Desmond Jaddoo WE MATTER PARTY TESTING THE APPETITE
Leigh-Anne: Race, Pop & Power Vol. 2 Issue 39, 21th– 27th May 2021
S ’ C I S U M & E I MOV
in conjunction with
O U D C I M DYNA
Credit: code.likeagirl.io
From the
Editor’s desk
Men Protect Your
M e n ta l H e a lt h
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Freedom
Is Mine
By FAYIDA JAILLER
A
Canada
ccording to the 2016 census, black Canadians make up over 3.5% of the total population, numbering over 1.2 million people. The first recorded person of African descent to arrive in Canada was a man named Mathieu da Costa, a free man Viola Desmond who arrived in 1608. He served as the provided Mathieu Da Costa Black Canadian Soldiers WWI by The interpreter during the expedition of by Wanda Robson by Dr. Henry Bishop Black Cultural Centre For Nova Scotia 2 the French colonist Samuel Champlain who established the French colonies 1916 the all-black unit, the Number 2 Construction of Quebec and New France, helping the colonists to Company was formed. However approximately communicate with the First Nation people of Canada. 2,000 black Canadians fought as infantrymen, such In 1689 King Louis 14th authorized slavery in ‘New as James Grant who was awarded the Military Cross France’ leading to the first black population arriving in in 1918 for his bravery. significant numbers, which continued throughout the In 1946, a black Canadian named Viola Desmond 17th and 18th centuries. made the headlines when she refused to move In 1793 two major pieces of legislation were from a whites-only section of a cinema. Although passed that caused a large influx of Afrodescendant she was convicted and fined, the case received people to Canada. The first was the Fugitive Slave much media attention and eventually led to the Law in the US which authorized local governments to end of segregation laws in Nova Scotia. Viola was seize and return escaped slaves to their owners. This posthumously pardoned in 2010. resulted in over 30,000 enslaved Africans migrating An important bastion of black-Canadian history to Canada via the Underground Railroad. The second is Africville, a predominantly black settlement that piece of legislation was the Anti-Slave Bill which did existed in Halifax, Nova Scotia. A black presence not abolish slavery but sought to gradually phase it has been recorded in Africville since 1848 – it was out. formed due to black Canadians being marginalised Following the American Revolution, the British by wider society and forced to create their own government allowed the settlement of over 3,000 settlements on hostile land. For 150 years, Africville black people, both enslaved and free, who had was populated by hundreds of black families who remained loyal to Britain, known as the Black Loyalists. created their own schools, stores, a post office and a In 1833 the British Government abolished slavery Baptist Church. in the British Empire (except India) and in 1851 the However sadly, the town was systematically Anti-Slavery Society of Canada was formed. deconstructed, ending in 1970. In 2010 the Mayor The first and second World of Halifax publicly Wars were pivotal moments for apologised for the the black community deconstruction in Canada. Black of Africville and Canadians were allocated $3 million restricted to to build a replica of construction units the former church digging trenches which today serves on the front as the Africville line, and in Museum. Africville children by Erik Christensen
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Black British
Politics
Desmond Jaddoo
WE MATTER PARTY
TESTING THE APPETITE 7,748 Votes In Four Weeks!
BM: How did the We Matter Party begin?
DJ: The co-founder Charlie Williams, who is also our General Secretary and I, have been doing work around equality and social justice for several years. We’ve been dealing with people that suffered police brutality, dealing with matters of racial discrimination, deaths in custody, and the use of excessive force against people. My background is housing originally, and I suffered discrimination directly and won a case of race and disability discrimination against Birmingham City Council many years ago.
