The Voice Newspaper: April Issue

APRIL 2024 • ISSUE NO. 1953

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ENOUGH IS ‘ ENOUGH’ Capleton

CALL TO ACTION: Brent Central MP Dawn Butler

EXCLUSIVE

The racist violence Black women face must be stamped out MP Dawn Butler tells The Voice

Two Black women stand up for their rights together with hundreds of others at a recent rally in Hackney in support of Diane Abbott (Pic: Getty)

MP Dawn Butler is urging swift action to tackle racism faced by Black women, following Tory donor Frank Hester’s recent comments about Diane Abbot.

Writing exclusively for The Voice Butler says: “It’s a real battle with the way Black women are abused and disregarded in society and it’s time this stops. Enough is enough.” p10

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Inside THIS MONTH

The Voice says

News, views, stories & videos

THE 10 MOST POPULAR STORIES ON VOICE-ONLINE.CO.UK

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Sizzla demands locals have access to beaches in Jamaica.

The reggae star is urging the country’s authorities to ensure ordinary Jamaicans are not prevented from going to the beach

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Kehinde Andrews, the academic star at the frontline of anti-racism

Policing under scrutiny: NBPA President Andy George urges major reforms of the Met

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MP Dawn Butler on why the Tory donor racism scandal is a threat to British democracy

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Barbudans win court battle against property developers

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Black Unity Bike Ride collective saddle up for Rwanda mission

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West Indies set to cause a storm at T20

No room for hate: why tolerating racism is not an option in British politics

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HE RECENT appalling remarks made by Conservative Party donor Frank Hester about Hackney and Stoke Newington MP Diane Abbott are not just a matter of rudeness; they are deeply rooted in racism and misogyny. Hester’s recorded comments, expressing a desire for violence towards Abbott, are not only abhorrent but also dangerously symptomatic of the racism entrenched in our society.

In a purportedly civilised nation, such vitriolic rhetoric should rightfully bring widespread condemnation and swift action.

Yet, the tepid response from the Conservative Party, and Hester’s feeble attempts at an apology, are utterly insufficient. By failing to unequivocally denounce Hester’s remarks and return his donations, the party sends a distressing message: that racism is tolerable within its ranks.

The gravity of Hester’s words cannot be overstated. They do not exist in a vacuum but contribute to a culture where racism and misogyny thrive, encouraging race hate crimes and endangering the lives of Black people. When individuals in positions of power express such vile sentiments, it emboldens others to do the same, creating a climate of hostility and violence.

Black women, in particular, are justified in their outrage.

The Tory donor’s assertion that

This issue is 48 pages EDITOR Vic Motune E. vic.motune@thevoicemedia group.co.uk

CORPORATE AFFAIRS & COMMUNICATIONS Paula Dyke E. paula@thevoicemedia group.co.uk

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Paulette Simpson E. paulette.simpson@thevoice mediagroup.co.uk

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Joel Campbell E. joel.campbell@thevoice mediagroup.co.uk

ROUNDUP

seeing Diane Abbott on television makes him want to hate all Black women is chilling. It speaks to the intersectional discrimination faced

by Black women, who endure both racism and sexism in a society that often fails to protect them.

The responses to Hester’s comments from Black women themselves are poignant reminders of the very real impact of racist rhetoric on their lives. They speak of anxiety, disheartenment, and numbness in the face of relentless hatred. Their legitimate fears are exacerbated by the lack of support and accountability from those in power.

As a society, we cannot afford to be complacent in the face of such blatant bigotry. We must demand accountability from our leaders and challenge the normalisation of racism and misogyny. Silence is complicity, and it only serves to further endanger marginalised communities.

In condemning Frank Hester’s remarks, The Voice stands in solidarity with Diane Abbott and all Black women who deserve to feel safe and valued in their own country.

It is incumbent upon Britain’s political leaders to confront racism wherever it rears its ugly head and for all of us to work towards a society where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect, regardless of race or gender.

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Vybz Kartel: Top UK court to rule on star’s appeal today. The Privy Council is expected to hand down the judgement today Trio jailed for life after Shakira Spencer tortured to death. The mother-of-two was subjected to a prolonged campaign of beatings, enslavement, control, humiliation over a period of months

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Take off for the women of Ethiopian Airlines. The airline has been operating all-women functioned flights to different parts of the world since 2015, including Buenos Aires, Lagos and Bangkok

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Vybz Kartel: Star’s murder conviction quashed at top UK court. The Privy Council ruled Kartel’s murder conviction should be quashed

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Samaria Ayanle: Body found after 19-yearold student reported missing. Police say Samaria’s death is currently being treated as unexplained Haiti declares a state of emergency as thousands of inmates escape prison. The 72-hour state of emergency began Sunday night, in the hope it will bring an end to the violence across the Caribbean country.

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Why haven’t Black Tories spoken out against racist comments about Diane Abbott? The silence of leading Black Conservatives such as Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly and Shaun Bailey has been conspicuous Barbudans win court battle against alleged ‘ethnic cleansing’ by property developers. A ruling by the UK Privy Council to stop the construction of an airport on the island could see similar legal action taken by other Caribbean islands

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Rev Al Sharpton pays tribute to UK anti-racism campaigner Audrey Adams. Adams who died earlier this month after an illness became a respected campaigner following the racist murder of her son Rolan

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News Feature

Why Asquith Xavier is a man to be remembered The Windrush member helped create a more equal Britain. By Camealia Xavier-Chihota

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EARLY 60 years ago, in that momentous year when England last won the World Cup, there was arguably an even more significant victory, one that would shape British employment law for years to come.

Not many people have heard the name Asquith Xavier.

Nearly six decades ago, the railway worker applied for a promotion that would see him move from Marylebone to Euston Station in 1966. But, astonishingly, at the time there was an informal ban on Black workers holding railway jobs that would see them come into contact with the public, and he was turned down.

However, the determined Windrush Generation member refused to take no for an answer.

He eventually overturned a racist recruitment policy at Euston station, paving the way for equal opportunities in the workplace not only for other Windrush Generation members, but for Black Britons of the future.

Asquith Camile Xavier was born on July 18, 1920, on the Caribbean island of Dominica, then a British colony.

Like many members of the Windrush Generation, he answered the British government’s call for those in the Caribbean to move to Britain to help rebuild its weakened economy following the end of the Second World War. There were severe labour shortages, so Commonwealth citizens were invited to Britain. Asquith boarded the TN Ascania in his capital city of Roseau and docked in Southampton on April 16, 1958.

Settling in Paddington, west London, he shared lodgings with his sister Iola and brother Hubert.

The then 37-year-old had made prior arrangements to begin working at British Rail as a porter the very next day. No stranger to hard work, Asquith spent the coming

years tenaciously working his way up to become a guard at Marylebone railway station. Although he came to Britain alone, he soon sent for his wife Agnes and their children to join him in 1960.

He had become a well-respected man in his community and, with a background in law enforcement, Asquith was often asked to assist fellow West Indians with official or legal matters, acting as a scribe and spokesperson on their behalf.

He would never disclose details of the overt discrimination faced by his fellow countrymen to his family, but he bore it on his broad shoulders. Ever the optimist, Asquith saw the potential for race relations to improve in Britain for future generations.

He was a prim and particular man who knew the power of the first impression, so his uniform was always spotless and his shoes shined to the highest standard.

In 1966, when the freight link at Marylebone depot was closed, he applied for a transfer to London Euston Station. Asquith was told he was denied the job due to an unofficial colour bar which operated at the station, excluding Black people from working in customerfacing roles. Dissatisfied with this decision, he campaigned to end the

racial discrimination practised by British Railways.

The first Race Relations Act was passed a year before, in 1965, making it illegal to discriminate on the grounds of colour, race, ethnic or national origins in public places.

But the railways were not considered public.

His refusal to accept discrimination made history. Asquith’s principled stance caught the attention of then-home secretary Jim Callaghan.

Speaking about Asquith’s case in Parliament, he said: “The House has rarely faced an issue of greater social significance for our country and our children.”

Barbara Castle, who was the transport secretary, also took up the case. After she intervened, British Railways abandoned its colour bar policies on July 15, 1966 and offered Asquith a job. The new post made him the first non-White train guard at Euston railway station.

Not only did he secure the promotion, but his pay was backdated to when he had first applied for the position. Subsequently, the Commission for Racial Equality was created. His campaign also led to the strengthening of the Race Relations Act. In 1968, it became illegal

to refuse housing, employment or public services to people because of their ethnic background.

On Asquith’s first day working at Euston, his boss and station manager Ernest Drinnan was reported to have said: “We expect Mr Xavier to fit in very well here. His record at Marylebone was exceptionally good and we know everyone here will take to him.”

Sadly, this wasn’t quite the case.

His victory came at a cost. He received race hate messages and threats to his life and required police protection on his way to and from work.

In 1972, Asquith and his family moved from London to Chatham in Kent, where he commuted daily by train to work at Euston Station. But

not long after, his health began to fail and, in 1980, he passed away aged 59.

Describing my grandfather’s journey to justice and his advancements in gaining equal opportunities for the non-White community in the workplace fills me with an overwhelming sense of pride.

His dignity, strength of character and tenacity in the face of adversity makes me feel honoured to carry the Xavier name. His contribution to our society has undoubtedly shaped the way we live today and should be celebrated and never forgotten. His legacy has made a lasting impression on me and taught me that with matters of discrimination, the pen can be mightier than the sword.

Asquith’s stand against injustice helped reshape employment laws, empowering the Windrush Generation who faced overt racism and

paved the way to equality in the

workplace for future generations.

The pandemic of 2020 and the shocking death of George Floyd which was captured on video, high lighted ongoing racism. The Black

Lives Matter movement highlight ed Britain’s racial injustices, mark ing a pivotal moment. That summer I co-founded a charity with the goal of delivering supplementary educa tion to fill the gaps in the national ­ curriculum and to offer a broader ­ view of history and modern society

to the next generation.

Medway Culture Club is support ed by a diverse team of volunteers including educators, industry pro-

fessionals and community activists.

We deliver monthly workshops, events for the community and school visits to promote diversity, equality and inclusion.

Bias is sustained by a lack of racial literacy training and a diverse curriculum. While acknowledging the contribution of the Windrush Generation is important, if achievements such as Asquith’s are not more widely known about, this undermines these acknowledgements which gives a feeling of a tokenistic Black History Month box tick.

I feel my grandfather’s impactful legacy has been lost in time. To progress, society must recognise the work of those who have bravely challenged the status quo. Limiting Black history to one month isn’t enough; it should be integrated across various subjects, To cultivate a more unified and accepting society, the national curriculum should include the achievements and contributions made by ethnically diverse people, like my grandfather, and their impact on the nation. Schools should include a broader, more accurate representation of Black history, including the history of Windrush, and the pioneers of that generation who came to rebuild a post-war Britain and launch the National Health Service.

What my grandfather was able to achieve and show people nearly 60 years ago was not just that Black Lives Matter, but the quality of life of Black people matters equally.

‘SET UP TO FAIL’: WINDRUSH COMPENSATION SCHEME FAILING FIVE YEARS ON Campaigners say survivors caught up in the scandal who missed out on workplace pensions must be reimbursed. By Sinai Fleary

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EADING campaigners say the Windrush Compensation Scheme (WCS) is failing survivors all over again by not compensating victims for the loss of state and private pensions.

As the fifth anniversary of the scheme’s launch approaches, campaigners and charities say survivors who lost jobs or were locked out of employment, and subsequently missed out on workplace pensions because they were caught up in the scandal must be reimbursed.

Currently, when compensation is being calculated for loss of earnings via the scheme, it does not consider a loss of pension or any potential future earnings.

Campaigners say drastic reform is needed, as the majority of the Windrush victims are of, or approaching, pensionable age.

Age UK – the UK’s key charity for older people – published a report earlier this year called Justice Denied: Reforming the Windrush Compensation Scheme.

It highlights the hidden and detrimental knock-on effect the scandal has had on Windrush victims in their retirement years, who were once a staple part of Britain’s workforce.

The report says: “As a result of losing employment and entitlements to benefits due to the Windrush scandal, many drew their private pensions early in order to make ends meet. This has led to

a reduced private pension pot. In some cases, a loss of employment may have also led to the loss of a private pension.

“However, loss of private pensions is not currently included in the scheme’s calculation of loss of earnings. This is despite repeated calls from campaigners for the inclusion of private pensions.”

Last month, a debate tabled

by Baroness Floella Benjamin took place in the House of Lords about the Home Office Scandal which addressed the issue of the effectiveness of the Windrush Compensation Scheme and of lost pensions.

During the Lords debate, Baroness Benjamin said: “While being locked out of employment, claimants have also missed out on their workplace pensions which they have accumulated over many years. So will the government consider including loss of future earnings, which is not currently compensated for, under the scheme?”

Responding on behalf of the Government, Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Conservative), Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Home Office, said: “We cannot turn back the clock, but we can strain every sinew to provide the people affected with the help they need and the compensation they deserve, while ensuring that the failings that happened previously can never be repeated.”

“Compared to all of the other schemes that have come out, Grenfell, the Post e t e lood scandal scheme, the Windrush scheme is the lowest paid one”

- Windrush survivor Glenda Caesar

Prominent Windrush campaigner, Professor Patrick Vernon OBE, who wrote a foreword for the report told The Voice, the WCS was “set up to fail”.

He said: “The Post Office Compensation Scheme and Contaminated Blood Scandal both recognise that loss of pensions should be acknowledged and included in compensation packages. It gives a clear message to Black people that our lives are not worthy and we do not deserve compensation.”

The respected campaigner, like many other Windrush activists prefers to refer to the scandal as, the “Home Office Scandal” and not the Windrush Scandal. He believes that the widespread injustice, which was first exposed six years ago, is the fault of the Home Office and not the Windrush generation.

The scandal came about because of the introduction of hostile environment policies designed to deter illegal immigration in 2012.

But many of the Windrush generation, who had arrived in Britain mainly from the Caribbean legally after World War Two, were also impacted by the policies, treated like illegal immigrants and had their lives destroyed by these policies.

Many of these British citizens lost their homes, jobs, were denied access to benefits, pensions, NHS healthcare, and some were wrongly detained and deported to Caribbean countries they had not

visited for decades. In order for the scheme to be classified as fit for purpose, Age UK wants an independent body to handle claims, which they say would help older people have better trust in the running of the scheme.

The charity is also demanding compensation to be made available for losses to both state and private pensions, along with faster application and appeals processes and improved routes for challenging compensation scheme decisions.

Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Vernon said the government need to act on the report’s recommendations, before “many more die” without receiving compensation.

In January this year, the government admitted that 53 people have died while waiting for compensation payments.

Some of the high-profile deaths of Windrush victims include renowned campaigner Paulette Wilson, who died unexpectedly at the age of 64 in July 2020.

Another campaigner, Sarah O’Connor, was just 57 when she died in 2018. Dexter Bristol, 58, also died that year after collapsing on the street in London.

Hubert Howard died in 2019, three weeks after being granted British citizenship. Also in 2019,

64-year-old musician Jashwa Moses died of cancer about a month after getting citizenship.

Vernon believes every Windrush death is a sad reminder of the Home Office’s “failure” — which he says is causing “more frustration and anger.”

“They keep on using the expression all the time that they are ‘righting the wrongs’ and if they were righting the wrongs which is a basic term for restorative justice, then they would listen,” he said.

“They don’t listen, they don’t listen to the lawyers, they don’t listen to the survivors and the victims. There is so much evidence that the scheme is not working.”

The government launched the compensation scheme on 3 April 2019. According to the latest Home Office data, published on March 6 2024, the total amount paid to claimants through the scheme has increased to over £80 million.

The latest data covers the period to the end of January 2024, and states £80.06 million has been paid across 2,233 claims. However, this is still a fraction of the £500

News Feature

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million put aside to compensate victims. The department originally predicted an estimated 15,000 people would be eligible for compensation, but as of January 2024, only a total of 7,862 claims have been made.

Vernon said this is worrying and he fears many simply do not trust the system because the compensation scheme is being handled by the very “perpetrators” of the scandal.

“I was campaigning from day one that the scheme should have never been given to the Home Office in the first place, because they are the perpetrators and they are still perpetrating,” he said.

There have been five different home secretaries since 2018 - when the scandal was first exposed, with only one, Sajid Javid, meeting victims in 2019. Vernon says it

is time for the current Home Secretary to sit down face-to-face with Windrush victims and hear their stories.

He added: “I hope James Cleverly does meet with some Windrush victims to hear their stories and he will then appreciate that the government have not delivered on this. The question is now will James Cleverly listen to the concerns of the community? He always talks about his connections to Windrush, so let’s see what he is going to do.”

Branding the scheme “lame and pathetic”, the notable campaigner and social commentator said the failure to implement the 30 recommendations from the ‘Windrush Lessons Learned Review’ by Wendy Williams, shows the government and Home Office

are “not interested” in making the necessary changes.

In March 2020, Williams’ damning review into the scandal was published and outlined 30 recommendations for the Home Secretary to implement to make improvements.

But by January last year, thenhome secretary Suella Braverman announced to Parliament that three previously accepted recommendations, including reconciliation events aimed at enabling victims of the scandal, to articulate its impact on their lives in front of specialist services and senior Home Office staff, would be scrapped.

As a result, the Black Equity Organisation (BEO), the leading Black civil rights UK organisation, was granted a judicial review to challenge the decision to drop

BACKGROUND INFO FROM THE HOME OFFICE

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three key recommendations.

BEO are urging the current home secretary to reverse the decision of his predecessor.

Vernon disclosed to The Voice, he is working with a number of organisations to develop a Windrush Manifesto in the runup to the general election, which will have several key demands including for “legal aid to be granted to applicants making claims.”

In January this year, ITV broadcasted TV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, highlighting the real-life story of hundreds of postmasters and sub-postmasters being prosecuted and accused of stealing money between 2000 and 2014. The financial losses were actually caused by the Post Office’s new IT system called Horizon.

Since the airing of the TV series and outrage from the British public, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged £75,000 redress payments to postmasters who weren’t convicted but suffered as a result of the scandal. So far, £179 million has been paid to around 2,800 victims, with further measures introduced to accelerate payments Mr Sunak has also introduced landmark legislation — the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Bill — to automatically quash convictions relating to the Horizon Scandal.

The Home Office (Windrush) scandal was also portrayed in the Bafta-winning TV drama Sitting in

Limbo shown on the BBC in 2020.

The TV programme was based on the life of Anthony Bryan, who was wrongfully detained and threatened with deportation after living in the UK for 50 years.

Some Windrush victims say they can’t help but compare the government’s response to the two scandals, which have glaring similarities.

“Compared to all of the other schemes that have come out, let’s say Grenfell, the Post Office and the Blood scandal scheme, the Windrush Scandal scheme is the lowest paid one, the lowest,” Windrush survivor Glenda Caesar told The Voice.

Caesar arrived in the UK with her mother as a baby from Dominica in 1961 and always thought she was British. She only discovered she wasn’t, when she was refused a passport in 1998.

Following that, she was sacked from her part-time job as a GP administrator and was unable to work or claim benefits for 10 years.

She relied heavily on her children for financial and emotional support.

In 2019, the mother-of-four from Hackney was initially offered £22,000 through the scheme, which she rejected and described as “insulting” and “minimal.”

She said: “That didn’t even cover my losses for the ten years that I wasn’t allowed to work or claim benefits, so I opposed that and I joined other victims and we formed a group and we challenged them.”

Caesar’s offer was later revised and she has now settled for an undisclosed six-figure amount — which she said was not enough for all that she endured.

She said: “I got validated, but not to what I wanted, but because of the stress that I knew I was going to face, they offered me a six-figure sum, I accepted it.

“My son was affected, they offered him a six-figure sum, I didn’t want him to take it, but because he suffered from anxiety and depression he said ‘Mum I don’t want to go through this anymore’.”

The campaigner says a major issue of the scheme is the high burden of proof for bigger compensation claims.

“We’ve got so much we have to prove before we can even get what we are entitled to,” said Caesar.

