The Voice Newspaper: August 20204

AUGUST 2024 • ISSUE NO. 1957

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Lifestyle IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN...

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Vibrance Mas and a focus on sustainability

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Glastonbury and Notting Hill Carnival link up again!

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£2.50

Sustainable splendour:

Vibrance Mas brings eco-friendly glamour to carnival › p38

CARNIVAL GENERATES £396 MILLION Notting Hill Carnival

EXCLUSIVE A Voice study reveals that Notting Hill Carnival brings a huge economic boost NEW RESEARCH conducted by The Voice has found that the Notting Hill Carnival contributes over £396 million annually to London’s economy.

Its impact is seen in the substantial spending on accommodation, food, shopping, entertainment, and travel across the two days of the event. › p4-5

All roads lead to Alvaro Barrington at Tate Britain

Inside THIS MONTH

The Voice says

ROUNDUP NEWSPAPER

News, views, stories & videos

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

1

Labour candidate ‘in tears’ after being ordered to abandon Clacton campaign against Nigel Farage.

8

2 3 4

Campaigners ask: ‘What happened to the Race Equality Act?’

Abbott triumphs in Hackney North amid Labour landslide election win.

Back to the drawing board for Jamaican football.

16

Black Girl Gone: unearthing the lack of attention for missing Black females

23

Jamaica’s Independence Day: honouring the past, shaping the future

28

Lifesaver: how insurance can come to the rescue in times of crisis

40

Notting Hill Carnival teams up with Glastonbury again

46

Where it all began: Christine Ohuruogu reflects on an eventful school sports day

Caribbean diaspora calls for action on climate justice

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HE RECENT devastation wrought by Hurricane Beryl across the Caribbean has reignited urgent calls from Black Britons of Caribbean heritage for action on climate change.

The hurricane, which claimed at least 11 lives and obliterated infrastructure in Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Jamaica, serves as a stark reminder of the disproportionate impact of climate change on vulnerable regions.

Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell’s poignant declaration that the hurricane is a direct consequence of the climate crisis underscores a harsh reality: Caribbean nations are on the front lines of a catastrophe they did not cause.

“We demand and deserve climate justice,” Mitchell asserted, capturing the feelings of a region perennially battered by climate-induced disasters.

His frustration was clear when he pointed out the fact that these nations must repeatedly “borrow and rebuild” after each natural disaster while the major polluters offer only “platitudes and tokenism”.

Mitchell’s call for climate justice is not an isolated one. It echoes the powerful words of Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who has consistently warned of the existential

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

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

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

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

threat climate change poses to small island developing states (SIDS). Her impassioned plea at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, where she described the crisis as a “death sentence” for Caribbean islands, resonates deeply in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl.

As our report on page 6 highlights, Black Britons with relatives and friends in the Caribbean are increasingly urging Western governments to heed these calls.

Their hearts go out to those who have lost loved ones or seen their homes destroyed. They emphasize that for residents of Grenada, Jamaica, and St Vincent, there is no escape from the relentless impacts of climate change. It affects everything from fishing and farming to daily living.

Their message is clear: developed countries must view climate action as an imperative, not an option.

They must commit to significant reductions in carbon emissions and provide tangible support to those on the frontlines of this global crisis.

Anything less would be an injustice, prolonging the suffering of regions like the Caribbean that are least responsible for, yet most affected by, climate change.

No more platitudes: Black Britons demand real climate solutions

Jamaican lands big deal in Leicester. Reggae Girl Chantelle Swaby signs two-year deal with the Foxes.

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Zane Maloney: The boy from Barbados on the brink of making it big in Formula 1.

6 7

Birmingham shop ordered to close after ‘racist attack’ on Black couple.

UK community groups launch relief efforts for Caribbean nations hit by Hurricane Beryl.

8

New Arsenal away shirt draws inspiration from the club’s African supporters.

9

White Yardie and friends join forces to fundraise for Caribbean victims of Hurricane Beryl.

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New platform aims to showcase Caribbean talent globally.

Got a story? email us at yourviews@thevoicemediagroup.co.uk SPORTS EDITOR Rodney Hinds E. rodney.hinds@thevoice mediagroup.co.uk ADVERTISING AND SALES E. advertising@thevoicemedia group.co.uk

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AUGUST 2024 THE VOICE | 3

News Feature

‘STIRLING’ EFFORT BRINGS MURIEL BACK TO THE PAST Former maid returns to the Scottish hotel that she left Barbados for in 1955, with dementia charity’s help.

By Vic Motune

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SHEFFIELD-based dementia organisation, a leading charity, and a documentary maker have collaborated to fulfil the dream of a woman with dementia who moved from Barbados to Stirling in 1955.

Muriel Richards, part of the Windrush Generation, arrived in this country as part of a government scheme that offered jobs to people from the Caribbean nation during a time of labour shortages in the UK. Mrs Richards made the lifechanging journey to Scotland with her best friend Lottie Bynoe eagerly anticipating new career opportunities.

They were recruited to work in Stirling’s Allan Park Hotel and the Kings Hotel, respectively.

After joining the Allan Park Hotel staff as a chambermaid alongside Margaret, another chambermaid, and Mrs Little, the cook, Mrs Richards quickly adapted to her new surroundings.

The Gillespie family, who owned the hotel, became an integral part of her time working in Scotland, even providing her with a surprise 21st birthday celebration.

She eventually left Stirling to travel south to Sheffield, for a job with bigger wages. It was a move that she immediately regretted, but sadly Mrs Richards was not able to return to work in Stirling.

Despite her initial dislike for Sheffield, Mrs Richards made a life for herself in the city, working in the canteen at Sheffield’s Fir Vale Hospital (previously the Workhouse) and later as an auxiliary nurse at the Northern General.

Almost 70 years since she first saw Stirling, Mrs Richards – now living with dementia – recently fulfilled a long-held dream of returning to the city, supported by the Sheffield Memory Hub and the Dementia Trust.

Her return to the city where she had lived and worked for several

GROUP SINGALONG: During her trip Mrs Richards (centre, in grey cardigan) met with the local Town Break Dementia Support Group, where the choir performed some of her favourite gospel songs

with dementia. If we all spend some time understanding how to engage in a culturally meaningful way, it will make progress happen.”

He added: “Muriel’s return to Stirling is more than just a personal journey; it is an opportunity to raise awareness about dementia, the importance of reminiscence, and the deep historical ties between Scotland and Barbados.

“We will highlight how individuals can live well with dementia with the right support and underREMINISCENCE: Muriel standing. ” Richards during her return to Sonia Mangan from the Dethe Allan Park Hotel in Stirling mentia Trust said that the film where she worked in the 1950s Carl Case made about Muriel’s trip would help spark important discussions iting the coach journeys she took among practitioners and the wider with Lottie. years was a four-day affair that saw public about how to better support This special trip was primarily her revisit places that held signifi- funded by the Dementia Trust people from African-Caribbean cant memories for her. communities who are living with and led by Carl Case, whose She stayed at her former place of organisation Cultural Appropriate dementia. employment, the Allan Park Hotel, Resources works internationally “The reason why we funded the as a VIP guest. video is we support small ideas to make a difference to people As an active dementia advocate with dementia from African and that can make change happen. and campaigner, she also met with African-Caribbean communities.

From our perspective, if some practhe local Town Break Dementia titioners see this film, and actually NEW ARRIVALS: Muriel and her friend Lottie Bynoe came He has produced a short film Support Group, where the choir that explores Muriel’s life, her expe- change the way in which they work to Stirling in 1955 after responding to a recruitment campaign performed some of her favourite with somebody like Mrs Richards, riences living with dementia, and gospel songs. Muriel also cothe historical connections between and engage with them in a differ- descent is bigger than what people that has dementia. It’s also more talked about in print and social facilitated a session focusing on ent way, then that’s fantastic. The anticipate. And the only way of Scotland and Barbados. media but the discussions are still Scottish-Barbadian cultural and film helps people to learn by con- actually really making sure that Case said: “We are aiming to historical links. necting with an emotional story, a services and help is tailor-made is predominantly centred around provide a valuable resource, highby people talking about it.

White people.

Her visit also included a meal at lighting the positive aspects of liv- personal story.”

“I think that people do have “We need discussions with peothe Green Gates Indian Restaurant, ing well with dementia, especially Mangan continued: “It’s more understanding that dementia ple of colour on this so that there formerly the Kings Hotel where for African-Caribbean and African important to get people to start exists. You see it in the storylines is a diversity of thinking about her friend Lottie worked, the new communities. Mrs Richards’ story talking about the issues because of popular TV soaps, or there is compelling, but not unique. how we care for people living with Stirling open-top bus tour, and a the prevalence for dementia, for nostalgic tour of Edinburgh, revis- More and more people are living people from African and Caribbean might be a show with a character dementia.”

“Muriel’s return to Stirling is more than just a personal journey – it’s an opportunity to raise awareness about dementia”

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4 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2024

NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL: A MAJOR ECONOMIC FORCE IN LONDON Study commissioned by The Voice reveals that the net economic impact of the Carnival is worth nearly £400 million a year. By Vic Motune

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HE Notting Hill Carnival is more than just a celebration of Caribbean culture — it’s an economic powerhouse.

In a study commissioned by The Voice, JN Bank economist James Williams revealed that the total direct or net economic impact of the Notting Hill Carnival is over £396 million a year with significant spending on accommodation, food, shopping, entertainment, and travel contributing to that total.

Williams’ analysis, the first study to examine the economic impact of carnival since 2003, found that Europe’s largest street festival, supports the equivalent of 3,000 full-time jobs and attracts approximately 160,000 international tourists annually.

The economist noted that despite the often negative mainstream media coverage that the event often attracts, its economic impact is substantial.

“Carnival is absolutely generating significantly higher sums of money than when we first studied it,” Williams told The Voice. “It’s really important that the government promote the economic benefits of this annual event and use it as a benchmark

to recognise the economic impact diverse communities bring to wider society, but also the soft global power it gives London, and the UK by extension.

“It’s also important to note the impact is not only local, or even contained to London, but national also.”

Comprehensive economic footprint The research, which is the first of its kind since 2003, outlines the carnival’s broader economic footprint.

Williams, right, conducted the study by examining a variety of data sources, including local government reports, tourism data, and business revenue reports. The study detailed how carnival contributes millions to London’s wider community through expenditures on local food and drink services, retail shops, and supermarkets.

Accommodation sector gains According to the analysis, London’s accommodation sector benefits significantly, with both domestic and

“It’s really important that the government promote the economic benefits of this event”

- James Williams,

JN Bank economist

international visitors spending heavily on hotels and rentals.

Domestic visitors using hotels spend approximately £77.99 million, while those opting for Airbnbs and other rentals contribute around £31.19 million.

International visitors using hotels and rentals add another £50.18 million to the economy.

LET ’S CELEBRATE : The Notting Hill Carnival is often referred to as Europe’s biggest street party (Photo: Getty Images)

Food and beverage Food and beverage spending is another major contributor to the Notting Hill Carnival’s economic impact, with domestic visitors spending an estimated £58.49 million and international visitors adding £20.34 million bringing the total amount spent on food and beverages, to £78, 834, 240.

Williams’ economic impact analysis employed rigorous methodology to project future attendance and spending.

Using the compound annual growth rate (CAGR), the study estimates that the 2024 Carnival will attract around 2,119,200 attendees. This projection is

based on a growth rate of 5.96 per cent per year from 2018 to 2023.

According to Williams’ analysis, the total direct economic impact of the carnival is estimated at £396,336,950. As well as the amounts of money spent on accommodation, food and beverages the event also boosts spending on shopping, entertainment, and transportation, further enhancing its economic impact.

The figure for shopping, which includes spending on costumes and merchandise, is estimated at £34.44 million.

Entertainment, including spending on artist performances, sound systems and floats is worth £1.16 million according to Williams’ analysis, and airline

spending for international visitors, £50.86 million.

Indirect and induced impacts The indirect economic impact of the carnival, which encompasses supply chain effects, is estimated at £64.93 million. This figure accounts for the additional economic activity generated as businesses involved in the event, such as hotels, restaurants, and vendors, purchase goods and services to support the influx of attendees.

These secondary transactions create a ripple effect throughout the local economy, amplifying the initial spending and benefiting a wide range of industries connected to the carnival.

Additionally, the induced

AUGUST 2024 THE VOICE | 5

News Feature “You will know how many people got arrested, but you won’t know who won the competition as the best artist”

REVELLERS: Notting Hill Carnival attracts huge annual crowds to west London (Photo: PA Images)

SUPPORT: Government grants can help costume creators, Mas bands, and provide crucial help with infrastructure Displacement effects “As well as the costs, when calculating the economic impact of events like the Notting Hill Carnival, it is important to account for ‘displacement effects’, the spending that would have occurred anyway if the event had not taken place,” said Williams.

“Displacement effects refer to the economic activities that are merely shifted rather than added by the event. For example, local residents who spend money at the Carnival might otherwise have spent that money in the local economy in the absence of the event. Using a displacement factor of 30 per cent, this equates to around £60 million to subtract from our total.”

economic impact, generated by the spending of wages earned by employees and profits reinvested by business owners, is calculated to be £58.44 million. For example, when a vendor makes money from selling food at the carnival, they might spend it on groceries or rent, and the businesses they spend on then also see an increase in sales.

This cycle of spending helps boost the overall economic impact of the carnival even further.

According to Williams, it is also important to note the presence of the multiplier effect.

“An economic multiplier is a quantitative measure that captures the total increase in economic activity generated by an initial injection of spending or investment” he said. “It reflects how initial spending ripples through the economy, resulting in additional rounds of spending and economic activity beyond the original expenditure. This is an important economic mechanism when quantifying the financial impact of Notting Hill Carnival.

“For instance, if the Carnival generates an initial spending of £1 million, this might lead to

BOOST: Ansel Wong, director of the Board of Trustees of the Notting Hill Carnival a total economic output of £2 million. This means that for every £1 spent, the economy benefits by £2, giving us a multiplier of two. So, I estimate that the total economic impact of the Notting Hill Carnival, after applying a conservative economic multiplier of 1.1, and using conservative estimates, is approximately £492,826,950.”

Costs Williams’ analysis also considers the expenses involved in hosting the Carnival, which encompass various public services essential for

a safe and successful event. These costs include between £12 and £18 million for police and security to ensure public safety, £1 to £2 million for medical services to provide necessary healthcare support, and £2 to £3 million for sanitation to maintain cleanliness throughout the event.

Another £1 to £2 million is allocated for traffic management to help regulate the increased flow of vehicles and pedestrians, ensuring smooth transportation and minimizing disruptions.

In addition to public services, the study highlights other significant expenses contributing to the overall cost of hosting the Carnival.

These include investments in event infrastructure, such as stages, barriers, and facilities, as well as marketing efforts to promote the Carnival and attract visitors.

Administrative costs, which cover staff salaries and other operational expenses, add to the total.

Also, miscellaneous expenses account for unexpected or variable costs that might arise. When combined, these factors bring the total estimated costs to a range of £36.49 million to £57.50 million.

financial contribution it makes.

When Notting Hill Carnival comes around all we seem to hear about is social disorder and rising crime statistics.

“At the end of Carnival, you will know how many people got arrested. But you won’t know who won the competition as the best artist or composer. And that is the whole point of Carnival, which is artistic creativity. Similarly, a lot of organisations, small and medium enterprises and individuals benefit from the Notting Hill Carnival in terms of generating income or profit.

Visitors or tourists are contributing economically in terms of hotel stays, Airbnb stays, living expenses while they are here and participating with all the traders, organisations and outlets along the route.

“But people who are coming from other parts of London or the UK are also adding to the event’s economic impact. If someone is coming to Carnival from Peckham in south London for example, it may be miles away from the route but they are still part of the influx of visitors and tourists who spend a significant amount of money.

“But you have to remember that it’s also about fashion, particularly with young people. They want to come to Notting Hill Carnival in all their finery. And they will be buying this ahead of the event where they live. So, there is a kind of ripple effect that is happening throughout the whole of the economy.”

Wong continued: “These are big benefits that we knew were there but until we haven’t really been able to quantify them except through anecdotal evidence. I know, for example, of a pub along the route which earns at least one and half times its annual income over the three days of the Carnival.

“So the income that pub

Fiscal impact Beyond the economic impact, the carnival also has a significant fiscal impact, benefiting government finances through various tax revenues.

The event generates substantial sales tax (VAT) from the sale of goods and services, boosting local and national coffers. Additionally, income tax revenues are bolstered by the wages earned by employees working during the carnival, from vendors to performers.

Corporate tax contributions also increase as businesses see higher profits from the influx of attendees. Collectively, these tax revenues highlight the carnival’s role in enhancing public funds and supporting government budgets.

The total tax revenue generated is estimated at £93.66 million.

After deducting government expenditures on public services and support for the event, the net fiscal impact ranges from £34.31 million to £56.21 million.

Ansel Wong, director of the Board of Trustees of the Notting Hill Carnival, welcomed The Voice’s analysis.

“There is a dearth of information about its positive contributions,” he said. “There are two key issues that relate to Carnival in terms of its impact.

“The first is the RIPPLE EFFECT: Carnivalcreative and artistic goers buy fashionable clothing part. The other one is the economic and

- Ansel Wong

generates is quite significant in terms of its profitability. Now if you multiply that by all the other pubs and other outlets, restaurants and so on, you’re talking about a really significant amount of income that is generated on the three days that the event takes place.”

Over the years, many people involved with the event have argued that its significant impact in boosting tourism, local businesses, and job creation warrants greater government support to help ensure its sustainability. This is something that Wong agrees with.

“I think the government is doing very little, if anything at all, to provide any kind of support, infrastructure support for the carnival” Wong said. “We are hoping that with this new government will have a different approach so that carnival gets the support it needs to get from central government.

“That could be through direct through grant aid from the government or from other regulatory authorities helping to pick up some of that costs.

“For example, to provide a St John’s Ambulance service over the three days of Carnival can cost around £75,000 which is a major burden for us. Government grants enable essential things like this to happen. Grants can also help develop the creative side of Carnival through development programs development programs for the costume creators and Mas bands for example.”

Benefits to society Wong said that government support could also provide crucial backing in areas such as infrastructure and staffing.

“We have about 1,000 to 2000 people who we need to use as stewards or route marshals during Carnival who all need to be trained. But this, for example, could be linked to wider government objectives around creating employment.

“By focusing on these areas the government and commercial entities can enhance the Notting Hill carnival’s economic and social impact, ensuring it remains a cherised cultural event that unites people from all backgrounds.”

6 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2024

News Feature

Wealthy nations should act to help those affected by the global crisis that they created, say campaigners – and Caribbean politicians. By Sinai Fleary

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LACK Britons are calling for Western countries to take climate change more seriously after Hurricane Beryl devastated parts of the Caribbean last month.

Meteorologists have been left stunned as “monstrous” Beryl became the earliest Category 5 hurricane to form in the Atlantic.

At least 11 people have been killed in the Caribbean and weather experts have said the record-breaking hurricane intensified because of the unusually warm ocean temperatures driven by fossil fuel pollution.

Two of the hardest-hit islands were Carriacou and Petite Martinique – which are part of Grenada. Over 98 per cent of their infrastructure was destroyed.

G r e n a d a’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell said Beryl was a result of the “climate

crisis” and said it was not fair that Caribbean nations have to constantly “borrow and rebuild”.

“The hurricane is a direct result of the climate crisis that Grenada, the Caribbean, and other small island developing states (SIDS) are on the front line of,” he said during a press briefing last month. “We demand and deserve climate justice.

“We are no longer prepared to accept that it is OK for us to constantly suffer significant loss and damage arising from climatic events and be expected to borrow and rebuild year after year while the countries that are responsible for creating the situation sit idly by with the platitudes and tokenism.”

He added: “This hurricane ‘NOT RIGHT’: Grenada’s PM Dickon Mitchell called for justice

Photo: AFP/Getty Images

BLACK BRITS URGE THE WEST TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE DEVASTATION: Flooded houses after a river swelled due to heavy rains following the passage of Hurricane Beryl (Photo: Victor Gonzalez/AFP via Getty Imag

es)

has put the people of Carriacou and Petite Martinique light years behind and they are expected to pull themselves up by the bootstrap on their own. This is not right, not fair and not just.”

Mitchell’s statement won strong support from Black Britons of Grenadian heritage.

One of those is Londoner Euon Brown, a former professional footballer who represented Grenada at both youth and senior level.

Speaking to The Voice, he said: “I think it’s pretty spot on and I support the PM in his statement.

“I think there needs to be a bigger and wider conversation across the world about how people function in the world.

“How we do that as one nation, meaning the world, everyone has to do their bit so that in effect no one is impacted, whether that is small islands in the Caribbean, we don’t want anywhere in the world to be impacted by this.

“We wouldn’t wish this on anyone. But long-term, nobody should be feeling the brunt of the bigger countries maybe not doing all that they can to make sure that the smaller islands

are safe off the back of their decision-making.”

The former Grenadian midfield player has a home in the north of mainland Grenada, in a fishing town called Sauteurs, in St Patrick – which was also seriously damaged by Hurricane Beryl.

Brown also has family members in Carriacou, where 98% of all buildings were destroyed, which has left him “very emotional”.

“Seeing places where my dad went to school, the Dover School, completely flattened is just heartbreaking,” he said.

“I have a cousin who has been able to travel over to Carriacou and so now he’s online he sent me videos and the place is carnage. Pretty much everyone has lost their home.”

HURRICANE DISASTER Mia Mottley, the Prime Minister of Barbados, known for her straight-forward advocacy of her country and Caribbean nations, has been very vocal about the impact of climate change over the years.

But her stark and chilling warning of a “death sentence” for Caribbean islands, made in a speech at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly referred to as COP26, in Glasgow, was a damning reminder that so many in the region will suffer if the global temperature continues to rise.

During her speech, she said: “What must we say to our people living on the frontline in the Caribbean, in Africa, Latin America, in the Pacific, when both ambition and regrettably some of the needed faces at Glasgow are not present?

“What excuses should we give for the failure, in the words of that Caribbean icon Eddie Grant, ‘will they mourn us on the frontline?’” continued on page 12

AUGUST 2024

THE VOICE | 7

Special Feature

ADVERTORIAL

BLACK CULTURAL ARCHIVES

A DECADE DOWN, MANY TO GO: RECLAIMING NARRATIVES

Black Cultural Archives (BCA) in Brixton

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s we commemorate ten years of Black Cultural Archives (BCA) at Windrush Square, we reflect on a journey rich in impact, resilience, and triumph.

This milestone is not just a celebration of persistence, it’s a testament to the unwavering urgency of this work, and our community’s commitment to preserve, share and champion the rich tapestry of Black and British history. A history that’s always in the making.

Since opening our doors at 1 Windrush Square on 24th July 2014, our archives, exhibitions, and educational programmes have striven to promote historical reflection as a crucial tool in learning from our past, to build a more racially just and equitable future for all.