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When I was growing up in the 1970s, we were one of the relevant minority communities. By the time we get to the ‘90s, the late ‘90s, early millennium, we’ve become an irrelevance because other emerging communities are growing, and we seem to be falling behind. And we said, “Well, anytime we mention black, for example, it’s as though we have to apologise.” And I always said, “Why must we apologise?” For example, if we suffer discrimination, we must call it out because the Jewish lobby does it. The Muslim community calls it out. The rest of the South Asian community, the Sikhs and the Hindus, call it out. But anytime
we call something out, it’s as though a foot goes on to our neck. And when we look at the provision of housing, poverty, social, economic issues, job progression, access to employment, it’s as though the odds are weighed against us so much. My parents are from Jamaica, so we have many aunts and uncles because we have to show respect. But I noticed many of them had manual jobs, which means that they went to work in factories where there was a closed shop. You could not work there unless you were a member of a trade union. The trade unions were affiliated with the Labour Party. Many of them assumed the Labour party was like the Labour party in Jamaica, equivalent to the Conservative Party. It’s not Labour as we know that. But they were cocooned. “To work here, you must join a union. We’re affiliated to the Labour Party, so you must be a Labour Party member.” Birmingham, where I live, it’s been 70 odd years since the influx of mass migration by the Windrush Generation to rebuild this country. We are yet to have a black African or Caribbean MP. And then, to top it off, we had a death in custody of a Birmingham man, but he came from just outside Birmingham, who died in a police cell in Torquay Police Station, which is still an ongoing investigation. And then, we had the issue of George Floyd in America and the Black Lives Matter movement. And we said, “Right, time is right now to form We Matter.” And what we said was, “The ethos of We Matter is a simple one. If you Matter, your mum Matters, my mum Matters, my children Matter, my grandchildren Matter, my neighbour Matters, then we all Matter.” One of the things we were looking at in the recent elections for Police and Crime Commissioner was the turnout. It was 31%. 69% of people remained at home. They have disenfranchised themselves, as though they don’t matter. And the purpose of We Matter is to say to you, “You do matter.” So, what we did on the journey of We Matter, we had a launch event because what we were doing was testing the appetite. We are a
Black, Self-Funded party, meaning that strangers, not family members, came together, and we did it. We drafted our constitutions, got logos done and submitted them to the Electoral Commission. On 12th March, we were granted party political status. Within a month of that, we had two candidates. I stood for Police and Crime Commissioner West Midlands, and Hughie Rose stood for Council in the Southbury Ward in Enfield. We’ve made a start, and it’s time now to push ahead. It’s a simple message for people we’re here to stay. We’re not going anywhere.
BM: How are you reaching out to young people?
DJ: Right. We are in the process of appointing a young coordinator to mobilize and interact with young people through our engagement meetings. The next one is on Thursday, 27th May 2021. We are encouraging young people to join We Matter. Our party membership is £18 per year for anyone over 18 or £1.50 a month. It’s free for young people age 11-18 years old. That’s our investment in the youth because we want to train them. We want to listen and share our experiences with the next generation. If I’m sitting here with all my hair white with a lovely white beard in 20 years having this conversation with you, then I have failed. The baton needs to be passed on to the next generation. The whole purpose of We Matter is to level that playing field, and importantly, what COVID has shown us is that we need social, economic and political change, and we need it now. We can’t wait until next year. And the other quick thing as well is this, and I’m going to be very controversial here. Last year, following the sad death of George Floyd, everyone was taking one knee. Why on earth are we taking one knee? We should be standing tall against discrimination. We must stand up. In the days of Martin Luther King, he went on one knee then he prayed. He prayed. He rallied the troops. We shouldn’t be still taking one knee, 30 odd years later. We now need to stand tall and say, “Enough. You are not going to push us over anymore. We are now going to take control of our destiny.” And that’s why We Matter.
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Cover
Story
S ’ C I S U M & E I MOV
O U D C I M A DYN By Sharrae Newell-Barnett Chloe and Halle Bailey give a whole new meaning to the words’ talent running in the family.’ This dynamic sister duo has taken the music industry by storm with its fresh sound and unique style. But how exactly did Chloe and Halle get to where they are now?