The proud mother says her own traumatic experience has influenced her to advocate for others as part of support group Windrush Lives.

Caesar is also part of the Windrush Justice Clinic, which is a pro-bono service led by legal organisations to help people file claims, get their offers reviewed or those wishing to make new claims.

She told The Voice she is seeing “nil awards” being offered to people because their impact on life story is being disregarded.

“Windrush survivors and families have suffered for too long,” she said firmly.

Community organisations and leaders are continuing to highlight the fight for justice for the Windrush generation, with various petitions and a special rally to commemorate the sixth anniversary since the scandal’s exposure in London.

The public are being urged to attend the candlelit vigil on Saturday April 6 at 12 noon in Windrush Square, Brixton.

Jacqui McKenzie, a partner at law firm Leigh Day and head of immigration and asylum law, who has helped over 400 victims make compensation claims, sees a glimmer of hope.

She told The Voice: “What started off as a hopeless operation with the actual perpetrator of the wrongs, deliberating over a slow, unwieldy and unfair process, has now improved somewhat. This has mainly been down to the evidence that practitioners and activists have campaigned for, and the work of the Home Affairs Committee.

“Some of these changes have included increased tariffs for impact on life and improvements to how loss of earnings is calculated. But there is still room for improvement.

The Home Office must speed up the decision-making.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The government remains absolutely committed to righting the wrongs of the Windrush scandal and making sure those affected receive the compensation they rightly deserve.

“We have paid more than £80 million in compensation and we continue to make improvements so people receive the maximum award as quickly as possible.

“We firmly believe moving the operation of the scheme away from the Home Office would risk significantly delaying vital payments to people.”

The department insists the scheme will remain open as long as it is needed, so no one is prevented from making a claim.

Feature

‘NICOLE WAS MY DRIVING FORCE’

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out the crackheads”. Nicole was clearly a remarkable woman and Andrews' tribute to her is both heartwarming and heartbreaking.

Professor Kehinde Andrews says he would not be where he THE SYSTEM is today without the support of BEATING He’s not had an easy journey, dealwith loss, while balancing fahis late wife. By Richard Sudan ing therhood (he’s a father of four) and

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E'S ONE of Britain's best-known academics, authors and TV personalities and shot to fame in recent years for his scathing critique of systemic White supremacy in modern Britain, neo-colonialism and its apologists.

He's also captivated international audiences by deconstructing the myths which underpin the myth that the UK is a post-racial society while arguing that the only way forward for all Black communities is by building a strong global diaspora with Pan Africanism at the centre.

But you’ve only heard of Professor Kehinde Andrews because of the love, support and intellectualism of his late wife, Dr Nicole Andrews.

“From when nobody knew who I was, to when I became a professor, I couldn’t have done any of that without Nicole,” he explains candidly. “If Nicole wasn’t around, there’s no way I am where I am.”

It's been two years since she tragically passed away in March 2022, after a battle with cancer, leaving an immensely impressive legacy. Andrews credits her for his groundbreaking new work, ‘Blackness at the intersection’, important research, applying Kimberle Crenshaw’s concept of intersectionality to the Black British context.

“It was really Nicole who came up with the idea of blackness at the intersection and reframed the whole thing,” he says. “One of the things about intersectionality is that you have all these different roads, and it becomes meaningless.

“It was Nicole who said that blackness is the roundabout, at the centre, the thing in the middle that everything runs through. It unlocked so much.”

Nicole was a founder of the Organisation of Black Unity, and has a library named in her honour at the Marcus Garvey Centre in Birmingham. In fact, as Andrews tells me, Nicole was the person who got the building renovated and “chased

has faced obstacles from within his own university.

Going against the system is never easy. Some simply give up and assimilate into the system.

Having an uncompromising and unapologetic pro-Black anti-racist stance at a time when Black people are seemingly being force-fed the notion of a post-racial utopia, makes the celebrated academic’s contributions to the discourse all the more important.

Andrews, who famously sent Piers Morgan into meltdown by slamming the latter’s hero Winston Churchill as a White supremacist, did so with a deft eloquence armed only with the facts.

Andrews however wasn’t always the country’s number one opponent of White supremacy as seen on TV. Like so many people in the Black community, he was affected at a young age by the very system he critiques today. It drives his work, and informs the value he places on education both inside and outside the classroom.

He recalls that growing up, his family home was full of books about Black history and culture.

But, due to the overt racism he experienced while at school, the young Andrews found himself rejecting the positive cultural influences he was surrounded with at home.

“It was so obviously racist,” he says of his experience at school.

“It was really clear that if you’re Black you just don’t do very well.

The whole thing about being Black

became a negative thing. So in my eleven-year-old head, I was like Black’s important but that can’t be me, so I’ve got to go hang around the White kids.”

When Kehinde quizzed one of his teachers about slavery and links to the industrial revolution, he was told flatly, that if it wasn’t in the textbook it shouldn’t be mentioned again.

“The way the teachers were, we had one English teacher that would spend the first 20 minutes

of the lesson just talking to the White kids. All the Black kids were in the bottom sets from day one.

That teacher married a Black man too,” he recalls laughing.

The anecdote shines a light on both the inherent contradictions within so many people who swear they are not prejudiced and how Black children often internalise the negative stereotypes they are surrounded by.

These experiences also led Andrews to embark on his own mission of education and become the teacher he and so many others needed as a child.

“I read Stokely Carmichael’s From Black Power to Pan-Africanism, initially as a joke,” he says. “I thought it had a funny cover but it wasn’t what I expected. After that, I just started reading everything.

“There were all these kinds of books in my house. I started listening to hip hop. This was when everything started to change. But If I hadn’t had those negative experiences I might not have gone down this road. Sometimes you have to see White education to understand how bad it is.”

AFRICAN CONSIOUSNESS & GLOBAL BLACK POLITICS Andrews acknowledges that, given the emphasis on knowlContinued on p13

Measles Health

ADVERTORIAL

PEOPLE URGED TO GET THEIR JAB FOLLOWING MEASLES WARNING

C

AN YOU remember what you were doing in the summer of 2008? For 17-year-old Assad from south London, it was memorable for all the wrong reasons.

He shares how, as a strong and healthy young man, he caught measles and the impact it had on his life.

Now aged 32, Assad explains how circumstances left him vulnerable to measles and how, since that experience, he has done everything to protect his own children.

“It was the summer I was about to go to college and being excited about that, and then just suddenly getting really sick. I was so sick that I couldn’t move out of bed, I was bedridden for weeks. I ended up staying at home for the whole summer, just in case anyone caught it from me. My eyes were very sore and I just felt very weak. I had all the typical symptoms that you might expect, feeling weak with a cough and then, towards the end, my skin especially my scalp was really dry. I had a high temperature as well. It felt like a really bad flu.”

“Measles is an infectious and dangerous illness”

“I had no appetite, I just couldn’t eat and ended up losing weight” He explained how measles impacted on him as a fit and active young man: “I had no appetite, I just couldn’t eat and ended up losing weight. It really knocked me out as it was very hard to move around, and I had been so active before. I probably missed about four weeks of the summer holidays being ill.”

Recovering from the symptoms was just the start of a long

journey: “In terms of the recovery, I would say I lost confidence within myself. I’d been doing a lot of exercise and getting quite fit, just getting ready for college, and falling ill with measles meant I lost all of that progress I’d made.

T-shirts that I had from before I was sick were just literally hanging off me.”

Assad puts missing his jab down to moving from Kenya to the UK as a young child: “I spoke to my mum, just to catch up, and I think it might have been one of those things that were missed. I’ve had all the other vaccinations, but that whole record-keeping for me was slightly missed in the move. Since then,

I’ve worked in terms of making sure I’ve got all my jabs and just trying to stay as healthy as possible.”

Now Assad is older and married with children of his own, he shares how his experience being hit by such an infectious and dangerous illness has impacted him as a parent:

“It goes without saying you don’t want that to happen to your kids. Nowadays my wife keeps track of the immunisations and I often go with them for the blood tests or jabs just so I can make sure that I can be with them and everything’s okay.”

“You know that they’re going to be exposed to a lot of different

environments and it’s important for them to be safeguarded as much as possible. For me, one of the scary things is I didn’t know where I got measles from, and, as a parent, I just need to know that my kids have that protection in terms of their vaccinations - you never know what can happen.”

“I would say it’s important to put your child first in terms of ensuring that you’re giving them the best opportunity in life, and I think these vaccinations really do help.”

Commenting, Dr Oge Ilozue, GP Partner and Clinical Adviser at NHS England (London) said: “Measles is circulating in London and, while most cases are in children under 11 years old, it can strike at any age and lead to serious illness. There is no treatment for measles, but it is completely preventable with the MMR vaccine. Just two doses provide lifelong protection against measles, mumps, and rubella.

“It’s vital that people protect their children, their loved ones, and themselves by ensuring they’re vaccinated. It’s never too late to get protected.”

Find out more at: www.nhs.uk/mmr

News Feature

‘IT’S TIME FOR THE MET POLICE TO BE BROKEN UP’

National Black Police Association chief believes lack of public trust in the organisation means it’s time for a change. By Richard Sudan

I

N AN unprecedented move, the head of the National Black Police Association (NBPA) has called for the Metropolitan Police to be broken up, while the country’s largest force remains firmly under the spotlight.

The comments made by NBPA President Andy George followed the organisation’s recent recommendation that people from Black and minority ethnic communities should boycott signing up to join the Met. Such a call by the NBPA has not been made in almost 20 years, highlighting the severity of the current crisis in policing.

The NBPA has also outlined concerns that senior Black officers reporting alleged racism are not being listened to and are being victimised and targeted as a result of speaking out about possible corruption.

Speaking exclusively to The Voice, George expressed serious concerns at the Met Police’s failure to take steps to restore public trust following the Casey Review’s damning findings that the force is

institutionally racist and not fit to serve Londoners.

“The Met has been subject to many reviews, reports and statutory inquiries, yet we are still largely chatting about the same issues,” he said.

“While the Met develops action plans and glossy brochures to show how much activity is taking place, Black Londoners continue to be traumatised by a police service who simply seek to enforce the law rather than working collaboratively with communities to solve crime and prevent harm.

“Despite many opportunities to reform or change, communities in London have seen no real difference in how policing is delivered,” he added.

“I do not feel the Met has the ability or the desire to bring in the fundamental reforms that are needed to bring back trust and confidence in policing and preserve the ethos of policing by consent.

“I lived and worked through the reforms brought into Northern Ireland and, whilst I didn't necessarily agree with all of them,

the way policing is delivered and how society functions in Northern Ireland has changed so much.

“It is these experiences that made me call for the Met to be broken up during the sitting of the Police and Crime Committee of the London Assembly on March 6. I believe this is the only way to reset policing in London, and it can be achieved if there is a desire and external legislation to ensure it delivers.”

While the criticism is scathing of the current Met leadership who are accused of lacking the will to change, George argues that practical steps to make it happen are both possible and necessary.

“This really is last chance saloon for the Met. The Commissioner has a decision to either continue to be defensive and dismissive, or to reach out to the Met BPA and communities in a different way than has been done recently recently”,” he recently, explained.

SOLUTIONS

“One potential model would be five police services in London, one for North, South, East and West, with a central service looking after diplomatic and parliamentary sites, as well as providing a public order response to protests.

“This central service could also serve public order and firearms responses

across London whilst national responsibilities such as counter terrorism could be passed to the National Crime Agency.

“The solutions are there and could be implemented within two to three years,” he added.

While senior police chiefs around the country have been accused of sitting on their hands when it comes to the issue of race, they have also been quick to point to the Police Race Action Plan as evidence of progress.

“While the Met develops action plans and glossy brochures, Black Londoners continue to be traumatised by a police service who simply seek initiative was introduced to enforce the law The by the National Police Chiefs’ (NPCC) and the College rather than working Council of Policing following the murder of collaboratively with George Floyd in 2020.

While Floyd’s murder reignited communities” a focus on US law enforcement – Andy George, President of the National Black Police Association

and its often negative impact on people of colour, it also sparked a national debate about racial disparities in UK policing.

But recent rresignations of Black staffers amid accusations of racism from insiders has led George and others to dismiss the notion that the plan is fit for purpose. been disappointing “It has b to have to support numerous Black officers and staff working on the plan who have outlined hostility and discrimination when up,” he they have tried to speak up reflected.

“Their lived eexperiences should

have been central to the plan to ensure the actions met the needs of our membership and the communities we come from.

“Unfortunately, their voice and the voice of the NBPA has not been valued, and we have been seen as a hindrance rather than an asset.

“The plan is due to move to the next phase, and the central team may be getting disbanded next March.”

Chair of the Independent Scrutiny and Oversight Board for the Police Race Action Plan, Abimbola Johnson, has also outlined reservations about the plan.

Johnson first highlighted concerns last year speaking previously to The Voice.

“If you are Black and you are doing anti-racism work, there is this psychological and emotional burden that comes with doing that, and particularly if you are doing it in an institution which recognises itself that it has an issue with racism, which is why the race action programme exists.

“We raised concerns about the pastoral care that might be needed for those who are in those positions and the need for those who sit in any sort of management position to be very astute to issues of racism and to be very astute to exhibiting their function in a truly anti-racist manner.”

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News Opinion

Dawn Butler MP

Join the debate online voice-online.co.uk/opinion

TIME FOR SUNAK TO TAKE ACTION

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Brent MP Dawn Butler, who herself has faced calls to be shot by racists, is urging political leaders to tackle the racism Black women face

IT’S been nearly a month on and we are still reeling from yet another Tory racism scandal. This time, Frank Hester — the Conservative Party’s largest donor — allegedly made incredibly racist and violent remarks in 2019 about my friend Diane Abbott MP and all Black women.

He reportedly said: ‘You see Diane Abbott on the TV, and you’re just like I hate, you just want to hate all Black women because she’s there… but I think she should be shot. [The executive] and Diane Abbott need to be shot. She’s stupid… It’s not as good as her dying. It would be much better if she died. She’s consuming resource.

She’s eating food that other people could eat. You know?’

These are incredibly disturbing and sinister comments to come from someone so involved in our politics.

Diane has understandably said that his comments are ‘frightening’ — and I was frightened for her. It makes us all feel less safe.

Frank Hester tried to claim since that his comments were ‘rude’, and that ‘his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin’.

But let me be clear. His remarks represent deep-seated racism, nothing less, and we need to treat it as such.

Comments like those, and the failure of those in power to condemn them, fuel the flames of division and hatred in our society and put people at risk.

After initially dragging his feet — a spokesperson for

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak finally said: “The comments allegedly made

by Frank Hester were racist and wrong.”

And though the Prime Minister also said that Hester has apologised, as far as I can tell, he only apologised for being rude, not for being racist.

The fact that Hester apparently wants to ‘hate all Black women’ is the very definition of racism and prejudice. Calling for an MP to be ‘shot’ and essentially starved is sick, dangerous and exposes a very worrying level of violent behaviour and beliefs.

That these alleged comments came from a man who has received £400m in government and NHS contracts and donated £10m to the Tories in the past year, is just chilling.

I launched a motion in Parliament, EDM 495, calling on the Prime Minister and all leaders to condemn these shocking remarks. I’m delighted to have received cross-party support, with MPs from all the major parties and more signing my motion. v that It is vital we stand united against hate, division and racism of all forms, no matter our political allegiance. We s i m p l y cannot

allow such violent, discriminatory remarks to become normalised in our politics or our society.

It’s a real battle with the way Black women are abused and disregarded in society and it’s time this stops. We cannot forget that, in the run-up to a previous general election, it was found that Diane Abbott alone received almost half of all the abusive tweets sent to female MPs. Shockingly, some Tories seemingly couldn’t call this out for what it was.

Cabinet minister Mel Stride said that, while Hester’s alleged remarks were ‘inappropriate’, they were not ‘gender-based or race-based’. Tory peer Lord Marland tried to argue: “He does a lot of business in Jamaica, he does business in Malaysia, Bangladesh and places like that, so he’s not a racist.”

Kevin Hollinrake, parliamentary under-secretary for the Department of Business and Trade, said the Tory Party would accept another £10m donation from him “on the basis that we don’t believe Mr Hester’s a racist”.

If Sunak will not stamp out racism with his friends and in his own party, then how can he possibly fight racism in the country?

I believe that all the contracts Hester holds must be rescinded immediately — and he should be blocked from holding contracts in the future.

Hester is the custodian of millions of UK medical records through the government contracts, but he should be nowhere near our sensitive data.

And the Prime Minister must immediately instruct his party to redirect every single penny of the donations Frank Hester made to the Conservative Party towards good causes, charities and organisations that fight racism and discrimination such as Show Racism the Red Card, The Runnymede Trust, Kick it out, Stand up to Racism, Hope Not Hate and Black Women Rising.

Or, they could even ask Diane for some suitable local organisations in her constituency. After all, why should Hester get his money back after what he has done?

He needs to address his behaviour.

If he is truly sorry, then he should hand back his OBE and issue a genuine apology, which accepts that his remarks were racist.

If you allow hatred and discrimination to fester and fail to condemn it, then you open the doors to the far-right — you send a tacit message to others that it is acceptable to racially abuse people.

This is already an extremely sensitive time in our politics, and we know the very real dangers MPs face and have faced, so for someone to call for Diane to be shot is simply unforgivable.

I know what it feels like. A man named Stephen Peddie was sentenced to eight weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, after he tweeted about me, saying: ‘Someone please explain to me why a bullet to the back of the head is anything but justified and wholly deserved.’

I also received a barrage of abusive and racist messages on social media since I called out Hester’s alleged remarks. It is scary — it shows what happens when racists are emboldened. It is not right, and it is not fair — enough is enough. The country must keep its politicians safe, as that is important for a functioning democracy.

Rishi Sunak cannot be selective about the safety of MPs because a man with racist views gives them £10m. You cannot take millions from someone who talks about wanting to ‘hate all Black women’, and who makes such openly violent remarks.

The Tories must cancel Hester’s contracts and redirect his money towards anti-racism causes. It is time to act properly. n Dawn Butler is the MP for Brent Central. n For more on this story see pages 18 and 29

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BLACK WOMEN EXPRESS CONCERNS FOR THEIR SAFETY AFTER TORY DONOR’S COMMENTS

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Bristol celebrating

ADVERTORIAL

Speaking Truth to Power Bristol Bus Boycott Legacy Celebrated by the City’s Mayor, Marvin Rees

O

n April 29th, 1963, the Bristol Bus Boycott began after People of Colour were denied jobs as bus drivers in Britain because of their skin colour.

This peaceful but purposeful protest was led by Paul Stephenson, who, alongside many others, marched for freedom, jobs and equality.

On August 28th of that same year, the Bristol Bus Boycott defeated the Colour Bar as operated by the Bristol Omnibus Company. This happened the same day Martin Luther King gave his ‘I Have a Dream speech’ in Washington DC, USA. The following year, on April 10th, 1964, Paul famously began his oneperson sit-in at the Bay Horse Pub in Bristol.

Both events paved the way for implementing the Race Relations Act 1965, the UK’s first-ever anti-racist law.

‘Standing on REFLECTIONS As we approach the 60th anniversary The Shoulders of these three pivotal UK civil rights moments in Britain’s history, Curiosof Giants’, this ity UnLtd has proudly partnered with equality charity Diversity UK, independent UK law firm Burges Salmon, fireside and ethical bank Triodos Bank, to honour the Boycott’s legacy by bringing chat will the annual Paul Stephenson Lecture to its ancestral home city of Bristol for be an open discussion about Bristol’s past, present and future.

the first time.

As one of his final public addresses, the keynote address will be given by Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees, Europe’s first elected Mayor of Black descent, who will share reflections on his eight years in office.

Themed around ‘Standing on The Shoulders of Giants’, this fireside chat will be an open discussion about Bristol’s past, present and future. It will explore Mayor Marvin’s thoughts on Martin Luther King, the Bristol Bus Boycott’s legacy, and the toppling of Colston’s statues. It will also delve into

the future of the One City Plan, Marvin’s approach to inclusive growth, tackling inequality, the housing crisis, the environmental emergency and more.