Throughout one of the most politically tumultuous decades in modern British history, we’ve welcomed a multitude of writers, PhD researchers, school students, teachers, lecturers, artists, community leaders, activists, employee groups and curious culture lovers, to engage with our treasure trove of collections on the contributions, struggles, and

achievements of Black Britons.

They’ve gone on to complete doctorates, write books and newspaper stories, make films, visual artworks, host conferences, educational courses and more - all of which enrich our national narrative and ignite positive change.

DONORS Over the past decade, our small but mighty team have worked with hundreds of donors across the country, who’ve helped us amass over 100 new collections, including 13,000 books centring black British history.

We’ve worked with a variety of community groups and curators, to host over 40 exhibitions and 450 events. We’ve provided educational workshops for up to 10,000 people, and provided a crucial sanctuary for research and reflection for over 4000 reading room visitors.

This 10-year celebration is also an opportunity to acknowledge that BCA has always been an urgent community-led, collective effort, that simply would not exist without the partnership and generosity of local community leaders, Lambeth Council,

funders, schools, university and heritage sector partners alongside our volunteers, staff and Trustees.

We’re forever grateful for their transformative support for our mission, a mission, that’s always been part of a reparative movement inspired by the bravery of the Black Parents Movement, and those working towards Windrush Justice movement and enduring truth that Black Lives Matter.

Four years on from the reminder that this work can never be taken for granted, this 10 year anniversary is an opportunity to underline that this collective effort is needed now more than ever.

NEXT GENERATION We are currently witnessing the eradication of Black British history. The closure of pioneering Black British history courses across the country, including the University of Chichester, proposed cuts to Goldsmith’s University and to History and English departments nationwide, we are facing the demise of the next generation of Black historians.

Along with reduced funding in

arts and heritage, and continued effects of `hostile` policies, it is our duty to support collaborative efforts to protect and champion Black history scholarship.

PARTNERSHIP This year we launch the Len Garrison MA Scholarship in Black British History with Leicester University and look forward to strengthening our partnership work with Kings College University, Royal Holloway University and others.

Our work to date is unique but we accept that there are areas where we still have work to do in reclaiming narratives. We must continuously work to reflect Black British identities, all of which are incredibly layered and complex.

We are aware there are many communities whose histories we haven’t properly explored and engaged with. It may be 10 years in the building but there is still work to do.

Our collections need digitising. Our programming diversified. Our dedicated workforce sustained. Our ability to support our partners, community, and educate wider society on the im-

portance of archiving their stories continued.

This milestone is a reminder that our work is ongoing, and we must embrace the concept of the ‘living archive’ coined by Stuart Hall, which he describes as ‘present, ongoing, continuing, unfinished, open-ended’.

SUPPORT So, as we call on you to celebrate our 10 years in Windrush Square we are reminded of our beginnings and our conception over 40 years ago as The African Peoples Historical Monument Foundation.

As a Black independent institution we serve as a monument, challenging the static views of the past and offering alternative perspectives on space and belonging.

Our influence on the square complicates the narratives surrounding Windrush, not only through our collections reflecting an earlier Black presence but also as a marker of the Windrush generation.

The juxtaposition of BCA in central Brixton, sharing space with a memorial to the sugar magnate Henry Tate, delves into

complex histories and evolving demographics.

With a decade down and many to go. We call on you, the community, to continue to support us and our work to elevate the undeniable power of our rich, nuanced, complex Black history in the realisation of a racially just and tolerant society.

Happy 10th Anniversary Black Cultural Archives at Windrush Square! *Please scan the QR coded to support Black British history and Black Cultural Archives.

To get in touch about partnerships or sponsorships, please complete the form on: blackculturalarchives.org/ reclaimingnarratives

8 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2024

News With the bill’s focus now on employment, the Black community needs clarity and answers RACE equality campaigners have said that the newlyelected government must prioritise tackling systemic racism, amid concerns that Labour’s previously touted plans for a Race Equality Act could be shelved after the bill was renamed to focus on employment.

Experts and campaigners argue it is ‘incumbent’ on Number 10 to beef up efforts to address race disparities alongside any new legislation that is introduced.

Labour’s proposed Race Equality Act was four years in the making as The Voice previously reported.

However, the bill has now been renamed the Equality (Race and Disability) Bill.

NO SILVER BULLET The proposals at the Race Equality Act’s launch, back in February, fell short of being the silver bullet to tackle systemic racism that many campaigners had called for.

It was still hoped, however, that the proposals would form a core part of Labour’s plans when elected to government.

The recent King’s Speech, however, which outlined the government’s legislative plans, suggested otherwise noting that “legislation on race equality will be published in draft to enshrine the full right to equal pay in law”.

While equal pay was indeed a part of Labour’s initial proposals, its mention in the King’s Speech raised questions. It is unclear why it was specifically mentioned in isolation or why the bill was renamed.

It’s also uncertain, when or if a final draft will be available for scrutiny and which of the original ideas included in the Race Equality Act plans will remain.

Race equality campaigners have said the Black community needs clarity and answers.

Lawyer Jacqueline McKenzie was one of a group of experts who was involved in developing the Race Equality Act proposals alongside Women and Equalities Minister Anneliese Dodds.

Speaking to The Voice she said she was concerned about the bill being “renamed and refocused”.

“What we heard is that there’s

Opinion

Richard Sudan

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

HAS LABOUR DROPPED THE BALL ON TOUTED RACE EQUALITY ACT? CONCERNS: Left, Lee Jasper; right, Jacqueline McKenzie

It’s unclear whether this renamed and refocused bill will address the disparities discussed by the Taskforce

to be a bill titled, Equality (Race and Disability) Act and seemingly, its focus is about employment rights” she said.

“As important as this is, it’s unclear whether this renamed and refocused bill will address the disparities discussed by the Taskforce and if it doesn’t, this will be disappointing, especially if these issues aren’t addressed in other bills.

“Labour’s Race Equality Act Taskforce, of which I was a member, spent a year pouring over details, meeting with experts and stakeholders and getting to the root of the problems of ongoing inequalities across society,” she added.

“This was a bold and important step by Labour, especially after years of underperformance

of the Tories’ Race Disparities Unit, culminating in the report of Dr Tony Sewell which erroneously portrayed Britain as a post-racial society, and the view that current legislation fell short of being able to address these issues.

“The Taskforce looked at disparities across criminal justice, education, employment, health, procurement, business opportunities and immigration “I was hopeful to see some of this highlighted in the King’s speech.

“Race equality campaigners and advocates looked hopefully to Labour and its promises, and now they’re in government, it’s incumbent on them to continue to consult on these issues as it prepares new legislation.”

PROTECTION AGAINST HOSTILE CLIMATE Operation Black Voter Chair David Weaver described Labour’s plans as ‘welcome’ but said much more must be done to tackle the ‘hostile’ climate in Britain.

“The government’s proposals are welcome and necessary; however, more is required to address the significant challenges posed by entrenched systemic racism in our society,” he said.

“Operation Black Vote (OBV) will be launching a programme celebrating the 60th anniversary of the first Race Relations Act (1966). This milestone offers the new government an opportunity to meaningfully engage with Black communities on how a

strengthened Race Relations Act can provide greater protection against racism and hatred in our increasingly hostile climate” EXPANSION OF RACE DISPARITIES UNIT Veteran race equality campaigner Lee Jasper told The Voice that legislative plans must be supported by an expanded Race Disparties Unit equipped with the expertise to hold government departments to account.

“To lay the foundations for Britain to become a true 21st-century multicultural democracy, the new government must prioritise this goal,” he said.

“A central component of this ambition should be the expansion of the Race Disparities Unit and the establishment of clear departmental progress metrics for tackling systemic racism.”

He further added: “Race equality performance metrics should be explicitly tied to the annual Treasury-led budget process: no substantive progress, no additional spending.”

The race equality plan seen by The Voice in February included the following points: l Action to tackle policing and Bame representation in police staffing, to implement the remaining recommendations of the Lammy Review regarding criminal justice, establishing more effective data on ethnicity regarding health outcomes, and youth workers in A&E’s and pupil referral units. l In addition, targets to tackle maternity outcomes with Black and Asian women, improving Black and Asian mental health, measures in education, and ensuring justice for those affected by the Windrush scandal including taking the compensation scheme out of government hands, were all mentioned.

If the Labour government plans to push through any serious race equality legislation in the first Parliament, there is an urgent need for clarity, and clear consultation from experts in the community with time to examine proposals.

If its previous plans on race equality have been shelved it will prove a serious missed opportunity by Labour and will further erode confidence in the Black community whose votes prime minister Keir Starmer will surely need for a second term in office. l For more post-election analysis, see pages 20, 26, 29, 33 and 34

9 | THE VOICE JUNE 2022

JUNE 2024

THE VOICE | 9

10 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2024

Photo: Sarcoma UK

News Feature Charity worker Darrell McDonald lends his face to new national campaign that hopes to encourage doctors to spot sarcomas quickly.

By Vic Motune

FACING FACTS: Darrell McDonald with wife Amy, daughter, Maya and son, Theo in front of the Sarcoma UK billboard poster campaign that he stars in

BILLBOARDS TO BOOST PROFILE OF RARE CANCER

A

44-YEAR-OLD charity worker with a rare terminal cancer has called for more training for GPs to recognise rare sarcoma cancers.

Darrell McDonald, head of finance at a national charity and a father of two from Twickenham, was misdiagnosed for over two months.

In 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, he noticed a lump on his neck. His local surgery was reluctant to see him due to the pandemic. McDonald’s GP thought it was an infection and prescribed antibiotics.

After the lump refused to go away, doctors then did an ultrasound and a biopsy, at this point still not knowing what it was. Then, on his 40th birthday, a day which he meant to celebrate as he had also been offered a new job, McDonald was told he had synovial sarcoma cancer.

Synovial sarcomas are so rare they account for less than half of one percent of all cancer diagnoses.

Recalling the day he got the call offering him the new job, McDonald said: “They remarked, ‘You don’t seem to be excited at the news.’ I said, ‘Actually, I have just been told I have cancer.’”

Following the diagnosis, he then had a PET CT scan, which revealed the cancer had spread

to his lungs, and was told the prognosis was pretty poor. Then, within three to four weeks of the discovery of the tumours on his lungs, an MRI spotted two lesions in his brain.

McDonald then underwent radiotherapy, with a pioneering system called CyberKnife treating the tumours in his brain. As the cancer continued to grow in his lungs, he was put through chemotherapy to try and reduce it.

“They used drugs called doxorubicin and ifosfamide, which are so toxic you can only have six rounds of that combination,” he said. “It was so bad that one day,

I fainted and hit my head on the sink in the bathroom at the hospital. Because of Covid, I was always on my own, not able to bond with other patients going through the same thing – isolated to my room.

“My family and friends wanted to support me but Covid restrictions made it hard to, although the wonderful people that they are, they found ingenious ways to do so, which I will be forever grateful for.

“It was a really horrific time.

My kids were three and five when I was diagnosed, and it wasn’t easy to know how or what to tell

Sarcomas explained Sarcomas are uncommon cancers that can affect any part of the body, on the inside or outside, including the muscle, bone, tendons, blood vessels and fatty tissues. There are about 100 different sub-types of sarcoma cancer.

A new billboard campaign around the country features people who reveal the number of days it took to be diagnosed with sarcoma.

Over a third of patients wait over six months to be diagnosed with the rare cancer.

Sarcoma UK is a national charity that funds vital research, offers support for anyone affected by sarcoma cancer and campaigns for better treatments. It is the only cancer charity in the UK focusing on all types of sarcoma.

It is now one of the biggest funders of sarcoma research in the UK, having invested £6.8 million in 87 pioneering research projects to date.

them – my wife and my kids are more than my world; they are my purpose.”

He continued: “My wife and I have a great partnership. We decided to focus on things we could control and not play the part of victim, but instead to fight this. And at the same time enjoy the now by spending quality time together as a family.

“Of course, we have our moments of being upset, but we are generally positive and doing lots of things together.

I have even written a book called Straight Red? which is all about keeping hope even when the odds are low – a message not just for cancer, but for life!

All the profits from the book (on Amazon) go to Sarcoma UK to help fight this horrendous disease.”

McDonald’s story featured in a recently launched national billboard campaign aiming to raise awareness of sarcoma. He expressed his hopes for how his story may lead to a change on how GPs are trained.

“As sarcoma is rare, it doesn’t always get considered, and so including it in training for GPs and others would help bring down the occurrence of misdiagnosis,” he said.

and a video for medical students and junior doctors. These resources are aimed at helping healthcare professionals to better recognise the signs and symptoms of sarcoma, addressing the exact concerns Darrell has raised.

“By giving healthcare professionals the right skills and knowledge, we are aiming to prevent people with sarcoma from being misdiagnosed; so that they can instead get an early diagnosis and fast access to treatment.

HOPEFUL: Darrell This initiative, alongside during his treatment our continued investment in research and support services, marks a significant step forward in our mission to ensure that everyone Andy French, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at affected by sarcoma receives the Sarcoma UK, said: “Darrell’s story best treatment, care, information underscores how important and support available and to it is for people with sarcoma create the treatments of the to get an early diagnosis. And future.”

Darrell’s right when he says that people working in the NHS need l If you have been affected by training in sarcoma. That’s why sarcoma you can call the free at Sarcoma UK, we’ve worked Sarcoma UK Support Line on with our partners to develop 0808 801 0401 (Monday-Friday, an online, accredited training 10am-3pm), or email supportline@ module for GPs, an e-learning sarcoma.org.uk, or text 07860 module for physiotherapists, 058830 to speak with a specialist.

AUGUST 2024

THE VOICE | 11

ADVERTORIAL

C

By Darell J Philip

harlie, a British man, who is of Grenadian and Jamaican heritage never imagined he would go to university nor find a career he loved. He refused to give up and so pushed himself to complete a degree with The Open University, despite the hurdles he faced in his journey.

Even though he had supportive and hardworking parents encouraging his education, Charlie faced academic and personal challenges at school, as he had to navigate the difficulties of bullying.

“School was a challenging time for me. I found the academic side difficult; it was fastpaced and there was no one-toone support back then, unlike my tutor at The Open University.”

Fortunately, during his school days, Charlie had discovered his love of sports which led to his life-long passion. He said: “I was lucky enough to have a fantastic sports teacher who noticed my potential.”

ENCOURAGE His teacher was able to encourage him to participate in all the school sports teams and assisted him in documenting these activities, which in turn helped him perform better in other academic areas.

After leaving school, Charlie pursued his love for sports by gaining a BTEC National Diploma in the subject before working as a physical training instructor for the Metropolitan Police Service and coaching football in his community. It was while taking a couple of months off work to coach football in America that Charlie came across the ‘Sport, Fitness and Coaching Degree’ at The Open University which “daunted” him at first but having previously studied and successfully gained a BTEC National Diploma, he was determined to pursue.

“I had been setting up my own community soccer school at the time, so everything was falling into place.” said Charlie.

The Open University is for anyone who wants to learn and is looking for flexibility to study around your busy life with support.

It was a perfect choice for Charlie, who had been looking to pursue a degree in an area he was passionate about. He said, “I had the option to study at my own pace and duration (part-time over 6 years) which helped me a lot.”

SUPPORT The support Charlie received during his studies at The Open University was a world away from that which he had experienced during his Primary and Secondary School years. He had never experienced the support he needed with his studies until he joined the OU. “I was assigned my own one-toone tutor, something I did not have at school, yet desperately needed,

and support teams were on hand offering help not only with my studies but also with any other personal issues I might have had,” he added.

He further said, “Studying at The Open University differed from my experience at Primary and Secondary school in that I could work and complete assignments at my own pace”. This support was much more inclusive than any other educational experience which meant he enjoyed studying and did not have the same barriers he felt in his earlier years.

Just before he began his studies, Charlie had been struggling with pain in his hip. He discov-

British Jamaican student achieves what he thought was impossible

“I discovered I had cancer before starting my studies but with the support of The Open University, I’ve graduated.”

Charlie at his graduation ceremony ered he had cancer, which was detected after several tests and scans in which he had seen his doctor concerning the persistent hip pain.

Supported by The Open University’s flexible approach, Charlie was able to pause his studies to focus on his cancer treatment.

“It was a really difficult and scary time for me. I even took my books with me to the hospital to start my studies there”. Charlie’s treatment was more challenging than he anticipated. He needed more time to recover so he decided to pause his degree.

Thankfully, he eventually got the all-clear from cancer.

TREATMENT Following his treatment, he resumed his studies and was supported to succeed. “My Open University tutors gave me the time I needed to fully recover from illness, but they also reviewed my performance and gave feedback which helped me do better in the assignments I had”.

“During moments of doubt,

I visualised myself crossing the stage at my graduation ceremony and I’m delighted to say that image went on to become a reality for me in the end,” said Charlie, who crossed the stage at his graduation ceremony in Brighton last year in October 2023.

GUIDANCE For over 50 years, The Open University has supported millions of learners with career-boosting, respected qualifications, with short courses and degree programmes across a wide variety of subject areas. Students have the flexibility to switch between full or part-time study intensity from one degree module to the next and student support teams are on hand to provide advice and guidance related to their studies as

Charlie runs for children with cancer

well as other concerns or queries.

“It was a joyous occasion for both me and my family and I could not have done it without the support of my tutors, support team, and peer group at The Open University who became a point of network for me towards the end of my course,” he said. “The Open University course has given me the confidence to apply for roles related to my area of expertise and has led to the community-based sports coaching I currently lead throughout various educational establishments across the UK.” Whatever future you are looking for, your possibilities are open.

Head to The Open University’s website to find out more: www.open.ac.uk

12 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2024

News Feature continued from page 6 DESTRUCTION: Clifton, Union Island, St Vincent and the Grenadines, where 98% of homes were heavily damaged

‘NOT A LOT OF ACTION’ In a national address, Gonsalves said he sought shelter in his official residence from the “monster” storm that damaged homes and the roof of Kingstown’s 204-year-old Anglican cathedral, St George’s.

Mr Gonsalves said: “For the major emitters of greenhouse gases, those who contribute most to global warming, you are getting a lot of talking, but you are not seeing a lot of action – as in making money available to small-island developing states and other vulnerable countries.”

He went on: “I am hopeful that what is happening – and we are quite early in the hurricane season – will alert them to our vulnerabilities, our weaknesses and encourage them to honour the commitments they have made on a range of issues from the Paris accord to the current time.”

Zoe Smith moved from the United Kingdom to Grenada and was on the mainland when the hurricane hit the island.

Speaking to The Voice from Grenada, she said: “I was in the south of the island, not too far from the capital and it happened really quickly and I don’t think anyone was expecting it.

“Sunday evening, I was reaching out to people in the UK and people who run NGOs here just because having seen the response to Ivan, during COVID and the response to the volcano eruption in St Vincent, we are always playing catch-up.”

“It was very windy – to see the sea with massive waves was very unsettling,” she said.

“The fact that I couldn’t get in touch with my grand-aunts and grand-uncles, who are all in their 80s, was quite concerning.

“I was getting calls from the UK and America with relatives asking, ‘Have you seen them?’

“My heart goes out to people who have lost relatives or have had people who are injured in the hurricane,” she said.

Smith wants people, especially those living in the West, to take action to lower their

Photo: Associated Press

St Vincent and the Grenadines also suffered catastrophic damage across its chain of islands.

In Union Island, St Vincent and the Grenadines, 98% of houses and infrastructure have been heavily damaged or destroyed, according to officials.

In Canouan, another Grenadine island, sadly 100% of homes have been destroyed by Hurricane Beryl. In Bequia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, 2040% of homes are damaged.

St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has criticised Western nations’ inaction on climate change amid the catastrophic landfall of Hurricane Beryl.

“We have seen about 85% of our bananas and our plantain lines go down in Portland and St Mary,” Green said after visiting farms in the southern parish of St Elizabeth.

TEAM PLAYER: Euan Brown supports Dickon Mitchell’s call for co-operation

(Photo via Getty)

individual carbon footprint.

She said: “I think in the socalled developed world, climate change feels conceptual. It feels like something you can have a position on, it feels like an idea.

“Living here in Grenada there is no insulation from it, you are really on the frontlines, when the sea is raging towards you.

“For folks here and in other SIDS, this is our reality!

“Climate change affects everything, from people’s ability to fish, to farm – we are really feeling it.

“To go from a drought for three months straight into a hurricane in the first month of hurricane season is not a joke, it is really happening.

“I think developed countries can make stronger commitments and not see it as optional, it’s a necessity.”

For the future, Smith also wants the Caribbean to do more to build resilience and raise awareness about the “climate adaptations skills” people will need to survive.

She also is warning that food security could become an issue in Grenada in the coming months.

“Agriculture is really going to

SHOCK: Prof Gus John described Beryl as a ‘tragedy ’

be devastated, especially in the north of the island.

“I don’t think we will be able to make an oildown [Grenada’s national dish] because for some reason all the breadfruit trees are down.

“Cinnamon and nutmeg all those things that the Spice Isle is known for, they are not going to be as frequently found so I think there will be longer-term support needed, so that food security doesn’t become an issue.”

Jamaica’s southern parishes were also hit by Beryl, causing substantial damage and sparking a massive shortage of staple foods such as plantain and bananas.

Floyd Green, Jamaica’s agriculture minister, said preliminary assessments indicate significant damage to crops including vegetables, on the island, the Associated Press reported.

Popular food crops such as yam, cassava, breadfruit, ackee, mangoes and bananas are all said to have suffered significant damage following Beryl’s hurricane-force winds and torrential rain.

REPARATIONS NEEDED Professor Gus John is an equity and human rights campaigner who was born in Grenada.

He told The Voice that the aftermath of Beryl is the perfect time to discuss climate justice and to reignite calls for reparations – which the United Kingdom should not ignore or dismiss.

The campaigner stressed that “small nation states and coastal regions which historically contributed least to global

“In the so-called developed world, climate change feels conceptual, like an idea… Living here in Grenada there is no insulation from it, you are really on the frontlines” - Zoe Smith

warming are bearing the brunt of the impact of global warming.

“Yet, we have the British government, irrespective of the party in power, resisting demands for reparations and restitution, despite their

continued exploitation of those nations,” he added.

He described Beryl’s havoc across the region as a “tragedy” and recalled memories of being in Grenada during past storms.

“This is the tragedy of a generation and for many the tragedy of a lifetime,” he said.

“I experienced Janet in 1955 at the age of 10 and Ivan in 2004, both of which etched into my memory, not least because of the dramatic machine-gun turbulence and devastation that descended upon the island, doing its worst in a matter of minutes and then moving on to visit devastation upon other populations in its path.

“Despite best efforts, no one can prepare for this, either physically or emotionally and its consequences are borne throughout a lifetime, especially when lives are lost.”

