The Voice Newspaper: September 2024

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SEPTEMBER 2024 • ISSUE NO. 1958

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Black on the Square returns!

Celebration of Black culture to take over Trafalgar Square › p10

“I CAME TO CARE, BUT WAS ABUSED” EXCLUSIVE

Exploited Caribbean care workers trapped into silence by visa fears CARIBBEAN CARE workers invited here have told how they face racial abuse, sexual harassment, and wage theft but fear speaking out due to visa dependency on employers.

Among them is Neville, 61, (pictured left) from Jamaica.

He told The Voice: “Coming to England was a nightmare, the worst experience of my life.”

Photo credit: Peter Flude/TBIJ

› p4-5

YOUR HEALTHMatters

The essential screenings and checkups that could make a crucial difference to your well-being

› p21-28

Inside THIS MONTH

The Voice says

News, views, stories & videos

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

1

Au revoir and merci, Shelly-Ann. Iconic Jamaican has already cemented her legacy with a career that started with a bang and has been characterised by almost superhuman longevity

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The Black Mental Health Manifesto: A blueprint for systemic change

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ROUNDUP NEWSPAPER

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Trinidad and Tobago to remove Christopher Columbus ships from coat of arms. Trinidad and Tobago will replace Christopher Columbus’ ships on its coat of arms with the Steelpan, reflecting national identity, Prime Minister Keith Rowley said Why aren’t missing Black women considered newsworthy? Tragic stories of Black females reported missing often go unnoticed by the mainstream media

3

Kehinde Andrews warns policing alone won’t solve the rise in far-right violence

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Do we really need to watch? The hidden costs of police brutality videos

32

Smart financing: How Black entrepreneurs can bypass the banks

37

A kaleidoscope of Nigerian dance and music premieres in London

47

Jamaica and England to play each other in Netball test series

Exploited and silenced: the shameful abuse of the UK’s migrant care workers

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HE UK’S care sector, plagued by chronic staff shortages, relies heavily on migrant workers, particularly from the Caribbean and Africa.

As UNISON’s general secretary Christina McAnea warns, without these dedicated individuals, the care system would “implode”.

Yet, our investigation has uncovered a deeply troubling reality: the very workers who prop up this fragile system are subjected to severe abuse and exploitation, silenced by a visa system that leaves them powerless.

Take Bernice, a Caribbean care worker sexually harassed by her landlord in employer-arranged accommodation. She didn’t report it, fearing the loss of her job and home.

Celia, another care worker, had her wages withheld after leaving her job, accused of damage to a company vehicle.

The stress led her to seek help from Citizens Advice, where the impact on her mental health was noted.

Dawn, threatened with the withdrawal of her work visa if she joined a union, endured race discrimination in silence.

These stories are not isolated incidents; they are part of a broader pattern of abuse enabled by a visa system that ties workers to their

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

employers. If a worker loses their job, they have just 60 days to find a new sponsor or face deportation.

This cruel and undignified system leaves them with an impossible choice: endure abuse or risk losing everything.

Neville, 61, from Jamaica, described coming to England as “a nightmare”, the worst decision of his life. After experiencing racial abuse from colleagues, he was eventually suspended and returned home, his dreams shattered.

This situation demands urgent legal reform. The government must overhaul the UK’s work visa system to protect these vulnerable workers, allowing them the freedom to leave abusive employers without fear of deportation.

Initiatives like the Justice for Sponsored Workers campaign are crucial, but they need support to achieve the needed legislative change that ensures safe reporting mechanisms and the protection of employee rights.

These care workers came to the UK seeking opportunities and to contribute to our society.

Instead, they found exploitation and despair. It is time for us to stand up and demand justice for them.

Their dignity and rights must be upheld.

4

Former police chief hints Nigel Farage could face investigation following UK riots. Neil Basu, former lead for the UK’s counter terrorism unit, said in a radio interview with LBC that the Clacton MP could be investigated for social media comments he made

5

Football’s most powerful man is Nigerian.

Michael Emenalo, Saudi Pro League’s first director of football, is fast becoming one of the most important figures in world football as he looks to revolutionise the sport in Saudi Arabia

6

Vybz Kartel freed after 13 years behind bars. The Jamaica Court of Appeal has freed the Dancehall star and his co-accused, overturning their convictions and ruling against a retrial in the Clive Williams murder case Rugby: Jamaica’s big date in Canada set for October. The two countries face off on Saturday October 19.

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Is Starmer’s response to riots a bandaid on the deep wound of racism? The Prime Minister has announced travel bans on far-right rioters, but underlying systemic racism and disinformation are fuelling ongoing violence across UK cities Carnival generates £396 million for London’s economy. Study commissioned

by The Voice reveals that despite often negative media portrayals, Notting Hill Carnival is a major economic force that provides a huge financial boost

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Grenada’s golden boy Kirani James still full of ambition. A world 400m champion at the age of 18, and an Olympic champion a year later at London 2012, when he also became Grenada’s first ever medallist in the history of the Games

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SEPTEMBER 2024 THE VOICE | 3

News NAOMI, 8, TAKES ON 8 KM RUN TO RAISE MONEY FOR JAMAICA’S HURRICANE VICTIMS

POWER IN WRITING: Romeo Bremmer, 16, was one of the authors taking part in the inaugural Children’s Black Book Fair UK 2024

GIVING YOUNG AUTHORS A PLATFORM TO THRIVE

A

SPIRING BLACK authors often face significant challenges in getting their stories published or their careers supported.

Despite ongoing publishing industry efforts, Black authors remain underrepresented in publishing. Young first-time authors face even greater challenges due to limited resources, connections, and industry knowledge.

However, one person, former deputy headteacher, and now book publisher, Juliet Coley is determined to address these issues.

JOURNEYS She created the first Children’s Black Book Fair UK 2024, which promises to inspire and uplift a new generation of young Black writers. The event took place at the Dalston CLR James Library earlier this month and gave 25 young authors, aged from six to 15, an opportunity to sell their books, talk about their author journeys and interact with readers and members of the general public.

“The event was a celebration of young Black talent,” Coley said.

“Among the authors who took part were a six-year-old Mensa member and world record holder from Birmingham and the first and youngest Afro-Portuguese author to write a book which

The inaugural Children’s Black Book Fair UK 2024 celebrated young Black talent, and featured 25 authors sharing their stories. By Vic Motune has been translated into four languages which is amazing.

We must celebrate the greatness within our community. Research from the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education in 2019 found that only seven per cent of UK children’s books featured Black, Asian, or minority ethnic characters, so it’s crucial Black children not only see themselves in stories but also actively contribute to telling them.”

Coley continued: “These young authors have achieved so much, despite the challenges of selfpublishing. The Children’s Black Book Fair gave them a platform to reach wider audiences often inaccessible through major bookstores.”

After a successful two-decade career in education, the former deputy headteacher launched the Young Lit Stars publishing company in 2015.

Following a heart attack, Coley helped her son Romeo, then seven, to write a journal allowing him to document his feelings about her illness.

Encouraged by his siblings,

POSITIVE: Oneicia Edwards John-Baptiste the journal was turned into a book series. Romeo, now a multi-award-winning author, has written nine books, significantly boosting his confidence and English grades.

Seeing the positive impact on Romeo, Coley and her family expanded Young Lit Stars to empower other young Black authors. To date, the company has published over 25 books featuring original works from 60 Black authors aged 16 and under.

The Children’s Black Book Fair UK 2024 is the latest manifestation of her unwavering commitment to nurturing and creating opportunities for young

writers. She has also worked with a group of 19 schoolchildren from the Deacons Academy in Accra, Ghana, to help them become published authors.

“Without these self-published authors we won’t be seeing people that look like us in books,” she said. “These writers are the ones who carry the banner so that other children can open books and see people who look like them and recognise that they can be anything they want to be.”

SPECIAL Coley’s son, Romeo, said: “I’ve done lots of events and spoken about my books on many occasions, but being in a space with young people who are also authors is very special. It’s important for people to see boys who look like me publishing books and realise I am not the exception.

There is power in reading and writing and I want my community, young and old to be inspired.”

Another author who will be taking part in the event is 12-year-old Oneicia Edwards John-Baptiste, author of two Affirmation Journals.

She said: “The exposure the Children’s Book Fair brings to all the young Black authors is amazing. It also gives me the opportunity to talk to parents and children about the power of Affirmations and how you can be a better version of yourself if you think positively.”

PROACTIVE: Naomi Townsend is running eight kilometres in Croydon’s Ashburton Park (Photo: Lee Townsend) AN EIGHT-year-old girl, from Croydon is planning to raise over £2,000 for people in Jamaica who were affected by Hurricane Beryl.

Naomi Townsend, a Year 3 student from Regina Coeli Catholic Primary School in South Croydon, will be running eight kilometres later this month at her local Ashburton Park in a bid to raise £2,222 to support those who were affected.

Naomi has launched a GoFundMe page to raise the money.

She plans to run eight kilometres around the park within 22 hours, with each kilometre representing a year of her life.

When the category 4 hurricane arrived in Jamaica, after wreaking havoc in Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Barbados, it brought extensive damage across the island.

For Naomi, news of the devastation in Jamaica was especially difficult after visiting her grandmother during a family holiday to central Jamaica during the Easter holidays earlier this year.

She felt compelled to lend whatever support she could.

“I had the best time ever when we went on holiday to Jamaica in April, and it made me feel sad to see how the hurricane destroyed so many people’s

homes on the news. I knew I had to do something” she told The Voice.

“Lots of people in South Manchester and St Elizabeth don’t have water or electricity, which means they don’t have ice or a fan to keep them cool in all that heat. Cooking their dinner must be very difficult.

“My parents have taught me that I should be the change I want to see in the world, and I try to live out the mantra that my little sister and I say every day to our dad before school. ‘I exude confidence, I lead by example, and I always show

“It made me feel sad to see how the hurricane destroyed so many people’s homes” compassion to others.’”

Her dad, Lee Townsend, said: “As parents, we are incredibly proud of Naomi and her proactive approach to life. My wife and I always encourage our daughters to be leaders and not just follow the crowd, reminding them daily that exceptional people do what others are often not prepared to do.”

‘COMING TO ENGLAND WAS WORST DECISION I EVER MADE’ Neville was a mental health nurse at a psychiatric hospital in Jamaica seeking a fresh start, but the move quickly turned into a nightmare. By Vicky Gayle

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HEN NEVILLE, 61, [surname removed] resigned from his job at a leading psychiatric hospital in Kingston, Jamaica, he decided to take up the offer to become a senior care worker in England in the hope of finding new and better career opportunities here.

He had expected to continue doing the work he loved supporting vulnerable patients.

However, what he anticipated as a fresh start quickly spiralled into a nightmare. Instead of the career growth he had hoped for, Neville found himself disrespected and discriminated against and was eventually dismissed from his job following an incident in which he says a colleague called him the N-word.

While dealing with a difficult resident, a colleague passed remarks on Neville’s competence, followed him around the care home, and an argument began between the pair.

In the end, two colleagues claimed Neville was being threatening. When he told his managers that he had been called a racist slur, he wasn’t believed. “I was suspended,” he recalled. “I

was upset, so I was talking using my hands. If you talk to 100 Jamaicans, we talk with our hands.”

But only Neville’s actions were visible on CCTV cameras.

Speaking to The Voice from Jamaica, where he returned to last November, he said: “Coming to England was a nightmare.”

“It’s the worst experience I’ve had in all my life and I think it’s the worst decision I ever made to come to England.”

EXPERIENCE In Jamaica, Neville worked in a role similar to a mental health nurse in the UK. But when he came to England, instead of supporting residents — a job he was recruited for and also one in which he had many years of experience — Neville and other migrant workers were given the “worst” jobs as cleaners and kitchen porters.

Neville also rented accommodation from his employer. A month into his stay, he and the other tenants were told they would have to share their single bedrooms.

When he refused to share, his room was changed without his knowledge or permission while he was at work. It did not matter that he had locked his door. “Our

“They have followed the rules but were trafficked by an employer who is licensed by the government, and there are no safe reporting and protection systems. Some workers believe the only exit is suicide” - Aké Achi, Migrants at Work

rights were violated in so many different ways,” he said.

Neville believes advocating for himself and the others ultimately cost him his job. “They’re telling us every day that we are to maintain residents’ dignity,” he said, “but what about ours?”

Speaking about the other Jamaican workers he travelled with, who are still employed at the care home, he said: “None of them are happy there. They are just trying to [hold] their nose and drink dirty water.”

Neville is among thousands of migrant care REGRET: Neville, 61, workers who have been left his job in Jamaica invited to fill vacancies in the for a senior care role UK’s social care sector. in England Without them, the care system would “implode”, UNISON’s general secretary Christina McAnea said — as uncovered that workers have come unfilled posts exceed 130,000. to the UK only to find themselves People from India, Nigeria, exploited and too afraid to speak Zimbabwe, Ghana and Bangladesh out about the abuse they face.

Research compiled by The topped the list of nationalities travelling to plug the labour gap. Bureau of Investigative Journalism Among the Caribbean countries, it (TBIJ) and Citizens Advice, a charity that provides confidential was Jamaica and Guyana.

But an investigation has advice on many issues — and

Photo: Peter Flude/TBIJ

4 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 2024

shared with The Voice — reveals they fear raising concerns about labour abuses, in large part because the existing visa system makes them dependent on their employer for their right to stay and work in the UK. Many would rather stay silent than risk losing their jobs and being destitute, or

SEPTEMBER 2024 THE VOICE | 5

News Feature

Photo: TBIJ

LABOUR ABUSES: An investigation revealed African and Caribbean care workers in the UK face exploitation, including wage theft, illegal fees, reduced hours, and fear of speaking out because of the way the visa system makes them dependent on their employers

“The lack of options for migrant workers who find themselves being abused is cruel and undignified”

- Dr Dora-Olivia Vicol, chief executive, Work Rights Centre

Photo: Gett y Images

REFORM CALL: Dr Dora-Olivia Vicol, Work Rights Centre

to return home to nothing. Their research draws on testimonies from almost 175 people on a health and care worker visa in England and Wales. Care workers described experiencing a range of employment abuses, such as wage theft, paying up to £30,000 in illegal recruitment fees, receiving fewer hours than promised or receiving no work at all. Discrimination, harassment and intimidation was also reported.

Among them are Bernice*, a care worker from the Caribbean.

She was sexually harassed by her landlord in accommodation arranged by the employer that sponsored her work in the UK. She did not raise a complaint because she feared losing her job and home.

When Celia* resigned from her job, her employer withheld a month’s wages — more than £1,300

— after alleging she had damaged a company vehicle and to reclaim costs for her training. The impact on her mental health was noted by the call handler at Citizens Advice.

Then there is Dawn* whose employer threatened to withdraw her work visa if she joined a trade union or complained about her mistreatment, including race discrimination.

REPRISALS About a third (30 per cent) of people who spoke to TBIJ and Citizens Advice said they were scared to whistle blow against their manager or employer because they feared reprisals.

Migrants at Work is an advocacy organisation founded by trainee solicitor Aké Achi. He tried without success to get the other Jamaicans living and working with Neville

to confide in him about their employment issues.

When he telephoned to offer legal support, they claimed everything was fine. However, the group had endured several “abusive practices”, Achi said.

Workers choosing not to come forward is common because they feel conflicted, he explained.

“Workers have to make a choice between either remaining in exploitation or reporting a sponsor to deal with their own problem. But at the same time, it will potentially affect those who have stayed behind.”

And they risk becoming “destitute and homeless” if they speak out because they are dependent on their employers.

Achi also believes that Neville’s dismissal would have influenced the others’ decision to keep quiet.

Although it is “frustrating” when this happens, he explained that the key difference between someone who blows the whistle or not is how informed they are of their legal rights. It is also important they have support that is practical while being culturally-sensitive.

“Whether you go to the Home Office, the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, HMRC, the Employment Agency Inspectorate Authority or an employment tribunal, there is no clear solution for people who are on sponsorship visas because there is a gap in the law,” he said.

“The complainants are likely to get their visa curtailed by the Home office as a result of their sponsor breaking the rules.”

Some of his clients feel like they are “living in hell”.

“Approaching the relevant agencies or NGOs can make the matter worse,” he said. “They have followed the rules but were trafficked by an employer who is licensed by the government, and there are no safe reporting and protection systems. Some workers believe the only exit is suicide.”

CAMPAIGN Justice for Sponsored Workers, a worker-led campaign backed

by Achi’s Migrants at Work and the Migrants’ Rights Network, is calling for employers to be held to account for exploitation and for greater protections in the workplace, including safe reporting mechanisms.

Achi said: “This migrant-led campaign has been a long time coming and I am hopeful that with sponsored migrant workers speaking truth to power, we can finally start to tackle the root causes of exploitation of migrants.”

The latest government data shows almost 106,000 visas were granted to care workers in 2023 — a number that has nearly tripled from 2022. However, 81 per cent less visa applications were submitted from social care workers between April and July of this year and the same period in 2023, according to Home Office statistics published last month. A skilled worker’s permission to stay in the UK is

dependent on being employed by an approved sponsor.

These are companies licensed by the Home Office to recruit overseas staff. If a worker loses their job for any reason, including if their employer has its sponsorship licence revoked, they will have, at most, 60 days to find a new sponsor or leave the UK, once they are contacted by the Home Office.

During this time they would not be able to claim most benefits due to a visa condition called ‘No recourse to public funds’. Finding a new employer is difficult.

A rise in care workers contacting Citizens Advice for crisis support had alerted the organisation to the systemic abuse they were experiencing. Many who got in touch were unable to buy food or pay their rent and bills.

“We work on a lot of difficult issues at Citizens Advice, but this is one of the most heartbreaking because of our limited ability to help people find a way forward,” Tom MacInness, its interim director of policy, said.

“These people are skilled professionals who keep our healthcare services running yet … the best we can sometimes do is help them access a food bank.”

“The lack of options for migrant workers who find themselves being abused is cruel and undignified”, Dr Dora-Olivia Vicol, chief executive of the Work Rights Centre, said.

“The government must urgently reform the UK’s work visa system to make it easier for workers to leave an exploitative employer and to seek justice.”

The Work Rights Centre is a charity that helps disadvantaged workers. It wants to see the 60day cap lifted so employees have the “unrestricted right to work for the remainder of their visa, and ensure that we have a safe, wellresourced reporting mechanism for all migrant workers”.

Last month the UK government’s Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (IASC) slammed labour market governance, calling it “fragmented, under resourced and failing against international labour inspection standards”.

This, the commissioner said, enables “criminal gangmasters” to

exploit people with “impunity”.

The briefing lists a number of recommendations to help tackle labour exploitation, including boosting numbers of labour inspectors. The new government’s proposed Fair Work Agency, a single enforcement body to uphold existing employment rights, must also “incorporate workers’ voices in its design”.

A government spokesperson said: “There has been an unacceptable rise in the abuse and exploitation of care workers in the adult social care sector. We are urgently clamping down on this by applying stringent checks on providers who want to recruit overseas workers, continuing to revoke licences from those who abuse the system, and working with the sector to support care workers into alternative jobs when their sponsor has had their licence removed.”

The company Esther*, 21, started with is no longer licensed to sponsor care workers. She arrived in the south of England from Zimbabwe last year.

RELOCATE After getting no work for five months, her employer asked her to relocate to a different city where they promised work was available.

She soon realised the care provider had just a handful of clients but employed a few hundred care workers, she told The Voice.

Despite being contracted to work at least 45 hours a week, the most she did was 12 hours.

Throughout the entire time she was still expected to pay rent to her employer. Eventually, Esther* became depressed and began to regret leaving Zimbabwe, where she was also a care worker.

“I thought there were better opportunities here. If you have education in the UK, your certificates [will] be recognised, so I was just putting everything on the table. I thought this was a good decision.” lNames have been changed to protect their identities l If you have been affected by these issues you can visit https:// www.workrightscentre.org/ care-workers

6 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 2024

News Feature

BLACK BRITONS’ FIGHT FOR MENTAL HEALTH CARE

ACTION: The Black Mental Health Manifesto is urging politicians and policy-makers to understand the role that institutional racism plays in Black people’s disproportionate experience of mental ill-health (Photo: Getty Images)

A system steeped in discrimination has seen many Black Britons avoid seeking help. The Black Mental Health Manifesto is trying to change this. By Vic Motune

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HE UK’s mental health system has long been viewed as not fit for purpose by Black Britons.

Despite facing higher rates of severe mental health issues, Black people often avoid seeking help due to a deeply rooted mistrust of a system that they feel has consistently failed them.

This mistrust was clearly spelled out in research published in September last year

by The Voice and Cambridge University.

The Black British Voices (BBV) report found that 81 per cent of the 11,500 participants who took part in the survey felt that the mental

health system was inadequate for the needs of Black people with mental ill-health.

A SYSTEM STEEPED IN DISCRIMINATION Digging deeper into this mistrust, 87 per cent of BBV survey respondents felt there was a problem with misdiagnosis, over-medication, or unfair treatment of Black people in the provision of mental health care in the UK. Also, many campaigners say the high-profile deaths in police custody cases of Kingsley Burell-Brown, Sean Rigg, Olaseni Lewis, Colin Holt, Mikey Powell and Roger Sylvester have re-inforced the view that the mental health struggles of Black men will be met with harsh consequences or death rather than needed treatment, a view that further fuels mistrust.