C
hloe Elizabeth Bailey was born on 1st July 1998, and Halle Lynn Bailey was born on the 27th March 2000. They were born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, to Courtney and Doug Bailey. Courtney works as a recruitment officer. Doug was a former stockbroker but has since become Chloe and Halle’s manager, teaching them how to write songs at just eight and ten years old. The sisters have always expressed how supportive their parents have been when pursuing their music career. They told how they always believed that their music was destined to bring them success in life. Whilst still in their younger years, the girls weren’t short of opportunities; they managed to secure some minor acting roles like The Fighting Temptations (2003), a movie about a man who must revive an underwhelming church choir to receive his father’s inheritance. The film starred Cuba Gooding Jr and Beyonce. This was the first time the girls met Beyonce, but it certainly wasn’t the last.
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In mid-2012, Chloe and Halle eventually moved to LA with their family. The move opened up more opportunities for them, including cameo appearances on the Disney Channel show Austin & Ally. They won the fifth season of Radio Disney’s The Next Big Thing. The girls wanted more, and that’s when they began making YouTube videos covering popular songs. The one cover that changed their life was their rendition of Beyonce’s Pretty Hurts. The cover caught the attention of Beyonce herself, who then shared the video onto her Facebook page.
The girls had always had a passion for music and creating, and since gaining recognition from Beyonce, it seems as though things were falling into place nicely for the talented young sibling duo. Eventually, after starting her very own label, Beyonce signed Chloe and Halle to Parkwood Entertainment. The girls signed a $1 million, six-album deal, and this was shortly followed by their first EP Sugar Symphony, where their lead of track “Drop” became a hit—currently standing with over 6 million views on YouTube. Not only have the girls brought something so fresh and new to the music industry with their unique and experimental sounds, but they also write and produce a lot of their own music. At such young ages of 22 and 21, the duo has thrived significantly. With a support system of their father as their manager and Beyonce herself mentoring and signing them, they have made the most out of their resources given. With successful black women like Beyonce mentoring them through the industry and the close support of their family, the duo is definitely one to look out for.
“Whenever my sister and I create, we feel as if we’re vessels of a greater power,” Chloe said in an interview with the BBC. “There’s a feeling that overcomes us… We’ll just hear these sounds and melodies in our head, and we just lay ’em out and see what sticks.” The second release from the duo, The Two of Us, their mixtape entirely written and produced by them, was shortly followed by an acting opportunity for the girls. The girls starred as twins Jazz and Sky in the show Grown-ish, a spin-off of the popular American sitcom, Blackish. They were only meant to have minor roles but were brought back as recurring characters due to their popularity and success. The duo also released their first official debut album during this time, titled The Kids Are Alright. The lead single with the same name was used for the Grown-ish series debut.
There’s still so much more to expect from these talented young sisters in the near future. Halle is set to star as Ariel in the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid and has just released their second hit album, Ungodly Hour. There is a lot to expect from Chloe and Halle soon.
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Black History
Library
Fayida’s Black History in 60 Seconds
The Black Shame:
Black in Nazi Germany What was life like for black and mixed-race people living in Nazi Germany? Why did the number of Afro-Germans dramatically increase following the First World War? How did the Nazis respond?
Subnormal:
A British Scandal
The untold story of one of the biggest scandals in the history of British education.
Credit: BBC iPlayer
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Cinema/
Video
W
n o s ’ t a h
t
e h
r c S
? n ee
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Red Tails 1944. World War II rages and the fate of the free world hangs in the balance. Meanwhile the black pilots of the experimental Tuskegee training program are courageously waging two wars at once — one against enemies overseas, and the other against discrimination within the military and back home. Racial prejudices have long held ace airman Martin “Easy” Julian (Nate Parker) and his black pilots back at base -- leaving them with little to do but further hone their flying skills — while their white counterparts are shipped out to combat after a mere three months of training. Mistakenly deemed inferior and assigned only second-rate planes and missions, the pilots of Tuskegee have mastered the skies with ease but have not been granted the opportunity to truly spread their wings. Until now. As the war in Europe continues to take its dire toll on Allied forces, Pentagon brass has no recourse but to reconsider these under-utilized pilots for combat duty. Just as the young Tuskegee men are on the brink of being shut down and shipped back home, Col. A.J. Bullard (Terrence Howard) awards them the ultimate chance to prove their mettle high above. Undaunted by the prospect of providing safe escort to bombers in broad daylight -- a mission so dangerous that the RAF has refused it and the white fighter groups have sustained substantial losses -- Easy’s pilots at last join the fiery aerial fray. Against all the odds, with something to prove and everything to lose, these intrepid young airmen take to the skies in a heroic endeavor to combat the enemy — and the discrimination that has kept them down for so long. Credit: Netflix 10 Transform your viewing...
