental health of refugees, especially LGBTQIA refugees. Song writing helped Daniela, a trauma survivor, to express and address her personal feelings.

“Macramé is a form of textile produced using knotting techniques. The primary knots of macramé are the square and forms of “hitching”: various combinations of half hitches.”

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INCORPORATING PLANT-BASED MEAT ALTERNATIVES INTO YOUR HEALTHY DIET By Lauren Panoff MPH, RD

As someone who follows a plant-based diet, I can attest that many meatless alternatives can be used in the same ways you might use meat. For example, there are meatless burgers, hot dogs, bacon, ground crumbles, meatballs, and even deli slices. Many of them are so versatile and delicious that people who don’t necessarily follow a plant-based diet enjoy eating them too. However, despite their popularity, you may be wondering whether plantbased meat alternatives are healthy.

also makes meatless sausage, chicken-style nuggets, and pork alternatives using plant ingredients. Instead of pea protein, Impossible Burgers use potato and soy proteins. They get their meat-like flavour from heme iron. While it’s normally derived from animal products, the heme iron used for Impossible Burgers is derived from the root nodules of soybean plants and made through the fermentation of genetically engineered yeast. The Impossible Burger offers 50% of the Daily Value for zinc, 130% for vitamin B12, and 25% for iron. Jackfruit is a large tropical fruit that grows in Asia, Africa, and some areas in South America. It has a thick, green, bumpy rind and soft, stringy inner flesh with edible seeds. Because of its consistency and mild flavour, jackfruit flesh is often used in place of meat dishes such as pulled pork.

Seitan is a plant-based meat substitute made from vital wheat gluten. It has a savoury flavour and chewy texture that works well in stir-fry, sandwiches, stews, and pasta dishes. Nutritionally, seitan is a high protein plantbased meat alternative. It generally also contains small amounts of iron, calcium, and potassium. You can also make seitan at home using vital wheat gluten, vegetable broth, and flavouring agents such as soy sauce or liquid aminos and garlic. All you have to do is combine ingredients in a mixer, create a dough, and then boil slices of the dough to cook it. However, because it’s made with gluten, seitan isn’t appropriate for people who have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Beyond Meat is a popular brand of plant-based meat products. While it was initially recognized for its debut vegan burger, called the Beyond Burger, this brand now also makes plant-based ground meat, sausage, meatballs, and chicken. The primary ingredient in a Beyond Burger is pea protein. It also contains refined coconut oil, rice protein, cocoa butter, and dried yeast. Beyond Burgers are free from soy and gluten and are naturally coloured using beet juice. One patty provides 100% of the Daily Value for vitamin B12, 40% for zinc, and 20% for iron. Impossible Burgers are a similar concept to the Beyond Burger. Impossible Foods, the brand behind these burgers,

For instance, I like to put plain jackfruit in the slow cooker with barbecue sauce and onions to make sandwiches. Jackfruit is low in calories and doesn’t have much protein or fat compared to other plantbased meat alternatives. However, it does offer some fibre and a small number of micronutrients, such as iron, potassium, and calcium. Soy is a legume and one of the original plant-based meat alternatives. Soy-based foods tend to have a mild flavour and versatile texture that make them ideal for use in many traditionally meat-based dishes. A spongy cake made from soybeans and water, tofu can be pressed, cubed, and cooked. You can use it in stir-fry or salads, slice it and add it to sandwiches, or crumble it and cook it with vegetables. Tempeh is a fermented soybean product sold in long blocks. Tempeh works well sliced into thin strips and added to stir-fry or crumbled and used in stews, chilis, tacos, or sloppy joes. Some of the main benefits of consuming plantbased meat alternatives are subjective in that many people choose to consume them for a variety of personal reasons. For example, I eat plant-based meat alternatives because they are more aligned with my personal ethics than eating meat. Additionally, certain plant-based meats are free from nutrients that some people may want to limit for heart health. In recent years, research has linked a high intake of processed and red meats to an increased risk of developing certain cancers, particularly colon and breast cancers.

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32 Health & Food

ENDOMETRIOSIS AWARENESS MONTH – MARCH By Abigail Sirrell People all around the world are raising awareness for an extremely debilitating condition that affects 176 million women worldwide – endometriosis. Endometriosis is a chronic disease of the female reproductive system whereby the tissue that usually lines the inside of a woman’s uterus, grows elsewhere in the body outside of the uterus. It can instead grow on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, bowel or bladder, or around the lining of the pelvis. Every month, this tissue responds to a woman’s menstrual cycle in the same way as the lining of the womb. The lining builds up and then breaks down, resulting in bleeding. However, the lining of the womb leaves a woman’s body as a period. This tissue, on the other hand, has no way of exiting the body, and so it becomes trapped. This can lead to cysts, or cause surrounding tissue to become irritated, which will eventually develop scar tissue and adhesions. Adhesions are fibrous bands that form between tissue and organs, in this case causing the female reproductive organs to stick together. Considering endometriosis is the second most common gynaecological condition in the UK, it receives very little profile and recognition, and numerous misconceptions surrounding it are still preventing women from getting the help and support they need. Research has shown that it can take patients on average over seven years to get an endometriosis diagnosis. One in ten women suffer from the condition, and the cause of it is unknown. There is no definite cure. I spoke to Nottingham Trent University student (name withheld), who was diagnosed with endometriosis last year.