The Black Mental Health Manifesto, launched last month by the Black Mental Health and Wellbeing Alliance, offers a comprehensive plan to address these disparities.

It presents an urgent call for systemic change and offers a clear roadmap for reform.

Behind the stark reality that EMPATHY: Author and mental health therapist Jarell Bempong

Black Britons are disproportionately affected by mental ill-health and have little faith in services that are supposed to help them is the systemic racism that pervades life in the UK. The manifesto points out that race and ethnicity are not in themselves risk factors that lead to poor mental health outcomes. Rather, institutional racism plays a key role in one’s chances of experiencing mental ill-health.

Factors such as housing insecurity, unemployment, and school exclusions must be taken into account.

The manifesto states: “It must be accepted that racism and discrimination are often at the heart of why Black people face inequities and there are growing calls for racism to be regarded as a structural and social determinant of health, including mental ill health.”

But if, as the manifesto points out, it is crucial to tackle racial disparities in society as a way of ensuring better mental health for Black Britons, structural changes in mental health services also need to be addressed.

The tragic case of David ‘Rocky’ Bennett, a 38-year-old who died in 1998 after being restrained by staff in a psychiatric clinic in Norwich points to the fact that the very system designed to help Black people when they experience mental

“The problems with how mental health professionals are trained stem from a curriculum with Eurocentric origins, which excludes diverse perspectives.”

– Jarell Bempong ill-health is failing and has been doing so for decades.

The 2003 independent inquiry into Bennett’s death and the treatment he received concluded that the NHS, and particularly its mental health services was institutionally racist, and that Black and minority ethnic communities weren’t receiving the service they deserved.

It also said that NHS mental health services have also been slow to adopt culturally competent mental health care, something that campaigners have long called for.

However, these campaigners, including some of the organi-

sations involved in the Black Mental Health and Wellbeing Alliance, say it seems as though little has improved for service users since the inquiry’s findings were published.

For example, Black Britons are still more than four times more likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act and more than ten times more likely to be subject to a community treatment order.

A PATH FORWARD: CULTURALLY SENSITIVE CARE AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT According to the manifesto, the adoption of NHS England’s Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF) is crucial to tackling some of the systemic problems in the mental health system.

PCREF, a recommendation that followed the national Mental Health Act Review in 2018, has as its goal the elimination of racial disparity in the access, experience and outcomes that Black communities face with mental health services and improving their trust and confidence in them.

A key part of the framework is co-producing and implementing concrete actions to reduce racial inequalities within mental health services by putting individuals and communities at the heart of the design

and implementation of the services they need.

The Black Mental Health Manifesto demands that all NHS Trusts and mental health service providers should embed PCREF by March 2025.

Central to the manifesto’s vision is the need for culturally sensitive mental health services that understand and respect the unique challenges faced by Black communities.

Author and mental health therapist Jarell Bempong, author of the recently published the book White Talking Therapy Can’t Think in Black welcomes the emphasis on culturally sensitive approaches to delivering effective mental health care.

However, he believes that if this approach is to be effective it must form a key part of how health professionals are trained.

Bempong says that mainstream therapy services “often fail Black people because the people delivering it often lack cultural empathy due to societal power dynamics and privilege.

“I struggled to find a therapist who understood my cultural experiences. This lack of culturally competent care leads many Black individuals to only ever accessing mental health treatment through the criminal justice continued on page 9

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SEPTEMBER 2024

THE VOICE | 7

Special Feature

8 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 2024

Former police chief hints Farage could face investigation following UK riots

Leading academic Kehinde Andrews argues that Britain has a long history of racist riots worsened by anti-immigrant rhetoric – an issue which needs an honest national conversation.

By Richard Sudan

POSTS: Nigel Farage denied his comments contributed to the recent far-right violence that spread across the country

‘UK MUST CONFRONT ITS RACISM, NOT JUST CRACK DOWN ON RIOTS’, SAYS PROFESSOR

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EADING ACADEMIC Kehinde Andrews has warned that the government’s response of a renewed police strategy in response to far-right rioting across the country earlier this month will not provide long-term solutions to tackling racism.

Speaking to The Voice, Professor Andrews pointed to Britain’s long history of racist rioting, and suggested progress starts with an honest conversation about what Britain is.

“We’ve had riots ever since there have been lots of Black and Brown people in the country,” he said.

“In 1919 in Cardiff and Liverpool, when we first got here in bigger numbers, in 1958 Notting Hill, and through to the 70s and 80s, and 2001 in Bradford and Oldham. It’s always been the case.

“And now, particularly in the last 10 or 15 years or so, with Faragism and Labour moving further to the right and telling everybody that immigration is too much, that we just need to stop the boats etc, we’re seeing it ‘BRITAIN ISN’T WHITE’: Professor Kehinde Andrews

again.” He added: “It’s England, it’s racism. That’s just what it is.

“We’ve basically got a National Front policy as immigration policy now, so what do you expect? If you get National Front politicians and policies, you’re going to get National Front violence so that’s what this is about. This is the violent thuggery face of racism.

People can’t say Britain’s not racist anymore.”

Thousands of anti-racism demonstrators rallied across England after a week of antiimmigrant riots and disorder.

In areas like north London, Bristol, and Newcastle, counterprotests were largely peaceful, with many chanting pro-refugee slogans.

In Liverpool, hundreds supported refugees outside an a s y l u m services office. In London, thousands protested peacefully

Photo: Getty Images

News Feature

in Walthamstow and North Finchley. Bristol saw about 1,500 people, including trade unionists and community members, filling the streets.

Nearly 800 arrests have been made since the riots began, with 349 charged and some already convicted according to the National Police Chiefs Council.

The unrest began with false claims that a Muslim asylum seeker was responsible for the fatal stabbing of three young girls in Southport on July 29. This misinformation led to attacks on mosques, hotels housing asylum seekers, and local businesses.

In recent days following widespread continued riots, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced a policing plan to curb the violence.

Andrews and others however, have argued that this will not provide a silver bullet solution to the problem and warned of potential consequences.

“Any more powers for the police is always bad for us,” he said. “Obviously you’ve got to stop violence when it happens and the police have to step in, but the idea you can police your way out of this is

complete nonsense. These racists are a reflection of mainstream society. They’re not some fringe far-right element, and so you can’t stop it with the police.

“This is about understanding what Britain is. Most of the immigrants in this country or the children of immigrants, aren’t foreigners, they’re British. My family from the Caribbean was enslaved. They were in Britain then, and they are in Britain now.

“The same with large parts of Africa. The same with large parts of Asia. Until we have that conversation things will never really change. Britain isn’t White. The idea that Britain is White is historical violence.

Britain began in 1707, with the Act of Union, and was an empire at that point. Britain has never ever been White. And this is the psychosis that’s deluding people.

“The only way to stop this is one, having that proper conversation and secondly, dealing with the economic issues. The things people are fighting about are jobs and services. But these things aren’t to do with immigration. They are to do with neoliberalism.” l To see more on this story go to pages 14 and 18

A FORMER counter-terror police chief has suggested Nigel Farage, the MP for Clacton, could face investigation over social media comments which potentially incited riots which have swept the UK in recent weeks.

Neil Basu, former lead for the UK’s counter terrorism unit, speaking to LBC, was quizzed about the role that incendiary posts might have played in fuelling the unrest.

When pressed specifically on whether he thought Nigel Farage might be probed, Basu responded: “I imagine my former colleagues are doing precisely that”.

Basu was the country’s most senior officer of Asian heritage working in counter-terror operations between 2018 and 2021 before leaving the Met Police in 2022.

Speaking to LBC’s James O’ Brien, Basu also said had he been in charge, he would seek to prosecute people with large influential platforms inciting hatred, while also honing in on the tech companies responsible for platforming them.

Basu also noted that the police “had already lost the confidence of Black and Asian community”, and warned of a “two-tier” policing approach, adding that if Black men or Muslims had been involved in similar riots, there would be no hesitation to call it terrorism.

Basu added he had previously highlighted past posts made by Farage, and also those of two former Home Secretaries, Suella Braverman and Priti Patel.

Farage, Tommy Robinson and other influential figures with large social media followings stand accused of playing a key role in fuelling the riots after disinformation quickly spread online following the killing of three girls in Southport. Widespread suggestions the Merseyside attacker was a Muslim or asylum seeker, gaining millions of views and impressions, were later confirmed to be false.

The suspect was later identified as 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, born in Wales. The Reform UK WARNING: Former counterleader took to X in the terror chief Neil Basu hours after the attack and questioned whether the attacker was known to the police.

“Some reports suggest the attacker was known to the security services,” Farage said at the time.

However, the Clacton MP and ex-MEP has dismissed suggestions his comments played any role in causing the wave of violence that has rocked the UK in recent weeks.

Andy George, President of the National Black Police Association, told The Voice that action must be taken to counter the impact of online misinformation.

“Hate speech has been defended for too long with people often hiding behind free speech, which has always had limits” he said. “Everyone in positions of authority, and particularly in public service, must do all they can to calm tensions and build safer and more cohesive communities”.

The riots that broke out across the country saw violence erupt in more than 30 towns and cities, with buildings hosting asylum seekers being primary targets and mosques firebombed.

Dozens of police officers were injured and hundreds of arrests made after what has been described as England’s worst disorder in over a decade.

SEPTEMBER 2024 THE VOICE | 9

News Feature continued from page 6 system, resulting in worse outcomes.”

He continues: “The problems with how mental health professionals are trained stem from a curriculum with Eurocentric origins, which excludes diverse perspectives. Modern psychology was shaped in an era of White supremacy, neglecting Black experiences. We need to integrate culturally relevant

“One of the things we’re most proud of is our partnership work,” said Ariel Breaux-Torres, Head of Race Equity at Mind, in an interview with The Voice last year. “I think that’s something that really encompasses the way the mental health system needs to be working with the Black community.

“Doing things in partnership, co-producing projects helps to amplify the voices of those that are most central to the issues.

We only need to be there as a support because the knowledge about how things can improve already exists within the community.”

EMOTIONS: People sharing feelings in a group therapy session

“The mental health system needs to be working with the Black community.

Doing things in partnership helps to amplify the voices of those that are most central to the issues” - Ariel Breaux-Torres

approaches to make therapy inclusive and relevant for Black and minority people.”

Real change means not only reforming existing services but investing in community-led initiatives that place cultural knowledge at the heart of patient care.

Many Black-led community organisations that have valu-

PROJECTS: Ariel Breaux-Torres, Head of Race Equity at Mind

able knowledge and treatment models to help prevent people from experiencing crisis often struggle with funding.

TRAGIC DEATH: David ‘Rocky ’ Bennett Integrating their work into the broader mental health care system is essential for creating a more equitable and

effective experience for Black patients. Partnership with culturally sensitive community-led treatment programmes is at the heart of mental health charity Mind’s initiatives to increase Black people’s access to effective treatment.

Among the programmes it has recently launched is Bayo, a collaborative project with the Ubele Initiative, Black Thrive Haringey, Young Minds and the National Emergencies Trust, which focuses on the ways in which young Black people can improve their mental wellbeing.

A MANIFESTO FOR CHANGE The Black Mental Health Manifesto is not just a list of demands but a blueprint for much-needed systemic change.

Its call for a radical overhaul of a mental health services that have failed Black Britons for far too long and for institutional racism in society to be addressed will only be effective if the government, policymakers, and mental health professionals are willing to listen, learn, and act.

By implementing its recommendations, we can begin to address the deep-rooted inequalities that have caused so much harm and create a future where all Britons, regardless of race, have access to the care and support they deserve.

The time for action is now; the wellbeing of future generations depends on it.

The Black Mental Health manifesto – the six key asks 1. The government should develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to eradicate racism from society and appoint a cabinet-level minister to oversee this.

The manifesto makes it clear that without acknowledging and tackling the pervasive racism that affects all aspects of life for Black Britons, including mental health, meaningful change will remain out of reach.

2. The government must prioritise reform of the Mental Health Act Under this legislation, Black people have been against their will, often leading to mistrust and fear of seeking help.

While recent proposals to reform the act are a step in the right direction, the manifesto stresses that these changes must go further.

It calls for the statutory offer of Advance Choice Documents (ACDs) to those previously or currently detained under the MHA, along with improved provisions and support for Black autistic people and those with learning disabilities.

3. The government should put an end to ‘hostile environment’ policies that harm or exacerbate mental health problems amongst refugees,

asylum-seekers and migrants in the UK This demand calls for an end to ‘hostile environment’ policies that harm or exacerbate mental health problems among refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants.

These policies have been widely criticised for creating an atmosphere of fear and exclusion, which is particularly damaging to individuals already at risk of mental health issues.

4. All NHS Trusts, VCSE (Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise) and mental health service providers should embed NHS England’s Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF) by March 2025 Campaigners say this step is essential for achieving racial equity in mental health care. This framework is not just a bureaucratic measure; it’s a lifeline for Black patients who have long been marginalised by a system that often overlooks their needs.

By committing to fair treatment and amplifying the voices of Black patients and carers, PCREF represents a critical step toward dismantling the racial disparities that plague mental health services.

Without this, true equity in mental health care will remain out of reach.

5. The Department of Education should work with racialised communities to develop and embed an anti-racist and diverse curriculum that incorporates the histories and contributions of all racialised communities in the UK Creating an anti-racist curriculum, as the manifesto demands, is crucial for fostering a more inclusive society.

By incorporating the histories and contributions of racialised communities, we can begin to dismantle the systemic racism that underpins so many inequities.

This educational reform is not just about teaching history; it’s about shaping a future where all students understand the roots of prejudice and its impact on mental health.

The Alliance behind the manifesto say that only through such comprehensive education can we hope to build a society that values and respects the diversity of its people.

6. Policymakers, academic institutions, and funders should

SHAPING THE FUTU RE : The Black Mental Health Manifesto is aiming to achieve systemic chang e

actively invest in and engage with community research conducted by and for Black communities in a meaningful way.

Investing in Black-led mental health research and services is vital for addressing racial disparities.

Marginalized communities produce richer, more relevant insights, making their research crucial for effective care. Programs like Hackney’s Irie Minds, which offer culturally tailored support, exemplify the success of this approach.

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO TO REMOVE COLUMBUS SHIPS FROM COAT OF ARMS TRINIDAD AND Tobago plans to remove ships of Christopher Columbus from its coat of arms and replace them with the national instrument, the Steelpan.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Keith Rowley made the announcement at a special People’s National Movement convention.

The PM stated the three ships on the nation’s emblem is “substantial in how we see ourselves” and it is now time for change.

“You see them three Columbus ships in the emblem? They will go,” said Rowley. “Since we have enough votes in Parliament to do it, I could announce now that as soon as the legislative adjustment is made — and that adjustment should be made before the September 24 — we then over a six-month period will replace Columbus’ three ships, the Santa Maria, the Pinta, and the Niña, with the steelpan,” Mr Rowley said.

STATIONERY “And for logistical purposes, that will take place over a six-month period, allowing us to consume the stationery and other things we have in place and be replaced by our new intention and that should signal that we are on our way to removing the colonial vestiges that we have in our constitution and I hope that we start with that and we end up getting up and no longer being squatters on the steps of the Privy Council,” he added.

In August, it was announced the Steelpan is now officially recognised according to law as the National Musical Instrument of Trinidad and Tobago. The Steelpan has commonly been considered the national instrument of the twin-island nation, but the official legislation to award the instrument the ‘National Instrument’ title took place in early July.

10 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 2024

News CELEBRATING DIVERSITY: Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the event “sends a loud message of unity at a time when some have sought to divide our communities”

BLACK ON THE SQUARE MAKES WELCOME RETURN

T

HE MAYOR of London, Sadiq Khan, announced the return of Black On The Square — the capital’s annual event celebrating the diversity and richness of Black culture and creativity.

Award-winning actor and rapper Bashy will headline the event in Trafalgar Square on Saturday September 7, with a packed programme of activities for all ages. Music performers will include Cultur FM, Kofi Stone, Krar Collective, Shingai, Phoebs and Karen Nyame, while there will be a range of activities for children and young people including face painting and art workshops.

The free festival is an opportunity for Londoners and visitors to embrace the diversity of Black culture in the capital.

This year’s event will celebrate and recognise the importance of collectivism within the community and inspire a sense of togetherness.

A range of Black-owned businesses will be offering delicious food from Ghana, Guyana, Jamaica, Mauritius and Nigeria, including plantain bites,

Award-winning actor and rapper Bashy will headline the family-friendly festival of music, dance and art on September 7 in Trafalgar Square fusion fish and chips, plant-based ice-creams and West African vegan delights. Stalls will offer a selection of artisan goods ranging from accessories, coats, bags, home décor, candles, art prints, jewellery, headwear and inclusive books for all ages.

SERVICES Alongside entertainment, there will be businesses and organisations offering a range of services to support the capital’s diverse-led business, including London & Partners’ grow London Local and Social Enterprise Foundervine who will provide support to entrepreneurs, with drop-in clinics for start-ups and the more established.

Black On The Square launched last year as part of the Mayor’s commitment to identifying, supporting and celebrating

creative talent from London’s diverse Black communities.

The celebration is now part of London’s annual calendar of cultural events hosted by the Mayor on Trafalgar Square, which also includes Diwali, Eid, St Patrick’s Day, Lunar New Year, Vaisakhi, St George’s Day, Chanukah, and Pride.

This event is curated by an independent Creative Programmer from Fynn Studios and shaped with a Community Advisory Group to ensure engagement with Londoners.

Khan said: “I am absolutely thrilled to welcome Black On The Square back to Trafalgar Square following last year’s fantastic first festival.

“London’s Black communities make a vital contribution to our culture, identity and success, and this free family event is a fantastic

CREATIVE TALENT: Many performers will take part in the event

way to celebrate and champion the sheer breadth of the capital’s Black creative talent. It sends a loud message of unity at a time when some have sought to divide our communities.

“London’s rich diversity and openness is what truly defines us and sets us apart as the greatest city in the world, and we will continue to celebrate this as we build a better, more equal and more prosperous city for all.”

Kobi Prempeh, creative

programmer, said: “This year’s Black On The Square is a celebration of collectivism.

“With acts such as Krar Collective, Cultur FM and the film showcase hosted by We Are Parable, it is not just an event for people to come together, it will be a place where Londoners and its visitors can be inspired by the multitude of ways Black organisations are encouraging and enshrining the essence of what makes this city so great.”

Shingai, artist and performer, said: “I’m excited to celebrate with allies, brothers & sisters across the diaspora, and our ancestors through the power of music!

“After a summer of knock-out festival performances, it’ll be special playing in the heart of our capital city. The contributions of Black & Brown communities to UK creative culture are beyond immense. So, being part of a movement celebrating our vibrancy is beyond thrilling.”

POWERFUL Kojo Owusu Marfo, vice chair of the Community Advisory Group, said: “As vice chair of the Cultural Advisory Group, I am honoured to support Black On The Square, a powerful celebration of Black Culture at the heart of London.

“This event not only showcases the richness and diversity of our community but also creates the much-needed platform for black talent and businesses.

“Black On The Square is a testament to the creativity, resilience, and unity within the Black community, and I am proud to be part of the Mayor’s initiative that uplifts and empowers us all.”

JUNE 2024

BLACK ON THE SQUARE

Free | Trafalgar Square | Sat 7 Sep | 12 - 6pm Celebrate Black culture with art, music, food, dance, and activities for the whole family.

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THE VOICE | 11

12 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 2024

Opinion

News

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

THE PATHWAY TO FAIRER FUNDING

GLIMMER OF HOPE: Pathway Fund’s new Cost of Living Support Programme will deploy £1 million to 31 Black and ethnic minoritised-led organisations

IN THE wide landscape of the UK’s voluntary sector, Black-led charities and social enterprises have long faced an uphill battle for survival.

Despite the vital role these organisations play in addressing issues that disproportionately affect Black communities – ranging from mental health to criminal justice – they have been persistently underfunded.

This ongoing disparity is not just a funding challenge; it is a matter of racial justice that threatens the sustainability of organisations that play a crucial role in society.

The statistics which highlight these funding disparities paint a stark picture.

A 2021 report by social justice group Ten Years’ Time, found that despite Black and minority ethnic people making up approximately 14 per cent of the UK population, they are continually sidelined, receiving a disproportionately small share of grant funding.

This chronic underfunding has left up to 87 per cent of micro and small Black-led voluntary organisations in a precarious position, with insufficient reserves to last more than three months – a CRISIS: Dilys Winterkorn vulnerability exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. have been further strained by the cost-of-living crisis, EVIDENCE which has threatened the very The report also echoed existence of Black-led charities. the findings of a 2015 study Campaigners have long

by Voice4Change England, called for a shift in how which found that Black and funding is allocated, urging minority ethnic voluntary and philanthropists and funding community sector groups had bodies to prioritise supporting already suffered a 25 per cent organisations that through reduction in funding following their work help to reduce racial the government’s austerity disparities in a range of areas measures five years earlier. such as employment, education Despite the clear evidence and health for example, areas of systemic inequities, little has where Black communities changed in the years since both are often disproportionately reports were published, affected.

