The official newspaper of Leeds University
Decolonising education: In conversation with Melz The Founder of the Free Black University speaks to Ruby Fatimilehin about the Free Black University; decolonising education, and Black activism. Image: The Guardian
How can we recentre, what I believe the purpose of education should be, which is to transform self and through that transform the world?
www.thegryphon.co.uk Twitter: @TheGryphonLeeds Instagram: @thegr yphon Issue 1 14/10/20
Rethinking Black History Month Perry Blankson calls for a new interpretation of Black History Month, one that acknowledges the ongoing presence of racism this side of the Atlantic (Page 10)
What do you think are the advantages of creating the Free Black University instead of attempting to decolonise and restructure established universities?
Ruby Fatimilehin Leeds alumni Melz Owusu has raised over £126,000 in their campaign to create the Free Black University. They aim to create an educational space which serves as a hub for radical and transformative knowledge production, and which centres the wellbeing and healing of the Black community. Melz, who is a former sabbatical officer at the Leeds University Union, firmly believes that education should be free, anti-colonial, and accessible to all. Once established, the Free Black University will provide radical Black books to the community, deliver open-access online lectures, create a transformational publication and establish a mental health service for Black students. Our Equality and Diversity Associate Ruby Fatimilehin spoke to Melz about their vision for the Free Black University and the educational possibilities this space will generate.
What led to the creation of the Free Black University? Were there any particular experiences that compelled you to create this space? I started doing decolonial work when I was at Leeds. The time spent fighting with the institution was difficult for my mental health in terms of being able to do my degree peacefully. We continually put Black students, students of colour, queer students into positions where we have to lobby the institution against something that the institution is founded on. The extent to which you can decolonise a colonial institution is minimal. After doing that for the past six years in Leeds, across the UK, and in different countries, I recognised that there needs to be a different approach to understanding how the decolonial movement can move forward. That’s how the Free Black University came about. How can we create an anticolonial, queer, radical space outside of the institution?
It takes away from all the free labour that marginalised students do for the university. It stops that power imbalance. It gives the people the power. There are not that many Black-led organisations across the UK, let alone a radical, queer organisation that is using a Black queer feminist lens that aims to exist within the higher education space. It’s unheard of, but with that comes the potential to imagine, to create. In the process of creating a Free Black University, we are continually imagining new possibilities, how we can learn, how we can grow, how we can change the world.
Faith societies collab with BLM Leeds Society editor Martha Sanders speaks to Marvina Newton, the founder of Black Lives Matter Leeds, about finding allies within university societies (Page 12)
Nicola Adams and QTIPOC visibility As the Leeds-born athlete is set to be part of the first same-sex couple on Strictly Come Dancing, Views editor Elena Sotelo discusses the importance of having Black, queer figures in the mainstream media (Page 16)
What do you want to achieve with the Free Black University? What is your vision for this educational space? The vision is to change the world. The vision is to create a space, which first and foremost, is for Black people. For Black students, for Black activists, for Black people who want to learn, who want to engage with other people. Creating a space for the community; that’s first and foremost. It’s also a space that is meant to incubate radical knowledge production. To create a foundation from which people feel empowered, impassioned, creative. Within the current institutions, so many of us dim our voices. Continued on page 8.
Patrick Mahomes’ remarkable year Michael Amolo Otieno reflects on the monumental achievements of the Texan quarterback in 2020 (Page 21) In the Middle Music and Clubs, Fashion, Arts and Culture, Blogs and Lifestyle (Midway)
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Editor’s letter Credits
Dear readers,
Editor-In-Chief
It’s somehow now October, which means Semester 1 is underway, it’s dark by 6pm and Halloween is en route. However, most importantly, October also marks Black History Month.
Safi Bugel
Newspaper Associates Eleanor Noyce, Michael Keating
Social Media Associate Neive McCarthy
Web Developer Milly Martin
Head of Marketing Charlotte Abbott
Head of Radio Millie Frain
Head of Design Molly Coathup
Head of Photography Maariyah Fulat
Treasurer
Emma Ferguson
Secretary
Faye Clayton
News
Alex Chitty, Ella Jones, Isabelle Thom, Kerisa Carlin
Society
Martha Sanders
Features
Amy Ramswell, Clarissa Leung
Views
Elena Sotelo, Jamie Welham, Maddy Sherratt, Ruby Fatimilehin
Science
Katherine Graves, Morwenna Davies
Business
Alba Goskova, Georgina Peacock
The usefulness of Black History Month and its connotations remain up in the air- it’s a toss-up between a tokenistic and short-lived gesture and a well-deserved celebration of our Black peers, their experiences and their history. However, despite this uncertainty, the need for us to listen to and support our Black counterparts has been glaring, especially this year. When I campaigned for this role in March, I pledged to keep the conversation around marginalised groups and their concerns going all year round and not just for the respective dates that schools and universities assign for them. I hope I can continue to use the Gryphon as a platform for Black and other minority students to share their stories and voice their grievances; a platform that extends through and beyond my tenure at the Gryphon. Aside from all the chaos in the world at the moment, I’m so pleased to say that we’ve started the academic year on a positive note: this issue has involved the most Black students I’ve seen in print in my three years of following the paper, from writers and editors to photographers and illustrators. The issue kicks off with an incredibly engaging interview with former Leeds student and activist Melz Owusu. Here, I’d like to give a special shoutout to the wonderful Ruby Fatimilehin: alongside being a final year student, a Liberation Co-ordinator and a member of both the Black Feminist Society and the OnBeat committee, Ruby is also a Views editor and a member of the 2020/21 Equality and Diversity Team. I couldn’t have asked anyone better to take on our cover feature for this issue.
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The News team then take over with updates from campus and around the world, covering issues from Coronavirus to ongoing colonial legacies. The Features section sees my friend and extremely talented writer Perry Blankson review the shortcomings of BHM, while Society discusses the work BLM Leeds is doing with LUU faith societies. The Views section absolutely smashed it this issue with pieces on misogynoir, ableism and QTIPOC representation in the media; they offer really worthwhile insights to these intersectional issues. Business discuss diversity schemes, Science discuss trailblazing African American scientists and Sport round up with a spotlight on some formidable Black sportspeople. As always, there’s some great content in our arts supplement In the Middle- catch this about midway through (unsuprisingly). Here, I inteviewed some good friends and good eggs, Cassio Dimande, Adam French and Jemima Edwards, about photography and tattoos respectively. You can (and should!) check out their work through the links on the relevant pages. I’d also like to give my thanks to the Associate team; big up Eleanor and Michael for the last-min help and laughs along the way. I hope this edition marks a new step towards creating a truly representative paper. With a recession creeping up on us and a government threatening our arts sector, it’s an important time to hold your independent print publications close; I hope you enjoy it!
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Safi Bugel Editor-in-Chief editor@thegryphon.co.uk
Sport
Calum Pinches, Dom Friel, Oliver Sanderson
Equality and Diversity Officers
Nisha Chandar-Nair, Ruby Fatimilehin
Stay up to date... Twitter @TheGryphonLeeds Facebook @TheGryphonNewspaper
Instagram @thegryphon
Website www.thegryphon.co.uk
Get involved! Email Safi via editor@thegryphon.co.uk or join ‘The Gryphon Members 2020/21’ on Facebook
Contents: 4-7 8-11 12 13-16 17-18 19-20 21-23
News Features Society Views Business Science Sport
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Student Exec columns: Izzy Walter Union Affairs
The Exec team are here to represent students and their interests. Here’s what they’ve been working on so far...
Laila Fletcher
Diversity
I’m really happy that BHM is in full swing! Though it has presented it’s challenges, the LibCos have been on fire and really taken the reigns! This year, we wanted to take actions that create change within our campus, such as kicking off ‘Black Business Matters: Diversifying Products at LUU’ a campaign for including more products that cater to our black students in all our outlets. Personally, I’ve been working on creating an art exhibition that showcases the talent we have within our students. I want to celebrate and represent the creativity of our black members. I’ve also been getting in touch with how I can support societies and their events during this time and trying to advertise as much as I can on our social media platforms. I’m really excited to kick off our ‘Black Business Matters’ Instagram takeover! Where we celebrate the diverse businesses within Leeds and beyond (If you’d like to take part, just tag: @leedsuniunion )! I’ll also be in the Black futures Matter x Careers Event on the 15th!
My priority over the last couple of weeks has been to find out how you’ve found the beginning of term. I ’ d really appreciate hearing your experiences, so that we can continue to consider how your Exec can support and represent you at such an ever changing and uncertain time. We’ve heard a variety of concerns, many surrounding online learning, study spaces and communication around teaching and campus activity. I spoke at Senate to voice a summary of these concerns and appeal to University leadership and staff to work together with you and with LUU to respond to students’ feedback. Now, more than ever, the Uni needs to prioritise earning your trust and regularly listening to your experiences. I’m also extremely excited to be launching a Sustainability Advisory Board with Lotti, a space for students who are passionate about environmental action to work together on making LUU more sustainable. It would be great to hear from you if you’re interested in applying, or have something to say. It’s been great seeing the amazing opportunities which our LibCos have organised across LUU to celebrate BHM. I’m keen to prioritise my own learning this month and reflect on my commitment to anti-racism, personally and in my work.
Sophia Hartley Welfare
Hello everyone! So, what exactly have the Exec been doing these last couple weeks? There is no doubt i t has been a turbulent start to the semester, and we have been working hard to advocate for wider student support with isolating and the transition to online teaching. In addition to this, Black History Month is here! While campus may seem quieter this year our Liberation Coordinators have been working hard to create a vibrant and exciting month online that you can learn from and participate in. As Welfare Officer, my focus for this Black History Month is breaking down our cultural barriers in our mental health services. As part of this, I have been meeting with our Wellbeing and Counselling team at the University to collaborate on an inclusion projects that will aim to widen our scope of resources in Leeds and signpost to a diverse selection of culturally competent services. The aim is for these services to be widely recognised in both our wellbeing centre and Academic Personal Tutoring sessions to allow for a holistic wellbeing approach to university life. I, Laila, and Carolina will be discussing about this in more detail on the Careers Centre’s Black Futures Matter panel on the 15th of October.
Franks Feng (Jian) International
Hello Everyone. I finally returned to Leeds on Monday. It feels great to be back and to work closer with t h e other exectuive officers. I can finally join society events (and Gryphon newspaper meeting as well!). I am pleased to announce that my international advisory board got 108 applicants and we shortlisted it to 30 students. I feel sad to hear that many international students couldn’t get a chance to meet people and stay in doors most of the time. This week I started to work more with the career centre and tried to get in touch with different faculties about organising a career festival. My main goal is providing more opportunities for home students to work abroad and encouraging international students to apply to work in UK. Currently, all student exectuive officers are getting in touch with student support survices; we will also have a meeting with the VC to report the issues faced by students. We will do our best to make improvements. This month is Black History Month, your ED officer Laila and societies have organised lots of themed events! Check it all out on our LUU website and join any events you want! We should all know more about the Black history, understanding their stories in order to build up a more inclusive community.