Can you describe how endometriosis has affected your life? It took me about seven years to be diagnosed - both the symptoms and the countless appointments with my doctor greatly affected my school life growing up. Most days I suffer from severe stomach pain, back pain, hot flushes and mood swings. Sometimes I struggle to stand up or even move and having very little energy can make it difficult for me to go to work or university. The only thing that somewhat helps me with the pain is a hot water bottle or hot bath, but even then, the pain is still very intense, and obviously I can’t go about my day-to-day life taking hot baths whenever I’m in too much pain to move. When I was diagnosed, I was told I wouldn’t know whether I would struggle with my fertility until I start trying to conceive, so this sense of the unknown around whether I will ever be able to have children leaves me feeling like I’m left in the dark, and it’s quite upsetting. Why do you think endometriosis hardly gets spoken about and receives very little coverage as a chronic condition? I think it gets very little coverage

because only women can have it, so I personally don’t think it’s taken as seriously as some other conditions that a wider proportion of people suffer from. It’s also a very long process to become diagnosed. Hopefully in the future, more research can be undertaken into this condition to reduce the impact it has upon the lives of millions of women. What do you wish people knew about this condition? I wish people were more aware of the condition and the pain that comes with it. Women who suffer from it are still expected to go to work as usual, continue through education without disruption and carry on with every-day life like normal despite the pain. My endometriosis tends to be at its worst during my period, but I can’t just take a week off from work or university every month. I think if more people were aware of this debilitating condition, more could be done to understand and support women in the workplace or young girls at school suffering in silence. I also talked to my mother, who was diagnosed with endometriosis in 1997. I became aware of the condition after seeing at close hand her day-to-day struggles.

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ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES & THEIR IMPORTANCE IN TODAY’S SOCIETY By Abigail Sirrell Whereas traditional medicine tends to target a specific pain or health concern, alternative therapies also help to keep a person’s mental and spiritual aspects in balance to maintain good health and wellbeing. Also known as holistic medicine, this can range between anything from herbal teas to reiki, crystal healing or different forms of exercise. Alternative therapies should not be used instead of mainstream medicines but can be used alongside them. Setting some time aside to focus purely on yourself through self-healing practices like meditation or yoga is a great way to de-stress, boost your mood and improve your mental health, which is just as important as physical health. When it comes to herbal teas, chamomile tea is a popular herbal remedy that has been proven to aid digestive issues and improve sleep quality. Ginger tea is known to be an effective remedy for nausea and menstrual pain, whilst lemongrass tea helps to detoxify the body, lowers blood pressure, and is great for skin and hair health. There are plenty of herbal teas to try, but prior research is essential to find out which ones are suitable for your body and what quantities are safe to consume.*** Reiki is an energy healing technique; reiki practitioners place their hands above the body to deliver a flow of energy, which is used to aid the balance of the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual self. Reiki is used all over the world, even in hospitals, to complement other forms of health treatments, but can also be used to promote relaxation, or relieve stress, pain and tension. The energy channelled through reiki can be amplified by the use of different crystals with specific healing properties. Meditation is a calming practice that anyone can do; it quietens the mind and helps to manage depression and feelings of anxiety. A recent study where 153 adults used a mindfulness meditation app for two weeks concluded that these adults experienced reduced feelings of loneliness and had more positive social connections. To begin meditating, many people like to find a quiet, relaxed space, sit in a way that is comfortable to them with their eyes closed and focus on their breathing, following the sensation of breathing in and out. The key to meditation is paying attention to the body in the present moment. If the mind wanders – which it

naturally will - simply bring your attention back to the feelings and sensations of the body. Doing this for even five minutes a day will help to ground and connect yourself to your body and mind. Yoga is a practice that focuses on exercise, strength and breathing, and is known to promote both physical and mental wellbeing. Practising yoga daily delays the ageing process and can increase your lifespan. Additionally, a study found that regular yoga practice lowered participants’ total cholesterol by 23%, whilst another study found that just three months of regular yoga practice can lower systolic blood pressure by 26 points. The Mountain pose, Child’s pose, Downwardfacing Dog and Warrior poses are amongst the easiest for beginners to get started with. Social media is currently fuelling the rise in popularity of alternative treatments. TikTok trends in particular often focus upon the importance of self-care and the preservation of mental health. YouTube offers an extensive range of helpful videos, covering guided yoga tutorials, live meditation sessions and real, personal experiences of different alternative therapies. Why not meet with friends and attend a local group fitness class, or take five minutes out of your day to meditate and reflect? ***When considering the use of herbal supplements or teas, seek the advice of your doctor or healthcare provider. If you have any medical conditions, allergies, are pregnant, or if you use any medicine, herbal teas may not be suitable for you. Alternative therapies can help maintain a person’s mental and spiritual health. This can include anything from herbal teas to reiki, crystal healing or different forms of exercise. Alternative therapies should not be used instead of mainstream medicines but can be used alongside them for good health. Yoga is a practice that focuses on exercise, strength and breathing, and is known to promote both physical and mental wellbeing. A study found that regular yoga practice lowered participants’ total cholesterol by 23% and can lower systolic blood pressure by 26 points. The key to meditation is paying attention to the body in the present moment.