Prof John believes the long road to recovery after the hurricane should also spur those in the Caribbean and the diaspora into action.

“This is a time for action; a time to demand restoration of what we are owed, restitution of that which was stolen and extracted by barbaric violence and by neo-colonial coercion; a time to make every effort and every contribution count as we share the responsibility to save our people from hunger and disease and to afford them shelter.”

CLIMATE EMERGENCY Last month, the UK’s new Foreign Secretary David Lammy noted Beryl was the earliest Category 5 hurricane on record

to form in the Atlantic and said “we are facing a climate emergency”.

He said: “That such a storm has developed so early in the season shows that we are facing a climate emergency and must act now.”

The Foreign Secretary made the comments as he announced the UK government would be increasing support up to £500,000 for Caribbean countries most affected by the destruction of Hurricane Beryl.

He said: “Our thoughts remain with those who have lost loved ones, their homes or have been left without power.

“This funding will help support disaster recovery efforts, as part of a swift and coordinated response in the region.”

HURRICANE HISTORY In recent years, hurricanes have devastated the Caribbean, leaving thousands homeless and causing extensive damage.

Hurricane Gilbert, a Category 5 hurricane in 1988, killed 318 and caused $2.98 billion in damages. Hurricane Dean, the strongest storm of the 2007 season, killed three in Jamaica.

Hurricane Maria, a Category 5 storm in September 2017, caused 3,059 deaths, mostly in Puerto Rico and Dominica, and became the deadliest hurricane to hit these islands.

Hurricane Irma in 2017 wreaked havoc in Barbuda, Jamaica, Cuba, Anguilla, and the Bahamas.

In 2019, Hurricane Dorian left 70,000 homeless in the Bahamas with winds reaching 185mph, making it the most intense storm to hit the region.

AUGUST 2024 THE VOICE | 13

Opinion

News

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

HIRED AND QUICKLY FIRED Microsoft dismantles its diversity and inclusion team… but no one should be surprised, says Vic Motune

I

N THE aftermath of George Floyd’s murder in May 2020, a wave of corporate activism swept through major companies in both the UK and the US, promising transformative change in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in response to broader societal demands for racial justice.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion professionals were employed in large numbers to assist company executives in creating a more ethnically balanced workforce.

This surge was met with cautious optimism from Black professionals who hoped these declarations would lead to meaningful progress.

SCEPTICISM However, recent years have seen growing scepticism both in the UK and the US about whether major corporates were really committed to the equality and diversity pledges made in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.

Microsoft’s recent decision to disband its DEI team came to light after Business Insider magazine saw an internal email in which a leading member of the team criticised the company, arguing diversity was deemed “no longer business critical.”

This follows other moves by other leading tech companies such as Google, Meta and Zoom to roll back their DEI initiatives.

Despite substantial investments and promises by these and other major corporations, including $150 million from Microsoft, DEI professionals are now among the first laid off. A June 2023 survey by Zyna Search found

that despite the outpouring of corporate solidarity, exemplified by black squares on social media, nearly 70 per cent of UK firms had not increased the number of Black, Asian, or ethnic minority leaders three years after Floyd’s death.

Even before the BLM movement, there was a recognised need for improved diversity in the workplace. But the record number of companies announcing their dedication to DEI in 2020 has not translated into tangible results.

A significant issue is the lack of Black representation in chief diversity officer roles. A 2023 study by Zippia found that less than four per cent of these positions were held by Black individuals.

This glaring absence of Black professionals from roles that are crucial for advancing the interests of underrepresented talent within organisations, highlights a key criticism of diversity initiatives: superficial and performative measures to address racism and inequality in the workplaces were never going to be effective.

Many Black professionals foresaw this, when companies rushed to make grand declarations about their commitments to anti-racist workplaces. So the news that companies such as Microsoft and others appear to be rolling back on their highly publicised diversity pledges comes as no real surprise. A real stumbling block in diversity initiatives being truly effective and achieving genuine change is the tokenistic culture that seems so prevalent in many organisations.

Statements from senior figures such as “we just need to hire more Black people” or “we need a diverse shortlist” often translate to checking a diversity box rather than fostering genuine inclusivity. These approaches fail to address the underlying issues about why there is a lack of diversity in the first place.

The often-held assumption in many workplaces that Black employees are just ‘diversity hires’ who are only at the company because it has somehow lowered its standards or are lacking real

FALSE DAWN: In the wake of protests over George Floyd’s murder major firms pledged a greater commitment to diversity

leadership skills, experience and ability, perpetuates harmful perceptions created by a tick box mentality.

UNFAIR It just reinforces a toxic work culture that Black employees are only too aware of. The Black British Voices survey, published last year, in

which 11,000 people were surveyed, revealed 88 per cent of participants reported experiencing racial discrimination in the workplace.

This manifests in various ways, with respondents citing unfair pay and lack of promotion opportunities as major issues. Even when promotions occur, they can be viewed with suspicion, something

that is attributed to ‘positive discrimination’ creating additional pressure for Black employees to prove themselves.

These issues deserve better and more thought-out solutions than superficial tick-box thinking.

Companies create environments where all employees feel valued and supported.

This involves continuous selfreflection, accountability, and a commitment to diversity not just on race, but across all characteristics, including gender, sexual orientation, disability, and religion. Only then can we hope to see workplaces where every individual can thrive, succeed, and their authentic selves to work.

14 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2024

Special Feature

N

athan Boyle never expected that a video game could have inspired him during an extremely challenging time in his life, but things can have an interesting way of working out.

The year was 2019 and he had been diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, one of the two main forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

Colitis causes swelling and ulcers in the large intestine (colon and rectum).

The other common form of IBD is Crohn’s Disease which can cause inflammation anywhere along the digestive system from the mouth to the anus.

There’s no cure for Colitis or Crohn’s, but medicines and sometimes surgery can keep you feeling well, although flare-ups can happen.

Both conditions can cause a whole range of symptoms, including blood in your poo, weight loss, tiredness and stomach pain – to name a few.

ADVERTORIAL

“Colitis changed my life, now I want to inspire others”- This is Nathan’s story Nathan with his mother and his dog Zac

NEW NORMAL Nathan was working at the London Marathon as a sports massage therapist when he first started having symptoms. He says it was his mother who persuaded him to see a GP and also pushed the doctors to find out what was wrong with him. At one point Nathan lost nearly three stone in weight.

Nathan had never heard of Colitis before his diagnosis, so he says there was a big period of adjustment.

“When I was in the hospital my mum visited me every single day...”

Nathan when he got his stoma

He had to try all sorts of different treatments and medications.

Eventually, he had surgery to have a stoma bag fitted. Like many people in his position, his stoma was given a nickname. His mother playfully refers to it as “Tommy the Stommy”.

“When I was in the hospital my mum visited me every single day for nearly a

month. Whenever she was around me, I felt so at peace and all we really did was just talk and do crosswords and just random little things.

But just having her there made me, at my weakest point, just feel like I could keep going and I could get through.

She said multiple times that she if she could, she would take all of it away and

just basically absorb my disease into herself,” says Nathan.

It was when he was alone in hospital that Nathan would play video games.

The one in particular that affected him was called NieR: Automata.

He says it had a lot of philosophical depth to it that gave him perspective to what he was actually going through.

“I didn’t really expect the game to be about the meaning of life, but that is what it turned out to be - this really emotional journey,” he says.

“It not only gave me entertainment as a video game, but it also did something to inspire me in a time when I basically thought that my life was just endlessly going down.”

AUGUST 2024

Special Feature

ADVERTORIAL Nathan explains the whole point where the game started tugging emotionally was when androids and machines - fighting each other in a war - began exploring very human concepts and questioning their purpose.

photos about living with Crohn’s or Colitis. They call themselves “That IBD Couple.”

“Life can continue and be good”

RAISING AWARENESS He says that helped him realise he wanted to help others who are dealing with Crohn’s or Colitis and show them that they are not alone and that life can continue and be good.

Nathan also shares many inspiring photos on his Instagram page and does public speaking and awareness raising for the charity Crohn’s & Colitis UK. He says it was his girlfriend Becky, who coincidentally has Crohn’s, who inspired and encouraged him to get more involved in charity work, as well as modelling. The two met on Tinder and it was a perfect match as they could relate so well to each other and support each other.

They also share an Instagram page where they have positive messages and

Nathan at the gym

THE VOICE | 15

do great things and you can still pursue your dreams.”

And although he has accepted his new life, he says there is some way to go for society to understand invisible conditions.

He recalls being in a nightclub and going to empty his stoma bag in the toilet. While he was doing this, a security guard peered over his cubicle.

EDUCATING PEOPLE

Nathan and girlfriend Becky

Nathan says he is happy he can inspire others, including other young men and has had positive feedback about the awareness raising he does.

He also wants people to know you can have a good life living with Crohn’s or Colitis. He says he is able to go to the gym and do many other normal activities.

“And even though it might be a slog to get there, as I think it really is for everybody, you’re definitely going to go through a journey, it doesn’t have to be the end of everything and you can still

When he came out the security guard was still there and made Nathan go to another room, where he looked through all his stuff. It was only once he’d searched him and realised there was nothing to be concerned about, that the security guard explained to Nathan that he had suspected he had drugs in the toilet.

“And obviously I showed him the stoma at that point explaining this was why I did that,” says Nathan.

Adding that, “It felt like my normality had just been punched in the face.”

Nathan later complained about what had happened to the club management.

“I said I didn’t have a problem with them if they wanted to check that I wasn’t doing anything weird, but it was just the fact that they manhandled me.

“I just wanted them to understand, I wanted them to be aware that it was a terrible way to treat somebody with a disability, essentially, and that no one should be treated like that.”

The club took his complaint seriously and acknowledged they would handle things better in the future.

Nathan hopes by speaking out, it will prevent such occurrences from happening to others with invisible disabilities and for people to simply have more empathy.

Meanwhile he says he will continue raising awareness in the hope that Inflammatory Bowel Disease becomes something people start to talk about and understand more.

For more information about Crohn’s or Colitis please visit Crohnsandcolitis.org.uk

16 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2024

News

Opinion

Daniella Maison

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

WHEN WE DISAPPEAR, NOBODY IS LOOKING Unearthing the lack of attention for missing Black females, who receive a fraction of the coverage afforded to White people by national media

A MONTH ago, 19-year old Jay Slater left his friends on a night out in Tenerife, and wasn’t seen again.

Sadly, an autopsy on a body recently found by Spanish rescuers in Tenerife confirmed it was that of the missing teenager.

His story was headline news, with journalists from several national news outlets trying to ‘retrace his footsteps’ and posting regular ‘updates’. Some observers described the mass attention the case received as ‘a carnival of hysteria’.

While it is important not to diminish the sad news of this case and the terrible tragedy for Jay Slater’s family, it is impossible to ignore the glaring disparities that exist between who is reported in media, and who is patently ignored, and the role that structural racism and other inequalities play in the status quo.

Just months ago, a Black woman’s body recovered from the Thames went unidentified for weeks.

When SOAS University of London reported to police that student Samaria Ayanle, who was also 19, had gone missing, it took police a further five days to link this inquiry to the body in the Thames.

Some of Ms Ayanle’s friends have sharply criticised the gap between the recovery and identification. On a social media page one friend wrote: “The treatment of this case by the police and SOAS is shocking.

Her having been found on the same day yet being unidentified for almost three weeks is unforgivable and unjust.”

Samaria was not headline news. There was no ‘carnival of hysteria’ for Samaria. In fact, there was barely even a flicker.

There are countless examples of cases that have garnered nationwide coverage and simultaneously shone a Belisha beacon on the harsh reality that Black females simply do not receive the same media

attention when they go missing.

Neither do they receive the same level of priority from the police.

When Nicola Bulley went missing while walking her dog in Lancashire last year, the national reaction to her case (prompted by wall-to-wall coverage from the media) was fervid. The mystery of her disappearance gripped the nation for three weeks as we all asked ‘where is she?’ At one point, Nicola’s case was featured in the news more than 6,500 times a day.

Hundreds of thousands of unaccounted-for minority women desperately need media attention, too.

According to data from the National Crime Agency, Black people accounted for 14 per cent of missing people in England and Wales between 2019 and 2020, despite making up only three per cent of the population.

And according to a ‘heartbreaking report’ in 2023, missing Black children are less likely to be found by the police.

Why? The finding of ‘institutional racism and sexism in the Met’ in a report by Baroness Casey is crucial.

Also the 1999 inquiry ‘into the matters arising from the death of Stephen Lawrence’ concluded with a 1981 quote from Lord Scarman, who said: “The evidence which I have received, the effect of which I have outlined … leaves

It is seemingly onerous for the world to view Black women as human beings who have family and friends who want them to return home

DISREGARDED: Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman’s mother says police ‘didn’t take their case seriously’

no doubt in my mind that racial disadvantage is a fact of current British life… Urgent action is needed if it is not to become an endemic, ineradicable disease threatening the very survival of our society.”

It added that “it is a sad reflection upon the intervening years that in 1998-99 those extracted words have remained relevant”.

Even sadder that now, some 43 years later, those words are still just as apropos.

The multiple travesties of the case of Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman stand as testimony to that. Their mother, Mina Smallman, said she believed race was a factor in the family’s unheeded pleas for help before their bodies were found.

“No one was taking it seriously,” she said. “There was no search put in place by police. Our phone calls were being disregarded. There was no action at all … Bibaa wasn’t even on as a missing person on the Sunday after we’d made calls on the Saturday. I’m trying to understand why they didn’t follow procedure. What could the explanation be?”

UNIDENTIFIED: Samaria Ayanle was recovered from the Thames The small portion of media coverage (or none), accompanied by an all-too-often substandard police investigation, for the Black women who go missing every day raises the disturbing question of how much the lives of Black women are valued and perceived.

The deeply rooted mechanisms of misogynoir mean that it is seemingly onerous for the world to view Black women as human beings who have family and friends who love them and want them to return home safe and sound.

Black females are rarely perceived as victims. Their

mothers’ tears do not garner the same sympathy. The sobering truth is that the media promotes the notion that a photograph of a Caucasian person smiling at the camera captures the hearts and grips the psyche of the nation, in ways that we allegedly will not, thus our stories remain unsellable.

It is up to corporations and media networks to include narratives that reflect our diverse world. All media coverage must be multi-ethnic, multi-bodied and gendered so that every missing person is a hashtag or a trending topic, that every missing person receives nationwide manhunts

and search parties. That every missing person is headline news, and that their cases receive thorough police attention.

There’s no doubt about it, this is our time of need. In London, we are in the midst of an Afrofemicide crisis, as Black women make up 62% of femicides.

Until these crucial requirements are met, as a community, we must continue to ‘make noise’ about protecting Black women and girls. We must continue to be proactive.

Sharing photographs of missing Black and brown men, women and children within our networks helps these cases to go viral and it makes a difference.

Black female lives matter.

Our safety and dignity are paramount. Black females deserve to live in a country that values them, honours their safety, cares for their wellbeing, and deems them worthy of attention.

As a diaspora, we must say, “Enough is enough.”

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

JUNE 2024

THE VOICE | 17

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18 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2024

Dotun Adebayo

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

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

TRICKY: A future meeting between Britain’s new Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Donald Trump could be very awkward (Photo: Getty Images)

IF DONALD MEETS LAMMY How does ‘our Dave’ win back favour with Trump should he return to the White House?

W

OULDN’T YOU awkward if you’re the top British like to be a fly on diplomat. the wall when So how do you eat humble JaLammy meets maican patty if you’re from GuyTrump? ana? How is Lammy going to ‘Our Dave’ dissed the former have to play it? What’s the propresident of the United States tocol? Because I can hear Dononce upon a time before the Tot- ald Trump, with his tendency tenham MP became Foreign Sec- for crudeness and exaggeration retary in Keir Starmer’s govern- saying, “David who?” (or words ment. In a newspaper statement, to that effect) when ‘our Dave’ Lammy called Trump a woman- comes knocking on the White hating ‘neo-Nazi-sympathising House door to present his articles of office to the newly re-elected sociopath’.

Ouch. Yes, I know, not very dip- president.

David who? I mean, how do lomatic for Britain’s top diplomat as my Rt. Hon. friend Lammy is you respond to that? I know Lammy well enough to know that he now.

I know, I know, that was then.

But you know how Trump holds It doesn’t take a a grudge. He’s like an elephant when it comes to being dissed. genius to conclude And now ‘our Dave’ has got to go and deal with him if he gets rethat Lammy spoke elected to become president once again. Which at the time of writtoo soon when he ing seems not only possible but accused Trump of increasingly likely.

I mean, how’s it going to go being all of them down? If Trump’s previous revenges are anything to go by, things he accused Lammy will be persona non grata at the White House should Trump of being Trump be voted back in this November, which makes things

has far too much class to respond in kind and turn it on Trump. He could do but I think he’s learned his lesson from the last time to respond by saying, “May I refer you to my earlier statement.”

But he’ll have to say something, won’t he? And knowing Lammy like I do, I know he’ll say something like: ‘Look Donald, let’s leave all that behind us and be civil to each other. Here’s one joke for you, you know I’m a Tottenham Hotspur supporter, well, what’s the difference between Spurs and a book...? Mate, it’s a good one – at least a book has got a title. Do you get it?’

Becoming the second Black foreign secretary of the United Kingdom should be a moment but it’s not. It’s not even historic.

Thanks to James Cleverly of the other lot that we kicked out at the recent general election, David Lammy will be a pub quiz question in a hundred years’ time – who was the second Black foreign secretary to the United Kingdom?

Even if it is historic, I’m not sure it would make a blind bit of difference to Trump. So David Lammy has got a lot of work to do to get ratings stateside (should Trump win) and be remembered long af-

ter James Cleverly is forgotten. Yet he can do it, not least because he’s got the Obama factor.

But again, should Trump get reelected, the Obama camaraderie between the British foreign secretary and the first Black president ain’t going to go down well at all.

That will be another ‘black’ mark against ‘our Dave’. My advice, our Dave, is not to refer re-elected President Trump to the college friendship you made earlier.

Yes, you may have forgotten that Lammy and Obama are spars. They studied at the Harvard Law School at the same time and Lammy showed his acumen for backing the right horse (with the exception of his football team).

Never knowingly the bookies favourite for anything, our man from Tottenham has navigated a soft to firm race course since inheriting the late Bernie Grant’s safe Labour seat in the N17s of the capital (that is to say soft on race except when he has to be firm on race). He backed Tony Blair when it was prudent to do so. Then followed the transfer of power to Gordon Brown in 2007.

His ambivalence towards Brown’s successor as Labour leader, Ed

Milliband, by declining a post in Milliband’s shadow cabinet, was a wise decision in retrospect given that shadow cabinet’s brevity and his sponsorship of Jeremy Corbin’s bid for Labour leadership.

But David Lammy’s ace card has been to back the winner of the recent general election.

Starmer needs Lammy.

The optics of him as foreign secretary is a good look. It’s one crucial box ticked. But also you can count on David Lammy to be loyal to the leader even if Diane Abbott is posing challenges.

So in conclusion, what does David Lammy have to do to get Donald Trump to rate him, and thereby engage with him rather than dismissing him as Trump did the FBI director Comey as soon as he was elected the last time around?

He has to invite Trump over for an all expenses paid state visit and roll out the carpet for him, including a suite in Buckingham Palace for the night. I can’t see any other way that Trump is going to swallow his dented pride/ ego that was bruised by Lammy’s big diss. It doesn’t take a genius to conclude that Lammy spoke too soon when he accused Trump of

being all of them things he accused Trump of being.

No one expected Trump to have a chance of being re-elected. And not even David Lammy could have been sure, at the time that Labour would win the election so impressively, and that he would end up with one of the big offices of state.

So the lesson to be learned is that before you dismiss a former US president, remember, a US president (unlike our prime ministers) is always a US president, even when they are out of office and can always come back to haunt you. In fact, this is a lesson that we should all take with us.

Mind who you run up your mouth about lest you have to beg them for help. Especially at Carnival. l Dotun Adebayo, Britain’s

most celebrated Black broadcaster, is known as the King of the Nighttime Airwaves. All views here are his own. Listen to him overnight on BBC 5 Live from 1-5am Saturday mornings - Monday mornings & 1am 4am on BBC Radio London (Wednesday to Friday mornings).

Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @dotunadebayo

JUNE 2024

THE VOICE | 19

20 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2024

Opinion

News

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

Parliament is more diverse, with 13 per cent ethnic minority members, but this does not guarantee policies addressing racial inequalities, representation alone isn’t sufficient, says Vic Motune THE RECENT UK General Election marked a historic milestone, delivering the most ethnically diverse Parliament the nation has ever seen.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer, following a resounding victory, now oversees a legislative body where 13 per cent of its members are from Black, Asian, and ethnic minority backgrounds.

This is an undeniable achievement, showcasing progress from the days when Diane Abbott, the first Black female MP, entered a House of Commons where only 41 women were present.

Yet, as we celebrate this diversity, it is crucial to confront an uncomfortable truth: diversity in representation does not inherently translate to policies that address the deeply rooted racial inequalities Black Britons face.

While representation is vital, it is not a panacea. The expectation that a Parliament that looks more like Britain will naturally champion the needs of its diverse population is a hopeful yet simplistic view. The reality, as many Black Britons have experienced, is that the presence of ethnic minority MPs does not guarantee a commitment to racial equality.

For instance, the silence of Black Conservative MPs during the backlash to the Sewell Report – which controversially denied institutional racism in the UK – was a profound disappointment for many in our community.

This silence is indicative of a broader issue where minority MPs in high office often prioritise personal advancement over advocating for systemic change.

This phenomenon can be attributed to several interrelated factors. Firstly, the structure and culture of political parties in the UK often compel MPs to align with the party line, especially those who are relatively new or from minority backgrounds who may feel a heightened pressure to prove their loyalty and competence. This environment can stifle dissent and discourage MPs from taking bold stances

WHY ETHNIC REPRESENTATION IN PARLIAMENT WON’T TACKLE RACISM

on contentious issues such as racial inequality.

Moreover, the political landscape itself is inherently competitive. MPs, regardless of their background, navigate a system where career progression is contingent on securing influential positions and gaining favour with party leadership.

For many minority MPs, there is a palpable fear that vocal advocacy for racial justice might be perceived as divisive or as playing into identity politics, which could hinder their political ascent. Consequently, they may choose the safer route of focusing on issues that are less likely to provoke controversy or backlash from their party or constituents.

Additionally, the visibility of minority MPs in high office can sometimes be weaponised by political parties as a shield against accusations of systemic racism.

The presence of figures like Rishi Sunak, Priti Patel, and Kemi Badenoch is often touted as evidence of the party’s commitment to diversity, even as their policies and public statements may undermine

Starmer’s administration has a chance to break from the past and address these deep-seated issues

progress on racial equality. This tokenistic approach allows parties to deflect criticism without making substantive changes to address the structural inequalities that persist.