Lotti Morton
Community
H e y everyone! Things have been really busy, as always. We’ve been getting out and chatting to students and handing out free houseplants to brighten up your study space! This is part of our “Being a Student in 2020” campaign, as we know this year is unlike any other! We’re really keen to hear from you about how it’s going so please get in touch. I’ve also been recruiting and interviewing Community Reps now that applications have closed which is really exciting and I can’t wait to get started on some projects with them. I’ve also been planning with Izzy for new our Sustainability Advisory Board which is currently open for applications. I’ve been looking into how we can support students who are having to isolate within halls and private housing. I hope everyone is doing well in this strange time and as always, we’re here if you need us!
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Carolina HallRodriguez Education
It has been a busy few weeks here at LUU what with freshers and the start of term, but it has been lovely to see students around campus as it starts to get busier. Aside from the regular meetings where myself and the other officers advocate on behalf of students, the start of term has seen some challenging and exciting new things happening. We welcomed our new set of school reps and held our first Education Assembly of the academic year. This was a great opportunity for the reps to have some important questions answered by the Deputy VC: Student Education and the Dean of Digital Education, as well as a chance for them to discuss amongst themselves what they perceive to be the biggest challenges and opportunities that will be faced by our students this year. It’s really important for our reps to get to have these conversations and be in the loop with what’s going on in the central university, as one of the key ways they drive change is by bridging the gap between students and staff. I’m really proud of all our reps who have made a brilliant start in extraordinary circumstances and look forward to continuing to work with them over the year.
Lucy Murphy
Activities
Hiya! Hope all is well. It’s been a busy few weeks with the freshers period taking place. The work that has gone on across our clubs & societies has been phenomenal and I want to say a huge thank you to all those that have worked hard to get content ready and held virtual stalls for our freshers! I’ve got to give a huge shoutout to LSTV who have been fantastic in providing club & society content throughout the freshers period. Well done guys! Me and the Activities Exec had our first meeting the other day which was a huge success. They are such a lovely bunch and are doing an amazing job representing their categories! This month I will be showcasing some of our societies who are putting on amazing events as part of Black History Month on the Facebook Community Group. They all sound amazing and I can’t wait to hear how they go! Me and Sophia have also started planning a campaign for Movember (get your taches ready lads) which I’m super excited about. It will be an amazing month for our clubs & socs to get involved with and raise money for an amazing cause!
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Campus Watch
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Loughborough University Student suspended for racist Snapchat rant
Loughborough University has decided to suspend a student after he posted a racist Snapchat story. Although the original post had been deleted from social media, a screenshot was saved and shared on various social media platforms, causing great agitation. The student responsible captioned the image ‘without being racist’ and then started to complain about his flatmates. He accused them of being ‘stinky’ and railed that he was stuck in ‘ethnicity flat’, not able to see people from other rooms. The student then went on to claim that ‘the only good thing is my leftover curry from last night.’ When people found out about this situation, a storm of protest broke out. Finally, Loughborough University replied to the allegations on Twitter ‘Following offensive remarks of a racist nature made on social media, a student has been suspended from the University and a full investigation is underway. Those directly affected have received support or given offers of support’. The University claims that it would be transparent with the findings of the investigation. Barbara Jankowiak
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Newcastle University UoN becomes COVID hotspot, with over 1000 confirmed cases
As COVID rates rapidly increase across UK campuses, the University of Newcastle has become a top COVID hotspot. On the 9th of October, the BBC reported that 1003 students and 12 members of staff had tested positive, with 560 at neighbouring Northumbria University. Closeby in Durham, 219 cases have been confirmed at the time of writing. Amidst criticism that COVID marshalls were “bursting in” on students, Vice Chancellor Professor Chris Day stated that he wanted ‘reassurance that they are not lone wolves out there doing what they like, which is the impression that I am getting from some of our students.’ Newcastle University stated that an ‘overwhelming majority’ of cases were derived from social and residential settings. The University reinforced that it was ‘confident’ the outbreak was being managed effectively, though the University and Colleges Union (UCU) has accused Newcastle of ‘failing to take health and safety responsibilities sufficiently seriously.’ It added that the outbreak was ‘entirely predictable and preventable.’ Eleanor Noyce Newpaper Associate
University of Illinois
Extensive COVID-19 testing programme pays off
As the pandemic has forced many US universities to turn to online teaching, the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign has developed one of the most comprehensive plans by any university to control the virus. With 35,000 students welcomed to in-person, on-campus classes, the university is testing all students, faculty and staff at least once a week, using a quick and inexpensive saliva test created by in-house researchers. Proof of a negative test result is required to enter all campus buildings, and face masks are compulsory both outdoors and in. Following an initial spike, attributed to COVID positive students failing to self-isolate and a subsequent partial lockdown lifted on the 16th of September, daily positive results
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University of Bristol £1 million scholarship fund confirmed to aid Black students
The University of Bristol has confirmed a £1 million scholarship fund to support Black students. The University believed the programme would address a “lack of representation” in UK universities. The Bristol Black Scholarship Programme will support 130 black and mixed-black heritage students over four years. Hillary Gyebi-Ababio, Vice President of the National Union of Students, commented: ‘Financial concerns are one of the primary barriers to black people progressing into higher education.’ The programme is funded by donations from alumni, consisting of sponsorships for 80 undergraduate students and 8 MA Black Humanities students, as well as bursaries for 12 postgraduates and 16 PGCE students.
have not exceeded 0.7 per cent of tests, with most days reporting under 0.4 per cent. Carl T. Bergstrom, a Professor of Biology at the University of Washington and an infectious disease expert, believes this data demonstrates that the plan is working, and is ‘optimistic, if cautious’ about the University of Illinois’ COVID-19 measures. Illinois has certainly been more successful than the similar-sized universities of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Georgia, with the former sending students home after one week whilst the latter remains open despite thousands of infections. Bernat Tortajada
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University of Oxford Diversifying Oxford DPhil programmes
The University of Oxford is running a pilot scheme to anonymise admissions for several DPhil programmes. This will include removing names and gender pronouns from applications prior to being reviewed. The anonymisation efforts will be put in place to prevent discrimination of students from ethnic minority backgrounds. Applicants will fill in a standardised form rather than submitting their own CVs. This will make the application process fairer, and consistently presented across all kinds of students. Ella Jones News Editor
Kerisa Carlin News Editor
Images: Szu-Yu Chen
News
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Over 50 universities hit with COVID cases, with thousands of students affected support.’ With
other
universities
including
Aberdeen,
Nottingham, Glasgow, Sheffield, and many more having over one hundred cases, it seems that it has become a rising trend in universities across the UK. Lecturers have also spoken out in support of students being disadvantaged due to the current restrictions
being
placed
on
them.
Professor
Christina Pagel, a Professor at UCL, said: ‘I think we have to acknowledge that students need to be supported at university and it shouldn’t kind of be a blame game. If you stuck me in the house with seven strangers, I’m much more likely to get COVID than I am where I am now, and I think that has to be acknowledged.’
Next Steps Although this news may seem concerning, it is important to note that not all cases are ‘on campus’ and some have been from home-based learning students as well. Furthermore, with the number of overall cases in the UK at an all-time high, it is Image: Maariyah Fulat Image Credit: Ed Barnes
no wonder that cases amongst students have also
Simin Keshwani
restrictions in the region, the direction of the
Thousands of cases of Coronavirus are being
infection rate and the problems with test and trace,
reported by students across the UK, leaving many
it was clearly far too soon for a mass return to
uncertain about whether returning to university
campus.’
was the right thing to do in the current climate.
Thousands Forced to Self-Isolate
Students are distraught, as many claim they
127 students tested positive for COVID-19 at
were told that they would receive a blend of online
Manchester Metropolitan University, leading to
teaching along and face-to-face learning. However,
a forced lockdown of 1,700 students living in
everything seems to be moving online, causing
accommodation at Birely and Cambridge Halls.
“
students to question whether they should have
Many students have complained that the situation
rented accommodation and moved out in the first
has been handled unfairly. Megan Tingey, a first-
place.
year at the University, said: ‘We saw there was
“
127 tested positive for COVID-19 at Manchester Metropolitan University, leading to a forced lockdown of 1700 students living in accommodation at Birely and Cambridge Halls.
Lecturers Threaten Strikes
security on the gates telling people they couldn’t go in or out. I still haven’t received an email saying anything about being locked in. I think most of my flatmates have received an email, but it didn’t come before so we could prepare.’ Students have become increasingly concerned that local grocery stores will be unable to support all online deliveries and have been left worried about necessities like food. However, the Manchester City Council has commented that it would ensure that
“
“ increased.
We warned last month that, given the current
A Government representative has also spoken out about the distress that students are facing: ‘Universities are wellprepared for a local outbreak, and we have worked with them to draw up plans for measures in the event of positive cases on campus.’
A Government representative has also spoken
out about the distress that students are facing: ‘We recognise this has been a really challenging time for students, particularly for those having to selfisolate at the start of their university journey. We have asked universities to make sure those that are isolating have all the support they need. Universities
are
well-prepared
for
a
local
outbreak, and we have worked with them to help draw up plans for measures in the event of positive cases on campus, or a rise in cases locally.’
these students get ‘the support they need.’
A New Trend?
At Northumbria University, 770 students have
Northumbria and Manchester Metropolitan aren’t
tested positive for the virus, which is being considered
the only universities facing large numbers of COVID
the largest outbreak at the time of writing. The
positive cases. Recent reports demonstrate that the
University and College Union, representing the
University of Sheffield has confirmed nearly 479 new
lecturers, has released the following statement:
cases since the 28th of September. A spokesperson
‘We told Northumbria University they had a civic
for the University has said: ‘To make sure we are
duty to put the health of staff, students and the local
supporting students in the best way possible, we will
community first and we take no pleasure in now
contact all students who are self-isolating to check
seeing another preventable crisis play out.
on their welfare and offer practical and emotional
For ongoing updates on COVID-19 on campuses across the UK, visit The Gryphon online at thegryphon.co.uk.
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Coronavirus on campus: University of Leeds outbreak
Images: Safi Bugel
part of learning languages’ and these are impossible to communicate through a screen.
Colleges Union (UCU) and National Students Union (NUS) equally made clear it is are ‘not prepared to take chances with the health and safety of students, staff or local communities and neither should Government or vice chancellors.’
“ “ Tilly Scott, a Drama student, has found that her online sessions... are ‘very impersonal.’
Aside from the new online learning platforms which students have had to adjust to, many Leeds students are now having to isolate after having contracted the virus or having been contacted by Test and Trace. One first-year student said that the situation has made her ‘Freshers experience much more limited’, as well as ‘limiting the people you are able to hang out with.’ Another first-year student felt that whilst trying to make the most of the situation, the experience has definitely been restricted by the increasing difficultly in making friends outside of the flat the university allocated freshers. Professor Simone Buitendijk, the new Vice Chancellor at the University, said that students and staff should ‘come together’ and ‘all play a part in keeping each other safe.’ The Universities and
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With more than 38,000 students and 9,200 staff, the University is facing a major crisis, barely two weeks in. Public Health England published data which revealed that most of the cases are in the student areas of Hyde Park, Headingley, and Woodhouse. This has occurred after students were encouraged to return to University, promised a multitude of support to make up for the lack of a real Freshers experience. Leeds City Council Executive Member for Learning, Jonathan Pryor, said that the Government’s test and trace systems were ‘simply not good enough to cope with the return of students to University.’ The University of Leeds has been asked to give regular updates on the number of active COVID cases amongst students, though these numbers are unlikely to be accurate. Students in Leeds and across the country have complained that this is not what they paid for or what they were promised. Tilly Scott, a Drama student, has found that her online sessions for her practical subject are ‘very impersonal’, which has hindered her learning experience, as ‘drama is very personal.’ One language student also complained that video calls has made speaking languages more difficult as ‘gestures, facial expressions and movements are a big
“
Ana Hill Lopez-Menchero
Professor Simone Buitendijk, the new Vice Chancellor, said that students and staff should ‘come together’ and ‘all play a part in keeping each other safe.’
