The Voice 40th Anniversary Edition: August 2022

AUGUST, 2022 • ISSUE NO. 1933 | £2.50

SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY ISSUE 96 PAGES

We Are Forty Proud to be Britain’s national black newspaper for four decades

Inside THIS MONTH

Messages of support Key figures congratulate The Voice p4-6 Memories from ex-staff Voice alumni talk about their experiences

ROUNDUP NEWSPAPER

News, views, stories & videos THE 10 MOST POPULAR STORIES ON VOICE-ONLINE.CO.UK

1. Kayon Williams body pulled from Thames

Sad end to missing person appeal

2. Mum-of-two blocked from re-entering UK

Outrage of detention of British resident who visited Jamaica

3. Dancehall star Popcaan held by Home Office

Latest Jamaican star to face issues entering Britain

p8, 10, 12

4. Actress Mona Hammond dies

Campaigns and policing The stories we covered p16, 18, 20-21, 24-26

Tributes paid to ‘Auntie Susu’ from Desmond’s

5. Campaign to end Afro-hair discrimination

Organisations back move amid school crackdown on hair

6. Black-centred mental health

Carnival special Features looking forward to the celebrations

A feature looking at organisations providing culturally sensitive services

7.Our next Prime Minister?

p41-59

Christian life Marcia Dixon reflects on her Soul Stirrings column p66-67

Kemi Badenoch enters Conservative leadership contest

8. Wireless festival line-up announced Lifestyle coverage of the acts gracing this music festival

9. Widespread racism in Labour

Reggae on the radio Seani B looks at the shows that made a difference p74

The Voice says

Forde Report finds anti-black racism in the party

10. Sterling’s emotional farewell Departing England winger moves from City to Chelsea

This issue is 96 pages

Thank you!

THE VOICE would be nothing without our readers.

The late Val McCalla established the paper to give you, and our community, a voice that was not being heard in the mainstream.

To our many loyal readers, we say a huge thank you for supporting The Voice. Thank you for all the interaction and feedback you have given us.

In this special bumper souvenir issue, we look back at the past 40 years. It has been a momentous time, filled with struggle and success.

The pages of this paper reflect the experiences of many in the black community. Pride in achievements, and frustration at the lack of progress.

Systemic racism is ever-present as stories of police brutality and reports about racial disparities across society constantly remind us.

Yet, we are a resilient people. We are still fighting for our rights, for respect, for a seat at the table, and we will never cease to fight for racial justice.

We have always been a black-owned business, and that is important.

As we look forward to the next 40 years, we will be uncompromising in our efforts to hold power to account over anti-black racism.

Our community has grown, and demographics have changed over the past four decades.

The Voice will continue to evolve to reflect the black community in all our diversity.

We are investing in the digital future so that our content is more interactive and accessible.

But some things will not change. Our championing of black business and economic empowerment, and our burning desire for equality.

Today, we are suffering a cost of living crisis that is hitting black families harder. We are twice as likely to be in poverty, unemployed, or in low-paid precarious work. The disproportionate impact of austerity, the COVID pandemic and the latest economic dip has left many fearful of the future.

There has never been a more important time to come together, to help each other through these bad times, to organise — and to raise our voice.

Got a story? email us at yourviews@thevoicemediagroup.co.uk

NEWSPAPER

EDITOR Lester Holloway E. lester.holloway@thevoice mediagroup.co.uk

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

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

NEWS DESK E. newsdesk@thevoice mediagroup.co.uk

NEWS EDITOR Vic Motune E. vic.motune@thevoicemedia group.co.uk

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

SPORTS EDITOR Rodney Hinds E. rodney.hinds@thevoice mediagroup.co.uk

ADVERTISING AND SALES E. advertising@thevoicemedia group.co.uk CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS E. subscriptions@thevoicemedia group.co.uk

The Voice Newspaper Unit 1, Bricklayers Arms, Mandela Way, London, SE1 5SR T: 020 7510 0340 Web: www.voice-online.co.uk GV MEDIA GROUP LTD

AUGUST 2022 THE VOICE | 3

The year that made The Voice

Key moment

The paper was at the heart of community demands for action after police deaths

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HE YEAR 1985 was an important period for The Voice. When the late Val McCalla created the paper in the aftermath of the inner city uprisings of 1981, the hope was that having a voice would move the government to address the underlying causes of tension — police brutality, lack of jobs, and what we now call systemic racism.

That hope was quickly dashed as a policing law, introduced in the wake of the uprisings, led to fears it would make tensions between police and the community worse.

Our feature on pages 16 to 21 details the early campaigning in the paper’s first year over the fatal shooting of Colin Roach inside Stoke Newington police station. But it was ‘85 that really defined the paper.

Yet four years after Brixton, Handsworth in Birmingham, Chapeltown in Leeds, and Toxteth in Liverpool burned, little, if anything had improved.

Margaret Thatcher built some new houses in Toxteth but the material conditions — poverty, unemployment and racism — remained.

In October 1985, ‘No Peace for Joy’ was the powerful headline demanding that officers responsible for the death of Joy Gardner — who suffocated as she was bound in 13 feet of adhesive tape during an attempt to deport her — be prosecuted.

Around the same time, Cynthia Jarrett died of heart failure as police carried out a raid at her house, and Cherry Groce was shot and injured by police in Brixton.

Tensions were boiling, and The Voice ran a front page calling for a Day of Action following a community consultation meeting. In an echo of the US Black Panther newspaper, we carried five demands including an educational programme for black youth, and a study of disproportionate deprivation.

When Brixton erupted out of fury and frustration at the shooting of Groce, The Voice led with ‘the story behind the rioting’.

The Voice had not only warned against the consequences of government failure to act to tackle deprivation and oppression, but was an active participant in community organisation by carrying agreed demands on our frontpage.

As the dust settled on the ‘85 uprisings in Brixton and Broadwater Farm, Tottenham, our paper was once again providing analysis of why this had happened, and laying down the actions for the government.

This uncompromising stance took place even though the paper was benefiting from an influx of job adverts.

‘85 was a year that cemented

the papers’ reputation for campaigning, and showed that we were not afraid to call for a demonstration and work closely with activists on the ground.

That year set the standard for campaigning by pointing the finger squarely at those responsible.

On pages 24 to 26, we highlight campaigns against proposed nationality and immigration laws, and the demand for reparations.

Much of this coverage in the years that followed is built upon the spirit of those early headlines.

When Black Lives Matter protests took place across Britain in 2020, in response to the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, US, this paper once again did not just cover the events but set out the changes we need to see.

FIGHTING FOR CHANGE: Demonstrators including British actor John Boyega raise their fists in Parliament Square, London, in June 2020, after George Floyd’s murder (photo: Getty Images)

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Congratulations

LET’S CELEBRATE

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HE VOICE has been a feature of many black households, and is part of the community. A number of public figures pay tribute to the newspaper on our 40th anniversary.

1. Diane Abbott MP first black female MP and former shadow Home Secretary

“I have a great deal of affection for The Voice.

It was founded in 1982 a few years before I was first elected to the UK parliament as Britain’s first black woman MP. The Voice was the first of its kind, a newspaper specifically for the British born African-Caribbean community. Like me, the Voice was not expected to last long, and like me, it is still around today. The founder, Val McCalla, was a fearless Jamaican businessman and a good friend. The newspaper’s first offices were on Mare St Hackney close by me. In Val’s day, the newspaper was very much at heart of the black community, and it was a strong supporter of myself, Bernie Grant, Keith Vaz and Paul Boateng - the first four black MPs. I am glad to wish The Voice a great 40th anniversary.”

2. Professor William Lez Henry - academic and public speaker

“I clearly recall when The Voice was first published and what resonated then, and in many ways still does, represents a side of the black British experience that is not afraid to be both considered and intelligent. I state this because the way we were alienated and pathologised, within the mainstream media, compounded our structural placement as the unwanted black other in these shores. The Voice explained the social, cultural and political reasons for our disenchantment and disaffection in an overtly racist Britain. However, this was balanced with transcendental stories that demonstrated not just who we were, but also what we could, and in the 40 years have become, in every aspect of

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the human experience. I truly am humbled and give thanks for the opportunity to celebrate and commend all who created the foremost organ for giving us a voice in the womb of a scornful “mother” country. One blessed, eternal, love to you all.””

3. Baroness Valerie Amos master at University College Oxford

“Over the last forty years The Voice has been a newspaper which has sought to reflect on the impact of local, national and international events on the experiences of black people in Britain. It has played an important role in millions of lives.

The Voice has been a vehicle for knowledge, learning and information sharing linking us back to our past whilst speaking to our present and our future. It has campaigned for justice in the face of racism, inequality and discrimination, highlighted issues of specific and significant cultural and political interest to Britain’s black communities and showcased and celebrated achievements. And, crucially, it has connected us across continents, cultures, countries, and communities. Thank you, The Voice, and all the best for the next 40 years.”

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@thevoicenewspaper

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AUGUST 2022 THE VOICE | 5

THE VOICE

Congratulations

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4. Lord Simon Woolley founder and former director of Operation Black Vote

“Much of the history of modern Black Britain has been told through the prism of 40 years of The Voice. All our big stories, told and nearly untold, have been championed by this iconic paper, and certainly the story of Operation Black Vote might never have been so dramatic had it not been for the paper’s support. When I first met Val McCalla and the then Editor Winsome Grace Cornish, over 30 years ago, they said to me and Lee Jasper, ‘Our paper believes in the political empowerment of Black communities, so we will cover your campaigns and give full weight about what your trying to achieve’. Thanks to The Voice, OBV helped transform British politics. Let’s celebrate a paper that has become an institution, and lets ensure its our voice for another 40 years.”

5. Jacqui McKenzie - human rights lawyer & partner at Leigh Day Solicitors

“I arrived back in the UK in 1981, after spending my teenage years abroad, and a year later The Voice newspaper was launched. It was a source of pride and essential reading during my student years and early careers, in the civil service and local government, and more so now, with its careful examination of the issues impacting African and Caribbean

people in Britain. In the 1980s, getting a professional job as a black person was difficult. The Voice featured a compendium of job adverts and many of us would rush out to buy each issue hoping that organisations advertising in the paper were equal opportunity employers. Over the 40 years that I have been reading The Voice, it has covered many issues dear to my heart including on race and discrimination, policing, criminal justice and miscarriages of justice, the invasion of Grenada, the Windrush Scandal, immigration and enforced deportations. Congratulations on reaching such an important milestone and may you continue to grow, enlighten and entertain.”

6. Kanya King CBE founder and CEO of the MOBOs

“Huge congratulations to The Voice for celebrating 40 years. With a world that favours the new and trendy, it’s businesses like The Voice that have endured and defied time are worthy of so much praise and admiration. Trailblazer founder Val McCalla’s legacy and impact lives on with the many people he inspired, gave jobs and opportunities to who wouldn’t otherwise have had a voice, and is thriving today and making a longstanding contribution to their family, friends and community. Happy Anniversary to The Voice on this milestone year. Thank you for your activism – we salute you! Here’s to many more years to come!”

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Congratulations

9 7. Benjamin Zephaniah poet, author and activist

“In a corner of my room I’ve got this stack of Voice newspapers. I’ve been an avid reader and when I’m just busy working, I can’t stay on top of everything that’s going on in the community.

The importance of the paper is not just documenting what’s happening in the community, but also having the politics and having a point of view is really important. Happy birthday!”

8. Dr Leroy Logan MBE former top cop and head of the Black Police Association

“The Voice has been a continuous source of hope and inspiration for the black community, from which we have all benefited.

My career personally is testament of that, in addition to the formation and sustainability of the Black Police Association. If it wasn’t for The Voice, we wouldn’t have ever continued our work and our narrative would not have been heard beyond a small group of people. So, The Voice was a clarion call for justice and equality. I know that I have personally been more fruitful with the support of The Voice even in retirement, In particular in the promotion of my autobiography Closing Ranks.”

9. Karen Gibson, MBE Founder and Conductor, The Kingdom Choir

“I am honoured to congratulate The Voice newspaper on its 40 years of success, representing the news, views and achievements of the black community in Britain. The paper’s pioneering work has provided a platform for black lives and voices, generating cohesion amongst their communities in the UK. As a gospel practitioner, I am pleased to say that The Voice has been steadfast in their representation of matters of faith within the Black Majority Churches. Furthermore, it has been consistent in showcasing and celebrating artists and developments of the gospel music scene.

Thank you to The Voice for your sterling work, dedication and excellence. Long may it continue.”

10. Bishop Joe Aldred Retired Christian Ecumenist, Writer, Speaker and Broadcaster.

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“I extend warm congratulations to The Voice newspaper on the significant milestone of publishing for 40 years! From a standing start to establishing itself as The Voice of contemporary Black British people read across society is no mean feat. Those responsible for initiating and sustaining this vision deserve high praise, we know it has not been easy at times in this racialised space. I am particularly pleased that there continues to be a place where Black Christians and the Black Church feel represented.

In the words of Old Testament prophet Habakkuk (2.2), continue to bravely ‘write the vision’ for and about the Black British community’s struggles and victories. Happy 40th birthday to The Voice and may you have many many more.”

11. Pastors Clem and Marjorie Esomowei - Senior Pastors, Triumphant Church International

“Big congratulations to The Voice newspaper and thank you for 40 years of serving your generation diligently, conscientiously and with integrity. We wish you greater heights, greater glory, wider readership and much more impactful work in the years ahead and we send you God’s blessing to all your staff and volunteers past, present and future.”

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12. Rev Les Isaac Founder of Ascension Trust and Street Pastors

“Congratulations to The Voice newspaper on reaching its 40th anniversary. From the start, The Voice has shone its journalistic eye on the issues that matter to the black community, brought to the fore black people making great strides within their sphere of influence and highlighted the important role faith plays in black peoples’ lives. It’s great that in this competitive media environment The Voice continues to provide a voice for the black community. May its voice continue to speak out and be heard.”

13. Leee John Imagination, singer and director

“I’m celebrating 40 years of Imagination, my group. It’s been 40 years since Just An Illusion, Body Talk, Flashback, all our hits we had in the 80s. It was a very memorable situation for me because The Voice supported Imagination very strongly in the early 80s as we were one of the first British black international artists in the world. The Voice opened the doors for a lot of British black artists. But since Imagination broke through on the international level, the doors opened for more of our artists and The Voice supported us very strongly and the paper was always part of the community along with my mother Jessie Stephens. Peace love and light to everybody. It’s great The Voice keeps going.”

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14. Dr Victor Olisa former senior police officer

“Many congratulations to Voice for being exactly what its title suggests, the voice for black people: positive; celebratory; calling out injustice and unfairness; praising and celebrating achievements. Here’s to another 50 years and more.”

Curated by Shirin Aguiar and Marcia Dixon

@thevoicenewspaper

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The Voice team extends sincere appreciation to all our avid readers, advertisers, partners, alumni and well wishers who have been a part of our 40-year journey.

We look forward to your continued support.

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Alumni

GIVING A VOICE TO BLACK JOURNALISTS

BLACK ICON: The Voice’s Joseph Harker interviewed Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid campaigner and former president of South Africa (photo: Getty Images)

Former staff members at The Voice reflect on the time they spent at the newspaper, plus what it meant to them and the black community

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VER THE years, many journalists have cut their teeth on Britain’s leading black newspaper.

Here, a few of them look back on their careers at the newspaper, the memorable stories they covered, and what it meant to them.

Joseph Harker Ex-Assistant Editor (1987-1991)

As a student in the 1980s, I wanted to do something about the blatant racial injustices of the era: the stop and searches, the deaths in custody, all creating the pent-up community anger that erupted throughout the decade in Brixton, Toxteth, Handsworth, Bristol, Moss Side, Broadwater Farm, among other places.

After a drink one Sunday night after my final exams, I dropped the idea of doing a law course and thought I’d try to achieve change through journalism.