Event organiser, Julz Davis of Curiosity UnLtd said, “Bristol is a proud city of protest, home to the Bristol Bus Boycott and the birthplace of the Race Relations Act 1965.

PARTNER

Having played a pivotal role, Paul Stephenson is not just a Bristol icon but a National Hero. And on the 60th anniversary of his one-person sit-in at the Bay Horse Pub, we are delighted to partner with Diversity UK, Burges Salmon, and Triodos Bank. Thanks to their support, we look forward to celebrating Paul Stephenson’s immense contribution to a better Bristol and Britain. An endur-

ing legacy that we all continue to benefit from.”

Lopa Patel MBE, Chair of Diversity UK, the equality charity that set up the Paul Stephenson Lecture, said, “We are proud to have brought this seminal lecture on race equality to Bristol for the first time: the city plays a large part in Britain’s civil rights movement which has been ongoing since that first Bristol Bus Boycott on April 29th, 1963. Launched at the Speaker’s House at the House of Commons in 2016, previous esteemed speakers at the Paul Stephenson Lecture have included Lord Simon Woolley, Patrick Vernon OBE,

Tom Ilube CBE, Professor Marcia Wilson and Christopher Jackson, among others.

Given Bristol’s rich history of protest and activism, it’s with some excitement that we look forward to hearing Marvin’s unique thoughts on the challenges and opportunities for racial equality and social justice in Bristol and beyond.

EXHIBITIONS

We are particularly excited about meeting some Bristol Bus Boycott pioneers such as Guy Bailey and Barbara Dettering, upon whom we hope to bestow a Diversity UK Lifetime Achievement Award for

their pivotal contribution to the Boycott’s success.”

Julz added, “The Paul Stephenson Lecture 2024 is part of the second year of the Big Bristol Bus Boycott Takeover from April 22nd to May 6th.

This lecture is the crowning jewel in a citywide two-weeklong programme of events commemorating when the Bristol Bus Boycott began. Our exciting program includes unveiling plaques and research on the state of race in the city, a walking tour, pop-up exhibitions, releasing a new music video, ‘We Rise’, a large celebratory event at the Bristol Beacon, and more.”

News Feature

BLACK BRITS WARNED TO TO PROTECT RETIREMENT HOMES FROM DISPUTES Grenadian legal expert Joseph Ewart Layne urges families to plan their estates while they have the chance, writes Sinai Fleary

A

GRENADA-BASED legal expert is urging Black Britons who have built homes in the Caribbean to take action to safeguard their properties from potential disputes that could see them lose ownership.

Joseph Ewart Layne, who has worked in Grenada’s legal sector for 14 years, says he sees many Grenadians who have lived abroad for several years return home to retire after buying and building property on the island.

However, he says that it is common in Grenada, and across the Caribbean, for land and property disputes to turn bitter.

Layne wants to help ensure that returnees take the necessary action to protect their assets, especially if health issues have made them vulnerable.

According to Layne, many people returning to Grenada and other parts of the Caribbean to retire are being left “exposed”, especially if they return on their own.

“There is a real danger of people losing their homes and assets if families do not take protective measures,” he says.

“People have to be vigilant, in particular people returning from overseas. Disputes are more likely to happen to people who have assets and don’t really have any trusted family members around to take care of them.

“There will come a time when they have returned to the countries they grew up in but

their children may not want to come back with them which means their parents are exposed.

“As their mental strength and alertness diminishes with age, they become vulnerable and are likely in those circumstances to do things that they would not have otherwise done.”

The legal expert adds: “Under the system of conveyancing in Grenada if a person brings a Deed to be filed in the Land Registry, the registry has very limited power to examine or investigate the validity of the Deed.”

Many Grenadians who migrated to the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada in the 1970s are now approaching

retirement age and are returning ‘back home’, which Layne welcomes.

However, he wants families to be cautious and ensure detailed estate planning is done to avoid elderly relatives making decisions without proper legal advice which could have a detrimental impact on a family’s wealth and inheritance.

Layne issued his warning as one Black British family, who are currently fighting to get back their parents' retirement home say they have been torn apart after their father’s home on the Caribbean island was fraudulently sold.

Speaking to The Voice, Derek Marshall, 52, from Redbridge, east London, says he wants justice for his parents – Jacob and Lucille

Marshall – who bought their first house in Grenada in 1987, after working in Britain and saving for several years.

Derek says his parents were married for almost 60 years and had hoped to eventually move into a four-bedroom house in Tempe, Grenada.

However, in November 2012 Derek’s brother Eddie applied for, and was granted, Lasting Power of Attorney (PoA) over his father’s UK property and financial affairs due to Jacob’s failing health.

Eddie says he noticed his father’s memory wasn’t as good as it used to be and suggested to Jacob, who worked as a bus driver in Reading for 25 years, that he be made power of attorney over his assets.

“I used to speak to him every day and he would say, ‘Truly I don’t remember' when I asked him about things,” Eddie recalls.

He arranged for his father to see specialist doctors for a cognitive test and also tried

The Financial Investigation Unit (FIU) in Grenada is currently investigating issues surrounding the Marshall estate.

“The home was never put on the open market,” Derek says.

“That silent, quiet sale just doesn’t read well. There was a scam to get the house out of my dad’s name. My dad had no capacity, when he gave us legal control of his affairs in London.

Any document after that decision should not be valid.”

This is a view shared by – Joseph Ewart Layne, Eddie. “My dad had no capacity at Grenadian legal expert all to do anything.

“If he signed a piece of paper he to get other help for his fading wouldn’t have a clue what he was memory. “I mentioned (applying signing," he says.

“I could explain the same thing for PoA) to my dad and he said but I would have to do it 10 times yes, he wanted me to do it.” He was interviewed and went through a before he understood, but then rigorous vetting process before tomorrow he would ask the same being granted PoA over his father’s thing and I would have to do it all over again. I’m 100 per cent sure finances.

“I was power of attorney in the he would not have agreed to sell UK while mum and dad were over his house. He would not know there. They wanted to enjoy the where to start.”

On January 10 this year, Jacob West Indies and I was doing it for sadly passed away; his wife Lucille, them.”

Jacob was eventually diagnosed passed away in June 2021.

Derek says his father was buried with dementia in January 2013.

The house in Tempe was sold in five days after his death, without 2020 for EC$ (Eastern Caribbean the family’s knowledge, which also dollars) 600,000 (£173,189). .The raises questions.

“I will 100 per cent be ffamily still own another house in Grenada. Derek says his father challenging everything. I’ve had could not have sold the family no time to grieve for my parents home by himself, seven years after because I have had to engage in his dementia diagnosis and eight financial things,” he explains.

He says the circumstances years after his brother Eddie was surrounding the sale of the house granted PoA in the UK. The family is adamant that has had a devastating impact on their vulnerable father’s house the family.

“I haven’t been able to work was fraudulently sold without his permission after falling victim because of stress and my weight abuse, and that the sale gain. I’ve put on four stone just to elder abuse should be the subject of a police because of the stress,” he says. “I investigation into fraud.

Continued on p21

“There is a real danger of people losing their homes and assets if families do not take protective measures”

Feature Continued from p6 edge and Black history in his family, eventually, a negative view of Black identity and the embracing of White culture would reach a natural conclusion.

It was however an exchange trip which saw him spend six months in South Africa rebuilding a school and running HIV workshops that accelerated this process and expanded his consciousness.

“You wanna talk about racism?

That place opened your eyes in a completely different way,” he reflects. “Even the farmer I was living with still has to call the White man boss and he still got called boy”.

In the wake of apartheid, the country has been left economically devastated after decades of White minority rule, leaving the Black majority suppressed and subjugated.

Andrews also talks about a sense of kinship and familiarity in South Africa, despite the poverty and lack of opportunity which attests to the strength of Black culture and spirit to often endure in the most difficult of conditions. He describes falling asleep in the daytime on a bench with no problems like being harassed or arrested – something that most likely would not happen in any of the UK’s big towns or cities.

LEAVING THE PAST “After I came back from South Africa, that was it," he says. “I never really went to football games or pubs.

“But I was at one game, I think England against Brazil. All the usual stupid chants were going on. I had enough, and I just left the pub at half-time and that was it. I never spoke to any of them ever again.”

Walking away from a pub draped in Union Jacks that day in 2002 serves as a powerful metaphor for the spiritual rejection of Englishness, which many of us will understand. We’re as British as anyone, whatever British really means. But we have never been fully claimed or accepted by a nation that has built its greatness off the back of our ancestors.

It’s a contradiction which can arguably never be reconciled.

Fast forward 22 years, and Andrews has now travelled widely all over the African continent, after embarking on a journey in the UK which has seen him become a high profile Black professor, one of only a small handful.

He now teaches Black Studies at Birmingham City University.

His experiences and exploration of Africa have no doubt solidified his worldview which runs through his politics, and it’s a politics which many thousands of people relate to.

“When we think about Blackness it has to be global. As much as we complain about things here it's not that bad comparatively.

“When we think about struggle and what we’re trying to do, I think going there at a young age, really brought home that the struggle has to be global. It can’t just be one nation leading it. That’s not very revolutionary.”

One of Andrews’ fairly recent works is The New Age Of Empire: How Racism and Colonialism Still Rule the World.

The book is an examination of how European Western nations continue to exploit and subjugate the continent and is a counterweight to the notion that colonialism is a relic of the past.

If many people think that this chapter in history is closed Ethiopia, which was never colonised like other nations were, suggests otherwise.

“It’s the most neo-colonial place I’ve ever been in my entire life,” he says. “The World Bank and IMF are in that country more than any other probably in the entire world.

They rely on receiving food aid to feed people more than any other place. Neo-colonialism is more rampant and is tied to the place.

And they’re learning English.

Why? We never colonised them.”

He also tells me it’s one of his favourite places to visit in Africa along with South Africa. Despite the conditions, a rich culture still exists in the birthplace of civilisation. It’s clear from the protest movements that have kicked out French troops in places like Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal and the unrest in Haiti that Black unity is needed.

As Andrews reminds us, insurrections are often welcome but are only the first step of wider change.

Challenging the global economic infrastructures which maintain control of black people internationally is what is needed.

As a professor, Andrews of course believes in education but, partly due to the prejudice he has faced, ultimately believes we must teach our own kids as well as attaining whatever qualifications we can. In other words, play the system, but don’t let the system play you.

CONTINUING MALCOLM X’S LEGACY Next year, he is holding a conference in Africa (venue to be confirmed) to coincide with Malcolm X’s 100th birthday. The event seeks to bring Black people together to discuss solutions to shared problems.

“Let’s have this big event, a Congress of African people. We have to connect the struggle here to the struggle in Africa and we must organise together. I’m writing a book right now about what Malcolm X would say. As a people, we have to be global first.”

He goes on: “This is what Malcolm did. He travelled across Africa because we have to connect the struggles, and that is what’s dangerous, that’s why they killed him.”

It’s a powerful note to end the discussion on. This is why Kehinde Andrews is important. He’s not simply another teacher arming us with knowledge and a critical framework. He cares about the community enough to apply that knowledge fearlessly and wants to take practical steps to improve things, not just for the community but for the global Black diaspora.

For that, he surely deserves our support and respect. It’s time to give Professor Kehinde Andrew his flowers.

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Maybe it’s time for an eye test Book online at specsavers.co.uk

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LIDJ’S STORY Lidj started working part-time at McDonald’s in 2015 while he studied for a law degree. When Lidj realised that he was enjoying his job more than his degree course, he quit and came to McDonald’s full-time. He worked his way up to become a manager and in 2022 was given the opportunity to do a Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship in Chartered Management.

WHAT THE APPRENTICESHIP MEANS TO HIM Lidj is ambitious and loves the fact he’s studying for a degree and earning money at the same time. He’ll complete his degree in 3 years and would like to manage his own restaurant. He hopes to continue to progress his career with McDonald’s with a view to joining Head Office in the future. His ultimate dream is to run the first successful McDonald’s franchise in Jamaica!

HOW Mc McDONALD’S IS SUPPORTING LIDJ’S JOURNEY From the very start of Lidj’s journey with McDonald’s has supported him.

His Manager encouraged him to apply for the degree apprenticeship, has his back to ensure he gets enough time to complete his assignments, and his mentor provides ongoing feedback and encouragement. McDonald’s has given Lidj the opportunity, the tools and the back-up to get to where he wants to be.

The apprenticeship has been such a positive experience so far. I can see where it could lead me, and I’ve got a whole new life plan based around getting my degree.

LUCAS’S STORY Lucas joined McDonald’s in 2022 and has almost completed his Level 2 Hospitality Team Member Apprenticeship. As well as gaining new knowledge and transferable skills while working and getting paid, he’s grown in confidence in his role. Lucas is already planning to move up to a Level 3 apprenticeship next year.

HOW HE’S LEARNING Lucas is learning on-the-job and is also being supported to study and complete assignments online with McDonald’s training provider.

He’s found the studying incredibly interesting and feels excited he is learning new skills, equipping him for the future. The support of his mentor and Line Manager has made a real difference for Lucas, and with their help he’s been able to manage his time effectively.

WHAT Mc McDONALD’S MEANS TO HIM Lucas knows that McDonald’s is there for him and that their investment into his development is pushing him to achieve his full potential. Lucas loves working for McDonald’s so much, he’s persuaded his sister to join the team too.

It’s really opened my eyes to the size of the hospitality sector and the different opportunities out there. It’s also made me feel positive about learning.

I’m pleased to have the chance to build skills for the future in such a flexible way.

News Feature

Understanding and tackling name bias in the workplace

Kadesh Beckford says name bias is a significant but not well-understood issue affecting employees across the UK I’M PROUD of my name. It’s part of my heritage and a fundamental part of my identity. But it can cause confusion.

A lot of people assume that Kadesh is an Indian name and get a shock when a Black man walks into the room.

They may even prejudge me and my ability to do a job. Sometimes people can’t pronounce it and give me a nickname rather than just asking me how to say it, even if I don’t want to be called something else.

Most people aren’t aware that it’s actually a Hebrew name via Jamaica, a country that has a long heritage of Jewish settlers and therefore that it makes perfect sense for a Black man to be called Kadesh. It’s easier for them to just avoid the topic rather than have an uncomfortable conversation and display ignorance. This is name bias and it’s a lot more common than you might think.

At Samsung, the company I work for, we commissioned a poll of 2,000 UK adults as part of our Pioneers CSR program

to understand how widespread name bias is.

The results were shocking.

Nearly half of the minority respondents told us they felt they’d been treated differently just because of their names, and 24 per cent of people surveyed had witnessed people suffering workplace discrimination for the same reason. Even worse, 12 per cent of the people we spoke to have had to use different names when job seeking. Our staff explored these issues more fully in our video The Fine Line.

We then decided to take a wider look at society and realised that this has been a known problem since as far back as 2015. At the Conservative Party Conference that year, then UK-Prime Minister David Cameron talked about name bias. He told delegates: “Do you know that in our country today, even if they have exactly the same qualifications, people with White-sounding names are nearly twice as likely to get call-backs for jobs than people with ethnicsounding names?”

In my industry, technology, 65 per cent of people of colour

believe there is an ethnicity wage gap. Less than a tenth of senior leaders in the UK are from ethnicminority backgrounds, according to techUK. Diversity is a tough topic for UK workplaces. In fact, 64 per cent of firms in the UK have lost out on tech talent from diverse backgrounds and struggle to retain staff. The Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) estimates we lose almost £63 billion to the UK economy annually because of a digital skills gap. We simply cannot keep turning talent away just because of their heritage and their names.

It's critical that we address this. If we fail to properly support diverse talent then this has an effect on everyone. Enterprises that maintain a properly diverse workforce often demonstrate better opportunities for creativity and problem-solving, smarter decision making, reduced rates of employee turnover and, ultimately, increased profits and productivity.

In today’s tough economy, it’s important that every company gives itself the chance to succeed. They need the right staff to be able to do this. A diverse workforce that feels respected and empowered is a loyal workforce that will excel.

So, how do we solve the diversity problem?

We cannot continue excluding people from the workforce and denying them

“Nearly half of the minority respondents told us that they felt they’d been treated differently just because of their names and teams, help them to feel like part grow, develop teams opportunity to grow 24% of people the their careers and lives, and of a wider support group and to cannot keep impeding help them succeed in an inclusive surveyed had companies environment. But we know there their own growth. is still more work ahead.

At Samsung, we’re making sure witnessed It's easy to think that what we that no-one falls at the first hurdle. people suffering Our talent acquisition team is call someone doesn’t affect how trained on inclusive hiring and they do their job, or their attitude. workplace conscious inclusion so that our We may even think that giving talent pool represents the true someone a nickname is harmless, discrimination diversity in society. or mispronouncing their name Diversity and equality are also isn’t a problem. for the major elements in our talent and However, if we don’t pay pipeline. Since 2018, attention to these basic things same recruitment we have integrated Textio into our and learn how to have the conversations funnel — a system which uncomfortable reason” hiring brings the world’s most advanced and really try to understand – Kadesh Beckford

language insights into our hiring and employer brand content.

In 2022, we signed the Tech Talent Charter, continuing our commitment to address inequality in the UK tech sector and drive inclusivity. When that talent emerges, our brilliant Employee Resource Groups, including the Black Professionals, Women@ Samsung and True Ability

other people then we can’t solve the bigger issues. This will not only hold back people who could otherwise do well. It will have a wider impact on companies and even the economy.

n Kadesh Beckford is a Smartphone Specialist Product Manager at Samsung Electronics UK

FEBRUARY 2024

THE VOICE | 31

Dotun Adebayo

Join the debate online voice-online.co.uk/opinion

Rate him or hate him - you can’t ignore him!

THIS ISN'T OVER – THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

Rishi Sunak reckons he’s apologised and we can all move on after Frank Hester’s comments came to light – but he couldn’t be more wrong

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’M NOT sure Parliament can be regarded as a safe place for Black women any more. I'm really not.

After all, the Government is more than happy to take donations from Frank Hester, the man who suggested that Diane Abbott should be shot as well as saying that looking at her makes him hate all Black women.

I’m presuming by that he means all Black women including those other Black women in Parliament: Kemi Badenoch MP, Baroness Amos, Chi Onwurah MP, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Kate Osamor MP, Baroness Floella Benjamin, Claudia Webbe MP, Baroness Moyo of Knightbridge, Abena OppongAsare MP, Baroness Young of Hornsey, Dawn Butler MP, Florence Eshalomi MP, Helen Grant MP, Marsha De Cordova MP, Bell Ribiero-Addy MP. Together they surely constitute a quorate of women whose lives have been made less safe by such a statement.

Should they also be shot? I ask him. Let's not forget Diane Abbott makes him hate all Black women.

Is he advocating violence against these other Black women or is that a sentiment/crime he reserves for Ms Abbott? And for the record, why should she be shot?

What has she ever done that she deserves to lose her life over it?

These are questions that the Prime Minister should also be answering, after all he who pays the piper calls the tune and the piper has to dance. The Prime Minister has been dancing around the issue of whether Hester is a racist or whether he was simply making racist statements without being a racist. Dancing to the tune of £10 -£15 million of Hester’s money, which is our money (remember that Hester's wealth is built on government contracts which equates to taxpayers’ money. That’s yours and mine.

Hard cash.) We are effectively paying for this multi-millionaire to be unapologetically a racist commentator.

Rishi Sunak says he’s apologised and that’s the end of it. I would argue, no, that’s not the end of it.

That’s the beginning of it.

An apology is an acknowledgement of wrongdoing. That Hester says he’s only apologising for being rude about Diane Abbott and the Prime Minister saying that’s the end of the matter is beyond logical reasoning. The Prime Minister himself has said that Hester’s statement was racist, but Hester is saying his statements were simply rude. Is it the Prime Minister who is calling a cat a dog

Should all Black women in Parliament be shot?

Is he advocating violence, or is that a sentiment he reserves for Ms Abbott? or is it Hester? Surely we have a legal definition of racism and surely that definition is more than just rudeness. So either Hester has not apologised at all for his racist comments, or the Prime Minister is a banana.