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New Caledonia rejects independence from French colonial rule once more Image of a pro-independence activist: The Guardian
Basia Jankowiak On the 4th October, New Caledonians faced the independence referendum in which they had the possibility to decide whether they would still prefer to be a part of France or be able to manage the country on their own. The results showed that the majority of citizens of this Pacific land hadn’t changed their minds since the last referendum in 2018. Almost 47% of citizens voted for independence, while 53.26% of New Caledonians still prefer to be a part of France. So why, after so many years, is New Caledonia still under French rule? The first time when Kanaks – the indigenous people of New Caledonia – had the possibility to become independent was in 1958. Voters were asked whether they approved of the adoption of a constitution for the French Fifth Republic. If New Caledonians voted against this, they would become independent as Guiana. Kanaks espoused France. Many experts claim that is was a result of a poor national identity among these people, who gained their civil laws after the Second World War and before that had lived in an indigenous reserve. The New Caledonians gained one more chance in 1998 when the Noumea Accord was signed. They became eligible to organise 3 more independence referendums between 2014 and 2022. New Caledonia was discovered by Europeans relatively late, in the 18th century. The French had an ambitious plan to create a “France of the
South” so they decided to send their free settlers and prisoners (at the turn of th1 19th and 20th centuries approximately 20,000 convicted people). Some of them decided to stay and started creating families. They mixed with indigenous people and New Caledonia became a home for the Caldoche people - progenies of Europeans, who were born on New Caledonia. Later in history, when the scientist discovered a vast nickel deposit, people from neighbouring countries came to New Caledonia for work. They stayed and, today, they are make up more than 20% of the population. Although currently different political views are spread all over the population, traditionally the ethnic groups are split when it comes to the independence of the country. Kanaks usually opt for independence and Caldoches are more likely to consider staying with France a good choice. Hence, Asian immigrants are thought to be able to change the result of the referendum as they are not a part of either group. As the situation is constantly changing, more than the ethnic background, what matters is the part of the country in which you live. In New Caledonia, there are three provinces: Loyalty Islands Province, North Province, and South Province. The two first provinces are dominated by supporters of independence, but the third one, where two thirds of the citizens live is dominated by Europeans –
proponents of France. What are the real connections between the sides? Both New Caledonia and France derive many advantages from the relations between them. New Caledonians are able to vote in European elections and they have a representative in the European Union. Although the country isn’t part of the EU, New Caledonians can call themselves “EU citizens”. The government receives money from the European Development Fund (50 million euros in the last few years) and from France (approximately 1,5 billion euros per year which are around 13% of their GDP). Even though France is giving its overseas territory a lot of money, they also get some profits. New Caledonia is placed on the Pacific Ocean and along with other overseas territories that France has there, is creating a huge sea space which is a strategic geopolitics point between the USA, China, and Japan. Besides that, as was previously mentioned, New Caledonia has 25% of the world’s nickel deposits and that’s beneficial for France. Although there are many disputes among New Caledonians, while the number of people who would like their country to become independent increases, they are still a minority of voters. The next independence referendum will take place in 2022 and, until this time, New Caledonia will still be a part of France.
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Features Continued from page 1.
So many of us don't even know what books to start reading to push the boundaries. The Free Black University is a space which is meant to encourage people to push the boundaries. It's not about, is my supervisor going like this? Am I going to pass this? I limited my voice in order to pass exams many, many, many times because that's what is necessary within traditional institutions. So, what happens when that necessity is taken away and people are truly engaging with knowledge? We create knowledge that is meant to take us into the future.
As of today, the Free Black University GoFundMe had reached £126,415. How does it feel to have received such overwhelming support? Do you think that the events of the past year have contributed to your fundraising success? It’s incredible. It’s the radical redistribution of wealth and it's just the start. It's a lot of money but in terms of creating an organisation, we need to get so much more, and we will get so much more. Of course, timing has a lot to do with it. There has been a lot going on this year with coronavirus, with George Floyd, with the Black Lives Matter movement. I think it has allowed people to recognise, who wouldn’t otherwise have recognised, that we're not going to change the world by doing very small, incremental things. There needs to be radical Black-led organisations to push us into what's next.
Are there any individuals or groups who have been critical of the Free Black University? Why do you think they have reacted this way? I think it's the lack of imagination and the lack of desiring more. I'm a young person, I'm of this new generation and I haven't become jaded by the institution in the way that a lot of people have become jaded. I think that people get scared. Sometimes we can become so accustomed to our own subjugation, to our own oppression that the idea of exploring liberation becomes terrifying. Too often we limit ourselves and we limit our imagination. We try and be safe within this Western world, but everything is crumbling
Image: BBC Newsbeat
around us. What are we building in place of that? We need to create our own things.
How do you feel about starting your PhD in epistemic justice at the University of Cambridge this October? Are you apprehensive about the challenges of studying at one of the most exclusive and elitist universities in the world? I was the only person to go to a Russell Group university from my high school. I went to a very underprivileged, underperforming high school. To be now going to Cambridge, recognising that, in terms of this Western system, any of us can do anything within it. We can master this system. But once we’ve mastered this Western system, how do we disrupt it? How do we tear it apart from its core? How do we make it crumble? My intention in going to Cambridge isn't to become part of the institution. It’s to be in the institution but not of the institution. I take my work as fugitive study. What can I gain from that institution that’s going to further the cause of Black liberation? They’re paying for me to study for three years! Think about the possibilities for Black liberation.
Could you tell me about your time at the University of Leeds? What were some of your biggest achievements and what lessons did you learn? I enjoyed my time at Leeds a lot. I started doing a lot of activism and decolonial work. One of the things that spurred me into doing that was the deep, deep lack that existed within my degree. I studied philosophy and politics, and in my entire philosophy degree, three years, three whole years, I did not once read somebody who wasn't White. I would find myself going to write my essays and I'd have to forget things that I knew to be true within my physical body, within the world, in order to pass that degree. It didn’t make any sense to me. It takes a level of cognitive dissonance; you have to separate yourself from the person who was going to write that exam. It's a fracturing of the Self. Mentally, it's incredibly, incredibly harmful. I couldn’t move within that discipline. I felt I needed to change it and that's what I want to do with the Free Black University.
How do you think universities have changed after the Why is My Curriculum White campaign? Do you think they have changed? They've changed in terms of rhetoric. They've changed how they speak. They’ve changed how they engage with issues of race. However, they're still colonial institutions. They have managed to institutionalise decoloniality and change what decoloniality means to diversity work and diversity work doesn't change anything apart from making us part of the system we’re trying to disrupt. Yeah, they’ve changed. They’re able to have a more of a conversation across the higher education sector. It’s not a conversation they were having at all 10 years ago. But that change that needs to happen? We haven’t even touched the tip of the iceberg.
What is the most important thing that universities can be doing to dismantle institutional racism and create a safe learning environment for Black students? Funding projects like the Free Black University. We believe that each university across the UK should give us a yearly 50K donation, which is less than two undergraduate degrees, to support Black students in radical ways. Universities need to recognise the direct mental health support that will be given to Black students across the country but also the fact that the content of Black student’s degrees can literally cause that mental distress. It can be so harmful not seeing yourself, not seeing your people, not seeing what resonates with your soul in your degree course. That’s why it’s so important to create resources for students which universities currently can’t produce because there's such a lack of Black staff members and a lack of knowledge within that space. We're collectively bringing together Black people across the country and across the world to start producing radical knowledge. So supporting and Free Black University financially is definitely key. Melz is holding an event called Radical Possibilities of Change at the Union as part of Black History Month. The event will take place on the 21st of October and will be held over Zoom. Sign up through the LUU website.
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The struggle of teaching Black history in British schools
Image: BBC / Getty
A lack of Black history in our schools’ curriculum means that many important contributions and events in our society’s past are being overlooked. Following the impact that the Black Live Matter movement has had when it comes to considering racism in the UK, what needs to change? Yasmine Moro Virion In the wake of Black Lives Matter rallies across the country, the government is facing increasing pressure to include Black history in primary and secondary school education. This proposal has been brought forward by The Black Curriculum, an organisation created in 2019 by Lavinya Stennett, to bring attention to the issue of Black British History not being taught in UK schools. Their mission states that “[they] are working towards changing the national curriculum and building a sense of identity in every young person in the UK.” This initiative took an important step towards the inclusion of Black history in the National Curriculum thanks to their open letter sent to the Secretary for the Department for Education, Gavin Williamson, back in June. The letter appealed to the political figure to include the teaching of Black history in classrooms. The organisation explained that it would facilitate the process thanks to their wide range of programmes aimed at young people and “tailored CPD [Continuing Professional Development] training for teachers and leaders”. Through its website, The Black Curriculum shows the impact of their mission with their workshops consisting of activities related to Black history. The groups of students who participated expressed appreciation for the subject and “91% of 15 year olds feel like they have a better understanding of society
and would like to learn more”. There are also other initiatives that are trying to expand the knowledge about Black history and portrays its importance. For example, to raise awareness about the Transatlantic Slave Trade, a project called The World Reimagined planned to expose globe sculptures across the UK in the summer of 2022. The pieces of art will be erected in public spaces and they will be created by popular artists as well as local schools. Once the public display period finishes, the organisation will auction several of these sculptures and donate the money to groups helping to diminish racial injustices. The discussion around Black history being taught in schools has come under new scrutiny as October is recognised worldwide as Black History Month and also due to recent rallies against police brutality. These were sparked after American citizens George Floyd and Breonna Taylor (just to name a few) were killed by white police officers. Police wanted to arrest George Floyd after an employee reported to the authorities that he gave a counterfeit $20 bill at a local shop. Officers then attempted to put Floyd in their patrol car but struggled. After keeping him pinned to the ground whith a knee in his neck for almost eight minutes, while Floyd repeated the infamous phrase “I can’t breathe”, Floyd was pronounced dead. Derek Chauvin, the police officer who kept him on the ground, was arrested on the charge of murder, but has since been released on a $1million bail bond.