The next day, I wrote to The Voice, who asked me to write

The office was a living, breathing rejection of the perception that black life was poverty and oppression a piece; and then another; and then a few weeks later offered me a job as a reporter.

I couldn’t believe my luck.

There was no way my CV would have got me into a local newspaper, the traditional route for journalists. But there I was, reporting on the police, Westminster politics, on foreign affairs, and learning from my brilliant editors, such as Peter da Costa and Steve Pope.

And just as important was being part of a successful business, run by black people and for black people, alongside hugely talented black journalists and commercial staff.

The office was a living, breathing rejection of the common perception that black life was all poverty and oppression.

It’s no wonder that, three dec-

ades on, I’m still in touch with so many of my colleagues from those days.

Back then, business was booming, funded mainly by paid-for job adverts, and The Voice could afford to send me on a month-long reporting assignment to South Africa, where I interviewed Nelson Mandela and other leaders of the black struggle.

The immense ability of those I worked with gave me the confi-

dence a few years later, after I’d moved to the Guardian, to set up the Positive Action scheme, targeting aspiring black and Asian journalists: I knew there was a huge pool of talent that the mainstream press was not tapping into.

The Voice is still creating opportunities for people to get a break into journalism, and giving them a chance to confidently tell our stories, from our perspectives.

HORRIFIC DEATH: Left, Joy Gardner; right, the fight for justice

Without The Voice, so many of those stories would have gone unheard: as it approaches its 40th birthday, what a legacy it has created.

Vivienne Francis

“Why the hell was she here anyway?” asked one national newspaper.

Another branded her a “shanty town girl who bent the rules for a better life”.

The woman in question was Joy Gardner, a 40-year-old Jamaican woman who, in 1993, had overstayed her temporary visa to the UK. She was restrained during an immigration raid on her house.

Enforcement officers wrapped 13 feet of adhesive tape around her head and mouth. Unable to breathe, she collapsed and suffered brain damage. Joy Gardner died in hospital four days later.

Rather than being respectful or sympathetic to a woman who had lost her life in such horrific circumstances, a large part of

the British media was intent on smearing her reputation.

The criminal trial of the officers involved was the frontpage story when I joined The Voice Group.

Decades before George Floyd’s murder would bring widespread acceptance that black lives did indeed matter, The Voice had worked tirelessly to expose the brutal treatment that black people suffered at the hands of the establishment.

But The Voice’s role in the UK has been so much more than just campaigning against discrimination and inequality.

It has helped champion the untold stories of black success and achievement.

Through the years, its words have represented our lives as they are; multidimensional and visible.

The Voice gave me the opportunity to start my career as a journalist. I joined its thenbroadsheet sister paper, The Weekly Journal.

It offered me the platform to step in and speak up for those who were marginalised and powerless, and to help celebrate the value of what it meant to Continued on page 10

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Alumni

HOW THE VOICE MADE US Continued from page 8

be black in Britain. By telling these stories, we contributed to a gradual change in society.

As a young journalist, seeing black people at all levels of the organisation was also incredibly inspiring.

Having people who looked like me as business owners, managers, editorial leads, I developed the confidence that I could be anything, do anything.

I owe much to The Voice for

Seeing black people at all levels of the organisation was incredibly inspiring helping to shape values and aspirations that, 30 years on, I continue to embed within the work that I do.

Jasmine Dotiwala

Writing a weekly column for The Voice for more than 15 years, has been one of the greatest privileges of my professional life, and for that, I want to thank you.

When I was approached in 1999 by Tricia Liverpool and Lee Pinkerton about writing a regular weekly column called ‘Jasmine’s Juice’, I was excited, humbled, anxious and honoured.

As a young student running off to college, I had been religiously running to the newsagents to pick up The Voice weekly to keep up with my favourite writers of colour for many years, so to be asked to also contribute was a joy, shock (and way out of my comfort zone, as unlike the rest of the incredible writers, I wasn’t a trained writer) and was embarrassed about my lack of writing skills.

I imagine I’d been asked due to my MTV role, which allowed me access to the biggest music and entertainm e n t

names. Sharing my interviews and adventures with Voice readers became a unique opportunity to give The Voice exclusives with all the content that didn’t make it on to MTV. Even though I’ve always had a real job in TV, the first few years of my column in The Voice would end with the line “contrary to belief, Jasmine is not just a ghetto It-girl, but a producer at MTV”…. Voice readers would quote that to me when meeting me out on the street.

I received hundreds of emails each month from across the community, but mostly from young girls, students and prisoners who were also inspired by the column to be entertainment journalists. I would offer them work experience at MTV and many of them went on to work at MTV and are now in senior media positions across the industry.

I treasured the tips that arrived from all quarters: the community, music stars, actors, athletes, managers, TV execs, politicians, record labels, trident, friends, foes, the lot!

I treasured the people who invited me into their homes, lives and minds weekly (or had me forced upon them).

I treasured the opportunity to occasionally help change people’s lives by speaking openly and honestly about topics and issues that we often found taboo, but most of all I treasured starting conversations and giving a voice to those who might not otherwise have one and helped push talent wherever I could via my column.

Additionally, The Voice platform gave me an opportunity to try being a columnist, hone my writing skills and be supported by some incredible editors.

They were incredible in reducing my copy, which was always WAY too long. Sometimes my l o n g - s u f f e r - ing, brilliant

REWARDING CAREER: Jasmine Dotiwala, right, who previously had a column with The Voice, with composer Shirley Thompson at the Broadcasting Equality Bash in 2020

editors — Davina and Dionne — would simply send me back an email that said, “Jas, it needs to be half this length, please resend”. LOL It didn’t matter where I was in the world or in what time zone: I would deliver my column into The Voice team on time, and they worked all hours and made it happen.

I do recall telling Mariah and Jay-Z that they had to sail their summer boat into land so I

could pick up wi fi so my Voice column could be sent in time!

This weekly commitment was important to me.

The impact of my contribution to The Voice on my own career cannot be understated.

The Voice gave me — a nonblack woman of colour — a long-term (15 years!) seat at the table of a national newspaper, when no other publication would’ve ever seen any potential in doing so.

STARS’ TURN: Mariah Carey and Jay-Z had to sail a boat into land so Jasmine could find a signal to submit her column to The Voice

I didn’t take for granted a seat offered at the table as a guest of the country’s biggest national black newspaper. I was incredibly fortunate, and the weekly column gave me even more opportunities to cover stories for TV, which I wouldn’t have

The Voice gave many young black and Asian writers their first breaks been offered or connected to without the column.

But more than that, The Voice gave me national visibility, access, and a pipeline into the heart of the black community who in turn reached out to me with hidden stories that I could then amplify on my TV platforms.

For of all this, I always note

and pay homage to the black community. You all have a reputation for welcoming everyone and embraced me as a kid growing up in the streets of Southall and Harlesden.

You are warm, inviting, non-judgmental cultural leaders and innovators, and for that cultural adoption and taking me in your arms, I will forever thank you.

Over the years, The Voice gave so many new young writers their first breaks — to shape their critical thinking — and a public facing platform, with the most inclusive community I’ve ever been lucky enough to be culturally adopted by, and for that I will be forever indebted to the brand and its team across the years.

The reason this matters and the impact that this early investment in us had is clear now that many of us have enjoyed into successful careers and many are leading change-makers for inclusion within various industries. We all appreciate the huge opporContinued on page 12

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Alumni

Our memories working as journalists at The Voice

STORY THAT CHANGED THE WORLD: Neville and Doreen Lawrence, the parents of Stephen Lawrence keep his name alive in their fight for justice; inset below left, Stephen Lawrence died in a racist attack in 1993, and former reporter Claire Hynes was sent to cover the story for The Voice – who were the first newspaper on the scene; inset below right, Richard Adeshiyan interviewed Nelson Mandela

Continued from page 10

tunity and blessing that we were bestowed.

It was a pleasure and a privilege to have the space to share with readers every week. I still miss it.

Happy 40th anniversary to The Voice!

Dr Claire Hynes (Former Reporter and News Editor)

One of my strongest memories of working at The Voice was covering the murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993. I heard a brief news bulletin on the radio about a young teenage boy who died after an incident at a bus stop.

No mention of race or murder was made, but I had a gut feeling that something untoward had happened.

I managed to make contact with Stephen’s family in Eltham the following day. I remember the small house, Stephen’s bedroom with the bunk bed and the football posters on the wall.

I was shocked to discover that Stephen had been set upon

at a bus stop by a racist gang and that Met Police were apparently making little effort to track down the killers.

Given the horrors of the story, you would have expected queues of journalists outside Stephen’s home. But no other newspapers were covering the story at that time.

The Voice was first on the scene on this occasion, as on many others.

As a news team, we worked hard to bring important stories to the attention of the community.

O f t e n , these were stories ignored or misrepresented by the national press. We had to think creatively in order to uncover these stories and find new

angles. I believe The Voice played a key role in helping us as a community to establish a positive and unapologetic black British identity.

know, but who you know. At the time, I was competing for leading club Haringey AC and was a top 50 UK-ranked triple jumper, regularly rubbing

The Voice experience was anything you wanted it to be. This on-the-job training was unheard of for aspiring black journalists Richard Adeshiyan (Former Sports Editor and Deputy Editor)

Flicking through The Voice newspaper in my local library in the summer of 1983, I instinctively landed on the sport pages. It was truly a lightbulb moment and would inform my career journey for the next decade.

However, my route into journalism was an unconventional one, and embraced that old adage that it’s not what you

shoulders with many of the sports leading names. I subsequently made the call and presented my credentials to the newspaper’s then-Deputy Editor Sharon Ali, who asked me to come in, inadvertently opening the door to a world of opportunity.

There were no job vacancies, but more revealingly, I had not written an article in my life. That the newspaper’s Mare Street offices were handily located a short distance from where I lived, was incentive enough to persevere down this path.

Those earIy days were spent observing, running errands, making teas and generally getting in the way. That was un-

til the paper’s publisher Val McCalla saw me idle and put me to work on the news desk.

I promptly went out and purchased a secondhand portable typewriter, quickly mastering the art of two-finger typing and an artistic use of Tippex. This was world far removed from the technological advances of today.

In fact, some of the weekly stories bashed out by eager Voice reporters, were sadly indicative of a hostile environment faced by black communities across the country.

Thankfully, the newspaper also used its unique position during its 40-year existence to hold up a mirror to enduring black success, largely ignored by mainstream media.

The Voice experience was really anything you wanted it to be. This kind of on-the-job training was totally unheard for many aspiring young black journalists and the newspaper introduced a real sense of camaraderie.

In my own case, The Voice allowed me to soar and spread

my wings. Uniquely, my decade-long journey would span sports, music, entertainment and foreign reporting. Such an unscripted narrative could have only happened at The Voice.

If you had told me as a 22-year-old at the start of my career, I would find myself in South Africa a decade later reporting on the country’s historic democratic elections and the confirmation of president Nelson Mandela, I would have laughed in your face.

Seriously, that, for me, is the real power of The Voice.

THE VOICE | 13

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14 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Photographers

IMAGE MAKERS CAPTURE HISTORY Honouring the photographers who took iconic images

C

RITICAL TO The Voice’s success were our photographers, who were at the scene recording major moments in black British history, often when there were no mainstream snappers present.

The rollcall of Voice photographers includes Colin Patterson, Roy Pottinger, Sharon Wallace, Patrick Friday, Corey Ross, Tony Attile, David McCalla (son of the papers’ founder, the late Val McCalla), and many others.

A special tribute goes to Ken Passley (inset), who sadly passed away in 2020. An infectious and passionate personality, and a talent utterly committed to his craft, he continues to be much missed by all who knew him.

Our late founder, Val McCalla, was himself a photographer before

@thevoicenewspaper

establishing the paper and knew the value of great images.

Today so many pictures are just picked off ‘the wires’ like PA, AFP and Getty, but back in the day The Voice relied heavily on our snappers to capture celebrities, sports stars, community events and people who were featured in our stories.

Even when our photographers were mixing it with the ‘nationals’, they always brought something extra. In a photocall with England football captain Paul Ince, a photographer working for Fleet Street asked him to smile like he had just done for a Voice photographer. “I only smile for the brothers”, was Ince’s reply.

It wasn’t just ‘action’ photos, our team also did portraits for our interview page capturing everyone from legendary jazz musician Hugh Masekela and singer Gloria Gayner to actor Morgan Freeman and politicians of

@thevoicenews

voicenews

the day like Paul (now Lord) Boateng.

They frequently went above and beyond to get the right picture. Passley drove a Rastafarian Trevor Henderson to Heathrow so he could get a shot of him with a plane landing in the background to illustrate an article about Henderson, getting marched off a plane at gunpoint, after he was mistakenly profiled as a Muslim terrorist.

Sometimes it was the pictures that made the story. Patterson was asked to take a photograph of the Notting Hill Carnival Trust for a story about an internal row, but came back with a picture of two bulky white security guards who had been posted outside the building, looking intimidating.

The image made it our front page.

We salute our photographers who were integral to the paper. They recorded the joy of success, the pain of racial injustice, and the determination of those who campaigned for change.

Thank you!

By Lester Holloway

www.voice-online.co.uk

AUGUST 2022 THE VOICE | 15

Photographers

ICONIC: Facing page - Main image barrister Tunde Okewale. Bottom left to right Promoter Don King with boxer Howard Eastman; two heavies outside the Notting Hill Carnival Trust building; and boxer Chris Eubank.

This page - clockwise from the top - Commentator Trevor Phillips, academic Keith Davidson and David Lammy MP at a London Schools and the Black Child conference in 2002; Hot Chocolate lead singer Errol Brown; former Voice alumni and TV journalist Rageh Omaar; Sir Lewis Hamilton; dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson; actor Morgan Freeman; former England rugby winger Marland Yarde in action; jazz legend Courtney Pine; ex-England and Wimbledon striker John Fashanu highlights bullying alongside a victim and his mother; Rasta Trevor Henderson and friend Damian Busby after Henderson was kicked off a flight when he was mistaken for a Muslim terrorist; Jamaica Kayaker Tony Greyson-Newman; Sports editor Rodney Hinds and former Voice news editor Elizabeth Pears chats to London assembly member Andrew Boff at Africa on the Square, in Trafalgar Square.

16 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Policing

GIVING A VOICE TO OUR COMMUNITIES

With such strong feelings of mistrust, resentment and suspicion between the black community and the police, this was now the time to hear both sides of the story. By Vic Motune

B

ACK IN 1982, The Voice founder Val McCalla had a goal to create a newspaper that provided a platform for Britain’s rapidly growing black community to help challenge what it saw as overt racism in policing.

When black people clashed with the police during riots in Brixton and Toxteth in 1981, only one side of the story was reflected in the mainstream British media.

Reports largely ignored many of the issues behind ‘the uprisings’ as they were referred to in the black community, including deep anger at years of harassment by police officers and their extensive use of stop and search tactics under the Sus laws.

In the 1970s and early 1980s, politicians, senior police chiefs and other leading public figures regularly made openly racist statements under the guise of ‘telling it like it is’.

UNCHALLENGED

Comments which would force an immediate resignation if made today, often went unchallenged when they were published in newspapers or broadcast on TV or radio.

Inevitably, the extent of racism in Britain was reflected in its police forces.

So, by the time The Voice was launched in August 1982, feelings of mistrust, resentment and suspicion between the black community and the police were strong. Right from its launch, The Voice’s journalism was quite unlike anything that existed in the media landscape at that time.

It regularly carried reports of abuses of police power which included black people being brutally assaulted after raids on their homes by officers in search of drugs or stolen goods, racially motivated stop and search tactics and wrongful arrests and detentions. One of

The Voice’s earliest campaigns highlighted the importance of McCalla’s vision in creating a newspaper that challenged the police, and other institutions to listen to the concerns of the community.

On January 12 1983, Colin Roach, a 21-year-old black man, died after receiving a fatal gunshot wound while in the custody of Stoke Newington police station in London.