The Sewell Report serves as a poignant example. When it controversially concluded that the UK is not institutionally racist, it garnered support from some Black Conservative MPs who defended the findings despite widespread criticism from the Black community and racial justice advocates.

Their defence of the report exemplifies the complex interplay between personal ambition and community advocacy.

By aligning with the party’s narrative, these MPs may have sought to solidify their standing within the party, even at the expense of betraying the very communities they are expected to represent.

The new Parliament includes a record number of female lawmakers and an unprecedented number of ethnic minority MPs within the governing party.

However, as we witnessed during the Conservative tenure, a diverse cabinet featuring figures like Sunak, Patel, and Suella Braverman did not halt the perpetuation of harmful policies such as the “hostile environment,” which led to the Windrush scandal.

This scandal, resulting in wrongful deportations and denied services to British Caribbeans, epitomizes the systemic racism that persists despite the diversity at the top. For Black Britons, representation must go beyond mere presence. It must embody

a genuine commitment to antiracism and the dismantling of structural inequalities.

The findings of The Voice’s Black British Voices Project, published in 2023, highlighted a stark disenchantment with the current political landscape.

An overwhelming 94 per cent of respondents believe the UK government is failing to adequately address issues affecting Black communities.

This sentiment is exacerbated by repeated government reports on racial disparities that many see as superficial and disconnected from their lived experiences.

What Black Britons seek are not just more Black faces in Parliament but politicians who place anti-racism at the core of their agenda. The Black Lives Matter protests of 2020 and the widespread dissatisfaction reflected in the Black British Voices Project underscore a growing disillusionment with formal politics. There is a clear call for a shift from symbolic representation to substantive action.

Starmer’s administration has an

opportunity to break from the past and address these deepseated issues.

However, this requires more than celebrating diversity; it demands confronting the policies and practices that maintain racial inequalities.

It involves listening to Black Britons, acting on their concerns, and implementing recommendations such as those from the Windrush Lessons Learned Review – something the previous government failed to fully commit to.

While the diversity of the new Parliament is a step forward, it is not the end goal.

The true measure of progress will be in how this Parliament addresses the systemic barriers facing Black Britons.

We need politicians who will champion anti-racist policies and ensure that the lived experiences of all citizens shape the future of the UK. Only then can we move beyond diversity and towards genuine equality.

AUGUST 2024 THE VOICE | 21

#KINGSCROSS3 ARE CLEARED OF CHARGES

News

JUBILATION: #KingsCross3, Dan ae Thomas, Selma Taha and Divina Riggon (Photo: Southall Black Sisters)

Selma Taha, executive director of Southall Black Sisters, criticised ‘institutionally racist system’ after charges against her and two friends were dropped. By Vic Motune

T

HE EXECUTIVE director of a Black women’s group criticised what she calls the “institutionally racist system” after assault charges against her and two friends were dropped.

Selma Taha, the executive director of Southall Black Sisters (SBS), had been due to stand trial along with her friends Divina Riggon and Danae Thomas having been charged with assaulting a woman in King’s Cross Underground station last year.

They claimed they were the victims of a violent racist attack.

However, the CPS decided to drop the case before the trial began, citing the fact that the evidence available was not enough as in their estimation, the available evidence was insufficient to support a realistic prospect of a conviction.

Ms Taha told supporters who had gathered outside the court, that she and her friends had been the victims of a violent racist attack and they had been “disbelieved and criminalised” for challenging the abuse.

She said: “As relieved as I am about the decision being in our favour, this has been hardfought and I continue to feel aggrieved at the treatment my sisters and I have received.

“I expected more responsibility and a duty of care from (the CPS), to being disbelieved and criminalised by the CPS for challenging the racist abuse. The past 10 months have reaffirmed my lack of faith in the system and served as a daily reminder of the challenges we are up against as black, minoritised and migrant victim-survivors seeking a just response from an institutionally racist system.”

Ms Taha added: “As the Executive Director of a ‘by and for’ violence against women and girls (VAWG) organisation such as SBS, at each stage, I’ve also worried about other Black women being in my position, knowing that not all of them

have the platform I do to raise awareness about the systemic injustice we are subjected to on a daily basis.”

The three women said they were verbally and physically assaulted while travelling from Camden Town to King’s Cross in September last year.

However, it later emerged that an off-duty Metropolitan Detective Constable was present in the tube carriage but failed to intervene to de-escalate the incident. When the train arrived at King’s Cross station, the three women challenged the officer about why he had taken no action to intervene or arrest the attacker.

Later, in a development that shocked the three women, they were charged with assault by beating following the incident.

Ms Riggon was also charged with harassment and Ms Thomas was accused of racially aggravated harassment, but both counts were discontinued.

A petition, launched on Change.org calling on the CPS to drop the charges received over 36,000 signatures.

The alleged attacker had already been cautioned for racially aggravated conduct under the Public Order Act, and no further action was taken.

A spokesperson for Southall Black Sisters said: “While the discontinuance of the racist charges on the #KingsCross3 should be celebrated, this case has demonstrated the depth of the issue of Black women being disbelieved and criminalised when they resist abuse. At a time of crisis for Black women with data showing Black femicide and other forms of abuse reaching calamitous figures, this case and the treatment of the three Black women involved should send alarm bells ringing.”

A CPS spokesperson said: “We have a duty to keep all cases under continuous review and following information received in the past few days, we decided that there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction.”

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22 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2024

News Feature

CELEBRATING THE UNSUNG REAL HEROES A new awards night hopes to spotlight those underappreciated people whose sacrifices and dedication help others to reach their full potential. Co-founder Mahari Hay tells Vic Motune why he was inspired to launch the event

F

EBRUARY 2025 will see the launch of an awards event that aims to shine a light on the people who make a positive impact on the lives of others but often go unheralded.

The inaugural Community, Corporate, and Culture (CCC) Awards, which will be held at London’s prestigious National Portrait Gallery, is seeking to showcase individuals and organisations across the UK who might not always be in the spotlight, but who work tirelessly to help nurture and provide opportunities for others.

By highlighting their inspiring stories, the CCC Awards hopes to not only provide a platform for these unsung heroes to be appreciated, but inspire others to follow their example.

The event is spearheaded by Mahari Hay and Mexy Thomas, co-founders and CEOs of a social enterprise, Community Corporate & Culture CIC. Explaining the inspiration behind the CCC Awards, Hay told The Voice: “We attend a lot of award ceremonies. When you go to these events, what tends to happen is that if someone is being given, say, the Businessperson of the Year award, they go up on stage and immediately tell the audience about those who have

helped them be the successful person they are today.

“I remember at one award show, as I was listening to the person on stage thank the people who had helped him, I looked back at the table he had come from. And sitting there were some of the people he was speaking about, who were clapping and joyous.

“I just thought to myself, ‘who is taking the time to recognise the people who made the sacrifices so that others could fulfil their potential? When are we going to give them their flowers for the work they do behind the scenes in helping others grow and flourish?’”

ROLE MODELS Hay went on: “We regularly see all types of people in the spotlight.

But if they’re good leaders, they will recognise the people who have invested in them.

“And that doesn’t have to be a business leader or a work colleague.

It could be a mother, father or friend who has acted as an inspirational role model, for instance.”

As the Director of Innovation and Transformation at Lloyds Banking Group, and co-chair of the Group’s internal Black employee network, BOLD, Hay is a respected figure in professional and community circles.

DETERMINATION: Left, Mahari’s mother Melody played a key role in his life ever since childhood; right, Mahari with his mother as a young boy (Photos: Mahari Hay)

But he says his own success has been shaped by cheerleaders and supporters who are out of the spotlight.

He credits the unwavering support and advice of his wife Nikki as being instrumental in helping him navigate his professional journey.

Another key figure is his late mother Melody, whose resilience and determination to make a better life for her son is a testament to the transformative power that supportive individuals can have on one’s life.

“I was born in Kingston, Jamaica, very humble beginnings.

But I was fortunate enough to have somebody that saw something in me before I saw it in myself,” he recalled.

“She came to the UK in the 1980s to work as a nurse while I was raised by my grandparents.

After settling in Tottenham she sent for me when I was eight.

“Coming here to the UK was tough, a real culture shock. But, as tough as it was, I had someone who loved me, and had a bigger vision for me, and she had to work non-stop to provide a good lifestyle for me.”

Hay continues: “Sadly, she passed away 11 years ago. But she put something in me that made me want to go on and do great things. As well as the practical support and wisdom she would impart about being kind to others, she also inspired my path into banking.

“One of the biggest aspects of the community I grew up in was pardner. It was one of the key ways people could get access to capital to help them get a house or start a business, for example.

But they weren’t getting access to real money from the high street banks.

“I remember us going into a bank branch one day. Because she wasn’t able to easily articulate

CHANGING THE NARRATIVE: Mahari Hay, co-founder of the inaugural Community, Corporate, and Culture (CCC) Awards

“Coming to the UK was a culture shock – but I had someone who loved me and had a bigger vision” - Mahari Hay what she wanted, which was to open an account and maybe think about savings, mortgages and building some real generational wealth, she was easily dismissed.

West Indian parents are very proud and won’t always show their feelings but I clearly remember the look of disappointment on her face when we left the branch.

“For me as her son, I didn’t want her to go through that again.

Secondly, I didn’t want anyone from my community to feel like that. So my decision to go into finance was inspired by the idea that maybe there was something I could do to change the narrative.

“I thought that if I could get to a position of influence I could help people connect the dots and get them to the level that they needed in order to gain access funds and financial advice. And this, for me, has been the bigger blessing.”

The CCC Awards focus on three pillars: Community, Corporate, and Culture, which are reflected in 16 award categories.

Community celebrates those individuals and groups who have helped to promote inclusivity and unity between diverse communities. Corporate is aimed at highlighting businesses whose corporate responsibility efforts have made a real impact in society and who offer opportunities to people from all backgrounds.

The Culture pillar honours those who have worked to provide a platform for people from all sections of society to be heard and supported.

“When I think about community, it’s about being involved in something that makes you feel special and connected,” said Hay. “Whether it’s a shared background, heritage, interests, or identity, community helps you feel at home. It motivates you to do more because the people in your community represent and support you. That’s why the Community pillar was important.

“With the Corporate pillar, you have to think about the fact that massive organisations like Amazon and Google not only drive the economy, they employ diverse individuals from entrylevel to C-suite positions. What their success demonstrates is that they rely on giving opportunities to people from all backgrounds and levels who can work together.

“The third pillar reflects the fact that culture shapes our sense of creativity, belonging, and individuality. Everyone identifies with a cultural heritage, which adds the finishing touch to who we are. For instance, me being a

Jamaican Black man, not just a Black man, highlights my ethnicity and culture, and reflects the unique identity that everyone possesses.”

FAIRNESS Nominations for the inaugural CCC Awards are now open.

“The CCC Awards are entirely voted for by the public,” Hay explained. “On the website, you can nominate someone in one of 16 categories by providing 250 words explaining why they deserve an award. Nominations are reviewed by a diverse judging panel made up of individuals from community, corporate, and culture sectors.

“A transparent process ensures fairness, with judges selecting the final three nominees. This authentic approach requires nominators to articulate why their candidate deserves recognition, rather than if someone just nominated themselves.”

Hay continued: “I want the awards to reconnect us with the spirit of community. I think that when we share the inspiring stories that will be included on the nomination forms on social media they will really engage people.

Ultimately, the goal is for these stories of selfless contributions to inspire and remind everyone of the importance of community and shared bonds, not just in the Black community but across all communities.” l If you would like to nominate someone for an award, please visit www.thecccawards.com

AUGUST 2024 THE VOICE | 23

News Feature

‘TIME HAS COME TO BREAK BRITISH MONARCHY TIES’ Jamaica celebrates 62 years of independence. What does that mean to Brits with Jamaican heritage? By Sinai Fleary

J

AMAICA GAINED independence from the United Kingdom on August 6, 1962.

Since then, the special day has been marked with colourful celebrations acknowledging the Caribbean country’s unique music, food and culture.

But in recent years, the conversation around independence for many Caribbean nations – including Jamaica – has had a strong focus on the next generation, developing and building better economies, and also cutting ties with the British Monarchy.

The Voice spoke to three prominent Black British Jamaicans to share their thoughts on independence, republicanism, and their hopes for the future.

Marianne Sunshine is a renowned cultural commentator and podcaster, whose father is from the Parish of St Thomas, Jamaica.

She told The Voice, Jamaican independence is a great time for celebration but insists going forward there needs to be less reliance on tourism and foreign investment.

She said: “It’s a great time for people from the diaspora to celebrate their Jamaican heritage and remind themselves of the huge cultural impact Jamaica has had on the entire world, with music, food, language, sports, trends and fashion.

“However, personally, it doesn’t actually mean much to me because Jamaica will not be fully independent until it is self-sufficient economically and not reliant upon foreign investment, tourism and aid when natural disasters strike.”

Ms Sunshine travels to Jamaica regularly and believes those in the Jamaican diaspora must “educate themselves on the history” of the country and remain connected to the island and its issues.

“Everyone of Jamaican heritage should educate themselves on the history of the island and ensure they’re not ignorant when displaying aspects of their roots to those outside of the culture” she said.

“Those who look at Jamaica as a legitimate part of their lives and feel it’s important for their children to have a connection to their roots, should absolutely keep up to date with what happens in the country

“It means the country owns its destiny in terms of being a fullyfledged sovereign state country, although it will raise questions”

for a long time. While Britain still owes us billions in reparations and still own acres of prime land stolen during the days of Empire, Jamaicans need visas to visit the UK, our citizens are demonised in UK society, stereotyped as criminals Patrick Vernon OBE and frequently deported for minor crimes. politically and be aware of issues “I look forward to all Caribbean which will affect their future.” islands also ditching the farce that The podcaster revealed that she is The Commonwealth and focus would like to eventually settle in on expanding CARICOM.” the parish her father is from, but The mother-of-two says her said plans to redevelop the area ideal future for the country would HISTORIC: Premier Alexander Bustamante, left, with US Vice could eventually lead to gentrifica- be to include “more development President Lyndon B. Johnson during Jamaican Independence tion for luxury tourism – which of local businesses” and the “main- celebrations in Kingston on August 6, 1962 (Photo: Getty Images) could see her priced out of the taining of traditions and culture Dr Aleema Gray is a curator and – which is the Privy Council – in place her family have called home our ancestors fought to create.” public historian, whose parents are London.

The King is the Monarchy, for generations.

She added: “I would love for from Portland, Jamaica. She was Jamaica to gatekeep our culture. It so it is semi-independent. also born in Jamaica and is proud “But at the same time people TIES is time to wise up to the fact that to come from the mountainous have a real pride of being Jamaican She added: “You have to be our culture is global and profitable, village called Swift River. “Jamaican aware of the constant development but we are the ones who make the and particularly as a Jamaican independence means quite a lot to diaspora community, we are still and changes taking place and how least money from what we have me,” she told The Voice. proud of those links.” it will affect your plans.” shared with the world.”

The campaigner and historian In 2022, a senior minister in the Patrick Vernon OBE is a leading HEROES Jamaican government said Jamaica campaigner and cultural historian. is curious if Jamaica, as a future “I always felt like there was an will transition to a republic by 2025. republic, might grant voting rights When The Voice asked him to A year later, Jamaica’s PM Andrew or greater influence to its diaspora, underbelly of independence, when describe Jamaica in five words he it comes to Independence Day, Holness said it was time for his responded: “Feisty, proud, creative, especially in London, Canada, because the King – or originally the government to move forward the UK and the USA, but overall stubborn and playful.”

Queen – rules over a lot of the land quickly with plans to cut ties with he sees the country becoming a Both of Vernon’s parents are in Jamaica, so what does indethe British Monarchy for good. republic as a “positive thing.” from Jamaica. His father is from Ms Sunshine says she backs “It means the country owns its pendence really mean?

Jericho in Hanover and his mother “Is it just having a flag and is moves for Jamaica to become the destiny in terms of being a fullyis from Orange in Montego Bay. next Caribbean republic.

Thinking about what independ- fledged sovereign state country,” he it just having a national dish and “I fully support finally offloadsaid. “It will raise questions. Does national heroes? But independence means to him, the veteran ence also means being fully selfing the British for good. We are Jamaica become a presidentialcampaigner said: “The country sufficient outside of the colonial a former British colony but that was independent from 1962, but it style country? How will it look at relationship has been one-sided historical relationship with Britain.” still has its highest Court of Appeal its constitution?”

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BIG ISSUES: Independence Day celebrates Jamaican heritage, but true independence requires economic self-sufficiency, free from reliance on foreign investment, tourism, and disaster aid, says Marianne Sunshine

Dr Gray said for her the annual acknowledgement is always an opportunity to “celebrate the ancestors that fought and those who are no longer here and those who were removed from the original island of Jamaica”.

She describes the idea of Jamaica becoming the next Caribbean republic as “extremely positive”.

She added: “I think this is the first step of a long journey of thinking about reparations not just of this thing of money or transfer but as a holistic movement of repairing particularly people of African and Caribbean heritage that has been historically enslaved.”

The curator says the burden of repairing the harm caused during the Transatlantic slave trade should lie at the feet of Britain, and this needs to be central to any Jamaican independence discussions and celebrations in the future.

She added: “I think Britain has a responsibility to support and to continue its relationship in undoing the harm that it has inflicted upon a lot of people in the islands and a lot of the extraction that Britain has taken part in.

“I think the move towards a republic needs to be addressed within a framework of reparations or else it doesn’t make sense.”

Dr Gray described Jamaica as “bold, confident, sunshine, riddims, power and natural” and wants the future of Jamaica and its people to include all of those things.

24 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2024

Opinion

Denise Myers

News

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

the unearthed knowledge of once belonging to a slave owner), displacement and rootlessness remain the reality.

Reclaiming what has been wrongfully robbed requires an embracing of Black culture that is not just borne of the mannerisms, customs, trappings and values that have emerged and been cultivated in the land that formerly enslaved their ancestors, but an acknowledgement that Black British and AfricanAmericans share the same roots in an ancient African land once regarded as “home”. This is why

Many businesses and employees are starting to realise that you don’t need to stifle your identity in the workplace – and we can all reap the rewards this brings AT A PANEL discussion recently for Black Inclusion Week, the topic of pride in Black cultural identity was explored.

Most notably, did Black people feel more comfortable and safe these days to express their cultural roots – particularly in predominantly White corporate spaces and, if so, was this a relatively recent shift?

Post-pandemic and the murder of George Floyd in 2020, we saw how institutions and employers across industries suddenly awakened to the extent of their collusion in maintaining racially biased systems that prevented them from becoming truly fair and equitable businesses.

Many reappraised their operations – particularly in light of talent attraction, engagement and progression – to reconfigure or introduce new programmes that delivered accountable and tangible change to homogenous teams and even paler, staler and male-dominated boardrooms.

As a recruiter helping Black

AUTHENTIC SELF: Black people are increasingly proud of their cultural identity in corporate spaces candidates pursue ambitious careers in challenging sectors such as STEM, law and finance, and as a founder of an awards programme that promotes relatable Black talent, I’d say that there has been a small but discernible shift. Black people are increasingly starting to feel that they can be proud and transparent about their cultural identity, particularly in corporate spaces where difference is celebrated.

While seismic shifts in racial equality throughout the world of employment are still yet to happen (McKinsey reported that racial parity is, in fact, 320

For a long time, code-switching was simply expected if one was to thrive in modern Western culture

A HUMAN NEED: Cultural authenticity can foster good mental health, community cohesion, and better business relationships

WHY CULTURAL AUTHENTICITY IS BECOMING A SUPERPOWER

years away), perhaps we can feel a little encouraged that change is happening. And the ability and space to be one’s authentic self has, in part, been a manifestation of this wider change that is setting the bar for genuine inclusivity.

This is a big deal. For a long time, ‘code-switching’ (the act of hiding one’s identity – including clothes and hair to comply with the corporate dress codes of predominately White industries) was simply expected if one was to survive and thrive in modern Western culture. Whether you were

Black, LGBTQI+ or marginalised in other ways, it was key that you suppressed the expression of your identity to portray a united, corporate front.

Avoiding, denying or underplaying authenticity – from appearance and culture to world views – was simply par for the course.

Yet code-switching goes against the grain of inclusivity and undermines trust. And while people who do it may have felt it necessary to deny the expression of their true self to progress

and become successful, it is the most soul-eroding act – one that condemns the self to feeling like a phoney, an imposter, a sell-out.

This is why it’s important that the constant dialogue around Black inclusion within business communities is facilitating a shift in mindset and, in turn, enhancing the work culture.

Black identity, of course, is a heavily loaded issue. For those who were coercively plucked from their African heartlands to be enslaved, cultural identity was severed.

Generations since have been left

to grapple with the void of their personal heritage and provenance.

The primordial soup from which they came left only imagination and conjecture. Then, in the working world, cultural authenticity is taken from them once again with the expectation that they conform to the traditional codes of an inherently White system. This amasses to nothing less than an erasure of the self.

A fundamental human need is to feel like one belongs. But, in truth, for many in Black communities with no traceable past (beyond

it is key that cultural authenticity must be nurtured and expressed.

It is not just ethically sound but human. Being one’s authentic self is key to good mental health, and creates a cohesive community and network which ensures the expression of authenticity becomes sustainable. And, being authentic about one’s cultural identity fosters trust, which is good for client and colleague relationships and, ultimately, good for business.

For me, becoming culturally authentic has brought me great joy and freedom. At the same time, I’ve allowed myself to be vulnerable and honest about the challenges I have faced with cultural identity and belonging.

Wisdom, experience and good guidance from kind others have helped me navigate this journey.

Now, in my job, as I nurture young and emerging Black talent, I can do the same for them – to enable them to feel pride in the colour of their skin as much as their achievement and their potential.

The corporate masks that we are all guilty of wearing to cover up authentic elements of our personalities are finally slipping.

I have seen the emergence of a more congruent and empathic kind of leadership that sees huge value in authenticity and being true to oneself. Cultural authenticity liberates. It is a powerful currency of truth. It’s time we fostered its expression and transformed old mindsets to mobilise positive change. l Denise Myers is CEO of recruitment firm Evenfields and founder of the Black Talent Awards, championing relatable professional role models and tackling employment discrimination.

AUGUST 2024

THE VOICE | 25

Special Feature

ADVERTORIAL

MBCC- AN INSPIRATIONAL CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVITY T he 8th Annual Multicultural Business & Community Champion (MBCC) Awards are set to take place on November 30, 2024, at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole NEC. This prestigious event, hosted by ITV Loose Women’s Judi Love and EastEnders actor and singer Omar, continues to honour the unsung heroes within our business and community sectors who go the extra mile for others.