Breonna Taylor was killed when authorities entered her house for a drugs investigation thanks to a noknock search warrant, which allows officers to go into a property without permission. Taylor’s partner, Kenneth Walker, feared it was a burglary and, using a legal firearm, shot one of the officers. The police and Mr Walker exchanged shots and Ms Taylor was killed in her home. Both killings have sparked a global movement of anti-racism protests which continued all summer. Many of the UK protests have been organised by the All Black Lives UK organisation. The platform states that “We believe in a world where everyone belongs.” Individuals protesting for racial justice have also been kneeling on one knee as a sign of protest against racism. This emblematic body language attracted attention from the American football player Colin Kaepernick who started ‘taking a knee’ in 2016 when NFL athletes were required to stand up. The earliest recognition of this gesture goes all the way back to the era of Martin Luther King, during the Civil Rights March when he knelt for prayer. Prominent politicians from across the political spectrum have voiced their support for the message that Black Lives Matter, but as always, actions speak far louder than words. The time for discussion has passed; what is now needed, inside schools and throughtout the rest of society, is real, concrete change.
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Image: PA
Image of David Oluwale: Leeds Inspired
Rethinking Black History Month Perry Blankson calls for a new interpretation of Black History Month, one that acknowledges the ongoing presence of racism this side of the Atlantic. In early June, the statue of local philanthropist and slave trade profiteer Edward Colston was toppled from its plinth and rolled into the nearby Bristol Harbour. It was a small justice that his statue would share the fate of many of his victims who lie nameless and forgotten at the bottom of the Atlantic, choosing death over a life of bondage in a foreign land. The removal of the statue occurred in the wake of the reinvigorated Black Lives Matter movement following the murder of George Floyd in May and catalysed the toppling of controversial statues worldwide. One would be forgiven for thinking the removal of the monument to a human trafficker would be welcomed by a nation that proudly espouses its commitment to freedom. Still, the response of the British political elite was the opposite. Commenting on Colston’s removal, Home Secretary Priti Patel claimed that “it speaks to the acts of public disorder that have become a distraction from the cause people are protesting about.” Far from a distraction, the uproar from the political establishment and sections of the British public has once again demonstrated that Britain has been either unable or unwilling to reconcile the dark, brutal history of the British Empire and post-colonial Britain with modern race relations. The modern celebration of Black History Month has treated the problems of racism and race relations as issues experienced either across the Atlantic or
in the distant past, rather than an ongoing struggle that has a long and storied history in Britain. Further, its relegation to a single month contributes to the bifurcation of ‘Black history’ and ‘British history’, when the two are inextricably linked. It is for these reasons that I believe we must critically reexamine the modern implementation of Black History Month to integrate what we perceive to be ‘Black’ and ‘British’ history. To achieve this, it is necessary to fully decolonise the curriculum from primary learning through to higher education, and re-centre the mid-twentieth century narrative of race relations from America back to Britain. However, before we can fully understand what is meant by decolonisation and how it relates to Black History Month, we must first explore how the latter came to be in Britain, and how we celebrate it today. Black History Month began in Britain in 1987 through coordination between Ghanaian-born Akyaaba Addai-Sebo and the Greater London Council. Addai-Sebo was stricken by what he termed an ‘identity crisis’ that black children faced in the 1980s, conflicted between their British and Afro-Caribbean nationalities. Black History Month was intended to be “an annual celebration of the contributions of Africa, Africans and people of African descent to world civilization from antiquity.” Yet, its celebration today leaves much to be desired. From primary through to secondary education my own experience of Black History Month, as well as that of my peers, was of Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks
and the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1956. Ignored were the names of Roy Hackett, Owen Henry, Audley Evans and Prince Brown, and their organisation of the Bristol Bus Boycott in 1963. I knew all too well of the lynching of Emmett Till, the brutalisation of Rodney King and the landmark Brown v. Board case. At the same time, I was blissfully unaware of the murders of Stephen Lawrence and David Oluwale, as well as the trial of the Mangrove Nine. It was not until many years later that I was able to educate myself, not only on these individuals but on the broader historical context in which they live and the material conditions that informed their socioeconomic positions in society.
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Perry Blankson
Decolonisation is a somewhat nebulous concept, and recent calls to decolonise the curriculum have been met with opposition from those who are not fully aware of the meaning behind the term.
As a child who had experienced first-hand the racial injustices and prejudice endured by minorities in Britain, I found it bizarre that when we finally did explore black history in a British context, the focus was often on figures from what seemed to me to be ancient history compared to the American civil rights movement. The hagiographies of Mary Seacole and
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race relations in Britain. In the eyes of the government, my proposal would be at odds with their recent advice to English schools, instructing them against teaching “victim narratives” and “unsubstantiated accusations against state institutions” that “are harmful to British society.”
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Olaudah Equiano were de rigueur whenever October came around, to such an extent that I had memorised the annual assemblies detailing their lives and achievements. Our only departure from the distant past was to celebrate the arrival of the Windrush - a story of harmonious integration soundtracked by the jovial calypso of Aldwyn Roberts’ (stage name Lord Kitchener) London is the Place for Me. To me, these token Black individuals, despite their exceptional accomplishments, signalled that racism and prejudice were problems that had been long overcome by a ‘tolerant’ Britain. So how can the decolonisation of the curriculum address these issues? What exactly is decolonisation? Decolonisation is a somewhat nebulous concept, and recent calls to decolonise the curriculum have been met with opposition from those who are not fully aware of the meaning behind the term. A recent paper by Mia Liyange, Masters student at the University of Oxford, asserted that “decolonisation entails a fundamental re-evaluation of the existing forms of teaching, learning and pastoral support in higher education. It is about acknowledging how our institutions reproduce unequal social structures – so it is a larger project than simply the diversification of courses, for example.” The removal of Colston’s statue briefly pierced the colonial veil obscuring Britain’s troubled past, forcing the public to confront the hard truth about the brutality of the Empire and its relationship to the present day. The decolonisation of the curriculum attempts to replicate this nationwide reconciliation within the education system by demonstrating the institutional and systemic inequalities that have been upheld by the state in every facet of society. In this way, a fully decolonised curriculum is the logical successor to Black History Month, which has become a cultural stopgap in addressing the turbulent past of
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Acknowledgement of the dark history of the British Empire and post-colonial Britain is a prerequisite to healing the deep racial scars present within our present society.
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To the government and other critics, I would argue that decolonisation is not about perpetuating socalled victim narratives or assigning blame. Rather than contributing to “our cringing embarrassment about our history” and “self-recrimination and wetness,” in the words of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, decolonisation ultimately achieves the reverse. Acknowledgement of the dark history of the British Empire and post-colonial Britain is a prerequisite to healing the deep racial scars present within our present society. The recent social unrest highlighting the racial inequalities in present-day Britain has demonstrated that for all its celebration of tolerance and diversity, Britain is a nation fraught with inequality and racial discrimination. While Black History Month began with a positive motive, it is evident we need fundamental systemic change in order to reach what the original celebration set out to achieve. Image: GetReading.co.uk
Image: CNN / Reuters
A statue commemorating Edward Colston, a merchant involved in the slave trade, was toppled and thrown in the river by protesters in Bristol. The statue was erected in 1895 to celebrate Colston’s philantorpy, 174 years after his death in 1721.
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Faith societies join forces with BLM Leeds founder
Image: Maariyah Fulat Martha Sanders You may know Marvina Newton as the founder of Black Lives Matter Leeds. She has been a prominent figure in the city’s protests this year. She was present at the Millennium Square protest and she coordinated the rally in Hyde Park. Marvina, who has been working tirelessly to promote anti-racism, told The Gryphon: “We really want to get students involved with Black Lives Matter this year. “We are trying to get a lot of allies together, all of whom are anti-racist”. Anti-racism is the message at the forefront of Marvina’s aims. She sees it as essential in maintaining the momentum created after George Floyd’s murder created global outrage and mass protests this summer. “It’s not something you can tap out of because we don’t get to tap out of Blackness.” Marvina is keen to engage with the university societies and enable them to promote anti-racist work. Not only is she an activist, she is also a Christian and she believes that her faith is an important part of her work, leading her to team up with Leeds University Faith societies this month to explore the role of Black History within religion. “We can’t say Christianity is innocent. In the process of slavery, a lot of people used ‘for Queen and
country and God’ as an excuse during the scramble for Africa. That is why we’re trying to create a restorative healing circle, around being able to acknowledge faith or religious establishments’ impacts upon racism.” This month, LUU faith societies will be holding a range of events to celebrate the Black experience within religious groups. They plan to hold workshops on anti-racism and will be inviting guest speakers to talk about their experiences of religion and race. Marvina’s aims are to highlight lived experiences in order to start conversations to see how faith can be used to pioneer anti-racism work. Although she is a Christian, Marvina is eager to explore Black history within as many religions as possible. “I know that there are Black Jewish people who are going through a lot in Israel at the moment. I know there are Muslims who have a lot of Black history around Bilal who was a prominent Black figure who did the call to prayer for Prophet Mohammed. And people don’t talk about that.” She also draws attention to the importance of African spirituality and the ways it interweaves with many of the global, majority religions. Two years ago, Marvina was invited to an event run by the Islamic Society at the University where she was enlightened to the many Black figures within Islamic history. It is this education that she in turn wants
to bring to societies this year through the events. Furthermore, she points to the need for inclusivity within places of worship and making sure that there is no segregation in the way people experience faith. Although she is clearly very knowledgeable on the subject, Marvina makes it clear that she is still learning and that there is no end point or completion date for this kind of work. Instead, it is continuous and ongoing. “I’m educating myself. In Black Lives Matter Leeds the three words we use are educate, unite and heal. And I hope through the [interfaith events] that this is an angle we will be looking at. How do we educate ourselves on various religions?” “Everybody needs to [educate themselves]. We’re all privileged but we must take that privilege and turn it into power. Your power is your voice and being silent is consent. If you believe in god or higher powers you have a responsibility to see injustice and call it out. We need to use our faith as a tool to inspire change and to do that you need to educate yourself. But we don’t want you to try and become a saviour. That’s something that’s very, very crucial.” The events will take place across Black History Month. For more information, follow @LUUInterfaith on Facebook and @luu_faithrep on Instagram.
In conversation with: Black Feminist Society Safi Bugel spoke to Abigail Busenze from Black Fem Soc
You’ve just started a book club, can you tell me a bit more
What’s something everyone should be reading at the
to find out about the society’s aims and ongoing projects.
about that?
moment?
The book club idea started from Melody and I decided to
I think everyone should read The Blacker The Berry by
What does Black Fem Soc aim to do?
carry it on; we had one session where we read extracts from
Wallace Thurman.
We aim to create a supportive space to embrace the beauty
different books and discussed it together. I give free PDF
and brilliance of Black womxn and non-binary people,
books out on the 1st of every month and host a Zoom call on
especially students.
the last Saturday of every month at 3pm. I create prompts we focus on Black authors, it is not specific to race in terms
students?
of the theme of the books, but so far those are the only PDFs
It is important for Black people to have a community where
I have at the moment. I choose two books from my collection
they can find solidarity, share their lived experience and feel
or, if someone has suggested a book that I have as a PDF, I
support from one another. Especially at university where it
make polls on social media before revealing the book on the
is kind of a visceral thing to meet people, it’s good to come
1st, asking for emails to distribute them to. Each Zoom call is
to place finding certainty that, at Black Fem Soc, there are
limited to 8 people; it is open to all but the Black community
people who share the same experience.
is prioritised. Also, you don’t have to finish the book to join!