The Metropolitan Police said he had committed suicide soon after entering the station. They also said there were no witnesses when he died.

As news of Roach’s death quickly spread, The Voice provided a platform for his family and the black community who were suspicious of the official explanation of his death and accused the police of a cover-up.

The Voice was the first publication to interview his family, who strongly rejected the official explanation of his death.

An exclusive investigation published in its January 22 edition revealed police and coroners reports raised the prospect that Roach’s death was not suicide.

In the weeks that followed, The Voice was relentless in demanding answers to the questions many in the black community had about the case.

An exclusive story in its February 5 edition under the head-

CAUSE FOR CONCERN: Protesters took to the streets after Colin Roach’s controversial death in custody while he was under the watch of the Met Police (photo: David Hoffman/Hackney Gazette)

line ‘Police admitted shooting Colin’ considerably stepped up the pressure on the police.

The story centred on an exclusive interview with 18-year-old Delores Williams, a voluntary worker who was arrested and detained by the Stoke Newington police for allegedly receiving stolen goods. She was later released when no stolen items were found at her home.

Williams told The Voice that during her interrogation, a plain clothes detective claimed to have shot

VISIONARY: The Voice founder Val McCalla; right, the newspaper’s coverage of the controversial death of Colin Roach

Roach after a protracted struggle inside the police station after he refused to give evidence to the police. Under pressure following Williams’ explosive claims and a growing number of demonstrations, Borough Commander Bill Taylor agreed to an exclusive interview with The Voice.

He strenuously denied the police had said Roach’s death was suicide. “Let me emphasise that, because it is not our position to make a decision of that kind,

that’s a decision for the coroner,” he told The Voice. “What we have said is that we are not looking for any second person in connection with the matter.”

SUICIDE

Taylor’s interview spurred growing calls for an independent public inquiry into Roach’s death.

This did not happen, although the Met did conduct an inquest which controversially concluded that Roach had committed sui-

cide. Following the 1981 Brixton riots, the Scarman Report, which resulted from an official inquiry, sought to understand the causes of the violence.

However, it could only go so far in helping to improve relations between the police and the black community. While its author, Lord Scarman, acknowledged the “ill considered, immature and racially prejudiced actions of some officers”, he stopped short of apportioning blame to the police.

He firmly rejected “the allegation that the police are the oppressive arm of a racist state” and went on to say that this notion was “an injustice to the senior officers of the force”.

Scarman’s failure to acknowledge the fact that racism was widespread in the Met meant the black community’s mistrust of the police, so evident in its response to Colin Roach’s death, deepened as the 1980s went on.

And the unwillingness of the authorities to address discriminatory law enforcement meant that police harassment of black communities continued sowing the seeds for a repeat of what happened in 1981.

Continued on page 18

AUGUST 2022

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18 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Policing

Continued from page 16

On September 28 1985, Brixton resident Cherry Groce was shot and seriously injured after police officers raided her house searching for her son Michael.

News of the shooting spread quickly, leading to crowds gathering outside the district police station. Local people had already been very critical of police tactics in the area and a mood of tension exploded into violence as night fell.

‘Brixton Burns Again’ was the dramatic headline that dominated the front page of The Voice’s October 5 edition which covered the riots. The accompanying story on the inside cover included several eyewitness accounts from local people.

Once again, the newspaper allowed a community long ignored by the mainstream media to vent its frustrations. Angry residents told The Voice they were planning to arm and protect themselves against the police because they were “sick and tired” of officers bursting into their homes and treating them “like animals”.

One woman who spoke to The Voice said: “The police have no respect for our homes, they think they can just drop in at any time. I get confused now when I see the police because I don’t know whether they have come to protect me or kill me.”

The edition also carried interviews with Cherry Groce’s children. Her 21-year-old daughter Juliet told The Voice: “They just came to shoot anyone indiscriminately. My mum was harmless. It’s just sheer madness and it could easily have been one of the children.”

VIOLENCE

Tensions between the black community and the police were already high when violence broke out again a week later at the Broadwater Farm estate in Tottenham, north London.

Local resident Cynthia Jarret died from a heart attack during a police search of her home. It was later alleged that officers, in search of her son Floyd, pushed her, causing her to fall.

What began as a protest outside Tottenham Police station as news of her death spread quickly, escalated into a riot as the community expressed its anger just a week after Groce’s shooting. The violence resulted in the death of PC Keith Blakelock.

In its October 26 edition of that year, The Voice used its front page to call for a Day of Action following Jarret’s death and Groce’s shooting.

In the accompanying story, the newspaper revealed that it had taken part in a hastily convened summit along with several other leading black organisations in central London to formulate a response from the black community to the recent events. In the years that

‘The police treated us all like animals’

followed the 1985 riots, relations between the police and the black community continued to decline.

Despite the Met’s continued emphasis on disproportionately stopping and searching black youths, or the fact that racial attacks on black people rarely led to convictions, it was the black community that was consist-

ently blamed for tense relations with police officers. In the summer of 1995, then-Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Condon controversially stated that 80 per cent of muggings in some parts of the capital were committed by young black men.

The Voice’s response was both swift and unprecedented. In its front-page splash, it superim-

posed a pair of donkey’s ears onto a photo of the Commissioner under the headline ‘Condon, you’re an ass’.

Unsurprisingly, the coverage angered Condon. The fallout became a major media story and later prompted the Met to send a representative to The Voice’s offices in Brixton.

Some observers at the time

claimed the move was an attempt at damage limitation.

However, the row between Condon and The Voice escalated when, in January 1996, the newspaper ran an investigation into black deaths in custody following the death of music promoter Brian Douglas. The story was highly critical of the Met. Condon accused The Voice of

DARK DAYS: The Brixton riots in 1985, above, were a low point in race relations, with the headlines in The Voice, including those focusing on the shooting of Cherry Groce and the death of Cynthia Jarrett, playing its part in souring the relations between the newspaper and the former Met Police chief Paul Condon, left (main photo: Getty Images)

being “inflammatory” and “irresponsible”. Again, the newspaper was equally forthright in its response. A picture of the Commissioner was splashed across the front page of the January 30 edition with the headline ‘If this man were Black…’

“Met Chief Sir Paul Condon attacks The Voice as being ‘inflammatory’ and ‘irresponsible’” the front-page story began. “His claims are not just a slur on The Voice which, after all, is your paper. When he accuses us of fuelling discontent, he inadvertently attacks the whole black community.”

The story went on to say that had Condon been a black Londoner, he would be three times more likely to be mugged, and five times more likely to be stopped and searched by the police. As with so many other issues, the objections of the Met Police Commissioner and other senior police leaders did little to dissuade The Voice from continuing to campaign about the deaths of black people in police custody.

Continued on page 20

JULY 2022

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20 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Policing

‘It doesn’t take a genius to see it was a racial murder’ MAKING THEIR FEELINGS KNOWN: People attend a vigil in memory of Mark Duggan outside Tottenham Police Station in north London in 2014.

They had gathered after an inquest concluded that Duggan had been lawfully killed by police in 2011 (photo: PA Images)

Continued from page 18

In 2014, friends and family of Mark Duggan, a 29-year-old black man who was shot and killed by police in Tottenham, north London, gathered at a vigil outside Tottenham Police station. They were there to protest the findings of an inquest which had concluded that Duggan had been lawfully killed by police.

His death sparked nationwide riots three years earlier.

Community activist Stafford Scott, who was supporting the Duggan family, said: “For generations, (the police) have been killing black people all over the country, killing poor and working-class people. We will not and we cannot accept the perverse verdict that Mark Duggan was lawfully killed.”

That anger was reflected in a powerful Voice front page of the January 16 2014 edition.

Under the headline ‘Who is Next?’, it featured the names and pictures of many of those who, like Duggan, had died in police custody over the previous two decades and whose tragic cases have been highlighted on the pages of The Voice.

They included Sean Rigg, Leon Briggs, Shekou Bayoh, Roger Sylvester, Kingsley Burrell, Rashan Charles and reggae singer Smiley Culture, among others.

DISPARITIES

If the anger felt by black Britons about racial disparities in policing remained a fairly low priority for many politicians and much of the mainstream media, one tragic event served to catapult the issue of endemic police racism right to the top of the national agenda.

On April 22 1993, black teenager Stephen Lawrence was cruelly murdered in a racially motivated attack by a group of white youths while waiting for a bus in Eltham, south London.The Voice was one of the first newspapers to report Stephen’s tragic death.

And the family’s fight for justice formed a central part of the newspaper’s campaign for race equality to be at the heart TRAGIC: The Voice was one of the first newspapers to report Stephen Lawrence’s death; Gary Dobson and David Norris received life sentences for his murder

of policing. ‘Murdered for being black’ was the headline that dominated the front page of the April 27 1993 edition.

The accompanying story revealed the depth of pain of the Lawrence family. His father, Neville, told The Voice he wanted to see a return of the death penalty for the killers. “It doesn’t take a genius to see it was a racial murder,” he said. “He was chased down the street for no other reason than he was black.”

In the days following his murder, several residents came forward to provide names of the suspects — Gary Dobson, brothers Neil and Jamie Acourt, Luke

Knight and David Norris. But no arrests were made until over two weeks after the murder.

Stephen’s family went public with the anger they felt that the police were not doing enough to capture his killers.

It was a meeting with the family and revered former South African president Nelson Mandela, arranged by the National Black Caucus and the Anti-Racist Alliance, that brought worldwide attention to the police’s shoddy treatment of the Lawrence family. ‘You just don’t give a damn’ was the headline of The Voice’s report of the meeting in its May 11 edition.

Mandela told the family: “I am deeply touched by the brutality of this murder, even though it is commonplace in my country. It seems like black lives here have been become cheap.”

After the meeting, Stephen’s mother Doreen told The Voice Mandela’s comments showed “people from abroad are more concerned about the death of black children than the Prime Minister of our own country, the Queen and all the ministers”.

Following the huge national attention Mandela’s comments received, the incompetent policing that governed the investigation into Stephen’s murder – STEPHEN LAWRENCE SPECIAL EDITION FREE www.voice-online.co.uk

| January 2012

JUSTICE AT LAST!

“ It has been almost two

decades since bright teenager Stephen Lawrence was murdered by racist thugs.

Three court cases later and, at last, his parents Neville and Doreen have seen two men jailed.

”

MURDERERS: Gary Dobson and David Norris

and the wider issue of police racism – became a leading story in the British press.

Furious with police failures, the Lawrence family decided to launch a private prosecution.

But the case failed in 1996.

Charges against Jamie Acourt and Norris were dropped before the trial for a lack of evidence.

The three remaining suspects, Neil Acourt, Knight and Dobson, were later formally acquitted.

But the decision in July 1997 of then Home Secretary Jack Straw to launch a judicial review into Stephen’s murder and the subsequent police investigation marked a major shift.

STATEMENTS

The report of the review, chaired by retired High Court judge Sir William Macpherson, produced one of the hardest-hitting official statements on racism in policing in British history.

In stark contrast to the Scarman report nearly two decades earlier, Macpherson concluded that the unsuccessful Met Police investigation into Stephen’s murder was due to institutional racism, which he defined as ‘the collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture or ethnic origin’.

Although hailed as a watershed moment upon its publication in February 1999, race equality

campaigners The Voice spoke to in its March 1 edition expressed disappointment that Macpherson didn’t go even further.

“I’m glad it’s a hard-hitting report,” Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP Diane Abbott told the newspaper. “But I’m disappointed that nobody has lost their job or been disciplined about it. I think Condon should have gone.”

Lee Jasper, Secretary of the National Assembly Against Racism, agreed. He said the black community wanted “clear, decisive and exemplary disciplinary action against the police officers who failed Stephen Lawrence’s family” and other victims of racist violence.

On the front page of that edition, under the headline ‘I Have A Dream’, The Voice said it was adding its weight to calls for a special day to mark Stephen’s memory. Then editor Annie Stewart said: “The idea of a Stephen Lawrence Day is a good one. It will be a hugely symbolic gesture and a lasting testament to Stephen.”

It was a dream that was eventually fulfilled in April 2018 when former Conservative PM Theresa May launched the annual Stephen Lawrence Day. In May 2011, Dobson and Norris finally faced trial for Stephen’s murder following a review of forensic evidence that found the victim’s DNA on the defendants’ clothes.

AUGUST 2022 THE VOICE |

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Policing

KEY ROLE: People gather in Trafalgar Square following a Black Lives Matter rally in London, with many holding banners in memory of George Floyd who was killed in 2020 while in police custody in the US. Many learned of the protest through The Voice’s social media platforms (photos: PA Images) The double jeopardy legal principle had been dropped in 2005 allowing the killers to stand trial for the second time for the same crime.

On January 3 2012, both men received life sentences, with Dobson jailed for a minimum of 15 years and Norris for 14 years.

‘Justice At Last; was the headline that dominated the front page of The Voice’s January 5 special edition.

“It has been almost two decades since bright teenager Stephen Lawrence was murdered by racist thugs” the accompanying story began. “Three court cases later and, at last, his parents Neville and Doreen have seen two men jailed.”

However, the special edition also included the results of an exclusive Voice online reader survey which revealed 83 per cent of participants felt race relations or policing had not improved in the wake of Macpherson.

RADICAL

In the second decade of the 21st century that radical campaigning platform McCalla envisioned back in 1982 adapted to the digital communication age.

And following the Black Lives Matter protests that swept the UK in 2020 following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers, that platform became even more important in providing black people with a voice to challenge racism in policing.

Thousands defied lockdown to join the largest anti-racism rallies ever seen in this country, easily exceeding the 80,000 who attended the Rock Against Racism concert in East London in April 1978.

Floyd’s death resonated deeply with black Britons.

Long-standing concerns about the deaths of black people in police custody and discriminatory use of stop and searches meant many marchers wanted to challenge the view held by much of the mainstream media that the UK is more progressive on race than America.

In the days immediately after Floyd’s death, The Voice’s Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages quickly signposted readers to information about planned demonstrations across the UK, while also posting news stories, comment pieces and video footage on Voice Online.

A May 31 2020 Voice Online story about one of the first big demonstrations in the week following Floyd’s tragic death, reflected the anger of protestors who defied strict lockdown regulations. The report was accompanied by a dramatic photo of a young man crouching, his head in his hands in seeming despair and being comforted by a fellow protestor.

If the use of technology and social media was key to helping campaigners quickly organise mass protests, it also empowered black people who, despite the recommendations of the Macpherson report, were still experiencing racial disparities in policing.

The 2010s saw the newspaper highlight an emerging trend – people using mobile devices to document racial disparities in policing in real time and post the resulting videos to social media platforms.

In some instances, this has led to officers being suspended or sacked.

Voice columnist Samuel Brooksworth drew attention to this trend.

“Let’s start off by saying racism isn’t getting worse, it’s simply getting captured,” he wrote in the August 2020 edition of The Voice. “The Ahmaud Arbery murder (a 25-year-old US black man killed while jogging in Satilla Shores, Georgia) shows the pivotal role footage plays in bringing justice after what is basically murder in broad daylight. Incidents like this, which most black people can relate to, are finally also being filmed. No longer are these injustices simply things happening ‘in our heads’.”

That year, several stories featured in the pages of The Voice and online about stop and searches captured on mobile phone.

Among them was one involving charity founder Sayce Holmes-Lewis. One morning in early May 2020 during lock-

down, he was driving through south London on his way to deliver food to a friend who had recently lost a loved one to Covid 19 when he was pulled over by police officers. They suspected he was carrying drugs.

“After the officers pulled up alongside me, they asked me to get out of the car” he told The Voice in an interview for its YouTube channel. “When I asked them what the reason was, one of the officers told me they were stopping me under the Section 23 Misuse of Drugs Act. I told them they had got the wrong person. At that point, one of the officers became very aggressive telling me they needed to see what was in my car.”

ASSAULTED

Since being physically assaulted by a police officer as a 14-yearold, he has been stopped and searched over 30 times.