The MBCC Awards, founded in 2016 by Zoe Bennett, BEM, were born out of a deeply personal tragedy. Following the brutal murder of her father and her subsequent quest for justice, Zoe sought to recognise those who had supported her through these trying times. The awards have since grown into a national brand, renowned for celebrating the achievements of those who often go unnoticed.

TALENTS This year, headline sponsor Amazon joins a distinguished list of sponsors, including Hilton, Rolls Royce, Higgs and Sons, Deloitte, Sunshine Entertainment, the Police and Crime Commissioners Office, Bootcamp Media, and School Scholars. Their support not only underscores a commitment to diversity and inclusivity but also aligns with the awards’ mission to showcase and support diverse talents across the nation.

The MBCC Awards provide a platform for organisations to publicly demonstrate their support for mul-

ticultural inclusivity. With categories like “Professional of the Year,” “Excellence in Inclusivity and Diversity,” “Inspirational Person of the Year,” “Role Model of the Year,” “Community Unsung Hero,” and “Net Zero Company Champion,” there are numerous opportunities for companies and individuals to align with the values of the awards.

CELEBRITIES This star-studded event has a history of attracting notable figures and has become one of the most anticipated events in the Midlands’ annual calendar. Last year, it achieved a social media reach of 3.9 million, celebrating figures like Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Linford Christie, and Nigel Benn. In previous years, the awards have honoured luminaries such as Sir Trevor McDonald, Baroness Floella Benjamin, and Denise Lewis OBE, highlighting the event’s significant representation of the ethnic community.

This year’s ceremony promises to be another unforgettable night, with over 800 attendees expected and a lineup of formidable celebrities. The MBCC Awards are more than just a one-night event; they represent an ongoing commitment to celebrating diversity and uplifting inspirational figures throughout the year.

For more information and to view last year’s highlights, visit: www.mbccawards.com Join us in this celebration of diversity, inclusivity, and inspiration.

26 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2024

Midlands News Region now has a new look as Labour takes control after securing landslide in the UK election

STAR TURN: EastEnders actor Nick Bailey, left, and West Midlands mayor Richard Parker, who gains major support from the TV star, flank Jake Collins, the recipient of an Adult Learning Award, as part of their bid to restore more pride in their region

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ONSTITUENCIES ACROSS the Midlands are adjusting to a radically altered political scene following the General Election which has seen large swings from Conservative to Labour.

The vote also saw the growing influence of independents and candidates from smaller parties, also pro-Gaza (and typically anti-Labour) campaigns and a climate of fear and intimidation shrouding a number of keenly contested seats.

If 2019 saw the building of a blue wall, with the Conservatives claiming 48 of the 63 constituents across the region to Labour’s 15, the Midlands electorate have repainted it in large swathes of red, with the Conservatives now holding 15 of the 61 available seats.

Labour’s total now stands at 40, including Juliet Campbell in the Nottinghamshire constituency of Broxtowe.

The rise of smaller parties is clear: the Tories and Conservatives shared all of the Midlands’ seats in 2019. Now the Liberal Democrats control four seats, with the Independents and Green Party one each.

The Solihull West & Shirley constituency, where Ade Adeyemo unsuccessfully bid to win the historically Tory seat, demonstrates their impact.

Ade’s 17 per cent of the vote was almost matched (15 per cent) by Reform UK, with the Green Party taking seven per cent. This, with an uncharacteristically strong showing from Labour (25 per cent), contributed to a narrow Tory hold, returning 35 per cent.

The Gaza issue proved decisive on both sides of the Midlands. The presence of several independent candidates on the ballot split the vote enough to unseat Labour stalwarts: veteran Keith Vaz in Leicester East, and Jonathan Ashworth with his 22,000 majority, in Leicester South.

Birmingham Perry Barr’s Khalid Mahmood saw his 23-year tenure as Labour MP end in favour of Independent Ayoub Khan’s Gazan-influenced campaign.

Vociferous pro-Palestine supporters have seen an uptick in calls for police assistance, principally from female Labour candidates in Birmingham, with Yardley’s Jess Phillips and Ladywood’s Shabana Mahmood alleging their campaigns have been dogged by harassment, intimidation, verbal abuse and vandalism en route to

WILL POLITICAL CHANGE BE A SHIFT IN THE TIDES? TOP TEAM: Derbyshire PCC Nicolle Ndiweni with East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward

VICTORY: Labour’s Juliet Campbell is Broxtowe’s new MP

retaining their seats, albeit with massively reduced majorities. This darkening of the political scene in some quarters is juxtaposed with renewed optimism in others.

Perhaps emboldened by the presence of a Labour leader at Number 10, regional mayors and Police and Crime Commissioners (PPCs) are making their own requests of the new administration.

WATERSHED Fresh from his watershed victory over two-term Tory incumbent Andy Street, the new West Midlands mayor Richard Parker has wasted no time in launching a youth employment plan calling for local business to collaborate

on the creation of thousands of placements, training opportunities and apprenticeships. While rising youth unemployment is a national issue, it is double the national average in areas including Walsall, Wolverhampton and Birmingham.

“We are proud to support the youth unemployment plan for the West Midlands,” said Rob Perrins, chief executive of Berkeley Group.

“We are pleased that the mayor supports programmes helping locals access job opportunities.

Together, we can create a brighter future for the West Midlands, ensuring young people have the best start in life and the skills needed for prosperous careers.”

Parker, whose allies include

former EastEnders actor Nick Bailey, said: “This plan will focus on skills and employment and will include work coach support, pre-employment training in growing sectors with a guaranteed interview, as well as fully funded training up to level three, and access to debt and careers advice.

“It was the West Midlands that offered me my greatest chance to get on in life when aged 16 I left school, unsure of my future. I want it to be the region that gives young people the best possible start in life, with good quality jobs, the support they need to feel ready for work and the ability to progress in their careers – this is why we are launching the initial phase of our

West Midlands youth plan – our regional approach to delivering the national government’s youth guarantee. I call upon businesses and learning providers in the region to continue their work with us to open up a further 20,000 new training or work placements.”

SCRUTINY Meanwhile, the West Midlands PCC appears emboldened to repeat requests served on previous prime ministers since he assumed the role in May 2021. As the force continues under the weight of scrutiny and poor community relations, Simon Foster is calling for additional funds to help rebuild community policing by boosting

officer numbers and replenish the Violence Reduction Partnership, principally to help cut knife crime.

In the East Midlands, Derbyshire’s new PCC Nicolle Ndiweni is allying with the region’s new mayor Claire Ward in calling on residents to engage with an unprecedented new survey to help shape policing across the county over the next four years.

Seeking to inform where resources and funding should be prioritised, the survey is said to mark the beginning of “an intense programme of engagement” for Ndiweni who has “vowed to put people first during her tenure, and ensure all communities are represented.

AUGUST 2024 THE VOICE | 27

By Veron Graham

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

PAYING HOMAGE TO THE GREAT EGBERT CARLESS Birmingham’s first non-White elected official finally gets the recognition he truly deserves

A

MID THE focus the future preelection periods naturally centre on, a recent gathering at the home of Birmingham politics gave a nod to the ground-breaking achievements of the late Alderman Egbert Carless OBE, the Second City’s first non-White elected official.

Fondly known as ‘Bert,’ Carless broke ground in May 1979 by representing the Aston ward and has been honoured with a portrait taking pride of place in Birmingham’s historic Council House in an event attended by local VIPs, friends, family and former colleagues, including the Lord Mayor and Council leaders.

The portrait was commissioned and donated in agreement with the Vice Chancellor of Birmingham City University, Professor David Mba, in collaboration with Bishop Dr Desmond Jaddoo of Birmingham Empowerment Forum and the Windrush National Organisation.

The unveiling of the portrait in the House’s main corridor where the cabinet meets on what would have been Bert’s 91st birthday, is the continuation of a 13-year campaign led by Bishop Jaddoo, a former protege of Carless, which has resulted in a road in the nearby Perry Barr area (‘Bert Carless Way’) being named after him, and a blue plaque installed at South & City College Birmingham (more commonly known by its former moniker Handsworth College) where Carless was the Chair of Governors for almost 20 years.

“It was a great occasion, the coming together of years of work attended by all of the necessary stakeholders to honour Bert,” Bishop Jaddoo told The Voice.

“A lot of the VIPs who spoke all knew him, even though it’s been 21 years since his death.”

The event doubled as both professional and personal for the Bishop, as he explained: “When my dad died in Jamaica and I came back to the UK (in the late 1970s), my mother was politically

PROUD MOMENT: Bishop Dr Desmond Jaddoo with Professor David Mba, Vice Chancellor of Birmingham City University, and the portrait of Alderman Egbert Carless OBE

“I felt there wasn’t any respect shown to him. I raised it in 2011, but no one was taking the first step.”

- Bishop Desmond Jaddoo

active and was pushing for Bert to become a Labour councillor in Aston. On meeting the preteenage Jaddoo and empathising for his loss, Bert offered himself as ‘someone to talk to and pledged to take me under his wing.’ I thought he must be joking.”

Prophesying he would “become one of tomorrow’s leaders,” every Saturday morning he would take the young Jaddoo. He would also accompany Carless’ walkabouts through the ward. “When he died, it was as though he never existed.”

Stymied by personal circumstances during Carless’ illness and subsequent death, once Jaddoo recovered and became active again, the quest began to put some respect on Carless’ name. “I felt there wasn’t any respect shown to him. I remember raising it in 2011, many agreed with me but no one was taking the first step. After years of writing to leaders, we grabbed the bull by the horns.”

Having engaged Wassim Zaffar, then cabinet Member for Transport & Environment at Birmingham City Council, momentum began to build, with the naming of ‘Bert Carless Way,’ followed by the blue plaque.

With Bishop Jaddoo as defacto co-ordinator, the wheels began turning at Birmingham City University towards the creation of a portrait with the support of its Vice Chancellor Mba, who was well aware of Bert’s storied history. This culminated in the stunningly accurate portrait by BCU alumni Emily Sparkes.

Bishop Jaddoo added: “I’m pleased and proud to say the portrait stands prominently in the Council House. It is fitting

SPECIAL DAY: Claude Tomlinson, Egbert’s nephew, artist Emily Sparkes, John Cotton, Simon Foster and Ken Wood

we honour our elders, and this will inspire young people to go into politics because they’ll walk into that Council House and see a portrait of a Black man with a plaque next to it. Bert was about organising and galvanising the strength of our community. A lot of it has been lost, but we’re trying to rejuvenate it and structure towards moving forward. We’ve

received the baton, and I include myself in this, and instead of sprinting with it we’ve jogged.”

Talks are underway to launch a heritage display in the College featuring portraits of prominent local people like Bert, also the likes of Lord Bill Morris, the first Black leader of a major trade union as ex-General Secretary of the Transport and General

Workers’ Union; Cllr Sybil Spence, Europe’s first Black Lord Mayor, and James Hunt, who built the Muhammad Ali Centre.

Referencing the young charge he’s now mentoring, Bishop Jaddoo concluded: “There is no point asking where our young people are. We need to bring them along with us on the journey – like Bert did with me.”

28 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2024

Finance

MONEY HELP: Dr Byron Cole

I

NSURANCE serves as a cornerstone of financial security, offering protection against unforeseen events that could otherwise lead to significant financial loss.

According to insurance entrepreneur Ella Weinberg, the impact of good insurance cover can be huge.

“Insurance is not just about mitigating risk, it’s about providing peace of mind and stability,” she says. “It allows individuals and families to focus on their lives and aspirations without the constant fear of financial ruin.”

Weinberg’s decision to pursue a career in the insurance industry was forged by the tragic death of her uncle. He was a Black man from South London in his 30s at the time of his passing. While he had insurance that helped secure his immediate family’s financial needs, she soon learned that this was rare rather than the norm, especially for people from Black and minority ethnic communities.

Recognising the need to focus on people from underrepresented communities, and ensure that, regardless of financial circumstances, they could access financial security, she was driven to work in the industry – later setting up her own company, Ella Ensures.

“Seeing firsthand how proper insurance can transform lives and provide stability during crises motivated me to dedicate my career to this field,” she says.

“The most rewarding part of my job is knowing that I am helping people safeguard their futures. Whether it’s helping a family rebuild after a loss or ensuring someone has the resources they need during a health crisis, making a positive difference in people’s lives is incredibly fulfilling.”

Weinberg has built up extensive experience and a strong track record of supporting clients over the years in a career that has seen her place over £1 billion in insurance coverage.

One compelling story, about a family who lost their home to a devastating fire, always comes to her mind.

“Thanks to their comprehensive home insurance policy, they were able to rebuild their lives without facing financial devastation,” she recalls.

In today’s unpredictable world, insurance is more than just a safety net; it’s a critical tool for protecting your home, your life, and your financial future.

Dr Byron Cole spoke with Ella Weinberg, finance expert and award-winning insurance advisor, to delve into the multifaceted benefits of insurance and how it can be a lifesaver in times of crisis

PROTECTING FUTURES: Ella Weinberg has years of experience in the insurance industry

Another case she recalls involves a client diagnosed with a critical illness.

“The critical illness cover they had in place provided exactly what this client needed at the time. The diagnosis took a physical and emotional toll, and a large lump sum of money helped to relieve that. Having to take time off work, adjusting to new physical needs, and feeling incredibly low, the

Types of insurance Understanding the different types of insurance and how they work together is essential. Here, Ella Weinberg briefly breaks down the key types: Life Insurance: Provides financial support to your family in the event of your death.

Home Insurance: Protects against damage to your home and its contents.

Health Insurance: Covers medical expenses and can include critical illness cover.

Income Protection: Provides income replacement if you are unable to work due to illness or injury.

Selecting the right insurance policies can be daunting. Weinberg offers practical tips to help you make informed decisions: 1. Assess Your Needs: Determine what aspects of your life and assets need protection.

“Ask yourself what is important to you – family, bills, etc. These are your needs. Now ask yourself what would happen if you had no money to support these things and how you could survive. These are what need protecting,” says Weinberg.

HOW INSURANCE CAN SAVE YOUR HOME AND LIFE

“The cost of renovating a home is substantial at the best of times, let alone after a disaster. Home insurance is something that many renters and homeowners overlook, but a comprehensive policy can save a family a significant amount of money over the years in maintenance and even more so in a major accident. All repairs were organised by the policy provider, including new appliances.”

Practical Advice: Choosing the Right Insurance Policies For You

client had funds to fast-track their recovery and use their money for private health care. Again, this is something that those with an average income rarely consider.”

Several studies show that Black and minority ethnic Britons and others at the lower end of the socioeconomic scale are at greater risk of poverty, so setting aside money for insurance is often seen as a low priority.

Other studies point to the fact that with 46% of the UK having less than £1,000 in savings, it is very common for those with a low income to be reluctant to prioritise insurance.

However, Weinberg says this can be a big mistake.

“A common misconception is that insurance is too expensive and not worth the investment,” she says. “In reality, insurance is a critical safety net that can prevent financial disaster. The peace of mind it provides is invaluable,

and there are many affordable options available that can provide substantial coverage.”

Asked what advice she would give to someone hesitant about purchasing insurance, she says: “I would advise them to think about the long-term implications of not having insurance. Without it, you risk facing significant financial hardship in the event of an unexpected incident. Take the time to speak with an insurance professional who can help you understand your options and find a policy that fits your needs and budget.” l If you would like to find out more information you can e-mail Ella at office@ellaensures.co.uk or visit her Instagram page, @ellaensures. l Dr Byron Cole is a global business strategist and public speaking mentor.

2. Understand Your Options: Research different types of insurance and their benefits. “Knowing the different types of insurance policies puts you at a significant advantage. Insurance is not a one-size-fitsall solution, and a combination of policies will always be better than just one.”

3. Consult a Professional: Seek advice from an insurance expert to tailor coverage to your specific needs. “The number one reason why claims are not paid is due to misrepresentation.

Regulated advisors like myself are trained to assess your needs, source the best cover at the best possible price to suit your budget, and implement the policy correctly from a medical, administrative, and tax standpoint.”

4. Review Regularly: Take care to look over and update your policies to ensure they continue to meet your needs. “Every 12 months, you should have a brief conversation with your advisor to make sure your cover ticks all the boxes it needs to. Don’t overlook this, as small changes could mean a change in your policy could support you better.”

AUGUST 2024 THE VOICE | 29

Muyiwa Olarewaju

Nothing But Truth and Light

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

DON’T GIVE IN TO DIVISION With the election over, heed the Bible’s warnings about those who seek to exploit our differences

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HE DUST has settled, and the ballots have been counted. The UK election season, marked by intense campaigns and fervent debates, has come to an end.

However, the conclusion of the electoral process is not the end of our civic responsibilities but the beginning of a new chapter in our collective journey.

In this post-election period, there will be opportunities for division, but it is crucial that we work together, even if we do not agree on everything. Our unity is our strength, and our collaboration is essential for a thriving society.

Proverbs 6:16-19 warns us of the dangers of discord: “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue,

Disunity in our society fosters mistrust, hampers progress and creates an environment where injustice can thrive. hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.”

These verses highlight the behaviours that sow division and strife within a community. In the aftermath of an election, it is imperative that we avoid these pitfalls and strive to foster harmony and understanding.

Professor Kevin Hylton’s work

highlights the importance of dialogue and mutual respect in building community cohesion.

He emphasises that differences enrich our collective experience and that diverse perspectives can foster innovative solutions and a resilient society, an important idea in post-election Britain.

Romans 16:17-18 offers a clear admonition: “I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.

“For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery, they deceive the minds of naive people.”

This passage instructs us to be vigilant against those who seek to exploit our differences for personal gain. Instead, we should focus on what unites us: our shared values and common goals.

Reflecting on the book The Timeline of Presidential Elections

by Robert S Erikson and Christopher Wlezien provides further context on the aftermath of campaigns and their effects on communities.

The authors explore how election campaigns impact voters and the behaviour of candidates, revealing the profound influence that political rhetoric can have on societal cohesion. The book sheds light on the importance of moving beyond the polarising effects of campaign season and working towards reconciliation and constructive dialogue.

The danger of divisions in our community cannot be overstated. When we allow differences to divide us, we weaken the very fabric of our society. Disunity fosters mistrust, hampers progress, and creates an environment where injustice can thrive. Conversely, our union holds immense power. By working together, we can address the challenges we face, advocate for just policies, and build a society that reflects our collective aspirations.

The instructions from Romans 16:1718 are particularly relevant in the postelection context.

We must be wary of those who sow discord for their own ends and instead commit ourselves to unity and cooperation. This does not mean that we will always agree on every issue, but it does mean that we approach our differences with respect and a willingness to

find common ground. Titus 3:911 provides a final, sobering admonition: “But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.

“As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is

warped and sinful; he is selfcondemned.” These verses remind us to avoid unproductive disputes and to focus on constructive engagement. By doing so, we can build a community that thrives on collaboration, not contention.

Moving forward from the election, we must embrace biblical principles and scholarly insights to build bridges, seek understanding, and unite as a community.

Overcoming challenges requires unity and co-operation. Our strength lies in diversity, and our success depends on working together towards common goals.

Let us heed the wisdom of Proverbs and Romans, and the insights of Professor Kevin Hylton and other scholars, as we navigate this new chapter.

Together, we can build a society that reflects our highest values and

JANUARY 20

aspirations – where justice, equity, and compassion prevail.

Let us move forward in unity, committed to the common good and to the flourishing of all our communities. l Muyiwa Olarewaju OBE is station director at Premier Gospel radio, a TV and radio broadcaster, and principal of gospel group Muyiwa & Riversongz

30 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2024

Lyndon Mukasa Eye on the Diaspora

GET READY FOR THE BLACK PLANET TO BE A REALITY BY THE END OF THE CENTURY

RESILIENT: An empty street in Kingston, after Hurricane Beryl caused damage in Jamaica and other Caribbean nations (Photo: Getty Images)

ISLANDS SET TO BE HURRICANE-PROOF

Caribbean resilience to Beryl shows off preparedness

O

N JUNE 28 this year, analysts monitoring the Atlantic Ocean picked up on a tropical depression that rapidly grew into an intense hurricane with winds of up to 75mph within 24 hours.

Beryl, as it was named, became the earliest Category 5 Atlantic hurricane on record, racing ahead of the Atlantic hurricane season that would normally peak in August, September and October.

In light of the climate crisis, the Caribbean is one of the most vulnerable regions to natural disasters in the world.

Altogether, Hurricane Beryl wiped out hundreds of thousands of homes across the Caribbean and at the time of writing this article, 11 people have been killed.

Their deaths are a tragic consequence of the storm, but the low number of fatalities also reflects the resilience and preparation that people in the Caribbean have perfected over many centuries.

However, with the climate crisis growing ever more serious, how are countries in the Caribbean working to adapt and prepare for this unstable future?

The history of hurricanes in the Caribbean

The history of hurricanes as it pertains to the modern people of the Caribbean began in late September 1494 during Christopher Columbus’ second voyage to Hispaniola (the island now divided into Haiti and the Dominican Republic).

This was the first hurricane recorded

by Europeans in the region and it would soon become apparent to colonisers that hurricanes were very much a feature of the Caribbean. Since then, hundreds of hurricanes have been documented.

And they have tended to expose longstanding inequalities in the region that

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

stem from slavery and colonialism.

The Great Caribbean Hurricane of 1831 heavily damaged property on the islands of St Vincent and caused disruption in Barbados. The aftermath of the hurricane strained already tense relations between the majority Black population, and the plantocracy who had taken refuge in the cellars of their stone houses while the enslaved Black population had little protection for days, with wooden shacks being ineffective against the storm.

This event likely had an influence on the rising tensions that would make emancipation possible a few years later.

However, with abolition in 1836 came mass evictions from plantations that forced many newly freed Black people to establish transportable housing without nails, and permanent anchors to the soil to protect them from potential disasters during a hurricane.

The future of the region

It is through the lens of this legacy we see that the region’s future depends on overcoming its colonial past just as much as building climate resilience.

One country in particular has set an ambitious goal to achieve total climate resilience by 2030. Dominica is seeking to become completely hurricane-proof.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017, which destroyed 98% of all building roofs and caused huge damages across the country, the government under Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit set out a plan to achieve 20 targets for complete climate resilience.

This involves building stronger, hurricane-proof infrastructure in housing and roads as well as rethinking the plantation model ushered in under British colonial rule. In addition,

this involves utilising agricultural practices from the indigenous Kalinago community that combines diversification with planting methods that prevent landslides.

The preservation of natural vegetation, something that was destroyed across the Caribbean during the colonial era, will be expanded on, and used as a buffer against strong winds. This is the same with coral reefs, which could reduce flooding by 90 per cent if they grow further.

By 2030, through the development of geothermal energy, all energy in Dominica will be produced domestically and all communities will be able to remain self-sufficient for 14 days following a natural disaster. If these measures prove to be effective, then Dominica will have created a model that other Caribbean countries could replicate.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that rich countries are not prepared to do enough to address the climate crisis in a way that makes a difference to poorer countries and small island states.

