Mojatu Magazine Nottingham M040 by Mojatu Magazines

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JOBS WORTH Tv Show MY BLACK IDENTITY Project

FYA Hooks for Change

Our Covid-19 work

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Editor’s Welcome 2020 has been a year of uncertainty, difficulty, bereavement, and hospitalisation from the tight grip of mankind’s biggest enemy of the 21st century, COVID-19. At last, the race is reaching the finish line. Pharmaceutical companies and researchers have discovered the much-awaited vaccine which is said to have the potential of providing immunity against the COVID-19 virus. The battle seems to be won, but it is met by conspiracists just as it was in the beginning of the virus itself, however, we breathe a sigh of relief. Health experts warn us against getting overwhelmed by the discovery of the vaccine and further embark on irresponsible activities and ignore health and government guidelines. Despite this great milestone, the numbers of infection continue to rise resulting into the strict tier system now serving as a form of local lockdown with the latest introduction of Tier-4. The saying, ‘the race is not to the swift but to those who endure to the end’, comes to mind in the sense that COVID-19 is a global pandemic, and so far, only the powerful countries (US, UK, EU) receive the vaccine while developing countries enviously sit and wait. Some countries have already been overstretched beyond their capacities while others solely rely on aid and grants as a lifeline during the pandemic. Sadly, majority of these countries have no other option but sit and wait whilst the scrambling and politicking by the powerful continues. Now, the question is when will poor countries get their vaccine doses. What would be the plight of individuals that reject the jab? Would there be consequences, would they be allowed to live a normal life like the others, and would people be given the opportunity to choose either to accept or reject the vaccine? HAKUNA MATATA!!! PA MODOU FAAL - Managing editor - Pa@mojatu.com

Contents News & Sports Mojatu Podcast .............................................................4 The Fight Against FGM ...............................................5 Winter Inside Greece ...................................................8 Pastor Thomas Interview ........................................ 10 Community HOL ...........................................................................14-15 My Black Identity Project ..................................16-17 Jobs Worth .............................................................18-19 Our Covid-19 Work FYA Hooks for Change ............................................. 26 Driving Theory Testimonials .................................. 30 Arts & Culture Mangrove ..................................................................... 39 They’ve Gotta Have Us ............................................ 40 Health & Food Mental Health - British Asian Community ........ 41 How to Freeze Fruits and Vegetables ................. 42 The Stigma Around Periods across the World .43 Education and Career Preparing Young Adults for Work ........................ 44

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Eugene Francis

Mojatu Media Disclaimer The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers. Every effort has been made to ensure that the contents of this magazine are accurate but the publisher cannot take responsibility for errors, omissions, nor can we accept responsibility for the advertisements or editorial contributions.

News & Comments: news@mojatu.com Social Media: Laura McCartan Getting the magazine Online @ www.mojatu.com/magazines Subscription @ £24 per year including postage subs@mojatu.com Address: Mojatu 167 Alfreton Road, Nottingham, NG7 3JR T: 0115 8457 009 | 0751 6962 992 Facebook: www.facebook.com/mojatu Twitter: www.twitter.com/mojatumedia Printers: Mojatu Media

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WOMEN OF NOTTINGHAM By Laura McCartan “Women of Nottingham” is the Mojatu podcast that highlights the remarkable and diverse stories of women in the city. We all know wonderful and inspiring women in our own lives but rarely do we hear those stories in the media. This podcast aims to put women and their stories at the core of every episode. Each week we talk to a different woman about their work, their life and their story. We are trying to share as many different perspectives of women in the city as possible. But this isn’t just a podcast celebrating women; it’s also a podcast celebrating Nottingham. Those of us living in Nottingham know the attraction of the city; its full of brilliant creatives, businesses and people. But for whatever reason, sometimes it misses the mark nationally. This podcast shouts about our successes and what Nottingham has to offer. We have spoken to Pastor Julia Paul about her essential work with FGM survivors in the city. Jaya Gordon-Moore about her experience in the Nottingham hip-hop scene. Councillor Rebecca Langton spoke about the need to encourage women into local politics and Saz Kadir bravely talked to us about her experience as a refugee coming to Nottingham from Iraq as a child. That is merely some of the great women we’ve featured and we have many more to come in the future. At the end of each episode, we ask each guest “what do you think is the most remarkable thing about being a woman?” Every week without fail we get a new answer that demonstrates how strong and amazing women are. We have just finished the first series which is available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube. The second series will start in the new year, with another selection of Nottingham’s finest. This is a home-grown podcast about local women with big stories that need to be heard, we are thrilled that these women have trusted us with that responsibility. Listen to “Women of Nottingham” here: spotify: https://spoti.fi/38HSsva Youtube - shorturl.at/ovzK5

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THE FIGHT AGAINST FGM THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Edited by Pa Modou Faal Welcome to ‘The Kind Link’ series. We will be exploring the challenges, motivations, and goals of charities with consideration to the Covid-19 situation. Non-profits organisations are a key part of our societies as they are the link between those who want to help and those who need help. Mojatu was founded in response to the local BAME communities living and working around Nottingham. One of the major areas of the charity is the campaign against FGM, which stands for female genital mutilation. The foundation is a means to spread messages to support the elimination of FGM across the UK and around the world. Mojatu works in other areas of health promotion awareness besides FGM such as diabetes, blood donation, mental health awareness trainings and campaigns among other relevant medical information. Through community journalism and other media techniques, Mojatu has been very consistent in organising tailored media training programmes for victims of FGM, Gender-Based Abuses against women and girls and for people with mental health issues. In order to challenge some of the negative stereotypes against migrant groups in the mainstream media, Mojatu recognises the need to train people to tell their own stories through their own voices. The organization works with BAME communities through community engagement and empowerment, help migrant communities and organizations to get funding so as to provide support for their own communities and awareness raising through community events and cultural activities. FGM is an issue that is not widely talked about or publicly known in the UK. Often times, people in the UK think it is an issue that does not happen locally, rather only in Africa and Asia and that it is a religious or cultural activity; however, that is not the case. FGM happens in many countries, including the UK. In 2018 alone, there had been about 80 registered cases of FGM in Nottingham meaning that 80 girls and women became victims of this violent act without their consent. FGM is recognized as a crime and punishable by the law in the UK but according to Laura McCartan of Mojatu Foundation, there had only been one successful case against the practice of FGM in the UK. Evidently, there are legal implication against this crime, but perhaps a better understanding of the issue is what is missing. People are afraid to call it out, as they think it might be culturally insensitive, however, Mojatu simply labels is as a girlchild and female abuse. Mojatu works with local authorities to help them

identify signs of FGM crimes. Nottingham City Council has been supportive of the organization’s work. This allows the community to work together in identifying the people at risk. The charity works with the people at risk of this crime and those affected by it. There is a team at Mojatu that runs counselling sessions, support groups and one-to-one support sessions (online during COVID-19). FGM can be a lifelong issue, that is why Mojatu offers long-term support to victims through counselling, advocacy strategies and training for rehabilitation, mentoring and coaching. During the lockdown stages and other government related restrictions on public gatherings, Mojatu resorted to online services to provide training for volunteers and others from the public in different areas such as FGM, mental health, media techniques on audiovisual productions, radio programme presentation as well as community conversation targeting the BAME community. In order to adapt to the community needs due to COVID-19, Mojatu has been very generation throughout the pandemic. Since the early stage of the pandemic, the organisation provided warm meals every weekend for the Muslim community during the Holy month of Ramadan as a way of support and partnership and continues to organise weekly food bank which benefits over a hundred families across Nottingham. The work of the charity has changed many lives and continues to do so in many different ways. Mojatu Foundation has become a household name in the Nottingham community for the important work and generous acts it has been doing and continues to do during the hardest moments of the COVID-19 crisis. As part of the community, Mojatu targets all groups within the BAME community and informs them of the crimes happening to girls and women within their own communities. It is encouraging that local councils and authorities have taken notice of the practice of FGM and are working with Mojatu to help identify people who suffer or might potentially suffer from FGM. As a community, we should all be a part of preventing this from happening and as well as raising awareness of key issues affecting us as a whole. We should all work together to Stop FGM and Violence Against Women. shorturl.at/aevG5

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LIFE IN THE NEW MORIAw CAMP, LESVOS: TESTIMONIES FROM THE BLACK COMMUNITIES By Ophellie Lawson On Tuesday 8th of September 2020, the famous Moria camp was consumed with fire. Thousands of refugees were forced to sleep rough on the street with no access to health and medical assistance and very poor access to food. Paul, an asylum seeker from Congo RDC, was amongst the people who found himself forced to live on the streets. Paul has been waiting for his asylum to be granted for 16 months in Lesvos. On the 19th of September, Paul, along with every single person that was left in the street of Lesvos was moved into the new camp. Europe’s new largest hotspot has been built in a peninsula called ‘Akra Asfali’ which in Greek roughly translates as ‘Safe Extemity’. However, for asylum seekers, it feels the farthest thing from safe. Unlike the old camp, the new camp is lacking the space and capacity to hold extra activities such as schools, language classes and so on, that are supporting the refugee population in their mental health whilst living in these inhumane conditions. From the old Moria camp to the streets of Lesvos, and now to the new camp, Paul’s testimony of life in the new camp gives us a first-hand account of new horrible living conditions asylum seekers suffer through on the island of Lesvos, Greece. What was the process of moving from the streets of Lesvos to the new camp like ? Paul: Moving from the street to the new camp, it was not easy. We had been just surviving in a inhuman place. When I left the old Moria camp, I expected and hoped for more than what we experienced. I left the old camp full of stress and anxiety, with a fire behind me. 8 metre high. Everyone was in distress, looking for their family members or friends. We all lost something, most of our material belongings got burnt. Losses and material damage for everyone, while we all had one destination in mind: the port of Mytilini, which is between the old camp and the centre of Mytilini. But unfortunately for us, the police came and intercepted us using truncheons. They used violence by throwing tear gas at us to stop everyone and prevent us from entering the city center. All this without taking into account the pregnant women, the mothers with their children that were amongst us. After these severe attacks, they started barricading roads to prevent people from moving forward. There were more than 12,000 people behind me who just had to abandon the camp that was on fire. You could hear screams everywhere, chaos, disorders, people crying because of the tear gas in their eyes

nobody could stand, all of this in the dark, late at night. It was so frightening I thought I was in hell on earth. The next morning we tried to cross the barriers that the police had erected but they would not let us pass. They had no pity on us. We had no water to drink, nor food. Everything behind us all had gone up in smoke. People started to get dehydrated. After a few hours, MSF (Doctor Without Borders) came and they started giving first aid to pregnant women, children, and very vulnerable people. For the rest of us, everything we tried to do to help ourselves was met with no success. The police had surrounded us and we were trapped in one place. In the street we were trapped in all the shops and supermarkets were closed, even those of us with a little money to buy a few things to eat didn’t have access to anything. My friend and I looked for a way to get inside the city center, unfortunately, we did not succeed. Read the full article here - https://rb.gy/is4flw

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w NINA AND DOUGLAS’S STORY: HOW EUROPE IS FAILING AT KEEPING BLACK ASYLUM SEEKERS SAFE By Ophellie Lawson Nina and Douglas’ journey tells a clear story of how bad Europe is failing black asylum seekers and how its institutions are sitting back comfortably in the face of this pain. It is a story that shows the reality of how just being an asylum seeker is a health risk in itself and can put you and your whole family at risk. Douglas’s experience illustrates the violence, severe abuse and neglect, of which the Greek and wider European system is responsible. Nina’s pregnancy journey and the birth of her daughter Rehoboth tells us about the tragic narrative of a broken and discriminatory migration system that is breaking families apart, endangering pregnant women, their children and the trauma this creates. Both their stories speak to and highlight the many levels and layers of violence inflicted upon the refugee population as a result of European policies on immigration,its political games and institutional racism prevalent throughout the system.

While sat down with his friends, his wife’s phone was stolen from right out of his hands as he was literally just minding his own business.

At the time, Nina, Douglas’s wife, was 6 and a half months pregnant. She was already facing difficulties with the pregnancy.

As he attempted to retrieve his wife’s phone from the man who had robbed him, another man quickly approached, pulled out a knife and stabbed Douglas. When he tried to defend himself against the attack, he was outnumbered and three other men surrounded him, attempting to stab him again. Though severely wounded, he managed to escape and run through the forest where he was chased by the group of men. Hurt, he kept running until he was able to find some people to help.