This time, however, he decided to do something different. After getting out of the car and agreeing to be searched, he took his phone and began filming the encounter with the officers.

“I just thought ‘enough is enough’. I just wanted to document what they were doing to me as an upstanding black man in the community.”

The resulting video went viral after Holmes-Lewis uploaded it online. He later received an apology from the Metropolitan Police.

Faced with increasingly strident criticisms of its policing of diREACHING OUT: Former Met chief Cressida Dick spoke exclusively to The Voice

verse communities in the wake of the huge outcry that followed George Floyd’s death, Met Commissioner Dick reached out to The Voice in July 2020 for an exclusive interview. It was the same month she had told MPs she didn’t think institutional racism in the police force was not a significant systemic issue.

In a wide-ranging interview with The Voice, Commissioner Dick answered questions from community organisations such as StopWatch and Access UK and collated by the newspaper’s editorial team.

Asked if the force was institutionally racist, Dick said she recognised that “racism has existed and does exist”, but stopped short of admitting the force was institutionally racist.

Asked about ethnic disparity in stop and search, she again acknowledged the black community’s concerns. But added: “It would be a racist thing to withdraw police officers from an area which has both high violence and minority communities. We wouldn’t ever do that.

We are trying to protect people.”

Following the interview, The Voice put the Commissioner’s responses to the community groups whose concerns it had shared with her.

A consensus quickly emerged, one that was reflected in the uncompromising headline that dominated the front page of the July 2020 edition. ‘The police continue to fail us’ it said. ‘Met chief says things are improving but where’s the evidence?’

The editorial continued: ‘..... systemic racism in policing is not just an American problem. We are still five times more likely to be stopped by police than white Britons, more likely to be Tasered and a disproportionate number

of black people die after use of force or restraint by officers.’

Following that interview, calls for policing reform continued.

Dick’s resignation as Met Police Commissioner in February 2022 following a series of racism and sexism scandals came as a relief for many who had been calling for a reform of policing.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who made it clear he had no confidence in her leadership in the wake of growing dissatisfaction with the Met, saw her departure as an opportunity for a fresh approach that would win the confidence of Londoners and minority communities.

ANGER

Throughout its 40-year history, The Voice has documented the anger black people feel about racial disparities in policing.

But as it marks this key milestone, the need for campaigning on this issue is as urgent as ever.

A March 2022 Voice probe into policing found the need for the fresh approach Khan talked about doesn’t stop with the Met. The report found Greater Manchester Police are also facing demands from black police officers, equality campaigners and the public, to get to grips with a culture of racism in its ranks.

Former Home Office criminologist and Manchester resident David Dalgleish told the newspaper: “The most recent data in Manchester shows that despite white British people representing over 80 per cent of the city-region’s population, they make up less than half of those stopped and searched by police.

“The latest figures will do little to assure people much has changed since recording was introduced as a result of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry.”

22 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Advertising feature

Come and join the circle

MONEY SENSE: Tholani Alli, also inset below left, speaks at the Birmingham Black Business Show

Bloom Money’s Tholani Alli is dedicated to spreading the word about their rewards-based app to communities. By Anshu Taneja

T

HOLANI ALLI is Regional Communities Manager at Bloom Money and spends his time revealing the power of their secure rewards-based app to diverse migrant communities within the UK. He also educates the youth on why saving circles are still relevant today.

AT: What have you enjoyed the most since joining Bloom Money?

TA: I have loved engaging with different communities whether face to face or using online platforms, to explain what a saving circle is and how it works. We get lot of scepticism from younger people who say things like: “well, yeah, a saving circle — my mum did that, but what’s in it for me, it sounds a bit long.” But once I teach them the other benefits, they are amazed.

For example, we are bringing people from all backgrounds together. They discover something new, and they learn the enormous value of being disciplined with spending money.

I teach people that “having everything now and saving later” doesn’t actually work. It’s actually the complete opposite — if you save now and receive later, that is a much healthier and debt-free lifestyle to live.

I love teaching, educating, and writing. I blog online about wealth creation, finance, digital inclusion and how I bring middle and older generations to a digitally inclusive app. I also devote a lot of time to the younger generation, teaching them about the traditional ways of saving and inter-generational wealth creation which has been passed on through families for decades.

AT: Why do you think Bloom Money can appeal to black and ethnic minority backgrounds?

TA: There is already a lot of informal financial gathering within black British ethnic communities in the UK. They go by different names in different languages such as ‘pardna’ in Caribbean communities, ‘chit’ in India, ‘kwey’ in Taiwan, ‘kamite’ in Bangladesh and Pakistan, and ‘esusu’ for Nigerians. There is a lot of terminology for what is essentially the same thing.

Not being able to access the financial institutions means that communities are forced to pool and save money themselves. This is already happening on a wide scale, but with the app, we are bringing it into the 21st century in a secure way and making it rewards-based.

A lot of these informal money gathering activities exist with a group of aunties and uncles, maybe in a church or a mosque or even from a Whats App group — but we want them to be rewarded and build credit scores.

AT: How do you think using the products and services at Bloom can change people’s lives?

TA: We are bringing informal activities which exist

outside of the banks now via the banks — where data can be analysed by the credit teams.

There are direct debits, a lot of healthy cash flow, things are now automated and credit scores will naturally improve.

Another massive benefit is that it brings people from all backgrounds together. It taps into the traditional cultural community ethos where people proactively say “we can actually pool together; we can suffer together for a short period of time”. You can also learn a huge amount from people within the groups you join and can start new ventures, and form new relationships, bonds and initiatives together.

Usually after a successful round has finished, people look back and say “wow, we did that together, let’s do another one and pool and invest again.”

It also helps you plan for your money. Some people can’t save at all and others need more discipline when saving.

I know of others who spend all their money and keep their savings in the saving circles — they know that it will come back to them in six months or a year’s time.

AT: Do you have any stories of successful ventures together?

TA: Of course! Let’s start with my mum, she’s been doing saving circles ever since she was born, more or less. And what initially started out as a pot of money used to buy school uniform, or plan for a big Christ-

@thevoicenewspaper

mas spend turned into a group event where we could plan for day trips to Blackpool or France. We got access to good deals at hotels and it grew into a discounted community adventure where we could plan, go out and travel together.

Most recently, the round we just finished helped me to cash purchase my property in the North East. There’s no way

I like how communities talk and think, what makes them different and how we can learn I would’ve done it with a traditional help-to-buy ISA or equivalent. This is what has been passed down to me and it really does work. I have formed some amazing friendships with the people I have met and worked with.

AT: Have you identified any financial trends within the black and Afro-Caribbean communities?

TA: I have noticed, especially amongst the generation born and raised in the UK like myself, that there is heavy dependency on a high credit expenditure; buy now pay later; leasing; and a cash-up-front lifestyle.

It reminds me of that famous

@thevoicenews

quote: “buying stuff you don’t need, with money you don’t have, to impress people you don’t know.”

But the saving circles actually remind us that you can live that cash-up-front lifestyle just through rotated savings and a bit of discipline. Post education, I have learnt that a bit of interaction with your community can go a long way, as well as having some control of your money.

AT: Culture, community and tech are your three passions.

Why? TA: That sums up my character perfectly. Culture is what I live eat and breathe. Although I’m born and raised in Britain with Nigerian heritage, there was a clear culture clash at home eating traditional home-made food and speaking two Nigerian languages, but then at school I had to express myself differently with the “Good morning… yes, sir” Britishness.

My previous background is in migration and working with refugees and I can clearly see how cultures clash when migrants come in to visit a different country. They also face huge difficulties in language, tradition, and religion. If you ask any second-generation immigrant, you will find that ‘culture’ will be the key word.

I love communities and have an attachment to some which I have absolutely no business with or not related to. I’m a

voicenews

multilingual person and my parents will tell you that I loved to study languages that they would have no connection to.

They would ask me “why are you learning this, who do you know?” I like how communities talk and think, what makes them different, and how we can learn from them.

And of course, technology — an absolutely critical tool in the 21st century. The question which absolutely fascinates me is: “how can innovation make our lives easier without implicating our culture?” A lot of people complain that tech is hindering, but actually it can be used effectively to continue traditional and cultural practices, as we have proved at Bloom.

AT: You’re an admirer of traditional wisdom — what’s one of your favourite African proverbs?

TA: I really like the Lingala proverb: “mokili esalama po totambola na yango, kasi to tiya na moto te.” The translation is ‘the world has been made to walk on and not to be carried on our heads.’ We’re all on this journey of life together – don’t take yourself too seriously.

Sometimes we just need to chill out and relax.

To find out more and hear the latest news, click ‘Join Us’ and sign up to the waiting list at bloommoney.co

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AUGUST 2022

THE VOICE| 23

24 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Campaigns

RAISING OUR VOICE AGAINST RACIAL INJUSTICE

The Voice has been at the forefront of many campaigns on issues such as immigration and nationality laws. By Richard Sudan

O

VER THE past four decades, the push for race equality and greater black representation has been an immense journey.

While our communities can celebrate monumental achievements, there have been many ups and downs, with a long road still ahead.

As The Voice celebrates its 40th birthday, we look back at some of the seminal moments in a journey that is far from over.

The Voice has been, and will remain, committed to highlighting the issues that matter.

Immigration and nationality

As these 1982 (above) and 1993 (above right) headlines remind us, countering government legislation which leads to wrongful deportations, misinformation, alienation and fear among black and minority communities is nothing new.

ing the most racist legislation in recent years, paradoxically pushed by the most diverse Cabinet in recent times.

The role of The Voice, and the need, and importance of campaigning and informing our communities, has never been greater as we head into a period where our rights are under threat as never before.

Cherry Groce campaign

The climate of fear remains as prevalent as ever among our communities, whose roots are often in former Commonwealth countries, many of whom arrived in the UK as citizens at the invitation of the British government.

From the 1980s, before that and to the present day, the “hostile environment” continues, from the recent Windrush scandal to the recently passed borders Bill, stoking fear among Britain’s black communities.

In fact, we are arguably see-

The climate of fear remains as prevalent as ever among our communities

When it comes to reporting on police brutality, The Voice stands apart from other news outlets.

We don’t just report on deaths in coverage and mis-

carriages of justice which take place in our communities.

We believe in providing a space to support ongoing campaigns to secure justice, however long they take.

We covered the horrendous case of Cherry Groce, shot by police during a home raid in Brixton while they were looking for her son. The shooting of Groce left her paralysed and ultimately led to riots and a faceoff between predominantly white police officers and black and white youth.

Groce’s life-changing injuries led to her death in 2011, and the pursuit for full accountability from the police continues.

Galvanising support for the Groce family following her shooting was crucial, as Groce was the sole breadwinner for

her family.

The officer who shot Groce was ultimately acquitted and to this day, the police have failed to admit liability for her shooting.

Demand for reparations The conversation and calls for reparations to be paid to communities still suffering the effects of colonialism and slavery have resurfaced in recent months, gaining momentum especially in the Caribbean.

a trend or an electioneering slogan for us.

Almost 30 years later, these calls are now being echoed by a new generation

Ending the Sus law

As more and more nations continue to push for further independence, these conversations will only become amplified even further.

Backing these calls, however, is not new or a novelty for The Voice.

Since our inception, as this headline from way back in 1995 reflects, we support the push for reparations and ‘It’s time to pay up!’. It’s more than

The riots in the 1980s were triggered by long-standing police brutality and harassment of black communities, which began the moment black people set foot in the UK and, which has continued ever since.

In the lead-up to the insurrections of the 1980s, police had been abusing the Sus law which gave the police the ability to stop and search anyone

Harassment of black people began as soon as they set foot in the UK

AUGUST 2022 THE VOICE |

25

Campaigns

Clockwise from main, a demonstrator takes part in supporting Reparations March UK & Afrikan Emancipation Day in Brixton in 2020; a victim of racial discrimination and the ‘Sus’ laws on the streets of Brixton in 1980 (photos: Getty Images); Cherry Groce was left with life-changing injuries in the police raid; Mouayed Bashir was restrained by police at his home after suffering a mental health crisis — his family had called 999 and requested an ambulance

which they suspected might commit a crime.

The Sus law was disproportionately employed against black communities, and in the lead up to the Brixton riots, anger was fuelled following the routine harassment of dozens of black men, pushing tensions over the edge.

While the campaign to repeal Sus law led by Paul Boateng and Mavis Best, was eventually successful, we are now seeing a return to the very same issue,

following the passage of the Police Crime Courts and Sentencing Bill.

Black communities are already significantly more likely to be stopped and searched, and will only see more police harassment as a result of the new legislation. The Voice was there to support the campaign to end Sus laws in 1981, and will continue to campaign against ongoing police harassment of black communities.

Ongoing police profiling and a series of black deaths in custody in the 1990s, demanded a change in the political landscape to empower more people from our communities to seek political leadership positions at a local and national level.

Mental health and policing

Over the past four decades, it’s become increasingly clear of the vulnerability of black peo-

ple suffering mental health crises’ when in contact with the state, especially in places which should be providing care, while in police custody for example.

One of the cases covered

by The Voice in recent years is the case of Mouayed Bashir who died following restraint by police in Wales.

Mouayed had been suffering a mental health crisis. His family had called 999 requesting an ambulance. Police, however,

turned up at the family home and restrained him, which according to his family, this exacerbating an existing leg wound,

The vulnerability of black people with mental health crises is clear and he later died. The campaign for justice continues.

In 1986, we covered the tragic case of Michael Martin who died while supposedly in care at Broadmoor, when he should have received care in an ordinary hospital.

It is also notable that several deaths in custody involved black men who were suffering a mental health crisis, such as Sean Rigg, Roger Sylvester and Mikey Powell.

We are all too familiar with allegations of racism and brutal treatment that black people experience at the hands of a

system which places less value on black lives. Campaigning to ensure fair treatment for our communities, especially the most vulnerable is sadly as vital today as it was in the 1980s.

Don’t Procrastinate, Legislate!

This was the message in this headline from the early 1990s — and it remains just as relevant in 2022. The drive for bet-

ter black representation in positions of power is central to the fight for race equality as is the need to advocate for a serious race quality agenda.

What was true then is true now. We need constitutional reform and legislation to protect our communities against the rising tide of racism, but that means not falling into the trap of apathy and engaging with the political process as best we can, however flawed it might be.

Lord Herman Ouseley is quoted in this piece from 1994 as lobbying MPs to curb the spike in racist attacks, and to this day he is recognised for his consistent and significant contributions to pushing for race equality policies in government throughout his long career in public life.

26 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Black representation

Fighting to drive black representation forward

BLAZING A TRAIL: MPs Paul Boateng, Bernie Grant, Keith Vaz and Diane Abbott (photo: PA Images)

The Voice shines a light on key figures that have had a major impact on our society.

By Richard Sudan The breakthrough

DIANE ABBOTT, Bernie Grant and Paul Boateng made history as the first black MPs to enter Parliament, while Keith Vaz became the first British Asian MP to be elected since the 1920s. All represented the Labour Party, and all came through the Labour Black Sections movement.

They blazed a trail for those that followed them. For the first time, we saw faces in Parliament that looked like us.

Their election was a truly watershed moment, and was achieved just a couple of years after riots took place in London, in Brixton and Tottenham, sparked by police brutality — one of the major issues which still plagues our communities decades on.

Today, and while there is still much progress to be made, Parliament at least looks more like modern Britain. From four black MPs in 1987, Parliament now has more than 60 MPs from black and minority backgrounds.

Lord Bill Morris

OVER THE years, The Voice has been proud to have witnessed, celebrated, and at times been a part of, some of the major breakthroughs in black representation and civic life.

There’s a long way to go until public bodies and political offices truly reflect the modern diversity of Britain in 2022, but the great strides which have been taken by those who trod them, not only broke new ground for the very first time but illuminated a path for others to follow.