Recently, these organisations Against this backdrop

Photo: Getty Images

A new initiative is a lifeline for social enterprises which face an uphill battle for survival.

By Vic Motune

of entrenched funding challenges, a new initiative offers a glimmer of hope. The Pathway Fund, led by Black Global Trust, the Social Investment Consultancy, and Voice4Change England, has launched the Cost of Living Support Programme, a £1 million funding initiative aimed directly at Blackled charities and social enterprises.

It recognises the unique pressures facing these organisations and seeks to provide both immediate financial relief and long-term sustainability.

It offers a range of grants tailored to the needs of organisations at different stages of development.

These include Enterprise Development grants of up to £15,000, Investment Readiness grants of up to £30,000, and Blended Grants of up to £40,000, which combine funding with loans from social co-investors.

Beyond just financial aid, the programme aims to build the capacity of these organisations, helping them to develop sustainable business models and secure ongoing

funding. It is an initiative that is timely and crucial.

Recent research by Do It Now Now, which supports Black-led social entrepreneurs, revealed that rising operational costs, coupled with stagnant funding, are severely hampering the ability of Blackled organisations to serve their communities. An alarming 66 per cent of these organisations reported that financial pressures prevented them from maximizing their impact.

IMBALANCE As Dilys Winterkorn, Project Director of the Pathway Fund, noted, Black and ethnic Minoritised-led organisations are bearing the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis, which threatens their very survival.

Without targeted financial support, these organisations – already operating on minimal budgets and facing systemic barriers to mainstream funding – are at risk of disappearing altogether.

The Pathway Fund’s programme is a crucial step toward rectifying this imbalance and ensuring that Black-led charities can continue to provide essential services and advocacy for their

communities. The question now is whether this initiative can serve as a catalyst for broader change. Will other funders follow suit, recognising the urgent need to support Black-led organisations with equitable funding?

The Dormant Assets Scheme, which has the potential to unlock over £800 million for good causes, is a promising model of how unclaimed financial assets can be repurposed for social good.

But for this model to be truly transformative, it must be adopted more widely and with a specific focus on addressing racial disparities in funding.

In the face of these challenges, the Pathway Fund’s initiative represents not just a lifeline but a blueprint for how we can begin to rectify longstanding inequities in the voluntary sector.

It is a call to action for other funding bodies to step up, recognise the critical role that Black-led organisations play, and develop innovative funding models to ensure they receive the support they need to thrive.

Black-led charity leaves social media platform over hate speech concerns A LEADING Black-led charity has announced it has left social media platform X over the amplification of hate speech.

The Race Equality Foundation, a national charity dedicated to combating racial inequality in public services, has made the decision to leave the social media platform – despite having over 10,000 followers.

This decision comes in response to concerns about the platform’s role in amplifying disinformation, particularly in relation to the recent rioting that followed the killing of three girls in Southport. Despite numerous complaints about racist, Islamophobic, and other discriminatory content on X, the charity say the platform has failed to take adequate action.

Jabeer Butt OBE, CEO of the Race Equality Foundation, said: “It is increasingly difficult for us to remain on a platform that not only tolerates but also amplifies extreme and harmful views. In the past, we could report racism on Twitter and expect some action to be taken. However, the surge in unaddressed complaints over the last few months suggests that the platform now views racist abuse as an acceptable, even valuable, form of engagement. This is something we cannot and will not endorse.”

The Foundation first joined X in 2010 and has been committed to engaging in free and open dialogue amongst their 10.4k followers.

However, the recent shift in the platform’s management following its acquisition by billionaire owner Elon Musk has led to a significant increase in the visibility of racist content.

While acknowledging that other social media platforms are not without fault, the Race Equality Foundation has decided that X has become a particularly toxic environment for people from Black and minority communities. It also claimed that recent changes to the way ‘likes’ are amplified have only served to exacerbate the spread of hate speech.

Race Equality Foundation announced it is looking into other platforms such as Threads to ensure that its key audience of ethnic minority Britons, sector leaders and policymakers receive its updates.

A spokesperson for the charity added: “The Foundation does not take this decision lightly. We understand that X is a critical tool to engage with the public.”

SEPTEMBER 2024 THE VOICE | 13

CRACKDOWN ON PATIENTS WHO ABUSE NHS STAFF

Health Secretary Wes Streeting pledged a firm zero tolerance policy on racism in the wake of far-right rioting. By Vic Motune

B

LACK AND minority ethnic professionals have welcomed Health Secretary Wes Streeting’s comments that patients who racially abuse health professionals should not be treated.

Streeting made the comments earlier this month in the wake of rioting across the country.

He spoke after reports emerged of two Filipino nurses who were attacked in Sunderland during the outbreak of rioting in the city.

In an interview with the PA news agency during a visit to the Leeds Cancer Centre, Mr Streeting said people who are racist to NHS staff in health settings “can and should” be turned away from care.

“I was appalled by reports of violence directed towards Filipino nurses in Sunderland – these were nurses going into work to provide emergency care and their attackers bring shame on our flag and shame on our country.”

He added the NHS has a “zero tolerance” approach to racism.

“I will not tolerate, under any circumstances, NHS or social care staff in any health or care setting being subjected to intimidation, harassment or racist abuse,” he said. “I think we are lucky to have people in our NHS and social care sectors who come from around the world to provide great, compassionate care.”

Streeting’s comments were welcomed by Professor Habib Naqvi, chief executive of NHS Race and Health Observatory.

Professor Naqvi told The Voice: “We welcome the Government’s stance on reinforcing protection from racism and discrimination for our healthcare staff. As those who work in the NHS go about their vital work caring for others, it’s critical that they are supported by policies and practices that have zero tolerance to racism, violence, and discrimination of any form – and these should also be

made clearly visible to patients.

Leaders across the NHS should be accountable for proactively advancing fair, equitable and compassionate working environments, where both patients and staff are treated with the dignity and respect that they deserve.”

He continued: “We know, from many years of research and evidence, that Black, Asian and ethnic minority staff in the NHS continue to regularly report racial discrimination from patients and colleagues alike. Staff are our most vital asset and should not be subject to this type of behaviour whilst undertaking their critical role in supporting others.”

Charles Kwaku-Odoi, chief executive of the Caribbean and African Health Network, a leading national Black health organisation, also welcomed Mr Streeting’s comments.

MECHANISMS However, he stressed that given complaints about racism Black health staff have made in recent years, the right mechanisms need to be in place to ensure they get the backing they need.

“This isn’t the first time this issue has come up,” he said.

“During the pandemic there were cases where White patients didn’t want to be treated by clinicians who had a different colour skin to them. But it’s good the health secretary has said what he said. But we will need to see how this zero-tolerance policy of racism is implemented by the NHS Trusts.”

Kwaku-Odoi also stressed the importance of accessible and clear guidelines in tackling the issue.

“What will be good is to provide some clear national guidance in writing and highlight a couple a couple of case studies where Black health professionals have had the support to refuse treatment.

“I think we need a test case to have that confidence that this policy can hold water.”

News

SUPPORT: Black health professionals have welcomed proposals to refuse treatment to patients who are racist (photo: Getty Images)

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14 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 2024

Lyndon Mukasa Eye on the Diaspora

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

Whether in the West or the global south, White supremacy means that Black communities will continue to suffer

self-determined development and contributing to migration.

Western foreign military interventions, such as in Haiti in 2004 or Libya in 2011, have also played a destructive role in expanding the migration crisis as the West effectively destabilised those countries creating more instability, underdevelopment and more incentives to migrate. This pattern has been repeated in the DRC, Somalia and the Republic of Sudan.

O

Grievances

There are real economic grievances across the West that many argue intensifies fascism and far-right rhetoric.

Over the past 50 years, deindustrialisation and globalisation have seen many manufacturing jobs move to poorer countries in the Global South which left many poorer communities across the West disenfranchised. Additionally, many have argued that migrants — legal and illegal — have exacerbated social housing, for example. They ignore the barriers that already exist that make it difficult for migrants to jump ahead of British nationals as outlined in the Right to Rent provisions of the 2014 Immigration Act. Refugees and asylum seekers are also unlikely to qualify for waiting lists in a lot of cases since they don’t have access to public funds and many have not had sufficient time on waiting lists.

Why can’t migration end?

WHITE RULES: Over the past month the UK has witnessed a spate of rioting driven by farright groups protesting against immigration

Photos: Getty

VER the past month the UK has been gripped by one of the worst spate of rioting since 2011.

Across many cities, people representing various far-right groups descended on communities disrupting the peace and security. Their grievance? Immigration.

This, unfortunately, isn’t surprising. For decades the subject of immigration has been used as a political tool by politicians looking to advance their careers or distract from their party’s failures.

From revered politicians such as Winston Churchill expressing his support for the slogan ‘Keep Britain White’ in opposition to invited settlers coming from the Caribbean in 1955, to Enoch Powell’s iconic 1968 fascist ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech, which still influences nationalists and White supremacists to the present day.

Across the Western world, reactionary forces have framed the issue of immigration as an existential crisis, a clash of civilisations, an attack by barbarian hordes and of the West versus the rest.

Within this viewpoint, racism is made permissible in ways that negatively affect Black communities already present in the West. While politicians would argue that race is not at the heart of anti-immigration sentiment, it is precisely because there are established non-White communities in Britain and across the West that there is a desire to control or stop migration completely.

In the imagination of the far-right, there is a fear that the numbers of nonWhite populations would eventually consume the West and destroy it. This is why they want a civil war, and why their movement is characterised by the violence and intimidation of Black and non-White communities. Despite these fears and decades of opportunistic anti-immigration politicians, immigration has never been stopped. Why is this?

HOW RADICALISATION OF THE FAR-RIGHT PUTS THE BLACK COMMUNITY AT RISK The West is developed because of the extraction of energy and resources from places that they impoverished in Africa and the global south. This results in poverty and conflict which creates a desire to move to where there are more opportunities Even when the economy was doing well, however, anti-immigration sentiment existed. Perhaps a better economy hides the most extreme manifestations of racism and xenophobia, but I don’t believe that it completely goes away.

There are greater levels of inequality and economic disparity in countries like Jamaica, Ghana, Grenada, Kenya, Uganda, Dominica and many others — yet fascism doesn’t seem to manifest in those countries in response to these issues the same way that it does in the West.

The answer to why migration won’t end is that it is not in the interests of corporations or Western Governments to do so.

The West is developed because of the extraction of energy and resources from places that they impoverished in Africa and the global south. In order to obtain these resources cheaply they need amenable corrupt leaders who are willing to provide this at the expense of their own countries.

This results in poverty, instability and conflict which creates a desire to migrate and seek opportunities for a better life.

Resource extraction fuels the West’s standard of living while worsening the climate crisis, leading to future climate refugees from the global south. Antiimmigration activists should oppose these exploitative practices, but doing so would challenge the West’s 400-year-old model that they benefit from.

Corporations also exploit migration to keep wages low, with Western politicians managing tensions rather than enacting real change. That is why even now politicians would campaign on an anti-immigration platform but never substantially stop it.

What’s frustrating is that people fall for it every time because fundamentally White supremacy as an ideology runs through Western culture. This won’t change until the West fundamentally reevaluates its relationship with the rest of the world.

Consequences for the Black community

POWER IN NUMBERS: Anti-racist protesters gather in central London for ‘Stop The Far Right National Day ’ demonstration

Migration as a legacy of colonialism

To understand modern migration, we must examine colonialism, which stifled economic development in the global south and created enduring political and cultural ties with Europe. Colonialism was both economic and ideological, with Europeans viewing themselves as civilisers and justifying the subjugation of others.

This belief in White supremacy underpins much of today’s anti-immigrant rhetoric. The colonisation of Africa by European powers led to tens of millions of deaths and disrupted African societies, creating economic dependency on Europe that persists today.

There is also the fact that Africa’s industrialisation was hindered by the

plundering of trillions of dollars in natural resources. After independence in the 1960s and 1970s, neocolonialism emerged, with Western corporations exerting control over developing nations. Anti-immigration activists often question why migrants don’t “fix” their own countries, ignoring how multinational corporations undermine progress by threatening to withdraw infrastructure, halting operations, and diverting investment.

In extreme cases, these corporations are linked to human rights abuses, as seen with Shell’s role in the 1995 murder of Nigerian activist Ken Saro-Wiwa. This pattern of exploitation persists across the global south, with Western powers like France involved in the assassinations of African leaders, stifling efforts for

Ultimately, what this means for the Black community in Britain and elsewhere, is that reactionary racism in the name of White supremacy will erupt every few years as Western countries grapple with their national identities. Politicians will continue to exploit this for their own agenda since despite the positive and strong anti-fascist showing on the streets of Britain, people remain concerned about immigration despite the data to the contrary.

This means that the opportunity for fascist attacks to occur will continue for as long as migration to the UK exists and the individual risk to Black and ethnic minorities to attacks will increase.

In last month’s edition of The Voice, I covered Africa’s population growth in contrast to population decline in the rest of the world.

Migration will be a feature of the West particularly from Africa if they want to remain viable as states. The consequence as mentioned in that article will be that anti-Black, anti-immigrant racism will increase and it seems that we are now at the start of this era. l Lyndon Mukasa is a writer

and researcher. He studied International Development at the London School of Economics

SEPTEMBER 2024

THE VOICE | 15

Special Feature

ADVERTORIAL

The Black British Book Festival

The UK and Europe’s Largest Black Literature Event — Returns for a Spectacular Fourth Year with New Venue Partner Barbican Centre

G

rammy winning Eve shares her journey with the autobiography “Who’s That Girl?: A Memoir” Diane Abbott shares her experiences in an engaging panel discussion, “A Woman Like Me.” Charlene White, esteemed journalist and presenter, headlines with event exploring “No Place Like Home” Big Manny captivates with his dynamic talk, “Science is Lit.” Influential Black activists Mikaela Loach, Tayshan Hayden Smith, and Kwajo Tweneboa discuss pressing issues in “Our Country in Crisis: Britain’s Housing Emergency and How We Rebuild.”

Paul Brunson hosts an intimate fireside chat on finding love.

The Black British Book Festival, Europe’s biggest celebration of Black literature, is back for its fourth year on Saturday, 5th October 2024, in partnership with the Barbican Centre in London for the first time.

OPPORTUNITIES

Eve©John Russo

Following the success of previous years, the festival continues to create opportunities for Black British writers, offering an exciting platform for new talent.

Founded in 2021 by Selina Brown, the Black British Book

Featuring Eve, Diane Abbott, Charlene White, Big Manny, Mikaela Loach, Paul Brunson, Kwajo Tweneboa Black British Book Festival:

Saturday, 5th October 2024 Festival has quickly become a key event on the literary calendar. Each year, thousands of people come together to celebrate the richness of Black British authors across all genres.

CELEBRATE This year’s partnership with the Barbican Centre highlights the festival’s growing influence. “We are proud and excited to be hosting the Black British Literature Festival here at the Barbican for the first time this year” says Karena Johnson, Head of Creative Collaboration at the Barbican Centre.

“The extensive line-up of Black talent being celebrated at this fullday event is incredible. The power of books (and reading) to celebrate Black excellence, to amplify shared connections could not come at a more important time. It’s going to be an inspiring and joyous day.”

The festival will feature a fantastic range of speakers and authors.

Grammy winning Eve shares her journey with the autobiography “Who’s That Girl?: A Memoir”. Diane Abbott will discuss her experi-

ences in a panel titled “A Woman Like Me,” while journalist and presenter Charlene White will lead an insightful session.

Big Manny will deliver an exciting talk, “Science is Lit,” and activists Mikaela Loach, Tayshan Hayden Smith, and Kwajo Tweneboa will explore important social issues in “Our Country in Crisis: Britain’s Housing Emergency and How We Rebuild.” Paul Brunson will also take part, hosting a fireside chat on finding love.

Headline sponsors Pan Macmillan are joined by Hachette, Ink Sweat & Tears, National Book Tokens, Audible, HarperCollins, and ILP. Emma Bravo, Communications Director at Picador and Partnerships at Pan Macmillan, says, “We’re delighted to continue our sponsorship of the Black British Book Festival.

It’s an incredible opportunity to deepen our connection with Black readers and to celebrate our Black authors. This is more than just sponsorship – it’s about learning and growing together with the festival’s vibrant community.”

Attendees can enjoy a range of

exciting activities, including panel discussions, keynote speeches, and workshops. Highlights include the Children’s Zone, the Black Book Seller Village, and the Masterclass Zone, as well as a range of free activities in the Barbican Library.

MISSION Reflecting on the festival’s growth, Selina Brown says, “Our mission has always been to create a space where Black British literature and talent can thrive.

The Black British Book Festival is more than just an event – it’s a movement that inspires and challenges the traditional literary landscape.

This year, our partnership with the Barbican Centre takes us another step closer to realising that vision.”

Tickets for the Black British Book Festival will be on sale from 21st August 2024. Join us on 5th October at the Barbican Centre for a day of celebrating literature and culture. Wristband tickets are just £10, making the event accessible for all.

For more information about the Black British Book Festival and to stay up to date with the latest announcements, please visit www.barbican.org.uk.

THE VOICE

Opinion

Daniella Maison

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

THE EVIDENCE IS SO HARD TO WATCH Video images showing police brutality is vital in the fight for justice, but is it right that we should all be allowed to witness it?

‘SEEING is believing’. When it comes to the dismal world of police brutality, this idiom couldn’t be more apropos.

The circulation of videos documenting police violence has become a valued tool of accountability. Visual evidence is as persuasive as it gets, and as such it has played a role in how the ability to keep tabs on the police has been democratised.

Without such hard evidence, countless cases of police brutality have been denied justice. There’s no doubt they are vital in the judicial process, but are they essential viewing for the rest of us?

Thirty-three years ago, our diaspora squirmed at the video footage of Rodney King’s mauling, we writhed at the image of his hands raised protectively over his head as he cowered beneath the thrashing batons and brutal shoe soles of the American authorities.

We held our heads in our hands as we saw ourselves, our fathers, brothers, and our sons lying powerlessly on the pavement. The experience thumped us, moved us, changed us.

Over the past two weeks, the horrific ‘body cam’ footage of Sonya Massey’s murder has gone viral.

Massey Called 911 on July 6, to report a prowler in the house she had recently purchased.

Two white Sangamon County sheriff ’s deputies arrived.

Massey opened the door.

“Please don’t hurt me,” she said.

Sean P Grayson replied, “I won’t hurt you. You called us.”

Just minutes later he had shot her dead for reaching for a pot of boiling water that he had asked her to remove from the stove.

Bodycams and mobile phones have become our silent witness. They remove subjectivity, corruption and distortion. We need the right

people to watch them to achieve justice, but it takes a heavy toll on our collective psyche to be consistently subjected to the horror of someone’s final moments.

To say that the filming of George Floyd’s death was monumental would be an understatement.

The nightmarish footage of his public execution blew open the Pandora’s box of police brutality, and sparked a global uprising. As for the masses viewing his death, it caused untold trauma.

When 17-year-old Darnella Frazier started recording George Floyd, he was already gasping for air. Seconds later, Mr Floyd uttered the three words that became a rallying cry for protesters. “I can’t breathe.”

When he cried out ‘mama’, I wept. It still haunts me.

A year after the tragic death, Darnella said: “I still hold the weight and trauma of what I witnessed.”

I think many of us hold that weight with her. That is the power of seeing; and the pain of visual memory.

The sinister footage of Sonya’s murder has been watched hundreds of thousands of times. I was not one of them. In fact, the

The level of desensitisation that we have reached in 2024 is such that we can watch a woman being shot in the face and not realise the extent to which it’s affecting us

transcript was distressing enough for me. Sonya had me from the moment she asked the police not to hurt her.

We are all too aware that the Black community is disproportionately affected by police brutality. As Black women, we are aware that we are in the midst of an Afrofemicide ‘crisis’.

These harsh realities make such footage even more injurious.

The feeling of loss is so great, it is visceral. Hyper-vigilance.

Helplessness. Hopelessness. The list of emotional responses is long and the list of ways they impact our health and wellbeing are even longer.

Under President George HW Bush, the Defence Department instituted a ban against photographing flag-draped coffins returning from the Persian Gulf war in 1991. After conducting various psychologist tests, they made the decision not to publish images of dead Americans as a sign of respect, a way to honour the privacy of service members and their families. A way to preserve the mental fortitude of the American people.

As a schoolgirl, Black history was a short lesson in slavery and corpses. I can still remember the

that was circulated worldwide of your son being gunned down? I have to figure out dayto-day how to survive that.”

Social media activism is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what we can do in the aftermath of police brutality cases.

images of enslaved Africans on auction blocks and the nameless human beings swinging limply from trees. There was apparently no concern for the mental fortitude of African-Caribbean children imbibing such images.

Sonya was a real woman.

She was a loving mother to her 17-year-old son Malachi and 15-year-old daughter Summer.

She was adored by her mother.