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34 Health & Food

THE HARM OF STEREOTYPES ON THE LIVES OF BLACK WOMEN IN RELATION TO HEALTHCARE AND MENTAL HEALTH By Madelaine Trudgian

Black women in British society feel pressure from all angles to conform to this stereotype. Not only from society but also internalising these ideals of strength. This leads to a perception that showing pain and asking for help is a sign of weakness, so they may delay or not seek help when they need it as it makes them feel a sense of guilt, clashing with the internalised characteristics society has forced onto them. This can be compounded by the nature of help received.

Fact: in the UK there is a significant discrepancy in the health outcomes of black women and white women. Black women are at a disproportionately higher risk from many chronic and debilitating conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. Furthermore, according to a Race Disparity Audit carried out in 2017, this group is the most likely to experience a mental disorder such as anxiety or depression. One of the main causal factors for these concerning facts that we really should have gotten over by now is stereotyping and the resulting inbuilt structural racism in society. Here I will outline what stereotypes are and the negative impact they have for black women in relation to existing health disparities in British society. This will make them easier to recognise and remove. Stereotypes are oversimplified beliefs regarding the characteristics, behaviours, and attitudes of a particular group. We are all exposed to and learn stereotypes as we grow up that affect our judgements and behaviour consciously and subconsciously. These are an offshoot of natural psychological shortcuts that we have evolved to read situations quickly. They become harmful when applied to social groups in negative ways. For example, widely held stereotypes affecting underrepresented minorities. Black British women experience and intersection of stereotypes, and assumptions solely affecting this group, increasing marginalisation. This is a manifestation of institutional racism, the roots of which can be traced back to historical systematic oppression. This is significantly harmful in many ways including potential internalisation of the stereotype by targeted individuals, feeling threatened and anxious about the possibility of being judged in accordance with them and being discriminated against. Here we will consider the ‘Strong Black Woman’ stereotype. We will look at the implications that this stereotype has for black women focussing on their health.

Doctors are, unfortunately more likely to misdiagnose and suggest the wrong treatment, for black patients compared to white patients. This could be due to conscious or subconscious racism and underrepresentation of black people in education about condition both for medical staff and the general population. This results in late personal and professional diagnosis of problems that leave black people more at risk. For black women this is made worse by the ‘Strong Black Woman’ stereotype. It can also be argued that the need to show strength is increased for any group with a history of subjugation and having to overcome discrimination. Also, if this stereotype is widely held, it will contribute to conscious or subconscious misdiagnosis, if doctors believe it. This could result in lower than necessary pain relief being prescribed. Or an internalisation of the ‘strength’ characteristic by the patient could result in a downplay of their symptoms when describing them, which could, again, result in misdiagnosis. This may reduce confidence in the healthcare system and prevent people from going back when they need to. This is particularly significant when we consider the issue of mental health, an already stigmatised topic, which, when combined with the stereotypes black women face, makes it very difficult for them to access the help that they need. The same effects as other medical diagnosis are present here due to this ‘strength’ stereotype resulting in a reluctance to access help in the first place, a belief they shouldn’t need it or aren’t entitled to it, and misdiagnosis if symptoms are downplayed or doctors have inbuilt racial prejudices. This can impact the likelihood of patients continuing to seek the proper help. Comfort and a feeling of safety are paramount in accessing mental health services, if patients do not feel comfortable, they may withdraw from the process without accessing the help they deserve. To add another level of difficulty to this, as stated at the beginning, this group is the most likely to experience mental disorders including anxiety and depression. A link can be drawn here between the

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stereotypes held against black women and the wider black community and the resulting racism and discrimination that stems from this. Black women may also experience the added pressure of gender discrimination. This results in consistent higher levels of stress, the long term and short-term trauma, and emotional pressure can contribute to the formation and persistence of these disorders. Furthermore, conforming to the ‘strength’ stereotype would involve repressing emotions which has long term significant negative health outcomes.Combating this would involve an education campaign that specifically targets dismantling the racist and prejudice ideals that stem from these stereotypes. The main problem with stereotypes a lot of the time is ignorance of their existence, by simply acknowledging this and actively checking yourself and being able to spot and educate others who are facilitating these

ideals, the effects of stereotypes can be mitigated. Moreover, the images used in advertising for awareness of conditions in the population and in training health professionals should adequately reflect the diversity of British society, so all British people have equal and uninhibited access to the treatment they deserve. Healthcare and more specifically mental healthcare needs to be culturally inclusive, sensitive, and competent; it needs to be updated to address the needs of all groups. You can make sure your friends and colleagues know that they can talk to you at any time and that you’re there to support them without judgement. If we can form and maintain negative stereotypes we can dismantle them, we can take away their power by questioning them and we can stop them controlling our actions by refusing to let them do so.

