THE EXONIAN 2020
BLACK LIVES
MATTER
Alumna Maia Thomas is spearheading the Black Lives Matter movement in Devon. Starting with a socially distant protest in June 2020, she has since been involved in a series of events across the county. She views the raising of awareness of the struggles that she and other people of colour face in Devon as a huge milestone for the movement. With interviews featured on ITV and BBC and a 3,300 strong membership to the Exeter BLM Facebook group, it’s fair to say that shockwaves of her leadership have spread across the country. The Exonian’s Rosie Cromwell and Lily Alford caught up with her a few weeks after the first protest. ROSIE: HOW DID YOU COPE WITH ORGANISING THE PROTEST GIVEN THE NEED FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING? In our Facebook group — the BLM (Black Lives Matter) Exeter Movement — we consistently put out posts about the government guidelines and safety so people were aware that the event wouldn’t take place unless they stuck to all the rules and regulations. We set up a PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) stand, and we got donations from Lush — they donated gloves and soaps for people to take afterwards as well. We don’t want people to disrupt the cause by saying “Oh they didn’t follow regulations”. LILY: YOU POSTED ABOUT SOME BACKLASH YOU RECEIVED, DID YOU HAVE
speak and educate people… ANY CONCERNS ABOUT that’s rewarding in itself. I HOSTING THE EVENT IN THE think... probably all the young FIRST PLACE? people that were obviously I was aware that there would so afraid to speak in front of a be a lot of backlash just thousand people must have from seeing people post on felt that this would be their social media and, especially only opportunity to ever be because there are not many listened to. So when I walk minorities in Devon, I knew there would be a lot of people away from the protests, that’s opposed to it. But, if I thought, what I remember rather than all the death threats and those “Oh, there’s going to be a lot messages. At the of opposition, end of the day, the I’m just not only ones I look going to say at are the ones anything”, then ... especially that pose a direct nothing would have been because there threat to my safety achieved. are not many and those have been passed to When you minorities in the police. That’s hear people Devon, I knew why I need to have sharing their there would be security in Exeter experiences a lot of people now and all of and see how grateful they opposed to it. that. But the direct threats... yeah, are to have an open space to MAIA THOMAS when I go to work
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PHOTO: DIFFERENT VIEW PHOTOGRAPHY (@DVP10)
now, Princesshay Security patrol outside my work, I’ve got a number to call so I can get escorted from my car to work or a taxi. I’ve got a key card to get into the back bit of Princesshay in case anything happens. Just because it’s been... pretty intense. It’s rewarding just seeing the space that we have created, and the good things