Despite pledging over $100 million in climate finance, most of the developed world has failed to honour this commitment. Caribbean governments are slowly coming to the realisation that the richest countries in the world will likely not save the poorest countries from a climate crisis that they created.

Instead, it is possible, and perhaps even likely, that the most revolutionary measures and solutions will come from countries in the Global South like Dominica and the rest of the Caribbean. l Lyndon Mukasa is a writer and researcher. He studied International Development at the London School of Economics.

IN 1990 the American hip-hop group Public Enemy released an album titled Fear of a Black Planet. Its title was deliberately provocative and dared to explore in part an idea that Black people form a global majority.

So what does a hip-hop album have to do with demography? Well, over the last few years, the issue of the world’s population has come under sharp focus as many countries have witnessed falling birth rates.

The decline has led some experts to revise their prediction for the world’s population in 2050 from 12 billion to 10 billion.

However, Africa is the only region where population numbers are increasing and will continue to do so well into the 22nd century. The continent’s population stands at 1.2 billion people, with a median age of 19.7 years. By 2030, a quarter of all people under the age of 25 in the world will be African.

By 2100 it is projected that around 51 per cent of the world’s population of 8.8 billion people will be African.

Much has already been said about why the continent continues to grow – from the lack of contraception, a decrease in infant mortality to a generally pro-natal culture. But, like the sentiments echoed in Public Enemy’s album title, I want to explore what the political implications are for a world that will be majority African.

But loosening up immigration laws would likely inflame nationalist, xenophobic, racist, and anti-Black sentiments.

African policymakers would also have to think about not entrapping young people in a new era of exploitation when foreign nations start their campaign to attract youth.

Moreover, with 41 per cent of Africans already educated to degree level, it is essential the continent doesn’t suffer a neocolonial-style brain drain. Nonetheless, the expansion of the African diaspora will be inevitable in the 21st and 22nd centuries.

International relations

The question of what do African countries want in terms of foreign policy is not asked often but this will likely become an important question.

In recent years, there have already been calls for the African Union to have a permanent seat on the UN Security Council after the BRICS added an additional African country (Ethiopia) to its membership.

Historic distrust of the West, eroded by events in Libya, Sudan and Gaza, gives one the impression that there are growing number of young Africans who are starting to see relations with the West as negative.

These sentiments are evident in Gabon, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, countries that have pushed out French influence with the popular Global African labour force support of young Africans.

Many economists have started to These young people may make it recognise that African workers will much harder for a business-as-usual become a valuable labour pool and it approach to the continent in future. is likely that many countries will start With population growth come challenges but also opportunities. making overtures to governments.

As many European and Asian Politically, African leaders and countries and others experience a policy makers must use their power decline in working-age populations, to shape a world that reflects the it will become harder to resist filling interests of African people. the labour gap with people from The potential is there and hopefully Africa if they want to remain capitalist the reflections in Fear of a Black countries built on growth.

Planet could be realised.

LABOUR GAPS: European and Asian countries will increasingly rely on African workers due to declining workingage populations (Photo: Getty Images)

AUGUST 2024

Special Feature

ADVERTORIAL

M

usic, Jerk ‘n Tings, a family festival celebrating the contribution of Caribbean culture to Britain, takes place on Saturday 10 August, 1-6pm at the Horniman Museum and Gardens in southeast London.

Bring all the family, young and elders, to enjoy a fantastic music line up, dancing, delicious jerk, vegan and vegetarian food, children’s activities and old school games including giant dominoes.

This year’s music line-up includes British Reggae legend Dennis Bovell MBE - producer of huge hits such as ‘Silly Games’ (Janet Kay) and ‘After Tonight’ (with his band Matumbi), Janet Kay MBE Queen of Lovers’ Rock who will perform her biggest hits, DJ Daddy Ernie from Vibes FM, reggae harmonies from True Identity and Ska music from Universal V. There will also be performances from The Delphina James Steel Ensemble, Melody Compton of Pegasus Opera, Moxie Academy Kids Dance Group and Caribbean folk singing.

Family activities include a Caribbean Carnival headdress craftmaking activity, a carnival dress up booth, bouncy castle and storytelling, taking place across the Horniman’s Gardens.

THE VOICE | 31

Bring all the family for a fun day out at Music, Jerk ‘n Tings on Saturday 10 August

Dennis Bovell

Comedian, presenter and health advocate Donna Spence will return as host for this fun family day.

Visitors can also visit the Horniman’s Animal Walk which includes resident alpacas, rabbits and goats, be immersed amongst free-flying butterflies at the Horniman Butterfly House and have fun playing mini-golf on a special Hornimanthemed course (extra charges apply to visit the Butterfly House and mini-golf).

TICKETS TO MUSIC, JERK ‘N TINGS ARE: Child £10, Adult £15, Over-60s £10 Under 2s and access companions are free.

Book tickets at https://www.horniman.ac.uk/event/music-jerk-n-tings/ Some activities carry an additional charge including the Butterfly House and minigolf course. Please check horniman.ac.uk for more information.

The Horniman Museum and Gardens is at: 100 London Road, Forest Hill SE23 3PQ. The nearest Overground station is Forest Hill.

This event is in partnership with Fairweather Productions.

Family food and music festival Saturday 10 August, 1–6pm

Music, Jerk ‘n Tings

Ticket s: Adult £ 15 Child £1 0 Under 2 s free

Dennis Bovell MBE • Janet Kay MBE • DJ Daddy Ernie Jerk, vegan & vegetarian food • Games, performances & more Forest Hill Book now tickets at horniman.ac.uk Book at horniman.ac.uk

32 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2024

Cynthia V Davis

RACISM ON THE RISE IN FRANCE. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE UK? IT FELT like we breathed a collective sigh of relief as we watched France’s election results unfold recently, and fears of a farright win were stamped out.

But the fact that Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally poses such a threat should not be overlooked, and this rising far-right sentiment is not going away.

Just days before, the General Election results produced similar mixed feelings. What should’ve been a celebration for the left – Labour ending 14 years of Conservative power – was diluted by the recent drifting of the party to the centre. Plus, there was the success of Reform UK who won a 14 per cent share of UK votes which amounted to five seats, while coming in second place in many more constituencies.

The rise of National Rally in France, and other far-right parties like them, has brought racism and xenophobia out into the mainstream again. Hateful views that were previously pushed to the fringes of what we considered a more accepting society are now bubbling to the surface.

In France, racist crimes and offences recorded by police have increased by 32 per cent in just one year. And half of these allegations of discrimination took place in professional work environments.

One of National Rally’s key

Far-right gains in France match a rise in defiant ‘anti-wokeness’ in the UK, threatening progress made to diversify the workplace policies is its ‘National Preference’ plan which means priority is given to those born in France when seeking employment or social benefits.

As a recruiter, I am horrified at such a proposal which openly disregards any notion of equality in employment processes – something I have been fighting for throughout my career. Is this a warning sign for the UK? I am hopeful at some of the Labour manifesto proposals for the workplace, should they come into effect.

They have pledged to strengthen maternity rights and menopause protections, fight workplace discrimination, and reduce the gender pay gap. There are also plans to introduce a Race Equality Act to tackle the ethnicity pay gap, something that has been historically overlooked in politics and left unchecked in businesses for far too long.

These are pledges I want to see early movement on, especially given this worrying European shift to the far-right. As we saw

recently in the Black British Voices Report, 88 per cent of participants reported experiencing racial discrimination in the workplace.

I fear that this may worsen in our current political climate without quick action.

As in France, far-right sentiments are being pushed into the mainstream despite our new ‘left-wing’ government. People are proudly stating their ‘antiwokeness’ as a badge of honour.

When you take a moment to consider that ‘woke’ generally refers to someone who cares about social justice, loudly proclaiming to be ‘anti-woke’ is quite shocking (and frankly bewildering) to me.

It’s something I’ve heard for years in recruitment, in slightly different packaging. Read: “you should just hire the best person for the job” or “we don’t see colour”.

I’m seeing entire diversity and inclusion initiatives being dismissed as “woke,” undoing years of efforts to reform our workplaces.

And while the Labour win affords me a glimmer of optimism for the future of our workplaces, we

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

‘HATEFUL VIEWS’: Marine Le Pen, President of the National Rally group in the National Assembly (Photo: Getty Images)

cannot underestimate the force of public opinion. Reform UK, a party that has rapidly grown in popularity in recent years, has stated its desire to leave the European Convention on Human Rights, replace the Equality Act, and scrap diversity, equality and inclusion initiatives, claiming they have “lowered standards”.

Though they don’t have the power to enact these plans, it’s a worrying indication of a growing school of thought.

We must be on our guard.

We must protect the progress we have made in reforming our workplaces and not become complacent.

Diversity and inclusion is not a phase which we can neatly tie up and move onto the next thing. Businesses have made pledges, employees expect better now and we must hold employers and our government to account.

To paraphrase ally and national treasure Kathy Burke: “I love being ‘woke’. It’s much nicer than being ignorant.” n Cynthia V Davis CBE is a Black British entrepreneur, employment expert and diversity advocate. She is CEO and Founder of Diversifying Group, a D&I services organisation, and Co-Founder of Diversifying Jobs, a diversity-focussed job board

BUSINESSES ‘ARE FALLING BEHIND’ ON TARGETS

OVER HALF (52 per cent) of CEOs feel their organisation is falling behind when it comes to diversity in their workforce, according to research from recruitment specialists The IN Group.

The research revealed 76 per cent of executives confirmed they have a diversity and inclusion strategy in place in their approach to hiring talent into their businesses.

However, the lack of diversity is particularly acute within technology teams, where 38 per cent of respondents admitted their companies are not meeting diversity targets. In the United States, 48 per cent of companies acknowledge this issue. According to another report from

BCS, it will take 283 years before women make up an equal share of the tech workforce, assuming thathe current trends continue without intervention.

Prof Alexeis Garcia Perez, Professor of digital business and society at Aston Business School, said: “Despite successes in strategy implementation for tech talent recruitment, there remains a notable percentage of executives who believe their companies are falling behind in fostering a diverse workforce.

“This disconnect points to the complexities of implementing effective diversity and inclusion policies and the need for more focused efforts in this area.”

AUGUST 2024 THE VOICE | 33

News Feature

BEING ‘MOTHER OF THE HOUSE’ IS A FITTING TRIBUTE TO ABBOTT The first Black female MP in the House of Commons has been bestowed with another major accolade. By Richard Sudan

D

IANE ABBOTT’S career in British politics has been nothing short of remarkable, and revolutionary.

As the first Black woman elected to the House of Commons in 1987, she paved the way for countless others, while becoming a crucial figure in the fight for social justice, over many decades.

Earlier this month, her long career saw her awarded the title, ‘Mother of the House’, a prestigious honour given to the female member of Parliament with the longest service. Harriet Harman held the position prior to Abbott, before stepping down ahead of the recent General Election.

ing adversity. Her recent battle to secure the Labour candidacy and retain her seat as MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington in the election is a case in point. It was just one of many enduring challenges she’s faced within her own party and the wider political landscape.

Her unjust suspension from the Labour Party in 2023 was a sharp reminder of the institutional racism and sexism that still permeates British politics.

It was sparked from a controversy surrounding a letter she wrote to The Observer, which I would argue was manipulated and weaponised by her detractors. The backlash was way beyond disproportionate.

GRAVITAS Despite Abbott’s swift apology As well as her record in office and and clarification, Labour’s leaderamong her constituents who have ship under Sir Keir Starmer seized consistently voted for her for many the moment to sideline one of its decades, Abbott has long been most prominent and outspoken viewed as a motherly figure in members.

Parliament, often affectionately reShe’s been the target of more ferred to as ‘Auntie’, fighting for the racist abuse than any other MP. The Frank Hester scandal was issues that matter while overcom-

TRAILBLAZER: Diane Abbott (Photo Getty Images)

significant, and added yet another layer of injustice to that which Abbott has faced. Hester, a prominent Tory donor, made clear, racist and violent remarks, suggesting that Abbott should be shot.

This blatant incitement was met with a disgraceful lack of action from the Conservative Party.

Labour, on the other hand, ultimately squandered a crucial opportunity to rally around Abbott and send a powerful message of

solidarity which would have also sent a message to all of us. Instead of immediately addressing the wrongs done to her, the party sought to capitalize on the public outrage and support for Abbott by launching fundraising campaigns.

JUSTICE AND EQUALITY This exploitation of genuine grassroots activism and goodwill for Abbott for financial gain was in contrast to the values of justice

political battles, Abbott has been a vocal advocate in specific cases like the Child Q incident, where a 15-year-old Black child was stripsearched by Met police.

As we move forward, Abbott’s re-election and once more thumping majority should serve as a wake up call for Labour to reassess its values and priorities.

The party must recognise the importance of standing by its members who have dedicated their lives to public service and social justice. It needs to address the systemic issues that led to Abbott’s suspension and ensure that such injustices are not repeated. It needs to move on the Forde Report.

Diane Abbott’s story is far from over. As she continues to serve as the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, she remains a beacon of hope and a powerful advocate for the oppressed.

Her victory is a reminder that and equality that Abbott has always championed, and the prin- the fight for equality and justice is ongoing and that the voices ciples Labour has always claimed of those who have been historito believe in.

Her eventual reinstatement and cally silenced will not be so easily anymore. She’s a trailblazer, no victory in the General Election doubt, whose impact on British were not just personal triumphs but victories for the communities politics will no doubt be felt for she represents. It signalled a rejec- generations to come. Principle and tion of the attempts to silence her perseverance must remain at the and a reaffirmation of her constitu- centre of our politics.

Parliament would not be the ents’ faith in her leadership.

In addition to her own personal same without her voice.

SUPPLEMENTARY SCHOOLS SPORTS DAY SUCCESS

THE Afruika Bantu Saturday School, Alkebu-Lan Academy of Excellence, Nubia African Community Foundation School, and Queen Mother Moore Supplementary School have a rich history of providing independent education for children of African heritage in London.

For years, each of these schools held successful individual sports days. Eighteen years ago, Afruika Bantu Saturday School (Community Interest Company) and Parents Forum initiated a call for unity, resulting in a joint Sport and Culture Day. This collaboration was part of a long-term strategy to pool resources and build full-time educational provisions, expanding our work in the community and nationally toward shared goals.

After 30 years of operation, Queen Mother Moore School has ceased functioning, as have several others, due to significant pressures.

Despite these challenges, the schools’ collective Sports and

TEST OF STRENGTH: Parents and teachers take part in a tug of war; right, winners are awarded their medals Culture Day has thrived, growing more successful each year. The event is now held at the modern Battersea Millennium Arena, which features a 400-metre official track.

This year’s event was supported by over 460 individuals and more than a dozen leading Black organizations offering educational, mentoring, family support, Black history/culture, and reparations programs. The event featured team sports competitions, stalls,

and games, with points scored throughout the day. Individual medals and certificates are awarded to participants, and the championship trophy is contested each year. Additionally, there are showcases for culture, talent, and organisations.

Several of the successful alumni who have graduated from higher education and gone on to successful careers were also on hand to help out during the day’s

events and act as role models to the younger participants.

“By coming together, we promote working together, sporting excellence, cultural awakening, competition, family engagement, awards, entertainment, health, education, friendship, signposting, stalls, and community development” said Minkah, one of the key organisers from Afruika Bantu Saturday School.

“The Sports and Culture Day

primarily welcomes participation from the African heritage community, emphasizing Umoja (Unity) is achieved through action.

“We particularly welcome Black organisations working with young people and families, focusing on education, parenting, and mentoring in support of the day’s objectives.”

If you would like more information, please call 07309 232 239.

34 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2024

Darell J. Philip

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

Now that the Conservatives have left power, all eyes are on the Labour Party – who have lots of work to do when it comes to our schools and teachers…

TAKING THE LEAD: New PM Sir Keir Starmer pledged to hire 6,500 teachers

L

AST MONTH’S General Election brought the Conservatives’ 14-year governance, which for many felt like an eternity, to an almighty, crushing end, with a Labour landslide victory which saw the party’s leader, Sir Keir Starmer, installed as the new Prime Minister.

How ironic it was that Diane Abbott, the first Black female MP elected some 37 years ago (1987), was not only re-elected as MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington for the 10th time in a row, but has also now become the Mother of the House – a role given to the longest continuously serving female Member of Parliament.

This comes weeks after Abbott’s reinstatement into

UNION POWER: Daniel Kebede, head of the NEU the Labour Party after being suspended for over a year for comments made in a letter to The Observer which suggested that Jewish, Irish and Traveller people experience prejudice but not racism “all their lives”.

The hundreds who took a stand at the Hackney Town Hall demanding that Sir Keir Starmer lift the suspension and confirm Abbott’s candidacy for the General Election, forced the new Prime Minister to concede and then later pay his own respects in the House of Commons to a woman who has blazed a trail for younger Black female MPs, while also now becoming the Mother of the House.

WITH A CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT, WHAT’S NEW ON THE HORIZON FOR EDUCATION?

Not only has the change in government seen an increase in the number of elected Black MPs within the Labour Party and across the country, but also a manifesto which promises some well-needed change, which is hoped will breathe a new lease of life within the UK’s current floundering and crumbling education system.

Under the Conservative government, data revealed that nearly as many teachers left the profession in England as entered it, with 44,002 teachers joining in the year 2023 only to then later see 43,522 leave the profession, according to the school workforce census. As one of its six election commitments, Labour has promised to recruit

6,500 more teachers, funded by increasing taxes on private schools.

While Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the National Education Union, called the figures of teachers leaving the profession under the previous government as “disastrous,” and a “shocking indictment” of the Tories’ record, he has also

called on Labour to establish an independent commission on the recruitment and retention of teachers.

He said: “When we have the largest class sizes in Europe and we are losing this many teachers, we urgently need a new direction of travel.” Kebede, while optimistic of what can come from a change in government,

believes that Labour will have to do more than what is stated in their manifesto if they are to bring about the change that is needed in the current education system.

He said: “If things don’t move beyond the manifesto commitments, problems could very much remain. We still have a school estate that needs repairing, a big £4.4bn black hole in the high needs budget ( for children with special educational needs and disabilities) and we need £3.2bn to get back to 2010 levels of spending power for schools. And there is nothing in the manifesto that indicates that sort of shift.”

Besides teachers, school support staff such as teaching assistants and midday meals supervisors, many of whom have taken on work beyond their pay

With Bridget Phillipson making it a priority to speak to unions, there is already a sense of optimism ahead of the new school year grade or have in some cases been the first to lose their jobs due to cuts in school budgets, will be looking closely at what Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson does for them.

With former shadow schools minister Stephen Morgan joining former shadow youth justice minister and fellow Labour MP Janet Daby as Department for Education Parliamentary Under-Secretaries – along with Phillipson making it a priority to speak with UNISON’s head of education, Mike Short, to make it clear on how much she values education and support staff –already there appears to be a sense of optimism ahead of the start of the new school year next month.

Every educator will surely be hoping to see a quick halt to school cuts as well as the recruitment and retention of both teachers and support staff under this new government. l Darell J. Philip is a teaching assistant, academic mentor and award-winning journalist

Lifestyle

IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN...

38

Vibrance Mas and a focus on sustainability

40

Glastonbury and Notting Hill Carnival link up again!

42

Notting Hill Carnival

All roads lead to Alvaro Barrington at Tate Britain

36 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2024

CEO of Notting Hill Carnival Matthew Phillip promises us yet another great celebration. By Joel Campbell

I

F UNITY is a display of strength, then there are few better examples in the UK of a potent coming together outside of Notting Hill Carnival (NHC).

The world’s second biggest carnival and Europe’s largest street event, NHC is one of the most important cultural events in the British calendar.

A celebration underpinned by pride and togetherness, its foundations and the very essence of why NHC exists was to bring a community together, combat racial tensions and stand up for what is right no matter who you are or where you are from.

August bank holiday weekend will once again bring West London to life and become a sensory explosion of colour and music alongside the glorious tastes and smell of culturally quintessential foods.

The event is made possible by a dedicated community built up of tens of thousands of volunteers, artists, musicians, chefs and designers dedicated to their art, the freedom of expression and the right to celebrate their culture.

Matthew Phillip, CEO of Notting Hill Carnival Ltd, told Lifestyle: “Notting Hill Carnival is a vibrant testament to the power of unity and the celebration of our shared humanity.

“It is a festival that breaks down barriers, builds bridges and showcases the very best of our multicultural society.

“For generations, the UK has been energised and enriched by the contributions of those who have chosen to make this country their home.

“From the Windrush generation to the present day, immigrants have been the lifeblood of our economy, the backbone of our public services, and the spark for our cultural renaissance.

“Notting Hill Carnival was born from the Caribbean community’s desire to combat racial tensions and celebrate their heritage, it has grown into a beloved national institution that attracts millions of visitors from across the globe.

“It stands as a powerful reminder of how diversity strengthens our society and fuels our creativity.”

In a special addition to this year’s many attractions, patrons will be excited to hear that Strawberries & Creem (S&C) will host the Emslie Horniman’s Pleasance Park stage on carnival Monday.

It’s S&C’s first public event in London for five years with a yetto-be-disclosed line-up of special

Carnival

‘IT’S MORE THAN JUST A FESTIVAL’

Photos: Getty Images

Lifestyle

guests. The last S&C festival was held in Cambridge in 2021 and 2022 – featuring performances from Burna Boy, Little Simz, Giggs, Central Cee and Mabel.

S&C celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, with further London shows planned.

“We’ve known the guys (S&C) for a couple of years and an opportunity presented itself this year to make it work,” said Phillip.

“Like everything with carnival, nothing happens overnight, sometimes it can take years to make things happen and we’ve had a relationship with them over the years and this year we’ve made it happen.”

Speaking on the process of bringing in stakeholders, new and old partners and generally working with the many moving parts and culturally different facets of carnival, Phillip said as years go by, things run a bit smoother: “We’ve got good relationships with stakeholders and every year things get a bit easier.

“There are always new challenges, that’s the nature of the job but between myself and the whole team, we’re very passionate about carnival and are determined to make it happen.”

In his speech at the launch for this year’s NHC, Phillip broke down what people can expect both ahead and beyond the big two days, as NHC ramps up their preparation and presence.

“Carnival ‘Culture In The Park’ will be returning for the fourth year to Opera Holland Park,”

MAKE SOME NOISE : Some 36 sound system s will entertain the crowd s

CROWD PLEASING: Thousands will flock to West London to enjoy another carnival

Notting Hill Carnival has grown into a beloved national institution that attracts millions Phillip enthused.

“From 14 to 17 August there will be an array of performances including Pan jazz, Calypso, Brazilian bands, Soca and Mas. “Carnival Conversations is a brand new series of events that will launch on 7 August and will run through to October.