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AFRICA HOLDS THE ANSWERS TO EUROPE’S WARTIME ENERGY CRISIS BY JAKKIE CILLIERS Europe needs to swap its dependence on fossil energy from Russia with renewables from Africa. The European Commission’s REPowerEU plan is to reduce demand for Russian gas by two-thirds in 2022 and make Europe independent from Russian fossil fuels by 2030. In 2021 the European Union (EU) imported 155 billion cubic metres of natural gas from Russia, close to 40% of its total gas consumption.

Theoretically, the Sahara could supply four times the world’s current energy demand. Even a fraction of that could replace the energy from Russian gas imports. Solar can also ramp up rapidly, perhaps beating the plans to build more liquefied natural gas terminals. Solar is also much more environmentally sustainable than increasing fracking in the United States or getting Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iran and Venezuela to step up oil and gas production.

Constraints on Russian oil and gas will inevitably ignite the search for new supplies in Africa, the most unexplored region globally. Already in mid-February, on the sidelines of the EU-African Union (AU) summit, Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan said tensions in Ukraine were generating growing interest in the country’s gas reserves – the sixth largest in Africa.

Accommodating solar electricity feed from North Africa would require additional infrastructure. Once the solar systems are up and running, they need to be connected – so the Mediterranean Electricity Ring project would have to be strengthened. More undersea electricity cables would need to be run to southern Europe and onward to the European power grid.

In addition to its solar and green hydro potential, Africa could emerge as the world’s next frontier for hydrocarbon exploration as developments in Ukraine and Russia increase demand for non-Russian oil and gas. In 2021 alone, oil and gas were discovered in Angola, Namibia, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Some projects are already underway. Tunisia and Algeria are planning links under the Strait of Sicily to reach Italy and Spain and plans to connect to Morocco with undersea high-voltage direct-current cables with 3.6GW capacity are being discussed. Greece and Egypt are in the final phase of an agreement for a submarine interconnector with 2GW capacity.

Resuming and scaling up solar projects in North Africa could fully replace Russian gas as a source of European energy. In fact, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could unlock an African energy renaissance that could leapfrog fossil fuel usage in Europe and Africa. It could also stimulate and diversify North Africa’s stagnant economies and make large projects such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) Grand Inga hydroelectric scheme commercially viable.

Because Europe has the largest synchronous power grid globally, it’s relatively easy to bolt on additional capacity and find alternative supply routes to transport electricity northwards. Blueprints for all of this exist, but to date, Germany – Europe’s largest economy – has preferred dependence on fossil fuels from Russia.

The DESERTEC Foundation has been promoting the use of large solar farms in the Sahara for decades. In North Africa, their plans were stymied by the Arab Spring instability and Germany’s astonishing lack of foresight in banking on Russian gas.

There are challenges though. Covering 20% of the Sahara Desert with solar panels, as was modelled in one recent study, could raise local temperatures in the desert by 1.5oC. However, the offset is a reduction in CO2 emissions that such large solar farms would bring. Read more: https:||mojatu.com|uncategorized|africaholds-the-answers-to-europes-wartime-energy-crisis|

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38 Business & Finance

TAX CHANGES FROM APRIL 2022 By Mariah Tompkins With the new tax year comes several changes brought forward by HMRC. Here is a short guide to help you navigate the updates that may affect you and your business from April 2022. Reduced VAT is Ending: The reduced VAT rate of 12.5% will be increasing back to its pre-COVID rate of 20%. The reduced rate was initially introduced in July 2020 at 5%, rising to 12.5% in October 2021, to help businesses within the hospitality sector to help with their finances after the drastic impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on their trade. This return follows the timeline set in the Spring 2021 budget. VAT Surcharges:The changes to penalties and interest rules which were due to come in place from April 2022 has now been delayed to January 2023 Making Tax Digital: Making Tax Digital (MTD) will apply to all VAT-registered businesses from 1st April 2022. This means that, for any VAT periods starting on or after this date, VAT registered businesses must keep all their VAT records digitally and submit VAT returns using software that is MTD accordant. New PAYE Thresholds: From year 2022-2023 to tax year 2025-2026, the personal allowance will be £12,570 per year. The thresholds for PAYE rates are also changing, please see the tables below: England, Wales, and Northern Ireland: Tax Bracket Basic Tax Higher Tax Additional