Perhaps one of the most inspiring individuals in this regard has to be Bill Morris, who rose from humble beginnings in Jamaica, to become the first black leader of a trade union in Britain.

He was appointed as the General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers’ Union, having steadily rose through the ranks, holding the position from the early 1990s until 2003.

Born in Jamaica, Lord Morris was part of the early Windrush Generations, following his mother to Handsworth in the early 1950s as a child, leaving school to become a mechanic.

Working from the grassroots upwards, earning his stripes, Morris would eventually take up various key positions in numerous charitable and judiciary organisations. In addition, Lord Mor-

ris also became a non-executive director of the Bank of England, eventually entering the House of Lords in 2006, sitting as a working peer until 2020. Lord Morris’ list of achievements and the respect garnered over the years speaks for itself.

Baroness Floella Benjamin

SPEAKING OF black peers, this special edition of The Voice would be amiss without mentioning Baroness Floella Benjamin.

Part of the original Windrush pioneers, she enjoyed a long and illustrious career as an entertainer, singer and prolific writer, as well as championing various causes, very near and dear to our communities, providing a voice for the voiceless.

Baroness Benjamin had an ethos and work ethic instilled in her from a young age which continued throughout her life, initially rising to prominence in the late 1970s as a children’s TV presenter with the BBC, while winning numerous awards including BAFTAs. She was duly awarded an OBE in 2001 in acknowledgment for her services to entertainment in 2001. During this time, Lady Benjamin also held the prestigious position of Chairman of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

Lady Benjamin’s book (one of more than 20!), Coming to England, was adapted into a successful television programme, which was so impactful it won a Royal Television Society award in 2004. The story recounts her experiences of mov-

ing to Britain from the Caribbean, while the tale itself still resonates with school children to this day. Baroness Benjamin also became a Governor for Dulwich College, and was awarded a special lifetime achievement award from BAFTA. In the 2010 Honours List, Baroness Benjamin deservedly took her seat in the House of Lords as a Liberal Democrat Life Peer, joining the handful of other black politicians to occupy the important space offering her much-needed expertise as important legislation is debated and finalised.

Lord Herman Ouseley

HERMAN OUSELEY became a crossbench peer in 2001, but his impact as one of the most influential black politicians began decades before that and has continued ever since.

Lord Ouseley made a huge impact in leading efforts to stamp out racism from football in the ‘Kick it Out’ campaign.

Lord Ouseley’s commitment in helping the sport he loves so much stemmed from his own experiences of racism on the terraces as a small boy, which in turn were part of his wider understanding of racism and hostility experienced by so many of the Windrush Generations when first moving to Britain.

Lord Ouseley arrived in the UK from Guyana with his family aged 11, and following his education worked in local government as a young man. He eventually oversaw vital work in local councils in London, leading the fight and championing race equality in housing and schooling.

His consistent work in pushing for race equality saw Lord Ouseley appointed as the Chief Executive for the Commission for Racial Equality, serving in the role from the early 1990s up until 2000.

Lord Ouseley was knighted for his services in local government in 1997, and personifies black excellence, with his contributions to public life acknowledged and celebrated by countless people not just in Britain but around the world.

The drive for black faces in high places

IN 1996, a small group of committed political activists recognised the black deficit in politics, and realised the potential of awakening the sleeping giant of the black vote which had the power to shape British politics, particularly in parliamentary elections in marginal seats .

Simon Woolley (inset), Rita Patel, Lee Jasper, Ashok Viswanathan, Derek Hinds, Audrey Adams and Dave Weaver formed Operation Black Vote in 1996, changing the face of British politics forever.

Through shadowing and mentoring schemes, and by working across party lines, OBV gave new generations of future black leaders the confidence and access to become magistrates, councillors and MPs. In recognition of the impact made by OBV, in 2019 director Mr Woolley became a member of the House of Lords and in 2021 became the principal of Homerton College, at Cambridge University, the first black man to do so.

AUGUST 2022 THE VOICE | 27

Business and Enterprise

BACKING BLACK BUSINESS

We look back over 40 years of championing enterprise and empowerment. By Vic Motune

V

OICE FOUNDER Val McCalla is often hailed for the legacy he left in creating a newspaper that campaigned for the black community on issues such as policing, education and mental health.

But McCalla was also a cheerleader for black entrepreneurs, a publisher who highlighted the need for more wealth generation in the black community and support for black businesses.

Through the pages of The Voice, he gave readers a window into the world of an emerging generation of black business owners and other professionals.

Its coverage gave those who aspired to join them a chance to see that success as a black entrepreneur was possible.

Following the 1981 Brixton riots, the Scarman Inquiry sought to understand the causes of the violence. This effort included addressing some of the complex economic factors behind the uprisings. In its submission to Lord Scarman’s Inquiry, the Commission for Racial Equality said it was crucial to give more support to the development of the black business sector in deprived areas. It saw this as crucial in increasing job opportunities for black residents, many of whom had suffered disproportionately during the recession in the early 1980s.

It was a demand that The Voice championed. The emergence of black entrepreneurs in the 1980s was also enabled by measures put in place by then-prime minister Margaret Thatcher, who saw enterprise as the driving force behind economic growth and wanted to create an entrepreneurial culture in the UK. However, for black entrepreneurs, participat-

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THE VOICE PROMOTES BLACK BUSINESSES We launch the UK Black Business Guide as part of our campaign to promote entrepreneurs

F

OR OVER 35 years The Voice has served the black community.

This remit has led us to launch a special black business guide to mark this year’s Black History Month.

Black-owned businesses are becoming an increasingly important part of the UK economy.

More than 11,000 black entrepreneurs have launched businesses with the help of the government-backed Start Up loans since 2012.

And there are thousands more that are self-financing or have been assisted by family and friends.

It has always been impor-

tant to support black business owners.

They create thousands of jobs, generate wealth in our communities and leave a legacy for the next generation.

Calls for Mary Seacole to feature on new £50 note

LABOUR MP Wes Streeting has called for Mary Seacole to become the first black person to feature on a bank note.

The call follows news that the Bank of England will be rolling out a new £50 note in plastic material polymer.

It requested nominations from the public for the characters who will appear on the new note, which its set to be released after the £20 note in 2020.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Streeting said: "Mary Seacole’s achievements are too often overlooked in history and yet what she did for soldiers in the Crimean War was an act of great heroism which led to her being voted the greatest black Briton.”

WEALTH But sadly many in our community either do not know about their excellent products and services or do not give them the support they deserve.

Black businesses cannot succeed without our support.

And we hope that this guide will inspire you, our readers, to support them.

See more on page 2

INSPIRATION: Nurse Mary Seacole

SUPPORT: The Voice urges readers to back entrepreneurs

Continued on page 2

ing in that culture proved challenging. The unwillingness of banks to lend, and their lack of confidence in black business owners, meant it was difficult for these entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.

However, they were undeterred by these obstacles. The 1980s saw the growth of black business fairs aimed at sharing knowledge and resources among black business owners to help overcome challenges.

Among the most influential of these events was the Caribbean Business Focus 86, hailed at the time as the biggest black business fair that had been held in Britain. In a report about the event in its December 21, 1985 edition, The Voice quoted Sammy Jay Holder, chair of the UK Caribbean Chamber of Commerce which was organising the event. He said: “We want to highlight to the nation that black businesses are a serious and important part of the nation’s structure.”

SIGNPOST

The 1980s also saw the emergence of black business development associations. The Voice’s coverage helped them to signpost potential entrepreneurs to important sources of information.

In its October 5 1985 edition, The Voice profiled one of the earliest of these organisations.

Under the headline ‘Black Business Boom’ the newspaper profiled the work of the Black Business Development Agency in Fulham, launched in 1983.

The organisation had a successful track record in helping unemployed young people between the ages of 16 and 24 start their own businesses.

Speaking to The Voice about

VISION: The Voice has highlighted the need to support black businesses and encourage financial ambition (photo: Getty Images) AUGUST 2020 • ISSUE NO. 1909

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Estimated amount black-owned businesses contribute to the UK economy

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LACK ENTREPRENEURS could be responsible for contributing an estimated £4 billion to the UK economy according to The Voice’s analysis of figures from the Federation of Small Businesses. African Caribbean

business owners create innovative products and services plus thousands of new jobs.

It’s estimated that 95 per cent of us spend our money outside of our community.

This must change.

Supporting black businesses generates wealth that will strengthen our community, empower our young people and finance projects that challenge racial inequality.

See inside for full story

how the organisation was created, spokesperson Seneca Joseph said: “The community felt that the facilities were not adequate to assist black people in business so we lobbied the council until they gave us the funding we needed. So far we’ve been doing quite well and now we want to expand.”

By the 2010s, black owned businesses had become a major force in the UK economy. ‘£4 billion’ was the eye-catching headline splashed on the front page of The Voice August 2020 edition. The headline referred to a Voice analysis of figures from the Federation of Small Businesses about the amount black-owned businesses contribute to the UK economy.

The noughties and 2010s also saw business based reality TV shows such The Apprentice and Dragons Den make household names out of entrepreneurs such as Tim Campbell, Bianca Miller and Levi Roots, one of Dragons Den’s biggest success stories. After securing £50,000 to manufacture his Reggae

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Reggae sauce, the product is now stocked in all major UK supermarkets making Roots a multi-millionaire.

Following his success in the Den, Roots featured on the front of The Voice’s August 4 2008 edition.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Voice, he said: “I come from Brixton ghetto, and it shows that it doesn’t matter where you are from – you can raise above your circumstances and become successful once you have guidance, which I always got from my mother dearest.”

In the 2010s, The Voice took a lead role in reporting on the rebirth of economic protest as a way of achieving racial equality. ‘Black Wealth Matters’ was the headline on the front page of the July 28, 2016 edition after a wave protest against the police shootings of unarmed black men in the US. As well as highlighting how African-Americans were supporting black-owned banks and businesses, the newspaper reported on similar UK initiatives. Among them was a campaign by the Birmingham Black Pound Society, which was trying to encourage people here to support black-owned businesses.

While there are a number of black-owned banks in the US, there were none in the UK during the time of these protest.

That changed in October 2020, following the historic announcement that JN Bank had become the first 100 per cent Caribbean-owned retail bank in

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the UK. The news was splashed on the front page of the November 2020 edition under the headline ‘New Digital UK Bank Launched’. The exclusive frontpage story told readers that the bank, launched by the JN Group, had opened its first branch in Brixton, south London as well as launching a digital operation.

In June 2020, at the height of the Black Lives Matter protests that year, he launched Black Pound Day, encouraging people to spend with black-owned businesses and invest in communities that have been historically economically disadvantaged.

In an exclusive interview with The Voice, he explained why he launched the initiative. “When The headline on the accom- I saw these protests and how panying story inside captured the world reacted, I thought I the feelings of Voice readers don’t see any solution based and supporters of the bank. “At practical actions that come out last — we’ve finally got a bank of that. When we have control of our own in Britain,” it said. of our economic agenda we can “For far too long, black Brit- move and make decisions from ons have been poorly served by a position of power and achieve high street banks. For whatever effective outcomes.”

The black community’s desire reason, British banks have not treated their black savers and for economic empowerment was a trend that The Voice had alborrowers equitably.”

In the wake of George Floyd’s ready identified. December 2018 tragic death in May 2020, the saw the launch of the newspadebate about how black com- per’s Black Business Guide and munities build economic muscle the inaugural Voice Black Busias a way of tackling inequality ness Fair, held at Brixton Town was one that occupied the mind Hall, south London.

‘Community backs black of So Solid Crew member Swiss. businesses’ was the headline Food 4 of the December 13 2018 front thought...page news story about the event.

Explore delicious African & Caribbean HIGHER More than 1,000 people gathcuisine LEARNING ered to buy from over 60 businesses and entrepreneurs.

Week Freshers’ to UNIVERSITY FEATURE INSIDE: Your guide US Among those who hailed the PL event was Joshua King, a business coach and speaker from London. He said: “Events like The Voice Black Business Fair help consumers discover new black-owned businesses, prodCommunity flexes financial muscle to gain equality ucts and services. It’s extremely needed and about time.”

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Health

Fighting for better black health For 40 years, The Voice has been a leading campaigner on black health issues. By Sinai Fleary

T

HE HEALTH issues facing Britain’s black communities have always been of huge importance to The Voice.

From leading calls for racial equality in the health sector, to reporting on significant medical breakthroughs, The Voice has always been there, covering the health-related stories that matter to us the most.

SICKLE CELL ANAEMIA DISEASE

Sickle cell disease is particularly common in people from African and Caribbean backgrounds and for that reason, it has been a paramount subject area for the paper over the last 40 years.

In March 1984, The Voice reported that there was no policy that offered sickle cell screenings – despite the disease affecting one in 350 black babies.

The report also shared the growing concern within the community about the lack of screenings available, following the death of a two-year-old African boy, who had an undiagnosed case of the condition.

Things have slightly progressed, as now all newborn babies are offered sickle cell screening as part of the newborn blood spot screening programme, usually when they are five days old.

Medical breakthroughs relating to the disease have also rightfully made the pages of The Voice. In 1990, a revolutionary breakthrough in detecting the complex genetic blood disorder was discovered by doctors at the University College hospital in London, as reported in The Voice.

Alongside this, the paper has shared firsthand stories from those with the condition, which have helped to generate a better understanding of how debilitating the disease can be and has underlined the need for more education surrounding the complexities and seriousness of it.

In 1999, Toye Thomas, a sickle cell carrier, told The Voice when he asks for pain relief, he is “treated as a drug addict by staff”. Sadly, discriminatory attitudes towards sickle

cell patients has not gone away.

With the recent tragic cases of Richard Okorogheye and Nathan Evans Smith, The Voice has kept sickle cell high on the news agenda to ensure those with the disease are treated as a top priority by medical staff and police.

Due to consistent coverage The Voice has given the disease over the past 40 years, there is now a heightened awareness in the black community — which will ultimately help people understand how they can support loved ones and know what signs and symptoms they should look out for.

The Voice has been dependable and trusted in informing and advocating for changes relating to how sickle cell is treated, and has worked closely with the Sickle Cell Society, which was first registered as a charity in 1979.

Now, in 2022, significant change is beginning to happen.

Last year, the NHS announced that thousands of patients across England are expected to benefit from a new life-changing treatment for sickle cell disease for the first in two decades.

DANIEL DE-GALE AND THE ACLT

Daniel De-Gale, pictured inset left, became the first black person to receive a stem cell transplant from an unrelated donor in the UK. His story captivated the black community and was widely covered in The Voice, helping to raise the profile for more black blood donors to come forward.

His parents Beverly De-Gale and Orin Lewis, used the paper to speak directly to the black community and launched a public campaign to find a bone marrow donor from within the black community to help their son.

Over the years, the couple has spoken very openly to the paper about the importance of donating blood and their leading charity – the African Caribbean Luekaemia Trust (ACLT).

At the time of the charity’s launch just 500 African Caribbean people were on Stem Cell, Blood and Organ Donor registers. But over the years, with the campaigning by Ms De-Gale

FIGHT FOR JUSTICE: A protester standing in front of a banner with a picture of Seni Lewis, who died after prolonged physical restraint by police (photo: SOPA); below right, the sister of Sean Rigg takes part in a demonstration in London (photo: Marco Secchi); below, a front page story on mental health

and Mr Lewis and media coverage, this figure has increased to over 100,000 black Asian and minority ethnic donors.

Since Daniel’s passing in 2008, The Voice has kept his memory alive by reporting on the issues surrounding the lack of black blood donors.

In a special 2018 issue, which featured both Ms De-Gale and Daniel on the cover, she told the paper about the positive long lasting impact the charity has made in the community.

Speaking to The Voice in 2018, Ms De-Gale: “We’ve saved over 100 lives through finding stem cell donors for patients in need.”

PROSTATE CANCER

Raising awareness about prostate cancer has been on the paper’s agenda for several years. In the June 2022 issue, prostate cancer survivor Errol McKellar urged black men to do a simple check which could save their lives.