As all mothers know and have experienced care and social support during pregnancy, especially the first pregnancy, are also key to ensuring healthy mothers and a smooth birth. Continuity of care is essential in addressing maternity care and to ensure a safe pregnancy. This care is typically provided at each stage of the pregnancy, during the birth and after the child is born. Maternity care includes care provided during pregnancy, during labour and after giving birth. As an asylum seeker Nina was not provided access to any tangible care. Instead, she had to queue many times either at MSF or at the camp medical clinic whenever she would experience pain.

At this point, Douglas was bleeding so severely that he was slipping in and out of consciousness. He had to be kept awake until an ambulance finally arrived, about 30 minutes after the attack and took him to the local hospital on the island. Following his attack, Douglas’s community went to seek justice and confront the assaulter and his friends in his tent before he was arrested. Later that evening, the assaulter’s friends went back to what they assumed was Douglas’s tent and stabbed three other black men whilst looking for him. One was stabbed in the leg, another one just above his eyes, and the last one, a 19 year old boy from the Ivory Coast, was stabbed in his chest. He later died that night at the hospital. He was eating outside of the tent.

Nina and Douglas on Douglas’ hospital bed, a week after Douglas’ incident On July 6th 2020, Douglas was stabbed three times in Moria camp

Their assaulters were released after 2 days with no charges. A daily reality for Black asylum seekers on the island of Lesvos, where, as a minority, the violence inflicted on them is always met with silence.

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Winter Inside Greece’s wNotorious Refugee Camp: Moria 2.0 By Ophellie Lawson Winter is coming and along with it, dropping temperatures. On the island of Lesvos, Greece, the town of Mytilini is getting ready for Christmas. Christmas light on houses, Santa Claus’ decorations: the whole town is dressing up for it. Less than 15 minutes from the city centre of Mitilini, in Moria camp 2.0, it is another story. The residents of the new European hotspot prepare for winter in the midst of a pandemic with thousands living in tents unfit for winter. Build by the sea, the new camp’s infrastructures are no better than the old one. No proper sanitary conditions, no proper toilets. People are showering inside of tents converted into showers, using buckets of cold water, hot if they have kettles to boil it, with lockdown restrictions. “We can’t shower properly, it’s cold, and if you don’t have a kettle you can’t have any hot water. There are some NGOs trying to build some showers inside the camp, but they are only a few, maybe 4, and they are far from us” says Elvi a single woman from Congo RDC living in the camp. “And we can’t even go out .” Inside the new camp, single women, single men, families, and nationalities are separated. Elvi’s tent is near the entrance, the showers she talks about are at the other side of the camp. Inside her tent, 8 single women are sleeping on thin mats, sharing 1 electrical cooking pot to prepare warm meals. Most of the women in her tent have been waiting in the camp for months, all waiting for the results of their interviews. Women represent 23% of refugee and asylum seekers population. And there is a lack of protection to vulnerable ones. “During the very first weeks, people would take showers inside the Aegean sea,” explains Joel, “in the salty water. People would get all sort of infections, everybody inside was getting sick, the women would also showers in the sea with their children, not safe” The new camp, like the old one, is part of European migration policy, making it a necessary step for people arriving from Turkey to Greece via this route to wait in the camp until their asylum is granted. Then, they will be allowed movement to the mainland. Out of the 9,319 refugees and asylum seekers residing on Lesvos, 7,330 live in the camp, as of November 9th. (source, UNHCR) When the old Moria camp burned down back in September Europe’s solution was to quickly build a temporary new one in 11 days to accommodate what

was back then 12000 people. Until today, the camp is still under constructions to make the conditions better. “We have nothing but light blankets,” says Paul “but we have to manage with that, after all, we have no choice. A couple of thin blankets and some sleeping bags on top of mats. This is how we sleep” says Paul a single man from Congo. Inside the wall of the tents, many of the new Moria’s camp residents added layers to protect themselves against the cold. It’s not enough but it will have to do for now. “They gave us some blankets but it’s not enough” says Ahmed from Togo “We are still very cold at night” Ahmed is the president of the Togolose community, which is one of the smallest community of the camp. Their community is made of 15 men, all single. On their arrival on the island, all of them went to prison, not for committing a crime but for coming from Togo which according to the greek authorities is deemed a ‘safe zone’ meaning people from there have no solid reason to ask for asylum in Greece. Most of them have had initial rejections, meaning they have been cut of monthly financial support and often have to rely on the food distribution to eat. “The food they give us in the camp is not enough and not good, we always have to recook it for it to be edible,” says Ahmed “we the Togolese community we have it hard, we are in minority and all single men.” Inside the camp, organisations are trying to distribute blankets and winter jackets to help survive the winter and dropping temperature. But it is not enough. Most of them lost all of their clothes in the fire back in early September. To distribute some winter clothes we received as donations, I met with people from the camp. With the new lockdown restrictions, going out is not easy. The system put in place to reduce movement by fear of COVID allows people in the camp to go out a maximum of 2 times per week. Many came to meet me wearing thongs and flip flops with socks. And it’s not with their monthly financial support (75 euro for single people) that will allow them to buy pairs of shoes. Read Full article here - https://rb.gy/mny5ks

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HOW THE ABSENCE OF SPECTATORS HITS THE PRIVATE w SECURITY SECTORâ&#x20AC;ŚINTERVIEW WITH ABDOULIE JENG By Pa Modou Faal

One area where COVID-19 has been impacting upon is the private security sector. The sector has been definitely affected but unlike many other enterprises/institutions whereby most of their employees have been rendered redundant. Even during the hardest times of the pandemic, private security firms have been providing security to the general public and business operators like supermarkets and other essential businesses. They have been in the frontline helping in crowd control and enforcing social distancing rules. One of such entrepreneurs is Abdoulie Jeng who lives in Nottingham but runs a security company in Leeds called Northern Guarding Services Ltd. In this interview with Mojatu Magazine, Mr Jeng dwelt into very important points which are highlighted below in the question-and-answer interview: â&#x20AC;&#x201C; With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, how would your assessment of the situation look like compared to pre-COVID-19? Our Industry has not been badly affected that much except for the risk of delayed payments from clients and potential clients. In circumstances where payments are delayed, we struggle to pay our staff and also to keep them under our payroll because they have their families to support and bills to pay. Such situations impact directly on our relationship with staff and clients. How has COVID-19 affected your business and you as an individual? Events and retail have been almost half of our turnovers. The COVID-19 pandemic has paralysed these industries hence reducing almost half of our business reach. Imagine how hard the sporting sector has been hit and this an avenue where we had been relying on very much. Stadiums are closed and sporting events such as football, cricket, basketball, athletics to name a few; are now holding their events without spectators. We are contracted with the responsibility of controlling the crowd and ensuring that everyone is safe and secure during these events. Am sure the athletes miss the fans and while the fans also miss them, we miss them too because their presence help us pay our bills. Many employees in the security sector come in close contact with the public thereby exposing their vulnerability to catching the virus. Do you share this view? Yes, however we have been able to implement most if not all of the government guidelines and recommendations to be able to legally operate. Evidently, it is quite hard to avoid coming into with the public since our employees are tasked with controlling

the crowd within the premises and entry and exit points. They also intervene in instances where the public is not adhering to the social distancing rules especially in pubs, supermarkets, and other outlets. These are all factors that lead to exposing them to the general worries of coming into contact with the coronavirus. Many small-scale enterprises and companies have been consumed by the impact of COVID-19; do you think they can have the chance to revive from this slumber? It depends on their core business operations. By that I mean, those that were heavily reliant on an industry that is in the events, food and entertainment may find it hard to revive but those in the construction and corporate sectors will most likely revive once the country is back up and running. I am hopeful the revival will happen for most due to the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s financial help for small businesses. What is your prediction of first quarter of 2021? I am not expecting much change considering the recent increase in the virus for most and the implementation of these tier systems. The restrictions are quite bad for business and will take a longer time to recover from. My prudent prediction is therefore we may be in this till the final quarter of 2021 What kind of recovery strategy would you like to see take place in order to salvage this global crisis? A relax of Corporation tax and VAT increase which is a subject most governments in the world are considering. Most small businesses barely make enough. A rise in tax will be catastrophic to continuity of operations. What would be your advice to both job seekers and job providers? Job seekers should take on continuous training in different fields, keep their CVs up-to-date and diversify their employability network. The more competencies in various skills, the higher the chances of securing employment. Job providers, likewise, should stay up to date with government guidance and implement all the recommendations given thereof. This will help them continue operations and keep their workers safe which will play a great role in the economic recovery. Do you have a message to give to the general public? Let us all look after each other by staying at home when we can and keep following advice from Public health providers. This is a once in a century virus hopefully and we will weather the storm together.

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RELIGION AND COVID-19 By Pa Modou Faal

The Full Gospel Revival Centre is a church based in Meadows on the Bathley Street and Collygate Road junction. It was founded 56 years ago by Pastor Samuel Thomas who is also a Justice of the Peace (JP) in the city of Nottingham for 22 years. In an interview with Mojatu Magazine, Pastor Thomas spoke in depth about the successes registered by the Full Gospel Revival Centre within the community, its relevance and how the centre/church impacts on the lives of its members spiritually, socially, and culturally. In this summary of the interview he had with the Mojatu magazine [full interview is available on the online version of Mojatu magazine on issu.com/Mojatu (issue M040) and www.mojatu.com], Pastor Thomas gave a detailed analysis on how the COVID-19 pandemic hit the religious sector of our communities and how he responded to the realities sanctioned by the pandemic together with members of the church. According to Pastor Thomas, in as much as the backbone of the church is to worship and give praise to the Lord, it should not shy away from the fact that community social responsibility should be observed and attended to so that it will benefit the people they intend to serve. It is in this light Mr Thomas assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on members of his congregation and that of the community at large. He said as a pastor who preaches the teachings of Jesus, he strongly believes in his philosophy to mankind which is “feed the hungry, clothe the naked and find shelter for the homeless”. In line with this philosophy, the pandemic exposes such needs by mankind and working to finding alleviating them continues to be his prime objective as long as COVID-19 is around. One of the responsibilities of a minister he lamented, is having a heart for the people and by that he should be in the middle of things when the call is made and responding to that of COVID-19, is a relevant one.

Pastor Thomas argued that no matter how hard our lives are threatened, our faith should not dwindle, and such times are when believers should be thankful and more committed to worshipping the Lord and asking for forgiveness. It is also the time he continued when we need each other the most in sharing with the underprivileged and caring for the needy. Since the start of the pandemic, the poverty level that prevailed has increased, some have lost their jobs while others have their worktime reduced; appreciatively, the furlough is helping. These issues affected people’s social, cultural, and religious lives and on the other hand, worship places where many find peace, sanctuary and a place to connect with their Creator, have been closed or subjected to certain strict restrictions with a view to curbing down the spread of the virus. “As law abiding people who have respect for our authorities and frontline workers, we suspended all face-to-face congregations and moved on to online services. We cannot just open for a few and leave others which compelled us to catch up with technology and split our worship days into different sessions so that everyone will have the opportunity to join others online”, he revealed. He said they do have a congregation of about 150 worshippers and if they had to do physical services, only 30 are allowed to gather, and out of fear, worry and social distancing rules coupled with the logistical arrangements, Zoom has been their main place. Pastor Samuel Thomas also explained how weddings are organised (not when banned) considering the accepted number provided by law to be in attendance. The tradition has changed since the declaration of the pandemic and the norm now is strict compliance with social distancing and adherence to the health and safety regulations, he said. Funerals have also been ongoing

he said but at a very low key with a small number allowed to attend noting that these are hardly possible virtually. When asked about first communions and baptism, the pastor explained how the tradition has been shifted from face-to-face to online whereby rehearsals are made in hand before the appointed date. Sadly, he revealed that this is the first time that Christmas is celebrated in a different way. Asked how he think people will feel for not having a face-to-face Christmas service, he replied, “sad but understandable because we are not in control but the Lord, and that we have to be thankful that we are still around to celebrate it”. The pastor however, urged people to help those struggling psychologically by engaging them in dialogue and not leaving them struggle alone. He reiterated how people’s mental health have been challenged by the pandemic noting economic, religious, social, and cultural factors as key determinants. As much as one wants to help, he went on, his advice is not to take chances because that is how harm comes one’s way and how the virus spreads. Pastor Thomas concluded by alluding to the fact that the pandemic has highly affected them because they used to gather for prayer services twice a week but can no longer do so. The youth service controlled by the young people, a brothers’ service, mental health, and spiritual therapy conducted by himself which were all held in the premises of the church are now suspended. One thing though he has spoken highly of is the technological advancement without which he said would have been very difficult and more damaging to the people. The pastor also took the chance to preach the need for love, faith, and peace in our communities and to all mankind. He also called on everyone to turn back to the Lord and live by the teachings of Jesus and he also prayed for the whole world to come out of this tough time.