Tax Rate (%) 20 40 45

Threshold (£) Up to £37,000 37,701 - 150,000 Exceeding 150,000

19 20 21 41 46

Up to 2,162 2,163 – 13,118 13,119 – 31,092 31,093 – 150,000 Exceeding 150,000

Scotland: Starter Tax Basic Tax Intermediate Tax Higher Tax Top-Rate Tax

Changes to National Insurance: National Insurance (NI) is going to increase by 1.25% from 1st April 2022. Those receiving a State Pension will also receive a levy of 1.25%. This increase in tax will be in place until 31st March 2023 and has been put in place to help contribute to increased health and social care costs incurred over the pandemic. Increase on Statutory payments: Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP), Statutory Paternity Pay (SSP), Statutory Parental Pay (SPP), Statutory AdoptionPpay (SAP) and bereavement pay will change on April 2022. All will see the weekly rate of statutory pay increase from £151.97 to £156.66 per week. The rate of Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) will also increase from £96.35 to £99.35 per week. Income Tax on Dividends: The rates of Income Tax applied to dividends are also set to increase by 1.25% from 6th April 2022. Dividends are calculated using the company’s profits and distributed relative to the number of shares owned. Dividends below £2000 still tax free. Please see the table below to find the current rate that applies to you: Tax Brackets

Thresholds (£)

Personal Allowance (If no other income) Basic-Rate 12,571 – 50,270 Higher-Rate 50,271 – 150,000 Additional-Rate Exceeding 150,000

Dividend Tax Rate 2021|22 2022|23 0 - 12,570 0% 0% 7.5% 8.75% 32.5% 33.75% 38.1% 39.35%

If you require assistance or any further information on the topics discussed above, please do not hesitate to contact us on 0115 82440555, email info@wkm-accountancy.com, or refer to our website www.wkm-accountancy.co.uk.

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ENDLESS OIL SPILLS BLACKEN OGONILAND’S PROSPECTS

Slow action by Nigeria’s government threatens livelihoods and the environment as spillages outpace clean-up efforts. By Oluwole Ojewale and Alize Le Roux The Niger Delta in southern Nigeria is one of the most attributed to theft and sabotage, mostly by militants and polluted places on Earth. Decades of spillages from organised crime groups who target the pipeline network. over 50 years of oil operations continue to erode local Nigeria lost an estimated US$4.5 billion in 2020 due to communities’ health, well-being, and livelihoods. petroleum pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft. These crimes lead to large-scale spills and environmental destruction, jeopardising clean-up efforts. The Nigerian Petroleum Development Company’s resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland will increase these figures and further harm the environment. Since the clean-up started in 2016, 692 oil spills have been confirmed in Rivers State. Sixty of these were in Ogoniland, with an estimated spillage of more than 2 200 barrels of oil. Nigeria’s Petroleum Production and Distribution (AntiSabotage) Act defines sabotage as intent to obstruct or prevent the production or distribution of petroleum products. This includes destroying or damaging materials, premises or utilities for oil bunkering and theft, pipeline vandalism, fuel scooping, operating illegal Ogoniland, located in Rivers State, has a complex history oil refineries and pipeline rupture. Anyone committing of oil exploration fraught with environmental, social and sabotage is liable on conviction to a death sentence political problems. While the region doesn’t currently or imprisonment of up to 21 years. This stringent legal produce oil, incessant spills from the pipelines running framework has not however deterred offenders. through it and looming plans by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company to resume operations threaten Fyneface Dumnamene, Executive Director of the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre in Port Harcourt, any hope of long-term restoration. told ISS Today that environmental restoration would Most oil extraction from the sensitive ecological area remain difficult until efforts were made to stop all new of Ogoniland stopped in the early 1990s. But despite pollution. He said multinationals have not provided subsequent clean-up efforts, the region is constantly enough alternative job prospects for people engaging set back by spillages from pipeline sabotage, theft, in illegal artisanal refining of crude oil. The UNEP report artisanal refineries and pipeline corrosion. This has proposed a plan for employment options to stop the caused conflict between local communities and water and land pollution resulting from artisanal refining multinational oil companies such as Shell, ExxonMobil, during the Ogoniland clean-up. ChevronTexaco, TotalFinaElf and Agip, which engaged in Niger Delta environmental rights activist Ledum petroleum exploration for decades. Mitee told ISS Today that priority was not given to the As part of the reconciliation process between Shell and UNEP’s suggested measures to protect households local communities, the federal government appointed from consuming water from wells, streams and rivers the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in where hydrocarbons were detected. Oil companies did 2005 to undertake an environmental assessment. UNEP not provide these households with alternative sources was also mandated to supervise clean-ups in areas of drinking water as planned. These problems make damaged by the decades of mismanaged oil operations. replicating the Ogoniland clean-up model in other UNEP’s 2011 report predicted it would take 25 to 30 polluted areas in the Niger Delta harder. years to deal with the pollution. Nigeria’s government should conduct a comprehensive The government only began acting on the report’s review of the clean-up seven years after its launch and recommendations in 2016 – five years after its release. At improve the pace of work by using new technologies. the time, President Muhammadu Buhari said this marked a Communities need to be involved through training and turning point in restoring Ogoniland’s fragile ecosystem and awareness that warns of the dangers of spills, theft the rest of the Niger Delta. That signalled a commitment and sabotage. Nigeria’s judicial system must remain to clean up other communities devastated by oil spills a guardian of environmental justice. It needs to stay and provided hope for those relying on water resources steadfast as it deals with penalties for environmental for their survival. However, since 2016, rising oil spills in crimes committed by oil companies and compensation the Delta have outpaced clean-up efforts and hamper any claims for the affected communities. Otherwise, oil spills possibilities of environmental restoration in the near future. in Ogoniland will continue to make the Niger Delta’s More than 75% of spills in Nigeria since 2016 can be future as dark as the substance itself.