She was a Daddy’s girl.

The level of desensitisation we have reached in 2024 is such that we can watch a woman being shot in the face and not realise the

extent to which it’s affecting us.

“I do not believe the intent of the distributor makes a difference in how traumatic the viewer’s response is. The level of trauma is based on the content of the video and also heightened if the viewer identifies with the victim,” says Dr Dion Metzger.

The psychological fallout is very real. We simply do not have an outfall or adequate support mechanisms to be exposed to continued trauma. The healing process is too enduring.

After Antwon Rose was shot dead by police, his mother, Michelle Kenney, asked: “How do you take your mind off of a video

We can assist restorative justice practices such as making donations to the families of victims. We can donate to mutual aid and Black-led organising projects, such as The 4Front Project, 4WardEverUK and The Cherry Groce Foundation.

We don’t have to watch these videos. We don’t have to feel obliged to share them. We don’t have to engage in a social media commentary or hashtags to show that we care.

We too can choose to honour the privacy of victims and their families. We too can opt to preserve our mental fortitude.

As Sonya Massey’s tragic demise continues to circulate, protect your mental wellbeing.

I will be protecting mine.

WRITER, ACTIVIST AND AUTHOR DANIELLA MAISON’S NEW BOOK, THE N WORD, PUBLISHED BY AUSTIN MACAULAY, IS OUT NOW.

JUNE 2024

THE VOICE | 17

18 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 2024

Dotun Adebayo

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

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

A satirical look at the far-right riots that broke out across the country last month

‘PEACEFUL PROTESTS’: I am ashamed to be living in a country where peaceful, loving, White people just want to go about their business

O

H, SO YOU thought racism had gone away, did you? Oh, so you thought it just disappeared. Just vanished into thin air. Oh, so you concluded that we are living in a post-racism society where Black and White unite to defeat the scourge of racial discrimination.

Well, think again.

As last month’s rioting has shown, racism is alive in this country and well, and discriminating against the White minority of Britain for no other reason than they are White.

Our towns and cities have effectively become no-go areas for Whites who don’t want to suffer racist two-tier policing after sunset.

WHITES GO HOME (TO YOUR OWN SHIRES) is the mantra — as quiet as its kept. And now the White minority feels it has no choice but to protest against this racism that it suffers every day.

Especially the racism from asylum seekers who are living it up in style in budget hotels (while the White working classes have to make do with two-ups twodowns), taking the mickey out of them just for being White.

And some of those protests turned into riots just as that punk group The Clash said they would: White riot; I wanna riot; White riot a riot of my own...

And whilst they were going about their business, peacefully rioting, they were faced with the blatant racism from migrants who, for some reason, have got something against the colour of their skins, so to protect themselves it was a good job they brought their coshes with them.

White man’s got a lot of problems but he knows how to throw a brick.

And it was the throwing of those bricks at our brave and unsullied non-racist police force that turned the peaceful protests into riots.

They have now resulted in hundreds of White people being jailed for those riots, and has brought many other White people questioning how come the police never arrest Black people for anything — ever — and complaining that the cops never treat Black people so badly as they

IT’S TIME TO MAKE WHITE PEOPLE FEEL WELCOME

treat White people (especially when they end up dead in police custody), and that Black people get away with everything while White people are many times more likely to get stopped and searched at a White riot than a Black person.

Are these not prima facie examples of two-tier policing, my White friends ask me.

Well, I couldn’t possibly comment. My White friends agree.

“You couldn’t possibly comment because you’re Black, Dotun? You will never experience

I will never experience racism.

It’s a Black man’s world. We will never know how hard it is to be White in this Black man’s country

racism. There is no such thing as racism against Black people.

It doesn’t exist. Whereas if you’re White, that’s our lived experience.

That is the White condition.”

I can’t help but feel guilty when they say that. Because of course it is absolutely true. I will never experience racism. None of us will. It’s a Black man’s world. We will never know how hard it is to be White in this Black man’s country. And there’s nothing we can do about it so we’re just going to have to live with it. Racism against White people has existed since time immemorial. In full view. For everybody to see.

Ever since White people first came to this country on the good ship Jesus all those years ago.

I don’t think you’re ever going to get rid of it. I don’t think it’s possible.

To be honest, I am ashamed to be living in a country where peaceful, loving, White people who just want to go about their business in order to put food on the table and a roof over their family’s heads get harassed by the police when they are simply protesting the discrimination that they are suffering on a daily basis.

If not in the schools, then in the workplace or the shops. On the streets and in public places.

Discrimination from complete strangers who don’t know them but penalise them for simply being White.

I mean, imagine how we would feel if it was us?

“Dotun, you have no idea what it is like being White in this country. You have no idea of the amount of racial prejudice we go through.

“It’s like apartheid South Africa out here. We are suffering the same discrimination that white people were suffering back in those bad old days of apartheid in South Africa. We are like the Boers of Britain — a minority who cannot even walk the streets without being arrested for simply driving whilst white (Is that really a crime? Would you put up with it if you were being pulled over every day for simply driving whilst black) after sunset.

“That’s why we have to riot.

That’s why we have to let Babylon know that we ain’t having it no more. But you know how it goes, Dotun, Babylon makes the rules to make us (White people) suffer.

The colourblind scales of justice are weighted against us.

“They don’t see colour — just us (whites). We are more likely to get custodial sentences than our Black counterparts and we’re more likely to be expelled from school and all. And we’re more likely to be unemployed. Imagine if it was like that for Black people.

Wouldn’t you riot and all?”

Just to humour my White friend, I imagined if there was the kind of two-tier system in the policing of our streets, that he was talking about not least in the po-

licing of our peaceful demonstrations.

I just couldn’t imagine the police treating us harder, more harshly, more severely and more disrespectfully just because we are Black.

And he’s right. If we experienced the racism of the police force like White people do, we would also be calling Sir Starmer ‘two-tier Keir’ like Elon Musk has been doing.

There’s probably not a single White person in this country who has not suffered twotier policing. Not the King, not the PM and not the Archbishop of Canterbury. It’s got to stop.

It’s time to make White people feel welcome in Britain. l 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

JUNE 2024

THE VOICE | 43

20 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 2024

Muyiwa Olarewaju OBE

Nothing But Truth and Light

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

BLACK-LED CHURCHES LEAD WAY ON MENTAL HEALTH

DISTRESSED: Historically, Black churches neglected mental health, but now they ’re increasingly addressing it

The journey to mental wellbeing is something we must all undertake together

I

N THE heart of Black communities across the UK, the church has long been a pillar of strength, a sanctuary where spiritual, social, and emotional needs are met.

Historically, the Black church has played a crucial role in addressing the challenges faced by its members, from social justice issues to economic hardship. However, one area that has often been neglected by the church is mental health. For many years, mental health struggles were a taboo topic within the Black community and indeed church communities, often dismissed or misunderstood.

POWERFUL But times are changing.

Today, Black-led churches are increasingly recognising the importance of mental health and are taking steps to integrate mental wellbeing into their ministry.

Religious faith can be a powerful force in shaping one’s mental health. For millions of believers, faith offers a sense of purpose, community, and hope that can be vital in times of distress. Scriptures provide comfort and guidance, reminding individuals that they are not alone in their struggles.

For example, 2 Timothy 1:7 assures us that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” This scripture and others like it affirm that God is deeply concerned with our mental wellbeing.

The relationship between faith

and mental health is not just a matter of spiritual belief, but is supported by academic research.

Studies have shown individuals who actively engage in religious practices often report lower levels of anxiety, depression, and stress. This is partly due to the social support found in religious communities, as well as the coping mechanisms provided by faith.

The idea “God is interested in our mental health” is not just a comforting thought – it is a reality supported by both scripture and science.

Historically, mental health issues were often stigmatised within many Black communities, including the church.

This stigma was rooted in a combination of cultural factors, including the belief that mental illness was a sign of spiritual weakness or a lack of faith. As a result, individuals suffering from mental health issues were reluctant to seek help, fearing judgement or ostracism.

However, the tide is turning.

Black-led churches are increasingly acknowledging the importance of mental health and are beginning to integrate it into their pastoral care.

This shift is crucial because the church remains a central institution in the lives of many Black Britons. When the church takes the lead in addressing mental health, it sends a powerful message to the community that it is okay to seek help and that mental health is just as important as physical or spiritual health.

A recent article on the digital library of academic journals JSTOR highlights how Black churches in North America are pioneering mental health support within their congregations. This trend is also gaining momentum in the UK. Churches are beginning to offer workshops, counselling services, and sermons that specifically address mental health issues.

They are partnering with mental health professionals to provide support that is culturally relevant and spiritually grounded.

One of the most significant changes in recent years has been the willingness of church leaders to speak openly about mental health. This openness is essential in breaking down the stigma that has long surrounded the issue. When pastors and church leaders acknowledge their own struggles with mental health or encourage their congregants to seek help, it normalises the conversation and makes it easier for others to come forward.

IMPACT The Evangelical Alliance’s report on mental health among Black Christians highlights the importance of this leadership. It notes that church leaders who address mental health from the pulpit can have a profound impact on their congregants.

By framing mental health as an integral part of holistic health, these leaders help to dismantle the harmful myths that have kept many in the shadows.

Furthermore, the work of British philosopher Professor

When the church takes the lead in addressing mental health, it sends a powerful message to the community that it’s okay to seek help Kevin Hylton provides insight into how communities can behave in ways that either support or hinder mental health. His research shows that communities that are open to discussing difficult topics and that provide robust support networks are more resilient and better able to cope with challenges. This is particularly relevant for churches, which can serve as safe spaces for individuals to explore their mental health in the context of their faith.

In addition to breaking down stigma, Black-led churches are also taking practical steps to support mental health.

Organisations like New Mind Café, an online platform offering support from a Christian perspective, are providing resources and counselling services to those in need. These organisations recognise the unique cultural and spiritual needs of Black Christians and

offer services that are both relevant and effective.

New Mind Café, founded

by Cornelius Brown and Dr Christina Browne, offers a range of services including individual counselling, group therapy, and workshops that integrate faith and mental health.

These services are invaluable for individuals who may feel uncomfortable seeking help in secular settings. By providing a faith-based approach to mental health, organisations like New Mind Café are helping to bridge the gap between spiritual and mental wellbeing. There are other organisations that offer similar support.

STRUGGLES Through their counselling services, they provide a safe space for individuals to explore their mental health issues within the framework of their faith.

Such services are crucial in helping individuals reconcile their mental health struggles with their religious beliefs.

The Bible emphasises the importance of community and the dangers of division. Romans 16:17-18 warns against those who cause divisions within the church, while Titus 3:9-11 advises against engaging in unprofitable disputes.

In the context of mental health, these scriptures remind us that we must work together to support one another. The strength of the church lies in its unity, and

this unity is essential in creating a supportive environment where mental health can be addressed openly. As we move forward, it is vital that Black-led churches continue to lead the way in breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health.

The intersection of faith and mental health is not just an area of growing interest – it is a vital aspect of holistic health. For Black-led churches, the challenge is to continue integrating mental health into their ministry, ensuring that their congregants have the support they need to thrive both spiritually and mentally.

By embracing this comprehensive approach, churches can play a crucial role in promoting mental health, reducing stigma, and fostering a community that is resilient, compassionate, and united.

As we reflect on the progress that has been made, let us also acknowledge the work that still needs to be done. Mental health is a journey, not a destination, and it is one we must all undertake together.

With faith, openness, and a commitment to supporting one another, we can create a future where mental health is fully recognised and supported within our churches and communities. l Muyiwa Olarewaju OBE is station director at Premier Gospel radio, a TV & radio broadcaster, and principal of gospel group Muyiwa & Riversongz

s r e tt a HEALTHM SEPTEMBER 2024

E

ach year, September marks Blood Cancer Awareness Month in the UK, a critical time dedicated to raising awareness about blood cancers, including leukaemia, lymphoma, and myeloma.

These cancers affect the production and function of blood cells, often leading to serious health complications. With over 250,000 people currently living with blood cancer in the UK and around 40,000 new cases diagnosed annually, this awareness month plays a crucial role in highlighting the importance of early detection, research, and support for those affected.

Blood cancers originate in the bone marrow, where blood is produced, and affect the blood, bone marrow, and lymphatic system.

The three main types are:

Leukaemia

Affects white blood cells, causing the body to produce an excessive number of abnormal white blood cells, which interfere with the body’s ability to fight infection.

Lymphoma

Affects the lymphatic system, which is part of the body’s immune system. It causes abnormal lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) to multiply and accumulate in the lymph nodes and other tissues.

Myeloma

Affects plasma cells, another type of white blood cell, which can crowd out normal blood cells and interfere with the production of antibodies, weakening the immune system.

Early Detection is key

Blood Cancer Awareness Month aims to educate the public about the signs and symptoms of blood cancers, which can often be vague and easily overlooked. Symptoms can include persistent fatigue, unexplained weight loss, frequent infections, easy bruising or bleeding, and swollen lymph nodes. Because these symptoms re common to many less serious conditions, blood cancers are frequently diagnosed at a late stage, making treatment more challenging.

Advancements in Research and Treatment

September also serves as a time to highlight the advancements in blood cancer research and treatment. Significant progress has been made in developing targeted therapies and immunotherapies that specifically attack cancer cells without harming normal cells.

These treatments have shown promising results in improving survival rates and reducing side effects compared to traditional chemotherapy.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT: https://www.dkms.org.uk/ https://www.anthonynolan.org/

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

INSIDE THIS MONTH’S ISSUE: you had your NHS • Have Checkup – At the forefront of • DKMS Blood cancer awareness • Understanding Bowel Cancer front – Regular eye • Eyes tests are important Prostate guidance • Outdated putting Black men at risk Nolan, Saving lives • Anthony through stem cells.

22 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 2024

HEALTHMatters

ADVERTORIAL

The Benefits of Regular NHS Check-Ups

I

n the fast-paced world we live in, maintaining good health often takes a back seat to our daily responsibilities. Yet, prioritising regular NHS check-ups is a simple, yet powerful way to safeguard your health and well-being.

These routine health assessments offer a myriad of benefits, from early detection of potential health issues to effective management of chronic conditions. By investing in regular check-ups, you not only enhance your quality of life but also take proactive steps towards preventing serious illnesses.

One specific and vital aspect of these checkups for men, especially those over 50, is screening for prostate cancer. Early detection through a Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test can be crucial. This simple test measures the level of PSA in your blood, which can be an early indicator of prostate cancer, allowing for timely and effective treatment.

An NHS check-up typically involves several components, which may vary depending on the patient’s age, medical history, and current health status: The healthcare provider will review your medical history, including any current medications,

past illnesses, surgeries, family medical history, and lifestyle factors like smoking and alcohol use.

Depending on age and risk factors, various screening tests may be conducted, such as blood tests to check for cholesterol and blood sugar levels, urine tests, and other relevant screenings like mammograms, Pap smears, or prostate exams.

A general physical exam may include checking vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, and respiratory rate), examining the heart and lungs, and assessing the abdomen and other areas for any abnormalities.

Your healthcare provider may also assess risk factors for conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, and may offer advice on lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise or prescribe preventive medications accordingly.

Regular NHS check-ups are a proactive way to maintain health, prevent disease, and ensure any health issues are managed promptly and effectively.

For more information visit: www.nhs.uk/conditions/ nhs-health-check/

Give someone a second chance at life “It’s amazing how becoming a stem cell donor can connect you to anyone across the world. What you’re doing can really help someone. Hopefully my recipient now has more now to enjoy.”

Alex Reeves, stem cell donor

Alex Reeves

Alex, 23, loves sport, running and the outdoors. But recently, he did something amazing. He offered a total stranger with blood cancer a second chance at life – he donated some of his stem cells, after signing up to the stem cell donor register held by blood cancer charity DKMS. “I heard about DKMS while attending a festival,” explains Alex.

“There was a DKMS stall, and I started chatting to a volunteer to find out more. I signed up to the stem cell register there and then – it was really quick and simple.”

DKMS holds the UK’s largest register of stem cell donors, but there’s an urgent need for more people to sign up. Every 14 minutes, someone in the UK is diagnosed with a blood cancer or a blood disorder, including conditions such as leukaemia, sickle cell anaemia and thalassemia.

People of colour, including people of dual heritage like Alex, whose father is Ghanaian, are under-represented on the stem

cell register. The harsh reality is they can die waiting for a compatible stem cell match.

Be the change You can help change that during Blood Cancer Awareness Month this September, and beyond.

“Less than three months after I signed up, I was called to be a potential match for a patient!” continues Alex. “I think maybe the reason that I got the call so quickly after signing up is because we need more people from my background on the register.

“When donation day came, everyone at DKMS was very supportive and explained the process.

I was more interested in helping someone than any nerves.” Alex donated at a clinic in London.

“After donating, I was back on my feet the day after.” he says.

Regulations protecting the anonymity of donors and recipients following a donation mean that Alex currently only knows his stem cells went to someone in her twenties who lives in the United States, which makes his donation even more amazing. Now, he’s joined forces with DKMS to encourage others to join the register too.

“To people thinking about joining the register, especially people from minority ethnic backgrounds, I’d recommend you

reach out to DKMS for more information – that way, you can make an informed choice about joining the stem cell register,” he says.

Get involved: it’s quick and easy!

If you’re aged between 17-55 and in general good health, you could give hope to people needing a stem cell transplant.

Joining the register only takes a few minutes. Your data will be kept securely and only used for finding stem cell matches.

Scan the QR code or go to: dkms.org.uk/thevoice Got questions? We’re waiting to chat with you – search for DKMS UK on your socials or email us on info@dkms.org.uk If you’re not eligible to sign up, there are lots of other ways to support DKMS: dkms.org.uk/ get-involved

SEPTEMBER 2024

HEALTHMatters

ADVERTORIAL

• • • • •

Anyone aged 17-55 in general good health can join the stem cell register.

Visit a DKMS event near you, or go online dkms.org.uk/thevoice Your blood group doesn’t matter. Stem cell matches are determined by ‘HLA’ tissue typing.

If you’re not eligible to join the register, there are lots of other ways you can help people with blood cancer. Visit dkms.org.uk You could be giving someone a second chance at life!

Raising awareness: L-R: Sophia Oriolowo, La-Tajah, Ramone, Deborah, Emmanuel & Paul Smith

“Helping people, that’s the beauty of life”

I

n just a few minutes you could give hope to someone with a blood cancer or disorder like leukaemia, sickle cell anaemia or thalassemia. Here’s all the information you need about signing up to the stem cell donor register with blood cancer charity DKMS. “You could be adding years to someone’s life expectancy and the time they can spend with their family.” Recent stem cell donor Paul Smith.

Sophia Oriolowo of DKMS got ready for Blood Cancer Awareness Month (September) by meeting up with recent donor Paul, a youth development worker with The Prince’s Trust. They chatted with Deborah, Ramone, Emmanuel and La-Tajah from The Prince’s Trust Youth Voice programme, as part of their #Time2Inspire International Youth Day event in Southwark.

Deborah probably spoke for many people, admitting to initially having no clue what the stem cell register was. So they began with Paul – 57 and of Jamaican heritage – sharing his amazing story. It started when he was a firefighter with the London Fire Service.

“Attending incidents, I learned how people got injured and needed assistance, so I became a regular blood donor. I’d read about stem cell donation, and then in the 1990s Daniel DeGale’s story inspired me to get more involved. Daniel lived in south London like me – he had

THE VOICE | 23

blood cancer and there were no stem cell matches, so the local news encouraged more people of colour to donate.

“I registered with DKMS via the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust and began promoting signing up to the stem cell register within the Fire Service, and encouraging more people in general to join. If you’re 17-55 and in good health, you can too.”

People of colour are currently under-represented on the stem cell register.

derstanding,” reflected Ramone.

Deborah and La-Tajah felt more could be done within GCSE science and biology syllabuses to promote awareness of blood cancers and disorders affecting people of their heritages, and that Paul’s story could be a starting point for inspiring conversations.

“In the Black community we don’t really talk about our issues or ailments enough,” added Emmanuel.

Earlier this year, Paul was

Mouth swab demo: L-R: Sophia, Paul & Deborah

“Unfortunately a match wasn’t found in time for Daniel and we lost him,” Paul remembered. “I felt I needed to do more: it’s really important to explain to people of colour the different blood cancers we’re particularly prone to, and how we can help as donors.”

Paul’s young audience agreed.

“It needs to be promoted more so people have a better un-

asked by DKMS to donate.

“Twenty years had passed,” he continued. “I was on the golf course when my phone rang. I had a call and an email saying ‘You’ve been matched as a stem cell donor.’ It took me by surprise: I wondered if they’d made a mistake because of my age, but you stay on the register until you’re 61.

“At first I did feel a bit anxious.

But I was happy that registering all those years ago had come to a point where I might directly help someone.

“DKMS were great. All my questions were answered, there was no pressure, and I went on to do medical checks. When I heard they wanted to go ahead I was very excited.”

Sophia from DKMS outlined how the vast majority of stem cell donations are now made through a simple, outpatient procedure similar to donating blood platelets, known as PBSC. This is how Paul donated.