Image: mkartoon
for people to follow; it is meant to expand our mind. While Why is it so important to create a safe space for Black
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Misogynoir: One of the barriers which silences Black women in the public sphere
Image: Indy100.com
Farida Augustine
to read that the Labour MP and former Shadow Women’s
of their own party. Upon her appointment to the shadow
The abuse and hate hurled at Black and dark-skinned women
and Equalities Minister Dawn Butler was forced to close her
cabinet, senior staff jokingly dismissed Dawn Butler’s
who dare to take a seat at the table and speak truth to power
constituency office. This was after threats against her and
serious allegations of racism as “untrue”. Similarly, the
is tragically nothing new in politics. However, in the age of
her staff “drastically escalated”. Following her defence of
leaked document revealed how a senior staff member used
social media, twitter trolls and memes, this abuse plays out
Black Lives Matter protests and after speaking about the
“a classic racist trope” to insult Diane Abbott; the first Black
brutally in our digital spaces and manifests itself in the “real
impact of COVID-19 on ethnic minorities. Not only was
woman to be elected to parliament and longest-serving
world”. This form of misogyny has become so acute, that
this an attack on Dawn Butler, but an attack on democracy
black MP. Despite her popularity within her constituency,
in 2008 the term misogynoir was coined by the academic
itself. In an open letter to her constituency, Butler frankly
retaining her seat for over 30 years, a 2017 report revealed
Moya Bailey to give Black women the vocabulary to talk
stated that the windows of her office had been smashed
that Abbot receives more online abuse than any other MP.
about their experiences. As researcher Lisa Amanda Palmer
through by bricks and that she continues to “receive on an
highlights, the term describes the gendered and sexualised
almost daily basis, threats of violence and death threats”.
Perhaps,
what
these
woman painfully show
blatant
attacks
on
a
Black
is just how commonplace the
“
form of racism faced by Black women in popular culture
Though, she went on to add defiantly that “I will never
dehumanisation of Black women has become. These attacks
and the current political landscape. However, misogynoir
be threatened into silence and will continue to speak out
usually rely upon racist and sexist tropes that portray Black
rears its head in all aspects of Black women’s lives, having
and speak up for all of my constituents in Brent Central”.
women as angry, undesirable, animalistic and ultimately
devastatingly tangible and violent consequences.
“
One extreme example of this was an incident that took place at end of August. A right-wing French magazine
published a cartoon depicting Black member of parliament and outspoken afro-feminist activist Danièle Obono as a
slave in chains. This image was accompanied by an equally racist fictional narrative where she finds herself put up
Perhaps, what these blatant attacks on a black woman painfuly show is just how commonplace the dehumanisation of black women has become.
undeserving of their humanity or your empathy. Despite attempts to silence these phenomenal women, they still continue to fight and stand up for what they believe in. They refuse to be invisible and refuse to be silent. In the words of Dianne Abbott, “the abuse and the attacks have never made me falter”. Yet the heavy burden of misogynoir should not be left upon the shoulders of Black women to
for auction in the 18th century. After seeing the images,
The labour antisemitism report leaked in April also painted
carry alone. We must struggle, collectively to rid it from our
I was left dumbfounded, asking myself how a magazine,
a dark and depressing image of the endemic nature of anti-
body politic. While I don’t have all the answers, what I do
which the French president once described as “very good”
Black racism and misogynoir within the Labour party and
know is that we have to go beyond ‘diversity and inclusion’
could publish an image of a Black member of parliament,
politics more generally. For years, I saw Labour as leading
or unconscious bias training to achieve this. This can be
a human being, as a slave? Worst still, Obono is frequently
the fight against racism within mainstream politics, but no
summed up by author Lucy Ko’s tweet: “The revolution
met with an avalanche of abuse from her fellow politicians
longer feel that way today. Racism and misogyny are not
will not be diversity and inclusion trainings”. The presence
and members of the public alike for simply doing her job.
just confined to the ultra-right or the depths of twitter troll
of Black women and other marginalised communities in
This is by no means a problem unique to the French.
land but are present on all sides of the political spectrum.
parliament is vital to keeping our democracy alive and we
Misogynoir is rampant and deep-rooted within the UK
The dossier confirmed that, unearthing the vile treatment
must remove the barriers that stop them from getting there.
political landscape too. This summer alone, I was distressed
and bullying that Black women were subject to by members
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Death of Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman sparks conversation about ableism
Image: NBC
Ruby Fatimilehin actor] was something I could never be because no one
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found
The unexpected and tragic death of Black Panther star
wants to see a Black girl with a disability on a movie
that half of the 222 White medical students surveyed
Chadwick Boseman took the world by surprise. The actor
screen.” Lee works as the Hollywood inclusion associate
endorsed at least one false belief about the physiological
was just 43 when he passed away from colon cancer on
for RespectAbility and said that when working with actors,
differences between White and Black people including that
August 28th. As King T’Challa, Boseman was an inspiration
“a lot of them confide in me that they have a nonvisible
Black people have less sensitive nerve endings than White
to Black children across the globe who were able to see
disability, but they are told not to talk about it and that if
people. The students insisted that Black people felt less
themselves reflected on screen. The public was shocked
you can pass, you should go with it.”
pain which made the providers less likely to recommend
“
at the revelation that Boseman had been battling cancer
These experiences reflect the broader picture for disabled
appropriate treatment. When Black people do express
actors in Hollywood. According to a 2012 Census Bureau
their pain, they are portrayed as being hysterical and as
The sudden loss of Boseman generated conversations
report nearly 20% of the U.S. population have a disability.
overreacting. Many reports of Boseman’s death praise the
about the film industry’s ableism and mistreatment of
Yet, the USC Annenberg School for Communication and
actor for continuing to work despite his diagnosis.
disabled people. We will never truly know why Boseman
Journalism found that in 900 films released in theatres
decided to conceal his diagnosis but, in doing so, he was
between 2007 and 2016, a total of 2.7% of characters with
able to avoid much of the ableism which depicts disabled
speaking parts had a disability. This underrepresentation
people as pitiable, tragic but brave, and not capable of
is also seen in actors. In 21 prominent series, two actors
participating in everyday life.
out of the 17 playing characters with disabilities had a
whilst acting for his ground-breaking role.
In America, cancer is classed as a disability by the
real-life disability.
federal government, yet many have fought the description
When examining the intersections of race and disability,
of Boseman as disabled. The Black Disability Collective
the picture becomes even more complex. Black men
tweeted, “So many of y’all hate disabled people so much
are often portrayed as hypermasculine and are denied
that you’re deeply uncomfortable with Chadwick Boseman
expressions of pain and weakness due to a combination of
being referred to as disabled and his experiences being
racism and toxic masculinity. This trope originated during
discussed through a disability lens. Cancer is a disability.
slavery when Black people would receive value based on
Unpack your discomfort with this.”
the amount of physical labour they could provide. Three
“
Black men are often... denied expressions of pain and weakness due to a combination of racism and toxic masculinity.
These problematic portrayals raise Boseman to a
martyr-like status and treat him as ‘inspiration porn.’ This negatively impacts Black disabled people who are expected to suffer through their pain and continuing
Boseman may have also chosen to conceal his diagnosis
months before Boseman’s death, he uploaded a video to
to safeguard his job prospects and preserve his acting
Instagram in which he looked much thinner than usual.
career. Tatiana A. Lee, a Black actor who has spina bifida
Some people voiced their concern, but many criticised his
on seeing themselves reflected in superhero form due
said, “I honestly believe if Chadwick Boseman was open
appearance, making fun of his weight loss and questioning
to Boseman’s concealment of his disability but when
about having cancer, they wouldn’t have allowed him to
his strength and masculinity.
we live in a society that treats Black disabled people so
do Black Panther.” Lee said that as a Black person who
The belief that Black people are genetically stronger
uses a wheelchair, “people would tell me that [being an
has severe implications. A 2016 survey published in The
working even when it becomes debilitating to do so. It is a tragedy that Black disabled kids missed out
abhorrently, who can blame Boseman for his decision?
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Caucasity Just before the Black Lives Matter protests that erupted in the wake of losing countless Black lives to police brutality, I came across the term ‘caucasity’, and it has not left my mind since. The term is subjective and varies in meaning within the Black community but in short, caucasity is the audacity of white people. For example, caucasity describes white people’s willingness and borderline eagerness to take bold risks that only they would feel safe doing. This is mostly because, whether they choose to accept it or not, the society white people operate in is systemically racist and therefore benefits and protects their actions, needs, and interests. Examples of caucasity include but are not limited to: microaggressions of any form; cultural appropriation; racist jokes and the denial of privilege. Why does this matter? Since the start of the Black Lives Matter protests, many white people have claimed that they will use their white privilege to fight inequality within society. Nonetheless, they continue to engage in moments of caucasity. For example, a white person may become aware of the injustice around them but until these injustices directly impact them or they stand to gain something from acting, they will continue their usual tendencies and behaviors. Another ironic example of caucasity is when a white person may recognise another white person to be a Karen but not realise that they are also a Karen. Karen is a stereotypical name for a rude, obnoxious, insufferable, and often racist, middle-
aged white woman. Karens have a sense of entitlement and authority due to their whiteness which can result in them calling the authorities then positioning themselves as the victim. Karens’ deep-rooted and often subconscious disdain for Black people and ethnic minorities is a key example of caucasity. Karens often believe that their needs are more important than those of minorities and overstep in majority Black and ethnic spaces. Why? Because a systemically racist society tells them they can. For Black History month, it is important to expose the issue of caucasity. Understanding it will help the offenders who want to, or claim to want to, help with the Black Lives Matter movement and racial inequality. Caucasity is a form of microaggression used to oppress. It aims to belittle non-white people and keep them feeling inferior in a broken society that operates to keep ethnic minorities socially, economically, and politically disadvantaged.
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housemate to allow his boyfriend, who had tested positive for COVID-19, to stay in our house. When I informed the landlord and the police, which he wouldn’t have hesitated to do if the roles were reversed, my white housemate couldn’t believe the actions I had taken. Frankly, I couldn’t believe his audacity to think that I should put myself at risk for his gratification. Now, this is caucasity. These tactical and strategic microaggressions no longer work on me but unfortunately, it is routine for Black people to have to put themselves second or be apologetic when they have done nothing wrong. When trying to rid yourself of caucasity, think about the systems in society that allow you an elevated amount of audacity. What can you do to dismantle it? First, accept your privilege and that you benefit from societal structures and systems. Second, stop and listen when a person of colour tells you to get off your high horse. Third, place yourself in other people’s shoes. Would you take this nonsense if the roles were reversed? The most important thing is to stop believing that your views are above others who disagree with you, especially people who don’t fit within the white, heteronormative, able-bodied, patriarchal structures within our society. Don’t feel you have a right to speak on issues, experiences and lives you know nothing about, especially from people who know firsthand and disagree with you. Realise that you’re not always right. Next time you feel your caucasity ready to explode, stop, take a step back and assess the situation because your caucasity reeks.
“
Regina Osei-Bonsu
Caucasity describes white people’s willigness and borderline eagerness to take bold risks that only they would feel safe.