He asked: “If you were driving and a warning light came on in your car, what would you do?

You would attend to it immediately, which is why I’m asking all men to take a simple PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) test to find out if the light is on.” The article emphasised the alarming figures of one in four black African and Caribbean men will be diagnosed with the disease

@thevoicenewspaper

and urged those in the at risk group to consult their GPs. It is hard-hitting healthrelated articles like these that have made previously taboo subjects now issues which can be openly spoken. The cultural shift in the black community about diseases like prostate cancer will prompt more men to go to their GPs and could ultimately save many lives.

MENTAL HEALTH

Over the past four decades, The Voice has reported on many cases where vulnerable members of the black community have been subjected to disproportionate use of restraint within mental health institutions and at police stations.

The stories of Roger Sylvester, Mikey Powell and Sean Rigg have echoed through the black community for decades, and The Voice has provided a safe space to amplify the voices of the grieving families and to demand those responsible are held accountable.

In 2004, a four-page spread on the death of mental health patient David ‘Rocky’ Bennett, who was restrained for 25 minutes by up to five staff members, was published in The Voice. Mr Bennett died at the Norvic secure psychiatric clinic in Norwich in October 1998, and an inquest ruled his death was accidental, “aggravated by

@thevoicenews

neglect”. The Voice pulled in medical experts who pointed out the dangers of people being held face down.

An independent inquiry in 2004 investigated the care Mr Bennett received leading up to his death and it was described as “institutionally racist”.

The inquiry panel made more than 20 recommendations to the government, including new rules for restraint and cultural awareness training for NHS mental health staff.

In 2010, The Voice reported on the story of 23-yearold Olaseni ‘Seni’ Lewis, who collapsed and died after he was forcibly restrained by 11 Metropolitan Police officers at Bethlem Royal Hospital in Beckenham on August 31, 2010.

In 2017, an inquest into Seni’s death found there were multiple failures at multiple levels within the hospital where

voicenews

he died. The level of force used by the police was described as “unreasonable, excessive and disproportionate, and contributed to Seni’s death”.

The Voice, along with the families of those who have died due to restraint, campaign groups and activists have called for drastic change.

Since the tragic and avoidable deaths of both Mr Bennett and Mr Lewis, the Mental Health Units (Use of Force) Act 2018 has been named after Mr Lewis. The reforms aim to ensure patients in mental health settings are better protected from inappropriate use of force.

The Voice has helped to galvanise vital community action, address inequalities, question authorities and see the introduction of legislation which will improve lives of those within the black community today and in the future.

www.voice-online.co.uk

AUGUST 2022

THE VOICE| 29

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News feature

Black presence in the North The Voice has covered stories across Britain during its 40 years of publication. By Leah Mahon

T

HE STORY of migration to Britain after the Second World War does not just involve London and Birmingham — black families also settled in the north of England, too.

The Voice newspaper, although founded in the capital, covered mostly the community of endeavours of people in the North who sought to better themselves amid a time of racism and austerity for many of the working-class.

Locals in Manchester were featured in the February 1993 issue of the newspaper with the launch of the Moss Side Youth Club that allowed children and families to come together.

COMMUNITY

Moss Side, which still has one of Manchester’s largest black populations, was home to the youth club for a number of years that allowed residents to play sports, and gave the chance for young boys and teenagers growing up in the area to have a father figure.

In February 1994, The Voice covered how Moss Side young residents were being encouraged to tackle rising unemployment at the time by taking up work with the Amani Centre. The community group also had a long history of bringing people together and providing opportunities for young people to train and support in their education.

Sheffield had similar movements taking place when the Sheffield and District African Caribbean Community Agency was set in the late 1980s to provide an array of services for the black population that set-

tled there in the 1950s, while The Voice reported on Bristol’s opening of the first black business directory in May 2000, to further elevate its population both socially and economically.

The city of Leeds, in West Yorkshire, was described as a “thriving metropolis” by the newspaper as the council attempted to recruit more African and Caribbean staff in their ranks to reflect the area’s growing diversity.

The black population in their elevation in local authorities is what led to the city honouring anti-apartheid activist, Nelson Mandela, as he remained imprisoned in South Africa on Robben Island.

The Voice reported how the gardens in Leeds City Centre were named after the pioneer in December 1984 as he stood against the brutal apartheid regime.

In 2022, the northern city took new action when a blue plaque dedicated to David Oluwale — the first black person to receive justice against British police officers for police brutality — was unveiled at Leeds Bridge in April.

NORTHERN UPROAR: Parts of Toxteth, Liverpool, went up in flames in 1981, and there was an uprising in the area as tensions over racism boiled over, inset below left (photo: Getty Images), along with many other UK cities, and The Voice was founded the following year in the wake of the unrest; below right, the Moss Side inquiry into disturbances

The story brought new attention to the often forgotten realities of racism for black people living in the North, particularly with the police.

Chapeltown in Leeds saw uprisings erupt against “sus laws”, which disproportionately targeted black people as well as poor housing and unemployment.

They followed in suit of Brixton, Moss Side and Handsworth in Birmingham who also rose up against institutional racism in 1981, but a year earlier it was St Paul’s in Bristol who also fought back against the police.

Toxteth in Liverpool, or sometimes referred to as L8, has one of the oldest and most continuous black populations, who

also saw their city go up in flames in summer of 1981.

Chantelle Lunt, an ex-police officer and founder of Merseyside Black Lives Matter, told The Voice that not much has changed in the decades on for race relations in L8 or across the North.

“I’ve read accounts years

ago from police officers who were white who were policing the area and they became quite unpopular for saying that this was racist profiling and disproportionately using low level offences; Class C drugs, cannabis possession to target an area to subject an area to profiling,” she said.

DEMOGRAPHIC

“I think there’s many things about the demographic of the area of change. So since the uprisings of the 1980s, the area has been improved by local people, but it’s a bit of a double-edged sword because those improvements have led to gentrification.

“So, now a situation where not as many black people live in that area so there’s not a black stronghold, so there’s

less of a chance of the community organising systemic oppression.”

However, Lunt says that the legacy of the L8 uprisings and race relations across the North lives on to this day and wants to see more black communities coming together just like in the eras gone by to elicit real change throughout the region.

“We had organisations set up after the uprisings… they do a lot of great work in the communities,” she said.

“But because of institutional defensiveness or the inability to apologise or take account for their actions, I don’t think the ownership should be on black communities, because we are doing everything that we need to — it’s the police that need to change their attitudes.”

32 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

ADVERTORIAL

How diversity helps to protect the UK at intelligence agency GCHQ

G

CHQ’s mission is to protect the UK and its citizens from those who wish to do us harm, including countering terrorists, hostile states and serious and organised criminal networks. They focus on communications: how to access, analyse and – occasionally – disrupt the communications of the UK’s adversaries. They help to protect the nation’s cyber security.

Colleagues across their various sites in the UK do a range of jobs to do this, including analysts, engineers, linguists and many, many more. The one shared quality they ask for in everyone is a commitment to keeping the UK safe.

Meet some of the team with African and African-Caribbean heritage Tarinda is a Tech Leadership Development Support Officer at GCHQ, which means she helps people in tech teams to develop their leadership skills and abilities. Tarinda was the driving force behind an incredibly successful Black History

Month campaign run internally last year, and has Zimbabwean and Barbadian heritage.

J e r emiah is a Senior Software T e c h L e a d , based in GCHQ’s Manchester office and works to protect armed forces overseas.

Jeremiah has been in the industry for over three decades, and wants to see more young black people being encouraged into STEM subjects. Both of Jeremiah’s parents are Jamaican.

Tarinda, Jeremiah and Jason work for GCHQ - the UK’s intelligence, security and cyber agency

Jason is a senior analyst at GCHQ. He is first generation black British of West African origin, and has worked across several operational areas including counter terrorism.

What do you enjoy about your job?

Tarinda: I like the structure and the autonomy of my role, it gives me space to innovate and time to think, so I can come up with new ideas. I also really enjoy seeing people progress, supporting them to have lightbulb moments, where they find their voice and realise they can do it. I’m always encouraging people and empow-

ering them to reach their potential – it’s important to do that.

Jeremiah: I have always seen myself as a bit of a designer, I’m quite an expressive and creative person. I like designing solutions no one else can think of, looking at different features, coming up with novel methods to overcome challenges we face.

Jason: My role in analysis is intellectually challenging, and I really enjoy that aspect of work. I am constantly thinking, trying to think of new and innovative ways to perform analysis against all of the information we have while trying to put it all into a presentable body of work.

There are a lot of benefits as well. I’ve been lucky enough to travel overseas for work and have been able to pursue postgraduate studies to enhance my ability to do my job and to educate others in the community.

What’s it like, working for GCHQ? Tarinda: It’s such a huge place, and I love that we’re encouraged to move

ADVERTORIAL

AUGUST 2022

THE VOICE| 33

“

I enjoy the technical aspects of my job at GCHQ, working on the cutting edge of technology

roles and really get to see the business. I’ve now moved from a role in commercial into a role supporting tech leadership development, which is a much more people-focussed role, where I support staff from across the business in development programmes. It suits me, because I’m a real people person.

Jeremiah: I enjoy the technical aspects of my job at GCHQ, working on the cutting edge of technology, and influencing the direction of our work to protect the country as a whole. I think it’s important to work somewhere like GCHQ as a black person, to be that role model. We need to work in places like this to show this is achievable and help heal race division across the country.

Jason: The community is filled with some of the smartest people in the UK, I find it a pleasure working with the people here. Everyone’s authentic, hardworking and strives for inclusivity and as much professional synergy across all teams.

You all participated in Black History Month activity at GCHQ last year.

What does that mean to you?

Tarinda: I have been helping in the community to organise Black History Month and other activities for a long time. But I have always been quite quiet at work. 2020 was a real turning point, with the murder of George Floyd and the movement that followed - it was an opportunity for voices to be heard, a chance to change the narrative and own that narrative. I was really pleased to find I got a lot of backing at a senior level. Last year, we collaborated across the UK intelligence community and got a lot of people involved.

Jeremiah: I have mixed feelings.

On the one hand, it is important to share and celebrate our rich cultural heritage.

But black history does make up a large part of British and world history and should be covered more extensively in these subject areas as such. There also needs to be much more visibility of high achieving black people, to reach a point where history is fully inclusive.

Jason: I see it as a celebration of black culture and contribution to British society. Also, it raises awareness of black people in general in industry, within the community, and the positive contributions of black people and allies to society.

What are you most proud of having achieved in your career?

Tarinda: Probably the Black History Month campaign in 2020. I’ve negotiated some important contracts in my career, which have been very beneficial to the team, and working in tech lead development I’ve been proud to see the progress I’ve helped support, but I think the 2020 Black History Month campaign has to be up there. Because I had to come way

out of my comfort zone and talk about something very difficult and try to shine a light on something that is important and get the conversation going and keep the conversation going and we’re starting to see that now. I have an aunt, who grew up in Zimbabwe, and when she was growing up, black people didn’t have birth certificates, they didn’t have the right to vote, they had no voice. But I’m laying the foundation for people to use their voice and encouraging others to come forward, and that’s how you get real change. I’m proud of that.

Jeremiah: I’ve been involved in a lot of influential projects – where I can say ‘my contribution has made me proud’ – like my work in avionics in industry before GCHQ. People used to recognise me as a technologist, I was a bit of a role model.

I’m also proud of some of the influence I’ve had and watching younger staff members grow.

Jason: I’m most proud of serving the nation overseas and being able to contribute individually to work that keeps the country safe and prosperous.

“

I would recommend that young black people to go into STEM

What advice would you give yourself or others thinking of a similar career?

Tarinda: Don’t be on the outside. Be on the inside. Come in, find

your voice, find your path, and make your contribution – there is real opportunity here. Change can’t happen on its own, you have to be in the conversation, you have to be here.

Jeremiah: I would recommend that young black people to go into STEM, and I’m hoping in my lifetime that I’ll see loads more black young people taking up STEM degrees. It’s paramount. As a young boy, I used to dream about this sort of stuff, and it wasn’t really a thing back then, but now, technology rules our lives, it’s really important black young people get involved in that. I’d love to play an influential role in trying to facilitate that.

Jason: Work hard, be brave, be authentic, always be a team player and don’t forget to smile.

The importance of diversity Diversity is mission critical at GCHQ. They understand that they are stronger when the organisation is more representative and inclusive of the communities they serve. It leads to better decision making and delivery. And makes for a richer and more rewarding work environment that allows everyone to contribute their best. It’s not just the fair and right thing to do, being more diverse and inclusive makes GCHQ a more effective organisation.

GCHQ is actively taking steps to engage with groups that are underrepresented in its workforce. .

■ Find out more: www.gchq.gov.uk

34 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Midlands

by Veron Graham

MARKING 40 YEARS AS THE VOICE OF ENGLAND’S SECOND CITY

Coverage of the Midlands dates back to The Voice’s earliest days – the region has always proved a hotbed of innovation and creativity

D

ESPITE BEING founded in London, The Voice’s coverage of Birmingham and the wider Midlands area stretches back to its earliest days.

With offices during the 1980s and 1990s on Soho Road, Handsworth, and Bristol Road, Edgbaston, its printed and later online coverage of key events and regional newsmakers reflected its ambition to be a national black publication.

Given our origins as a campaigning newspaper, it’s no surprise that pride of place on our pages was given to education and academic success.

In our early years, one would be hard pressed to find a better exponent of those than Elaine Foster (now Foster-Allen).

Long before she held prestigious roles including Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education in Jamaica, she was making history in the Second City: becoming Birmingham’s first female deputy head at Handsworth Wood Boys’

School (where she taught this reporter GCSE English). She also landed the top job at its sister school, Handsworth Wood Girls’ School, becoming the city’s first black female head, and its youngest, at just 37.

Shortly before returning to her Jamaican homeland, in February 1994, she again made our pages for “dramatically boosting the performance of the girls who attend her school”, according to the findings of Ofsted inspectors.

In raising the numbers of pupils who gained five GCSEs or more to 22 per cent, surpassing the previous year’s log of 13 per cent, Foster told us: “I was not surprised at the findings. If you have done the sort of things we have such as monitoring classroom practices, teaching, learning and so on, then anything in the report should not come as a surprise.”

She did admit to being “intrigued by the inspectors’ description of her as an ‘inspirational head,’ and commented: “You don’t become an inspiring head overnight. It comes from very hard work and a vision of what education means within inner city schools.

“You have got to be very creative if you’re trying to help young people imagine a future which is better than the one they have got now.”

Politics in the Midlands has also loomed large in our coverage: in May 1988, we reported on a planned public debate on ‘black sections’ at the former Trade Union Centre in Birmingham, a move to ensure the Neil Kinnock-led Labour

Party better represented black communities.

The quest followed on the heels of Paul Boateng, Keith

Vaz, Diane Abbott and Bernie Grant’s being elected as Britain’s first non-white MPs in the 1987 general election.

Event organiser Steve Jomoa told us: “The struggles of black youth against unemployment, racism and police oppression are some of the key issues in Britain today. The most important goal is to fight for a fair slice of the economic, political and social cake.”

The Voice was on the ground in Wolverhampton as local tensions began to rise following plans by an unnamed person to honour the Black Country city’s controversial late MP Enoch Powell with a blue plaque — a furore which hit our front page on February 22 2018.

Powell was infamously booted out of the Conservative Party for his racially divisive 1968 ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech. Nearly 50 years later, we met up with

MP Eleanor Smith, who then held the Wolverhampton South West seat that Powell occupied between 1950-1974.

In another irony, the interview took place in the venue where Powell likely wrote that speech.

She told us: “A blue plaque celebrates leaving a legacy of achievement. Powell was an MP, but what legacy did he leave? It was that speech and giving him a plaque would endorse what he stood for — division and intense dislike for minority communities.