“The good you’re doing far outweighs any fear,” Paul responded, when Emmanuel shared that he’s not the biggest fan of needles. “As a charity, DKMS and all the phlebotomists they work with know people may have concerns, and are very skilled at calming them.

“On donation day, my daughter came to the clinic with me.

We sat and chatted – it was lovely to have that time together. The staff were brilliant and you get treated like a celebrity!

“You’re on the PBSC machine for about four to five hours. Then they check if you’ve donated enough stem cells. If not, you do another session the following day, but I’d given more than enough. I was fine to go out for a meal that evening.”

Sophia explained how DKMS covers all donor expenses – travel, hotel accommodation near the clinic and reimbursing you if you lose money taking time

“I was happy that registering all those years ago had come to a point where I might directly help someone” Paul Smith, stem cell donor

off work. Strict regulations protecting the anonymity of donors and recipients immediately after a donation mean Paul currently knows almost nothing about the patient his stem cells went to. If both parties agree, they may be able to meet in two years’ time, but for now, DKMS has invited Paul to join a special Facebook group with other stem cell donors, whom he’s enjoying sharing his experiences with.

Sophia and Paul demonstrated how simple and painless it is to complete the mouth swabs that are a key part of joining the stem cell register. Sophia stressed that these swabs are only used for matching possible donors with a potential recipient: not for anything else or by any other organisations.

“That’s much easier than I thought, not like a Covid swab test,” said Emmanuel. “I think it’s important for people to know how quick and easy it is to sign up.”

Being able to go away and start conversations, ask more questions and make an informed choice about getting registered was crucial to all four young people.

“I’m interested in learning more and signing up in the future,” La-Tajah reflected. “I think it’s really important for people of our community and more awareness should be raised, so I would like to learn more about it.”

Ramone had the last word: “To know that you are helping people, that’s the beauty of life. It’s what I think everyone should do in all walks of life.”

Got questions about joining the stem cell register or donating your stem cells? DKMS is waiting to chat with you.

Search for DKMS UK on your socials or email info@dkms. org.uk

24 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 2024

HEALTHMatters

ADVERTORIAL

Early Detection of Bowel Cancer:

A Vital Lifeline for UK Patients

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owel cancer, one of the most prevalent cancers in the UK, poses a significant health risk. However, early detection can dramatically improve patient outcomes.

Bowel Cancer UK and the NHS Bowel

Cancer Screening Programme are at the forefront of efforts to raise awareness to ensure early diagnosis, which can make the difference between life and death.

This article examines why early detection is crucial, focusing on the benefits of screening, symptom awareness, and the

pivotal role of healthcare services.

The Impact of Early Detection on Survival Rates Early detection of bowel cancer is crucial for improving survival rates. Bowel Cancer UK reports that over 90% of in-

dividuals diagnosed at stage I survive for at least five years, compared to less than 10% for those diagnosed at stage IV. These figures highlight the critical importance of diagnosing the disease early, when it is typically more localized and treatable. The stark difference in survival rates underscores the necessity of timely medical intervention.

Advantages of Early-Stage Treatment Treating bowel cancer in its early stages often involves less invasive procedures.

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Preserving Quality of Life Early detection and treatment of bowel cancer can significantly enhance a patient’s quality of life. When the disease is caught early, the required treatments are generally less intense, reducing the likelihood of severe side effects and allowing

Tell your GP instead.

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patients to maintain their daily routines.

Avoiding the harsher treatments often necessary for advanced cancer means less physical and emotional strain, contributing to a better overall quality of life.

The Role of Screening and Public Awareness The NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme is a critical component in the early detection of bowel cancer. This programme offers regular screenings to individuals aged 60 to 74, with a gradual rollout planned for younger age groups.

The primary screening method, the Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT), is a simple and effective way to detect small

amounts of blood in stool, an early sign of potential cancer.

According to Bowel Cancer UK, such screenings are vital as they can detect the disease before symptoms appear, significantly improving treatment outcomes.

Public awareness campaigns are also essential. The symptoms of bowel cancer—such as persistent changes in bowel habits, blood in the stool, unexplained weight loss, and abdominal pain—are often mistaken for less serious conditions.

These campaigns play a crucial role in educating the public about the importance of early detection and encouraging people to participate in regular screenings. Increased awareness can lead to earlier diagnosis and better prognosis.

Challenges and the Way Forward Despite the clear benefits, challenges remain in achieving widespread early detection. Many people are reluctant to participate in screening programmes due to fear, stigma, or lack of awareness.

Additionally, the symptoms of bowel cancer can be subtle, leading to delays in seeking medical advice.

It is essential for organizations like Bowel Cancer UK and the NHS to continue their efforts in raising awareness, educating the public, and encouraging participation in screening programmes.

Early detection of bowel cancer is a crucial factor in improving survival rates and quality of life for patients. The efforts

of the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme and Bowel Cancer UK are vital in promoting early diagnosis and treatment.

By participating in regular screenings and being aware of the symptoms, individuals can significantly reduce their risk of severe disease outcomes. Early action remains the best defence against bowel cancer, underscoring the importance of vigilance and proactive healthcare.

For more information visit: https:// www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/nhs.uk/ conditions/ nhs-health-check/

SEPTEMBER 2024

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The Crucial Role of Regular Eye Tests in the UK:

A Healthcare Essential

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n the United Kingdom, regular eye tests are often overlooked as a healthcare essential. However, these routine examinations provide critical insights far beyond just assessing vision, playing a key role in maintaining both eye health and overall well-being.

From detecting vision impairments to identifying serious health conditions, regular eye tests are an indispensable part of a comprehensive healthcare routine.

This article explores the multifaceted importance of eye tests, their role in early disease detection, general health monitoring, safety compliance, and their accessibility in the UK, with a special focus on providers like Specsavers.

Vision Problems: More Than Meets the Eye Many people in the UK experience gradual changes in their vision, often without realising how much their eyesight has deteriorated.

Regular eye tests are crucial for identifying common vision issues such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia ( farsightedness), astigmatism, and presbyopia (age-related difficulty in focusing on close objects).

Specsavers, a leading optician in the UK, emphasises the importance of these tests in determining the need for corrective lenses, which can dramatically enhance the quality of life.

Uncorrected vision can lead to discomfort, headaches, and eye strain, but timely diagnosis and appropriate eyewear can easily mitigate these problems.

Catching Eye Diseases Early Eye diseases often progress without noticeable symptoms, making regular check-ups essential for early detection.

Conditions like glaucoma, known as the “silent thief of sight,” can lead to irreversible blindness if not identified and treated early.

Regular eye tests at Specsavers can detect glaucoma before significant damage occurs. Similarly, other eye conditions such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts can be managed more effectively when caught early. For individuals with diabetes, routine eye exams are particularly crucial, as they can reveal signs of diabetic retinopathy—a serious complication that can lead to vision loss if not treated promptly.

The Eyes as a Window to Overall Health Eye tests offer more than just a check on vision; they can also reveal broader health issues.

During an eye examination, optometrists at Specsavers can detect signs of systemic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol by observing changes in the retina’s blood vessels.

In some cases, vision changes detected during an eye test may indicate serious neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis or even brain tumours. This makes regular eye exams a vital part of overall health monitoring.

Focusing on Children’s Eye Health Children’s visual health is of particular importance, as early detection of eye problems can prevent long-term issues.

Regular eye tests can identify conditions like strabismus (crossed eyes) and amblyopia

(lazy eye), which require early treatment to ensure proper vision development. Ensuring children have good vision is critical for their academic performance and social interaction, making routine eye tests a priority for parents and educators alike.

Accessibility: A Key Advantage in the UK One of the significant benefits of the UK healthcare system is the accessibility of eye care services.

Specsavers, in partnership with the NHS, offers free eye tests to eligible groups, includ-

THE VOICE | 25

HEALTHMatters

ing children, seniors over 60, and individuals with certain medical conditions.

This accessibility ensures that a wide portion of the population can receive regular eye care without financial barriers.

Public awareness campaigns also promote the importance of these tests, encouraging people to make them a regular part of their healthcare routine.

A Simple Step for Comprehensive Health Regular eye tests are a cornerstone of preventive healthcare,

offering crucial insights into both eye and overall health.

They are essential for detecting vision problems, diagnosing eye diseases early, and identifying broader health issues.

In the UK, where these services are accessible and often covered by the NHS, there is no reason to neglect this vital healthcare practice.

Providers like Specsavers make it easy to incorporate regular eye exams into your health routine, ensuring that you maintain not just good vision, but overall well-being.

26 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 2024

HEALTHMatters

ADVERTORIAL

If you are not feeling at your best, help is available if you need it

Dr Juliana Onwumere, Reader in Clinical Psychology & Consultant Clinical Psychologist

T

he summer season is ending (and, yes, we can have a separate discussion about when or if it started) and we are galloping fast towards the last quarter of 2024 where our focus will be on the Christmas break and the New Year.

Wimbledon, the Euros, the Paris Olympics, and Mimi and Josh winning Love Island might feel like such a long time ago.

The summer of love and sports, for some, offered a temporary distraction from challenges we faced in our lives. As we move into September, perhaps as parents or students, some of us are now caught up in the middle of A’ level and GCSE celebrations and commiserations, and navigating crucial next steps, or making final preparations for the start of primary or secondary school. For others, we might be in a work environment or social, family or romantic relationship that is negatively impacting our energy and not bringing out our best. Our sleep, mood, appetite and overall energy might all be affected and out of sorts.

The list of difficulties and life challenges that any of us might face is endless and this is all in addition to having witnessed the recent violent disorder and riots

in our local communities.

However, whatever the challenge, we must avoid trying to shoulder everything on our own, and not asking for the right help and support particularly when it is out there and sometimes right under our noses. As communities who are often described as being strong and resilient, talking about and sharing ‘our (personal) business’ with others is not what we are known for but is a necessary first step in getting

support when we want to improve and look after our physical and mental health.

In addition to making time to meet with your GP and talking to friends, if you want to talk to someone about your mental health and how you are feeling, improve how you take care of your mental health or, perhaps you have some immediate concerns about your mental health, then the following resources might be helpful.

HERE ARE SOME USEFUL RESOURCES IF YOU NEEDED URGENT HELP: NHS URGENT HELP

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NHS Talking Therapies

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Samaritans

https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/ contact-samaritan/

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https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/

Shout

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Hub of Hope

https://hubofhope.co.uk/

For someone with blood cancer or a blood disorder, an amazing stranger donating their stem cells could be their last chance of survival. But finding that perfect match isn’t always easy. If you’re aged 16-30 you could be the best chance someone has.

Could you be a lifesaver? Are you the answer someone is searching for?

Join the stem cell register. It’s free, quick and easy – and you might just save a life.

To find out more about Anthony Nolan, and join the register, visit anthonynolan.org/thevoice

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THE VOICE | 27

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28 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 2024

HEALTHMatters

ADVERTORIAL

Alfred – Picture Credit; Prostate Cancer UK

Outdated NHS guidance is putting Black men’s lives at risk.

We’re urging the Government to make prostate cancer a priority, says Prostate Cancer UK

I

t’s rare that one simple change could save thousands of lives.

But changing the way GPs talk to men about prostate cancer could do just that.

Right now, unless men have symptoms of prostate cancer, they have to ask their GP for a PSA blood test. That’s because GPs are told not to raise the issue with men unless they have symptoms. But early-stage prostate cancer doesn’t usually cause symptoms, meaning too many men are being diagnosed too late for a cure. More than 10,000 in the UK every year.

This situation is particularly failing Black men. Black men have double the risk of both getting prostate cancer and dying from it, and- alongside men with a family history of prostate cancer- also tend to develop the disease at a younger age, from 45.

“It’s been clear for some time that NHS guidelines which prevent GPs from raising the subject of prostate cancer are dangerously outdated, and deeply unfair to the men who face double the risk of getting the disease,” said Amy Rylance, Assistant Director of Health Improvement at Prostate Cancer UK. “Leaving men in the dark about their risk means too many men are getting diagnosed with incurable prostate cancer, and this disproportionately affects Black men and men living in deprived areas.”

Now, the UK’s leading urologists, clinicians, and researchers are joining Prostate Cancer UK’s call to change these rules and finally enable healthcare professionals to initiate lifesaving conversations with the men at the highest risk and give them a choice to have a simple, free PSA blood test.

“Prostate Cancer UK welcomes the new Government’s promises to increase earlier cancer diagnoses and to address gross health inequalities,” Amy added.

“Our message to the Government and MPs in the Commons is that we’re here to help you deliver those promises. Updating NHS prostate cancer guidelines could drive forward significant progress in just a year and, crucially, would give men a fairer chance of living longer.”

But for now, it’s up to you to know your risk of prostate cancer, and what you can choose to do about. So, it’s about time you checked your risk online. It takes just 30 seconds, and an earlier diagnosis could save

your life. It saved Alfred’s.

“You would never know I’ve had prostate cancer if I didn’t tell you.” Says Alfred, 64 from Birmingham. “I was diagnosed with prostate cancer about 12 years ago, and thanks to an early diagnosis, I had my prostate, and the cancer, removed. Since then, I live my life exactly like I lived it before, I’m always

in the gym and going on holiday. I spend a lot of time telling people in my community to check their risk, because 1 in 4 Black men will get prostate cancer. So, I always say, if you’re in a car with three of your friends, one of you will end up with prostate cancer. You’ve got to do something about it.”

Check your risk online now.

Scan the QR code below or visit prostatecanceruk.org/risk-check

JUNE 2024 THE VOICE | 29 SEPTEMBER 2024 THE VOICE | 29

News

STOP STRIP-SEARCHING KIDS Research from the Children’s Commissioner has reignited concerns about systemic racism in policing. By Richard Sudan

B

LACK CHILDREN are four times more likely to be strip-searched by police in England and Wales compared to their White counterparts, according to a new report from the Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza.

The findings, covering the year up to June 2023, also revealed younger children, particularly those under the age of 15, are subjected to a bigger portion of invasive searches.

While Black children make up six per cent of the child population in England and Wales, they accounted for 27 per cent of strip-searches between 2022 and 2023. By contrast, White children, representing 74 per cent of the child population, accounted for 59 per cent of searches.

While the number of stripsearches of children in England and Wales is said to be falling overall, Black children remain disproportionately impacted.

According to the report, one child is strip-searched every 14 hours. Between January 2018 and June 2023, 3,368 searches of children were recorded including some as young as eight years old.

A total of 457 searches occurred over the past 12 months of the same time frame. Less than half of all strip-searches of children were carried out in the presence of an appropriate adult, such as a parent, carer, or social worker, required by law.

The only circumstances in which police can strip-search a child without an appropriate adult present is if there is a serious risk to a child’s welfare or life. The new data shows ANGER: Protesters attend a rally in Hackney after the Child Q case (photo: Getty Images)

however, that nearly 90 per cent of the strip-searches conducted by police forces in England and Wales were linked to suspected drug offences.

Lee Jasper, chair of the APA (Alliance for Police Accountability), in the wake of the report said that policing needed a “radical overhaul”.

“While we welcome the slight reduction in racial disparities, these figures are a stark reminder that the systemic racism embedded in our policing institutions remains largely unchallenged,” he explained.

“The modest progress we’ve seen is simply not enough.

The recent Child X Conference highlighted the urgent need for real accountability in how police interact with our children.

“We need a radical overhaul of the policing system, one that goes beyond surface-level changes and tackles the deepseated inequalities that continue to harm our communities.

The call for a London Black Safeguarding Board reflects the desperate need for tailored, culturally sensitive safeguarding measures.

“The clock is ticking, and the time for bold, transformative action is now. Without it, the public’s confidence in the police will continue to plummet, with dire consequences for social cohesion and justice in this country.”

OUTRAGE In the wake of the report, police have admitted that “too many strip-searches carried out are unnecessary, unsafe, and under-reported”.

Concerns over the stripsearching of Black children were thrown into sharp focus in the wake of the Child Q case, which sparked national outrage in 2022.

Child Q, a 15-year-old Black girl, was strip-searched at her east London school after being wrongly suspected of carrying drugs. The search, conducted without parental notification or the presence of another adult, revealed no drugs and led to widespread condemnation.

Andrew Mariner, the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s lead for

stop and search, acknowledged “there is still urgent work to be done: too many strip-searches carried out are unnecessary, unsafe, and under-reported”.

In response to ongoing concerns, police have committed to a review of their stop and search practices, including the protocols surrounding strip-searches. The

Home Office, while maintaining that strip-searches are a critical tool for public protection, insists that strict safeguards are in place.

However, the report from the Children’s Commissioner indicates widespread failures in following these safeguards, particularly in cases involving Black children.

The Metropolitan Police,

responding to the findings, reaffirmed their responsibility to protect children from exploitation in drug-related activities and involvement in knife crime.

They stressed that strip-searches should only be used where there is a serious risk of harm to the child or others. The Met introduced new policies in May 2022, requiring

inspector authorisation for stripsearches, safeguarding referrals, and updated guidance for officers.

Despite these measures, the new report highlights ongoing concerns about the use of stripsearches on children, especially regarding racial disparities and failures to comply with existing safeguarding practices.

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30 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 2024

Midlands News

By Veron Graham

Survivor of prostate cancer urges Black men to get tested after diagnostic delays nearly cost him his life

TRAUMA: Simeon Greene was not diagnosed until 2017 but he recalled experiencing symptoms in 2015

A

WOLVERHAMPTONbased survivor of prostate cancer is urging Black men to get past the “many reasons to not trust medical services” and get tested.

Simeon Greene, 59, now a member of NHS England’s Patient and Public Voices Forum, is also calling on the Government to “move heaven and earth” as they did during the pandemic to boost education publicity and research into the increased risk the condition poses to Black men.

Greene shared his story in support of Cancer Equals, a campaign aiming to understand and address the drivers of diagnostic delays including low awareness of cancer and challenges accessing services.

He recalled experiencing symptoms aged 49 in 2015 including an almost constant need to urinate, waking up several times during the night and a weak flow.

However, he was not diagnosed until 2017 when he underwent the removal of the gland for the insertion of a valve to control the flow of urine from his bladder, followed by post-surgery treatment which included initial six-monthly blood tests, followed by further investigation if the cancer was found to have spread.

DOUBT Despite appearing to be of low risk of the disease according to the traditional PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) blood test and being under 50 – the benchmarks typically used as initial indicators of the condition – by the time he underwent surgery, his survival was in doubt.

He said: “GPs need to be better educated. They use the PSA test and age as a baseline for diagnosis but my PSA level was almost non-existent. Black men can have very low level PSAs and still have the condition. Also, we typically contract it at younger ages and more aggressively. So if they wait until we reach 50 or PSA test results, it can be too late.”

Greene was beset by this medical trauma while caught up in what’s become known as The Windrush scandal.

In 2009, he was dismissed from his council employment for failing to prove his eligibility to stay in the country, having arrived in the UK on his mother’s British passport as a child.

Although allowed to remain,

understand the risks and take action.”

Turning back to the Windrush scandal’, he added: “The socalled hostile environment hasn’t ceased to be. Virtually every week, someone who has lived and worked for decades in this country retires only to find they have to prove eligibility to claim their pension, eligibility they didn’t have to prove when paying income tax and national insurance every month as an employee. An elderly man I was talking to recently told me that he’s more afraid of the

Every time I went for treatment, I dreaded being asked for proof of eligibility

PROSTATE CANCER: A GREAT RISK TO BLACK MEN

he was unable to work or claim benefits until July 2018, when the Home Office reversed its decision. In the interim, he survived by “using every penny I’d got,” and also selling personal items of value, borrowing from friends and family and radically cutting his living expenses. His diagnosis came shortly after his partner discovered she had breast cancer.

“She was getting treated in (the same hospital) and the toughest

thing was having to tell her that I had cancer too. I couldn’t support her through her second tranche of chemotherapy.”

Also recounting a tale too many Black prostate cancer patients can also tell, post-diagnosis Greene discovered that several relatives also had the condition yet no one told him.

“Early in the pandemic, when Black people were thought to be primary carriers of COVID, the authorities moved heaven

and earth to find COVID Ambassadors to engage with churches, shops, etc to persuade our community to get vaccinated.

Couldn’t they put some of that effort into greater education, research and promotion of the greater risk of prostate cancer to Black men?

“We are typically two and a half times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer but it’s left to us to spread the word ourselves. Too many of us are

dying, presenting with it too late, consuming misinformation and the extra pressures we face.

“I know of Black men who have been made to miss appointments from being stopped in traffic while driving a brand new Porsche. Another man was supporting his child who was excluded from school because of a hairstyle. The NHS needs to understand our situation and put more effort into addressing these things, while we need to

Home Office than he is of cancer.

There is genuine fear out there which is a real concern.

"People like this are the lowhanging fruit when it comes to tackling immigration. I hate to think that (The Windrush scandal) is still putting people through trauma like it put me through.

“Every time I went for treatment during this time, I dreaded being asked for proof of eligibility.

Each morning from 7am until treatment started I’d worry, kept checking that it’d been stopped.”