White people have used their caucasity to gaslight me. For example, I have been pressured to apologise in situations where my actions and feelings were valid but did not benefit the other person so they used their caucasity to ignore them. Another example is when my white housemate attempted to pressure myself and my other
How significant is the appointment of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court? Kerry Pearson The death of Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is significant in more ways than one. Ginsburg, who was a pioneering champion for women’s rights, famously known for saying that there would be enough women on the nine-seat Supreme Court “when there are nine”, was extremely popular with many Americans. However, her liberal, feminist nature will seemingly be juxtaposed by the appointment of Judge Amy Coney Barrett. Although Trump said on September 21 st that he was considering five candidates, he really only met one– Miss Barrett, who he called a woman of “unparalleled achievement, towering in intellect”. Miss Barrett has some big shoes to fill; she said herself that Ginsburg not only broke glass ceilings, but that she “smashed them”. The appointment of Ginsburg will shift the bench considerably to the right, giving conservatives six of the nine seats. What will prove controversial and difficult for Miss Barrett is her devout Catholicism. Barrett has ties to People of Praise, a dubious organisation, labelled a ‘far-right cult’ by some, which teaches, for example, that husbands have authority over their wives. This is, understandably, a cause for concern for several
democratic senators, who worry that her religion will not mix well with the law. Reassuringly though, prior to Barrett’s appointment, she said that Catholics and other religious lawyers must not align the legal system with the Church’s ‘moral system’, but went on to say that in their private lives they must conform to the Church’s teachings. Abortion rights have been a central issue in American politics, for both democrats and republicans, for decades. The court has already seen a chipping away of abortion rights in recent years, with late-term abortion being banned and several clinics closed. Miss Barret’s stance is that abortion, in her own words, is “always immoral”; but in 2017, she repeatedly said that as a circuit-court judge she would uphold all Supreme Court precedent, including Roe v. Wade 1973, which makes abortion a constitutional right. But appointment to the Supreme Court will give her more power, and the Supreme Court may soon have a majority to erase Roe from the constitution and push abortion rights back to individual states. Barrett’s commitment to ‘pro-life’, however, stops at abortion. Barrett is in favour of the Second Amendment, which gives American citizens the right to keep and bear arms. Barrett’s appointment may
put the progress (background checks and red flag states) that has been made at risk. In 2019, Barrett wrote that Americans had a “natural right of selfdefence” and opposed the rule that allowed states to ban convicted felons from owning guns, a law that would undoubtedly make America a safer place. Over 145,000 Americans have been killed by guns during Trump’s time in office, and Barrett’s opposition of gun safety laws will mean that even more Americans could die – making one wonder, how ‘pro-life’ is she? In terms of immigration, Barrett’s views align with Donald Trump’s. Miss Barrett was in favour of the president’s hardline policy in Illinois that denied the legal permanent residency to certain immigrants who were deemed likely to require government assistance in the future. The Supreme Court is becoming increasingly conservative and it is certainly no coincidence. Trump’s move to appoint Barrett before the election on November 3rd is strategic; this will significantly alter the ideological makeup of the court. Judge Barrett is the stark opposite to the feminist icon that was Ginsburg, showing just another example of why the election in three weeks’ time will be one of the most important yet.
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Nicola Adams: Advancing queer visibility, one dance step at a time Elena Sotelo
On the 24th of October, Leeds’ own Nicola Adams will, once again, make LGBTQ+ history by becoming the first Strictly Come Dancing celebrity contestant to compete with a same-sex dance partner. There is unspeakable bravery in challenging the status quo, and that is just what Nicola Adams has been doing during
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It seems bizarre that a show as campy, theatrical and over-the-top as Strictly has trouble accepting LGBT folks on the dancefloor.
her career as a professional athlete. Back in 2012, Adams became the first woman to ever win a boxing Olympic title, which she successfully defended in the Rio 2016 Olympics. Nicola Adams has become one of the most recognisable LGBTQ+ icons in the United Kingdom, after becoming the first openly gay athlete to win an Olympic boxing
Image: Richard Gillin
gold medal. Since it aired in 2004, the popular BBC One show has had a complicated relationship with queerness and the inclusion of samesex dance couples in its airtime. It seems bizarre that a show as campy, theatrical and over-the-top as Strictly has trouble accepting LGBTQ+ folks on the dancefloor; especially as two of its judges identify themselves as part of the LGBTQ+ community. However, the problem with making queerness visible on the show goes well beyond the influence of the judges and falls exclusively to the BBC directive, who rejected gay contestant Dr Ranj Singh’s request to be paired with a male dancer in 2019. The only time a same-sex dancing couple has been featured on the show, 200 complaints were received by the BBC. When professional dancers Graziano Di Prima and Johannes Radebe took to the main stage for their routine, the show had an average audience of 7.9 million viewers. In comparison to Strictly Come Dancing’s
audience, the 200 viewers who found the performance “offensive” enough to ring the BBC are an insignificant minority. However, it speaks volumes about how a sector of British society perceives the normalisation of otherness in the mainstream media as harmful. For some people, deviating the “norm” and tradition is something shameful that should be kept behind closed doors, away from the public eye. There is still a lot to change in our society to make it fair, safe and egalitarian. Although some might see representation in the mainstream media as meaningless, it really does matter. It can guide and help people, as well as promote acceptance and diversity. Steps forward in inclusivity such as the one being taken by Nicola Adams should be championed as a brave, proud and unapologetic celebration of the individual freedom to publicly be whoever you want to be; as well as an important milestone for the POC LGBTQ+ community.
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Diversity schemes: Beneficial or not? Image: Bentley University
As global movements against racial, gender and sexual discrimination took off, employers started introducing a variety of inclusive projects. Georgina Peacock explores the debate surrounding diversity schemes. Georgina Peacock A study by Debut Careers in 2019 showed that Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) students submitted 45% more applications before securing a job postgraduation than their white peers. This could be as a result of perceived ethnicity barriers or simply being unsuccessful. Moreover, a review by the Equality and Human Rights Commission discovered that Black graduates earn on average 23.1% less than white graduates. In acknowledging these differences within the past few years, companies have started to offer schemes exclusive to BAME students, as well as addressing other gaps with regards to diversity. In acknowledging these differences within the past few years, companies have started to offer schemes exclusive to BAME students, as well as addressing other gaps with regards to diversity. The purpose of a diversity scheme is to bring equity through training and development opportunities and to give individuals experience which they may be lacking in comparison to their peers. Some internships even allow a student to be fast tracked to the final stage of a graduate-programme application. BAME workers are significantly underrepresented in, for example, the construction industry and employers aren’t going to great lengths to change
that. If diversity needs to be improved, shouldn’t these schemes be implemented across sectors which have a prevalent diversity gap? Additionally, these schemes may increase diversity at graduate level, but this doesn’t necessarily transfer to senior management positions, suggesting more needs to be done in recruitment and development itself. From a company perspective, having a diverse workforce brings commercial benefits. Studies consistently show that a diverse workforce performs better. With a diverse number of groups being represented, additional ideas can be shared and challenged. Ethically, many companies also acknowledge that investing in a diverse workforcwe is simply the right thing to do. However, it can be argued that these schemes are just for show, especially given recent events with the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement where there has been frustration surrounding large companies using the movement as a marketing ploy. Another perspective comes from students themselves. Firstly, BAME students expressing frustration at the idea of being singled out, considering these schemes as ‘positive discrimination’. The assumption that individuals are not skilled enough to be offered a role through the ‘mainstream’ process also exists. If companies treated employees equally by eliminating bias, perhaps there would be
no need for diversity schemes. Secondly, students who don’t sit in this category feel hindered by not having access to these opportunities. “I can’t get a job because I’m white” is a statement that we hear more often now amongst students / graduates. These feelings come as diversity and inclusion becomes more of a focus for companies and perhaps the true meaning is gradually lost. Despite frustrations, diversity schemes show companies acknowledging and holding themselves accountable to diversity and inclusion, which can be seen as a positive step forward. The question, however, still remains: do these schemes make a real difference with promoting diversity?
Some schemes exclusively for students who meet BAME criteria amongst others: Civil Service Summer Diversity Internship Tesco’s Business Diversity Internship Sky Diversity Programmes Inclusive Graduates, who partner with businesses to run insight days
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Virgil Abloh’s Off-White: A high fashion success story
Image: Hypebeast
From Rihanna and Justin Bieber to Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner, Abloh’s creations are seen on many Hollwood A-listers. Caoimhe O’Donohue looks into the business model that catapulted Off-White to fame. Caoimhe O’Donohue In September of this year, Milan-based luxury fashion label Off-White opened its first flagship store in London. Founded in 2012 by American designer Virgil Abloh, Off-White has grown to become one of the leading fashion brands in the luxury industry, blending high fashion with streetwear and creating a cult brand geared towards young people and powered by social media platforms such as Instagram. Abloh, born and raised in Rockford, Illinois, to Ghanaian parents, made history in 2018 when he was named artistic director of menswear at French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, making him the first African American to hold this position. Amidst an industry often clouded by secrecy, Abloh has proved to be a source of access to those previously shut out, sharing his experiences from behind the scenes via social media and providing invaluable insights. He recently created The Post-Modern Scholarship Fund to support Black students entering the fashion industry, raising $1 million. In July, he auctioned a signed pair of Off-White x Nike sneakers in support of Black Lives Matter, raising $187,000. Off-White is known for its clear and recognisable branding, high profile collaborations and streetwearinfused high fashion pieces. The label’s designs,
which often feature the logo of black and white diagonal stripes, achieve familiarity rather than distinctiveness. The same patterns can be found in streets and urban areas across the globe, creating a powerful force of association for the label. Off-White’s collaborations with major fashion brands including Nike, Levi’s and Moncler have ensured the brand remains at the forefront of the streetwear industry, whilst collections with lifestyle brands such as Ikea and Evian have helped push the label into new markets. The highly popular Off-White x Nike “The Ten” collection, first released in 2017, saw Abloh rework ten signature Nike sneaker designs. It immediately sold out, with resale prices fetching almost ten times the original prices. Off-White has experienced significant success since its creation 8 years ago, most notably in 2019 when UK-based retail platform Farfetch acquired the brand’s parent, New Guards Group, for $675 million. It has been a difficult year for the fashion industry amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, with Bloomberg Businessweek predicting a decline in the luxury goods sector by as much as 45%. LVMH, parent company of Louis Vuitton, experienced a 38% drop in revenue last quarter. What the pandemic hasn’t done, though, is stop the expansion of Off-White. Off-White face masks,
released as part of the Spring-Summer ’20 collection in March, quickly sold out. New flagship stores in Miami and London were opened this summer. A new trainer collaboration with Nike is also due to be released in October. The Lyst Index, which ranks fashion brands based on online and in-store sales, google search data and social media engagement, ranked Off-White as second amongst all fashion brands during quarter two of 2020. The label previously held the top position during the first quarter of the year. Streetwear has steadily become a growing part of the luxury fashion industry, helping it to grow an estimated 5% in 2017 according to Business of Fashion, and Off-White has been a leader during this period of growth. Abloh is positioning Off-White alongside well-established names in the high-end fashion industry and the brand is likely to continue expanding in the future.