Either way Parliament cannot be deemed a safe place for Black women MPs if the man with the Prime Minister’s ear has declared open season on Britain's first Black woman MP, Diane Abbott, and potentially every other Black woman that she makes him want to hate cannot be said to be working in a safe environment considering the influence he has in the chamber. And he should certainly not be allowed anywhere near Parliament, its environs or anywhere else Black women might be working. He’s not in it for the politics – or just for the politics.

These Tory donors want power. They want knighthoods and peerages. At the moment, Frank Hester only has an OBE which puts him on more or less the same level as me. Were he to get a knighthood or a peerage for his millions it would be to add insult to the wounds of Black women from his ‘rudeness/racist comments’. I for one would find it hard to call him ‘Sir’ anything or ‘Lord’ anything because that would feel like legitimising his racist abuse.

The Prime Minister is the most powerful person in the country, but sometimes he is no more than a glorified referee, the arbiter of foul play in the corridors of power without the aid of VAR.

Imagine for a moment that this was a football match in which Frank Hester is centre forward (so great is his influence) and he abuses the Black opposition player, for example, and says you make me want to hate all Black men, and you ought to be shot men and everybody is crying “Off !

Off ! Off ! Off ! Send him off !!” and Hester apologises and the ref says ‘Look, he’s apologised so we can forget all about it and carry game’, would that be on with the game acceptable? I think not.

Even in a relatively small stakes game like football, abuse is abuse.

If you physically abuse somebody you get penalised, and if you verbally abuse somebody you get penalised.

I’m not sure either that this country can be regarded as a safe place for Black men or women.

After the actor Liam Neeson’s admission that after one of his girlfriends was, according to him, sexually assaulted by, according to him, a Black man, he went out with a cosh looking to kill any Black man he bucked up against.

Luckily, according to him, there were no Black men around on that night, otherwise he might very well have murdered them.

And yet he’s free to walk the streets like it ain’t no biggie.

I suppose he apologised, too, but I'm not entirely sure because the moment I realised that he hadn’t been arrested after his confession, as I would have expected of anybody else who admitted to the same thing, I was reluctant to walk the streets whilst Liam Neeson was free to come up with other ingenious ways to kill people like me.

You see why I’m not sure Britain is a safe place for Black men?

But then I’m not sure that we are safe to ourselves anymore.

Once upon a time we looked after each other. We wouldn’t just sit on our hands and bemoan the fact that nothing is being done to protect us.

At the very least we would get up and stand up for our rights as The Wailers urged us to do.

But for many of us it’s like, what’s the point? Why do we always have to do the heavy lifting? Look how long we’ve been doing it and just when we get to the point that just us is about to achieve justice we don’t seem to see it through.

We believe the system has changed and there’s nothing more to fight for. And we don’t seem to learn from other nations that justice is an ongoing affair.

You’re not in and out of it in one election.

For more on this story see page 29

DOTUN ADEBAYO, BRITAIN’S MOST CELEBRATED BLACK BROADCASTER, IS KNOWN AS THE KING OF THE NIGHTTIME AIRWAVES. ALL VIEWS HERE ARE HIS OWN. LISTEN TO HIM OVERNIGHT ON BBC 5 LIVE FROM 1-5AM SATURDAY MORNINGS - MONDAY MORNINGS & 1AM - 4AM ON BBC RADIO LONDON (WEDNESDAY TO FRIDAY MORNINGS). FOLLOW HIM ON TWITTER: @dotunadebayo

FEBRUARY 2024

THE VOICE | 19

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News Feature

‘We need to educate men’

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N THE spring of March 2021, when 33-year-old Sarah Everard went missing and was later discovered to have been violently raped and murdered, it sparked a heated debate in the UK about the dark side of a patriarchal society — are women and girls safe from men?

Following Everard’s tragic murder, there was a torrent of ideas and initiatives to combat violence against women and girls (VAWG) from the government, women’s rights organisations, and the police. Many victims of sexual harassment, stalking, and assault used social media to share their stories. Despite the harrowing stories, others took to social media to claim that not all men were sex offenders. But why did they become so defensive about this?

According to Selma Taha, right, a director at domestic abuse charity Southall Black Sisters, it’s really difficult to have these discussions with men because many still do not fully understand that both genders do not operate on an equal footing.

“Men need educating and they need educating from an early age about sex inequality, about women’s experience of abuse and violence,” she says. “This involves giving women space, making their

Challenging social norms is key to rewiring how men and boys view violence against women and girls. By Leah Mahon

voices prominent so they can speak from first-hand experiences.

It’s about educating men to understand the imbalances and then contribute to re-addressing them,” she said.

“It doesn’t matter what community you come from, or which country you live in, it doesn’t matter if you’re in a Western country or a developing country, these problems of violence against

women and girls exist. The reason they do is because of the imbalance equality between the sexes and the patriarchal norms and values that society functions around.”

The bombshell Casey Review, published last year, found that the Metropolitan Police was institutionally sexist and thousands of sexual offence victims had been failed by police with reports of crucial rape evidence found spoiling away in broken down fridges.

Coupled with this, the country’s biggest police force was also found to be institutionally racist again more than two decades after it was publicly dogged with racism claims following the Macpherson report, leaving Black women victims of gender-based violence with little hope that they will be listened to.

The charge rate for rape convictions is currently less than one per cent for all women, which means that Black women are even less likely to see justice through the

police and courts. This disparity highlights what campaigners say is an urgent need for comprehensive reform of the criminal justice system to tackle race and gender inequalities so that women from all backgrounds have equal access to justice.

But it’s not just institutions that are affected by damaging myths and stereotypes surrounding gender violence. A survey of 3,000 adults by the Crown Prosecution service found only 53 per cent of participants recognised that it can still be rape if a victim doesn’t resist or fight back and just 42 per cent understood that being in a relationship or marriage does not mean consent to sex can be assumed.

Dan Guinness, managing director at Beyond Equality — a charity that works with men and boys to help redefine toxic ideas of masculinity — told The Voice that their workshops run in schools, universities, workplaces, community groups and sports teams aims to challenge these viewpoints.

“The primary aim of these workshops is to open up space so that men can explore the social norms that exist in their community and group, and that impact on them.

This often involves educating them about the consequences of

in control, to be sexually active.

can impact negatively on “It doesn’t matter These the men’s mental wellbeing, and often reinforce or lead to bewhat community they haviours which are controlling of you come from, women, aggressive or objectifying of women.” these problems Cat-calling and sharing nude pictures among groups and presof violence suring women for sex are just some of the stories that Guinness against women has heard through his work. He that challenging social norms and girls exist says is key to rewiring how men and view VAWG. because of the boys “Women should lead on deand analysing the vioimbalance of scribing lence they experience,” he adds. there can be a level-playing equality between Then field in having conversations the sexes” about where the attitudes exist in

society, and importantly in actual– Selma Taha, ly challenging harmful behaviour.

“So much of VAWG exists beSouthall Black Sisters cause of poor understanding of how harmful behaviours are reand experiences of VAWG and inforced by widely held social challenge sexist or misogynistic norms. These are only able to be attitudes that might exist within challenged by preventative educathe group,” he says. tion, respectful relationships and “It’s very important that this cultural change.” work gives men and boys a chance Taha agrees. “We do need to to actually talk about and explore create an inclusive dialogue where how they experience social pres- all voices are heard,” she says. sures — which vary a lot between “We need to foster collaboration different groups and individuals, between men and women to colbut include things like the ex- lectively address the root causes of pectation to be a provider, to be violence against women and girls.”

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Continued from p12 am being eing treated for serious depression, I’ve been suicidal and I don’t like to admit it.”

The family want ant to raise awareness about what has happened to their family so other returnees can protect themselves.

Derek is also lso urging the Grenadian authorities to introduce clearer and stronger guidelines to protect vulnerable elderly people who may be returning to the island to live after many years abroad and who are at risk of losing their homes and life savings.

“My big fear ear here is that it could be happening to other people, but we don’t speak about it because we are too embarrassed," he says.

A second four-bedroom house in Lance Aux Epine – which has three additional apartments downstairs – was the couple’s main residence and is where Jacob Marshall lived until his death in January.

The family say this house has not yet been sold.

Derek kept in close contact with his parents while they lived in Grenada, visiting as often as he could and made daily phone calls and video calls.

But when the COVID-19

“I will 100 per cent be challenging everything.

I’ve had no time to grieve for my parents because I have had to engage in financial things” – Derek Marshall

and dad always wanted. They always wanted to go back to the West Indies when it came to retirement and old age and see the last of their living years in the West Indies.”

He says he found out about the sale of the house through Derek and hopes “justice will prevail” and that the truth about what happened to his father is made public.

“I just want my mum and dad to rest in peace the way that it should have been, he says.

“Their whole future has been

taken away from them in such awful circumstances. I would just like to see justice done for them and my family.

“Mum and dad are private pandemic began, he was unable to fly to Grenada to check on his people and these people who have parents and says he became cut taken over, my dad wouldn’t even know who they were and wouldn’t off from them.

He claims it was at this point have anyone live in his house at all.”

With the British pound going that people his father trusted took advantage of his father’s much further in the Caribbean, the region will continue to be a deteriorating health.

“No one was travelling, so it popular place for British house was the perfect time to strike,” he hunters and those wanting to retire in the sun. says.

But legal experts like Layne and Eddie, Derek and a third brother, Roy, say they are “very distraught” families caught up in property and “upset” that everything his disputes say they want to see parents worked for has been lost. more advocacy on behalf of “I’m emotionally broken that elderly people to ensure they are everything has turned out this not taken advantage of at a time way,” says Eddie. when they should be enjoying “It was the dream that my mum their retirement.

News Feature TOP TIPS TO PROTECT FAMILY HOMES ABROAD

Take control of your health the easy way, with the NHS App

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he NHS App is a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services and information on your smartphone or tablet. Millions of people are already using the NHS App to manage their health the easy way from the comfort of their homes.

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likes the fact that she can access her health information quickly and easily, without being held in a queue on the phone: ‘I’m a busy person so I need to be able to manage my life on the go and the NHS App helps me do that for my health. I have various repeat prescriptions that I can just order on the App and pick up at

the local pharmacy that I’ve chosen, and I can look up my health records – like vaccinations – whenever I need to. I especially like the alerts and reminders for appointments or events, so I don’t have to remember to add them to my diary.

It just makes things simpler for me and I have recommended the app to my friends and family.’

With the NHS App, you can: • See your consultation notes, letters and test results • View your GP health record • Order repeat prescriptions and nominate your preferred pharmacy • Find your local NHS services • Find your NHS number • Access NHS 111 Online to get instant advice or medical help near you

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• Thelma Dakin-Davis

first downloaded the NHS App on her phone during the COVID-19 pandemic so that she could access her COVID travel pass. Since then, Thelma has noticed how many other ways she can use the app to help her manage her health in a way that’s convenient to her: ‘The NHS App works really well on my phone and I use it quite often.

I’m able to see all of my doctor’s letters and other communication I’ve

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Just last week I used the app to order a repeat prescription and it was ready at my local pharmacy for me to collect the same day.

In the time I’ve been using it there have been more and more features added, and the best part is that it’s there at my fingertips; wherever I am or whatever I’m doing.’

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News Feature

Study sheds light on racial inequalities in education sector

White university lecturers’ experience of racism could help racial injustice. By Leah Mahon

U

NDERSTANDING HOW racism affects White lecturers in universities could be the next step to tackling discrimination in the higher education sector, a leading professor has said.

Denise Miller, a University of Greenwich Associate Professor of Child and Educational Psychology, was part of a team of researchers that examined White employees in the sector who were aware of the effects of systemic racism or who understood how White privilege had shaped their careers.

The first of its kind, the study called The Psychosocial Cost of Racism on White Higher Education Staff, analysed qualitative data from in-depth interviews conducted with 12 employees working across all levels of a post-92 university, which are former polytechnics or colleges of higher education that were given university status by John Major’s government in 1992.

The failure to address racial disparity stretching back to the arrival of the Windrush generation, the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020 following the tragic death of George Floyd and the racial disparities highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic were among the factors that Miller says motivated her to take part in the research project.

Despite including both Black and White participants, the

“strength of the words came through much clearer” in the responses from White staff members who took part in the project, Miller recalls.

“When we started off the research, I didn’t anticipate that I would be writing this paper. I thought I would be letting the world know what it’s like to be a Black academic in Britain today.

However, when we sent the staff working across all sectors of the university, we had many more White participants come forward to talk about their experiences,” she says. “Then we asked people to take part in one-to-one interviews.

And again, many more W h i t e people came forward. So we started

to write a paper to say what it was like for both Black and White people. But really, we were ignoring the experiences of White people and we realised we just couldn’t ignore them.”

The results revealed that White university staff felt strong feelings of guilt, embarrassment, anger and shame, with some even describing incidents of racism as “stomach churning”. Some reported feeling “responsible” for how racism plagues the systems they work in even if they had not directly participated in racially discriminatory behaviour.

White staff were also very aware of the impact racism had on others, particularly their Black and minority ethnic colleagues.

According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, the number of Black and ethnic minority ethnic employees in higher education has risen from 8.6 per cent in 2010/11 to 15.4 per cent in 2019/20.

However, staff numbers from diverse backgrounds were still disproportionately lower than

White staff members with permanent contracts and who also held senior leadership positions or were on higher-level pay bands.

“They knew [White staff ] they were benefiting from the system, which came through in the data,” says Miller. “Most of them understood that White privilege had got them through barriers that Black people were trying to jump over to get to the same positions. They realised that actually, they were in the conversations that opened the doors for them more easily.

“Some of them talked about their colleagues being shouted at or being undermined or being given more work than others.”

Miller says she realises that the research, which is thought to be the first of its kind to focus on the impact of racism on White higher education staff, could be met with scepticism from those who frequently suffer from the effects of racial trauma.

However, she adds that she and her fellow researchers Dr Charmaine Brown and Dr Ryan Essek believe this different take on the impact of institutional racism could be a stepping stone to tackling racial inequality.

“In the study, we do go to great lengths to say that we’re not ignoring the experiences of Black people. I’m a Black person, I know what it feels like, I know how frustrated and angry I feel about it. But I also know that’s not new knowledge. We already know this. There are millions of pieces of paper that say the same thing and research that has already been carried out and reported on.

“White people are in positions of power and authority, and they sit around the decision-making

“Racism is always an attack on everybody. It’s not just an attack on one section of the population or one person in the workforce,” – Professor Hakim Adi tables so it’s really important that they become our allies.”

Professor Hakim Adi, a historian who specialises in the history of Africa, welcomed the study for helping to create a greater understanding of how the effects of racism surpass just psychological distress.

The study showed racism was not just the result of individual attitudes or actions, but that it

is also inherently embedded into the structures, policies and practices of the university, including the BAME award gap for students.

“Racism is always an attack It’s not just an on everybody. It attack on one section of the population or one person in the workforce,” he says.

“It has aan impact on curriculum, on what is taught and also has an impact on they’re treated, Black staff, how they they’re paid, how they’re how they recruited. The general conditions in which they operate has an impact on all staff.”

Adi believes tthat showing how racial discrimination has an impact on everyone in society, could “strengthen the struggle against racism,” because it makes clear that it is an “attack on everybody”.

For both Black and White participants, they were found to be aware of topical issues and debates surrounding racism and were motivated to gain a better understanding of how racism operates within their workspaces.

Miller and her team found that both Black and White participants were interested in learning more about the ways racism manifests in the workplace and were aware of current discussions and debates about the issues.

“We hope that the implications and recommendations will be taken forward” she says. “We have disseminated the research far and wide and there’s been lots and lots of interest from diverse people.

“We also hope that it will have some sort of value and impact, not only at the university where it was carried out. This could be replicated across the country and probably across the world.”

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Piecing together our history through puzzles Tayo Idowu’s specialist publishing company creates board games that celebrate African and Caribbean culture. By Vic Motune

W

ITH AN abundance of platforms such as Netflix, Sky and Disney+ for example, watching TV shows and movies remains a popular leisure activity for millions of people around the world.

But it’s often been said that nothing beats board games and

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News Feature

puzzles as a leisure activity that can help strengthen bonds between family and friends.

For many, family game nights bring back happy memories of simpler times when we played together without electronic devices that are a central part of the digital age we now live in.

Every year sees the release of new board games or jigsaw puzzle market such as Exploding Kittens or Sweet Memories of the 1980s.

But picture this: a family is gathered around a table, engrossed in piecing together a jigsaw puzzle.

The puzzle features prominent figures from Black history. As the family members try to work out which pieces go where, it sparks conversations and shared stories about the achievements of Black men and women throughout history.

This is the vision that entrepreneur Tayo Idowu has brought to life with his new puzzle, Black Figures in History.

It features over 60 handdrawn illustrations of remarkable Black historical figures such as Marcus Garvey, Harriet Tubman, and Patrice Lumumba as well as Egyptian rulers, inventors, musicians, and civil rights champions.

The global board game market has boomed in recent years.

According to market research companies Technavio and Imarc, the market has an estimated value of between $11 billion (£8.6bn) and $13.4 billion (£10.4bn). Their research predicts that the industry will grow by seven to 11 per cent over the next five years.

However, Idowu noticed that despite this growth, there was a gap in the market for puzzles and games that reflect people and

stories from diverse backgrounds.

It was this void that inspired him to start Black Figures in History.

“We officially launched Black Figures in History just before Black History Month in October but before then we sold the product at a wide range of face-toface events, across the summer,” he says. “The great thing about this approach is that you get immediate feedback. Many people told us that they loved the puzzle and it was something that was very needed in the community.

Our first batch has sold out and we’re doing a second batch now.”

Idowu is a firm believer in the ability of puzzles and board games to help provide a more accurate understanding of the role that Black people have played in fields such as art, literature and science through interactive and entertaining gameplay.

“We have many millions of untold stories about great individuals or historical events that people are only just beginning to recognise. I want to help bring these stories to

the fore because as well as being educational for people from all backgrounds, they are also important in helping Black people take greater pride in their history.”

Idowu has used this approach for another game he has developed called Go Hero.

“It’s a family card game but on each card, there's a 30-word summary of the life of a historically important Black person. Through playing each game you will learn about people like Samuel Coleridge Taylor or Queen Amina.”

As well as developing games and puzzles, Idowu has made a big impact in the field of culturally tailored memory books through his company Ebony Life.

He recently published a book called African and Caribbean Life: Adult Reminiscence Colouring Book, a colouring and word search book for adults after a friend whose mother had been diagnosed with dementia asked him for help.

It features scenes from the 1950s and ‘60s which readers are invited to colour in. The idea is to help them remember the richness of the African and Caribbean cultures and traditions they grew up with before emigrating to Britain, in many cases as part of the Windrush Generation.

The book has been hailed as a crucial resource for African Caribbean senior citizens.

Speaking about his company’s future goals, Idowu says he’s not going to measure Ebony Life’s success solely by the usual business metrics of profits and market share.

“I measure success by positive impact,” he says. “Seeing people respond to, and engage with the puzzle and games, and give them love makes us feel like we’re adding value to the community in our own small way. When you see the sense of pride that the puzzles and games produce we’re helping our community take a small step forward.”

APRIL 2024

THE VOICE | 25

Improving Policing

ADVERTORIAL

Improving policing for Black people

The Police Race Action Plan is the biggest coordinated effort ever across every police force in ngland and ales to impro e trust and confidence in policing among Black communities.

T/Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dr Alison Heydari

Dr Alison Heydari

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very Chief Constable has signed up to support the plan and achieve its objectives, the first time there has been such a coordinated, unified response across policing to making the vital improvements envisaged under the plan.

Policing is determined to become an anti-racist organisation that actively roots out bias and discrimination from our ranks.

Delivering the long term, institutional changes we want in things like culture, outcomes and behaviour will take time.

But there has never been so much support, focus and determination to ensure policing is representative of and can be trusted by Black communities across the country.

I understand that people may be sceptical. The Scarman report, the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, the Lammy review.