“This engaging series of panel discussions will delve into the rich culture of Carnival and feature phenomenal leaders from the

music industry, organisers, sound systems, and more.

“Keep an eye on NHCarnival.org and our social media channels for more details.

“Following Carnival weekend, on September 27 and 28, there will be the first-ever KARNAVAL (With Love) at La Seine Musicale in Paris. A celebration of the historic richness of Sound System culture and the vibrant spectacle of global Black and Brown Carnivals from around the world with live music.

“The winners of this year’s Panorama will not only be crowned champions but will also be the steelband that will perform KARNAVAL (With Love) who will be joining Rampage Sound and Masqueraders from our Carnival.

“I am thrilled to announce that this year’s carnival promises to be as vibrant as ever, featuring 36 sound systems – resonating with a wide range of genres

from Caribbean culture and beyond. Plus, over 60 Mas bands, showcasing their spectacular costumes; 14 Steelbands, delivering the exhilarating sounds of the steel pan; nine Brazilian bands, bringing the infectious rhythms and vibrant energy of Brazil; and a diverse array of food stalls, offering a culinary journey through various cultures “We can’t wait to celebrate with you.”

Phillip added: “To us and so many, Notting Hill Carnival is more than just a festival. It is a celebration of the human spirit, and a powerful testament to our shared humanity. It is an invitation to come together, to dance, to laugh, and to create cherished memories that will last a lifetime.

“Let us revel in our diversity, our

shared culture, and our love for life. Together, we will make this year’s Notting Hill Carnival an unforgettable tribute to the power of unity and the enduring spirit of a UK powered by immigration.

“Throughout the year we work closely with our partners on safety measures to ensure a secure and enjoyable experience for all.

“So I would like to say a special thanks to them including but not limited to the GLA, The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, Westminster City Council, The Metropolitan Police, British Transport Police, The NHS, London Ambulance, St Johns Ambulance, Transport for London and The London Fire Brigade.

“Thank you all for coming, and let the countdown to Carnival begin.”

THE VOICE | 37

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CL Culture British Black communities’ ever-changing has part- are able to invest globalised is created in, influ- world, to as a reminder, nered understand dis- and with ence and shape perhaps another as equal parities whilst the Black Brit- stakeholders.” strengthen- timely starting point” ing commonalities – ain and BelookThe theme and title yond ‘virtual’ symposium ing backwards (Africa) on ‘Being and Belonging’ and sideways (Caribbean of the symposium, ‘BeTRAILBLAZER: ing and Belonging’, The organisers of to be hosted on 24 is the the & USA), and to continue from the EnglandBen Odeje, pictured Octogolden thread main and ber 2020. The symposi- symposium are UCL Cul- moving forward set up after which above, was and be- weaves being hailed ture’s Revd Professor um’s ethos is to provide dropped together Keith yond. as man of the a Magee, the match world-renowned plenary wider understanding a senior fellow in and

By Rodney speakers, performances, relevance to the meaning culture & justice and globHinds and the moderated al social justice scholar, “Black Britishness”, to best and panel take public many expect sessions stock of its achievements intellectual and featuring interRSENAL central to him to be STARLET an Arsenal visiting professor of generational the Europea and challenges. The kayo Saka Bu- so doing, resurgence. leading sosymn Champio has regularly Saka became In it would experts. posium will inspire partic- cial justice at Newcasshown his Participants est player the youngbe the making nships that ing ability in Premier League reception. will have the opporon the to I have seen ipants, provoke thought, tle University; Ms Sheryl of field of play, both score The youngste history nothing this him, and lost for displaying but he is and assist tunity to celebrate change my and catalyse progress, Nwosu, a public speakr was to words as now his mental season to in a north he saw a mind. have to receive resilience toughness. letters of support er, senior barrister blackness and being wall of creating a forum that and “The ovation at the hurtful from ini- a hateful returned fans given to Saka The 20-yearmessages and leading defence Black in Britain now tiates and facilitates that me, after 87 training to Arsenal’s Londonwhen he and Jadon old, who con- barristers of three Marcus and beyond these have received Colney versations across ground after 25 Bedford players subjecte was one Black Row, “I knew instantly his internatio . line racist exertions times, to identify and and an advocate communities locally, during the abuse followingd to onnal that the kind of re- on summer. ability to score I was about articulate their shared issues of race at the their inhate gionally, nationally to receive in England and Bar; is a sad shootout and that ’s penalty and disparate chal- Secretary Lonnie Bunch. and Mr Andy Mundyreality that internationally. defeat your platforms has bounced to Italy at Euro 2020, Castle, a documentary lenges, and to determine “This symposium makes “Oh my are not doing powerful a gosh,” was stop these major contribution by touted to play back in style and enough to future-facing strategies filmmaker, producer action before his initial messages. illuis London and in minating rederby – a Gunners returna massive role as “There is he started a setting designed how expanding through the record previous the held by no place “We believe that change director, Managing Directo ulreading hate messages for racism Cesc Fabrega our knowledge about Saka, who to former glories. ly minutes timately strengthen of any kind of support.

“How do or this starts with a conversation tor of DocHearts Films.

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Co-organiser Sheryl scored and Now former for his exploits I even say area of society.” in football or in personal and professional community will helpanall assist as During UK Black History Nwosu provided thank you London any in the north this? Can I just and through the amplifi his team star turned Spurs and Stoke said: “We’re here, for pick see that the histories vals Tottenha beat arch - Month, October City know derby said all you networks. pundit, Garth and 2019, the we’re embedded ri- said of cation of the voices needed to it home?” he added.it all up and take m about his Crooks, here, less three began experiences of black London derby, in the recent north Saka after performance.”

Mature to collabo- through history, Britheard’, said Simon After his standou play against looks back beyond culture, Cane, rate on convening ons are both the story t dis- been his Euro trauma, to his the of a Executive Director, Black and contribution; buildthere has prodigy was keen his years, the nothing but after his penalty arch rivals: “I said UCL people and a nation.” for others suffer the Culture. “This is a critical Britons to engage in and ing and solidifying institu- “There are few things as miss in the On the openingsupport for Saka. not to abuse final of critically assess the signif- tions, day of the He said: “To he had received. conversation about son, Brentford and the very fabric important and as nec- For seathe social the icance of their continuing informafans gave essary as the need unique cul- of a society that media platfuture that we want to him a rous- forms @instagram to tion about speakers, we can cre- ture, heritage @twitter @facebook I don’t better understand and identity. sometimes forget ate, a future where the performers, want any Black The goal became that history, sponsors child or adult the impact and lives are valued as to gal- we have, should we much vanise Black want the and registration please Contemporary chalBritons, to it, the ultimate stake as any other, a future in, i.e. lenges that acclaim their visit the events website space in the its future. This symposium faced by black Britons,’, said Smithsonian at www.blackbritainbeyond.org.uk.

› MAY 2023

ES S M A G A ZI

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38 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2024

Lifestyle

Carnival

VIBRANCE MAS MAKING A POWERFUL STATEMENT East Londoner’s procession band bringing sustainability to the forefront. By Joel Campbell

I

T’D BE easier to just procure the materials for her band’s Notting Hill Carnival costumes from the ‘usual sources’, but that would fly in the face of what Cee is building with Vibrance Mas. As one of the few female band leaders ‘on de road’ at one of the biggest street parties in the world, Cee has her work cut out as a matter of course, but add to that dynamic her insistence that all of her creations encompass an ethos of sustainability, well, things get that little bit more difficult.

The east Londoner’s desire to ensure that she maintains a presence at Notting Hill Carnival speaks to her resilience and passion to bring to life the ‘traditional’ aspect of Carnival, paying homage to ‘our ancestors’.

Lifestyle has followed the Vibrance Mas journey over the last few years and ardent readers will resonate with Cee’s determination to deliver on what she calls, ‘her calling’, In a recent discussion, the entrepreneur explained that there were times when she felt her mission to stick steadfast to her goal of delivering each year, seemed unobtainable.

“Not everyone gets it,” she shared.

“People go to carnivals to have a good time. Brands that might sponsor bands and trucks want exposure. Very little is discussed about how we sustain. We just go from year to year. It’s tough for the little vendor, band leader.

“There are green shoots through. Carnival really brought the issue of sustainability to the fore a couple of years ago and

CREATIVE FORCE: Vibrance Mas leader Cee

were proactive in presenting the option of electric floats.

“More things like this need to be shed a light on, not just from the heads of Carnival here, but around the world, everyone involved to be honest.”

Putting her money where her mouth is, this year Vibrance Mas, in partnership with the Ocean Recovery Project and

While efforts to keep our streets clean are well-known, it’s equally vital to turn attention to the oceans

Keep Britain Tidy, have presented a signature line of captivating costumes for the upcoming Notting Hill Carnival.

Hand-crafted from delicate fishing nets recovered from the ocean, the intricate designs highlight the urgency of environmental stewardship in addition to the richness of Carnival.

Cee said: ”More than just a spectacle, Mas is the art of cultural storytelling.

“In celebration of tradition and sustainability, our costumes embody a crucial narrative of environmental responsibility, linking the vibrancy of carnival with the urgent need to protect our natural world.

“By using materials recovered by the Ocean Recovery Project, we are not only celebrating the creativity and heritage of Carnival but also making a powerful statement about the importance of sustainability.”

The Ocean Recovery Project, an initiative by Keep Britain Tidy, focuses on removing harmful plastics and other waste from our oceans, helping to restore marine ecosystems and promote sustainability.

Cee added: “While efforts to keep our streets clean are well-known, it’s equally vital to turn attention to the oceans – the lifeblood of our planet.

“Our oceans are home to precious ecosystems that are intimately connected to our wellbeing.

INTRICATE: Costumes are hand-crafted from delicate fishing nets “By repurposing fishing nets into beautiful costumes, Vibrance Mas has worked with Ocean Recovery Project’s aim to raise awareness about the need to protect vital habitats.”

She added: “I’m not going to stop beating the drum on the importance of this and will use everything at my

EYE-CATCHING: Vibrance Mas masqueraders will stand out from the crowd

disposal through Carnival to do so. Let’s face it, Carnival has a lot of eyes on it every year.

“The biggest threat to our islands and the world at large is global warming. By showcasing these costumes, we hope to draw attention to the urgent need for action against climate change.

“Our initiative underscores that sustainability and beauty can go hand-in-hand, inspiring others to think creatively about how they can contribute to environmental protection.”

The ethos is striking a chord with brands that have a front facing approach to both enjoying and maintaining the world we live in.

This year Vibrance will be sponsored by haircare and beauty brand, Mielle.

The brand, distributed in more than 87 countries and can be found in more than 100,000 stores across America, was created by

Monique Rodriguez, a registered nurse, wife and mother of two girls, who desired to share her healthy hair journey using products with healthy ingredients to achieve amazing results Speaking in the run up to the big two days this month, a UK spokesperson for the company said: “Mielle is absolutely delighted to be sponsoring Vibrance Mas Band at Notting Hill Carnival.

“As a natural hair care brand, we love supporting from the grassroots level and appreciate how Vibrance Mas promotes beauty in its natural form while empowering young people and teenagers.

“We are excited to be part of this year’s carnival and collaborating with Vibrance Mas to celebrate diversity and creativity.”

Offering Notting Hill Carnivalgoers a chance to wear something that is not only beautiful, but meaningful, Vibrance Mas masqueraders are set to stand out for a multitude of reasons this year.

AUGUST 2024 THE VOICE | 39

Music

Lifestyle

SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT…

MUSIC IN HIS DNA : Mical Teja hopes soca will continue to evolve

Joel Campbell goes to Carnival for the Soca, what about you?

F

OR ME, Notting Hill Carnival, or any carnival for that matter, is all about the soca. Yes, all the music combined very much maketh the two-day event, but it’s the sounds of soca filling my ears I look forward to most.

We don’t often, if ever, get to see the universal impact of soca, the love we have for it, on such a large scale in the UK. I was recently sitting in the preevent St Kitts Music Festival press conference listening to some of the hottest names in the genre speak on the state of play in their part of the music industry.

Their thoughts on what it would take to be bigger, better, more impactful and progressive, were shared for over an hour.

St Kitts, many will know, is the home of Byron Messia, who,

let’s face it, had everyone singing Talibans on the streets at Notting Hill Carnival last year as his tune swept the world.

But that wasn’t a soca track.

Could a soca track bang like that this year? Soca, for me, has never been more popular and accessible as it is today.

I left the press conference very impressed by all of the things that had been discussed. In particular, it was Cultural award-winning recording artist, songwriter and music producer, Mical Teja, who left the biggest impression on me.

Forthright, confident and clear on the ‘why’ he does music, Teja impressed the need for artists in the space to keep up the musical experimentation currently being seen, or risk dire consequences.

“Music on the whole is an evolution and just like any other

genre, soca has evolved a lot.”

He added: “However, evolution is with the sonics but also with the way that it is delivered.

“I’m judging things from how carnival in Trinidad and Tobago energy is, right? So yes, we jump and wave but we have evolved to where we are listening to the music and appreciating the lyrical content and finding ourselves in this euphoric feeling.

“With that now, the music has to follow this euphoric feeling, meaning if I sing in a lyrical composition ‘put up your hand, jump and wave, put up your hand, jump and wave’, that is 1995. We are in 2024.

“I don’t really want to hear ‘jump and wave’ in the song. I will jump and wave if I am having a good time.

“I need to feel a storyline, I need

to feel something in a modern space. So I think with that, we need fresh tones.”

Explaining what he meant by outlining his process of creation for his song DNA, a track sure to go down very well at carnival, Teja said: “With DNA, we started off with a guitar melody, mostly from a pop-oriented feeling and then we added soca drums and experimented… so that anybody that may not be familiar with soca, they will be familiar with a really great pop melody that they can fall in love with.”

That euphoric feeling is what gets you swirling around with no cares in the world, whether

you’ve consumed a bit of rum or not. Like Bob Marley sang, “one thing about good music, when it hits, you feel no pain”.

It’s a feeling that takes over my body when I hear the likes of Adam O, Kez Band, Machel Montana and so many more.

And I love the variety in soca nowadays. Every region of the Caribbean is out and proud with their distinct twist on the sound.

Be it Jab Jab in Grenada or Bouyon in Dominica, the varying tempos and differing musical adherences from heavy on the steel band or heavy on the bass and drums to being coupled with complex lyrical cadence

and composition, it’s a rich time.

Teja is adamant the exploration and striving for excellence must continue.

He added: “I think it’s very important now where soca is to experiment because music on the global landscape is genreless, it’s a lot of mixing and matching.

“Look at dancehall now, it’s not the same foundation of the dub, it’s kind of trap because, once again, music is becoming genreless, it’s becoming whatever vibe you choose to portray.

“So it’s very important now for soca to experiment but still keep the essence and the feel of what soca is.”

Echoing Mical’s sentiments, Pumpa, hailing from the Virgin Islands said: “I think on a whole, we need the soca music to be a melting pot.”

He added: “Just like Afrobeats and the hip-hop genre, they have the LA sound, they have the Atlanta sound, they have the New York sound, they have different regions that make up the hip-hop genre.

“The Bouyon, the VI Bram, the Trini soca, the Bajan bashment, these different sounds, we need to keep experimenting and making sure we come together as one sound to push the genre forward.”

Here are the top 10 tracks Joel is looking forward to hearing at this year’s Notting Hill Carnival: Ricky T – Look Something To Talk About l Lyrikal – Loner l Pumpa – The A List l Patrice Roberts – Somebody l Mical Teja – DNA l Lyrikal – Rukshun l Patrice Roberts – Tender l Problem Child – Nasty Up l Badjohn Republic – Something In The Water l Zeek – Wet It Up

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40 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2024

Lifestyle CELEBRATION: Notting Hill Carnival performers at Glastonbury festival

CARNIVAL SHAKES UP GLASTONBURY Festival-goers experienced a ‘taste of Carnival’ as Notting Hill brought its unique sounds and sights to Somerset.

By Joel Campbell

N

OTTING HILL Carnival returned to Glastonbury Festival, bigger and better than ever earlier this year, with over 100 participants including masqueraders from an array of Carnival’s most loved and recognisable Mas bands, sound systems and steel pan bands.

Festival-goers were able to experience a ‘taste of Carnival’ before it hits the streets of W11 for the August Bank Holiday.

Both events are two of the UK’s largest and most important cultural events whose relationship was reignited when Carnival officially returned to Glastonbury in 2022, and revived

VIBES: Carhenge offered a stunning backdrop for the dancers

NEW VENUE: Terminal 1 celebrated migration

an old relationship between the two events originating back to 1981 – when Sir Michael Eavis was able to book Taj Mahal as the Festival headliner after meeting

Wilf Walker, then organiser of Notting Hill Carnival.

Hosted by Joe Rush’s Carhenge, there was Notting Hill Carnival activity throughout the weekend,

with some of the best known Carnival bands, DJs, performers and designers bringing the unique sights and sounds of

Caribbean culture to the fields of Somerset. The Wednesday and Sunday saw Sound Systems Solution Sound, Manasseh

Sound and Gladdy Wax bringing the carnival vibes to Carhenge, playing calypso, soca and all forms of traditional Carnival music through their purpose built sound systems.

On the Thursday, Friday and Saturday the unmistakable sounds and vibrancy of the Notting Hill Carnival parade came through big and proud on the fields of Worthy Farm.

With over 100 paraders from world famous Mas and Brazilian bands, they showcased their elaborate, bright and beautiful

AUGUST 2024 THE VOICE |41

Carnival costumes – some standing at over 12 feet tall and wide – all supported by one of the UK’s leading steel pan bands, Mangrove.

Speaking to Lifestyle about the reconnection, Matthew Phillip, CEO of Notting Hill Carnival Ltd, said: “This is the third year we have done it. It’s growing and expanding. This year we took over 150 performers.

“Three different steel bands, DJ’s from multiple sound systems, costumes from masqueraders, it was great. We were introduced to Glastonbury by Block 9 and we have partnered with Jo Rush in the Carhenge area.

“Joe Rush is a local artist in Ladbroke Grove and he’s actually the artistic director of Glastonbury and he has a history of coming to carnival. He’s one of the founders of the Mutoid Waste Company who do large scale art projects. There’s something in store and he will be returning to Carnival this year.

“In addition, we were part of a new area in Glastonbury called Terminal 1, which kind of inspired some of the words I said earlier (in my launch speech) about immigration and how the UK is powered by immigration and that expands to a lot of areas, whether it’s transport, NHS or even our football teams.”

VIBRANT: Colourful flags on display at Glastonbury

SOUNDS OF CARIBBEAN CULTURE: Brazilian band Tribo, above, and London-based Pan Nation Steel Orchestra

FAMILIAR FACES: Paraders at Block 9 were supported by Mangrove, one the UK’s leading steel pan bands

42 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2024

Lifestyle

AMAZING GRACE BRINGS CARNIVAL TO THE TATE Alvaro Barrington’s latest exhibition unites the famous art gallery with Notting Hill event. By Joel Campbell

Y

IMMERSIVE: Sculptures and paintings make up the Grace installation, which is on display at Tate Britain until January next year underwear, and you’d know that this space was for her, not for you.

“And I thought, as an art historical nerd, that I’ve been conditioned in that way – to know that this space was for her – and that it was interesting to see the difference between a Gauguin bather, or a Lisa Brice bather, in terms of how the artists look at women.

“I wondered if I, as a Caribbean American man, could paint women in a way that made the viewer realise that it’s her space.”

Considering himself primarily a painter, Barrington is known for his expansive use of materials, motifs and techniques which reference his personal memories and cultural influences from music, pop culture and art history.

His commitment to community has brought his

Carnival was so much fun, it had so much life and history that my painting felt steeped in it too work into unexpected spaces, including contributions to NHC, Glastonbury Festival and an East London basketball court.

Beyond the exhibit itself, expressing his delight at the things to come ahead of this year’s NHC as a result of the Tate Britain

THE BIG WEEKENDER: TATE BRITAIN, AUGUST 3/4

TATE BRITAIN is set to hold a celebratory, intergenerational weekend-long festival in partnership with Notting Hill Carnival; inside the galleries and outside in the grounds.

The Big Weekender is a chance to experience the gallery and Alvaro Barrington’s commission Grace through music, performance, dancing, storytelling, talks, painting, and interactive games. Everyone is welcome and invited to bring friends

and family, bring a picnic or grab something from the food trucks.

Big Weekender: Family Day Saturday, August 3, 11am – 4pm Calling all families with children ages 0-16 to join us on Family Day to paint, hear stories, dance and move outside and around Tate Britain. Take part in an interactive large-scale game with A Line Art, puppetmaking with Swallow’s Wings

theatre company and a special appearance by young people fresh from Kinetika Bloco’s Junior Summer School. Grab some snacks from the food trucks or take a picnic to this outdoor adventure!

Big Weekender: Block Party Saturday August 3, 4pm – 10pm, co-curated with Tate Collective Producers (Tate’s in-house youth collective)

connection, Phillip enthused: “The Big Weekender is going to PAN AFRICA : Steel bands be great. and their “To have the iconic Saxon Sound setting up their boxes impact will be explored in on the grass in front of Tate Britain is something that I the exhibition am really looking forward to seeing.

“As well as that we’ll have steel bands there, costume workshops and Brazilian bands represented. For this one though, seeing Saxon set up on the green is going to be a bit special.”

Alex Farquharson, director of Tate Britain, said: “We are us in a reflective, sacred space, delighted to present Alvaro Grace demonstrates Barrington’s Barrington’s largest commission ability to translate personal to date in Tate Britain’s Duveen history into evocative, relatable Galleries. experiences.

“We are excited to see how “Taking us from a tropical Caribbean rainstorm into the visitors will interact with this busy streets of carnival and leaving powerful, immersive artwork.”

Join us for a block party! A day of music and performance warming up the carnival vibes at Tate Britain, co-produced with Tate Collective Producers.

Explore the galleries in a new way with music and workshops inside and outside the gallery. For a true carnival vibe, experience the variety of food trucks and drinks on offer, paired with a mix of sound system energy.

Photo © Tate (Oliver Cowling)

OU CAN tell by the size hammers on the corrugated tin of the smile on Matthew roof, to the exhilarating energy of Phillip’s face that the carnival.

“Grace is the constant link-up between Tate Britain and Notting Hill reimagining of Black culture and Carnival (NHC) is a big thing, with aspirational attitude under foreign all roads leading to the ‘special’ conditions,” said Barrington, speaking on what the exhibit Big Weekender this month.

“Alvaro Barrington has been encapsulates.

He added: “Grace here explores a long-standing supporter of carnival and he’s been involved, how my grandmother, my helping us, not just from a mother, and my sister in the financial point of view but also British Caribbean community decorating stages and floats,” showed up gracefully.”

Giving further context as to why explains Phillip, the CEO for NHC, at the launch of this year’s eagerly carnival resonates so significantly throughout his works, in a recent awaited London street party.