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When will a Black scientist win a Nobel Prize?
Image: Adam Baker/ Flickr
Katherine Graves Since the first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901 (to five white men… just saying), only 16 have been awarded to Black recipients. None of them for science achievements. Each year, five Nobel Prizes are awarded for Peace, Literature, Physiology or Medicine, Chemistry and Physics, with an extra prize for Economics from 1969 onwards. The first Black winner was Ralph Bunche, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1950 and paved the way for a small group of Black individuals to achieve Nobel Prizes in the categories of Peace, Literature and Economics. Despite a rich archive of achievements, not a single Black scientist has been awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry, Physics or Physiology or Medicine. The problem is simply a case of numbers. For every Black scientist excelling in their field, there are hundreds of White scientists doing the same thing. Why are there so few Black scientists? The answer most likely lies with a significant lack of Black scientist role models, whether this is due to few Black professors at universities, or the absence of Black scientists in the media. However, even the most proficient Black scientists can struggle in the
field due to cultural biases that, in some cases, lead to Black scientists being taken less seriously. Picture a scientist. What kind of person comes to mind? Probably a middle-aged, White male with white fuzzy hair; something like Doc Brown from Back to the Future. Unfortunately, this demographic accounts for most individuals in the field of science, so we have become subconsciously predisposed to imagine what a stereotypical scientist looks like. Let’s start with universities. There are roughly 21,000 professors employed in universities around the UK, and only 0.67% of these are Black. Furthermore, only 0.12% are Black women. That’s 25 Black female professors of a total 21,000 across the UK. According to a recent Freedom of Information report, only 40 (1%) of the total 3,785 academic staff at the University of Leeds are Black. If a Black individual studies at a university where 99% of the teaching staff are White, where are they supposed to find any Black role models? The lack of role models isn’t the only barrier putting Black individuals off progressing in science. In fact, the problem might start much earlier: in primary school. Black families are more likely to live in underprivileged areas where the standard of schools is much
lower. These schools typically have reduced access to STEM equipment and yield a lower grade average, making it more difficult for students to get into hightier secondary schools, colleges and universities. A second problem is with discrimination in funding. A 2011 study from the University of Kansas found that Black scientists are less likely to receive funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This could be due to subconscious, or maybe even conscious, discrimination from those reviewing grant proposals, or due to differences in the topics proposed by Black and White scientists. Research suggests that the themes more often proposed by Black applicants are less likely to achieve an NIH grant. Whatever the reason may be, this leads to a lack of research by Black scientists. This is not to say, however, that there are no Black scientists. There are many Black scientists making ground-breaking discoveries and dramatically progressing the field of science, but they are simply not celebrated enough amidst the mass of White scientists. The aim of Black History Month is to celebrate outstanding Black individuals for achievements in their field, including Black scientists who have pushed the boundaries of science, despite facing barriers throughout their lives.
Is eugenics still prevalent in modern day science? Beth Powell Scientific racism in the form of eugenics – selective breeding of humans with ‘desirable’ traits – can be dated back to 19th century England, with the name itself coined by Francis Galton (Charles Darwin’s cousin). Galton took Darwin’s work on evolution and applied it to humans, suggesting desirable human qualities were heritable. This idea spread throughout Europe and the rest of the world and inspired some of the most notable figures in history. Arguably, the climax for eugenics was during the Second World War with the Holocaust, the genocide of six million Jewish individuals, as well as five million other minority people, due to them being believed to be inferior to the Aryan race. This is one of the most radical theories of eugenics, where a group of people is categorised as not fully human. Hitler’s harrowing ideas extended not only to the Jewish population but also to people of colour, communists and other minorities. After the Second World War, many eugenicists were widely criticised for their work and most media outlets refused to publish anything relating to eugenics, so eugenicists had to create their own base for their research. Hence why the journal Mankind Quarterly was founded. The journal is still being published to
this day and is regarded as a “white supremacist journal” containing articles with undeniably racist theories. Eugenics is also still prevalent in politics with former Downing Street advisor, Andrew Sabisky, resigning earlier this year after suggesting Black people have lower IQs than white people because of their genetics. Sabisky’s comments were supported by journalist Toby Young who believes in the unfounded theory of progressive eugenics which argues that those in power are there because of genetics, not wealth or privilege. Even one of the founders of the double-helix, James Watson, supports the idea that differences on tests of intelligence have a racial component; this is consequential as it shows that ingrained racial biases can come into contact with advances in genetics, therefore inhibiting the progress of scientific research. James Watson is one of the individuals Angela Saini covers in her book ‘Superior: The Return of Race Science’, an in-depth analysis into modern day eugenics, explaining how the “problem of the colour line” still survives in 21st century science. One point Saini makes is that post-war right-wing scientists have found ways to cloak their racist views by using
words such as ‘populations’ and ‘human variation’ as opposed to ‘races’ or ‘racial differences’. Another term many eugenicists use is ‘normal’, which has been historically used to disguise racist tones as it insinuates that a certain group of people are superior to others. The meaning of the word now is infused by an undercurrent of eugenics just like the words Saini explores in her book. The topic of eugenics is vast and something the world needs to acknowledge as an ongoing problem. We need scientists from all backgrounds unwinding these theories and bringing their own research not only to the field of genetics, but across the board. It is important that science is unbiased and founded in experiments and research, otherwise it creates further problems within society. For example, according to The Washington Post many Americans think there are such things as ‘Black blood’ and ‘Black disease’. If we cannot eradicate racial bias such as this from genetics, then this ingrained mentality will continue. We must not tolerate any form of bias in science, but when the science itself becomes prejudiced is when we face these ignorant views, which will not be changed without diversity within the field.
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Trailblazers: African-American women in STEM Kate Hall celebrates four formidable African-American scientists who fought racial and gender biases in their field.
Rebecca Lee Crumpler In 1864, Rebecca Lee Crumpler was the only African-American to graduate from New England Female Medical College with an M.D. degree, gaining her the title of the first Black female physician in the US. Additionally, Crumpler was the only female physician to be recognised as an author in the 19th century with ‘The Book of Medical Discourses’ published in 1883. Throughout her career, Crumpler cared for women and children in poverty as well as providing medical access to freed slaves after the Civil War. Access to medical education as a Black woman was practically unattainable in the 1800s due to the prominent racial and sexual discrimination which Crumpler was well-accustomed with. Her work within the field of science deserves to be recognised and revered as she paved the way for future Black female scientists.
Dr. Dorothy Lavinia Brown The first Black woman to practise as a recognised surgeon in the US was Dr. Dorothy Lavinia Brown. Alongside this achievement she was also the first African-American woman to become a Tennessee legislator and the first single woman in Tennessee to adopt a child. Not dissimilar to other Black female scientists, Brown encountered discrimination regarding her gender as she was primarily denied surgical residency at Harlem Hospital, New York. However, this did not dissuade her, and she obtained a residency at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, which she completed in 1954. Despite the barriers she confronted, Brown’s perseverance is what makes her such an influential figure inside and outside the STEM environment.
Mary Jackson In 2016, the film Hidden Figures was released, based on true events and the non-fiction book ‘Hidden Figures: The Story of the African-American Women Who Helped Win the Space Race’ by Margaret Lee Shetterly. The film encapsulates ‘the story of a team of female mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the years of the U.S space program’. Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson are the three women at the focus of the film and were integral in their roles at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. In 1958, Mary Jackson was the first Black female aeronautical engineer to work at NASA which was progressive for the time. Jackson’s career began at the West Computing Area in the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory where segregation guidelines were intact. During her career she conducted research within high-speed wind tunnels and proceeded to study the behaviour of airflow around airplanes. After working as an aerospace engineer for 20 years, and due to her inability to acquire a higher position within NASA, she undertook the post of Langley’s Federal Women’s Program Manager where she was determined to enhance the opportunities for women’s roles within NASA.
Dr. Marie Maynard Daly Dr. Marie Maynard Daly is renowned for being the first African-American woman to attain a PhD in Chemistry in the US. Born in in New York in 1921, Daly was awarded her doctorate by Columbia University in 1947 with her thesis entitled A study of the products formed by the action of pancreatic amylase on corn starch. Throughout her career, she conducted several pioneering studies on research areas including nucleic acids, histones, the impact of cholesterol on hypertension, and creatine in muscle cells. Alongside her impactful contribution to science, Daly established a scholarship at Queens College, her alma mater, to encourage minority students to study science.
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Patrick Mahomes: $500 million man To kickstart our spotlight on formidable Black sports figures, Michael Amolo Otieno reflects on the historymaking year for the Texan quarterback. Michael Amolo Otieno
following a record-breaking season in 2018-2019. He earned the title of league MVP, becoming only the 2nd African-American to do so.
will watch him play at the highest level. So far, the Chiefs have three victories from three matches in the 2020 NFL season. Only time will tell whether the new face of the NFL will deliver for Kansas and lead them to a second consecutive Super Bowl Victory. One thing we know for sure is that we are watching history being written in front of us, and Patrick Mahomes is the author.
Despite the achievement, Mahomes may not even remember 2020 primarily for his record-breaking contract. On February 2nd, he led his team to an against-all-odds victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV, subsequently winning the Super Bowl MVP Award. The win gave the Kansas City Chiefs their first Super Bowl victory in 50 years. Mahomes is undeniably a Chiefs legend and many are unsurprised by his rise to the top.
Looking back at the results Mahomes posted, it becomes easier to understand exactly why Chiefs’ ownership tied him down on a 10-year $503 million contract extension in the middle of a pandemic which caused world economies to crash. The actual value of Mahomes’ contract is $477 million with $25 million in incentives, in winning the AFC championship and Super Bowl ($1.25 million for each accomplish for 10 years). Essentially, this is Mahomes betting on himself to be able to deliver and earn the incentives. He received a $10 million signing bonus as well as his 2020 base salary of $825 000. The base salary is set to increase nearly fifty-fold over the next ten years to $38 million with the rest of his salary being roster bonuses (Bonus for being listed in a particular season’s 53-man Kansas City Chiefs Roster).
The 10th overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft was always touted for greatness – as are most high draft picks. He spent the 2017-2018 season as the back-up quarterback behind Chiefs’ then starting quarterback Alex Smith, but didn’t play a secondary role for too long as Smith was soon traded, freeing up the coveted starting quarterback slot. Mahomes, now a starter, took his game to the next level. Spearheaded by Mahomes, Kansas were the AFC West champions
Mahomes, son of a former MLB baseball player, is accustomed to the bright lights that come with holding a starting quarterback position in the NFL, but the scrutiny he will receive in the upcoming years will expose him to a different kind of pressure than he has ever experienced before. He has continued the work of the few who have come before him in pushing racial barriers at the quarterback position, with his current form only serving to inspire a generation who
For many, the 6th July 2020 is as unremarkable a date as any other during this year’s lockdown period, but for Patrick Lavon Mahomes II, that date may stand as one of the most important days of his life. The 25 year old Kansas City Chiefs quarterback signed a 10-year contract extension valued at a maximum of $503 million – the highest value contract ever signed in North American sports history.