There have been too many reviews, reports and enquiries over the years into the relationship between the police and Black communities.

Now is the time for action, not just more words.

Our plan has achieved a considerable amount since launching in May 2022.

We have had conversations with thousands of people about the plan, its work, what we want to achieve and how we can best do it.

This includes more than 1,600 Black officers and staff currently working in

policing, who gave us their invaluable views on our culture and what steps we can take to make policing more inclusive.

Our Independent Scrutiny and Oversight Board (ISOB) has been established to oversee and scrutinise our work, holding our delivery of the plan to account and making recommendations and suggestions on the best ways for the plan to move forward.

A Community Reference Group has also been set up, with this network of dozens of experts drawn from across the country coming together to advise and guide the plan and ensure what it is doing has the best chance of achieving community buy-in.

HELP Acknowledging policing’s past experience and interaction with Black communities is a key part of our plan. We have made bespoke materials for forces to help them educate their staff about Black history and especially the history of the Black community with the police, while a Black Heritage Advisory Group has been set up with the College of Policing to advise on policies and practices within policing.

Changes have already been delivered to the way policing does its work. This is particularly true around data and ensuring ethnicity is recorded in areas it was not done previously.

The ethnicity of those subject to traffic

stops is now recorded by most UK police forces. This was a key recommendation of the inquiry following the death of Stephen Lawrence.

The plan commissioned independent research into the use of taser by police

“Now is the time for action, not just more words” officers and has subsequently put in place actions to address disproportionality in how these powers are used.

Similar work is underway to ensure the ethnicity of missing people is recorded more effectively and consistently.

One of the key actions in our plan is to adopt an ‘understand any disparity, seek to explain it or build a case for potential reform’ approach to race disparities and develop a new national approach to help

forces tackle race disparities in their use of powers, including stop and search.

From April, forces will be publishing an ethnicity pay gap and put action plans in place to address gaps in pay.

Some chief constables are now being mentored by mentors from the Black community, as part of the Elevate programme being run through the Police Race Action Plan.

PROGRESS The plan has also sparked a conversation about institutional racism in policing. Several chief constables, including National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) chairman Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, have said they believe policing is institutionally racist. While it is for individual Chief Constables to make their own assessment, there is a growing number of the most senior police officers acknowledging that discrimination and bias still exists in policing – and that we must all work together to stamp it out.

While change is happening, we know we have a long way to go. For decades, progress has not gone far or fast enough in policing. Put simply, we want to be better.

We want Black victims of domestic abuse to be confident in coming forward.

We want Black boys and girls subject to exploitation to be confident in coming forward. We want Black communities to look at policing and feel that we are

representative of their community, we ‘get it’ and we understand their concerns.

Sadly, for too many people at the moment, this is not the case. We are determined to change that, you can help us make the change.

T/Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dr Alison Heydari Programme Director, Police Race Action Plan

Midlands News

PROJECT BRINGS INTO SHARP FOCUS DESPAIR OF THE HOMELESS

Powerful image taken in Second City helps photographer clinch Portrait of Britain Award

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N IMAGE of a former h o m e l e s s woman taken in Birmingham city centre has helped a photographer and academic clinch the Portrait of Britain Award.

The striking portrait image of Mauvette Reynolds, taken in the shadows of the iconic Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, is part of the body of work called Construct,, compiled by Anthony Luvera.

The project is centred around the lives and experiences of more than 50 people facing homelessness in the Second City. The photo has been acknowledged by the British Journal of Photography for its raw and real exploration of the lives of people facing homelessness and continues Luvera’s rich history of producing socially engaged art.

Construct, ongoing since 2018, was commissioned by GRAIN Projects, an arts organisation

Being homeless is more than depressing, it drags you down. It’s like being stuck between two brick walls and there’s no way out

dedicated to facilitating highquality photography projects, in collaboration with SIFA Fireside, a charity that supports homeless people. Construct made its debut exhibition in Snow Hill Square and Snow Hill train station in central Birmingham. Its photography is currently being showcased across the UK on digital screens in public spaces, including bus shelters, rail stations, shopping centres and Heathrow Airport.

Luvera, also a researcher at Coventry University’s Centre for Arts, Memory and Communities, has had his work exhibited in institutions and festivals around the world, receiving widespread acclaim for its impactful engagement with social issues that are often overlooked.

He said: “I have worked with people experiencing homelessness to address issues of housing justice for over two decades. I’m interested in

working to enable people with lived experience to amplify their points of view about the systems and services that shape their everyday lives.

“To see ‘The Assisted SelfPortrait of Mauvette Reynolds from Construct’ recognised by the British Journal of Photography through their Portrait of Britain award is a validation of the co-creation of this work with Mauvette and the many other people who have experienced homelessness that have participated in my work over the years.”

EXPERIENCES

The photographer immersed himself in the community, working alongside SIFA Fireside’s staff, participating in kitchen activities, and building relationships with homeless people for over a year before setting up photography workshops with over 50 participants to teach them how to use photography equipment.

They were then given cameras to capture their unique experiences and perspectives.

During the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, he continued the project through online workshops, post, telephone and email. He incorporated assisted selfportraits into the project, a process by which each person could choose where, when and how they appear in a photograph, working closely with people in meaningful locations to create powerful and personal imagery, including with Mauvette.

Now successfully rehoused, she reflected on her experience with SIFA Fireside and involvement with Luvera.

“I was living in a home with no gas, no electricity, no heating for five months and I fell very ill,” she recalled. “I woke up in a hospital after falling into a coma.

And since then, I have been in and out of hostels, and I lived on the street for one and half

years. My experience of being homeless has been so stressful.

Being homeless is more than depressing, it drags you down. It’s like being stuck between two brick walls and there’s no way out. I have faced Isolation, discrimination, rejection, being labelled and stigmatised. It has been traumatising.

“I like photography and I always wanted to learn about photography. I also like having my photograph taken. I wanted to be a model when I was younger. I like discovering new things and I love writing about my photographs. Taking part in Anthony’s project, Construct, and making the assisted self-portrait with him has had a deep impact on me.

It’s been therapeutic. It has been my dream come true. I’ve always liked taking pictures and writing, and I have always wanted my pictures to be published, so people can see what I can do.”

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By Veron Graham

STUDY AIMING TO SAVE YOUNG LIVES Autism research included in strategy to prevent suicide among children

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T IS hoped that new research conducted in the Midlands into suicide amongst autistic people, now included in the Government’s new strategy, will positively impact the reportedly rising number of Black children in England living with the condition.

The study, which forms part of Coventry University’s Centre for Intelligent Healthcare, found feelings of not belonging and traumatic experiences increase their risk of suicide. Led by Mirabel Pelton, the research has been recognised as vital to promoting feelings of belonging, autism acceptance and reducing traumatic experiences for autistic people.

Findings from reputedly the largest study into autism prevalence in the country conducted during the pandemic found that while 1.8 per cent of schoolchildren have been diagnosed as autistic, the prevalence amongst children of Black African / Caribbean heritage stands at 2.1 per cent — the highest amongst all ethnic groups.

The figures were collated anonymously from over seven million children aged five to 19 in England’s National Pupil Database that tracks school enrolment. It also found 18 per cent also have intellectual disability or a learning disability, such as dyslexia.

Mirabel, whose daughter was diagnosed with autism during her PhD research, believes this recognition in the strategy is a vital step forward in helping more people. She said: “Helping autistic people to feel a sense

A study into autism found 1.8% of schoolchildren have been diagnosed as autistic, with children of Black African / Caribbean heritage at 2.1% — the highest amongst all ethnic groups of belonging and social inclusion is crucial, so this is a call for action for societal change. In the past there’s been an attitude that autistic people want to be alone and that’s fine, but this isn’t the case. We need to get away from thinking ‘what’s wrong with autistic people?’ and make changes to society to make it more inclusive

of autistic people. It has not been a requirement for coroners to note whether somebody is or is not autistic, so there have been years where we just don’t have this data related to suicide.

My research demonstrates that the way we understand suicide for nonautistic people does not explain suicide amongst autistic people, meaning that tailored approaches are vital to reduce suicide rates.

“Society does encourage autistic people to mask things, for instance encouraging autistic people to make eye contact when they communicate, but these societal attitudes can be

harmful and actions like eye contact are not necessary for effective communication.

“It’s great that the Government strategy has acknowledged for the first time that autistic people are a higher risk group for suicide. I hope my research will help to save lives, but this really is just a first step. There are things we can be doing, such as promoting autism acceptance, making healthcare environments safe and accessible for autistic people, thinking about the language we use to talk about autistic people, and supporting autistic people in employment.”

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Spotlight on Police Race Action Plan

THE director of the new Police Race Action Plan, Met Police Temporary Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dr Alison Heydari, delivered a presentation about it at a Birmingham conference recently.

Dubbed ‘Whose Plan is it Anyway?’, the event was to culminate in a highly anticipated question and answer session, however this was later cancelled.

T/Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dr Alison Heydari told The Voice: “It was my privilege to be surrounded by people from a range of backgrounds and organisations who care so deeply about the Police Race Action Plan. It was

also a brilliant opportunity to gain their views on what The Plan’s priorities should be to ensure its success, as we begin to update its latest version. It was a pleasure

to listen to the incredible work being carried out by different organisations and how they have collaborated with, and challenged, the police service to improve

the relationship with Black communities, especially young people.

“There are pockets of exceptional practice in police services across the

country and we need to build on that good work whilst innovating and trying something new and different.

I have every confidence that this is possible, but only through collaboration with organisations, individuals and communities.”

The statement was followed by the release of the said documents, in the “hope (it) provides the answers and context we were unable to share on the day.”

The Voice contacted Dr Heydari’s office for further comment on the event which received a mixed reception by attendees but received no response as we went to press.

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Muyiwa Olarewaju

Nothing But Truth and Light

Join the debate online voice-online.co.uk/opinion

Let us draw strength from shared humanity Through myriad challenges, we must navigate and learn to overcome them together

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N RECENT weeks, our nation has been rocked by distressing incidents that underscore the persistent scourge of racism and discrimination within our society.

From the harrowing accounts of racial abuse in educational institutions to the troubling resurgence of hate speech in political discourse which seemed to target respected Hackney and Stoke Newington MP Diane Abbot, women and families across the UK are justifiably alarmed and deeply concerned about the safety and well-being of their loved ones.

The unsettling reports of a Black schoolboy being subjected to racial taunts, including the degrading act of being told to kiss the mud-covered boots of a white peer, have sparked widespread outrage and condemnation from communities nationwide.

These egregious acts of racism not only inflict emotional trauma on the victims, but also serve as stark reminders of the enduring inequalities that continue to plague our educational institutions.

It is imperative that we unite in our resolve to confront racism head-on and foster environments of inclusivity and empathy for all.

To fully grasp the gravity of these issues, it is essential to acknowledge the broader societal context in which they occur.

A study published in the Journal of Sociology and Race Relations sheds light on the systemic nature of racism within educational settings, highlighting the pervasive influence of societal stereotypes and biases on the experiences of Black students.

These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions to address racial disparities in education and cultivate environments that promote equity and understanding.

In the face of such injustice, we are reminded of the timeless wisdom found in sacred scriptures.

Luke 6:27-42 implores us to “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”

These profound teachings challenge us to transcend the cycle of animosity and retaliation,

instead embracing compassion and forgiveness as pathways to healing and reconciliation.

Furthermore, Romans 12:19 reminds us that “vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”

In the pursuit of justice, we must resist the temptation to seek retribution and entrust the resolution of grievances to a higher authority.

By embodying principles pa of righteousness and patience, we demonstrate our commitment to upholding moral integrity and pursuing avenues of redress that align with divine justice.

As families with vulnerable men, women, and chilchil im dren, we have a moral imperative to advocate for the in rights and dignity of all individuals, particularly those who have been marginalised

and oppressed.

“By emobodying principles of righteousness and patience, we demonstrate a commitment to upholding moral integrity” Psalm 82:4 exhorts us to “rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” In solidarity with our fellow citizens, we must amplify their voices, challenge discriminatory practices, and tirelessly work to dismantle the structures of in-

equality that perpetuate systemic injustice.

Education emerges as a potent tool for fostering empathy and understanding among diverse communities. Women and mothers, in particular, play a pivotal role in shaping the attitudes and beliefs of future generations.

By instilling values of tolerance, acceptance, and respect in our children, we sow the seeds of compassion and empathy that are essential for building a more equitable and inclusive society.

Moreover, we must actively engage with educational institutions and policymakers to advocate for reforms that prioritise diversity, equity, and inclusion in the curriculum and school culture.

By promoting multicultural education and anti-racism initiatives, we can create environments

where all students feel valued, respected, and empowered to thrive.

In the wake of recent events, let us heed the call to action and stand in solidarity with those who have been affected by racism and discrimination.

By harnessing the power of collective advocacy and empathy, we can affect meaningful change and build a future where every woman, every family, and every child can live free from fear and prejudice.

As we navigate these challenging times, let us draw strength from our shared humanity and our unwavering commitment to justice and equality.

Together, we can overcome the forces of hate and division, and create a society where diversity is celebrated, and all individuals are afforded the dignity and respect they deserve.

MUYIWA OLAREWAJU OBE IS STATION DIRECTOR AT PREMIER GOSPEL RADIO, A TV & RADIO BROADCASTER, AND PRINCIPAL OF GOSPEL GROUP MUYIWA & RIVERSONGZ

REPAIR DAMAGE DONE BY GIVING THE MONEY BACK Tory donor Frank Hester’s remarks didn’t just target all Black women — they have exposed an entire community to the insidious effects of systemic racism, says Ed Adoo

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S A 44-YEAR-OLD Black Londoner, I find it disheartening to hear a middle-aged rich wealthy White man verbally attacking a Black woman for no apparent reason.

Last month it was revealed that leading Tory donor Frank Hester said in 2019 during a meeting at his company’s headquarters that Diane Abbott made him “want to hate all Black women” and that she needed “to be shot”. His comments were not just highly offensive and inflammatory, they have reignited discussions regarding the stereotypical portrayal of Black women in the UK. When I was scrolling through my X (previously Twitter) timeline and came across what Hester said, I instantly thought about my hard-working mum. I just wanted to make sure she was OK and protected.

His comments were meant not just for Diane Abbott, but for Black mothers, sisters, grandmothers and nieces all over the country.

They have been put in the firing line and are now vulnerable to abuse and attack due to Hester’s vile and racist rhetoric.

Based on his wealth and credentials, Hester should know better – but he is only part of a problem that it is much wider than we think. A lack of education and ill-informed perceptions of Black women, are at the root of the issue here.

I was asked by Matt Hancock’s team in 2018 when he was digital minister to be part of a Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) project to tackle diversity in media and sports.

At the time it seemed we were heading in the right direction.

But despite government-level initiatives like these to tackle racism, it’s clear we still have a long way to go.

For decades it has been the stereotypical norm for Black women to be depicted as angry, uncontrollable and difficult to handle. These portrayals are

perpetrated by a mindset shaped by institutional racism.

People like Diane Abbott have helped to push these stereotypes back. As the first Black female MP in Parliament she has helped pave the way for other Black women to get into politics. But sadly, her high profile has seen her regularly become a target of vile abuse, especially on social media from keyboard warriors and sections of the mainstream media.

Her White counterparts do not experience anything like the same level of abuse. This highlights the fact that we haven’t got there, far from it when it comes to dealing with all aspects of racism.

This proves to me that we still have a very long way to go in tackling and stamping out all forms of racism.

It’s worth mentioning that Hester’s comments also throw a light on how it’s not just about Diane Abbott, it’s about how Black people are generally perceived in British society. Do we really belong?

Politicians have recently called for more to be done to protect MPs from abuse. The good news is that there will be funding to tackle this.

But if the government does not take firmer action on tackling racism and distancing itself from people like Hester, it will show the government and Conservative party in a bad light.

At the time of going to print, only two leading Black Conservative MPs had spoken out – Kwasi Kwarteng and Kemi Badenoch.

But what about people like Bim Afolami and Lord Shaun Bailey – why haven’t they said anything?

Their silence speaks volumes.

This is not about party politics, it’s about tackling race hate. In order to show solidarity to all Black women in Britain, Rishi Sunak should do what he needs to do to rectify the mess.

It took him a day to accept that Hester’s words were racist and sexist.

Sadly, the damage has been done – but now he should do the right thing and return Hester’s money.

News Feature

Cynthia V Davis

Why we need to talk more about class bias Stereotypes can stop many Black youngsters from pursuing their professional dreams.

Things must change IMAGINE you're stepping into the shoes of two young people just starting out in the workforce today.

One is the child of a director in a large corporation. They've had the privilege of parental support, encouragement into higher education, and the expectation to follow in their parents' successful career footsteps.

Now, let's turn our attention to their peer. They come from a lowincome household; their parents didn't attend university, and they don’t have any connections to the professional world.

Both of these young people should theoretically have an equal chance at success, but sadly, that's often not the case.

A report found that teens from less affluent backgrounds were much more likely to have a bleaker outlook on their future compared to their wealthier counterparts.

For instance, 30% of teens with parents who were long-term unemployed felt they didn't have much of a chance in life, whereas less than 11% of those with parents in professional roles shared this sentiment.

Now, let's continue to follow our two peers from different

socioeconomic backgrounds.

One of them attends a prestigious university, driven by supportive parents with valuable connections and teachers who provide guidance on their academic journey. Meanwhile, the other student doesn't see this path as feasible for them. They lack encouragement from parents who may not understand the system, and teachers who may underestimate their potential.

As they enter the workforce, their differing life experiences come into play. Despite facing different opportunities, they're often judged on the same scale, as if they've had equal access to resources.

In a recent poll within our network, nearly half of respondents highlighted socioeconomic status as the most overlooked aspect of diversity efforts in the workplace.

Unlike race, gender, disability, sexual orientation for example, socioeconomic status isn't legally protected from discrimination under the Equality Act. Yet, discrimination based on class still persists. A third of job seekers suspect class discrimination in hiring processes, but 54% of employers deny its existence.

Within seconds, snap judgements are made about

individuals' socioeconomic status based on various cues like accent, clothing, vocabulary, appearance or even their name. These assumptions can lead to unfair perceptions of competence and drive, with employers sometimes deeming candidates as not fitting the organisational culture.

It's crucial to acknowledge that diversity drives creativity and innovation, and socioeconomic diversity is no exception. Ignoring social class as a barrier to employment only perpetuates cycles of oppression, which means that it will now take five generations for those born in lowincome families to approach the national mean income.

The world of work has the power to disrupt these negative cycles by implementing more inclusive recruitment practices.

As a leading inclusive recruiter, we propose the following measures to encourage socioeconomic diversity: Data Collection: Start by collecting data on the recruitment process to identify and address gaps.

Language: Use plain language and avoid jargon to ensure clarity for all candidates.

Criteria Review: Focus on skills rather than specific qualifications, recognising that not everyone has had equal access to opportunities.

Transparency: Clearly communicate the recruitment process to alleviate anxiety, especially for candidates from non-professional backgrounds.

Widened Reach: Review and diversify recruitment channels to reach a broader audience. Current recruitment tactics may only serve one demographic.

Feedback: Offer constructive feedback to unsuccessful candidates to aid in their development.

Although socioeconomic status may not fall under protected characteristics, it intersects with all of them. Those from a minority ethnic background are more likely to work jobs in low-paid occupations. Almost half of households with lower socioeconomic status have someone disabled in their household. Women are on average paid less than their male counterparts and work fewer hours over a lifetime compared to men. Ignoring this intersectionality only strengthens the cycle of oppression.

Recognising socioeconomic status as a crucial aspect of Diversity and Inclusion efforts is essential for making tangible progress towards equality. Let's work together to break down these barriers and create a more inclusive future for all.

n Cynthia V Davis CBE is a Black British entrepreneur, employment expert and diversity advocate. She is CEO and Founder of Diversifying Group, a D&I services organisation, and co-Founder of Diversifying Jobs, a job boards for social change

Join the debate online: voice-online. co.uk/opinion

BLACK WOMEN DON’T EXPECT TO RETIRE

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40 years of Black British Lives as told by Britain’s only national Black newspaper

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Lyndon Mukasa

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Eye on the Diaspora

THE AFRO-PALESTINIANS CAUGHT IN GAZA CONFLICT

Afro-Palestinians in Gaza make up around one per cent of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million. While accurate population numbers are hard to come by, it is known that there are communities spread across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories with up to 350 to 450 documented people distributed across 50 different families.