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NOTTINGHAM FMB RADIO SECURES FUNDING TO HELP SUPPORT LOCAL PEOPLE THROUGH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC services whereby they will interact with different professionals and learn from their useful experiences to effect change within their areas.

FMB Radio is a community based online Radio in Nottingham which promotes and advocates for community-based engagements and participation. The mantra for FMB Radio is to amplify authentic voices of the community by providing them with the platform, resources, support, and training to tell their own stories in a natural and original form. Since its inception, FMB Radio has helped some many people within the BAME community in Nottingham and environs with tailored trainings to gather, process and present programmes of their choices which are relevant to the advancement of their communities and the people living therein. As a non-profit charity, FMB Radio conducts accredited programmes ranging from radio presentation and production training, mental health, mentoring and coaching, audio-visual production, digital and social media programmes, for youths, women groups, underprivileged societies, and new and emerging communities. It is against this backdrop that the organisation received a share of £9.5million of National Lottery funding to help recover from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Agreeably, the COVID-19 pandemic inherited so many difficulties our communities are faced with, one cannot blow in thin air the reality that the BAME community has been the mostly affected. As the vulnerability of our communities are orchestrated by many factors, among them poverty, systemic racism, crime, and unemployment; FMB Radio engage different groups into meaningful community participation during the pandemic and allow them to choose among our tailored programmes, which will equip them with the prerequisites to serve as community champions and trainers to affect the desired adjustment needed within their communities. Our training programmes are recognised and accredited by Open Award which avails successful participants the techniques to function in their areas of specialisation. We also provide members of the community voluntary

The £10,000 grant has been awarded through the Covid-19 Community-Led Organisations Recovery Scheme (CCLORS). The scheme is led by independent trust Power to Change in partnership with Locality, The Ubele Initiative and Social Investment Business, and was part of The National Lottery Community Fund’s Coronavirus Community Support Fund, that was launched in May this year. In total, 302 communityled organisations have received a total of £9.5million through CCLORS to help recover from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. The total includes 205 community organisations-led by, or that support, Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities. Grants of up to £100,000 have been awarded to community-led organisations in England facing severe financial difficulties as a direct result of the coronavirus lockdown. It has helped them to launch health and wellbeing projects, develop digital education workshops and continue providing vital services for their communities. The CEO of Power to Change, Vidhya Alakeson said, “Whilst Covid-19 has had a devastating impact on people right across the country, it has disproportionately affected Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. By bringing together this strategic partnership, we’ve ensured this much-needed financial support is reaching those communities that need it most.” Power to Change is the independent trust that supports community businesses in England. Community businesses are locally rooted, community-led, trade for community benefit and make life better for local people. The sector owns assets worth £890m and comprises 9,000 community businesses across England who employ 33,600 people. From pubs to libraries; shops to bakeries; swimming pools to solar farms; community businesses are creating great products and services, providing employment, and training and transforming lives. Power to Change received its endowment from the National Lottery Community Fund in 2015. www. powertochange.org.uk @peoplesbiz press@powertochange.org.uk Read full article – Mojatu.com

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AFRICAN COMMUNITY LEADER CLAIMS NURSES ARE BEING ‘BULLIED’ INTO WORKING By Kuziva Mutisi

Nurses who are members of the African community have been “bullied” into going to work despite their disproportionately high risk of contracting coronavirus, according to claims by a community leader. Patrice Musarurwa, the 45-year-old director of African Community Nottingham (ACN), has voiced his outrage at reports of members being pressured into working despite concerns over their health, and some even demonstrating symptoms. ACN have been helping members of the African community in Nottingham of all ages who need support during the lockdown. According to Patrice, told of the concerns raised by members within the group who are nurses or work for agencies, who felt like they were being bullied into working. Patrice said, “people are under a lot of pressure and are getting assurances that there’s going to be PPE and all kinds of support, but our people are the ones dying the most. People are pushing a lot of hours and are really scared for their health but feel like they have to work.” The 45-year-old described how the nurses and agency workers who are being employed to work in care homes, become the most affected. Some of the members have expressed concerns over their job security if they do not turn up for work, he lamented.

Mr. Musarurwa further added, “we understand bosses are under a lot of pressure to take care of people in their homes but when one of us comes and says we don’t want to come into work because we don’t feel well, they risk losing their jobs. The African person does not have the liberty to stay at home and selfquarantine, and many black people don’t have the pleasure of not going to work as well”. He further revealed that many of these workers are living in rental properties and their landlords still want their rent paid, even with the government saying landlords should freeze rent, there is still gas and electric bills to pay. The situation has become severe for some in the community, which prompted Mr Musarurwa and members of the community to team up with Braai King, a Zimbabwean restaurant in Nottingham, to deliver free food to those in need. The ACN also has strong ties with communities in their native countries across Africa and many of the members have family that they support in their native countries which serves as added pressure to continue working despite the health risk. “They don’t only live to support their lives here, but many of them are custodians of their families back in Africa while most agency workers worry if they will have a job at the end of this pandemic”, he concluded.

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A Dream for a Bright Future Sinks in the Mediterranean Sea By IOM Nabie Loyce Twenty-eight-year-old Roam Khot sits in his small corner shop, in South Sudan’s capital, Juba where he explained his unforgettable experience of trying to reach the shore of Europe. Roam has gone through a rough time in his struggles for a better life and future. In 2017, he left South Sudan for Egypt with the hope of starting a new life there after losing both his parents. “I decided to leave South Sudan because I wanted a better life, better education, and I knew I would not get this here, as the country was still reeling from years of civil war,” he says. Roam, together with his friend Abraham Puok, packed a bag of clothes each, took their modest savings and embarked on a journey to Egypt, leaving behind everything they knew. In Egypt, Roam and Abraham enrolled in a university. But this adventure was short-lived, as they quickly ran out of money to cover tuition fees and living expenses. The two friends were forced to drop out and soon became homeless. “Our world came crumbling down. For weeks on end, we slept in the cold with nothing to eat,” says Roam. He adds that it was with the sheer belief that life would get better that he and his friend found the strength to survive. Eventually, the pair started doing jobs like cleaning houses and working as loaders at construction sites to earn money. It was during this time that they heard that beyond Egypt lay Europe – the place to go, the land of immense opportunities. The desire to leave for Europe kept growing in them, and soon after they took the plunge and decided to join the thousands of migrants who try crossing the Mediterranean, despite the many horror stories about the journey. “Egypt was not the place for us anymore, hope for a better tomorrow lay across the sea.” The two set off on foot to Libya, which is notorious for traffickers and smugglers willing to ship migrants and refugees across the dangerous waters to Europe. “It was a journey of perseverance and certainly not for the fainthearted,” recalls Roam. “But desperation will push you to the limits.” A week later they reached Tobruk, a port city in Libya, on the border with Egypt. It would take another three months to get to the Libyan capital, in the west. When they eventually arrived in Tripoli, they scrambled to collect enough cash and pay smugglers, their perceived gateway to a brighter future. Roam, Abraham and some 200 migrants boarded a vessel and set off on the long, dangerous route towards European shores. However, the two migrants’ dreams of starting a new life in Europe would soon plunge into the abyss of the sea. The engine of the overcrowded boat stopped working. Surrounded by water, the

prospect of reaching their destination dwindled. After what seemed like a lifetime, they were picked up by the Libyan coastguard and returned to a detention centre. A month later, after paying their way out of detention, Roam and Abraham would attempt the voyage again. This time, ending in immense tragedy. Roam related that the vessel they were in capsized. Abraham, his friend, and companion, was among the tens of migrants who drowned. While Roam still found it difficult to piece together details of how he got back to shore, he survived. “I watched my friend die and there was nothing I could do to save him. This haunts me every day.” Roam did not attempt to cross again. He decided to go back home with support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM). As part of the work to assist migrants who choose to voluntarily return to their countries of origin, the IOM country offices in Libya and South Sudan collaborated to assist Roam to return to South Sudan. He received accommodation at his most vulnerable, as well as post arrival counselling, along with funds to rent a small shop and to buy stock. Today, Roam shares his story while sitting in his very own shop. “I was able to open this shop that is bringing in a small income and helping me live,” says Roam. “This shop helped me rebuild my life.” Although business is at times slow, particularly in view of the economic pressures in South Sudan, Roam is confident that his business will grow. “I have gone through difficulties in my life, but I’m still standing. I believe the same applies to business,” he says. “I am happy to be back in South Sudan to rebuild my life with optimism for a better life,” says Roam. Roam is among the beneficiaries of the EU-IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration funded by the European Union Emergency Trust Fund for Africa. Since 2017, the programme assisted more than 11,500 migrants with post-arrival reception and reintegration assistance in the Horn of Africa.

14 Community

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Health Organisation For Life (HOL) Health Organisation for Life HOL is a Nottingham registered communitybased organisation born out of the quest for raising awareness on healthy living through the food we consume and how to balance it with health and wellbeing. The awareness further stretches to not only giving information on what kind of food we should eat but how we can cultivate the crops. Essentially, HOL covers three important areas which have a direct impact on our lives. These areas are nutrition and disease awareness, agronomics and entrepreneurship, and physical wellbeing and education. HOL aims to play a pivotal role in PostCOVID-19 by availing people the opportunity to engage into a new and meaningful way of living through the above-mentioned areas of intervention. In the area of health, HOL conducts awareness and sensitisation campaigns through workshops/seminars, community conversations (both face-to-face and online), drop-In sessions and newsletters and leaflets within vulnerable communities. This initiative aims to keep people abreast of balance diet and what types of food do they need to boost the immune system of the body. HOL believes that the rise in diseases such as

diabetes, hypertension, gout and other discomforting disease like gastritis among others, comes from eating habits; some could be genetic though. By providing the public with the right dietary information, will save more lives as well as positively impact on our mental stability and confidence. HOL works with dieticians and health professionals in providing the most needed information for our communities. The slogan â&#x20AC;&#x153;eat what you grow and grow what you eatâ&#x20AC;?, serves as our mantra to a healthy living for all. HOL encourages the participation of everyone, regardless of age, to get into agriculture. A day in the farms or gardens improves our mental wellbeing and not only that, but it also avails us the opportunity to keep our connection with nature. HOL is negotiating in acquiring a vast land for agricultural purposes with the objective of engaging and encouraging volunteers into agricultural ventures. This initiative promotes the notion of eating what you grow and other forms of entrepreneurship. Members of the community will be led to field trips where they will take part in some farming and tree planting exercises with the view to helping in growing what we eat. The entrepreneurial aspect is to generate income through the sales of the produce which would be ploughed back to the community in the form of remuneration for workers

Nottingham connected and community projects aimed at bettering their lives. The education aspect of HOL is to inculcate knowledge in the community. Within the organisation of HOL, there are educationists who are formulating a training scheme targeting community leaders as trainers and school children as household trainers. The community leaders with be equipped with all the prerequisites to train members of their communities on healthy living. They will not only be trained by educationists but by dieticians and health professionals in the areas of healthy and balanced diet, first aid, mental health among other salient areas. The reason for training young children/students is to impart basic knowledge in them which they will in turn transmit to their families, friends and classmates. Other forms of education include information dissemination through books, pamphlets, posters, and newsletters. There will be visits to schools and inter-school quiz/debate competitions based on topics relating to healthy living will be held and lucrative prices will be contested by students from different schools. Physical wellbeing is not just the absence of disease. It includes lifestyle behaviour choices to ensure health, avoid preventable diseases and conditions, and to live in a balanced state of body, mind, and spirit. Under this category, HOL will be organising open sporting activities across Nottingham. Family fun days will be organised quarterly with exception to holiday periods.