FINDINGS The Cancer Equals campaign Greene is supporting was launched by international bio-pharmaceutical company Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) and follows on the findings of UKwide research published in a report by BMS in collaboration with UK charity, Shine Cancer Support.

It found that the chances of cancer survival by patients from non-White backgrounds are reduced significantly by the typically year-long delay between symptoms first being noticed and receiving a confirmed diagnosis.

The ‘1,000 voices, not 1,’ report concurred with Simeon’s story in identifying the additional barriers to treatment and diagnoses including accessing a GP appointment, gaining employers’ permission to attend appointments, also greater concerns about paying bills, needing to use savings, stop working or reducing hours and worrying about the long-term impact of cancer.

He concluded: “In my situation, if I was older, the progress to treatment would have been quicker and if that tissue wasn’t found in my prostate, I may not be here today.”

SEPTEMBER 2024 THE VOICE | 31

If you have a story for the East or West Midlands, call/text Veron Graham on 07954 572 988, email veronpgraham@gmail.com, or find him on Facebook, LinkedIn or X

GALA AWARDS EVENING HONOURS YOUNG TALENT RARF’s 2024 Awardees

UK: Pre-16 Winners Creative Ability Jude Ible-Thompson, 11, Ziame Stewart, 12 Zalie Higgins, 15 Personal Development Isaac Gillespie, 15 Creative Ability & Personal Development Victoria Henry, 9 ACHIEVERS: RARF’s UK Pre-16 winners, left to right, Ziame Stewart, Jude Ible-Thompson, J’Mari Jennings and Victoria Henry with RARF founder Sonia Moore

Outstanding Academic Achievement J’Mari Jennings, 15

Post-16 Winners Creative Ability Ibrahim Ibrahim, 22 Outstanding Academic Achievement Jaden Payne, 22

Charitable trust named after late Birmingham engineer goes from strength to strength

A

DECADE after the death of Birminghambased engineer, learning mentor and artist whom it was named after, The Roy Anthony Reid Foundation (RARF) charitable trust returned after a pandemicinduced hiatus to honour another stellar crop of exemplary children and young people in the UK and the Caribbean.

RARF was founded in 2016 by college lecturer/counsellor Sonia Moore to honour her Jamaican-born brother who died unexpectedly two years earlier. Born in 1954, Roy came to the UK aged 10 and developed a passion for teaching and learning alongside his career in engineering, particularly with those who had newly arrived in the UK. In its eight-year history, RARF is establishing a legacy in its own right. Its now 120 awardees have collectively received over £10,000 in monetary gifts including Shanequa Paris, now a presenter

Citizenship Anya Turnbull, 16 Shallaya Hemans, 19 Sporting Ability Makena Straker-Sharpe, 16 Lamaar Lawrence, 24

EXCELLENCE: RARF’s UK Post-16 winners, from second left, Ibrahim Ibrahim, Jaden Payne, Shallaya Hemans, Lamaar Lawrence, Remi Laidley, Makena Streaker-Sharpe and Nancy Foster Jones, with RARF founder Sonia Moore, far left, and chair Winston McRobie, far right

CELEBRATION: RARF’s trustees & committee, left to right, Hector Pinkney MBE, Rev Julian Moore, Dr Stacy Moore, Keith Campbell, Avril Rogers, Patricia Markland, Winston McRobie (chair), Sonia Moore (founder), Beverley Blake, Yvonne Campbell, Maureen Davis, Wendell Moore and Winston Markland

on the BBC’s iconic Newsround programme, among its 2017 winners plus school/university students in Jamaica – some receiving honours in person from a visiting RARF delegation.

The Gala Awards evening took place at a bigger venue from previous events, Birmingham Moseley’s Rugby Club, which celebrated students at Reid’s former school, Coley Mountain School in Manchester, Jamaica; Kingston’s University of the West Indies plus locally-based high achievers.

The UK Pre-16 Award winners included 12-year-old Ziame Stewart who was involved with the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, professional actor Jude Ible-Thompson, 11; Victoria Henry, nine, who has parlayed her guitar skills and entrepreneurial

While in the military, bodybuilder Lamaar Lawrence, 24, specialises in design management and logistics, gaining recognition from the Institution of Royal Engineers, qualified as a health and fitness coach and business owner.

Makena Straker-Sharpe, 16, has overcome life-threatening difficulties from birth. Having had a heart transplant, she went on to represent Team GB at the Youth Transplant Games in Canada and the Torch Relay at the Commonwealth Games.

“Roy had vision, passion to see young people develop,” his childhood friend and RARF chair Winston McRobie said in an emotional address. “We work with schools, colleges, universities, churches and community groups to inspire and

talent into running a YouTube channel, and Zalie Higgins, 15, who is fluent in three languages and is expected to gain a grade A in GCSE German.

Their counterparts in the 16+ category includes another professional actor, Ibrahim Ibrahim, 22, also a prolific charity worker; Jaden Payne, also 22 who survived an acquired brain injury aged 14, through extensive physiotherapy and rehabilitation and overcame the associated trauma to gain nine GCSEs and is en route to graduate from university next year.

Fellow undergraduate (in criminology) Shallaya Hemans, 19, has similarly overcome disability, support others with the same condition, help care for her younger siblings, while running a hairdressing business.

encourage. Tonight’s event shows we’re well on the way to fulfilling Roy’s dream.”

Moore told The Voice: “Roy would always visit Coley Mountain School when he went to Jamaica, so it was a no-brainer to acknowledge the work there too. This year’s nominees and winners have many lanes, do several things with excellence, just like Roy did. The standard was so high, we had to add runners-up and ‘Overcoming Adversity’ category. We’re very pleased with the evening.”

Now preparing for a fundraising Christmas Party at the same venue which will be followed by its annual Cultural Day next spring, RARF maintains an open invite for potential volunteers and trustees. l For more, visit www.royareidfoundation.org.uk

Post-16 Runners Up Personal Development Remi Laidley, 16 Aunashae Wallace Agunsoye, 20 Creative Ability Dinyka Gordon, 16 Sporting Ability Nancy Foster-Jones, 17

Jamaica: Outstanding Academic Achievement & Creative Ability Akeifa Coley, 11 Citizenship Tevar Roland, 12 Sporting Ability Shavoy Clarke, 12 Outstanding Academic Achievement & Personal Development Zakwani Bryce, 12 Outstanding Academic Achievement Sutania Lewis, 20

32 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 2024

Asari St Hill

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

Business and Wealth

ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO ATTRACT INVESTMENT Black business owners can struggle to get funding with banks often saying ‘no’.

So what are the options out there?

FOR too many years, Black business owners in the UK have raised concerns about limited access to finance and identified this as a serious barrier to growth.

High street banks are often not seen as a great option for commercial finance for many Black businesses. We have heard so many stories about the bank saying ‘no’.

However, there are several options that Black entrepreneurs may not have considered. Here are some alternatives.

COMMERCIAL FINANCIAL BROKERS A great option is to source an independent commercial financial broker. We have many in the Black community. Good brokers will explore your circumstances, business goals and advise on the best company or companies to seek finance from.

This helps you to understand your options before a formal application and a credit check, maximising your chances of getting a yes. They should also be able to discuss the various options mentioned below.

DIFFICULT: Lack of cash flow prevents many Black businesses from growing

vital to the growth of so many businesses.

It is particularly useful for businesses who need to put up a lot of money to deliver their products or services, in advance of their client paying their invoice. This lack of cash flow prevents many Black businesses from growing from a small to a larger business.

This is a form of ‘asset finance’. The business owner will get a loan from the lender to help with cash flow, based on a solid order from a credit worthy client.

The lender will pay as much of 90 per cent of the invoice value, on receipt of FACTORING This is one of the least known financial the order. This allows the business owner options by Black business owners, but cash to fulfil the order, pay staff or just

ASK THE EXPERT: It’s worth seeking independent professional advice

keep afloat until the invoice is paid. The business owner then pays back the loan, plus interest, once their invoice is paid.

This is a brilliant form of finance for businesses who want to work for bigger clients but usually have tough terms and will only pay after 30, 60 or more days.

This is typical of construction companies, large retailers and many others. If you want to scale up your business, this is well worth looking into.

It’s important to acknowledge that every business has unique circumstances, and what works for one may not be suitable for another

THE GROWTH GUARANTEE SCHEME (GGS) This is the successor to the Recovery Loan Scheme and managed by the British Business Bank – a UK governmentowned Economic Development Bank, managed independently. It was launched with accredited lenders on July 1, 2024. The GGS supports a wide range of products, covering term loans, overdrafts, asset finance and invoice finance facilities. Borrowing starts from £1,000 up to £1m for a single business.

This is just a short summary of the options available to Black business owners to explore potential funding opportunities outside of those offered by high street banks.

However, it’s important to acknowledge that every business has unique circumstances, and what works for one may not be suitable for another.

Therefore, I’d strongly encourage you to seek independent professional advice tailored to your specific situation.

Additionally, conducting your own thorough research and due diligence is essential before making any financial decisions.

MERCHANT CASH ADVANCES This is a great option if you regularly take card payments from your clients – via a card machine or online. If your typical revenue is good, lenders can advance you cash, but rather than base the lending on an invoice, it is based on member; credit unions are much more future sales revenue. The repayments are than somewhere to save money. based on a percentage of your customer The moneysupermarket.com’s site card payments. This is useful for business states: “Credit union loans can help you owners who need quick access to cash. access finance if you’ve got an impaired FINANCE FROM CREDIT UNIONS credit rating.” It goes on to state that: Credit Unions like the Pentecostal “While credit union loan rates are Credit Union (PCU) in south London competitive, they may not be as low as offer business accounts and loans to the cheapest bank loans” but, “Credit unions look beyond credit ratings businesses.

Many in our community and beyond when approving loans and consider the have a misconception about credit borrower’s entire financial situation.” l If you would like business advice from Asari This can be invaluable source of unions. I must admit, I was one of them.

- ActionCOACH Business Coach and FoundYou do not have to be a Christian or finance, particularly when you don’t have St.Hill er of the Black Business Club, you can contact him: attend a Pentecostal church to be a the best credit rating. via https://blackbusinessclub.org/

SEPTEMBER 2024 THE VOICE | 33

Feature News

EVERYONE CAN ‘RUN FREE’ Emancipated Run Crew provides a welcoming space for Black runners to get fit and enjoy exercise together

MISSION: The ERC gives back to the community

I

N THE world of grassroots running, where diversity has often been lacking, the Emancipated Run Crew (ERC) is making a significant impact.

Founded by sisters Denise and Julia Stephenson alongside their friend Trojan Gordon, ERC was born out of a desire to create a welcoming and inclusive space for Black and minority ethnic communities to get fit, active, and enjoy exercise together.

The group’s founders recognised the need for a physical and virtual space where Black and brown runners and walkers could support and inspire one another, sharing their fitness journeys in a community that provides a safe space for authentic self-expression and where they can feel truly seen and represented.

The importance of such spaces cannot be overstated; they not only promote physical health and fitness, but also serve as a powerful tool for improving mental well-being and fostering a sense of belonging. Also, by focusing on inclusivity,

IMPACT: More and more people are taking up running the ERC aims to show that running and walking are not just for the few but for everyone, regardless of race, age, gender, or ability.

represented and included. Beyond its running activities, ERC also engages with brands, organisations, and media to advocate for greater representation and inclusivity in the fitness world.

The group works tirelessly to break The beginnings of a movement In 2021, ERC registered as a Community down barriers to entry, challenge Interest Company (CIC), a move that stereotypes, and promote a more diverse allowed the group to focus more and inclusive depiction of runners. effectively on its mission of giving back to the community. The move enabled ERC Successes and growth to expand its reach and continue its work The impact of ERC’s work is evident in promoting diversity in grassroots running. the growing number of participants who ERC organises runs and participates have taken up the challenge of running, in official races, ensuring its members from people who have gone from a can take part in events where they feel couch potato to running a marathon in a

year to to taking part in trail or ultrarunning. Since its inception, the group has seen a remarkable increase in the number of its members participating in events like the London Marathon.

In 2021, ERC had just three runners in the marathon; by 2023, that number had grown to 14, and in 2024, an impressive 43 members registered to run or walk the event. Many of these participants are individuals who had never considered running a marathon before joining ERC, demonstrating the group’s success in inspiring and empowering its members.

A big part of ERC’s success is that people who join see themselves reflected

in members who encourage them to give running a go.

A vision for the future ERC continues to make strides in creating a more inclusive and diverse running community. As the group grows and evolves, its founders remain committed to their mission of promoting representation, challenging stereotypes, and encouraging everyone to “Run Free.”

The future of grassroots running looks brighter and more inclusive, thanks in no small part to the efforts of ERC. l If you would like more information please visit www.emancipatedruncrew

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34 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 2024

Special Feature

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re you looking to start a business or grow your existing business? The Business Show has spent over 23 years changing the lives of entrepreneurs and small business owners across the globe. The event has welcomed over 1.2 million attendees through its doors and is back to help you and your business thrive.

The 50th edition of the show will reveal the secrets of business adaptation, innovation and survival in the business world through finding and purchasing the products and services that your business needs to take you to the next level. There will be past keynotes from previous years invited to educate and inspire you, an exclusive exhibitor awards evening on the 13th, and a £50k business startup package up for grabs for those who apply online. A few will be selected and invited to the show to pitch their business idea to a panel of experts. The winner will receive the package of resources and products including £10k in cash. You won’t want to miss this!

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Running alongside The Business Show this year we have Going Global Live and Retrain Expo offering everything you or your business needs to successfully adapt to the ever-changing industry advances. Retrain Expo helps you to re-skill and retrain for the future, whereas Going Global Live provides unparalleled education and information on trade agreements, international strategy, and cultural and economic differences, and connects you with business owners who are looking to invest abroad.

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Lifestyle 38

36 Pawlet Brookes pays homage to 100 Black women in pictures

40

The Lewis sisters are paying it forward in a Platinum way

QUEEN OF DANCEHALL

Celebrating Spice

45

Kids back to school?

Grab a copy of Big Manny’s new book

36 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 2024

Lifestyle

Art

SISTAS CELEBRATED IN BLACK-LED EXHIBITION Pawlet Brookes’ vision becomes a reality with snapshot of 100 Black women. By Joel Campbell

“

W

HILE IT’S rooted in a search for greater representation for Black women within the visual art industry as sitters and as artists, it’s also an opportunity to document and record the contributions of Black women within the British Isles over the last two centuries,” said Pawlet Brookes MBE, when asked what inspired her to create the exhibition 100 Black Women Who Have Made A Mark.

A ground-breaking, dynamic, and historically significant new art exhibition created and produced by Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage in Leicester, 100 Black Women Who Have Made A Mark will run at Leicester Gallery from October 1 until January 4, 2025.

The exhibit will platform and celebrate the hidden histories of Black women – past and present – and their significant contributions to life in Britain and Ireland.

Curated by Brookes, CEO and Artistic Director of Serendipity, the exhibition features the portraits of 100 Black women, all pioneers in their areas of expertise including engineering, sport, science, music, medicine, stage and screen,

politics, mathematics, academia, social reform, and more.

Many of the women enjoy a high profile in today’s world; many achieved greatness in their day against significant odds; many have quietly achieved significant, positive changes in their communities.

“While the exhibition features many familiar faces, I wanted to ensure that we’re representing women whose contributions are often behind the scenes, and originating pictures of positive role models,” Brookes said.

“We have also been imaginative in exploring how to create portraits for some of the historical women where no known likeness exists.

“My aim is to create a sense of joy and celebration so that visitors to the gallery are greeted by the warmth and spirit of 100 Black women.”

Speaking on how she defined the criteria for the women in question to qualify, Brookes enthused: “100 Black Women Who Have Made A Mark has been in development for about three years.

“I knew that I wanted to do a project that focused on Black women in particular and the gaze through visual art mediums.

The opportunity came to apply to Freelands Foundation’s Space to Dream Fund, focusing on Black-led visual arts organisations and once this funding was secured, alongside the support of Arts Council England, National Lottery Heritage Fund and Leicester C i t y Council, we were able to IND FACE BEH begin work.

THE IDEA: “ W e Pawlet Brookes started MBE with the

IN THE FRAME: Gayle Ebose, Valerie Asiimwe Amani, Yvadney Davis, Grace Lee and Lauryn Pinard have all created artwork selection of the sitters and set clear parameters during the selection process.

“We wanted to ensure representation across the British Isles, across a range of ages and across a range of occupations.

Each woman had to have made a discernible ‘mark’. The artists were subsequently introduced to the sitters who began creating the portraits in September 2023.”

GRATEFUL Brookes added: “I am grateful that I had the support of Sandra Pollock, the founder of the Women’s Awards, during the selection process. Nominations were open to the public and we were thrilled by the response.

“Following the criteria defined above, we slowly went through each nomination and made our initial selection. I am keen to stress that this is not a definitive list, it is not a top 100, but rather a snapshot of 100 out of many Black women who deserve recognition.”

Featured women include the legendary musician and speaker Pauline Black OBE; internationally acclaimed author Bernadine Evaristo OBE; the late Betty Campbell, Wales’ first

Black head teacher; Claudia Jones, activist and founder of the Notting Hill Carnival; Mona Hammond OBE, Jamaican-British actress and co-founder of the Talawa Theatre Company; Irish activist and campaigner Christine Buckley; anti-FGM campaigner in Ireland and Somalia, Irfan Ahmed; solicitor and former President of the Law Society of England and Wales Stephanie Boyce, plus many more.

Brookes and the selection panel decided from the outset that a likeness of each nominee would be displayed at the Leicester Gallery and that a group of five distinguished Black female artists would be commissioned to create the work.

“We hosted an open call for artists to apply for the commission.

“The selection panel, which I chaired and which included British photographer/media artist Roshini Kempadoo, shortlisted the final five artists.

Our aim was to present a range of artistic practices and the work of Valerie Asiimwe Amani, Yvadney Davis, Gayle Ebose, Grace Lee and Lauryn Pinard certainly accomplishes this.

This is not a definitive list, but a snapshot of 100 out of many Black women who deserve recognition

into a gallery and see that every portrait of a woman is by a woman artist, let alone 100 portraits where both the sitter and the artist is a Black woman.

“When you look at the collections of most major galleries, how many of the portraits were painted by Black women?

“How many of the portraits have Black female sitters? Where they do, how do the portraits represent Black women?

“Are the sitters even named?

What are their stories?

“These artists brought a wealth of styles and techniques to the project: traditional portraiture, textile art, collage with vintage wallpaper and even dance.

“The result is a wonderful, eclectic mix of portraits, each tailored to the personality of the sitter.”

An exhibition catalogue, podcast, and documentary will be available to expand on the stories of the 100 amazing Black women.

Brookes says the exhibition will appeal to ‘anyone who is interested in visual arts and portraiture’.

She added: “It’s rare to walk

PARITY “There is no parity when it comes to representation. Data gathered by Artsy on gender and representation within the galleries and auctions showed that 36 per cent of the artworks in 2023 were by female artists.”

Hugo Worthy, Arts Curator at Leicester Gallery, said: “We are deeply honoured to be hosting this major exhibition by vital young artists and curated by the brilliant Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage, celebrating the extraordinary impact that these Black women have had across all walks of life.”

SEPTEMBER 2024 THE VOICE | 37

Stage

Lifestyle

FROM LAGOS TO LONDON

Re:INCARNATION show set to stun Southbank. By Joel Campbell

S

OUTHBANK HOSTS the UK premiere tour of Qudus Onikeku and The QDance Company’s dazzling Re:INCARNATION this month.

The premiere takes place on September 18 and 19 at the Queen Elizabeth Hall before embarking on a nine-venue UK tour.

Onikeku created Re:INCARNATION in 2021 as an ode to the riches of Nigerian culture.

His dance, music, fashion and visual art fusion mixes ancient Yoruba philosophy with the rhythm and spirit of the country’s hyper-vibrant youth culture — and puts Lagos on stage in a way that’s never been done before.

Re:INCARNATION is the result of six years of continuous movement research around body memory with Nigerian dancers.

Its 10 young dancers are strikingly

individual, each brings their own personal journey to the stage and together they embody Yoruba’s ever-turning cycle of birth, death and rebirth.

Dressed in a kaleidoscopic array of colour and cloth, body paint, masks and props, they move with exuberant energy and uncompromising joy.

Two live musicians on drums and electric guitar, often joined by trance-like vocals from the dancers, bring some of the wealth and profusion of Nigerian music to the stage.

ON THE ROAD: Qudus Onikeku

The score is a vibrant blend of hip-hop, contemporary music and Afrobeats, itself an ecstatic fusion of genres including juju music, jazz, soul and highlife.

Nigeria has the largest population of youth in the world — around 70 per cent of the population is under 30 and 42 per cent under the age of 15. And by 2099, Lagos is set to be the biggest city in the world.

Onikeku says: “I am excited to introduce The QDance Company to audiences across the UK. “The key thing for me is to show w h a t dance c a n be in

VIBRANT: The score is an exciting blend of genres

contemporary Africa, it feels like we are starting something.

“This is Afrodance, young Africans talking.

Re:INCARNATION is about bringing Lagos on stage in a way that’s never been seen before – its groove, its history and what the city means to so many people.”