In the Al Jalla’a district of Gaza, roughly 11,000 Afro-Palestinian

people resided before the Israeli invasion began in October 2023.

Afro-Palestinians have diverse origins that can be traced across Africa.

Many Afro-Palestinians have roots that could be traced to Nigeria, Egypt, Sudan, Senegal and Chad. Some Afro-Palestinians have ancestors who were brutally trafficked to Palestine as enslaved Africans during the Arab slave trade from the mid-7th Century. Many came as enslaved labourers as well as merchants and soldiers during the period of Ottoman rule from the 14th century.

However, not all Africans arrived in Palestine as enslaved individuals, Africans had been migrating to Palestine at least as early as the 12th Century as Muslim pilgrims from Sudan and Chad and later some arrived as labourers during the British mandate over Palestine in the early 20th century following the disillusionment of the Ottoman Empire.

Other Afro-Palestinian people are descendants of those who served in the Arab Salvation Army that fought on the Arab side during the Arab-Israeli war in 1948.

The vast majority of Afro-Palestinians in Gaza are refugees or descendants of refugees who were expelled from their homes after fleeing Zionist forces that drove them out during the invasion that led to the creation of Israel in 1948.

This forced displacement is known among Palestinians as the Nakba which means catastrophe.

This has shaped Afro-Palestinian identity just as much as their Palestinian counterparts.

Afro-Palestinians have made significant contributions to the Palestinian struggle for liberation.

The first female Palestinian political prisoner was a woman named Fatima Bernawi who was arrested in 1968. Bernawi was of Nigerian ancestry and she was imprisoned for a failed bombing attempt at a cinema in 1968.

In the current Israeli-Gaza conflict, Afro-Palestinians have been internally displaced along with the majority of Gaza’s population. Additionally the Gaza health authority has reported thousands of casualties with many bodies still buried under rubble.

Photo: Getty Images

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argely dri en out of srael eeing Zionist forces, the community continues to face persecution today

HE ISRAELI invasion of Gaza and the unfolding genocide of the Palestinian people has in six months created an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe that at the time of this article going to print has killed over 31,180 people.

The majority of Western governments have offered unconditional support to the Israeli Government either through complicity or outright arms supplies as is the case with the United States and the UK. In the chaos and destruction of this conflict, many communities have been torn apart and may never reform again. One particularly vulnerable community that has been part of the fabric of Palestinian society for centuries is the Afro-Palestinian community, a community that has been bound within the Israeli-Palestine conflict and has forged a unique identity in a state trapped within a state.

The involvement of Afro-Palestinians in the struggle for Palestinian liberation has over time enhanced their place in Palestinian society.

However, unfortunately like the rest of the world, discrimination and anti-Blackness is a pernicious feature both among Israelis and Palestinians. Some Afro-Palestinians have reported being referred to as “abeed” which is Arabic for slave.

While in recent years there has

been a shift in racist attitudes as more Palestinians particularly among the younger generation have become more informed, racism still occasionally emerges particularly in family objections to interracial marriages with Black Palestinians.

Moreover, Afro-Palestinians, like most Afro-Palestinians across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, are among the poorest groups in the country. Many Afro-

Palestinians leave school early to support their families and live in smaller housing.

As such, within the context of the Israeli invasion of Gaza, the Afro-Palestinian community is especially vulnerable to expulsion or eradication.

Even if peace is achieved soon, the barbarity and scale of the Israeli destruction of Gaza will test the resilience of this community on a scale not seen since 1948 Nakba.

The challenges of oil discoveries in Guyana and Suriname

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LYNDON MUKASA IS A WRITER AND RESEARCHER. HE STUDIED INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AT THE LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS

News Feature

BARBUDANS CAN CHALLENGE ‘ETHNIC CLEANSING’ AIRPORT A ruling by the UK Privy Council means Barbudan residents are deemed to have a case to challenge the building of a private airport. By Sinai Fleary

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WO BARBUDAN residents have won a landmark appeal at a top UK court to challenge the construction of an airport in their country.

Residents John Mussington, a marine biologist, and Jacklyn Frank, a retired teacher, launched the legal battle against the government of Antigua and Barbuda in 2018, after they feared the construction of a private airport would destroy the environment in the east Caribbean country.

The government of Antigua and Barbuda had opposed the application for a judicial review by the residents because they did not have specialised knowledge about the environment and tried to insist they had no standing to take legal action.

But the UK Privy Council – which is the final court of appeal for the twin-island country – has recently ruled the residents do have a right to challenge the construction of the runway – which lawyers say should give other Caribbean residents the “confidence to challenge” major developers.

Speaking to The Voice about the ruling, lawyer Thalia Maragh of Garden Court Chambers’ Environmental Law and Climate Justice Team, who represented the residents, said: “The court effectively found that the claimants did in fact have standing to bring a claim for judicial review relating to environmental matters, because as citizens and people who live on the island of Barbuda they were directly affected.

“It is a landmark ruling because it widens the issue of standing as it relates to who can bring a claim relating to environmental matters.”

She also said the ruling granting the residents standing illustrates “it is not necessary for the applicant to demonstrate an expertise in the subject matter” and that having some knowledge or “concern about the environment” is enough.

The lawyer said she hopes other environmental campaigners and activists in the Caribbean see the Privy Council ruling as “a judgement which empowers them to access information.”

Maragh urged campaigners and residents to become more involved

in seeking disclosure of decisions made about developments in their communities and to “assess” and “scrutinise the soundness of developments and their compliance with planning regulations.”

According to reports, the government of the twin-island nation began construction of the airport in Barbuda without consultation with the people of the island and without following the proper planning procedures – including publishing an Environmental Impact Assessment.

Dr David Dorsett, representing the Barbudan Development Control Authority, the Antigua and Barbuda Airports Authority and the islands’ Attorney General, admitted there was no public consultation, but insisted this was lawful.

Maragh told The Voice that despite requests from Mussington and Frank for the disclosure of the Environmental Impact Assessment, they never received this and they were concerned about the “preservation of the environment” of their country.

She said the residents were deeply worried about the destruction of “historical sites”, “ancient trees” and the “habitat of local animals.” She added that Mussington and Frank also had concerns about the “potential contamination of the underwater supply” to the country.

DISMISSED

In 2018, the residents were granted an interim injunction to halt the construction of the airport because planning laws were not followed.

However, the injunction was appealed by the government of Antigua and Barbuda in the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal (ECCA), which was successful, and the case subsequently sent back to the local courts.

The application for the injunction was heard in local courts and was later dismissed.

The dismissal was then appealed by the two residents and the case went back to the ECCA, who ruled in favour of the government. As a result, the residents refused to back down and took the case to the Privy Council, where last month it was ruled the resi-

dents do have standing and the case will now go back to local courts.

Even though the legal battle continues, the ruling from the Privy Council has been seen as a victory for ordinary residents.

In 2005, Maragh started the challenge to end the restriction of public access to the Winnifred Beach in Portland, Jamaica.

She said the Privy Council ruling widens the threshold of who can take legal action against developments across the Caribbean, which will have a significant impact on other countries in the region facing similar issues. In recent months, there have been growing calls for public access to beaches in Jamaica to be protected.

Mussington and Frank previously told The Voice that ordinary Barbudans are being “ethnically cleansed” by developers who want to turn their country into a place for rich millionaires.

Speaking outside the Supreme Court in November last year, Mussington told The Voice: “As our saying says, ‘Land equals culture.’ The kind of things that these developers are doing, they are literally destroying our resources, including our food security, and destroying our culture.”

He said Barbudans were being “ethnically cleansed” off their land, and he feared locals might be pushed off the island permanently.

The Voice has contacted the office of Antigua and Barbuda’s prime minister Gaston Browne for comment.

Vybz Kartel’s murder conviction quashed at top UK court

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Darell J. Philip

Join the debate online: voice-online. co.uk/opinion

WE MUST LEARN MORE ON SUBJECT OF SUSPENSIONS With Hackney school exclusions at 65 per cent above the London average, it’s time to change the narrative

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It’s perplexing that we have yet to fully integrate therapy into education for Black pupils who exhibit “fight” responses – Michael Clarke, CEO, Awaken Genius

male peer disclosed that during a lesson on the topic of Jamaica, and being the only Black student in the class, she felt targeted by the teacher who put her on the spot in front of her fellow students and proceeded to publicly highlight that she knew nothing of Jamaica, having not been there, or her origins. The student construed this as a personal attack on her intelligence.

Such telling admissions from the young people in Hackney schools confirm wider research by the Black British Voices Project led by i-cubed, University of Cambridge and The Voice, with 89 per cent of respondents saying they do not trust the British Education system to adequately support the educational needs and aspirations of Black students, and 80 per cent stating that racial discrimination is the biggest barrier to young Black people’s academic attainment.

In addition to the Words Matter

RECENT conference that took place in East London revealed that children in Hackney face a school exclusion rate that is 65 per cent above the London average.

Pupils eligible for free school meals alongside those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) were suspended more often than other students. Based on the ethnic heritage in all Hackney schools, there was a clear racial inequality in suspension rates, with students of Black Caribbean heritage suspended the most in comparison to their non-Black peers.

The alarming figures came from the first Tackling Hackney School Exclusions Conference Summit: a conversation hosted by community partnership, Hackney Rep – a partnership of various community and voluntary sector organisations working together to improve the lives of young people through the advocacy of equal access to education.

One of the most revealing pieces of evidence involved in young people facing exclusions along with its impact on families and the community, came from Words Matter, a youth-initiated video project with Mouth That Roars who support young people in telling their own stories through film and media.

The footage shown, based on true events and played by young actors, opened with a Black male student sent to isolation for arriving to class late without his tie, and an attempt to explain why he was dismissed by the teacher.

In another scene, a Black female student, with downcast eyes and head bowed, is humiliated and ridiculed by her teacher who tells the giggling class “this is not the way to do your homework, I honestly don’t know why I bother.”

This was later followed by a scene where a Black female student in conversation with a Black

video project is a nationwide campaign by M&C Saatchi who have joined forces with London-based youth organisations RISE.365 (also Hackney-based) and Clear Channel to exhibit photos of young Black men attached to thoughtprovoking slogans in seeking to challenge the everyday biases held in UK society.

Michael Clarke, the CEO and Founder of Awaken Genius, an early therapeutic intervention service in Maths, English and Emotional Literacy based in Haringey, says he is deeply concerned about the trauma felt by many young people who have been suspended.

“In a society that claims to be trauma-informed, it’s perplexing that we have yet to fully integrate therapy into education for Black pupils who exhibit “fight” responses,” he says. “Research indicates these children often carry a burden of adverse childhood experiences, making it difficult for schools to pinpoint a single traumatic event. However, the absence of identifiable trauma should not

be an excuse for inaction.”

Clarke adds: “Early therapeutic intervention in education is imperative for vulnerable pupils and their families to break the cycle of exclusion. By addressing the root causes of disruptive behaviour and providing support to both students and parents, we can pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable educational environment.

“It’s time to move beyond rhetoric and take concrete steps towards fostering healing

and understanding in our schools.

After all, every child deserves a fair chance to succeed.”

Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, Deputy Mayor of Hackney, below, told The Voice of the work the local council is taking in addressing the issue: “There has been progress in recent years – and there continue to be no permanent exclusions in primary schools or for children looked after since 2018.

“However, despite our efforts, the number of exclusions in secondaries are still not where we want them to be. We also know that temporary or permanent exclusions can disproportionately affect certain groups, such as Black and global majority children, or those with disabilities or special educational needs. This is not acceptable, and we want to make sure that we offer each and every child the best possible chance to thrive.”

Cllr Bramble, who is also the Cabinet Member for Education, Young People and Children’s Social Care, adds: “In July

2023, we held a school exclusions summit that looked at some of these challenges. Further work is underway and includes developing a Charter for Race and SEND that will help local schools develop a consistent and standardised approach to supporting children to stay in education, and provide a voice to local children and parents.

“Our schools and education settings are some of the best in the country, and we’ll continue to work together with their leaders, other local authorities and partners to make sure all young people have access to the education that fits their needs, and ensure exclusion rates continue to decrease.”

If you, or someone you know, has been affected by these issues, here are some resources to check out: ■ Hackney Rep: hackneyrep.co.uk/ ■ Mouth That Roars: mouththatroars.com/ ■ Rise365: rise365.co.uk/ ■ Awaken Genius: www.awakengenius.org/

DARELL J. PHILIP IS A TEACHING ASSISTANT, ACADEMIC MENTOR AND AWARD-WINNING JOURNALIST

Lifestyle

40

Find out more about Adonis-Reko White and Dem Drones

21 years later and still Breakin’ Convention

Capleton

Seani B sits down with reggae star on the rise, Ras-i

Lifestyle

Finance

The new financial year is the perfect opportunity to take full advantage of your savings. By Tynah Matembe

APPY New Year! Wait, what? April already?

Yep, it’s indeed just April rolling around again, trying to catch us off-guard with the April Fool’s pranks and the less funny hike in our bills. But it’s not all gloom.

The new financial year is like a second chance at those New Year’s resolutions, especially for your wallet.

With the start of the new financial year, reviewing your money thoroughly is an excellent opportunity. Take time to assess These days, your your financial goals and look at home might be doubling as your your tax setup — yes, folks, your office. The good news? You could Taxes! Tax might be the least claim tax relief on some of your home office expenses. It’s like favourite three-letter word for getting a little thank you note many of us, but getting cosy with from HMRC for saving on office your tax situation could locate tea and biscuits. You may claim some extra cash you didn’t know tax relief on heating, lighting, and you had. Here’s how to Make the internet costs. You can claim up new tax year work for you: to £6 per week without providing An Individual evidence of the actual costs.

Savings Account (ISA) is a great *Go directly to claim via HMRC, way to save money without paying as it’s straightforward and will tax on your earnings. Think of it as ensure you get the total amount your tax-free treasure chest where of your claim. you can stash up to £20,000 a

­ Ever year. There are five types of ISAs find yourself paying for that gym in the UK: Cash ISAs, Stocks membership you only used once & Shares ISAs, Lifetime ISAs, in January? It’s time for a direct Innovative finance ISAs, and debit detox. Dig through your Junior ISAs. You can invest the bank statements and cut off any entire allowance of £20,000 in one financial dead weight. type of ISA or divide it between

the different types.

Try out a Stocks & Shares ISA: Big up to the If you’re feeling adventurous, Chancellor for giving families why not dip your toes into the more breathing room. With Child world of Stocks and Shares via an Benefit thresholds getting a boost, ISA? The stock market can be as more families can hold onto some unpredictable as British weather, cash. It’s about time, right? Child but the potential rewards could benefit thresholds will increase for the first time since 2013, from be worth a little risk.

Please check your risk appetite £50,000 to £60,000, and the point and set some boundaries before where you, in effect, don’t get any will rise from doing this. And always remember £60,000 to that the value of your investment £80,000. can go down and up.

If you’re married or in a civil partnership and one of you earns less than £12,570, you can transfer up to £1,260 of your personal allowance to your spouse, which can save you up to £252 in tax. Unfortunately, 2.1 million qualifying couples are missing out on this

marriage allowance. Don't

be one of them!

Think of [an ISA] as your tax-free treasure chest where you can stash up to £20,000 a year

Now, onto something less exciting but super important — your tax code. It might seem like a bunch of letters and numbers, but getting it wrong could mean saying bye to more of your money than you need to.

Please take a moment to doublecheck it; your future self will thank you. Millions of tax codes in the UK need to be corrected, and it's up to you to ensure yours isn't one of them. Check your payslip and P60, or log into the gov.uk website to ensure your tax code is correct.

Keep a Bit More of Your Paycheck: Here’s some sunshine: starting April 6, 2024, you’ll see a bit less National Insurance taken out of your paycheck. It’s like a mini pay raise from the government!

The Chancellor confirmed that from April 6, employees’ National insurance contributions (NICs) would be reduced from 10 per cent to eight per cent on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270 per year — amounts up to 12,570 don’t attract N.I.

Seeing April as a chance to reassess your financial life can make it a month to look forward to. It’s all about grabbing what you’re entitled to and making your money work harder.

If you calculate all the savings you make by following the tips in this article and put that money towards achieving your financial goals instead of spending it, you will be on the path to becoming a financial superstar. Your future self will thank you for your wise decision.

At MoneyMatiX, we’re all about ensuring you’re not leaving any money on the table. So, if you are curious to know if you’re missing out on some benefits, hop over to our website and try the benefits calculator. You might just be surprised at what you are owed.

Here’s to making the most of this new financial year and turning those unavoidable price hikes into opportunities to #growyourmoney. Let’s do this! n Discover Your Entitled Benefits at.moneymatix.com/benefit-tool

JANUARY 2023

THE VOICE | 31

Lifestyle

Technology

White has the right vision to reach for the skies and build his very own global drones empire. By Joel Campbell

DONIS-REKO White has filmed at some of the biggest music festivals, had content he’s shot appear on prime time TV and engaged in a spot of high level 3D modelling, all as a drone pilot.

It’s a tech love affair borne out of curiosity and the desire to get one up on the person that introduced him to the skill set he’s found difficult to leave behind.

He explained: “I started in 2018, I found it interesting. My driving instructor was flying one, and I said, ‘I can do that, you know'."

He added: “I like to dive deep.

“So I went to find out about qualifications. All the licensing actually took me about a year to understand properly. In 2019, I bought it, flew it, and crashed it.

“And that’s why people get emotional immediately. It’s an expensive piece of equipment.

Once you crash it, now you have to figure out licensing, insurance, and all of that will automatically link you (to it).

“I say to a lot of people, once you start, it’s very addictive.”

It’s been five years since White picked up a drone. Keen to see more people like himself in the space, the interest has turned into a fully fledged business.

With China generating the highest revenue in the drones market, and the UK’s compound annual growth rate set to see revenue in the market projected to reach just under £100 million, with further increases in 2025, it looks

like he’s in the right place at the right time.

Speaking on his determination to enable Black people to get involved with his passion via his company Dem Drones, White enthused: “I’ve had opportunities to speak at the Black Business Show, Black Tech day and smaller speaking events. I’m making that a part of business.

“The industry’s 43 billion, globally, and growing.”

FAMILIES

He added: “Me, I’m building an empire and I’m building an economy that can help people grow, feed their families.

“It’s no different from driving a van. Once you get a licence, you’re commercial. We get our own public liability licence. I can personally fly anywhere in the UK. My public liability is 15 to 250 million because of this being a part of aviation, CAA. “It’s not a business I’m starting, it’s an empire. I’m building an economy now. And I want to start with my people first, because I know them.”

White understands that what can start off as a recreational pastime can quickly turn into a potential career.

His company operates with beginners in the space by offering drone training, but also at the highest end of the spectrum by providing experts for a host of requirements from big budget film shoots, drone

It’s not a business I’m starting, it’s an empire.

I’m building an economy now.

And I want to start with my peop e rst, because I know them.

- Adonis-Reko White

light shows, to sky divers looking to capture perspectives few can deliver.

He’s got a vision (no pun intended) for how Black people better immerse themselves in the space, and he’s willing and prepared to play his part.

He said: “Like Facebook when it first came out, the Black community pushed the culture. We utilised it for the communication.

“We don’t have many social media platforms, Instagram, same situation. We pushed the culture.

“This (Dem Drones) is the first place where now you can buy your device and build your platform.

Regardless of your situation, I say, any skill you have can be applied to the drone industry. I think that’s what we need to understand.

“As I said, this is an industry that’s worth 43 billion. That’s global. So we now, as people from different countries, different diasporas of Black people, we have the ability to communicate and work from different places in the world doing exactly the same thing.