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In the summer periods when schools are closed and children would want to engage with physical activities, HOL will be organising both indoor and outdoor events for children and parents alike to have fun through musical but physical activities and other sporting activities. HOL also aims to compliment the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s effort in tackling obesity. Obesity is mostly caused by unbalanced diet thus amplifying the need for the promotion and support of the HOL initiative. HOL also believes that an active community transcends into a healthy one and in order to tackle obesity, the campaign for healthy eating and physical activities should be aggressive. In light of promoting such an initiative, HOL will be officially launching the organisation in April of 2021 (subject to the defeat of the COVID â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 19). People of valued expertise in the areas of health and nutrition, agriculture and entrepreneurship, education, sports and wellbeing; are encouraged to join and help our communities live a healthier life. This project will be replicated in The Gambia and eventually in other African countries and volunteers are solicited and ideas welcomed. Evidently, this is a worthwhile initiative but requires a lot of support. HOL solicits the generosity and support of people, government and non-government organisations. For more info, visit http://healthorganisationforlife.org or email: info@healthorganisationforlife.org

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MY BLACK IDENTITY PROJECT Given the impact of COVID amongst our communities, alongside the resurgence of Black Lives Matter protests and discussions, Fearless Youth Association, Mojatu Foundation, The Primary, Castle Cavendish, Nottingham Trent University, GAIN Diaspora and Nottingham City Homes have put together Creative Media Packs to distribute across communities in Nottingham to celebrate Black history, culture and identity. The aim of these packs is: • • • • •

To empower and celebrate communities To enable other communities to understand Black and New Emerging communities better To spread awareness of the complex and diverse range of Black history To encourage creativity and To celebrate identity and social cohesion.

Our Black Identity packs contain images and creative media contents and competitions with hard copies, online and mobile device participation coupled with online based response and engagement platform. We are offering you the chance to display your creativity on our online exhibit, celebrating what your blackness means to you. The aim of this exhibit is for you to share your thoughts and feelings about identity. If you would like to order a pack, please email jaya@ fyaonline.com

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Have a look at our website: www.myblackidentity.co.uk

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18 Community

“NGeniusTV has brought a unique game show to Youtube. The Pilot has been produced and will be exclusively aired on Youtube Channel Real Talk TV. The show see’s a panel of Nottingham based social media personalities try to identify which person from a 5 person line up is telling the truth about their profession. Challenging their own perceptions and stereotypes, the eclectic panel will ask random and wacky questions to try and seek out the true professional. However, with over £200 worth of prizes available for each line up, the contestants aim to deceive the panel and convince them that they are the real ‘Jobs Worth’. As an independent business owner, Eugenious knows only too well the challenges the past 12 months has brought, from social injustice to a global pandemic. These two factors became the inspiration for a game show which brings together the community through humour, support of local businesses (almost 20 have invested in supplying prizes) and raising awareness of the stereotypes many of us have about certain professions.” Commenting on the upcoming shows, Eugenious (the creator and host) has said: “Jobs worth is not just a game show that ticks a variety of boxes socially and comically. Through the use of humour, the show aims to bring awareness to and challenge our own perceptions and stereotypes in a time where we all need to laugh at ourselves through a unified acknowledgment that even though we know not to judge a book by its cover, we often do.”

Bleu Nottingham’s first make up academy providing one to one lessons as well as a range of other services including brows, hair, nails, lashes and lip fillers.

Say It Sweet Beautifully crafted customised sweet treats in a variety of styles from hampers to bouquets and everything in between.

Genius Clothing Nottingham The mission of GCN ‘Genius Clothing Nottingham’ is to represent the Genius gene in you. GCN aims to be synonymous with both confidence and creativity. Our products, and the cultural values they embody, blend tradition innovation, fantasy and that Genius Gene.

TodoLatino In Spanish, ‘Todo Latino’ means ‘everything Latin’, which is exactly what founder Amanda Hawley brings to people across the Midlands. Winning the prestigious title of ‘Salsa Teacher of the Year 2010’, Amanda’s UK-wide

reputation for many Latin dance styles makes her an asset to the industry teaching from absolute beginners to national competition standard.

Lioness Fitness The purpose of Lioness Fitness is to give people from all walks of life somewhere to call home & people to call family, somewhere to be surrounded by like-minded people & somewhere to go; especially when needing to feel good. The Lioness Fitness family covers a broad spectrum of people & ages... with the youngest family member being 9 years of age, while the current eldest family member is 58 years of age!

Mojatu Foundation #Mojatu Foundation transform communities and individuals through health, media, training, and community engagement initiatives thereby enabling them to tackle issues affecting them more effectively.

Fearless Youth Association Young people organization focussed on recruiting, training, and engaging young people seeking to turn their lives around. This is through the provision of online and

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Sponsors for Jobs Worth offline skills development opportunities in music and digital content production and active engagement, enabling them to refrain from youth and gang violence, tackling knife crime, and helping them to become active, responsible, confident, and mindful citizens.

Ugly Bread Bakery Two times winner of ‘The Best Bakery’ at the National Bakery Awards, Ugly Bread Bakery is a modern bakery concept with sour dough breads and pizzas. With a café situated in the heart of Hockley, serving breakfast, handmade pizzas, mezzalunas, breads, deli products and more and now with an online shop with other Nottingham brand.

Aroma your home Nottingham based, luxury home fragrance and gift brand. Using eco-friendly soy wax melts, Aroma Your Home has an extensive range using the highest quality of designer and other fragrances.

Candy Apple Couture The first ever candy apple

business in Nottingham selling bespoke one of a kind apples and strawberries and many more sweet gift.

Style Basement Female clothing brand created in Nottingham available worldwide offering a range of looks to keep you ahead of the trends at great prices.

Jade Ashleigh The brand Jade Ashleigh began from a passion for design and individuality. Our goal is to create a unique style that is fresh, but also bold enough to push the limits of current trends. We believe that fashion, like any other art form, should have no limitations and should never be boxed-in by genres. We live by the code that quality should never be sacrificed for any reason that is why we use the best and trustworthy suppliers from the UK.

Michael Mills Photography Alfreton based photographer with 25 years’ experience ranging from family shoots through to fashion and commercial editorials.

Framez 4 You Offering the trendiest sunglasses for men and women from premium ranges.

Genius Dating A creative speed dating event across the East Midlands where you can meet likeminded individuals.

Beauty by Business Bombshell A beauty range providing visually stunning, cruelty free products aiming to make users feel their best authentic self at all times.

Dream Crafter Dream Crafter is a small Instagram and Facebook based business. The business offers homemade crafts which are personalised to each customers requirement. Dream Crafter’s homemade crafts include, wooden flower letters, flower boxes, flower wreaths and during Christmas time Christmas wreaths. Orders can be placed through Facebook messenger or through direct message on Instagram.

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20 Community

THE GRAND BAZAAR OPENS IN THE MEADOWS By Pa Modou Faal

Basically, the reason we chose this area is because we have noticed the big demand for such a grocery store with a variety of supply in African, Asian, and international products including a butchery section which we notice, do not exist within the Meadows community. At the butcherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s section we sell daily fresh halal products like chicken, beef and lamb and mutton meat. Are you challenged by any hitch as a result of the pandemic?

The COVID-19 pandemic did not only threaten our living conditions, but it has also hit the economy very hard. Among the areas where it had a high impact is big businesses but some small-scale enterprises such as grocery stores, are not complaining like the bigger ones. One great example is the opening of the Grand Bazaar store in the Meadows in Nottingham. The Grand Bazaar started its operations in the Meadows area during the period the second wave of the pandemic reached its peak. Many were cynical of the timing and how hard the pandemic could hit the business, but if there is any sector of business in town which is booming, it would be grocery stores. In this interview with the editor of Mojatu Magazine Pa Modou Faal, the proprietor explains why he chose to open a grocery in the meadows:

I think you need to understand the overall need of the community first. Considering the fact that the Meadows is multi-culturally diverse community, we saw the need to be diverse as well in regard with the products we bring to the market and the reasonability of their price. We are endeavouring to making sure that every member of the community feels welcomed and they will find most of the things they need without having to travel to the city. Why did you choose to start your business in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic when most businesses are faced with a lot of financial challenges? Well, I do not think that is the case for the retail store like groceries. We have noticed during the pandemic that some of the major grocery stores that have been operating in Nottingham for many years now, have been increasing their prices when people needed them the most. This created panic within the consumers,

Nottingham connected even though wholesale suppliers have repeatedly assured them that they had huge stock at the same prices and that there was no need to increase the prices of those basic commodities. It is in this light that we deemed it as a good idea to open this store here not only for the Meadows community but also for those in the surrounding at the same time having in mind the health and safety regulations. What is the response level from the community? We are very surprised with the response we are getting from the community especially when we just started. We were somehow panicking while filling in the shelves and displaying the products and their prices because we were just making a trial and not planning to open to the public on that day but the response was beyond our expectation. Since then, we have been receiving the support of the community and that is making the business smoothly flowing and we really appreciate that. Comparatively, what is the price variation between the Grand Bazaar and other place? I do not want to call names, but our meat section is second to none. The products we are selling here are more customer friend and, in some instance, the difference goes up to about ÂŁ1.50 to ÂŁ2 per kilogram. The reason is we look for cheaper suppliers and we have created cordial working relationship with the suppliers at slaughterhouses and we go to collect fresh

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and clean raw meat just to give our customers the best product at reasonable prices. Are you happy with the trend of the business? Yes! We are looking forward to seeing the business move forward and so far, so good because the turnout is good. We are happy with what we have achieved since we opened, and we are hopeful that such will continue to be the norm. Would you call on other investors too by encouraging them to in other communities far from town? We may not help directly, but we are indirectly. Previously, people around here had to go to Sneinton or Hyson Green just to buy their basic provisions like rice, meat and traditional or cultural products. To get to those places, they would need to take the bus, the tram, a taxi or drive there themselves and that is somehow uncomfortable and more cost incurring, but they do not have worry anymore now since we are at the doorsteps. The price we offer them here are more reasonable compared to those in town. What you be your last word? My last word would be I do not want anybody feeling unwelcomed here because the Grand Bazaar is the shop for the local community, and we are open everyday of week. We are open Monday to Saturday from 8am to 9pm and from 8am on Sundays to 7pm.

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22 Covid-19 Support Work

‘CAN’T BELIEVE WHAT YOU SAY BECAUSE I SEE WHAT YOU DO’ –Why Black people do not trust the COVID-19 vaccine. By Jaya Gordon-Moore (@JayaHadADream)

I want to point out that I am not trying to change anyone’s opinion on the vaccine. The intention of this article is to gain more of an understanding as to why black people seem more hesitant to take Pfizer’s vaccine in the UK. Whether you are pro-vaccine, anti-vaccine, or somewhere in-between… the aim of this article is for us to understand why there is a large amount of people in our community who are against the COVID-19 vaccine. As the vaccine begins to be rolled out across Britain, starting with over-70’s and those from ‘Black Asian and Minority Ethnic’ communities, both online and through protesting, we have seen an increase in anti-vaxxers. Some believe it is a ‘plandemic’ to enforce a police state, whereas others believe that COVID-19 is real, but that the vaccine is harmful, and we are not being told all that we need to know. This rhetoric is laced with the idea of freedom and rights. On the other hand, provaxxers argue that anti-vaxxers are entitled conspiracy theorists who just want something to complain about. However, when focusing on the black anti-vaxxers, it is far more complex. Before we get another Tory MP blame an increase of cases on ‘the BAME community’ (I want to emphasis here that this is the same community that is disproportionately impacted by the virus), we need to recognise the validity of their anxiety and panic around the virus. This rebel against the vaccine does not emerge out of nowhere. It descends

from longstanding racial bias, institutional racism and discrimination across institutions, namely in healthcare, government and science, stemming back to slavery, pseudo-science, colonialism, and eugenics. Racial discrimination in UK healthcare Not only is there a lack of representation across powerful institutions in Britain, leading to an increase in distrust in our healthcare system, there is also a history of racial bias and discrimination against black people in our healthcare system. This is portrayed in various ways such as lack of access, lack of choice, prejudice and disrespect. One example of this mistreatment is through pregnancy and childbirth. Several studies suggest that Black women experience more pregnancy loss. Despite the argument that this is due to socioeconomic factors, the statistics are still true amongst black women from richer socioeconomic backgrounds. Overall, white women will receive more effective medical care and social service assistance than Black women. The structural racism is undeniable. Furthermore, Black people are less likely to go the GP or Hospital compared to their white counterparts. Nevertheless those who do go, are at risk of not getting effective treatment they deserve. ‘if a patient’s cultural, social and religious needs are not scrupulously considered, these will inevitably affect his reactions and may exacerbate his symptoms’ (Blofeld, 2003:23)

Nottingham connected History of abuse: pseudo science and experiments Colonialism was instilled as a moral compass not only through slavery and imagery, but through pseudoscience, labelling Blacks as savage, irrational creatures that need to be governed like animals. In the 17001800s, Naturalist Georges Cuvier and likeminded individuals justified these ideas further through human zoo displays across Europe, exhibiting black subgroups like artifacts such as the pygmies and south African tribes, then dissecting their bodies posthumously, coming up with detailed theories on their barbarism. In fact, the highly honoured scientist Charles Darwin created the hierarchy of races in ‘The Descent Of Man’, which became the backbone of biology, anthropology and race studies during the enlightenment age. These are the same ideas that influenced eugenics, and ideas that can be found in Hitlers ideology around race and hierarchy. Post-slavery, this ideology continued across western society. For example, the Tuskegee Syphilis trials in America, where unethical clinical trials were set up, exploiting black bodies. Black men in Alabama were tricked into having free blood tests. However those who signed up were part of a study analysing the effects of untreated syphilis. These trials lasted up until 1972. Many were left to die and went blind without any treatment. In summary they were treated as disposable, as less valuable than white bodies.