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40 Education & Career

KUTAMBUA: THE AUTHENTIC LEARNING AND JOB SEEKING PLATFORM By Joshua Wright Kutambua is an online course, mentoring and jobs platform with a particular emphasis on supporting African and Caribbean communities. Through providing training and mentoring, Kutambua aims to remove barriers for disadvantaged groups that may face difficulty finding employment opportunities. From health and social care training to building and engineering courses, Kutambua offers a vast range of free and paid courses in a wide variety of sectors. This article will offer a taster of the incredible training available on Kutambua, detailing just a few of the courses on offer: Agriculture and Environment • Getting to Know Woodlands - Teaching students to nurture wildlife and identify potential threats to the habitat, the course will enlighten participants on how to care for their local woodlands. • Garden Maintenance - Ideal for those seeking employment in the gardening sector, this course teaches participants about different plant varieties, the climates in which they grow best, as well as offering guidance on preventing pests and agricultural diseases.

Digital Skills Training • Understanding Social Media - Students will learn the benefits and drawbacks of using social media as well as how to maintain personal safety on online platforms. • Building a Website - Whatever your goal, this free online course provides you with the skills you need to build your own website, making it easier for individuals to raise their online profile and start a business. Education and Development • Substance Misuse Awareness training - Highlighting the often-neglected topic of substance misuse, this course provides participants with an understanding of UK drug law and guidance on how to take action if you suspect a young person is struggling with drugs or alcohol. • Peer on Peer Abuse Training Course - This course teaches students to identify potential signs of peeron-peer abuse and offers a series of preventative strategies that a school or college environment could implement to deter such malignant behaviour.

Building and Engineering

Health and Social Care

• Brick Work Skills - This course develops the practical skills necessary for masonry work and further students’ understanding of the construction industry. As well as providing necessary skills, the course will hopefully help participants progress up the career ladder.

• Understanding Asthma Training Course - Particularly prevalent among children, Asthma is a common lung condition that can cause breathing difficulty. In this course, participants learn the common asthma symptoms, the treatments that can be used to alleviate them as well as specific guidance on dealing with asthmatic students in a school environment.

• Working at Height Awareness Training Course - This course teaches students to work in accordance with the 2005 Work at Height Regulations, ensuring construction workers use equipment safely and avoid suffering costly injuries. Business and Management • Interview Skills Training Course - When it comes to business there may be no more costly decision than hiring the wrong staff. Develop your interview skills with this free course to help ensure you make the right recruitment decisions. • Time Management Awareness Training - Learn to make the most out of your employees by teaching staff effective time management skills. Participants on this course will learn to set SMART goals and develop strategies to combat poor timekeeping to ensure they’re productive at work.

• Stress Awareness Training Course - 12.5 million days of work are lost each year in Britain due to stress so ensuring you and your employees manage stress effectively could save your business both time and money. Participants on this course will be taught to identify stress and learn strategies to minimise it, simultaneously helping to maintain high levels of productivity whilst also promoting positive mental health benefits. https:||kutambua.com|courses

SUPPORT WORKER

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News & Sports

“Quality Care by Quality People”

Springs of Joy Care Solution are looking for caring and reliable people to join our team. • We have an urgent need for experienced carers in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire County. • We require dedicated and compassionate care workers to join our team on a full-time and part-time basis. Working hours can be fully flexible to your personal commitments.. Weekends and evenings are expected as part of the role.

• • • • • •

WE OFFER: Competitive pay rates Paid travel expenses Flexible work hours with a variety of shifts Unlimited paid holiday allowance PPE provided Full Care Certificate training

• Fully funded NVQ training – level 2 and level 3 • Opportunities for career progression within the company

• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme, providing support and guidance whenever you need it most

ABOUT YOU: • • • •

A full driving licence is preferred Enhanced DBS funded by carer Good English skills both verbally and written Excellent interpersonal skills

• Part-time hours: 20 - 40+ per week • Job Types: Full-time, Part-time • Salary: £9.00-£13.00 per hour

• No qualifications necessary as full training is provided for the right candidate

• Ability to understand & follow policies & procedures • Reliable & honest with good time keeping skills