The QDance Center is a creative incubator where artistic competence, human resources, innovation and creativity are nurtured as roots for development.

Recognising that innovation often happens when two or more sets of knowledge collide, it

operates as a social enterprise ‘at the edge’ of two different worlds, art and entrepreneurship, opening up new ways of doing things.

EXCITED Aaron Wright, Head of Performance and Dance at the Southbank Centre, says: “We’re really excited to be presenting the UK premiere of Qudus Onikeku’s Re:INCARNATION with Lagos’ brilliant The QDance Company this September at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in collaboration with Dance Consortium.

“As the largest arts centre in

Europe, the Southbank Centre exists to platform the world’s most exciting artists and offers a hugely varied offer of cultural experiences from all over the world.

“This thrilling piece of dance is the perfect show to celebrate our new partnership with Dance Consortium.

“It’s great to be back welcoming international companies at the venues, whilst also contributing to a joined-up nationwide dance touring ecology to ensure audiences around the UK and beyond have access to the best international dance around.”

Get your copy!

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The book chronicles stories of education, politics, entertainment and sport amongst others as told through the pages of The Voice.

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38 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 2024

Lifestyle

Music

The Queen of the Dancehall on colourism, motherhood and the importance of self-care.

By Sinai Fleary

A

S A history-making GRAMMY-nominated artist, Queen of the Dancehall, a reality TV star and successful entrepreneur, Spice is in high demand.

She has just released her highlyanticipated third studio album entitled Mirror 25, and some of the official videos to go along with the project have already racked up millions of views online.

But who is the woman behind the iconic blue hair, commanding stage performances and one of the most defining and creative voices in Jamaican music?

Speaking to The Voice, Spice — whose real name is Grace Hamilton — said her success is only possible because of the talented team she works with, and the unwavering support given by her mother.

She said: “I would definitely have to give that to my team, to my mum. You know, I have my kids, so I feel like she keeps me stable, because when the kids are with her, I don’t have to worry about anything.

“I know that they’re well taken care of, so that gives me a clear mindset to go and do my job.

My team as well, who keeps me grounded.”

For many, Spice is a role model, not just because of her glittering 25-year career, but also because despite issues with colourism in the music industry — where often darker-skinned Black women are overlooked for opportunities and not supported — Spice has managed to fearlessly forge her own path and say ‘no’ to the industry’s idea of what shade of Black is beautiful and acceptable.

Spice has broken down barriers, made history and also used her voice along the way to highlight the important issue of colourism.

In 2018, she released her empowering anthem Black Hypocrisy.

Her unapologetic stance, speaking out against colourism has not changed on this new album either, and again her dialogue should be welcomed.

On the title track Mirror, Spice sings: “Pretty dark skin, mi love mi melanin, I’m courageous, I’m gorgeous. Beautiful, I am so precious.”

When asked by The Voice how much progress has been made in the last six years to speak about and tackle colourism, the Dancehall legend said there is still a long way to go.

REFLECTION: Spice’s new album, Mirror 25, covers her long career in the music industry

Add a little bit of Spice in your life She said: “When I continue to use my voice for the voiceless, and to create that awareness for colourism, it’s in aid to demolish or to try to demolish, because colourism is real. It’s still plaguing the community to this day.”

PIVOTAL She continued: “I remember people telling me that I need to bleach my skin, because if I was a lighter complexion I would have reached further, and I feel like people still have that mindset.

“I’m always going to remind my Black girls that they are beautiful, no matter what, and to love themselves just the way they are.”

In 2022, Spice made history by becoming the first hardcore female Dancehall artist to receive

a Grammy nomination in the Best Reggae Album category.

She said that pivotal moment was for her, and also serves as a reminder to girls who look like her.

She said: “And that’s why to go back to the part where I was, Grammy-nominated when I reached those types of accolades and recognition.

“I’m happy about it because it reminds girls who look like me that it’s possible that dreams come true.

“That they can make it as well, because society will make you feel like you nah accomplish those things remaining true to who I am. I like when I set those things and create that kind of legacy, so our Black girls can see me

and know that it’s possible,” she beamed.

Spice is also the executive producer for the new album, and is distributing the project through her independent record label, Spice Official Entertainment — which comes with more pressure without the backing of a major label.

But Spice, who is celebrating 25 years in the business, isn’t afraid of hard work, and openly admits “I’m always working” and often finds it difficult to relax.

She added: “I don’t get time to switch off, I’m always working!

People around me beg me to slow down, beg me to take a rest.

“I’m actually talking to you, and I have not slept last night, so you can hear it in my voice. But I feel

like as a lady of many hats, in Jamaica we call it head cook and bottle washer, where you ah do everyting you know.

“You just need more time, but I feel like self-care is important.”

RASTA Spice tracks her love for music back to her parents, where she describes being raised in a “loving home” in Jamaica.

Her father, who was a Rastafarian, sadly died when she was just nine years old.

She told The Voice it was her father, who helped her to fall in love with reggae music.

She said: “My father, he was a Rasta, he used to love reggae music. He used to play them in the house and I remember him

playing a lot of Professor Nuts.

Every Sunday we used to hear the football ah play, but the reggae music ah bounce in the background and him ah cook him food and it’s just always an irie vibe in my house.

“I came from a loving home with my mum and dad, we wasn’t the richest, we never have financial stuff but we had a lot of love.”

Reflecting on her upbringing, Spice says she has “great memories” with her father.

She explained: “I feel like he made me just fall in love with reggae music, because him always ah play it.

“I tell people all the time, when they say, ‘oh, so you never look up to no woman, no woman never inspired you?’ My father never used to play any woman song!

“He would play Bob Marley and Peter Tosh and Professor Nuts, and that’s where I got introduced to music.”

Spice pays tribute to her father and mother at the start of her reggae song Lead Me, a collaboration with Ky-Mani Marley — son of Bob Marley.

During the interview, one thing that stood out is that Spice is glowing, she has the biggest and brightest smile, and rightfully so, as she has become one of Jamaica’s biggest stars.

Mirror 25 is a reflection of her 25 years in the industry and is a fusion of sounds including dancehall, reggae, gospel, which provides the perfect background to Spice’s distinctive wordplay, as she brings us into her world.

Expect to hear her stories on past trials and tribulations and, of course, her successes, as well as a few surprise sounds — which shows Spice truly is a versatile artist.

She said: “I’m super excited!

Fans can just expect to have a burst of energy on the album.

It’s very diverse, it has a lot of different melodies and sound. I just feel like there’s going to be a song on it for everyone. It’s going to be a very relatable project.”

With a new album, independent label, clothing line, a book, TV appearances, millions of followers on social media and a growing fanbase, Spice has not only cemented herself as a musical legend but an entire brand set to take the world by storm. l Mirror 25 is out now

JUNE 2024

THE VOICE | 37

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40 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 2024

Lifestyle

Arts

MUM’S THE WORD FOR THE AMBITIOUS LEWIS SISTERS Dynamic duo determined to make their mark at Platinum Performing Arts School. By Joel Campbell

M

UM, NINA LewisHart, hasn’t quite handed over the reins at Platinum Performing Arts School but in appointing her daughters as Vice Principals of the esteemed establishment, the future is very much in good hands.

There’s a fervour and a buzz about both Erina and Kyra when I meet them at the Millfield Complex and Theatre in north London. Their energy is immediately infectious.

As we walk through the grounds and they explain all of the theatre, film, and TV opportunities Platinum offers students, it’s obvious that their love for the place runs deep.

It’s where they effectively grew up, developed their passion for performing which led them all the way to The X Factor: The Band in 2019, where they first met Simon Cowell.

More on that later.

The Lewis Sisters, as they are widely known, are on a mission to pay it forward, imparting the knowledge and experience they have garnered over the last few years, to the next generation of aspiring talent.

They also want to make their mum proud.

Nina (everyone calls her Nina) has been in charge of the school since she founded it in 2006.

In that time, more than 20,000 young people, aged three to 24, have passed through the doors with countless going on to become success stories in a multitude of areas.

Despite challenges like Enfield

ON A MISSION: Erina and Kyra

Council funding cuts and the pandemic, Nina has maintained the Millfield Complex and Theatre for nearly two decades.

Since its opening, the school has provided countless young people with a safe space for selfexpression, supporting their mental health. Platinum offers weekly classes, workshops, and extended diplomas, making social engagement, confidence building, and performance skills accessible to the local Edmonton community.

Both Erina and Kyra have seen the whole journey.

Erina said: “I think I always remember mum working, there isn’t a point where she has not worked.”

Kyra added: “Even to this day, yes, she has handed stuff down and we’re the Vice Principals, but she is still working.

“She’s such a hard worker and so much has gone into this from just having one school and now we’ve got two schools across Saturday and Sunday and now we have an academy.”

Erina enthused: “I feel like mum has definitely been our role model as young women.”

Speaking on what makes Platinum special and who they cater for, Erina said: “We start with our pre-school, which is three to five years-old and then the school goes up to 16. Then we have the option of 16 plus if they audition for the college.”

Kyra added: “If they don’t want to go to college, and take the next step, we have a teacher training course in case they want to go more into teaching.”

Keen to emphasise the various

GOOD CONNECTION: Erina and Kyra Lewis first met Simon Cowell when they went on X-Factor career pathways that can be pursued as a result of an interest in the world of performing arts, Erina added: “If you are someone that hasn’t made it in the performing arts world and you want to teach, we have that teaching course.

“We also do technical theatre for people who want to work with tech backstage, lights, costumes and makeup. We also do writing for people interested in that. It’s a hub for it all.”

Explaining how some of their most recent talent to emanate from Platinum have gone on to secure prestigious roles they may not primarily have considered, Kyra said: “We’ve had one of our older students who attended Platinum and he didn’t get into a pantomime where he was dancing.

“He loved dance but wasn’t quite sure if that was what he wanted to do. Now he’s a stage manager for MJ: The Musical.

“There are other avenues to go down.

“We’ve got two of our nine-yearold students who come to the academy, one of them has made their debut in Les Misérables, the other has just come out of Matilda and is going to the MJ Musical.

“Platinum is now taking the next step in getting all of these students to do other things.”

Earlier this year the Platinum was visited by Simon Cowell

Whatever you want to do, whatever pathway you want to go down, you can do it team, who have been scouting talent for auditions for his upcoming boy band project.

This visit was somewhat of a reunion.

Kyra said: “We had Simon Cowell’s crew come down here to see our kids which was absolutely amazing. They got the opportunity to be seen in front of such amazing people for the new boy band search that Simon Cowell is looking for.

“We met Simon in 2019 when we went on X-Factor and since then we’ve always had a good connection. So now, for them to actually come down to the school, seeing our students, it’s been an amazing 360 moment.”

Erina added: “He knows the work we do and absolutely loves what we do and that’s why we have that connection for him to be sending down people.

“He knows the talent we have here, he knows we’ve come from here and the sort of vibe and energy we bring and I feel like it’s unmatchable.

“I feel like the hunger and determination we have from the kids that want it so bad, it’s different. You can have talent, but the passion is just different.”

Armed with experience and driven by a work ethic exemplified by their mum, both sisters are adamant that there is a bright future for talent that lands on their doorstep, no matter what walk of life they hail from.

All of it, however, requires funding, an obviously huge area of importance in order for them to continue the good work they have been doing.

Erina said: “We do get a lot of funding and we still are looking for funding because there are so many young people that step through the door that can’t afford to come to a performing arts school or college and that was kind of our story.”

She added: “We do projects like How To Make A Change, which is funded by the National Lottery, an initiative that’s all about going into secondary schools and asking what are the positives and negatives of the area.

“We also do Dream, Believe, Succeed, which is for primary schools, and that’s also funded.

Funding is a really big thing because if we don’t have that

some people can’t pursue their dreams.

“And that’s the thing with Platinum, just because your parents maybe don’t have money or you are not in a great financial situation or maybe because you look different, that shouldn’t stop you from pursuing your passion.”

In the Edmonton community, where council statistics show that one in ten people are living in poverty, Platinum successfully supports young people, many of whom arrive disengaged, to realise their potential and thrive.

“This is a home for so many young people to pursue their dreams,” Erina enthused.

“We want to keep it going so that everyone knows that whatever you want to do, whatever pathway you want to go down, you can do it.

“You’ve obviously got your family but you also have your Platinum family here too, to cheer you on the whole way.

“There are so many different stories that have come out of this place, young people flying out to Hong Kong or Dubai, young people in Turkey or the West End, all of these different jobs that have come from their time at Platinum.

“The love and nurturing you get at Platinum is something like no other.”

Kyra added: “We just want to let everyone know where Platinum is and who Platinum is.”

SEPTEMBER 2024 THE VOICE | 41

Art

Lifestyle

A KALEIDOSCOPE OF COLOUR Mixed media artist Caroline Chinakwe brings her stunning work to London Museum Docklands to form part of its permanent displays. By Joel Campbell

B

RITISH-NIGERIAN mixed media artist Caroline Chinakwe’s new artwork commission is a significant first at the London Museum Docklands.

The two pieces will go on permanent display in the museum’s London, Sugar and Slavery gallery, the first major additions to the gallery’s permanent displays since it opened in 2007.

The pieces by Chinakwe, pictured, comprise two large-scale 1x1 metre portraits that have been digitally painted and collaged.

The images are informed by the stories, challenges and experiences of London’s African

and Caribbean diaspora, who were interviewed during the creation of the pieces.

Each element within the portrait reveals the multi-faceted layers of Black British, African, and Caribbean experiences.

“Conforming to society can be an expectation for many of us” Chinakwe said.

“This can manifest in wearing some type of mask whether subtle or clear, like the flower mask I have depicted in the piece.

“Sometimes the mask is hard to distinguish from one’s own identity. The question is how much have things really changed today and what type of mask are you wearing now?”

A self-taught artist, Chinakwe

BLENDING EXPERIENCES: Caroline Chinakwe’s His Lived Experience and This Is Us will be on display spent over 20 years in the fashion industry, an experience that inspired her to create more diverse and positive representations of Black culture and style.

Her evocative collages blend PopArt, Afrofuturism, and fine art, making use of bold colours, intricate patterns, and a thoughtful mix of textures to discuss both traditional African artistry and modern aesthetics.

Commenting on the portrait, Chinakwe said: “I use fashion to narrate our stories.

“The four characters in this piece stand as symbols for the fight for identity.

“As a group they are unapologetic in who they are and who they choose to be. Through the evolution and unification of styles from America to Africa and the Caribbean, I ask what

it means to be Black in Britain today.”

Jean-Francois Manicom, Senior Curator at London Museum Docklands, said: “We wanted to use a medium that authentically explores themes around the contemporary Black British experience. And Caroline has done exactly that.

“Art is a powerful vehicle for feeling, sharing, and healing from

traumatic experiences, and for centring voices that have been historically underrepresented.

“We’ve been excited to work with Caroline as her approach offers a brilliant exploration of the multiplicity of Black culture and the experiences of Londoners today.” l Watch the full interview with Caroline Chinakwe on our website now

Max Roach Windrush Children's Festival

Saturday 31st August and Sunday 1st September 2024 Loughborough Community Centre Max Roach Centre Wiltshire Road Brixton London SW9 7NE

info@lccmaxroach.co.uk https://www.lccmaxroach.co.uk 0207 7372472

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42 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 2024

The release by the courts of one of dancehall’s most revered artists means listeners on BBC radio can once again hear the great man in action

This is Brukout!

FREE MAN: Dancehall superstar Vybz Kartel, second left, leaves the Tower Street Adult Correctional Facility in Kingston, Jamaica, after being set free by the Court of Appeal (photo: The Gleaner Co. (Media) Ltd)

I

WAS standing backstage at Boxpark for the One Caribbean Relief event, phone attached to my ear eagerly awaiting the verdict for Vybz Kartel’s final appeal for the murder conviction that had him incarcerated for 13 years!

I and others were in genuine disbelief once we had worked out that Adidjah Palmer and the three other appellants that he was convicted with were about to walk free from a Jamaican jail.

“Ah true Seani?” was the question being asked to me as I wandered around slightly dazed, thinking that I was on the radio the next day and what was I going to do.

For the entire time Kartel was imprisoned, I was unable to feature his music on my show.

Once you go behind those prison walls, the BBC put you on what’s called ‘the rested list’.

Even though there was never a shortage of Vybz songs in my club sets, on the radio I had to learn to navigate the space without playing music from one of dancehall’s most revered artists.

I would like to think because I am such a great selector that his presence was not missed, but it did give me the opportunity to dig deeper and not rely on what

PRESENCE: Vybz Kartel performs in St Mary, Jamaica, back in 2005 (photo: Getty Images)

by Seani B who had never seen him perform or know of him as a free man.

His string of releases that we now know were recorded behind bars kept him more than relevant.

But what does it all mean now for the young artists that idolised him from afar? Is he now competition because he is not locked up?

IWaata seemed excited to know the prospects for him with Vybz out on the road, and told me: “Kartel is a different individual when it comes to music. He is greatness and you can’t take that from him.”

He continues: “Just like how you had Bob Marley in the olden days, Kartel is our legend.”

Depending on your age, you may look on that comment with a side eye, but when Palmer was imprisoned in 2014, IWaata was only 16 and this was his artist that had so much influence on him.

IWaata continued to talk about the influence he has on a whole generation. “Remember them man deh sing bout Clarks, Bleaching and Tattoo, and the whole place follow.

They said dancehall went to jail with Vybz Kartel many years ago, but we have been out here holding it

IT’S ALL GOING TO BE ABOUT VYBZ KARTEL everyone else was playing.

I think this helped me nurture many young and upcoming talents like Masicka, Govanna, Shenseea and many others during the last decade simply because I had to grow from the ground up rather than picking the ripe fruits from the tree.

How’s it all been

since the release of Addi? In all honesty, if you follow the Vloggers, then 80 per cent of the content has been all about him and his forthcoming New Year’s Eve comeback show in Jamaica.

Once he goes LIVE it’s all about Kartel.

This definitely proves what popular Kingston selector Boom Boom told me the day after Kartel’s release.

“Right now, the word in the

streets is that the young youths dem haffi draw up dem socks, because it’s like the Gully and Gaza thing has reimbursed in the street,” he tells me.

The night of the Kartel’s release Boom Boom said the streets of Kingston were active and everything was about Vybz Kartel.

“The party I played last night was 30 minutes of Kartel, then the next selector stepped and

again 30 minutes of gyal Kartel.

Then I went to Stone love Weddy Wednesdays and witnessed the selectors make 500,000 JMD (£2,433) from two songs in money pull up.”

This I’m not surprised to hear, because ‘The Teacher’, as he is also known, did not fall in popularity.

Whilst incarcerated, I witnessed Kartel obtain cult status even among young fans

“He knows his influence that why the first thing he came out of jail and said, ‘Tell the yute dem say stay outta crime, cah it’s a waste of time and waste of life.”

A fan IWaata is, but does he see him now as competition?

“Right now, Mi glad I’m active as dancehall is gonna get a different look in,” he tells me excitedly.

“They said dancehall went to jail with him many years ago, but we have been out here holding it.

“Right now, if you ever go on a riddim that Kartel is on, Ah Murda!!”

But I wanted to know, is there a fear that he could remove all the shine from the other artists?

“No Fada...” Iwaata chuckles “That’s gonna be better for we, and the youths right now are singing some good songs, and even Kartel knows it’s a different time too.”

Anything that helps grow the music to the next place I’m happy with.

Just not happy that I may have to give up family time in holidays to go to experience the most anticipated dancehall Show in history.

JANUARY 2023

THE VOICE | 31

44 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 2024

Lifestyle

Finance

FINANCIAL EXPERT IS ON A MISSION TO HELP MIGRANTS

I

N HER pre-election financial inclusion ‘manifesto’, Tynah Matembe wrote, ‘ensuring financial inclusion is not just a moral imperative; it’s essential for fostering inclusive economic growth and reducing inequality’.

The statement encapsulates her life’s work, it’s also one of the reasons she was compelled to deliver her book, Thriving Beyond Borders – Managing Money in A New Country.

Based in Scotland, the Ugandaborn author is dedicated to enabling others to better understand how they can pull their financial affairs together in order to foster stability, growth and long-term prosperity.

Regular Lifestyle readers will be au fait with Matembe’s work as one of our columnists and a financial coach recognised as Scotland’s Outstanding Female Leader in fintech for 2023.

She’s delivered her book in an authentic and slightly unconventional way in order to get the message across that no matter what your walk of life, all paths can lead to a place where you’re more in control of your monetary affairs.

“I chose this format for two reasons. One, to create a bit of visibility around journeys of people who are not usual, who don’t fit the box. And that’s typically people of colour or people who have migrated to make the UK home,” Matembe explained.

“Our cases don’t get shared and there’s also usually one or two unfair assumptions that are made when everyone thinks about an immigrant.

“So I was keen to show a journey of people, where they come from, what they go through and how they go about finances in the UK.” Matembe’s journey was sparked into life by her own frustrations where money was concerned when she landed in the UK 16 years ago.

Her circumstances, however, were not typical.

She said: “I worked in financial

Tynah Matembe’s new book is an essential read for those striving to build a new life in the UK.