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trust and importance of government for people in the UK, particularly those who suffer from inequality, such as the Black community. The recent influx in civil rights movements worldwide has encouraged us all to keep learning about identity politics and intersectionality’s. This has opened a huge discussion on what our state apparatus in teaching us and the dynamics within it. For example, the education curriculum in the UK has been criticised heavily this year for not teaching us ‘the full story’ of our shared history, justifying the false idea that we are in a ‘postracial’ society, where race no longer influences our experiences and opportunities. Consequently, many do not trust what they are told by any institutions, despite any kind of validity. ‘Can’t believe what you say because I see what you’ – James Baldwin.

One of the most important quotes to understand our society and how it has become what it is today is from Isaac Newton, ‘We are standing on the shoulders of giants’. It’s like the butterfly effect, everything that happened in our society’s past; wars, divides, events, politics, economic – all are part of the building blocks of today’s society – it has shaped us. Further, we can argue that these building blocks influence our social classification, who we are, who ‘they’ are, what are purpose is, what their purpose is. Undoubtedly out of this comes prejudice and further, discrimination. We are not exempt from the norms and values of the past – the pseudo-science of the past may have developed through modern science into more valid research, but it still has further to go. Deep rooted complex bias needs to be tackled. Civil Rights Movement 2020 Hart & Henn’s (2017) research on political participation in the UK highlighted and ever growing gap between politics and the younger generations due to lack of trust and lack of access. Moreover the increased individualism of our neoliberal, consumerist, free-forall society has increased the gap between us and the government. The way our government has dealt with issues like the financial crisis, Grenfell fire, Windrush enquiry, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Black Lives Matter Movement has further increased the lack of

There are several lessons we can gather from this discussion, to name them all would be an article in itself. There is so much more community work and difficult conversations that need to be had across institutions and communities. We need to build a stronger, more effective healthcare system, with more diversity within the powerful, decision-making roles. If our government wants less chaos, divides and confusion, it needs to reform its approach into a more mindful, informative and honest institution. Further, a more honest and accountable education system has the potential to rebuild trust between communities.

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24 Covid-19 Support Work

HOOKS FOR CHANGE Careers & Creative Packs for Young People in Nottingham By Jaya Gordon-Moore

Here at Fearless Youth Association we are beginning to plan and collect information for a project called ‘Hooks 4 Change’, aimed to increase social mobility and social capital for young people (age 14-18) from poor socio-economic backgrounds across Nottingham. We believe that many young people want to get involved in more opportunities in this city, but do not know where to go and who is offering what – we plan to help guide them.

• A career focused brochure: guidance on how to develop their careers, who offers what in Nottingham (e.g. work experience opportunities, careers mentoring, college/ university application support & more) • Notepads and pens to help plan their futures/goals • Mind map/goal setting resources & activities • Mental Health Support information • Contact details of organisations that can help further.

‘Hooks for change’ is a criminological concept arguing that people stay away from crime when they are exposed to ‘turning points’ in life. As we all know, Young people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities suffer the most from educational inequality and lack of social mobility, ever-widening the gap of achievement and representation across institutions and powerful positions. Not only are people from these communities stigmatised by racial bias, but they are more likely to be from impoverished areas which also has a direct correlation to educational attainment and social mobility. Furthermore, young people from these communities are more likely to be victims of crime, and less likely to have access to opportunities inside and outside of school to change their position. It is important to address this injustice because it has the potential to not only show institutions the importance of elevating these young people, but also offers them a chance to grow, move away from potentially dangerous situations, and help them explore opportunities available for them.

What we need: We are reaching out to you to see what you can provide to these brochures, whether its opportunities to get involved in projects you are running, free/discounted training programmes, careers guidance, or any other helpful resources or materials that young people can benefit from.

What we plan to do: With the help from a range of organisations in the city, we are hoping to distribute ‘Hooks 4 Change’ packages across Nottingham to those from these disadvantaged backgrounds. Offering them: • A creative pathway brochure: guidance on how to get involved in creative avenues, who offers what in Nottingham and any free opportunities & resources (e.g. free /discounted music studio time, creative training programmes, software & more)

If this sounds like something you and your organisation are interested in getting involved in, we have created a quick google form to help us understand what you offer: shorturl.at/lmtKN This is not only an opportunity for young people in Nottingham to access the support they need, but also a chance for you to promote the amazing work you are doing. As we all know, it can sometimes be difficult to reach the people we need to help the most, one of the aims of these packs is to bridge this ever-growing gap. This is not only an opportunity for young people to get involved in more in their city, but also an opportunity for you to reach more of the people you are aiming to help. What next: Once we have collected all the responses and organisations who would like to contribute to the brochure and how, we will be reaching out to you via the email address you have provided for any other information needed. If you have any other questions about this project, please do not hesitate to email us- jaya@fyaonline.com

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28 Covid-19 Support Work

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30 Covid-19 Support Work Media & Digital Skills

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A COMPLETE GUIDE

A PROJECT BY: Nottingham Equal Mojatu Foundation FMB Radio Project Fearless Youth Association C o n v e r s a t i o n s Tr a i n i n g

Read Full Guide - https://bit.ly/38PZYnN

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NOTTINGHAMSHIRE TO GET MASS TESTING FOR COVID-19 By Charlotte Smith

Following the success of the pilot scheme in Liverpool, it is understood discussions are underway for a similar scheme to next take place across Nottinghamshire. Over 23,000 people have taken the new lateral flow tests in Liverpool, which give results in 15 minutes. This is part of a scheme to ramp up and expand current testing, with an initial batch of 600,000 tests being shared across 50 directors of public health, including in Nottingham. The aim is to detect more asymptomatic cases, as many of these currently go undetected. By catching these cases it will greatly reduce the spread of the virus and therefore the infection level. A higher proportion of those with the disease will be self-isolating, cutting off transmission links. In Nottinghamshire 400 beds are occupied by COVID-19 patients. This is higher than the peak of the virus back in April. It has been widely said that a rapid, widespread and accurate test and trace system will be key to controlling the virus, so people are able to go out and meet again. Read full article here - https://rb.gy/almr7n

FEMALE-FRIENDLY TOILETS By Charlotte Smith

In many countries, particularly low-and-middle-income countries, a lack of safe toilet facilities is a still complex issue. Despite gains in safe sanitation being made in recent years, the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals highlighted that 2.4 billion people still lack access to basic sanitation services, such as toilets and latrines. This lack of sanitation facilities is closely linked to malnutrition and diarrhoea, one of the biggest killers of children under five in the world. Besides the obvious disease impacts, a lack of a safe sanitation space is closely linked to women suffering both socially and economically. Unsafe toilet facilities can lead to anxiety and abuse, particularly for pregnant or disabled women. Spending so much time in search of a safe sanitation space can reduce the amount of time that can be spent doing other things. For example, girls in school may have to take days off each month due to menstruation because of the inadequate facilities in school, which harms their education and in turn their futures. Read full article here - https://rb.gy/l5xnos

WHO WAS IT WHO MEANT JOE BIDEN WON THE VOTE? By Charlotte Smith

One group who were pivotal in Joe Biden and Kamala Harris winning the White House this past week were Black voters. From Biden’s primary victory in South Carolina - which helped him earn the party nomination - to his win in Pennsylvania that won him the election, overwhelming support from Black voters caused that momentum. Polls state almost nine in 10 black voters backed the Democrats in this election, showing up in huge numbers and none more so than in the state of Georgia, which has been reliably Republican for a long time. It finally flipped to Democrat in this election in a crucial victory for Biden. Much credit for this has been attributed to Stacey Abrams. In 2018, Stacey Abrams made history as the first African-American women to run for governor, against Republican challenger and long-time Georgian Secretary of State, Brian Kemp. He went on to win the race by just over 50,000 votes. Stacey Abrams did not concede, citing voter suppression - registrations for more than 1 million Georgia residents had been cancelled due to “inactivity”. An analysis of the records by Associated Press found that this list of voter registrations on hold is nearly 70% Black, despite Georgia being approximately 32% Black. Meanwhile, the person in charge of maintaining these voter rolls was her opponent. Two years later, Stacey Abrams and a network of grassroots volunteers had registered over 800,000 voters, being widely praised for the Democrats lead. This could be even more critical – Georgia’s senate seats are headed to a crucial runoff in January. This runoff may determine which party holds the Senate and therefore holds the power in passing legislation. If Georgia wins Biden the Senate, Stacey Abrams and her volunteers may have made a historic difference. Read Full article here - https://rb.gy/6oxpjv

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CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS GOING UP IN NOTTINGHAM CITY CENTRE By Charlotte Smith

It cannot be denied that 2020 has been a difficult year for everyone and many of us are already turning to Christmas to get us through these last two months. With lockdown set to end before Christmas, people are hoping that they can finally meet with their families and enjoy their usual Christmas traditions. If you live in Nottingham, one of those traditions may well be an evening at the Winter Wonderland in Old Market Square. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the availability of this is in doubt, as is the prospect of a Christmas light switch-on. There has been no news yet of these staple Nottingham Christmas events, but multiple other councils have cancelled switch-on events. Despite this, some form of Christmas preparation is starting to happen, with a spokesperson for Nottingham City Council confirming their contractor is putting up the annual Christmas lights. These were seen by multiple people going up at the Council House in Old Market Square on Monday 16th. Lights have also gone up across the city centre, in Angel Row, Friar Lane and Exchange Walk, among others. While there may not be a lights switch on this year in the City Centre, Wollaton Hall have planned a brand new outdoor light spectacle for Christmas this year, starting on the 3rd December. Read full article here - shorturl.at/DNOU1

COPING WITH MALARIA AMID COVID-19 By Charlotte Smith

Due to disruptions this year in delivering mosquito nets and medicines, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has predicted malaria deaths across sub-Saharan Africa could double. This could reach the point that disruptions due to COVID-19 may end up resulting in more deaths elsewhere (from malaria, TB and HIV) than from coronavirus itself. Non-profits have been tirelessly working to save lives, including Speak up Africa and PATH on their Zero Malaria Starts With Me Campaign. This aims to increase awareness and prioritize malaria with the long-term aim of eliminating it altogether. It works in three pillars: engaging governments, the private sector and local communities. Some countries have experience of deadly diseases already having suffered from the Ebola outbreak in 2014. In Sierra Leone, this is both a blessing and a curse. They have experience in slowing the spread of a deadly virus, but people were also naturally fearful when COVID-19 hit. This can harm children because their families fear going to health centres and hospitals due to catching COVID-19. If a child with a fever isn’t checked out, nobody will know if it’s something more serious. Read Full article here - shorturl.at/hiDU5

HOW TO CROSS THE POLITICAL DIVIDE ON CLIMATE CHANGE By Charlotte Smith

Political opinion is currently divided, as are the issues that people are concerned about. There is definitely some cross-party agreement on the urgency of Climate Change – it was Conservative leader Theresa May who set into law the UK’s commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, which has continued to be championed. However, during focus groups in the Northern England seats Boris Johnson won in 2019 the concerns were not broad, global issues but the immediate and the local: jobs, family, local community. The wide-sweeping distaste for experts and politicians means ambitious climate strategies and change need to be carefully thought through so as to avoid alienating the public. Nearly all the media’s climate coverage focuses on left-wing policies, most notably the US Democratic Green New Deal. Meanwhile, right-wing voters have heard very little about how climate action can improve their lives and wellbeing. A local focus and utilising community opinions could help this, often ordinary people from all walks of life can all agree on things the government should be doing. Climate Assembly UK brings 100 UK citizens (representative of the country) together to discuss what climate policies they agree with. The end results showed people are willing to implement and support actions for climate reduction, even those who aren’t overly interested in the issue. For example, there was a strong consensus that government bailouts from COVID-19 shouldn’t go to high-carbon industries. Read Full article here - shorturl.at/dzIN1

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Coronavirus and Homelessness: how the government can do better By Hattie Gomme