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42 Education & Career

WHAT IS MISOGYNOIR? By Ophelie Lawson It was Moya Bailey, author of the book ‘Misogynoir Transformed: Black Women’s Digital Resistance’, who in 2008, came up with the term “misogynoir” after noticing the anti-Black racist misogyny that Black women continuously experience. Misogynoir is where sexism and racism meet, it describes the unique discrimination that black women face. It oppresses black women. It is ‘the anti-Black racist misogyny that Black women experience, particularly in US visual and digital culture. Misogynoir is not simply the racism that Black women encounter, nor is it the misogyny Black women negotiate; it is the uniquely synergistic force of these two oppressions amalgamating into something more harmful than its parts’ Moya Bailey The term is a combination of the French world NOIR, meaning black, and the word misogyny. Misogyny is the “hatred of, aversion to, or prejudice against women. Bailey, a Black queer feminist scholar, writer, and activist, created the term to highlight the specific and many ways Black women are disregarded and dehumanised in the mainstream media. Her research and writing explore and criticise how popular culture and media perpetuate the mistreatment of Black women. What the term misogynoir does is that it provides a racialised distinction that mainstream feminism is not catching. Mainstream feminism has often

failed to recognise and include the Mark Knight’s portray of Serena was experiences of Black women. widely regarded as a racist stereotype. A White artist depicting WilMisogynoir is the media liams as angry and ill-mannered, Serena Williams’ experience of racexaggerating her body feature, deism and sexism is but a classic case grading and mocking her. of Misogynoir. To Katrina Adams, the United States Tennis Associa- She and her sister Venus have been tion President, and to many people, referred to as a man and have been Williams is the “greatest athlete of described as “too muscular,” often in all time”, but she is also constantly the media. They have been called the victim of unfair racist and sex- the “Williams brothers” -- by the ist attacks. In the Us Open in 2018, head of the Russian Tennis Federaduring the Grand Slam final be- tion, Shamil Tarpischev, a top memtween Serena and Naomi Osaka, ber of a ruling body in tennis. Both Serena was reportedly subjected Serena and Venus are talented feto consistently unfair treatment by male athletes and have proven their the umpire, treatment which since talents to the public many times. has been called out as blatantly Yet, when black women athletes do sexist and racist. She was then fined anything other than what is expectUS$17,000 after calling the umpire a ed of them, they are penalised. We are surrounded by patriarchy, white ‘liar’ and a ‘thief’ supremacy, ideologies, standards of beauty that constantly undermine, exclude, and harm black women. Misogynoir is suffocating.

Calling out sexism in tennis resulted in her becoming a target for racist attacks. In a caricature by Mark Knight for Australia’s Herald sun, she was portrayed as oversized, wild, with big lips, jumping and smashing her racket, incapable of controlling her rage because of losing, while in the background the umpire says to her opponent, a slim blond woman, ‘can you just let her win’?

In 2014, the hashtag #SayHerName was created to highlight misogynoir and how stories of Black Women and girls often go untold. From experiences of police violence to sexual assault and the list goes on. Many people are still unaware of what misogynoir is and what it means, and how it shows itself and harms Black women. Black women are often deemed strong like they are not allowed vulnerability. Their voices are often silenced, neglected. The first step in overcoming misogynoir is awareness.

Nottingham connected

Education & Career

A WISH THAT CAME TRUE One day, there was a boy. This boy wasn’t any normal boy. He doesn’t like football at all and prefers to read instead. He loves science and experimenting is what he will do most of the time. He had 3 friends. Will, Luna and Benjamin. This boy is called Oliver; this story is called A Wish That Came True. When Oliver was little, he was born with Ullrich Congenital Muscular Dystrophy which meant he had to be in a wheelchair.

By Lynnette Wairegi

didn’t go too well. Oliver’s mum had lush, blonde hair and emerald, gleaming eyes made people have hope and had a sense of security. Oliver’s dad had blue eyes and an extremely long beard which had grey hairs sticking out of it trying to get air from the pool of sorrow. Daniel. Oliver’s arch nemeses. He comes from a very rich family and unlike Oliver he was popular and kept getting all the ladies. In year 4, they had to write about what they want to do when they grow up. Daniel wanted to be a footballer and explained why. When it was Oliver’s turn, he said he wanted to go to space and work as a scientist. Daniel pointed at him and laughed. Between laughs he said,