The Upshaws
A working-class family in Indiana struggles to make it work and make it right without the blueprint to do it. Credit: Netflix
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The Underground Railroad
“Nothing was given, all was earned. Hold on to what belongs to you.” From Academy Award® winner Barry Jenkins and based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead. Credit: Amazon Prime Video
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Leigh-Anne: Race, Pop & Power
This powerful documentary follows pop star Leigh-Anne Pinnock as she confronts her experience as the only black member of Little Mix, and as a black woman in the music industry. Leigh-Anne talks about the racism she experienced growing up. Both her parents are of Caribbean heritage, and Leigh-Anne identifies as black. She is also aware that having lighter skin and being a celebrity means she is in a more privileged position than others. Leigh-Anne embarks on her own very personal journey to understand how she can use her platform and privilege to combat the profound racism she sees in society around her. After she begins her journey, news of George Floyd’s death and the Black Lives Matter protests start to sweep the world. With the force of a global movement now behind her, Leigh-Anne confronts those closest to her and attempts to bring difficult conversations about black representation right to the top of the music industry. Credit: BBC iPlayer Transform your viewing...
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I AM ALL GIRLS
On the hunt to bring down a global human trafficking ring, detectives Ntombizonke (Hlubi Mboya) and Jodie Snyman (Erica Wessels) battle their own dark secrets and go on an all-consuming journey. [Trigger warning. This movie contains sensitive topics.] Credit: Netflix
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Being Muslim
British Muslims from across the faith mark some of life’s biggest moments from birth and coming of age to marriage and end of life. Jermaine and Mariyah are preparing for the birth of their first daughter, Rumi. Jermaine is a Muslim revert and is working hard to learn the adhaan, the Muslim call to prayer, to recite to their baby when she is born. Eight-year-old Hafsa is doing her hifdh, an ancient traditional practice of a small number of devout Muslims. She wakes up early and learns verses from the Qur’an, then after school she practices those verses. Hanna is a born Muslim; her parents were both converts to the faith. She and Ali met and fell in love, and they are now married. They look back at their vows with pride and reflect on how their faith has helped them in their marriage. In London, Emine is marking the death of her mother. A final prayer takes place, symbolising her mum coming from God and going back to God. Less Credit: BBC iPlayer Transform your viewing...
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Man Up
Would you let your girlfriend pay the bill? Is showing emotion a sign of weakness? With 36% of men adjusting their personality to appear ‘more masculine’, in this episode we talk about modern day masculinity. Credit: BBC iPlayer
African Apocalypse
African Apocalpse.When British-Nigerian poet and activist Femi Nylander discovered Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, the novel that Barack Obama claims helped him understand why ‘white people are afraid’, he was immediately drawn to understanding this distorted vision of Africa. Embarking on a spiritual journey to Niger, Femi uncovers the violent legacy of the real-life counterpart to Conrad’s novel, French Captain Paul Voulet, whose genocidal mission in 1898 can still be felt today, through subsequent generations of his victims. A brutal indictment of colonialism that never shies away from the horrifying terrorism Africans endured under colonial rule, AFRICAN APOCALYPSE is a visually compelling, visceral experience that seeks to understand how our colonial past shapes our present with a passionate conviction that it doesn’t define our future. Credit: BBC/BFI/Lemkino Productions 16 Transform your viewing...