By Joel Campbell

services. I’d always had a good job, especially growing up in my country of origin, Uganda.

“I’d never thought about money. Interestingly, this (the journey into becoming a financial educator) all came about when my husband and I went through financial vulnerability. That was when I understood that money on its own is not enough for you to succeed in life.

“I’d never had a problem with cash. I always had cash. You plan to go on holiday, or you plan to do something and you get it

It was important that people who have English as a second language would also find it an easy read

done. But here I was with cash, and unable to achieve my dreams and my goals, and that really frightened the heck out of me.”

She added: “I fell pregnant, and during the maternity leave I hadn’t been here long enough to get a good income. So that was an issue, and that situation of not having money, not being able to plan my own life scared the heck out of me.

“So I went and did all the research – and decided that it was never going to happen again. Not on my terms anyway.”

What Matembe was struggling with was not having a credit history. Having access to cash was one thing, but the limitations of that situation were crippling her attempts to move forward.

A quick Google search will tell you that Thriving Beyond Borders is perfect for expats and migrants of any age who are moving or planning to move to a new location. Given Matembe’s own experience, this is no surprise.

The book also caters for international students studying away from their hometown or country or students new to money, people in their twenties to fifties, and beyond 65 who need to organise their finances or anyone interested in making financial changes to build monetary and social capital.

Explaining how she pulled it all together, (the book features 10 stories of individual journeys which Matemebe conducted from over 85 interviews), starting with the story of Martin, fresh from the academic confines of boarding school in Uganda, who finds himself on a flight to Scotland, clutching a £100 note given to him by his father.

Matembe said: “So Martin’s story was very relatable, in terms of all the interviews that I’d done.

It had that relatable moment when you get off the flight and the cost of living hits you.

“You’ve come here with all these dreams, these aspirations, this idea of a first world that’s going to be a certain way. And there is that moment that hits you where you

GOOD ADVICE: Lifestyle columnist Tynah Matembe’s new book is perfect for expats of any age say, ‘Oh, my goodness! It’s not all roses over here’.

“In his story that came out pretty quickly, literally off the flight and he gets on the bus, the economic situation hits him pretty much straight away.

“I thought it would be a good thing.

“That’s usually the first thing that hits you within your first day, your first month. You’re like, ‘my goodness these guys know how to sell the country, and it’s nothing like this’.

“Because this happened much quicker in his journey.

I wanted that to be front and centre, to show people that when you see an immigrant coming over, it’s not because they don’t have where they’re coming from. There’s lots of different reasons, and there’s lots of different motivations. So don’t judge someone before you understand their story.”

She added: “My plan was to make it very simplified, very

approachable, and a very easy read, because I was thinking of someone that’s interested in understanding different cultures, but there is a lesson for everyone.

Anyone can learn from this.

“I know someone that’s bought books for their credit union and all the feedback says, ‘oh, my goodness, we talk about the money, circles, and that’s something that would work for anyone in any economy.

“It was important for me, though, that people who have English as a second language would also find it an easy read.

“So it’s delivered with a lot of illustrations and a lot of alternative narrative to make it approachable for anyone that wants to delve in a bit about different cultures and money.”

This book comes at a time when financial literacy and inclusion are paramount for migrants

striving to build a new life in the UK. Matembe’s expertise as a money coach, dedication to financial education and inclusion, and personal experience as an expat have helped to galvanise the heartfelt stories within the pages, making it an essential read for anyone looking to understand and improve their financial situation in a new country.

“By shedding light on the financial journeys of newcomers, we hope to foster empathy, understanding, and meaningful dialogue surrounding integration and financial inclusion issues,” Matembe enthused.

She added: “With this book, I aim to support individuals struggling financially to navigate the complexities of personal finance and achieve lasting financial wellness.

“As someone who has experienced the challenges of starting fresh, I understand the overwhelming feelings that arise when facing financial uncertainties in an unfamiliar environment.” l Find out more about Tynah Matembe’s new book in the full interview on our website

SEPTEMBER 2024 THE VOICE | 45

Lifestyle

Books

Big Manny inspiring next generation of scientists The content creator is making the periodic table and Bunsen burners cool again, writes Joel Campbell

S

CIENCE JUST isn’t explained in schools the way Emanuel Wallace aka Big Manny does it and you can tell that by his growth in popularity on social media (2.9 million on TikTok and Instagram) in just a couple of years. Your science teacher could never.

What started out as the technician’s way of keeping the young students he taught up to speed and informed in the COVID lockdown, has now spawned a brand new book entitled Science Is Lit. It’s ultimately a culmination of his videos across TikTok, Instagram and the like, condensed in an easy to consume way that encourages readers to do different experiments themselves at home.

“What I decided to do was create some science videos to help the students catch up with what they missed out on during the lockdown,” Wallace told Lifestyle, speaking on how his debut book came together.

The 26-year-old added: “I wanted to bridge the knowledge gap that occurred.

“The videos started taking off, they started going viral,

millions of views on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.

What I decided to do after that was convert the videos into written format, so that’s how the book came about.

“People learn in different ways. Some people learn through watching, they are visual learners and that’s why I made the videos and some people learn through reading.

“Even myself, I learn through reading best, so that’s why I decided to write the book, to cater for those kinds of learners as well. There is also an audio book for those who learn through listening.”

Touching on how he managed to ensure the book appealed to as many people as possible, Wallace explained: “When I first made the videos, it was aimed at secondary school students, I was doing experiments that they are doing in schools.

“After a while I started to realise that even adults were interested

in it because I would get a lot of comments from them saying ACCESSIBLE that when they did FOR ALL : Emanuel the experiments in Wallace aka Big school they never Manny’s new book understood it, but is a culmination of now that they have his videos across seen my videos, it social media made a lot more platforms sense.

“So the thing with the book is, it can be read by anyone of any age.

“And what I want to do with the book is give people a strong, solid foundation of chemistry, so they can then go and build upon that knowledge and gain even more knowledge in science.”

With a master’s degree in biomedical science, Wallace creates age-friendly and class friendly content that is entertaining, educational and experimental, ultimately making the periodic table and Bunsen burners cool again.

To date he has appeared on Blue Peter and regularly collaborates with BBC Bitesize.

His presence in the media landscape has specifically inspired scores of youngsters

BOOK SOME TIME TO READ JAMES

By Percival Everett When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a new owner in New Orleans and separated from his wife and daughter forever, he decides to hide on nearby Jackson’s Island until he can formulate a plan.

Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father who recently returned to town.

Thus begins a dangerous and transcendent journey by raft along the Mississippi River, towards the elusive promise of the free states and beyond. As James and Huck navigate the treacherous waters, each bend in the river holds the promise of both salvation and demise.

SURVIVAL IS A PROMISE: THE ETERNAL LIFE OF AUDRE LORDE

By Alexis Pauline Gumbs Audre Lorde was a survivor: of childhood disability injustice, of her best friend’s suicide, of the atomic age. She was a college activist against nuclear arms.

A mother who knew poetry could help her children survive a racist world.

And, ultimately, a cancer survivor, who understood the war going on within her cells was connected to the struggle against oppression taking place all around her.

This new account of Lorde’s life and work illuminates how her survival was not simply about getting through. It was about how to live on. Lorde’s commitment to justice was intimately connected to her deep engagement with the natural world.

from the Black community to see learning about science as cool, a result that fills him with great satisfaction.

On the issue of representation, Wallace said: “I’ll be honest, growing up, when I was in school, I wasn’t taught about many scientists that look like me.

“To give you an example, there were two elements discovered, elements 104 and 105.

“In school they taught us about Mr Rutherford who discovered that but they don’t tell you that on his team he had a scientist named James Andrew Harris, a Black American scientist who also helped with the discovery of those elements.

“We didn’t learn about him, even though he was so monumental in that discovery.

“So what I am trying to do with my platform is show young people that there are scientists out there that look like you, talk like you, dress like you, come from the same background as you.

“So if they can become a scientist then there is no reason why you can’t as well.

“You can’t be what you can’t see and so that’s why it’s important for these young people to see scientists from different backgrounds and different walks of life because it makes it more attainable and accessible for them.” l Watch the full interview with Big Manny on our website

Three new titles Joel Campbell wants you to know about VOICES IN HARMONY An inspiring collection of stories, poems, recipes and memories written by the local women of Redbridge, Voices in Harmony celebrates cultural richness, creativity, shared joy and the power of community.

Writing the foreword, author and podcaster, Pamela R Haynes, said: “This book seamlessly transcends race, borders, languages and cultures, weaving threads of the women’s experiences into every page.

Voices in Harmony is a testament to the universal language, a collection that celebrates a myriad of voices that resonate with women now and those future generations of young women coming behind us.

46 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 2024

TOP SPORTS COVERAGE 24/7 VOICE-ONLINE.CO.UK/SPORT

OF SPORT NEWSPAPER

SEPTEMBER 2024 | THE VOICE

Paris Olympics highlights global reach of athletics

Record set for the most countries winning gold in a single Games.

By Rodney Hinds

GOLDEN GIRLS: Domenica’s Thea LaFond won the women’s triple jump; inset, Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred triumphed in the women’s 100m

T

HE Paris 2024 Olympic Games has further demonstrated the global reach of athletics, with a record for the most countries winning gold in a single Games having been set.

A total of 27 countries won athletics gold medals, two more than the previous record figure. Dominica, Pakistan and St Lucia all featured on the athletics medal table for the first time, with Thea LaFond (women’s triple jump), Arshad Nadeem (men’s javelin) and Julien Alfred (women’s 100m) all gaining historic gold for their respective nations.

Joining Dominica, Pakistan and Saint Lucia, Botswana also got a maiden athletics title through Letsile Tebogo in the men’s 200m – the nation’s first Olympic title in any sport – taking the total number of countries which have ever won an Olympic athletics medal to 105. The tally of 43 countries on the medal table in Paris matches Tokyo as the biggest in athletics for more than 20 years,

while 75 countries finished in the top eight – showcasing the depth of talent in the sport.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe thanked the Paris 2024 organising committee for providing the stage on which the sport and its stars could shine.

“Paris 2024 has been an absolutely spectacular Olympic Games for athletics,” said Coe. “We are a sport where numbers matter on and off the field of play.

Over the course of the last 11 days, our athletes have dazzled audiences in Paris and across the globe with some

performances for the ages. We had three world records, 13 Olympic records and countless national and area records – the performances were nothing short of outstanding. Our sport is the gift that keeps on giving. This is not a one-off,”

added Coe. “We saw similar scenes at the World Championships in Budapest last year – and we are already seeing tickets fly off the shelves for Tokyo (2025 World Championships).”

A total of 26 athletes won multiple medals in Paris, including Femke Bol (mixed 4x400m gold, women’s 4x400m silver, women’s 400m hurdles bronze), her Dutch teammate Sifan Hassan (w om en’s marathon gold, 5,000m and 10,000m bronze) and USA’s Gabby Thomas (women’s 200m, 4x100m and 4x400m gold).

Following his run for the US men’s 4x400m team in the heats, 16-year-old Quincy Wilson became the youngest ever men’s Olympic gold medallist in athletics.

EMENALO DETERMINED TO SUCCEED IN SAUDI ARABIA

By Vlad Andrejevic

MICHAEL EMENALO, Saudi Pro League’s first director of football, is fast becoming one of the most important figures in world football as he looks to revolutionise the sport in Saudi Arabia.

Following a hugely accomplished career as a sporting director in Europe, most notably with Chelsea between 2011 and 2017, Emenalo was hired last year by the Saudi Pro League to help them develop the sport, both domestically and internationally.

Since his arrival, which coincided with bolstered investment into the league, several of the world’s highest profile players have been recruited, with many more seemingly on their way.

It was Al Nassr’s signing of five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo in January 2023 that put the spotlight on Saudi Arabian football and propelled its international exposure to far greater heights, giving them a platform and vision for the future.

They quickly recognised the need for an experienced football operator to guide them through their ambitious project and help lead the evolution, hence the hiring of Emenalo.

The former left-back, who earned 14 caps for Nigeria, arrived in Saudi Arabia with real pedigree.

Following his moderately successful playing career, he instilled himself in the United States, working at the Tucson Soccer Academy as a director of player development.

That role was short lived as he was soon brought to Chelsea in 2007 by manager Avram Grant, originally as chief opposition scout.

He quickly worked his way up, briefly working as an assistant manager before being appointed as the club’s technical director.

It was there that he did his best work, first by restructuring key elements within the club such as the academy, women’s team and scouting department.

Within that, he is accredited with having a major role in the signings of marquee players of that era such as Juan Mata, Eden Hazard, N’golo Kante and Cesc Fabregas.

Having overseen extensive success in that period, he resigned in 2017 and took up the

same position at AS Monaco, where he stayed for two years before leaving by mutual consent. Emenalo remained in the industry, working in various consultancy roles up until his permanent move to Saudi Arabia last summer.

In an interview given at the time of his appointment, Emenalo said: “The idea is to make this league one of the best in the world, and to do that, you want the best players.

Right now, we’re throwing out our nets as wide and as far as they can go, to make sure we bring the best talent in the league.”

True to his word, the Saudi Pro League clubs went on to acquire some of football’s biggest names in that transfer window. The kingdom’s Public Investment Fund purchased a 75 per cent stake in

the league’s four biggest clubs, giving them unrivalled purchasing power.

With global stars such as Karim Benzema, Neymar, Sadio Mane, Riyad Mahrez and many more making big money moves to the Saudi Pro League, Emenalo oversaw possibly the most dramatic league transition in modern football history, including being personally involved in multiple player negotiations.

All elements of the sport, as part of the Saudi Vision 2030, will no doubt undergo increased investment and improvement as the Saudi Pro League continues to work towards establishing itself as an internationally recognised leading football institution, with Emenalo set to further exert his growing influence.

SEPTEMBER 2024 THE VOICE | 47

Sport

Old adversaries to renew rivalry

REGULAR FIXTURE: Jhaniele Fowler of Jamaica during the Vitality Netball International Series match between England and Jamaica at Copper Box Arena in London last year

‘STILL EXCITED’: Chris Eubank Jr

EUBANK BACK IN BUSINESS WITH BOXXER

By Rodney Hinds

CHRIS EUBANK Jr is back! The pugilist and BOXXER have announced a major partnership deal, with the iconic middleweight star signing with the next generation boxing promoter as he targets megafights and vows to silence his domestic rivals ahead of his hotly anticipated ring return.

One of the most recognisable names in world boxing, Eubank Jr has continued his impressive family legacy in a career which has seen the Brighton superstar twice capture IBO Super Middleweight and WBA interim Middleweight world titles and claim notable wins over James DeGale, Arthur Abraham, Liam Smith, Matvey Korobov, Avni Yildirim and Dmitrii Chudinov.

The top-rated middleweight contender looked at his best last time out when ending his rivalry with Liam Smith with an emphatic tenth-round stoppage win over the former WBO world champion in front of a capacity crowd at the AO Arena in Manchester.

Having joined forces with BOXXER, Eubank Jr has now set his sights on the biggest fights available including mouth watering match ups with pound-for-pound stars Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford and domestic grudge matches with longstanding rivals including Conor Benn and Billy Joe Saunders. ranked third and fourth in the in third place. Recently appointed

England’s Vitality Roses and world respectively. The two sides Sunshine Girls head coach, Sashermet in 2023 in a three-match Gaye Henry also highlighted the Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls to play last test series played in Manchester historic nature of the series. “Jaand England have a long traeach other home and away in and London which saw the Vital- maica ity Roses defeat Jamaica 73-52 in dition of exciting match-ups,” she test series. By Rodney Hinds the first match, take a narrow 58-61 said. “The home and away nature

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NGLAND Netball have announced that the Vitality Roses will play Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls in a new four-year international test series played across both countries.

The Vitality Roses will play the team from the Caribbean in the new Vitality Netball Horizon Series this November on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th at the AO Arena in Manchester and later in the month on Monday 25th and Tuesday 26th at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Kingston, Jamaica.

This announcement marks the start of a brand new four-year series called the Vitality Netball Horizon Series that will be held across

England and Jamaica, with two home matches to be played in England and two away matches played in Jamaica for the next four years.

As a new regular fixture in the international calendar, the Vitality Horizon Netball Series embodies a bold step into an exciting future for international netball. Building on an already great rivalry and looking to disrupt the world order of international netball this year and beyond, the Vitality Netball Horizon Series is truly representative of the look towards an exciting future that the series’ name evokes.

This test series will reignite the rivalry between the Vitality Roses and Jamaica, who are currently

loss in the second match, and claim of the series gives us something to the series with a 63-59 win in the look forward to for the next four years. third and final test.

“The last time we played England at home we came away with a nar“The netball row victory.

“The netball community in Jacommunity in maica is longing to see the SunGirls play on local soil, and Jamaica is longing shine we are looking forward to putting to see the Sunshine on a good show as the teams are evenly matched.”

Girls on local soil” The series will form part of an exciting international calendar which will see the Vitality Roses travel to The two sides did not meet in Australia to face the world number the draw at the Netball World Cup one Australian Diamonds and then last summer, which saw the Vitality to New Zealand to play the Silver Roses earn an historic silver medal, Ferns in the Taini Jamison Trophy whilst Jamaica finished just behind in September and October 2024.

INNOVATION Founded by the UK’s youngest licensed promoter Ben Shalom with a vision to bring inclusivity, innovation and entertainment to one of the oldest sports in the world, BOXXER is a next generation professional boxing promoter.

Home to world champions, Olympic gold medallists and some of the sport’s most exciting contenders, BOXXER have broken a host of viewership records in the UK and Ireland while delivering unmissable events featuring sold-out arenas and stadiums, and boxing’s biggest names going head-to-head.

Eubank Jr said: “I’m very excited to have signed with BOXXER and Ben Shalom. They fit the direction I want to go in. We have big plans over the next 12 to 24 months.

“There are big fights in the pipeline and these guys can make it happen. This is a partnership. I have the freedom and the leeway to work how I want to work, which is very rare. I’m in a position of power.

I’m in a position to really control the direction that I want to go in so I’m excited.

“I’ve been in the game for 12 years now and I’m still hungry. I’m still excited. I’m still in love with the sport of boxing.”

48 | THE VOICE SEPTEMBER 2024

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‘MY TRUE INSPIRATION’

SOURCE OF SUPPORT: New interim WBC women’s lightweight world champion Caroline Dubois says Claressa Shields, below, has inspired her in her quest for boxing greatness

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OLLOWING her win over Maira Moneo, new interim WBC women’s lightweight world champion, Caroline Dubois expressed how American powerhouse Claressa Shields inspired her in her quest for boxing greatness, and now she has helped her throughout her career so far.

Dubois said: “I’ve told Claressa how much she inspired me. I’ve spoken to her a few times and let her know how, without knowing at the time, she really encouraged me.

“Claressa is a good person. A really solid person. She messaged me a few times when I was at the Olympics and that was brilliant. I know she’s like Marmite for a lot of people; they either love her or they hate her. But she switches it on when she’s in a gym or it’s all about the fighting. Really, she’s a good and solid person.”

Dubois recently won the interim WBC version of the title against Moneo at Oakwell, the home of Barnsley Football Club earlier this month.

Shields, undefeated in 15 professional outings, has now held world belts in five different divisions and counts Dubois’ fellow Briton Savannah Marshall

Caroline Dubois pays tribute to US powerhouse Claressa Shields. By Rodney Hinds among her list of conquests.

Having famously pretended to be a schoolboy named Colin when she first took up the sport, after discovering there were no other female fighters in her gym, Dubois revealed how watching Shields as a youngster persuaded her to make a career of the fight game.

“When you first spar, you think who you’d want to be like,” Dubois

“There weren’t many girls doing this when I decided to give it a go. Then Claressa came along and really burst onto the scene”

added. “There weren’t many girls doing this when I decided to give it a go. There was only really Laila Ali, the daughter of Muhammed Ali, around when I began doing this at nine. But she was in her Thirties. She seemed so old to me back then and so I couldn’t really relate to her at all.

“Then Claressa came along and really burst onto the scene. She was blowing absolutely everyone out. I remember searching every single day for information on what she was doing.”

Shields, who was crowned queen of the heavyweights when she defeated Vanessa LepageJoanisse in Detroit last month, divides opinion thanks to her seemingly brash nature and outspoken views.

But Dubois, whose brother Daniel is the IBF world heavyweight king and potentially on a collision course with Anthony Joshua, revealed Shields’ public persona masks a much softer side

to her nature. “I’ve told Claressa how much she inspired me,” said Dubois, who won a gold medal at the youth Olympics six years ago.

Dubois, aged 23, has won five of her 10 professional appearances inside the distance.

Asked about her own legacy after being named BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year in 2019 – the same year Shields unified the women’s middleweight titles – Dubois said: “Most fighters don’t go into this to be role models, that’s not why we start.

We want to make our own dreams a reality.

“But then you do start thinking ‘Who do I want to be like?’

Personally, I don’t try to be a role model for others.

“I just want to be a good person and a good athlete and then hopefully others look at that.” l This article comes via SportsBoom: https://www. sportsboom.com/boxing/