The hospital charged loads of money, but his parents loved their little son so much they had to pay it. It was a rare condition that affected the back of their beautiful boy. At the age of 6, Oliver had become a really smart kid. He often got bullied but he didn’t mind… okay maybe a little. It was at the age of 13, when he found his love for science. Just the word makes the miraculous boy tingle with excitement. We talked about Oliver a lot “You can’t go to space. Your wheelchair will be too now, don’t get me wrong, he is the heart of the story, heavy. Didn’t calculate that huh. Also, scientists have to walk dummy. You might as well be a janitor!” The but he is not the only one in this story… teacher was fuming, and Daniel got detention for a First, let’s talk about the house. It is a sturdy two-story week. Since then, Daniel swore revenge. residence designed without the least imagination. A kitchen which Oliver’s mum uses was on one side. The At school, months passed by, and Oliver got a furnishings were cheap, black-painted. Four windows scholarship at Hartfords. He passed with flying A’s allowed sunlight to flood the room. Oliver’s room is while back at school Daniel had to re-do an entire barely big enough to exhale into. An ultramarine, year. His parents were not pleased. At Hartfords, Oliver fragile carpet sat in the middle of the dining room was friends with a girl named Nuna. Oliver eventually flourished with thousands of patterns. His disarranged asked her out and she said yes. They got married after bed had millions of books scattered everywhere. His they graduated. Nuna worked as a doctor while Oliver notebook was laying on the floor frightened without applied for a couple of jobs here and there. While Oliver its pen. On one wall, there was a saying that probably was shopping, he saw… Daniel. He said, no one would understand, apart from him. Boring grey pens were sticking out of a red mug with Einstein’s face on it. Crawling up his bookshelf: picture frames– new additions. Family, friends. Some are forgotten, some aren’t. In a dusty old tray under his bed, were books he finished aeons ago. Oliver’s dad said to recycle them, but he denied. He said they were too precious.

“ooo la la a girl. Looks like baby Oli got his first step into being an adult.” Nuna punched him in the face, and they ran away from Daniel. His mum and dad were overjoyed when he got married that a month later, they came round. At that time Oliver got an email that changed his life forever…

“Never underestimate the power of anyone’s story... Oliver had a mum, dad, and an upcoming little sister. Oliver’s mum was scared of little Emily’s birth as Olivers anyone’s life” Abby Johnson.

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Nottingham connected News & Sports Female Genital Mutilation

FGM – FACTS , HELP & ACTIONS

Facts

• FGM is any procedure that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. • FGM has been illegal in England and Wales since 1985. • FGM is a form of child abuse and violence against women and girls. • • FGM is Non-Islamic, against the teachings of Islam and brings Islam into disrepute. • FGM is putting the health of our daughters, sisters, mothers and wives at great risk. • • Over 200 million girls and women worldwide have undergone FGM. • 103,000 women aged15 to 49 are living with consequences of FGM in England & Wales. • In the UK, an estimated 20,000 girls under the age of 15 are at risk of FGM each year. • 1,230 cases have been reported in the Midlands from April 2020 to March 2021 Taking Th

Taking The City To the Fa Taking The City To the Farm

Help

Are you concerned a girl or woman is at risk or need of support? • • Join the Community FGM Steering Group: Contact us • For emotional & peer support for survivors in Nottingham, join the FGM Survivor’s club: Contact us Free • Refer survivors needing medical attention to FGM medical specialist in Nottingham: Contact us Free Sessions: Refugee • Drop in sessions at Mojatu Office Unit 7, Howitt Bldg, Lenton Blvd, Lenton, Nott`s NG7 2BY Free Refugees & Asylum Seeker Sessions: • Call 0808 028 350 for a 24/7 anonymous FGM helpline or email: fgmhelp@nspcc.org.uk Tuesdays Seekers Welcome Sessions: • Call Nottingham City Council Children and Families Direct: 0115 876 4800 Tuesdays Saturdays • Ring the police on 999 if FGM has just happened or about to happen Tuesdays Saturdays ADOP Activities include: Saturdays ADOPT A TREE include:Fruit Harvesting Actions Activities Fruit Harvesting Tree Management Activities To help end FGM and support survivors, join oneinclude: of our campaigns or projects Fruit Harvesting Tree ManagementWeeding for Pumpkin • FGM Survivors Club • Volunteer with us Feeding the animals Weeding for Pumpkins & Maize Tree Management Form • FGM Steering Group • ‘Adopt a tree’ project https://g Feeding the animals Weeding for Pumpkins & Maize Form online @ • FGM Global Faith Ambassador • Donate to support our work animals to support https://goo.gl/WyH • FGM Global Young Ambassador Feeding •the Fundraise our work land 9sz

Woodgement d n a l ood ment Mana sionEDIBL W E d e s s‘18 n SeWOODLA s p Woodgleament MaSneasgsionEDIBLE e S Ecocentre, Home Farm, Screv r p A www.farmeco WOODLAND ana ionFoundation For more information, contactM Mojatu ‘18 Farm, Screveton, s SepHome Ecocentre, NG13 8JL r s p s e A S https://goo. 8 Phone: 01158457009 Mobile: 07759 e927671 1 ‘ Mojatu Foundatio p www.farmeco.co.uk S Apr • Request for training

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Articles inside

What Is Misogynoir

Tax Changes From April 2022

Harm of Stereotype On Black Women

Endometriosis Awareness

Retain & Explain Policy

Marcus Garvey Day Centre

Post-COVID Business Sustainability

Karl White

Impact of Knife Crime

A Long Journey To Safety

FGM Zero Tolerance Conference

Climate Change

Post-COVID Businesses