“I’m lucky enough to have built a group on Instagram of Black pilots from Africa, the US, the UK, Brazil. And that’s just a small amount of people I’ve already created an international connection with.

“I see this for anyone now. You have to understand that you’re going worldwide.

“Aviation, with the

Tuskegee Airmen and a lot of the Caribbeans that came over from the West Indies, they weren’t able to truly utilise their skills because they came to a country which didn’t really support them.

“Let’s say they didn’t have any foundations in place. This drone industry allows us to build a new foundation. That’s why I call it an empire, as well as an economy, that I am building. Because that’s what my parents had to do, and I’m here to help as many people as possible.”

UTOPIA

Executing the vision, of which he is well on track, involves securing as many business contracts as possible and building into the business ‘as many retainers as possible’, White admits that for now the most important thing about his services is him. Which is why the people he interacts and builds with, as he marches towards his

business utopia, need to reflect his values.

“As well as bringing people with their skills onboard to help us grow, I also build a community.

When I say a community, I mean, we control politics. We have our economics. We have our thought leaders in those environments.

“That is how we build the community that I want. So the first thing I’m doing is training as many pilots as possible, training as many people that want to get to the same level as me.

“I’ll give context. There are 25 million (adult) people in the UK, 7.5 million people in London, there’s only 3,000 drone pilots in the country. And if you go to the percentage of how many look like me, we’re looking at around 1.2 per cent of that 3,000.”

He’s got work to do, but he wants other like-minded drone pilots to do it with him. n Find out more on his website: demdrones.co.uk

Lifestyle

Dance

Breakin’ Convention founder Jonzi D says the recognition for the event is amazing — but it’s what’s on the stage that matters. By Joel Campbell

ADLERS WELLS Associate Artist and founder of Breakin Convention, Jonzi D, said breaking down on stage at last year’s event was a great feeling.

The Hip-Hop theatre visionary was referring to a special moment during the 20th anniversary of Breakin’ Convention when The Legendary Twins took to the stage to present him with a legacy award for all of his contributions to HipHop dance.

Ahead of the 21st edition of the largest celebration of Hip-Hop theatre in the UK, kicking off next month on May 3, he told Lifestyle that he wasn’t one for getting emotional like that usually, but the recognition meant so much.

“Two brothers who have been to Breakin’ Convention before, they’re called the Legendary Twins. They were dancing in some of the very first Hip-Hop parties in the Bronx.

They danced to the music of Kool Herc, who was spinning as a DJ, on Sedgwick Avenue, where this thing is alleged to have started.

“They felt that they should provide me with this acknowledgement as one of the international people outside of the Bronx who are promoting and maintaining a Hip-Hop culture.

“As you know, I’ve turned down MBEs, awards and stuff like that isn’t necessarily what I’m here for.

“But that one got to me.

Because they came all the way out to London as part of Breakin’ Convention to deliver this to me on stage.

“I broke down as you saw. And I’m not that guy that just cries for everything. The last time I cried was because of a bereavement, funerals and stuff.

“But tears of joy is something that’s kind of rare for me. I usually just take it in my stride. But it was a very emotional moment.

I feel really honoured to be acknowledged by the Hip-Hop community for this award, and not just any Hip-Hop community straight from New York. The originators of his ting.

“So yeah. It felt good to cry. It felt good to be able to release what has been inside me for many, many years.

“This passion and love for HipHop, culture and all of the positive things it’s done for our community, to be acknowledged like that was huge.”

This year’s early May Bank Holiday festival showcases

international acts from the USA, South Korea and France, as well as performances from local and national talents on Sadler’s Wells stages.

From 6pm across the two days, audiences will be able to see performances from some of the world’s leading hip hop acts including Femme Fatale, Sons of Wind and Jinjo crew; CREATE4 and Ekleido; Ivan Michael Blackstock’s company TRAPLORD, Boy Blue, When Time Was New, Gully South Block (GSB), Company DHW, Sasha Mahfouz Shadid and ShaolinOrShao – plus a solo by Jamal Sterrett. During the interval, Cie Kilaï performs in the Lilian Baylis Studio.

With 2024 a significant year for breaking as it becomes an official Olympic sport for the first time at the Paris Olympics this summer, Jonzi said he hoped the groundswell of eyes on the discipline will lead to an increase in participants from the grass roots.

“I am part of the board of Breaking GB and as a board, we’re trying to access funding and stuff for these dancers and I’m very excited about that.

“I’d love it if we could win a medal. I’m not necessarily putting all my hopes on that. But what I am putting my hopes on is that the culture of breaking is seen and engaged with, and people can hopefully change their minds about any preconceptions that they may have had about this culture.

“It’s clearly obvious that as a technique, it’s levels above I’d say any dance style to be honest with you. The way the whole body is involved.

“A lot of people have shared fears that, ‘oh, no, breaking isn’t a sport.’

“But my thing is, it’s a competition.

All breakers recognise that they’re

in it to win something. And within our culture through events, our battle of the year, and the UK B-Boy championships and stuff, we’ve been doing this competition ting.

“These dancers travel the whole world, to be a part of these competitions.

“So it’s only a natural consequence of what we’ve been doing that now the Olympic community is looking into it., “And also the Olympics, they’re about community. The five rings, they’re all connected. We’ve been doing that with Breaking. There are crews all over the world that know each other.

“All I have to do is make a call ‘be like, yo. I’m coming over,’ and the whole community will look after them, that’s what I’ve experienced.

“So I’d love to see that just increase via the Olympics. I’d love to see much more young children learning from early.

“Because in particular, Asia and Russia, those kids are in it, because there’s a provision for them as children. And you’ve got lots of under 16 battles and stuff where these kids are doing ridiculous techniques.

“So for me, I just hope that there are more dancers, because, fundamentally, that’s what we need to continue with things like Breakin’ Convention and stuff. So this can only be a good thing.

Extra events around the Breakin’ Convention Festival 2024 include activities for families taking place in front of house. On the First Circle from 4.30pm and again during the interval, the Tiny Totts Workshops are dedicated to children who want to explore various hip hop dance foundations, hosted by two fully qualified facilitators.

Live DJ sessions take place in the foyer, featuring DJ Pogo, Cutmaster Swift and Yugson Hawks. Audiences can also learn to tag in the Graff Zone on the First Circle, and in Sadler’s Wells outdoor space, the Yard – while children from all ages are invited to take part in drawing workshops.

The main wall in the foyer will be painted by Nean, a Belgian graffiti writer from the Kingdom crew. An hour of improvised theatre, the Freestyle Funk Forum is in the Lilian Baylis Studio.

Tickets are not sold out, YET. Jonzi enthused: “There are still tickets available. But we’re definitely selling out. There’s no doubt about it.”

Lifestyle

Music

Capleton to put the icing on the City plash ca e with his first UK appearance in a decade. By Joel Campbell

F YOU haven’t got your tickets for City Splash this year, then you’re not serious, it’s that simple.

We told you Capleton is coming and you still haven’t got your tickets yet, explain that please?

Listen, it’s been over ten years since Clifton George Bailey III aka the Fire Man aka The Prophet, performed on these shores, and this one isn’t to be missed.

Last year, Lifestyle sat down with the organiser of the popular south London cultural showcase who ensured that this particular day out would only get better. He didn’t lie.

Earlier this year, Capleton stopped by the UK to let everyone know that the news they had heard is true. He’s really coming, and he’s going to bring the fire.

Visiting The Voice newspaper’s office, he told Lifestyle: “It’s been over a decade that the people here haven’t seen me on the ground.

They have had to fly to Jamaica, America and Europe.

“I know people are excited, and can’t wait until May 27.”

He added: “I know people know me for my electrifying and energetic performances. I’m an artist that likes to interact with the audience, so people are going to love that.”

A host of star names will also be at City Splash 2024. The festival is also paying homage to its reggae and dub roots, with the

The has p aye a reat part in the usic, they rea y o e re ae usic here They o e the authenticity of the usic, they o e ori ina authentic anceha They o e su stance -

ap eton

likes of Sound System, Jahrevelationmuzik featuring Horseman & Ricky Rankin, Bigga U Collective featuring A STARR, Tall Rich & Darnel Keize, Brother Culture, Jus Blaze, Iqulah Rastafari Band and more performing on the day.

Speaking on some of the music that influenced him as a young man, Capleton said: “Growing up as a yute, my two favourite songs were I Need a Roof by Mighty Diamonds, because I used to live in the street and in the bush.

“My other favourite track was a Max Romeo tune called Bring Back Version, where Macabee Version he sings. ‘Black man, get up, stand up Find your foot And give Black God the glory’.

“I actually did a remix with it the other day, so that will soon drop.

“And, as everyone knows, the likes of Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear, all of the icons, love conscious music, we love positive vibes.”

Touching on how his musical output in his early days wasn’t the same type of energy as the icons he mentions, he explains: “In my early days I had to sing some rude boy and girl songs, but that was just to get the recognition and the publicity, and then I could show them that this is what I have in me.

“But in order to get that break,

I had to sing some of those songs first.

“The young artists today, I tell them, if you have to do ten songs, try to make at least three of them conscious because that will stand out and live on. You don’t want to do songs that in six months they are not really hot again. You want to do songs that are there in the next 100 years.

“If you were to play a Bob Marley or Dennis Brown now, it sounds criss, like it just come out of the studio” The last time Capleton was on stage in the UK was at the east London Stratford Rex, where he performed with Tarrus Riley and Buju Banton. Some of you reading this will have had many a great night there, and a lot of you would have heard of the notorious venue.

He enthused: “The place was full, couldn’t hold any more people.”

He added: “The UK has played a great part in the music, they really love reggae music here. They love the authenticity of the music, they love original authentic Dancehall.

They love substance.”

We all know that Capleton brings the fire when he performs, but

water is very much a part of the other end of the spectrum where the Slew Dem artist is concerned.

So, how does he wind down, chill, relax? What does that side of Capleton look like?

“If I’m not in the studio, if I’m not performing, then maybe I just go on the farm and hold a vibe, plant two roots of something.

“I love the seaside, though.

Fishing is my sport. I don’t eat fish because I am a vegan but I like fishing, I like sitting on the seaside.

I love inhaling the minerals because there are elements in your temple that only the minerals can heal or cure.

“On the seaside, it’s like you and Mother Nature, it’s like the rest of the world is behind you. You get to meditate, you get to go into yourself, you get to communicate with the almighty spiritually.”

When you have been around the musical block as many times as Capleton, it can get repetitive, the fandom, the attention, the scrutiny but none of that is off putting for the Jamaican artist, he feels blessed to be appreciated.

At 56-years-old, he would have been forgiven for taking his foot off the gas a little when it comes to performing and creating new music, but as he tells Lifestyle, the fire still runs red.

“It’s the same energy, it

never changes. You can’t change.

It’s the same energy, the same vibe. That is what I love and what I do, and I do what I know. That is what I believe in.

“If I am performing for ten thousand people or one hundred people, the energy I give to the ten thousand is the same as what I give to the one hundred.”

The fervour and anticipation surrounding Capleton’s impending performance at City Splash is a microcosm of the feeling that’s reserved for him on a global level.

A respected contributor to the annals of Dancehall history and clearly one who has more to give, many value Capleton for a host of reasons of which listing would take this piece beyond the space permitted in these pages.

He’s loved, revered and deserves to be recognised in the way he is, for many are called but few are chosen.

He’ll leave an indelible mark on City Splash, it goes without saying (please weather god, give us sun so the Fire Man can breathe life!).

Speaking on how the love he receives leaves a mark on him, he enthused: “It means life, it means everything, it’s definitely a joy.

“It’s a blessing to know that you can do music that really can change people’s lives. Change their outlook, give them hope, give them confidence, give them strength. Physical, spiritual and musical. Word, sound and power are the key.”

Last chance, get those tickets.

Won’t tell you again. It’s going to be fire …

This is Brukout!

by Seani B

It’s no surprise the highly talented Immanuel Kerr is making so many positive sounds in the industry when he was born into the legendary Jamaican music scene

NE OF the many things Jamaica has in abundance is talent. I’ve been fortunate enough to spend the last couple of weeks on the island and it never ceases to amaze me how rich in skill, versatility and style just about everybody seems to be. I love it.

One of the new school artists that is carving an impressive lane for himself is Immanuel Kerr, better known as “Ras-I”.

He is a young man who has been in and around the Jamaican music scene since he was literally a baby (his mum, popularly known as Miss Lorna, has been an influential part of the Tuff Gong set-up for a long time).

“Being around music had such a massive influence on me”, he tells me. “I wasn’t aware of how the world viewed the people I was around and just how talented they were.

“The likes of Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Damian Marley and musicians such as Chinna Smith.

“They were like aunties and uncles to me, but their influence around the world was and is massive.”

Right now, he is very much at the forefront of a new crop of artists coming out of Jamaica.

“I see myself as someone who is bridging the gap between generations and trying to appeal to both the young and old audiences.

The music is always positive, always clean for the people.”

Being in the Tuff Gong camp

The ikes of ennis rown, re ory Isaacs, a ian ar ey they were ike aunties an unc es to e, ut their in uence aroun the wor was an is assi e from young means he has some valuable memories. He reminisces on being around the building of the incredible Chant Down Babylon album which saw modern-day artists paired up with classic Bob Marley tracks, and then he went on to see many of the performers including Lauryn Hill performing the said tracks.

The pace of life in Jamaican studios is notoriously slow, and

the adage of “slowly, slowly wins the race” can often be true in terms of the quality of the output.

This style had an effect on Ras-I. “It got me to build my patience in creating music, and even more so as an artist”, he comments.

“I don’t have a big engine behind me, so it is important to be tactical – I have to make sure the work is of the highest standard before it hits the market.”

Much has been said about the power and energy for reggae moving away from Jamaica (a notion I completely disagree with), and it seems Ras-I feels the same way.

“Jamaica will forever be the home of reggae, no doubt about it. There was a disconnect with audiences with the emergence of social media, which made it harder for reggae artists to get noticed if you didn’t have a sizeable following.”

The new school are keen to ensure the business side of the bizness is all straight and done correctly for many different reasons.

Ras-I puts it down to the “lack of structure” in Jamaican music.

“There are many great singers who didn’t do their business properly and didn’t get their flowers – it is time for the younger generation to reshuffle the deck and sort out the business side”, he says firmly.

“We aren’t money hungry, but we are smart – we don’t want to hustle music, we want to work as brands within our own right.”

His music is travelling globally

at some rate. The track Kingman Ting did big things across Europe, and was lauded for its sound.

He tells me of the importance of sonics and ensuring the final mixes are of a high standard.

“I was surprised by the success of Kingman Ting. My first project was heavy on the roots side, but I saw that people love that messaging.

“Kingman Ting was made during COVID, so I wanted to make a tune with a message but something they can dance to. It went number one in Kenya for four weeks. That was a big look for me.”

The future looks bright for this young man, and his enthusiasm and desire for more makes him instantly likeable.

He strives to elevate the music and the culture to higher heights.

Live music and performance is an area he feels needs rejuvenating.

“We need live nights and events to promote reggae! The more we perform, the more we will connect with audiences.

“It is a music with feeling – you have to feel the bass, you need to hear the horns – the people need it around the world, we need more of it in Jamaica. I feel this is gonna

be a great year for reggae, you can see some big festivals already being lined up for the genre.

“I want to hit the road this year, ‘cos I wanna tap into that UK market and follow up in Europe again as I was there last year and loved it.”

He is a wise old head on young shoulders, and to end this profile he tells us of some words of wisdom he received from the grand master, Beres Hammond.

“He told me not to sing anything now that I wouldn’t want to sing in 20 years time”.

Sound advice indeed.

Lifestyle

Cycling

The Black Unity Bike Ride collective set to reach new heights in a bid to raise cash for a very worthy cause. By Joel Campbell

HE BLACK Unity Bike Ride (BUBR) collective are heading to Africa again, and this time Rwanda is the destination as the cohort set out to raise money for a worthy cause.

Next month, BUBR set off on a 400km cycling mission across Rwanda, a ride that will see them endure periods where they are climbing 23,500ft in elevation (20 per cent higher than Mount Kilimanjaro).

It’s not a feat for the fainthearted but one the collective feels duty bound to undertake in pursuit of the cause.

Last year, that cause was raising money for Vida Cycling Programme (VCP), an NGO founded by Vida Juliet Vivie, which provides access to competitive cycling events, repair and maintenance development programmes, grass-track cycling events, and free cycling equipment in Ghana. The first foray into international territories for BUBR, the ride, for the most part, was a wonderful success, which inspired the founder of the UK-based organisation, Tokunbo Ajasa-Oluwa, to begin organising the next one.

With so many worthy causes across Africa to choose from, Ajasa-Oluwa explained why this year they will be raising money for Twin Lakes Cycling Academy (TLCA), an NGO that was set up

by Florent Nsengumuremyi in 2019 with the aim of providing former street children in Rwanda with access to education, hope and a better future through cycling.

“The idea of BUBR Africa is

to go to a different country in the continent annually that has a strong cycling community.

Rwanda has a big cycling vibe and looked like an interesting challenge considering the elevation,” Ajasa-Oluwa explained.

“In each country, we look for a grassroots project that uses cycling as a way of making a positive social impact. And that’s how we found TLCA, they change young lives for the better, and do so through cycling.”

Sharing how he was struck by the founder of TLCA’s story, AjasaOluwa added: “Florent’s personal story is powerful. He lost his family in the genocide 30 years ago and has lived experience of being a street kid.

“A stranger helped him with a

The cha en e ahea is serious, this ri e is no oke ue to the terrain, in particu ar the hi s we expect it to e tou her than ast year s tour The tea is trainin har an we wi earn e ery penny we fun raise for - okun o A asa- uwa

bike which enabled him to ride to school. From there, he decided he wanted to help others in a similar situation.

“He uses his own funds to support the young people, which is a very generous thing to do.”

BUBR Africa is calling upon the global communities’ support to enable them to match and surpass their fundraising target in order to present TLCA with the funds when they complete the ride, which kicks-off on May 4.

See the link at the bottom of this article to get involved. Every little helps.

Ajasa-Oluwa is confident support will match that which BUBR received last year when they headed to Ghana – although he is hoping his own riding experience

is a little better this time around.

He said: “Community support and engagement reflects the culture of BUBR, and is very important for us.

“We celebrate our work and share it on social media. We expect to secure significant media coverage once our team of riders land in Kigali.”

He added: “Ghana was our pilot year, so we did not know what to expect.

“Thankfully, we had a professional team to support us on the ground. With regards to my injury, I was rear-ended by a car on the cape coast road. My helmet cracked in eight places and thankfully saved my life.

“After a couple of days recovering, I was fortunate enough

to complete the trip. Getting to experience Ghana on a bike was unique, as we saw some parts of the country that are harder to appreciate when you are zooming past in a car.

“Another important moment was when we visited the NGO we were supporting, and met the young people in the project. That was a very special and warming moment.”

Speaking on the key challenges and preparation involved in organising a cycling mission of this magnitude, Ajasa-Oluwa said: “We have five riding days in total which includes riding over 400km and elevation over 23,000ft.

“At least one of the riding day routes will be part of the Tour Du Rwanda race which took place in February this year. It is a demanding itinerary, but will also be very rewarding once we have completed it.”

He added: “The tour is organised by the core BUBR team, some members from the BUBR Alliance will take part in the trip. But the planning and organising is all done by our core team and our host partners based in Rwanda.

“We also found a placed-base partner to work with that operates in the country we are visiting.

“This year we have partnered with Africa Rising Cycling Centre.

“They have helped us curate an experience that is unique, challenging and also inspiring.

“The challenge ahead is serious, this ride is no joke. Due to the terrain, in particular the hills, we expect it to be tougher than last year’s tour. The team is training hard and we will earn every penny we fundraise for.”

In and amongst preparation for the ride in Rwanda, Ajasa-Oluwa and his team are also organising this year’s annual BUBR ride from east to south London. Taking place on August 5, the event is set to be another fun-filled family-friendly day where thousands take to the streets with their bike, whatever the weather.

The achievements of the movement are a thing to behold in just five years. And they are far from done pushing toward the heights of their potential.