He added: “He’s got a big interview with curator Hannah commission at the Tate and as a Marsh, he explained: “I grew up big supporter of carnival he said going to carnival in New York and if he was involved, then carnival went to Notting Hill Carnival my first year in London. has to be involved.

“It was so much fun – it had “The exhibition is very much about carnival so it made sense so much life, and a history that to expand on that. It runs until I understood. So when I started painting, it felt like the painting next year.

“It’s a great exhibition and really itself was immediately steeped in celebrates carnival and the power that history.

“There were ideas or motifs I behind it.”

The commission, Alvaro borrowed, like the ‘wet fete’ figure.

Barrington: Grace, is the artist’s At a carnival in the Caribbean, during a wet fete personal exploration of identity where partygoers and belonging, a journey are sometimes explored in three parts honouring sprayed with Barrington’s grandmother, sister fire hoses, you’d and mother. see a girl The free exhibit kicked off in dancing May and runs until January 26, in her 2025.

The artist – who was born in Venezuela, grew up in Flatbush, Brooklyn and has family hailing from Grenada – draws from personal memories PERSONAL across time and place, TOUCHES: from his grandmother’s Artist Alvaro Caribbean home Barrington where a thunderstorm

Photo ©Tate (Seraphina Neville)

Art

Big Weekender: Sunday Social Sunday August 4 - 11am – 4pm Come and unwind with at the Sunday Social. It's all about good vibes as legendary steel drum players liven up the scene. Bounce to Saxon Sound System and let the food trucks tempt you. Meander through the galleries and outdoor spaces, soak in the carnival atmosphere and enjoy the perfect blend of art, music, and community.

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This is Brukout!

by Seani B

GOVANA’S LEAVING A LASTING LEGACY

Dancehall artist known for his poignant lyrics has matured into one of the genre’s leaders

SELF ASSURED: Govana wants his music to last the test of time

O

NE OF the most satisfying elements of my work is discovering new talent. I’m a firm believer that new talent is the lifeblood of our business, and should be protected, supported and nurtured.

Potential and development are words that are often used in our business, yet few artists fully maximise their potential by developing.

I first encountered Govana in 2013 – a young man who clearly had talent and a unique style, and I felt he could develop and nurture into one of the genre’s leaders and key artists.

Fast forward to 2024, and as he releases his latest album Legacy, that developmental path seems to be followed very clearly and correctly!

This body of work was made alongside Jordan from Chimney Records, and the process began over a year ago when they started to record a few tracks together.

His choices for collaborations

seem to be artists who Guvvy rates and respects, rather than manufactured situations.

“I contacted everyone who appears on the album, and asked them whether they would be on my project — Poppy (Popcaan), Movado, Aidonia, Jada (Kingdom) and Skeng. They all agreed and I was clear with them who else would appear on the set – just so there were no problems with artists who had issues with each other – and every one of them endorsed the project and reassured me that whoever else was on the album made no difference to them as individuals.”

That’s a very impressive and grown-up approach for an industry that is renowned for its cliques and crews. It seems there aren’t many people who have an issue with Govana.

Four years on from his last album, Humans and Monsters are not the Same, he has turned a corner.

“It’s added maturity. You can stay the same but I get bored easily. I want to be successful everyday. I try to always evolve.

I’ve spent the last couple of years with my sons and that has changed my perspective a lot.”

That statement is no joke. The sons in questions adorn the front cover of the album artwork, and

it’s something the artist is very proud of.

As is his home town – Spanish Town. Much has changed since his early days back on the corner but he insists that there is always a large part of his persona which is straight from the block.

“I wouldn’t feel comfortable if I couldn’t hang out and be

I want to be successful everyday. I’ve spent the last couple of years with my sons and that has changed my perspective a lot”

myself ”, he explains. “It means everything to me. Whenever I feel the musical juice is running out it’s important I got back and stand up on the lane and get the energy.

“I started my journey with these fans and I can’t let them down.”

The range of production on the entire set is impressive.

“The first two tracks were important that I made a statement. The artist Ras-I came through on The Letter and laid percussion which allowed the riddim to breathe. I was venting on this tune because there was a lot of personal stuff floating around about me. My sons need to know and feel the energy I am transmitting towards them and know I am around, so that when they become parents they can let off that same energy towards their children. The track is like the introduction of a book.”

He has a great relationship with his own Dad, and it was his father that encouraged him to invest in

real estate. The track Four Storey leans into this.

“From the time I started to make money, my parents always encouraged me to buy a house.

My father is in construction, so he was keen to work on his own children’s houses. He told me about the value of land. I can’t leave my vehicles for my kids in 20 years time, but if I leave them land hopefully the price will quadruple for them!”

Govana seems self assured and his pursuit of quality music that will last the test of time is admirable. “I’m not interested in first week sales – I don’t want my music just to sell in the first week and that’s it – I want it to build and keep growing.”

All in all it is an excellent set, and encouraging to see the maturity in the conversations regarding the album and it’s content.

Well considered, thought out and challenging at the same time.

The legacy of this work will be seen for a long time to come.

AUGUST 2024 THE VOICE | 45

Art

Lifestyle

SHINING A LIGHT ON UNSUNG EXPLORERS WITH EXHIBITION

Southbank gallery show promises to be a journey of discovery. By Jerome Conway

T

HE HAYWARD Gallery’s exhibition Tavares Strachan: There Is Light Somewhere is now open.

This vivid and exuberantly inventive exhibition shines a light on unsung explorers and cultural trailblazers, whose stories have often been overlooked due to bias. In shining a light on these hidden histories the artist highlights our shared yearning for belonging and recognition.

Described as ‘art that sizzles with life’ (The Guardian) and ‘enthralling’ (The Observer), the exhibition features monumental new sculptural commissions alongside striking large-scale collages, neon works, bronze and ceramic sculptures, and mixed-media installations, taking visitors on a journey of

discovery and recovery that is simultaneously playful and impactful.

Marvel at the 14-metre-long Black Star Liner on the flooded roof of the Hayward Gallery, the sound-and-light show in the Intergalactic Palace, an Encyclopedia of Invisibility, and human figures made of glass and submerged in tanks of mineral oil to make ‘invisible’ sculptures.

From works about space exploration to the artist’s own treks to the North Pole, Tavares Strachan: There Is Light Somewhere takes visitors on a rich journey of discovery across time and space.

Paintings and sculptures pay homage to musical giants ranging from Nina Simone to King Tubby, whilst the Black Star steamship blasts a lively radio programme

 The Observer



Evening Standard

STEAMING AHEAD: Black Star, a 14-metre long model of a steamship on the roof of the gallery, is part of the installation of Tavares Strachan: There Is Light Somewhere. Photo: Mark Blower. Courtesy the artist and the Hayward Gallery.

DJ-ed straight from Jamaica.

The name of the exhibition is inspired by a quote from James Baldwin, who wrote: “It

is necessary, while in darkness, to know that there is a light somewhere.”

The Hayward Gallery, part of

the Southbank Centre in London, will be hosting the exhibition until September 1.

Standard entry is £18 but

Tavares Strachan THERE IS LIGHT SOMEWHERE UNTIL 1 SEP

MEMBERS GO FREE Installation view of Tavares Strachan: There Is Light Somewhere. Intergalactic Palace, 2024.

Photo: Mark Blower. Courtesy the artist and the Hayward Gallery

concessions for students, young people and Lambeth residents are available. For more, see southbankcentre.co.uk.

 The Guardian

 Time Out

46 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2024

OF SPORT NEWSPAPER

RULES She went on to add how these experiences instilled sporting principles into her younger self.

“We were learning how to play and even though it wasn’t organised sports, you realise that in these worlds of play you have structured rules, you have the leaders, you have the ones that are the doers, and you have all these other things that are working out, just that it’s not a sport per se.”

Surprisingly, Christine’s first real foray into organised sport was not track and field, but netball.

What is less surprising is that her determination and talent saw her excel, describing her progression as “relatively straightforward because I wanted to make it happen for myself ”.

She added: “My love for netball came from my primary school, and then when I went to secondary school. It moved on to club netball, from club netball I went to county, then from county I went to international netball.”

This looked destined to be Christine’s path as she progressed through the ranks of her favourite sport – however, a sports day event unexpectedly changed her course. She won the school 800m, and was approached by one of her

How family, friends, sheer determination and one eventful school sports day turned Christine Ohuruogu into one of Britain’s best track athletes.

By Vlad Andrejevic

GOING FOR GOLD WITH TOMORROW’S OLYMPIANS

teachers who assumed that she must have been training.

“I remember one of my teachers saying, ‘You look like you’ve been coached. Are you a club athlete?’

I said no and he said, ‘You run like you’ve been coached.’

And that just gave me the idea that if I was quicker on the floor, then I would be put in a different position on the netball court.

“My real position, my dream position, was to play centre, but I was SPEAK UP: Christine hopes to inspire the stars of tomorrow

only in defence. So, I thought, if I run quicker, then they’ll put me in as a centre, and that’s where the track took off.”

Christine was unwaveringly ambitious, however even she could not handle the demands of her schedule.

Despite her sporting success, she decided to continue her studies and enrolled at University College London to study linguistics. It soon became an impossible challenge to juggle studying, working, training f o r netball with both the county and

England, all while also simultaneously embarking on athletics training.

The turning point came in 2003 when Christine, aged 19, won a bronze medal at the European Junior Championships. The success, on the back of such a busy schedule, opened her eyes to new possibilities.

“If I can win a bronze medal from lane one off one or two days a week of training for track, imagine what I could do if I put in a bit more time. So that’s when I started thinking; Okay, I’ve kind of accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish in netball.

I wanted to play for England, I’ve done that now, so maybe it’s time to try something new.”

Acknowledging that it was a risk, Christine embarked on a new challenge. She left netball behind to focus on track, driven by her

“I took up running so they would put me in centre for netball!”

ever-present optimism and, as she very quickly points to, the full support of her trainer.

“My coach was a very stabilising force,” she admits. “My coach said I could do it. I didn’t think I could, but he said I could. So, I thought, Okay, well, if he sees something (remember I was very new to the sport) if he says ‘you’ll be good’, then I thought, yeah, okay.”

Her decision did not take long to pay off. Within two years she

had competed in the Athens Olympics in 2004, coming fourth in the 4x400m relay, as well as taking a silver medal in the 400m at the European Under 23 Championships and winning a 4x400m relay bronze medal at the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki.

The year 2006 started brilliantly as Christine won a gold medal in 400m for England in the Commonwealth Games, before disaster struck. Christine was given a one-year ban from competing in athletics for missing three out-of-competition drug tests, as well as an indefinite Olympic ban.

Amazingly, this seemed to focus her even further as three weeks after her athletics ban had expired in 2007, she went on to become the 400m world champion for the first time, winning all three

Inset photo: Sophie Mitchell Photography

C

HRISTINE IJEOMA OHURUOGU is one of Britain’s greatest ever athletes.

A 400-metre specialist, Christine’s accolades are endless, including being an Olympic gold and silver medallist, a two-time world champion and, along with greats Usain Bolt and Merlene Ottey, holding the world record for medalling in nine successive world championships.

To many, Christine is rightfully a household name; immortalised for her contributions to track and field that led her to being appointed an MBE in 2009.

However, her journey to the top was unconventional, making her story all the more alluring.

She was born and raised in Newham, East London, to Nigerian parents, Jonathan and Patience. She was the secondborn of eight children and grew up in Stratford, only a stone’s throw away from the then-unbuilt Olympic Stadium where she would go on to represent Team GB in the 2012 Olympics.

Christine traced her love for sport back to her youth, running around her neighbourhood with her siblings and friends.

Speaking during an interview at the University of East London, she explained: “My sporting education was in the parks growing up, around here. That was where me and my older brother would be outside, we were playing games outside, we had skateboards, bikes, we played football.”

AUGUST 2024 THE VOICE | 47

TOP SPORTS COVERAGE 24/7 VOICE-ONLINE.CO.UK/SPORT

BE THE BEST: Christine shares her wisdom of success with The Voice

of her individual races in the process. Her rise was meteoric.

“From the time where I became a professional athlete to the time I started winning medals, it was a very short turnaround.”

However, her humility points not to any particular gift she was given or to any special circumstances that helped her, but rather to being open to learning and working hard.

“I was very diligent. If they said ‘turn up three days a week’, I was there three days a week. I did everything I was supposed to do. My peers were a lot more experienced than I was, so I’d just be watching and observing, seeing how they did things and how they worked, and that was it.”

Even though she seemed to take each challenge in her stride, her next one would be the most difficult – the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Having had her ban lifted in November 2007, Christine went to the Olympics determined to prove a point, which she did.

EXCITING She first won her heat, followed by the semi-final, before making history by becoming the first British female Olympic 400m champion, picking up gold with a time of 49.62 seconds. It was Great Britain’s 50th gold medal of the Olympics, which Christine followed up with a bronze medal in the 4x400m relay.

“The Olympics definitely felt like that was the biggest thing because track and field is exciting. There’s so many different characters and players and so many jostles for titles,” she said.

“Going into the Olympic Games, I’d come through as a world champion, so I had a lot of credibility to my name, but then you also have my opponents, who want to win as well.”

Whilst that would feel like a burden, Christine was very clinical about it. “It was definitely the biggest championship, and it

did feel like that but it felt like I was there to work, and I was there to go and win.”

Four years later, despite already having reached the pinnacle in her field, the Olympics came to Christine’s backyard, bringing about a completely new dynamic.

The pressure on her shoulders as reigning gold medallist and a local resident to the newly built Olympic Park in Stratford was a completely alien feeling.

“London was surreal. Very surreal. I don’t think the best Hollywood scriptwriter could ever have written that for me” she said.

“To come to me in that way, to come so close was very strange, and I think I wasn’t really sure how I was going to deal with it. Also, for me going into London, I’ll be going in as a defending champion.

So, I wasn’t really sure how I was going to cope.”

She opted to “cocoon” herself away from the buzz and excitement of those around her and focus on her preparation, which in hindsight she sees as a shame, wishing she had embraced the occasion more at the time.

Nonetheless it worked, with Christine securing a silver medal in the 400m.

At the time, her winning mentality meant that she was disappointed, but on reflection, Christine recognises the amazing feat she had pulled off, selecting this achievement as her greatest Olympic moment.

“In time, I think that silver medal has probably become one of my most highly accomplished medals.

“I say that because between Beijing and London was atrocious.

I had four years of just up and down, I thought that maybe my years were over because I couldn’t quite find my rhythm.”

Christine had constant struggles with her physical fitness, which in turn put a strain on her mental wellbeing. With the help of a new sports psychologist, she started to build herself back up just in time for London.

“I didn’t do it for any other reason than I just enjoyed being on the track.”

“When you’ve had four years of nothing, but a constant fight with yourself, mentally and physically, your body’s not playing ball, your mind isn’t playing ball, to pick up from that point and still go and win silver, I was very happy with that. I think now I look back on it, I can feel that pride. I can really see what a story that was, and what an amazing time that was.”

INCREDIBLE Another uniquely joyful element of her London experience was the proximity to her family with whom she is still intrinsically connected. She felt their full support, something she does not take for granted.

“That was incredible. In Beijing, we could only afford to send my two brothers out with me. Just as an aside, we’re a family of 10, eight kids, so we could only send two of my brothers out. But in London, the whole family came out and they walked to the stadium, and they walked home, and that was fine! I think that really just illustrated the community effect of the games.”

In 2013, Christine went on to win a second 400m World Championship in Moscow, the first British woman to do so at the time. Her time of 49.41 was a personal best, and remains to this day a British record.

The following year was another blighted with injuries, however she was able to compete with her younger sister, Victoria, in a relay at the World Indoor Championships, an experience she described as “really cool”.

“There’s nine years between us,

and because I was getting on in years, the time we had to actually run together was limited, but I was proud of her to have the opportunity to have made the team and to compete. It was nice.

“There’s a picture of us actually exchanging a baton. She’s giving the baton to me, and I think that was a nice shot.”

Christine carried on battling through injuries, remarkably recovering enough to compete at her fourth and final Olympics in Rio in 2016, earning a bronze medal in the 4x400m relay. It would be her last major medal, retiring shortly afterwards as one of the nation’s greatest runners of all time.

It’s not just the medal haul that stands out with Christine’s career, it is also her longevity, epitomised by the fact that she went to four Olympic Games despite her late entry to the sport.

“I think I was very robust. I think that came from playing netball.

I think having a different sport, coming into track and field quite late, was probably helpful.”

She was also quick to highlight the importance of the right kind of environment necessary to build a champion.

“I think I had a good coach.

We had a good team. It was just very calm. I’m not a big-headed person, neither was my coach, we just loved doing the work. We didn’t do it for any other reason than we just enjoyed being on the track and then when we’d win one, we’d tick that box, and then we would move on to the next.”

This is the crux of the advice she gives to young people, with whom she spends most of her time mentoring these days in an ambition to give back to her community. She claims that she “never really had any Olympic dreams”, but rather just wanted to improve day by day.

“My dream was to be the best that I could be, and I was willing to really push myself. And I suppose that’s the question that I would say you have to ask yourself.

How hard are you willing to push yourself in search of your dream?”

With the Paris Olympic Games just around the corner, and thousands of children and young adults with lofty dreams of one day participating themselves waiting in anticipation, Christine offers assurances that it the journey is extremely rewarding.

“I would say that if you are willing to push yourself, it definitely is worth it, it really is!

As hard as it is, and as painful and annoying and up and down and round and round and worrying and doubting, it definitely is worth it.” n Christine Ohuruogu MBE has been appointed as a ‘Visiting Ambassador’ to the University of East London for 2024.

FUTURE CHAMP?: Ackera Nugent is one to watch in the 100m hurdles

JAMAICANS THROW DOWN THE OLYMPIC GAUNTLET

KISHANE Thompson exploded onto the world stage last year with his exceptional performance at the 2023 edition of Jamaica’s National Championships.

His coach Stephen Francis had always intended for Thompson to run the head, clock a fast time, and then pull out of the championships, with the intention of nursing a then-worrying injury record.

This time, you could tell Thompson meant business, and it would take a herculean effort to beat him – none of his opponents could.

Last year at the same event we saw a whole host of young talent, and this year the three names at the top were very familiar. The aforementioned Thompson (22), Oblique Seville (23) who had the previous world lead time and a win over Noah Lyles (23), and world 60m bronze medalist Ackeem Blake (22).

These three separated themselves from the field in the final, all three running impressive times, with Thompson’s 9.77 to win still the most impressive sprint this season. Seville and Blake came across the line in 9.82 and 9.92, respectively.

Come Paris, expect Thompson and Seville to push Lyles all the way in pursuit of gold, while Blake has the potential to shake things up.

Ackera Nugent won the Jamaican 100m Hurdles Championship comfortably in a blazing 12.28s. This set a new world lead but lasted

JAMAICA’SLD OLYMPIC GOS PROSPECT

pson: men’s 100m l Kishane Thom le: men’s 100m l Oblique Sevil p men’s long jum d: eo cL M l Carey Jump ple tri ’s en m t: l Jaydon Hibber 0m son: women’s 20 l Shericka Jack ’s 100m en m wo : nt ge l Ackera Nu hurdles

only moments as Masai Russell of America won her final in a time of 12.25s. She will likely be the world leader come the start of the Games.

These two are no strangers – Nugent secured the 2023 NCAA title in the same event by beating Russell. The clash between the two will have massive implications on the medal podium.

It has been a season of superlatives for Nickisha Pryce. She entered the trials as the 400m national record holder and NCAA champion, after a superhuman 48.89 run in June, breaking the 21-yearold Jamaican record and also the collegiate record.

Pryce (23) easily won the women’s 400m event in 50.01, defeating StaceyAnn Williams by over half a second. Third place went to Junelle Bromfield, who is enjoying a wonderful season in the face of great familial adversities. Pryce goes into Paris as one of the bonafide favourites to take gold.

Five-time world 100m champion Shelly-Ann FraserPryce placed third in the 100m behind Jackson and Tia Clayton, ensuring she is also aboard the plane to Paris to compete for individual gold.

Fraser-Pryce, who many believe is already the greatest female sprinter of all time, will look to end her Olympic career how she began.

In 2008 she announced herself to the world in Beijing as the first ever Caribbean woman to win Olympic gold in the 100m, and in Paris, she will look to end her illustrious career at the top.

With the frightening speed and form of the American Sha’Carri Richardson, and the tremendous form of St Lucia’s Julien Alfred, the Jamaicans will face some massive tests in short sprints.

By Lyle-Anthony Golding

48 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2024

Sport HERITAGE : Jurrien Timber shows off one of the jackets

EYE-CATCHING: Bukayo Sako models the new shirt

GUNNERS’ NEW KIT INSPIRED BY AFRICA

Arsenal’s away strip shows off Labrum London’s signature West African influences. By Rodney Hinds

A

RSENAL HAVE unveiled their allnew away shirt for the 2024/25 season, drawing inspiration from the club’s African supporters.

Collaborating with British African group Labrum London, the kit features a black base which is punctuated by bold African patterns which begin at the armpits and flow down the sides on to the shorts.

A mixture of red and green accents across the shoulder

stripes, adidas logo and cannon crest stand out and signify the bond between Arsenal and their African supporters.

Foday Dumbuya, founder of Labrum London, said: “As a second-generation immigrant growing up in London, I watched some incredible Arsenal players with African heritage.

These players were amazing role models to me, playing the game in a beautiful way, but also representing the wider community that I connect with.

Arsenal as a club has such a strong connection to this community, so it is an incredibly proud moment for me to have collaborated on this design with them.”

Labrum was founded in 2014 and aims to bridge the gap between West African and Western cultures through their clothing. As can be showcased in the design, Arsenal has given a nod to the West African community which is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Nigerian icon Nwankwo Kanu,

who made 197 appearances for Arsenal between 1999 and 2004, added: “I’m so proud to represent my club and my heritage through this design from Labrum London.

It’s such a nice shirt.

“I love how the patterns and colours represent our connection to players of African descent

“Arsenal as a club has such a strong connection to this community”

and our supporters in our communities in Islington and around the world.

“It’s great to see us celebrating this unique connection with such a stylish design. I’m excited to see our teams wearing it on the road next season.”

Gunners season ticket holder Debe Thompson, who has been going to games for 30 years, told the Voice of Sport: “What I like about the shirt is that adidas and Arsenal are always on point with the various communities that support the team. I like how they are working together. They’ve nailed it this time.”

The new African-inspired shirt follows on from the release for the

2022/23 season of a pre-match jersey which celebrated the club’s Jamaican supporters.

Alongside the new kit is the release of the Arsenal x adidas x Labrum London collaboration, which includes two jackets, a tee, a jumper and a track pant.

The gear can be purchased at Arsenal’s club shop, select adidas retail stores and the Labrum London store.