The county of Nottinghamshire is home to some of the most deprived communities in the country, with areas in Nottingham East such as Sneinton and St Ann’s being ranked in the top 10% most deprived areas nationally. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic nearly 1000 families were threatened with homelessness during the first lockdown and with the colder months approaching, charities are calling on the government to do more to help keep these people safe. It cannot be denied that efforts have been made to help deal with this issue, as the number of families in temporary accommodation has risen due to efforts by the likes of charities, councils and governments to provide shelter during the height of the pandemic in March. The government also pledged £700 million to tackle homelessness this year. Read full article here – Mojatu.com

Knife Crime and COVID - By Hattie Gomme Despite the country now going into its second lockdown of the year, tensions between drug gangs are amounting to a ‘power struggle’ in the Meadows and St Ann’s in Nottingham. According to the force’s knife crime team, which is based at St Ann’s Police Station, knife crime has not decreased despite the current circumstances of COVID-19. In fact, criminals are now finding more ways to not get caught by the police. Examples of such methods include buying Tasers disguised as mobile phones and encouraging young children and women to carry drugs for them to avoid being prosecuted. Sergeant Matthew Daley, the new knife crime lead for Nottinghamshire Police told Nottinghamshire Live that whilst the pandemic had transformed the lives of the vast majority of the population “for criminals their business has not changed much”. Read full article here - shorturl.at/ftxP1

Social Media: The Failure of Instagram during COVID-19 - By Hattie Gomme A recent engagement report into user engagement with brands on Instagram revealed that throughout the pandemic, particularly at the height of lockdown, this engagement dipped to the lowest level of the year 2020 so far. Yet, despite this decline in engagement with potential positive brands, that may well help small businesses thrive, the platform has experienced further troubles regarding its policy on removing harmful and hateful content. The children’s charity, the NSPCC has said that the drop in Facebook’s (who run Instagram) removal of such content was a ‘significant failure in corporate responsibility’. Instagram has attempted to justify such poor actions by asserting that the restrictions imposed as a means of curbing the spread of the pandemic, meant that content moderators were sent home. Now, they claim that as moderators start to go back to work, the removal of harmful content has increased. However, is this enough? Tara Hopkins, the head of Instagram’s public policy has said that ‘from July to September we took action on 1.3m pieces of suicide and self-harm content, over 95% of which we found proactively.’ Yet, in their article on the matter, the BBC used the heading ‘not surprised’ to quote Chris Gray, a former Facebook moderator who is now involved in a legal dispute with the company: “it’s chaos, as soon as humans are out, we can see…there’s just way, way more self-harm, child exploitation, this kind of stuff on platforms because there’s nobody there to deal with it.’ Read full article here - shorturl.at/ikr69

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Covid-19 Support Work

Students in Lockdown By Hattie Gomme

Since students returned to their second homes in cities where they attend university, there has unsurprisingly been a rise in COVID-19 cases. Along with other factors, England has now entered ‘Lockdown 2.0’. However, over the last few days reports have emerged regarding the University of Manchester erecting £11,000 worth of fencing around student halls to prevent non-residence from entering the premises. Such actions sparked protests and upset amongst the student community, so much so that the University of Nottingham released a statement condoning the move. The brief statement, from the elected student union officers concluded with the ‘your welfare is our priority’. The comments come after the university has set up two COVID-19 testing centres on University Park and Jubilee campus and is working hard to establish welfare connections and extending deadlines in the most stress-free manor. Although there have been various horror stories about catered halls on Nottingham’s campus, it seems that the university is continuing to attempt to adapt to the ‘new normal’. Whilst stories of students not receiving the correct food and being subject to their rooms is awful and should not be happening, as the end of term creeps closer and Christmas approaches, it seems that the university is attempting to become adept to the current climate. Through working with the local community in ways such as extending the university hopper bus service route to relive pressure from other public transport, and trying to make education seem as normal as possible with limited disruption, the university seems to be striving to make this work. Read full article here – mojatu.com

Poorest areas in England hit put public heath grant cuts By Hattie Gomme A recent analysis from the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) has suggested that the poorest areas of England have seen the biggest cuts to councils’ public health budgets. What is more, it is these regions that have also been hit the hardest by COVID-19. This type of funding is typically aimed at supporting stop smoking, weight loss and sexual health programmes on a local level however, since 2014, the IPPR North think tank has said that the public health grant has been cut by around £13.20 per person across England. These cuts are also not evenly distributed. Communities such as Bensham in Gateshead are facing greater health issues due to the lack of funding into housing and jobs further contributing to the notion that, in the current climate of COVID-19 the virus, whilst arguably not discriminating, is more likely to have a worse impact on deprived communities. Moreover, other regional variations include the Midlands where the cuts equate to a loss of £16.70 per person and in northern areas it is £15.20 per person. The worse area affected though is the north east region, where cuts amount to a staggering £23.24 per person. Anna Round, a senior research fellow at IIPR and one of the co-authors of the new report said that ‘investment in making health better has actually been cut most in the areas that most need it’. Beyond issues regarding health, funding also helps programmes such as the Comfrey Garden project in Gateshead which offers refugees and asylum seekers skills training as well as giving them greater confidence and purpose. Hossein Elahi Boroujeni, a refugee from Iran started attending the courses, became a volunteer and is now a paid employee. He said, ‘you can see how different my life can be with Comfrey Project and without Comfrey Project’. Read full article here - shorturl.at/mGLS9

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IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON MIGRATION International Migrants Day – 18/12/2020 Source: International Organisation for Migration (IOM) COVID-19 was the defining issue of 2020, and as the United Nations celebrates International Migrants Day today and considers how we might reimagine human mobility, we mark the contributions migrants are making and the virus’ impacts on their lives. The pandemic disproportionately affects migrants who often find themselves on the margins of society. Despite caring for the sick and providing essential services, they are too often the first to lose their jobs and the last to be rehired, excluded from essential social services, unfairly ostracized as carriers of the disease and, in extreme cases, left as prey to those who would take advantage of their vulnerability. The global pandemic highlights the crucial role of remittances for migrant families.

IOM reports that 14,854 migrants and refugees have entered Europe by sea through mid-March 2020. That is an increase of almost 50 per cent over the arrivals reported on three principle migratory routes crossing the Mediterranean at this point last year, when IOM recorded 10,771 irregular arrivals to Europe by sea. Most of the increase can be attributed to transit along the eastern Mediterranean route linking the Middle East and Africa to Greece, which has recorded about 2,500 more arrivals through these early weeks of 2020 than were reported through this point in 2019. Arrivals also are higher to Italy – to 2,738 in 2020 compared to just 398 at this time last year – and to Malta, which has recorded 1,1135 arrivals so far this year, compared to 136 at this point in 2019. The Mediterranean’s western route to Spain shows the sharpest drop in arrivals – to 3,803 in 2020 from 5,491 last year.

COVID-19 and its impacts have had far-reaching consequences and exacerbated inequalities.

Sustainable Reintegration of Migrant Returnees in Africa Tackled at “European Development Days”

For the 800 million people in over 125 countries reliant on migrant family members sending money home – money that many can no longer receive – COVID-19 is more than a deadly virus; it constitutes a devastating and immediate blow to their development, imperilling their access to health, education, housing, and nutrition.

Return migration has been an important aspect of increasing human mobility in recent years, with more migrants returning to their countries of origin for a variety of reasons.

The UN Network on Migration calls on public authorities, service providers, the international community, and stakeholders to together address the damaging impacts wrought by COVID-19 on remittances. In 2019, remittances were valued at an estimated US$554 billion.

With this has come a wider recognition of the importance of ensuring a holistic and coordinated response that creates the conditions for sustainable reintegration.

With mobility and employment restrictions resulting in a projected 20 percent decline in remittances, many children and families stand to lose a lifeline as a result of COVID-19 and measures put in place to reduce its spread. Recent guidance on COVID-19 and People on the Move, recognises the heightened vulnerabilities of migrant workers and their families to the immediate and longterm socio-economic effects of the COVID-19 crisis; and urges that their inclusion in COVID-19 responses will be critical to realizing the Sustainable Development Goals Mediterranean Migrant Arrivals Reach 14,854 in 2020; Deaths Reach 219

Return is often followed by reintegration, a complex, multifaceted process of re-including migrants into their communities and society.

IOM, EU and partners explore the issues faced by migrants returning to countries in Africa, the governments receiving them, and the communities within which they return to, focusing on how the reintegration transformation can provide them with the support to ultimately enhance social cohesion, reduce inequalities and help them achieve something through the Sustainable Development Goals. While some migrants return to welcoming contexts and reintegrate in a smooth manner, many face challenges they cannot overcome on their own and need support in their reintegration. At the same time, individualized assistance must be balanced with community-based initiatives because it is crucial that the community is impacted positively as well.

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Covid-19 Support Work

There is also the need to review the challenges that returning migrants, communities, and governments face in relation to mental health and psychosocial wellbeing, labour market access, education, and culture.

total that today approaches 33,000 men, women, and children. No matter the context of the disappearance, the agony of even one disappearance can have deep effects on those left behind.

Crucially, they will consider the role of government actors and programmes such as the “EU-IOM Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration” to promote inclusive reintegration practices that respond to the priorities of individual returnees and their communities in an integrated and mutually beneficial way.

Families missing a loved one are relentless in their faith that they will return someday, and unless they have certainty of the fate of that person, their lives become defined by an ambiguous loss between hope and grief. It may be impossible at times to determine if someone died in the context of migration.

Funded by the European Union and running from 2016–2020, the EU-IOM Joint Initiative on Migrant Protection and Reintegration covers 26 African countries in the Sahel and Lake Chad, the Horn of Africa, and North Africa. It is the first comprehensive programme to save lives, protect and assist migrants along key migration routes in Africa.

People’s remains may never be found or identified. For instance, since the Project started documenting deaths during migration, the remains of over 12,000 people have yet to be recovered from the Mediterranean Sea. At the same time the majority of those found will never be formally identified.

IOM Notes Plight of Families of Disappeared On International Day of the Disappeared, IOM pays tribute to the families and loved ones of each person included in the Missing Migrants Project records – a

In 2019 and 2020, IOM is carrying out a pilot research project with families searching for missing migrants along the Western and Central Mediterranean routes towards Europe. The hope is that the findings will result in recommendations for how IOM and other actors can better address their needs.

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38 Covid-19 Support Work

REFLECTIONS ON 2020 AND HOPES FOR THE COMING YEAR AHEAD By Sarah Lee, Team Manager, TETC

I had come across before, but I had never really deeply reflected on until that moment. I have used it to guide my thoughts and actions ever since and I can honestly say I think I have finally found a way of avoiding falling into the depression pit I often find myself in at this time of year. Believe me, life events are such that I count this as a considerable achievement right now. Many of you will have been working at an intensity and over a prolonged period which human beings aren’t designed to do without some adverse impact. You may well be feeling exhausted and weary for all kinds of reasons. Some of you will have been coping with loss and bereavement, sickness, financial insecurity and a whole host of other major changes. As a team, TETC staff have spent some time considering how to mark the end of what undoubtedly has been one of the toughest years we have ever had to endure as a human race. We wanted to take a moment to press pause and encourage some quiet introspection so that we might all recharge and recuperate ready to face the coming year. 2020 has brought out the best and the worst aspects of humanity and certainly is one that we won’t be forgetting in a hurry…….but as you start to turn your thoughts to perhaps taking a well-deserved break over the festive period, however you are feeling, we would ask you to reflect on the above quotation and discuss with the children and young people you work with, your colleagues, friends and family, what it means to each of you.

And maybe some days you feel like you can’t keep this going. You may be feeling disappointed that you can’t spend time with loved ones, can’t hug and enjoy the season of goodwill in the way you are used to celebrating. Maybe right now you don’t feel too hopeful about what the coming year will bring. What I’ve learned through lockdown is that no matter how tough it is at the time, no matter how strong the emotions might be, the moment does pass, and to hold on to that thought and use it as my life raft. It’s made me acknowledge the situation I am dealing with and notice how I am feeling and then look for all the things I can be thankful for and which will help me get through that difficult time. When life inevitably gets better as it always does, I cherish the people and things which enrich my life on the understanding that life is indeed precious and for living. I decided this year to message my friends and family and ask them not to buy me gifts but to donate to any charity of their choosing instead. I’ve been thinking about the planet, about the difference between wants and needs and how Ican make more of a positive impact. I recall another gift of days gone by- a book of poetry given to me by a very dear friend at a time of personal darkness, entitled “The Things That Matter.” The phrase has been a constant reminder to me that the things in life which really make a difference aren’t possessions. They are our relationships.