Ajasa-Oluwa enthused: “We are here to take up space in the world of cycling, and we are open to explore partnership opportunities that enable us to increase the agency of those that are new to the sport.

“I think the future is about scale, continuing what we do but on a bigger scale.

“We took a unique moment in time and transformed it into a movement. We have inspired thousands to prioritise their wellbeing in the Black community, and the aim going forward is to inspire many more to do the same.”

In relation to their ongoing connections with the causes they raise money for, he added: “Sustainability is key, Florent funds all his great work out of his own pocket. We hope this tour will raise the profile of TLCA as well as provide funds.

“We will always champion the work of TLCA going forward. The same way we are still in touch with the NGO we supported in Ghana last year, we will do the same this year.” n www.gofundme.com BUBR Africa 2024 – Rwanda

43 FEBRUARY 2024 VOICE || 43 APRIL 2024 THE THE VOICE

Lifestyle

Books

BOOK SOME TIME TO READ The future is female with this month’s selection of must-read books by trailblazing women. It’s time to soak up springtime and unwind. By Joel Campbell CROOK MANIFESTO

BY COLSON WHITEHEAD

FROM TWO-TIME Pulitzer Prizewinning author Colson Whitehead comes the thrilling and entertaining sequel to Harlem Shuffle.

It’s 1971, New York City. Trash piles up on the streets, crime is at an all-time high, the city is going bankrupt, and a shooting war has broken out between the NYPD and the Black Liberation Army.

Furniture store owner and exfence Ray Carney is trying to keep his head down, his business up and his life straight. But then he needs Jackson Five tickets for his daughter May and he decides to hit up an old police contact, who wants favours in return. For Ray, staying out of the game gets a lot more complicated – and deadly.

1973. The old ways are being overthrown by the thriving coun-

and celebrity drug dealers, in addition to the usual cast of hustlers, mobsters and hit men. These adversaries underestimate the seasoned crook – to their regret.

In scalpel-sharp prose and with unnerving clarity and wit, Whitehead writes about a city that runs on cronyism, threats, ego, ambition, incompetence and even, sometimes, pride.

Crook Manifesto is a kaleidoscopic portrait of Harlem, and a searching portrait of how families work in the face of chaos and hostility. terculture, but Pepper, Carney’s enduringly violent partner in crime, is a constant. In these difficult times, Pepper takes on a side gig doing security on a Blaxploitation shoot in Harlem, finding himself in a world of Hollywood stars

BLACK JOY

BY CHARLIE BRINKHURST-CUFF

Love, literature, friendship, music, carnival, travel, dance, work, nature, food - Black Joy can be found in so many places. Edited by

Jelly Peppa

is a brand of message shirts and workwear

NOT KNOWING WHO WE ARE, YOU ARE WHO SOMEBODY SA YS YOU AR

E

If my message resonates with you, please follow me on the journey

Instagram: @anasgraham777 Telephone: 07572622443

award-winning journalist Charlie BrinkhustCuff and upand-coming talent Timi Sotire, 28 inspirational voices contribute to this uplifting and empowering anthology as they come together to celebrate being Black British, sharing their experiences of joy and what it means to them.

With pieces from: Diane Abbott; Faridah Abike-Iyimide; Fope Ajanaku; Athian Akec; Travis Alabanza; Haaniyah Angus; Rukiat Ashawe; Bukky Bakray; Richie Brave, Munya Chawawa and many more.

EDGE OF HERE KELECHI OKAFOR Enter a world very close to our own… One in which technology can allow you to

explore an alternate love-life with a stranger.

A world where you can experience the emotions of another person through a chip implanted in your brain. And one where you can view snippets of a distant relative’s life with a little help from your DNA. But, these experiences will not be without consequences . . .

In this stunning debut collection, Kelechi Okafor combines the ancient and the ultramodern to explore tales of contemporary Black womanhood, asking questions about the way we live now and offering a glimpse into our near future.

Uplifting, thought-provoking, sometimes chilling, these are tales rooted in the recognisable, but not limited by the boundaries of our current reality-where truth can meet imagination and spirituality in unexpected ways.

Allow yourself to be taken on a journey into worlds that are blazing with possibility, through stories that will lead you right up to the Edge of Here . . .

MY MONTICELLO

BY JOCELYN NICOLE JOHNSON

At a time of rolling blackouts and terrible storms battering America, the neighbourhood of First Street, Charlottesville comes under attack by violent white supremacists. A group of friends, families and strangers flee together in an abandoned bus and head for the hills above town.

Led by Da’Naisha Love, they arrive at Monticello, the historic plantation-home of Thomas Jefferson, deserted but for its ghosts.

As a young Black descendant of Jefferson and Sally Hemings, Da’Naisha has a complex relationship with the house. But the terror from their town is coming closer, and soon they have an impossible decision to make.

My Monticello is the story of 19 heart-stopping days of refuge and reclamation, told by Da’Naisha with courage and with grace.

Lifestyle

YolanDa Brown raises nearly £250,000 for music venue and restaurant ‘Soul Mama’.

By Joel Campbell

U S I C I A N , BROADCASTER , composer and philanthropist, YolanDa Brown OBE DL, alongside music manager, creative entrepreneur Adetokunbo “T” Oyelola were honoured with a Guinness World Records title for the most money pledged worldwide for a Kickstarter restaurant project last month.

Brown raised a record-breaking £248,148 for her music venue and restaurant ‘Soul Mama’ which is the largest amount raised by a restaurant on Kickstarter globally.

In an annual report from Music Venue Trust, the charity found that 125 spaces permanently closed to live music in 2023.

Aiming to bring new opportunities for independent artists whilst changing the narrative of venue ownership and creating more diversity in this underfunded space, Brown is breaking boundaries with a Guinness World Records title for the most successful restaurant Kickstarter ever.

Speaking about the Kickstarter and Soul Mama, Brown said: “In setting a Guinness World Records title, Soul Mama didn’t just secure funds; we wove a tapestry of dreams shared by thousands.

“A testament to what we can achieve when we unite and believe. This record is not just a number — it’s a promise to fill every visit with laughter, comfort, and a sense of belonging. At Soul Mama, we’re more than a music venue and restaurant; we’re a home for dreamers and believers who see the world not just as it is, but as it could be, full of joy, connection, and shared moments that linger in the heart long after the night ends.

At Soul Mama, we’re more than a music venue and restaurant; we’re a home for dreamers and believers who see the world not just as it is, but as it could be, full of joy, connection, and shared moments - YolanDa Brown

“A big thank you to everyone who supported us so far and the new people who will discover us along our journey and jump on the Soul Mama Train.”

Amy Lamé, Night Czar, said: “We’re really excited to see Soul Mama open later this year, adding another fantastic music venue and restaurant to the streets of London.

“YolanDa’s work to source funding through Kickstarter is an amazing achievement and we look forward to further supporting her and the team as we build a better London for all.”

Craig Glenday, Editor in Chief of Guinness World Records said “This is an astonishing achievement, and a testament to the passion, drive and determination it takes to make a game-changing project like Soul Mama come to fruition.

“And how exciting that this is just

the start for this ambitious fusion of food, music and culture — I can’t wait to see what happens next!”

Kickstarter CEO, Everette Taylor added: “What we’ve seen YolanDa Brown and T Oyelola achieve with their Kickstarter project is a perfect example of what we want for every creator that comes to our platform: to be brave enough to pursue a dream and in return, get the community, support and funds they need to bring that dream to life.

“The Soul Mama project is now the highest funded restaurant project ever on Kickstarter, which is an incredible feat. We want to see more creators of colour thrive on the platform and I’m hoping the success of these two incredible entrepreneurs will inspire creators of colour and creators in the food/ restaurant space to chase their dreams.”

Music

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“Sunshine is a song about acceptance.

Accepting that, the only constant in life is change”

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Lifestyle

Music & Comedy

Boyz II Men are heading to the UK for the first time in years Joel Campbell tal s to athan orris about the upcoming tour and his iews on the current state of the music industry

HEN I sit down with Nathan Morris from Boyz II Men to discuss their upcoming UK performances this month in London, Birmingham and Manchester, it’s hard not to observe just how content he seems.

As he pans his camera to let me see the sea front balcony view he has, his mood makes sense.

He and his band have been there and done it, and 32 years later they are enjoying the fruits of their labour.

They’re legends, straight up.

I could have, as I’d planned to do, sat and waxed lyrical about their achievements and what that means to him at that stage of his career and all of that, but I was more interested in his demeanour and where he finds himself in 2024, what motivates him? How does he fill his days when music isn’t in the equation?

“Anything creative? Anything that involves thinking. Anything that you have to put your mind to.”

He added: “During Covid I got into doing some woodwork and stuff like that in my garage coming up with a lot of different creative ideas and stuff. Home improvement stuff.

“I’m kind of all over the place.

But anything other than music. As long as it’s creative.”

Elaborating on how the period of Covid shaped his thinking moving forward, he said: “It’s put me into a state of mind to think more of myself than to always give of myself.

“I mean, there’s nothing wrong with giving of yourself. But you get to a point where you notice a lot of people around you are very good at taking, but no one’s good

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at giving. So you’ve got to take care of yourself.”

Boyz II Men will be performing with a full band when they hit the UK. With so many classics to draw from such as Motownphilly and It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday from debut album Cooleyhighharmony and End Of The Road, I’ll Make Love To You and One Sweet Day, it’s no wonder tickets have sold out.

When anyone speaks on the subject of longevity in the music industry, you can point to Boyz II Men as a blueprint.

However, Morris isn’t sure that the quality of musical output today will secure artists similar longevity in the future.

He explained: “Music is just not the same. I mean, we’re at the point where AI is making music now, so, what the hell?

“It’s just not intriguing. It’s not different. Everything in the world nowadays seems to be cookie cutter, everybody sounds the same.

“There’s not a whole lot of individuality. So you know, it’s hard to even find special stuff, because everybody’s doing the same thing.”

He added: “They’re just not creative enough.

“Everything is sound driven. It’s not musical driven. They’ll tap on

a keyboard here and there, and they’ll just say some things to it.

“There’s no creativity. It’s just, ‘what sounds different’. That’s it.”

Specifically speaking on RnB, Morris said the genre was definitely one that didn’t really receive the accolades that it should. “But again, part of it is because there is some that’s nice, but it’s not as good as it used to be,” he said.

Unsurprisingly then, Morris shares that his taste in music still revolves around the ‘old skool stuff ’ like the Beatles, Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye.

He says his love for the Beatles

grew even stronger when he learned that himself and Paul McCartney share the same birthday.

The last time Boyz II Men touched down in the UK was in 2012, coincidentally the year of the Dragon as is this year. For those that didn’t get tickets for this month’s gigs, it might be the next year of the Dragon before they come back, if at all.

Acknowledging that his appetite for being busy in the music business has waned, Morris said: “Personally, I’m looking at slowing down.

Thirty-two-years

Music is just not the same. I mean, we’re at the point where AI is making music now...It’s just not intri uin It s not i erent Everything in the world nowadays seems to be cookie cutter, everybody sounds the same

is enough for me. I mean, you see the beautiful ocean out there? I bought a house to sit out here and watch dolphins jump out the water all day.”

Fair enough.

Speaking on what he was looking forward to when he hits the UK, he said: “Everything pretty much.

I mean, we haven’t been there in such a long time.

“The crowd is always energised, and the fans are always great.

So it’s you know the food’s good, atmosphere, I mean, the UK is, you know, where it’s at.

“So we’re looking forward to it.

“It’s always exciting when we come, we always run into different people, and then new musicians and all kinds of cool stuff. So it’s just an atmosphere we’re looking forward to being in.

We enjoy hanging out there.”

The trio will perform on April 19 and 20 at the OVO Arena Wembley, with special guests Brian McKnight + Damage.

The remaining two shows will be on April 21 at Manchester BEC Arena and April 24 at Birmingham Academy.

Both shows will feature Damage.

Sport

KERRY ‘PIONEER AND A LEADER’

First Black woman to play for the Lionesses honoured as a trailblazer at Football Black List awards

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HE FIRST Black woman to play for England, Kerry Davis, was centre of attention at the recent Football Black List celebration.

Davis, who made her England debut in 1982, received the Keith Alexander award in recognition of her achievements as a pioneer in women’s football.

The former Liverpool and Napoli forward was celebrated alongside a wide range of influential figures of Caribbean and African heritage who feature on the Football Black List.

The event, supported by the Premier League, was held at the Battersea Arts Centre, and saw hundreds of members of the Black community and football industry come together to highlight and celebrate Black excellence in all areas of the sport.

Premier League stars Trent Alexander Arnold and Lyle Foster feature on the list, together with WSL and England stars, Jess Carter and Nikita Parris.

Managers Vincent Kompany and Darren Moore, as well as former Lionesses boss, Hope Powell also made the list.

Referee Sam Allison and assistant referee, Akil Howson, received the Cyrille Regis awards for becoming the first Black match officials in the Premier League since Uriah Rennie in 2008.

The event was hosted

by TNT Sport presenter, Jaydee Dyer and ESPN broadcaster Alexis Nunes.

The Football Black List, founded

in 2008 by sports journalists Leon Mann MBE and Rodney Hinds, highlights leaders working across all areas of the game from the Black community.

A panel of experts drawn from the football industry and the Black community independently voted on nominations made by the public to determine who makes the list.

The panel included representa representation from the Premier League, The Football Association, League Managers Asso Association, English Football League, PGMOL, PFA, BCOMS and Kick It Out. The Football Black List features an LG LGBTQI+ Award for the fourth time, recognising work

by Black individu individuals in challeng challenging homophobia in society through football.

“It is an important time to be celebrating women of colour, given the recent abuse of Black women in politics and football”

There was also a section of the celebration exploring the experience of those who are Black and disabled working in the game.

The Voice newspaper is the exclusive home of the Football Black List which creates an opportunity to celebrate the Black community contribution to the industry, while also encouraging debate and discussion on how best to address the ongoing under-representation of people from African-Caribbean backgrounds off the pitch.

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The list also helps to shine a light on deserving people within the football community and at the grassroots level of the game who often go uncelebrated.

Mann MBE, co-founder of the Football Black List, said: “It is our great honour and privilege to be able to recognise Kerry Davis — the first Black woman to play for England.

“She is a pioneer and a leader who we feel should be more visible to the next generation and

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celebrated by all those who love football. It is a particularly important time to be celebrating women of colour, given the recent abuse of Black women both in politics and football. We must stand together and reject this discrimination.

“This event would not be possible without the support of the Black community and the wider football family. I would like to thank the Premier League for continuing to support this important celebration.”

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Sport

Gayle expecting West Indies to cause a storm Cricket legend can’t wait to see his side host the very best in June’s eagerly-anticipated World Cup. By Rodney Hinds

C

HRIS GAYLE, the cricket legend who revolutionised T20 cricket, has thrown his full support behind West Indies to score big in the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

The towering six-footer and famous six-hitter said he has faith that Rovman Powell’s team can reach the final of the global event and from there “push for a third World Cup”. He said it would be an amazing “elixir” for fans at home in the region and those supporters all over the world.

“We have a good team, a good all round team, and I believe we can do it again and make it three World Cup victories for the West Indies,” said Gayle, inset.

“I like what I see in the team. I would like to see them go all the way like we did against Sri Lanka in 2012 in Sri Lanka and 2016 against England in India.”

“We have some bril-liant players in the team, and I was really impressed with the way they beat England on home soil last year, you could see the chemistry and true self-belief, and you could also see togetherness and readiness from a team point of view.”

“Even though we didn’t win (the series) in Australia recently, we played a good brand of cricket — we scored over 200 runs every time we batted. I’m a fan of Nicholas Pooran and I believe he will be ‘our batsman’ for the tournament.

“It’s also good to see Andre Russell back in the team — he’s a two-time World Cup winner and he brings great skills and loads of experience to this team.”

The tournament will be played from June 1-29 in six countries in the West Indies and three cities in the United States.

Known during his pomp as The Universe Boss, Gayle was the

specially invited ambassador for an event which was staged at the Freedom Park in Golden Square in the heart of Bridgetown. He was a full participant as he danced with revellers in costumes, signed autographs, took photos and even tried his hand at dominoes.

Gayle was fully decked out in his T20 World Cup memorabilia — he had his 2016 winner’s medal around his neck and showcased his two shining gold rings presented by Cricket West Indies to all winners in 2012 and 2016. He was joined by former teammates and World Cup winners Sulieman Benn, Fidel Edwards and Dwayne Smith at the all-day jamboree.

“I love Barbados, I always enjoy my time on the island and I’m just thrilled to be here for this event.

The last time I was here was for the Test match last year when Kraigg Brathwaite batted so great Engagainst Eng hopland. I’m hop ing to be back Kensingat Kensing ton Oval on June 29 to see Rovman PowPow ell lift the World Cup.” The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 will be co-hosted by West Indies and US. The event will be the largest in the tournament’s history with 20 international teams playing 55 matches across nine cities.

It is the first time the US will host matches at a T20 World Cup, with 16 first-round matches split between Nassau County International Cricket Stadium (New York), Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium (Dallas) and Broward County Stadium (Lauderhill).

West Indies, who hosted the event in 2010, will hold matches at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium (Antigua and Barbuda), Kensington Oval (Barbados), Guyana National Stadium (Guyana), Daren Sammy Cricket Ground (Saint Lucia), Arnos Vale (Saint Vincent and The Grenadines) and Brian Lara Cricket Academy (Trinidad and Tobago).

Olympians to get an Eiffel of metal to mark their towering achievements

By Milton Boyce

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TOP SPORTS COVERAGE 24/7 VOICE-ONLINE.CO.UK/SPORT

OF SPORT

APRIL 2024 | THE VOICE

A TRUE CHAMPION ON AND OFF THE TRACK!

Christine Ohuruogu gets set to be a Visiting Ambassador to the University of East London in Olympic year year, writes Richard Prescott

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IGHLY RESPECTED Christine Ohuruogu MBE will once again have a starring role during an Olympic year. The University of East London (UEL) has announced that the Olympic, World and Commonwealth 400m champion has been appointed as a ‘Visiting Ambassador’ to the university for 2024.

Christine was born, raised and still lives in the University’s home borough of Newham, and was awarded an honorary doctorate in the arts by the University in 2009.

She has supported the university across a number of its sports, education and literacy programmes during this Olympic year.

After retiring from athletics in 2017, Christine is committed to providing support to

the University’s learning community. She will attend and advocate for a range of its work in high performance sport and active health, primary school engagement and wider early years focus, careers and life skills development.

In particular, Christine looks forward to her involvement in the University’s Sport In Your Futures programme, which provides aspirational opportunities for under-served local primary pupils to try out new activities and attend quality live sporting fixtures; and to delivering a university book club, aimed at enhancing people’s literacy skills and enjoyment of literature. The programme is run by East London Sport, the sports arm of the University.

Hilary Lissenden, Assistant Chief Operating Officer at East London Sport, said: “We first met Christine when – with her medals! – she spoke to over 150 local primary school children at our Sport In Your Futures event at SportsDock last year.

“The University of East London holds a very close place in my heart having been awarded an honorary doctorate in 2009” “She was wonderful with the children, and we were delighted when she expressed an interest in developing a more strategic, exclusive relationship with our institution.

“Christine will attend and

support a number of events across UEL as well as representing us in our local communities over the coming months.

“I’m sure her huge achievements both on and off the track will act as an inspiration to all of our sports scholars, athletes, students and local school children as we build up to the Paris Olympics later this year and beyond.”

Christine, Olympic 400m gold medallist, double World champion and winner of 27 major athletics medals, recently launched her own book club, Track Changes, to coincide with World Book Day 2024.

She said of the new partnership with UEL: “The University of East London holds a very

close place in my heart having been awarded an honorary doctorate in 2009 and going on to work with them in a variety of capacities over recent years.

I am really happy to be able to formalise a partnership with the university and I very much look forward to an exciting year ahead.”

■ Further details of the events and launches that Christine will be supporting at the University of East London and East London Sport will be announced in due course