“We have moved on. I am seated in what is now called the Heritage Centre, which for a long time was a white-only institution. We have an African Caribbean MP in the seat Powell used to hold. We don’t need to look back to him or what he stood for.”

We regularly chronicled the dovetailing of regional politics and the Christian church, including the accomplishments of political pioneers with church

links: Birmingham Lord Mayors Sybil Spence (1996-97) and Councillor Yvonne Mosquito (2018-2019) and the Second City’s first black MP Paulette Hamilton.

In December 2005, we jour-

The festival proves the point that there’s life north of Watford neyed up to Bishopthorpe Palace, North Yorkshire, to join a panel of international media to speak with former Bishop of Birmingham Dr John Sentamu in his new role as Archbishop of York, junior only to his Canterbury-based counterpart in the Anglican church.

He told us: “Britain has the BSE disease — blame someone

else. Some desire to clamour for human rights but at their core they are about caring for others. The Church needs to play a major part but not excuse the state from playing theirs.”

The Voice has documented the ongoing battle for civil rights and equality, keeping a close eye on police/community relations, often bringing us into close proximity with the likes of Midlands stalwarts such as Bini Brown and Maxie Hayles MBE, but also a newer generation of campaigners including Nottingham’s Reverend Clive Foster and Rev Dr Desmond Jaddoo — advocating for those caught up in the Windrush scandal.

Also, Dr Derrick Campbell, initially as chief executive of Race Equality Sandwell, latterly a regional director for the Independent Office for Police Conduct, ruling over some of the region’s most controversial cases.

Six years later, Dr Camp-

AUGUST 2022 THE VOICE |

35

Midlands

Main, former Bishop of Birmingham John Sentamu. Clockwise from above left, Birmingham Erdington MP Paulette Hamilton, centre, talks to Labour leader Keir Starmer; human rights activist Maxie Hayles; Derrick Campbell ruled on some of the region’s most controversial cases; Eleanor Smith, former Labour MP for Wolverhampton South West; Councillor Yvonne Mosquito, former Lord Mayor of Birmingham

bell — alongside Cllr Yvonne Mosquito (who had been the county’s Deputy Police & Crime Commissioner) and then-Cllr Paulette Hamilton — featured in a double page spread that explored police-community relations through the deaths of Kingsley Burrell, Darren Cumberbatch and Shane Bryant, also the near fatal shooting of Sharif Cousins — all reportedly caused by officers on duty.

By virtue of its size, and high proportion of black African and Caribbean people, Birmingham has a proud history of developing its own must-attend arts/entertainment events and venues.

Our pages captured this mood way back in July 1985 in reporting on Magnet Connections, “a black arts and cultural festival using black talent from all over the country … to prove the point that … there’s life north of Watford.”

By the 1990s, more fully established entertainment venues

like The Cave and its successor The Drum — based in the Newtown/ Aston border of the Second City — featured regularly across our pages alongside comments from the likes of Bob Rhandamie.

Then an arts consultant with Birmingham City Council, Rhandamie went on to pioneer a host of community arts projects that fuelled the local entertainment scene.

The Drum became a fixture as much in the local entertainment scene for close to two decades, as it had on our pages, as a haven for music, dance, theatre, comedy and community meetings, until its widely lamented demise in 2016.

The Voice was there again when it was re-born under new leadership in 2019 as the Legacy Centre of Excellence, adorning a front page in August 2019 and our website.

The return of the centre, offering an expanded range of services than its predecessor The Drum, was regarded not just as a renaissance, but an inspirational one, taking place in area that had been dogged with challenges, from social deprivation to strained community-police relations, as mentioned above.

When speaking to The Voice at the time, the leader of the consortium behind the centre, Keith ‘Cipher’ Shayaam-Smith, formerly rap artist Cipher Jew-

els who had performed at The Drum, seemed to capture the local mood: “Since I was a young boy, I’ve seen the black community lose so many buildings — nurseries, schools, offices. We need to hang on to them and stimulate economic development. We are bringing the centre back to the community.”

The Birmingham Carnival was another opportunity for the Second City to show off its entertainment chops.

Often billed as the Midlands’ answer to London’s Notting Hill Carnival, ever since it premiered as an annual event in Handsworth Park in 1984, it was another element of Midlands life and work that featured The Voice.

Back in September 1994, long-serving contributor Mike Best outlined not only the “treats in store” at the upcoming carnival but also “new attempts to attract money and sponsorship to Britain’s second largest open-air festival”.

With hindsight, Best’s double-page article seemed to acknowledge the crosswinds the event was heading toward: 1994 saw the last carnival to take place for five years.

It re-emerged in a nearby but culturally different setting of Perry Park, in 1999, in an event which complete with fairground rides and candy-

DIVISIVE: Enoch Powell

floss, seemed to have lost its roots. Local resident Mark Gentles was at the 1999 event and spoke to The Voice’s sister paper, The Journal at the time.

He said recently: “Even at the time, it just felt like the powers that be were trying to wrest the carnival away from us.

“It being at Perry Park and feeling like something from Blackpool Pleasure Beach felt like the first rock of a landslide — and that’s what it seemed to be.”

The carnival has yet to return in its original guise as an annual, black-led event in Handsworth Park with an unmistakeably strong Caribbean influence.

With pages dedicated to covering the Midlands (as well as the North) in our monthly publication, supported by additional content and comment online, no-one could legitimately claim The Voice to be London-centric now or at any point in its 40-year existence.

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36 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW S

Since early 2020 the world has been living in the shadow of COVID-19. Thankfully, as millions of people across the UK have taken up the offer of COVID-19 vaccinations, there has been a significant reduction in both the number of people needing hospital treatment for COVID-19, as well as fewer people dying from the disease and its complications.

Recovering from COVID

Most people who get COVID-19 thankfully begin to start feeling better quickly and make a full recovery within 12 weeks. However, it is estimated there are around 1.2 million people in England who are experiencing ongoing symptoms lasting over 12 weeks, with around 336,000 saying it has a significant impact on their daily life.

Dr Sarah Ann Filson Dr Sarah Ann Filson is an Infectious Diseases and Microbiology doctor who is currently based at the Royal Free Hospital, in London and has recently completed a Master of Public Health degree at Harvard T. H. Chan School on Public Health. She has given a lot of her free time to talk to people about COVID, vaccinations and long COVID. “If you get COVID, you can get advice on how to look after yourself and when to get medical help on nhs.uk,” she says. “Most people will get better and make a full recovery in a

few weeks, so try and get as much rest as you need and to eat healthy foods.”

Long COVID is also known as post-COVID syndrome

People who have it might experience all or some of the following symptoms for four weeks or more after COVID-19: extreme tiredness or fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain or tightness, brain fog, insomnia, heart palpitations, dizziness, pins and needles, joint pain, depression, anxiety, tinnitus, earaches, -feeling sick, diarrhoea, stomach aches, loss

“I also need to remind everyone, that it’s not too late to have your COVID vaccinations” of appetite, a high temperature, cough, headaches, sore throat, changes to sense of smell or taste, rashes.

“If you, a friend or family member are worried about symptoms that continue for four weeks or more after you had COVID-19, please talk to your GP practice, or visit the Your Covid Recovery website for further advice.

“Your NHS is here to help you,” adds Dr Filson. “Long COVID can affect people of any age and background, whether or not you were hospitalised or seriously ill with COVID-19.”

Getting support

“It’s important to talk about long COVID as people might be experiencing these symptoms without knowing what’s wrong. It’s important too that we rule out other possible causes for your symptoms.”

Many of those experiencing long term symptoms will make a full recovery with support from their community healthcare or GP practice, but for those suffering from more complex and severe symptoms the NHS has set up specialist long COVID clinics across the country.

The 90 specialist clinics are part of a £224m investment that also includes 14 hubs to support children and young people.

Over 45,000 people have received a specialist assessment in a post-COVID service within the last 12 months, with thousands more follow-up appointments taking place.

The Your Covid Recovery website, which provides advice on managing symptoms has also been visited by over 10 million people.

Long COVID is a relatively new condition and this support is ensuring that NHS professionals can keep learning more about the condition and how to manage it as time goes on.

“Long COVID can affect anyone who has had COVID-19, so if you are concerned about your symptoms, please seek NHS help, we are here to listen to you and help you to feel less alone,” says Dr Filson.

“I also need to remind everyone, that it’s

not too late to have your COVID vaccinations.

This is the best way to protect yourself from the virus and reduce your risk of long COVID.”

Getting vaccinated – your best protection against long COVID

Tens of millions of people have had at least one of their recommended jabs already. Getting your vaccine is easy – it takes just a few minutes – safe and free.

Everyone aged 12 and over can get two initial doses, followed by a ‘booster’ dose. Some people who are at greater risk from the virus,

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ABOUT LONG COVID

for example because they or someone they live with have had an underlying health condition, medication or treatment that weakens their immune system, will need an extra dose too. A clinician can advise on what is needed and the best timing. And this year scientists on the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation recommended that children aged five and older can also get the vaccine as one more vaccination that helps to boost their future immunity and increase protection for them and others around them.

The NHS app records the doses you receive, and you can use it to obtain a COVID Pass which may be necessary for travel if you’re hoping to have a holiday abroad.

Whether it’s your first, second, or a booster dose, no appointment is necessary – visit www.nhs.uk to find a convenient local vaccination walk-in site or scan the QR code if you’d rather book online. If you’re still unsure about the vaccine, please ask a health professional who can answer any questions you might have.

“Finally,” adds Dr Filson, “I’m pleased to write this article to celebrate the 40th an-

Finally, adds Dr Filson, “I’m pleased to write this article to celebrate the 40th anniversary of The Voice” niversary of The Voice”. It’s so important to have an opportunity to talk to people from Black British, African and Caribbean communities about different aspects of their health.

“This is why I took the Caribbean and African Health Network pledge to talk openly to our communities about COVID-19 vaccination, and to answer all your questions to help you make the decision that is right for you.”

Long road to recovery: read Martin’s COVID-19 recovery story on our website at - www.voice-online.co.uk/section/lifestyle/health-wellbeing If you would like to talk to a health professional before talking to your GP or accessing the Your COVID recovery website or your COVID-19 vaccination, you can call the Caribbean and African Health Network COVID helpline on: 0771 002 2382.

AUGUST 2022

THE VOICE| 37

38 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Africa

Four decades of transformation Is there hope for the great continent of Africa?

T

HE AFRICAN continent has undergone significant changes over the last forty years.

In some ways, the development patterns of many countries on the continent mirror the trajectory that their Caribbean counterparts have gone through in the same period. The expansion of neoliberalism, the influence of globalisation, and the weakening of state institutions, are all factors that both regions have struggled to resist.

Africa is both rich enough and poor enough to attract foreign investment and aid.

For the last forty years, African countries have been regarded as hopeless and in need while simultaneously being areas of huge opportunity and potential.

But for whom?

der control following the intervention of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) in 1994, some Hutu extremists escaped into the Democratic Republic of Congo (then Zaire) which would set the stage for a much wider conflict in Central and Southern Africa throughout the 1990s that often referred to as Africa’s world war.

Throughout this period, there was a general argument in the West that for stability to be attained, African countries needed to democratise in order to develop.

There was very little evidence for this theory especially since the prioritisation of getting people to the ballot box in places like the DRC or Kenya failed to yield any cohesion or stability during the 1990s. It also ignored the impact that artificial colonial borders had on African politics.

The Lost Decade of the 1980s

China and the Growth of Africa in the 2000s

The 1980s were characterised by a period where the optimism of the independence period twenty years prior, had given way to the economic realities that independence was limited in most forms, and debt and dependency on former European colonial powers persisted.

The White Supremacist regime of Apartheid South Africa enjoyed the support of Ronald Reagan in the United States and Margaret Thatcher in the UK. Thomas Sankara of Burkina Faso, one of Africa’s last progressive leaders during this period, was assassinated in 1987 opening the path towards neoliberal economic reforms that dominate the country to this day.

Pressure to Democratise in the 1990s

The problems that characterised the 1980s bled into the 1990s with the collapse of the Somali government in 1991, and the assisination of president Habyarimana of Rwanda in 1994 which sparked a chain of events that led to the Rwandan genocide.

When the conflict was brought un-

By the mid-2000s, the discourse on Africa had undergone a significant shift. It was no longer seen completely as a terminally ill continent. Instead, it was being discussed as a land of opportunity and potential. This in part was influenced by the end of the conflict in the DRC, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Economic ties across the continent were developing between various countries and China that had begun to pour in a huge amount of invest-

POWERHOUSE: Nairobi’s cityscape is typical of several burgeoning Africa cities

losses and damages fund is frequently rejected, while climate reparations from industrialised countries are ignored. This is all while resources for industrial societies are still being extracted from various countries in Africa such as the DRC.

Is There Hope for Africa? ment. Since the early 2000s, China has invested over $200 billion across Africa.

African leaders for their part were happy to find a financial alternative to institutions such as the IMF or the World Bank that attached conditions on loans that often pushed free market policies on to various African societies with little regard for its effects.

Africa’s Growing Geopolitical Importance in the 2010s and 2020s:

In the last decade, the discourse of China’s presence in Africa has shifted from economic partnership to that of colonisation.

This is the narrative the West has ironically been arguing up to the pres-

FRENEMIES: Ex-Zimbabwe ruler Robert Mugabe and ex-UK PM Margaret Thatcher

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ent, as the realities of China’s growth become clear and the Asian country is not content with being merely a large market for Western goods and services.

The African continent has become a key battleground for this emerging cold war. The United States has already established, several military bases around the continent, as well as military partnerships such as the United States Africa Command (Africom) with several countries such as Djibouti, Niger and Somalia.

What is clear is that foreign powers see the value of the African continent in relation to their own economic interests. But not much has changed in recognising and respecting the full potential of its people.

With the ongoing climate crisis in which Africa is likely the most vulnerable region, not much has been done to ensure and protect the future of African people. Instead, at each United Nations Climate Change Conference, the case for a climate change

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The necessity for these measures to be taken has been demonstrated throughout the 2010s with the migrant crisis which will intensify in the coming decades. The current food crisis of 2022 has shown that despite the positive discourse on African economic development, there are fundamental structural issues that impede many countries on the continent from responding effectively to crises.

Despite having record GDP growth on average above 4%, African states have suffered from a weakening of domestic institutions through neoliberal privatisation that severely limit their ability to respond to crises and a rapidly changing world.

For any African country to have hope for the future, there must be a fundamental shift in the priorities of leaders and policymakers in how they choose to engage with foreign powers. The last forty years has unfortunately not shown this.

By Lyndon Mukasa www.voice-online.co.uk

AUGUST 2022 THE VOICE | 39

Journalism

How The Voice helped me grow as a journalist REACHING THE TOP: British writer and broadcaster Afua Hirsch has worked for the Guardian newspaper and Sky News after beginning her successful career at The Voice (photo: Getty Images)

Afua Hirsch reflects on the vital role our newspaper played in the launching of her career

T

OUCHING ON the feeling of being in an environment that enabled her to ‘celebrate being black’ and the sense of belonging, writer and broadcaster Afua Hirsch has identified Britain’s only black newspaper as a “nurturing space”.

“I was a black teenage girl, writing about black teenage girls. Before, there was a language ‘for us, by us’. The Voice was a crucial part of the media landscape in Britain that was doing just that,” Hirsch wrote.

“I went on to write about racism in football, anorexia in the black community, the exclusion of pregnant schoolgirls, and the emerging culture of British hip hop.

“Would mainstream media outlets have covered those stories at the time? If so, would they have centred on the black experience or, instead, moulded it to fit a white gaze?

UNFAIRNESS

“Would their journalistic instincts, the clear call of public interest, have extended to include not just racism, systemic unfairness, but also – and these are perhaps the early works I’m most proud of – features about cultural innovation that are simply allowed to radiate black joy?

“The reality is that I may not have got there at all were it not for my early experience of incubation at The Voice.