I reached the ripe old age of 50 this July and having battled with bouts of depression on and off since the age of 15, this quote came to me via a 21 day meditation programme I embarked upon during lockdown. It’s one of those quotes which if I am honest,

With others and more importantly ourselves. It might sound cliché, but I am hoping each and everyone of you will give yourself the gift of time and self-care this Christmas so that as you start the new year, we can all be the best versions of ourselves and stay focused on taking care of one another. Read Full article – Mojatu.com

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Arts & Culture

MOVIE REVIEW: MANGROVE Movie Review: Mangrove

Following on from his critically acclaimed film ’12 Years a Slave’, Steve McQueen is back with a new film series: ‘Small Axe’. The five-part film series explores the lives of people in the London’s West Indian Communities, telling stories of strong fought victories in the face of racism. This article focuses on the first film in the series, titled ‘Mangrove’. In just over two hours the film delves into the true story of the Mangrove 9 who were arrested by police in 1970. The film recounts the story of Frank Crichlow, played by Shaun Parks who owned Notting Hill’s Mangrove restaurant and was often described as the ‘frontline of the community’ for black people living in the area. However, two days before Christmas in December 1969, Kensington and Chelsea council withdrew Mangroves license to be an all-night café and, with most business being after midnight, this was a hard hit to the restaurant. Following on from this, Crichlow experienced pressure and raids from the police and, after gaining support from the local Caribbean community and British Black Panthers, the ‘Action Committee for the Defence of Mangrove’ was set up and protests were organised. On a Sunday in August in 1970 the march began. The crowd, who were mostly from the Caribbean communities in Notting Hill, Brixton, and Islington marched and faced resistance from police resulting

in some fighting breaking out. Nine people were arrested and the name ‘the Mangrove Nine’ gathered momentum. All nine were faced with riot charges that were initially dismissed and then brought to the Old Bailey, although they were eventually acquitted on all counts. The second half of the film focuses on this legal battle between the ‘Mangrove Nine’ and the police. This is extremely important to highlight as the case regarding the ‘Mangrove Nine’ and the result of the individuals all being acquitted has been said to be the first judicial acknowledgement of racism in the Met Police. After the death of George Floyd and the prevalence of the Black Lives Matter movement, now seems as good a time as any to not only highlight the atrocities and discrimination that black people in the UK as well around the world have faced, but also celebrate their lives. Steve McQueen’s drama does this well by engaging on a personal level with the characters whilst not ignoring the bigger picture of the discrimination and racism they faced. The creative arts have honed it on these issues and this new drama film series is just another example of an informative, but also a captivating way to learn about racial injustices and discrimination black people have faced, and still face today.

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Movie Review: They’ve Gotta Have Us By Charlotte Smith They’ve Gotta Have Us is a docuseries of three episodes on Netflix charting the history of Black Cinema. The series interviews a host of esteemed black figures from on and off screen in Hollywood from pioneer Harry Belafonte to recent Black Lives Matter activist John Boyega. The series starts with the history of black cinema, consisting of only one or two black actors amid a very white Hollywood. Chief among them is Belafonte, who broke social taboos by portraying a romantic lead in a time when the 1934 Hays Code forbade showing sexual relations between races on screen. Hattie McDaniels, the first black actor to win an Oscar for her role in Gone With The Wind, is also discussed. Another is Sydney Poitier, who was described in the documentary as one of ‘America’s most beloved actors’ during the height of the Civil Rights Movement due to his positive role models. A key theme running through all three episodes is that of stereotyping. Many roles for black actors were subservient – maids and butlers – and black talent behind the camera was almost non-existent. They had to rely on white writers, producers and directors for a long time, who often only made ‘one black movie a year’. This started to change with the arrival of independent filmmaker Spike Lee, who was very different to anyone who had come before him and inspired a generation of filmmakers who came after. He aimed to tell stories his way, despite tiny amounts of budget. His 1992 drama Malcolm X had its budget cut after he was attached, and he often had to find funding elsewhere – his first feature length film She’s Gotta Have It was financed partially by actor Laurence Fishbourne. Spike Lee’s influence led into episode 2, which charted the rise of blaxploitation movies, often set in gritty and urban landscapes. Rap and hip-hop were huge cultural influences on this movement. During this period of rethinking race relations, Hollywood were becoming more open to black actors in leading roles, but many stereotypes of thugs, drugs and prostitutes still persisted. The black best friend was a common character. A common saying at the time was ‘black films don’t sell foreign’, meaning they did not make money in foreign markets. During this period, Gordon Parks’ film Shaft was one of the first ever to show a cool, black leading man in a Hollywood film. Black comedians such as Whoopi Goldberg and Eddie Murphy were some of the few who flourished, with Goldberg also starring in Steven Spielberg’s The Colour Purple. Denzel Washington became the game changer, managing to move from

supporting character to lead actor by going for ‘everything Harrison Ford can’t do’. This led to a mix of genres, characters and films that were not always about race. This also opened doors for the talented stars of the hood movies that had been side-lined for years after the genre died out. Notably, James Earl Jones was cast in enormous franchise Star Wars as villain Darth Vader. Episode 3 then looks at the spectrum of black-led films that have been made in more recent years. Despite often being categorised together as a genre, many of them could not be more different from each other. Many suffered from being marketed only to a black audience, such as A Secret Life of Bees which was based on a universally loved book, which had black characters in it. Black Panther is one credited as a cultural moment a huge mainstream film focused on an advanced African civilisation without the influence of colonisation. One point that came up several times in the documentary was the contribution of young British actors to this change. Many of these actors were interviewed and said they struggled to find parts in the UK, which led to them learning an American accent and aiming for parts in America instead. Despite racism in America being a huge issue, many described the racism in the UK as much harder to fight due to it being less upfront. David Oyelowo, the first black actor to play a Shakespearean King at the RSC, stated many national newspapers and an Oxford don criticised the casting. Oyelowo has since appeared in many American films, notably Disney’s Queen of Katwe and as Martin Luther King in Selma. He is joined by star of the Oscar winning Get Out, Daniel Kaluuyla and Star Wars’ John Boyega, who again suffered backlash including being shrunk on a Chinese Star Wars poster. Selma was directed by Ava DuVernay, who was the fifth director to take on the film. She turned it around, making King the lead instead of Lyndon B Johnson and elevating the roles of the women in the film. She is one of very few black female directors, who still struggle against the Hollywood system. However, at long last things are changing behind the scenes, helped by black actors setting up production companies and financing films. The documentary ends on a positive note, focused on the changing landscape. The now historic Oscars moment, of Moonlight winning the Oscar for Best Picture ends the documentary. Social media post: They’ve Gotta Have Us, a Netflix documentary charting the history of black cinema

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Health & Food

MENTAL HEALTH IN THE BRITISH ASIAN COMMUNITY By Saffron Dusanjh

“What will other people think?” For many South Asians, this question springs to mind when making any kind of decision – a decision that concerns no one else but yourself. How others perceive you and your family is, for most South Asians, the most pressing concern. One that takes priority over everything – including your mental health, wellbeing and happiness. It is therefore unsurprising that a huge number of British Asians suffer from mental health problems and rarely get help. Around 1 in 20 people suffer from depression in India and in a survey of 3556 people, 47% could be described as highly judgmental of people with a mental illness. This toxic mentality has been carried over to the UK where British Asians are still too preoccupied with the shame from what others will think or say and the impact on a family’s reputation to address mental health issues. Furthermore, there is a worry that having a mental health issue will be an obstacle to marriage. For most Indian families, the concern of a son or daughter finding a suitable partner to carry out the arrangement of marriage is far greater than the concern towards the actual mental health issue. This is why if a son or daughter is suspected of possessing a mental illness, it is kept secret for their future partner to discover later on, resulting in an unhappy marriage or divorce (divorcees are often seen as being failures and people are expected to continue to live in an unhappy marriage), which then exacerbates the issue. This leads on to the fact that in many cases, depression is caused by the cultural pressures that come with being in an Indian family. For example, South Asian girls are heavily judged

in everything they do – how they dress, academic performance, whether they ‘go out’ a lot, whether they can cook and clean etc. For men, typically seen as the ‘breadwinners’ of the family, admitting to a mental illness is a weakness and can lead to emasculation. These pressures weigh heavily on one’s shoulders and feed into a vicious cycle of feeling restricted due to cultural pressures, leading to depression or anxiety which is then seen as shameful within the community, which exacerbates these mental illnesses. Yet, many South Asians do not view mental illnesses as a medical issue, but instead thought to be caused by ‘the will of God or bad parenting’ or a punishment for something done in their previous life. People with a mental illness such as depression are often labelled as ‘crazy’ and ‘mad’ resulting in themselves and their families being shunned by the community and in worse cases being disowned by their own family. Many members within my own family have suffered from depression and I have witnessed the social isolation this had led to from the community. Mental illnesses are rarely even acknowledged and the lack of support from family and friends only worsens this issue. These attitudes towards mental health within the Indian community are backward and outdated and must change. We must break the cycle. Young British Asians should consciously take a different approach and a different attitude so that the future generations do not have to suffer like previous generations have. Conversations regarding emotions need to be normalized. Being able to do what makes you happy should be normalized. Not judging other people should be normalized. This must be done so that we can reduce the number of British Asians that suffer from mental health issues and learn how to best support the people that do.

42 Health & Food

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HOW TO FREEZE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES Freezing is a really good way to preserve fruits and vegetables, and this is why it is crucial to do it right. There are some techniques which can prevent the fruits and vegetables to clump together and thus can avoid wastage of food. It is important to mention that there are some vegetables which are not suitable for freezing such as: chicory, endive, kale, lettuce, cucumber, radishes and Jerusalem artichokes. For the softer vegetables and fruits all there is to do is to open freeze them by placing them on a non-stick baking sheet or lined with baking parchment, space each piece well apart and then freeze until solid. This time if possible, set the freezer to the lowest temperature so then the fruits and vegetables can freeze faster and thus smaller ice particles will be formed. Once they froze, take them out and put them into a freezer bag and label them, so it takes up less space and then put them back to the freezer.

For harder fruits or vegetables, like beans it is worth putting them into a boiling water and cook them for 1-3 minutes (depending on the vegetables e.g. for broccoli itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more like 5-7 minutes), then remove with a slotted spoon and plunge into ice cold water to stop the cooking. Then open freeze them by placing them on a non-stick baking sheet and freeze them until solid. After this take them out of the freezer and put them in a freezer bag and label them. The benefit of open freezing is that it allows you to store fruits and vegetables without them clumping in a big block and allows you to use what you need as and when, instead of having to defrost the whole amount. Original article can be found here: shorturl.at/mpsBT

Nottingham connected

Health & Food

THE STIGMA AROUND PERIODS ACROSS THE WORLD By Charlotte Smith Period poverty and stigma is an issue across the world, in both high- and low-income countries. Countries are staring to recognise and work to break down the issue although there is still much work to be done. Here explores the situation and work in two vastly different countries suffering from the same problem. Scotland has become the first country in the world to provide free, universal access to period products. This is the result of a fouryear campaign by Scottish Labour Health spokeswoman, Monica Lennon and pressure from various grassroots campaigners. The bill places a duty on local authorities to ensure anyone who needs period products can obtain them for free, and passed unanimously through Scottish Parliament. The bill aims to tackle period poverty, which is when those on low incomes can’t afford or access suitable period products. A survey by charity Young Scot, found that one in four respondents in Scotland had struggled to access products, well above the UK average. This resulted in them using newspaper, toilet paper or anything else at their disposal, which can be both uncomfortable and unhygienic. In Scotland, period products were already funded in schools, colleges, universities and some other public places such as sports clubs. It’s not uncommon to find free products by the sinks in toilets. According to charity Bloody Good Period, period poverty has skyrocketed during the COVID-19

pandemic and they are supplying almost six times as many products as before the pandemic started. 700 packs of products went to NHS workers who were working such long hours they couldn’t get to the shops and when they did they often found empty shelves from stockpiling. Other requests were from students who were in selfisolation or had lost a part-time job or girls who had lost the safety net of free period products from schools. Packs were also sent out to refugees and homeless shelters. The bill also aims break down the stigma around periods, aiming for them to be viewed as a natural physical process instead of something to be hidden. This issue occurs all over the world to this day – The International Women’s Health Coalition found around 5000 slang words for periods in ten different languages. This can have an often-overlooked impact on girls’ education and self-esteem, as well as fuelling myths and harassment in many countries. In India, 120 million adolescent girls are uneducated on menstrual health, they are shy to talk about their periods due to taboos and superstitions. Many find themselves forbidden to touch household objects, denied entry into temples or even sent to live in a separate hut from their families. It’s also reported only 36% of India’s menstruating females use sanitary napkins, with others using potentially dangerous old rags, leaves, mud or soil. The current coronavirus pandemic has

worsened matters, with lockdown restricting people’s ability to retrieve products. Some schools do give out sanitary products and the school closure has left many struggling. With family members losing their jobs, girls worry about asking for the money to pay for products and making their families choose between food or sanitary products. The Dasra Foundation found that 71% of girls in India were unaware of menstruation until it happened to them, and 70% of mothers surveyed considered menstruation ‘dirty’. This hush hush environment has consequences – the same Dasra report found girls are absent from 20% of the school year due to their period. Furthermore, nearly 23 million girls drop out of school completely a year. Not only are their practical issues with the absence of safe toilet facilities in schools but many have issues of pain, shame and anxiety about staining their clothes. Steps are currently being made by many states to improve facilities and educational awareness, but the decades old stigma is an even bigger issue. Reaching girls to solve this has mostly come from smaller NGOs such as Menstrupedia, which publishes a comic book on menstruation in 15 languages which has reached 10,000 schools so far. Or, of course, from the students themselves, as education starts to help them break the stigma for themselves.