Image: CNBC.com
The ‘Last Stylebender’: Israel Adesanya Papa Kuranchie The Ultimate Fighting Championship has had its fair share of champions and superstars throughout the years. The likes of Conor McGregor, Jon Jones, Brock Lesnar and The Diaz Brothers have won the hearts of MMA fans across the world through either sheer power, technical ability or their determination to leave their hearts in the octagon after each fight. One rising star that cannot be overlooked is Middleweight Champion Israel ‘The Last Stylebender’ Adesanya. Adesanya has accumulated 100 combat sports victories with his latest being a successful title defence against another undefeated fighter, Paulo Costa, on September 27th , 2020.
making quick work of his opponent Rob Wilkinson; winning the fight by TKO. In his post-fight interview, he made his mark stating: “To all middleweights, there is a new dog in town.” Adesanya then went on to have dominant wins against Marvin Vettori and Brad Tavares. It was after this that Israel was given his first Top 10 contender in Derek Brunson at UFC 230. Known as a heavy hitter, Brunson was predicted to be a test to a young, fresh ‘Stylebender’. However, Israel disposed of him in the 1st round. Image: talksport.com
The 6th October 2019 marked the day that Adesanya etched his name into the UFC hall of fame, upon facing Robert Whitaker to unify the Middleweight titles. Though many predicted a kickboxing masterclass, Adesanya once again shocked the world and provided Whittaker a narrow escape at the end of the first round after landing a clean uppercut, before knocking him out early in the second round, finally claiming the Undisputed Middleweight Title.
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Israel Adesanya boasts a 20-0 record in Mixed Martial Arts and fights out of Auckland, New Zealand. He initially decided to get into martial arts after being heavily bullied at school. After being inspired by the Muay Thai film Ong-Bak at 18 years old, Adesanya went on to build an impressive kickboxing record of 32-0, before amassing an 11-0 professional MMA record fighting in Hong Kong, Australia and China before being recognised by the UFC. In just six fights, Adesanya propelled himself from mediocre standing in the middleweight roster to undisputed champion. Making his debut at UFC 221 in 2018, Adesanya advanced his record to 12-0 after
disappoint as both fighters traded combinations of kicks, punches and elbows for three rounds. Nonetheless, Israel was victorious against Silva. It was finally time for Adesanya to stake his claim as the best Middleweight in the world when he received his first title fight against Kelvin Gastelum for the interim title in April 2019. In this highly anticipated five round slugfest, both fighters showcased their durability and warrior spirit with blood staining the ring. Adesanya managed to capture the belt via unanimous decision after knocking Gastelum down twice near the end of the fifth. Adesanya then proclaimed himself “ready to die in there”, further marking his status in UFC royalty.
The UFC then proposed what fans touted a dream match-up between Israel and legend Anderson “The Spider” Silva, with Adesanya often professing Silva to be his idol. Although past his prime, Silva didn’t
In such short time, Adesanya has risen to superstar status whilst making a substantial impact on MMA, becoming the second Nigerian champion since Kamaru Usman and putting the middleweight division on the map. After beating Paulo Costa in September, the sky is the limit.
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Levi Davis: ‘Be unapologetically yourself’ Dom Friel Last month, the Ealing Trailfinders and ex-Bath rugby player Levi Davis told the world that he is bisexual, having previously come out to his thenBath Rugby teammates in April. He is now one of only a few players within the men’s game to have come out, and comfortably the youngest. In an interview with the Mail on Sunday in September, Davis shared how he initially panicked after sending a group Whatsapp message to Bath players telling them of his sexuality. “Hi guys. I just want to tell you something that’s been eating away at me for four years now. I want to be open and honest with you boys, as friends and team-mates. I’m bisexual. It’s something I have known since I was 18… none of you lot are on my radar… so it’s OK.” Choosing to sign off with a light quip is indicative of Davis’ general demeanour. However, in the months leading up to his decision to come out, his mental health had deteriorated, with mounting anxiety and depression arising from “a sense of shame.” Speaking later to Ugo Monye in an interview for BT Sport, Davis spoke of how keeping his sexuality secret had “been
eating away at [him] slowly” over four years, and was a factor that lead to a deterioration in his behaviour and on field form following a stint on the Celebrity edition of the X Factor last year. “I felt I needed to be this macho man, which I still am, but it felt like I needed to reinforce this more.” Since coming out, Davis has found support from those in the game. Firstly, his teammates quick to offer words of support. “Mate, we support you”, “You’re really brave”, “This changes nothing”, “Fair play to you”. The understanding of his teammates, the club and his family has helped Davis improve his mindset and has spoken of the need for people to express their true selves.
Relieved of the weight of his secret, and grateful of the “overwhelming” support from the Rugby community, Davis is “excited” for the year ahead with Ealing, his music and, most importantly, himself. “I don’t know yet where I am going, but by talking today I can walk hand-in-hand with whoever I want and it won’t matter anymore because it’s out there.” Image: newschain.uk
“Thankfully we can now discuss mental health more openly. And in the same way, I want people to feel that they can be who they are and that it is OK to be who they are.” “Hiding who you are can kill you – and has killed people.” Davis is well aware that he has never quite fallen into a traditional stereotype: “I realise, though, that I am a bit niche and difficult to categorise: a black, bisexual, privately educated rugby professional. Even black people who hear me on the phone sometimes say, “You don’t sound Black, you sound white.””
Record number of non-white players in England Team National anthem before a game, in protest against police brutality. This was criticised by some and viewed as ‘disrespectful’ to his country. However, this movement has been replicated by football teams in England, with it now becoming common to ‘take the knee’ moments before the starting whistle. This is not only effective in the English Squad, but also Premier League teams. The proportion of British Premier League players from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds has doubled since the league began in 1992, with teams such as Liverpool and Arsenal having multiple players in their starting 11 from ‘BAME’ backgrounds. However, in recent years, the increase in players from different cultures is having an adverse effect on the game, arguably igniting more racism than before.
Millie Frain The Black Lives Matter movement is circulating across the footballing world, with players such as Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling using their influence to raise awareness of racism that they face on and off the pitch. From racist chants from fans to banana peels being thrown at Arsenal captain PierreEmerick Aubameyang, the football world can be rife with racially motivated discrimination. But how many players that feature in the English squad are non-white? With the new English squad being announced just days ago, the number of Black players picked has dramatically increased from years ago. Out of the 30man squad, 11 of the footballers are classed as
‘BAME’, a figure which would essentially make up a starting line-up. This marks a dramatic difference from the past, with only six Black English players travelling to the 2014 World Cup. This difference is something to celebrate, with some Twitter users pointing out that ‘England wouldn’t even reach the qualifying stage’ without some of their most vital players who, coincidentally, are Black. Yet as more and more Black players dominate the pitch, some fanbases across the world are not as accepting as you would expect our generation to be. Hence footballers beginning to ‘take the knee’, a movement popularised in 2016 by Colin Kaepernick, an American football player who knelt during the US
Perhaps in future generations, one would look at Southgate’s team and not have to examine how many of his players are Black, but instead admire their talent on the pitch. This is echoed by former England striker Les Ferdinand, who, speaking of Black premier league players, said ‘I feel a sense of joy and pride that players are being recognised for their abilities rather than their colour at the moment.’ He also praises the likes of ‘Cyrille Regis, John Barnes and Viv Anderson’, who ‘took a lot of stick and paved the way for the future’. Whilst it is true that the English Black footballers of ‘92 faced a lot of criticism, some of the racist ideologies remain. With Southgate examining his squad ahead of next years rescheduled Euros, footballers will be hoping to get crowds back in, backing their national team to victory. However perhaps not all footballers will want crowds back, for all the out-dated wrong reasons.
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Marcus Rashford: The goal-scoring activist
Image Credit: nbcnews.com
Calum Pinches We currently live in a time of uncertainty, upheaval and confusion. As a result of this, it’s of the upmost importance that as a society we show compassion and make genuine efforts to alleviate the stresses many disadvantaged families and individuals face. In July, amidst the height of a global pandemic, when the government attempted to scrap a scheme which entitled many working families to free school meals for their children, they showed a blatant disregard for the empathy and support millions undeniably required. This, unfortunately, is neither unsurprising nor uncharacteristic of the current crop ‘leading’ the country. At the complete other end of the spectrum however, Marcus Rashford exhibited a proactive awareness and caring attitude that is rarely seen from a 22-year-old footballer. His personal plea to the government to reverse their policy was listened to, initially rejected, and then subsequently accepted, much akin to their ‘flip-flop’ mantra of the past year. Successful athletes possess a platform that is almost unrivalled. The phrase ‘with great power comes great responsibility’ comes to mind, but this responsibility is all too often either ignored, misused or downright abused. As an athlete and particularly a footballer, you have millions of people, many of them children, who follow your every post, video or interview with awe and wonder at what you might say or promote. The ever-critical eye of the tabloids is always watching, and it’s easier to avoid controversy through apathetic silence on social affairs, collecting your hefty wage and leaving others to the task. Rashford hails from Wythenshawe, one of the more
poverty-stricken areas of Manchester, and personally knows the struggle that living with uncertainty about your next meal entails. The Manchester United forward attended a primary school where the number of pupils receiving free school meals is double the national average. Speaking candidly, he emphasises “what families are going through now, I had to go through that same system and its very difficult to get out of it”. Rashford’s mother Mel, raised five children single-handedly whilst working full time, and he admits to often going hungry as a child, despite his mum’s best efforts. “If there was food on the table, there was food on the table. If there’s not, I had friends who understood my situation and maybe it was possible for me to go to their house to get some food.” His own experiences in his upbringing clearly motivating him to change the agenda for so many families who find themselves in similar circumstances, Rashford has used his platform to full positive effect, and in doing so, made the government completely U-turn on their policy. “Now I’m in this position that I’m in, it’s very important for me to help the people who are struggling.” The will to use his position of influence to promote values of aid and understanding is one that is wholeheartedly refreshing and admirable. It’s also one that completely undermines the untrue stereotype of young, successful Black men in this country. Young Black footballers receive discriminatory treatment from large sections of the tabloid media; one only has to look at the Daily Mail or the Sun’s most recent scathing review of Raheem Sterling’s jewellery or tattoos to understand as such. In painting
many of them as ‘flash’ or ostentatious, they receive unwarranted abuse whether that be at the terraces, via social media, or directly to their face. With a number of Black players coming from underprivileged backgrounds, media outlets falsely depict them as out of touch with their upbringing. A narrative is created whereby it is acceptable to berate Black players for the very same actions and choices their white teammates make. It is vile, racist and wrong. Hence why Rashford’s recent campaign for free school meals is not of importance only on a humane level, nor primarily for a responsible use of platform. His actions, attitude and words prove him to be a caring, socially aware and intelligent young Black man who uses his fame to help other people who come from poverty, a fact that considerable parts of the tabloid media either omit or misreport on. Earlier this year, when discussing the murder of George Floyd, Rashford was as poignant as ever, “People are hurting and people need answers. “Black lives matter. Black culture matters. Black communities matter. We matter.” A statement so simple, yet powerful to its core. The England International is a shining example of having a strong sense of responsibility, humbleness and a clear drive to change the misfortunes of others. He represents all that the modern footballer should aspire to be: a hugely talented player on the pitch, a humanitarian off it.