Viewer’s Choice
This week from Jamila P London, UK
The Upside THE UPSIDE is director Neil Burger’s heartfelt comedy about a recently paroled ex-convict (Kevin Hart) who strikes up an unlikely friendship with a paralyzed billionaire. Credit: Amazon
If you want to share a special movie/ TV programme with the Butterfly Magazine viewers submit to: editor@butterflymagazine.net
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A Life in Ten Pictures
Muhammad Ali is one of the most photographed men in history. But can just a handful of photos uncover new truths about someone we think we know? This film throws a unique lens onto an extraordinary life, focusing on ten defining pictures, from iconic shots to private snaps, with their secrets revealed by those who were there and those who knew Ali best.
Credit: BBC iPlayer
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Black Fashion History
Glorious Reasons Why Africans Wear Head Wraps that Western Pop Culture Want to Erase Credit: 2nacheki
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Black
Credit: Courtesy of the artist
Arts
Tabita
Rezaire 20 Transform your viewing...
Tabita Rezaire (b.1989, Paris, France) At 32 years old, Tabita is the youngest artist to feature. And it shows. In a good way.
H
er work primarily navigates the digital space. She decodes the interplay between memory and the virtual matrix we find ourselves inhabiting on a daily basis. She boasts a degree in Economics and Master of Research award from Central Saint Martins and as a well-read artist, her quest for knowledge extends to quantum and cosmic physics. Tabita evaluates the nature of time in a digital world that has constructed a timeline of its own. In a sense, time does not exist online and Rezaire delves into this analysis through the guise of technology and social media. As a new-media artist, the screen is her canvas.
By Efosa Osaghae
In 2014, she released Afro Cyber Resistance which deconstructed the Western-centric dominance of the internet. She explored how white supremacy bled through the confines of the web and in turn championed a new form of cyberspace resistance. It’s an interesting notion that a so-called democratic, a declassified and universal entity such as the web is befallen by the same hegemonic structures found in society today. Rezaire’s work asks us a very simple question. Who actually owns the internet? The answer to this question was further explored in her 2017 film Deep Down Tidal. The film is an 18-minute video essay illustrating the idea of “electronic colonisation” that Rezaire posited in earlier work. We’re introduced to a woman whose Facebook profile gets banned for a post criticizing the platform’s westernized structure. These questions bear utmost relevance in a world of cancel-culture, oppressors being brought to the sword via social media and the power marginalised communities have in the digital space. Rezaire is an artist of our times.
Deep Down Tidal (2017)
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IChurch
A Question of
Faith
”A Question of Faith” - When tragedy strikes three families, their destiny forces them on a converging path to discover God’s love, grace and mercy, as the challenges of their fate could also resurrect their beliefs. Credit: Watchme Movies
And a Little Child Will Lead Them 22 Transform your viewing...
Laughter
The Baby Boomer Era vs The Millennial Era
Credit: Andrew Craigie
A youngster asked his grandfather “Grandpa! How did you people live before with: No technology, No aeroplanes, No internet, No computers, No dramas, No TVs, No aircons, No cars, No mobile phones?” Granddad replied: “Just like how your generation live today: No prayers, No compassion No honor, No respect, No character, No shame, No modesty”
Kings & Queens of Caribbean Comedy
We, the people born between 1940-1970 are the blessed ones...
Look Before You Load
Show off
Using Your Initiative
Our life is living proof. While playing and riding bicycles, we never wore helmets. After school, we played until dusk; we never watched TV. We played with real friends, not internet friends. If we ever felt thirsty, we drank tap water not bottled water. We never got ill sharing the same glass of juice with four friends. We never gained weight eating plates of rice every day. Nothing happened to our feet despite roaming barefoot. We never used any supplements to keep ourselves healthy. We used to create our own toys and play with those. Our parents were not rich. They gave love… not worldly materials. We never had cellphones, DVDs, play station, XBox, video games, personal computers, internet, chat - but we had real friends. We visited our friend’s home uninvited and enjoyed food with them. we met and fell in love with real people now you fall in love with someone on the internet you never met Relatives lived close by so family time was enjoyed. We may have been in black and white photos but you can find colourful memories in those photos. We are a unique and the most understanding generation, because we are the last generation who listened to their parents and also the first who have had to listen to their children. We are a LIMITED edition! Enjoy us! Learn from us! Treasure us!
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Last Word
We Live In Times…