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44 Education & Career

HOW TO PREPARE YOUNG ADULTS FOR THE FUTURE OF WORK by Artur Meyster It is true that having a degree or any kind of education is essential. For this reason, parents are even more concerned about what kind of education their children are receiving these days. When we talk about having a degree, years ago only a selected few would be fortunate enough to pursue higher education. There were jobs that didn’t require extensive knowledge of tech-related subjects, as well as a high level of education. However, as years pass, the rules are changing and so is technology. The tech market has been growing so fast that there are new kinds of roles created every other day. As a result, the nature of how we live and work has also changed. This also spurs the creation of new subjects to learn. In effect, schools needed to redesign their curriculums in order to provide students with the right knowledge to be prepared for the future of work. We are living in a digital age. For this reason, almost all the things we can see and touch are results of tech advancements—starting from simple things like toys to more complex things like robots or even self-driving cars. So, if you really want to give your children a good education in order to have more job opportunities in the future, you should consider putting them on the right path by learning techrelated skills.

Here’s a list of some skills that are highly in-demand and will likely increase your children’s chances to land a well-paid job when tomorrow comes.

also developed a version of NodeJS for IoT apps. On the other hand, Paypal has been using JavaScript to design and develop the front end aspect of its website.

Machine Learning: As the name suggests, it is an application of artificial intelligence that gives machines the ability to “learn”. It allows systems to improve from experience, even if they weren’t particularly programmed for some tasks. Machine learning is used by several companies these days. For example, Google has been using machine learning to develop and create a smart chatbox. The company’s chatbox is able to analyze all the messages received in order to understand what has been said. Then, it will figure out possible responses that would answer the queries received. Also, the more you “teach” the chatbox, the more sophisticated the responses will be. Interesting, right?

SQL: As mentioned, we are living in a digital era, and as a result, companies have to deal with big amounts of data every day. With the use of technological devices, there is more and more data to be gathered out there. Nowadays, companies use data for multiple purposes including making smart data-driven decisions that can increase their profits. Data also helps companies to understand their customers better.

JavaScript: JavaScript is a programming language that has also become very popular these days. Using JavaScript, web developers are able to build websites from scratch very easily. For this reason, there is no doubt that you can find use cases of JavaScript everywhere. As days pass, even more companies are starting to use JavaScript to create more visually-appealing websites. For example, companies like Microsoft use JavaScript to create its Edge web browser. Microsoft has

For this reason, a tool that is able to manage and store data in a methodical way is highly needed. That where SQL comes into the picture. SQL is a versatile programming language that helps companies deal with data in an efficient way. As a result, the demand for professionals that are equipped with this skill is also increasing. Conclusion: The future is being reshaped and so is education. For this reason, if you want to provide your children with skills that will guarantee a future for them, consider one of the three skills listed above or many other techrelated abilities. Indeed, tech is the future of work. Read full article here - shorturl.at/ aoEPQ

Nottingham connected

Education & Career

NEXT STEPS TO TAKE IF YOU’RE UNEMPLOYED DUE TO COVID-19 By Artur Meyster Losing your job at any point in your career will leave you wondering what to do next. However, suffering a job loss during a pandemic is something else entirely. This experience can make you question whether you were on the right career path, and even cause you to doubt your skills and abilities. But rest assured, you are not in this situation alone. Millions of people around the US have gone through the exact same experience as you and are struggling to get back into the workforce as we speak. With this in mind, your first step should not be to try to land the same job you just left. Rather, your first step should be to follow some of the actionable tips below which can help you launch a new career that is likely to have fewer disruptions in the future. Identify a Skill While picking a skill that you believe you can develop, try to choose one that will be applicable to the workforce in 10 years. Focus on obtaining skills within technology that will allow you to go into new fields in the future. This is done by focusing on a prominent tech trend that exists today and looking at the skills needed to work within that trend. For perspective, coding was a trend that emerged within the last decade and has led to entirely new fields of work. In fact, nearly midway through the decade in 2014, there were already an estimated 20 million coders, 11 million of whom were doing it as a hobby. Trends such as this can evolve into career opportunities when they pick up enough traction, so keeping an eye out for these patterns is a smart idea. Think about what you do best and how it could be applicable to something in tech. If you have any prominent analytical skills, they are likely to be valuable to an employer or will be helpful in pursuing a rising tech trend, given that a large number of tech companies are in need of analytical workers. Obtain Additional Education Once you have narrowed down a trend or field you want to go into, you are going to need to acquire the education level necessary to become successful in that area. Assuming you are over the age of 21, you may be wondering what possible ways there are for you to gain that education. You could always attend a graduate program, but those often take a lot of time and are quite expensive, which you may not want after recently losing your job.

Consider attending a trade school instead. Unlike traditional forms of education, a trade school can often be completed in about a year and will teach you specific skills needed for a career. Additionally, trade schools are far cheaper than graduate programs, even though trade school graduates sometimes make more than those who completed a traditional graduate program! Alternatively, if a year is still too long for you, you could consider attending a highly rated coding bootcamp. As mentioned above, coding is a valuable skill and offers a lot of career opportunities. Additionally, it’s not going anywhere and will be a staple of many industries for years to come. Focus on Your Interview Skills After brushing up on your education and deciding on a career path you want to follow, it’s important to relearn how to interview. Over the last few years, interviews have gotten far more technical and require in-depth knowledge of the position you are hoping to secure. Focus on developing interviewing skills and methods, such as the STAR Method, that can help you ace an interview in any career path. It can set you apart from the competition as a very valuable candidate. Conclusion The future is coming faster than any of us can prepare for. Covid-19 was just the first disruption that the workforce is going to face in the coming decade. Technology will likely be the cause of the next disruption, and getting ahead of this change by building skills today that can set you up for a career in this dynamic future may be the best course of action. Take this as an opportunity to revamp your skillset in a new and impressive way that will leave even the most seasoned recruiters impressed with your abilities.

46 Education & Career

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APPLICANTS FROM MINORITY GROUPS LEAST LIKELY TO BE OFFERED PHD PLACES By Hattie Gomme A PhD is the top qualification a student can achieve in their academic studies. In 2016, analysis from the Higher Education Funding Council revealed that in England, BAME students are more likely than white students to undertake a master’s course but less likely to do a PhD. BBC Newsnight recently sent a freedom of information request to 133 UK universities in order to obtain data from 2015-2020 on the demographic of admissions for a PhD course. Out of the mere 62 that responded to the request, all but one had a higher acceptance rate for white applicants. The imbalance in admissions was most prominent for black applications with 33 universities showing black applicants had the lowest proportion of successful offer rates, including home and international applicants. Funding plays a large role in the ability to have access to a PhD course and, whilst this affects many groups in society, it is a vital element for people from low-income black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds. Dr Jason Arday, an associate Professor at Durham University said he had many jobs to help pay for his degree and, when it came down to securing funding for a PhD, he was not aware of the resources available stating that some ‘information is inaccessible to black and ethnic minority prospective academics.’ What’s more, an underlying and systematic issue has been echoed by Professor Kalwant Bhopal, deputy director of the centre for research in race and

education at the University of Birmingham. She has touched on the problem of universities and admissions of minority groups in general and the stigma attached to the institutions. She argues that BAME students strongly believe that universities are places for white students and are ‘reserved for the privileged few’. These ideas come from a lack of representation in the academic field and therefore a lack of role models for these individuals to identify with as well as a curriculum that is Eurocentric. Evidently, within university institutions there is a systematic issue of admissions in regard to race and ethnicity when it comes to students wanting to further their academic studies. This issue is very often highlighted at an undergraduate level with people in the public eye, such as rapper Stormzy playing their part to encourage young BAME students to apply for the top universities in the country. However, when it comes to post graduate research, the issue isn’t touched upon so much. There are many underlying problems such as that to do with access to funding that hinder the chances of those from a BAME background to be able to pursue a career they want. Whilst the fact that analysis is being undertaken to assess the issue in the post graduate field is positive, it is merely not enough and clearly more needs to be actively done to address this issue and ensure that all individuals have the same opportunity to pursue the career they want, whether this be in the academic field or not. Sources:: shorturl.at/vwAW0 and shorturl.at/cipHR

Nottingham connected Female Genital Mutilation category

FGM – FACTS, HELP & ACTIONS

Facts

• FGM is any procedure that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. • FGM has been illegal in England and Wales since 1985. • FGM is a form of child abuse and violence against women and girls. • It is an offence to fail to protect a girl from the risk of FGM. • FGM is Non-Islamic, against the teachings of Islam and brings Islam into disrepute. • FGM is putting the health of our daughters, sisters, mothers and wives at great risk. • FGM affects girls and women both physically, emotionally and psychologically. • Over 200 million girls and women worldwide have undergone FGM. • 10,000 girls aged under 15 who have migrated to England and Wales are likely to have undergone FGM. Taking Th • In Nottingham, about 85 new cases were recorded through NHS in 2016/17.

Taking The City To the Fa Taking The City To the Farm

Help

Are you concerned a girl or woman is at risk or need support? • Are you from an affected community in Nottingham wanting to make a difference: • Join the Community FGM Steering Group: Contact us • For emotional & peer support for survivors in Nottingham, join the FGM Survivor’s club: Contact us Free • Refer survivors needing medical attention to FGM medical specialist in Nottingham: Contact us Sessions: Free Refugee • Drop in sessions at Mojatu Offices 167 Alfreton Road, Nottingham, NG7 3JR: ContactSeeker us Sessions: Free FGM helpline Refugees & Asylum • Call 0808 028 350 for a 24/7 anonymous or email: fgmhelp@nspcc.org.uk Tuesdays Seekers Welcome Sessions: • Call Nottingham City Council Children and Families Direct: 0115 876 4800 Saturdays Certifica Tuesdays • Ring the police on 999 if FGM has just happened or about to happen Saturdays Certificates Offered ADOP Tuesdays Activities include: Saturdays ADOPT A TREE Activities include:Fruit Harvesting Actions Fruit Harvesting Tree Management Activities To help end FGM and support survivors, join oneinclude: of our campaigns or projects Tree ManagementWeeding for Pumpkin Fruit Harvesting • FGM Survivors Club • Volunteer with us Feeding the animals Weeding for Pumpkins & Maize Form Tree Management • FGM Steering Group • ‘Adopt a tree’ project https://go Feeding the animals Pumpkins & Maize • FGM Global Faith Ambassador Weeding• for Donate to support our work Form online @ • FGM Global Young Ambassador Feeding •the Fundraise our work oodland 9sz animals to support https://goo.gl/WyH

W gement nd a l ana ionEDIBL d o M o W gement E ss s‘18 e S d a WOODLA n n a l a EDIBLE d p M o e s o S n W ment pr Home Farm, Screv AEcocentre, ssio ‘18 SeWOODLAND For more information, contact Foundation p www.farmeco e ManeasgseiMojatu S s r n p Home Farm, Screveton, NG13 8JL AEcocentre, https://goo.g Mojatu Foundatio S eo07794372214 Phone: 01158457009 Mobile: 8 1 ‘ p www.farmeco.co.uk S r T: 0115 784 | M: Ro 07 p Email: valentine@mojatu.com Website: A www.mojatufoundation.org Mojatu Foundation | 1676666 Alfreton https://goo.gl/pEK1AC

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Blackness is my braided kinky hair. Blackness is shea butter on my deep melanin skin. www.myblackidentity.co.uk