“There is no way to describe the confidence that comes from feeling a sense of belonging and solidarity in a place of work.”

In a recent study by Reuters Institute, responses showed that ‘improving ethnic diversity in newsrooms is highlighted as the most pressing diversity priority’.

Those interested in the outcome of that study may also glean further insight from the experiences of people like Hirsch, who have worked in a multitude of organisations experiencing the same negative

phenomena of being the only ‘black person’ over and over.

Sharing perspective on her own working life narrative once she’d left The Voice, Hirsch wrote: “When I began writing for The Voice, the number of black journalists working on national broadsheets and as TV broadcasters was negligible.

“Other than the grandees of black British media — Trevor Phillips and Moira Stuart, and the crucial work of Darcus Howe — the idea of black people reporting, investigating and presenting news and current affairs was a completely fantastical one to me.

“As is so often the case, the stories of important black journalists who had been operating throughout the 20th century — including Una Marson, Barbara Blake Hannah — were invisible and inaccessible to me.

“And yet here was a newsroom that was fully staffed, owned and executed by black professionals. From the editor to the secretary, the reporters and the photographers, it was an assembly of people who shared a sense of community, cultural heritage and discourse – an intellectual curiosity about the black experience and about how to tell those stories.

“It was only later, in newsrooms where I was the visible ‘other’ as one of few, or where there were no other black journalists, that I came to appreciate how nurturing a space that was. Older, more experienced journalists took an interest in nurturing my enthusiasm for writing and reporting.

“A positive reason for celebrating a black press – as well as all the other media outlets that speak specifically and directly to minority communities – is that it creates spaces in which we are not minorities.

“This is something I have come to value more since my time at The Voice, more than two decades ago.

“As political and media narratives have become more polarized and polarizing, my role has often been to serve as the

of Representology, the journal of media and diversity, editor K Biswas said: “It’s brilliant such stellar figures in black public

There’s no way to describe the confidence that comes from a sense of belonging token black person in a discussion or debate, in which I’m required to justify both my legitimacy as a contributor, and the idea that racism exists.”

Meanwhile, speaking to The Voice about the importance

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life are writing about their experiences for the journal. Our research is making waves, igniting important conversations about race. Issue Two features pioneering black academics writing on their work for the BBC, and

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the importance of capturing the struggles of people of colour and equal rights campaigners who blazed the trail for the rest of us.

“All contributors understand the need for a radical overhaul in media diversity in Britain”.

Representology says: “For too long the debate around media diversity has ignored the legacy of the black press in general and The Voice in particular.

This article is a brilliant start by Afua to set the record straight.

“The Voice has consistently played an invaluable role in producing both great journalism and great journalists. Afua Hirsch’s piece is an important

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contribution to making sure The Voice’s role in British media is recognised. It is hard to name a great black British journalist that has not benefited from their time at The Voice.

“The purpose of the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity is to explore the policies that increase media diversity.

Afua puts forward a convincing argument that supporting The Voice and independent black media is an effective way of doing this.”

This article was first published in Representology

www.voice-online.co.uk

40 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Muyiwa Olarewaju

Nothing But Truth and Light

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

Standing up for integrity

SPEAKING OUT: Reverend Les Isaac’s words make him a positive voice in a negative world.

Inset, Sajid Javid (photo: Getty Images)

Rev Les Isaac inspired a politician to resign from government — which shows the power of Godly words

“

S

O WHETHER you’re a politician or clergy, whatever post you hold, we are all called to serve and to serve in humility…” — Les Isaac.

These are the words of the man some consider to be the most unlikely to have any major impact on changing the person in the highest office of our land. The Reverend Les Isaac, founder of Ascension Trust, a Christian charity, is someone that I have known and had a close relationship with for over four decades.

I can tell you that Reverend Les’s words that moved former health secretary Sajid Javid’s heart to resign, are consistent with thoughts and messages I’ve heard from him over the past 40 years.

MOVED

I’m getting ahead of myself a little assuming that we all know what I’m talking about.

Here is the abridged version.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is still getting a lot of flak and still putting out the flames successfully, it would seem.

Enter Sajid Javid, who resigns from the cabinet saying that the sermon delivered at a parliamentary breakfast which was sponsored by Premier

Christian Media, with other MPs including the Prime Minister himself present, moved him so much that he had to leave immediately to draft his resignation letter to Boris Johnson. Not long after, many others followed — a record number of ministers from the government resigned.

The law of singularity teaches that only one move produces substantial results, and we can safely say that one message from the founder of street pastors has changed our country forever.

In a conversation with Reverend Les, the first interview that he would grant after the resignations, I asked him whether it was his intention to make the Prime Minister resign. He responded by saying it wasn’t even a thought on his mind. The only thing he was concerned with was to share the truth he believed with everyone in that room, politicians,

business leaders and others. He wanted them to know we must be men and women of integrity leading from the front — not being perfect, but being honest in everything we do.

Reverend Les is not the first preacher to be within earshot of our leaders in these crucial months that we have gone through. Why has his words caused this political avalanche? Why was it that months back Dawn Butler MP raised a red flag directly about the Prime Minister, and that got her banned from the Houses of Parliament?

I can’t really say that I know, but one thing it makes clear is whether we are in high office, organising in the local community, Governor in the local school or passenger on a bus, we must not be silent, we must speak up for what we believe.

The popular saying goes

“stand for nothing, fall for anything”. One man standing for simple yet powerful things like integrity and selfless leadership caused an avalanche of change, impact of which we will feel for decades yet to come.

It’s interesting to watch the race for a new leader of the UK Conservative Party and

that we all have to speak in to the issues raised. One candidate spoke of growing up in a different country and coming here to a country where politicians aren’t self-serving and aren’t using their office for personal gain.

Well, isn’t that exactly what got us here in the UK? That

One man standing for simple yet powerful things can cause an avalanche of change the story it tells. Many have celebrated the diversity in the line-up, but some have raised concerns as to what some candidates have to say.

I would encourage all of us to pay careful attention to what candidates are saying and take the opportunity

our Prime Minister and others around him were self-serving, doing things they told us not to do. So it’s not just in other countries, it’s right here on our doorsteps.

For this reason, we must not be silent, whether on your social media feed or in the PTA

meeting, speak up, speak out!

Register the values that matter to us as a community and as a family.

Values of honesty, treating fellow humans with compassion, integrity, perseverance, determination, great leadership and courage, teamwork and collaboration, responsibility and commitment, optimism, hope, compassion and love, passion and pride in our culture — these are all things we should speak up for in every conversation where it’s relevant.

There is a songwriter call Phil Thompson and the lyrics of his huge hit My Worship come to mind at this point — it says “I will not be silent”.

So thank you to the Reverend Les Isaac for speaking up and being a positive voice in a negative world. Now it’s our turn to let out words speak what our hearts believe.

Muyiwa Olarewaju OBE is Station Director at Premier Gospel Radio, a TV & Radio Broadcaster, and Principal of gospel group Muyiwa & Riversongz

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@thevoicenews

voicenews

www.voice-online.co.uk

CARNIVAL IS BACK ON THE ROAD!

19-page special on the return of the Notting Hill Carnival

42 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Carnival Special

Let’s embrace the moment

Carnival chief Matthew Phillip is confident the return of the event will be worth the wait. By Joel Campbell

M

ATTHEW PHILLIP is proud of the work accomplished during the difficult time of the past two years which saw Carnival venture into new territory online.

But, like most, he can’t wait to get back outside on the road.

Phillip, the CEO of Notting Hill Carnival Ltd, lauded the team that helped pull together the online event which, although a million miles away from being anything like a true authentic Carnival, still kept the spirit alive.

“Given the circumstances, I think what we did in 2020 speaks for itself,” Phillip said.

“I personally think it was among the best alternative things that were done during the pandemic. We were really determined to showcase Carnival to the highest quality. I believe we achieved that with Access All Areas in 2020.

“It’s unprecedented the amount of new content that we filmed and recorded. We took the opportunity to showcase and highlight pioneers. We also involved sound systems and designers.

PROUD

“Year in, year out, people come to Carnival and they go to sound systems and enjoy the costumes, but they don’t know who is behind it. It’s a huge community machine that put on Carnival year in and year out, often unrecognised.

“We feel very proud of what we did in 2020 and the way that we were able to showcase Carnival.

“It wasn’t a usual Carnival because you can’t have Carnival unless it’s on the streets. It’s too important to have just not done anything.”

Having played our part in supporting the delivery of the online Carnival, Phillip reserved special praise for The Voice as we experience our 40th anniversary.

He enthused: “The Voice has got to be the biggest champion of Carnival over the years, for many years.

“It was one of a few voices from a media perspective.

We’re really grateful that some

“The Voice has got to be the biggest champion of Carnival over the years, for many years” other media and newspapers have started to follow the blueprint The Voice did.

“The way Carnival has been portrayed by some areas of the media was definitely not justified. The Voice, and a few others but not many compared to the amount of outlets that are out there, has been helping Carnival discuss and champion the positive impacts it has on communities and individuals, and what it’s done for British culture, whether that’s food, art, fashion; it’s all intertwined.”

He added: “We’ll always have time for The Voice. We recently had a significant visitor at The Tabernacle, and it was a pleasure to introduce The Voice’s director to them.

“When we get opportunities, we like to talk about people that have supported this event because we’re not doing it for money, there’s no financial gain in it for us as an organisation, so when we get supporters, we have to champion them because in the early days there wasn’t that support.”

The significant visitor Phil-

ROYAL SEAL OF APPROVAL: Prince Charles has a try on a steel drum at The Tabernacle on July 13 to promote the Notting Hill Carnival’s return, with Carnival chief executive Matthew Phillip, right, looking on; below, Charles admires some of the costumes lip was referring to was Prince Charles, who visited The Tabernacle with Camilla on July 13 this year, with Charles having declared his support for Carnival and the importance of its existence in 1977.

On the subject of support, Phillip says official authorities have stuck to their word where the issue of ensuring Carnival stays in the streets is concerned, a commitment made during the time lockdown provided to make future plans.

He explains: “The last couple of years gave us more time to

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plan. It’s almost like a wheel, Carnival is a year-round operation, “We were fortunate in 2020 when we had to make the difficult decision to not have Carnival on the streets, that all of our partners – the local authority, the GLA, the Metropolitan Police etc – all agreed to stay around the table to use the extra time to plan.

“At the time, we thought that was for 2021, but now it turns out to be a three-year gap, we’ve missed two Carnivals.

They’ve shown their commitment to help us return it to the streets. There have been a lot of doubters about that.

“People were saying that it was never going to come back, but we are back and in the flow, and that’s thanks to the Carnival community firstly and the support of our strategic partners.”

As well as being CEO, Phillip is also an integral player with Mangrove Steel Band.

Still very much an active musician, he is looking forward to one of the more traditional elements of Carnival.

The UK National Panorama steelband competition sees each band play a 10-minute

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composition from memory – no sheet music is allowed.

Panorama competitions are traditionally open-air events, and Notting Hill Carnival’s Panorama is no exception.

Spectators can watch the sun set, eat Caribbean street food and enjoy the sweet sound of pan while the steel bands get on with the serious business of impressing the judges.

He added: “We’ve been working hard.

CHAMPION

“The band has been champion since 2018 and Panorama was able to go ahead in 2021 and we won again last year, and this year we’re hoping to make it four in a row.

“The band has experienced a really good year so far. We were part of the United Kingdom Percussion Orchestra for the Jubilee and we performed as part of an event with the United Nations in New York.

“June was busy with our involvement with the Strawberries and Cream Festival and then Glasontonbury and Notting Hill Carnival Partnership. We’ve got

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some shows coming up at Holland Park and our kids are playing in front of The Tabernacle on August 13, the Children’s Steel band Festival.

“Everyone is very much looking forward to defending the title on August 27 and then the two days of carnival.”

For those coming to their first Notting Hill Carnival this year, Phillip has some advice.

“I’d advise them to download the Notting Hill Carnival app to help them navigate around.

“Wear comfortable shoes and, whatever you choose to do, the information is on the app.

“Make sure you stay hydrated and, if it’s sunny, make sure you put on a hat so you don’t get any kind of sun or heat stroke.

“Most people, when they come for the first time, are pleasantly surprised as to what Carnival is. It’s about inclusivity and, whatever your background is, it’s celebrated.

“There are deep roots to Carnival, the deepest roots to Africa and then onto the Caribbean and the symbolism of Carnival happening and bringing people together. It’s something everyone should embrace.”

www.voice-online.co.uk

AUGUST 2022

THE VOICE| 43

44 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Carnival Special

Birth of something special

Leah Mahon looks back at how the world-famous Notting Hill event got under way and what it means to so many of us

W

HAT IT meant to “play mas” was born years ago in the islands across the Caribbean before finding a familiar home on the grey streets of Notting Hill.

The movement of masquerade was already beginning to emerge in parts of the Caribbean when pre-Lenten Mardi Gras masquerade balls were held by French slave owners, but enslaved Africans were still prohibited from taking part.

Instead, they adopted their own festivities that mimicked the grandeur of these balls and their slave owners in songs and masquerade, while also using elements of their African heritage.

In 1834, the Caribbean was emancipated from slavery and later found independence from the British Empire in the years to follow, but the dances and songs

PIONEER: Trinidad-born journalist and activist Claudia Jones at the offices of The West Indian Gazette in Brixton, 1962.

Below, racist graffiti in Notting Hill (photos: Getty Images)

that mocked their former capturers still stayed with them.

Often adorned in thematic dress and masks, reminiscent of the masquerade balls of the 14th and 15th centuries, free black people took their art of “playing mas” to the streets through vibrant parades across the Caribbean.

However, it was the twin island of Trinidad and Tobago that is most noted as the birthplace of these cultural gatherings and what would become known to many as Carnival.

From the Caribbean to Britain

Amid post-war Britain, as labour shortages ran rife, there was a mass migration of people from the Caribbean throughout the country between 1948 and 1970.

Those that made the long voy-

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN: The first indoor festival in London in 1959 (photo: Getty Images)

age to start a new life on English shores would become known as the Windrush Generation, and what came with it was the slow blossoming of Caribbean communities throughout London’s Notting Hill and corners of Brixton.

As people from the islands made a new home, they were met with vitriol over what it meant to be black in 1950s Britain. The white working-class communities that many Caribbean people settled among pushed back against the influx of black migrants to the “mother country.”

Soon, attacks on black communities ensued, where the messages to “Keep Britain

White” and “No Blacks, No Irish, No Dogs” were frequent reminders to many.

As racial tensions spiked, Claudia Jones – a prominent activist that spearheaded the start of the West Indian Gazette newspaper – decided to bring the vibrancy of Carnival from her home island of Trinidad to St Pancras Hall in London.

The year 1959 welcomed the first indoor festival, a place where people of Caribbean descent could celebrate and revel in the culture they brought to Britain.

In the years that followed after Jones’ death in 1964, other members of the community led the way to continue to make a

home for black people and took the festivities outdoors, just like on the streets of the Caribbean before seeing it become a parade that would take to the grey streets of London as Carnival.

Amid the sharp echoes of rows of steel pans, there were

sounds of calypso folklore and the boom of reggae, which is where Notting Hill Carnival was born.

The 70s saw a new era of people now gathering in the streets and neighbourhoods that Caribbean people first called home.

Embracing the joy of Caribbean culture RASHID ROSE, a political commentator on Africa and the Caribbean, celebrates the impact Carnival has made, and how it is now a major cultural event in the UK.

“

CARNIVAL became everexpansive, a celebration of blackness, of the Caribbean and the story of our ancestors masked in a bloody past who fought against subjugation.

Its very beginnings and the added presence on British streets was what inspired Val McCalla, a Jamaican-born entrepreneur, to found what

droves of black Britain know and remember fondly as The Voice. By its inception in 1982, he witnessed a desperate need for their stories, beginning life on new shores to be heard, that often went untold or skewed through the white narrative.

At the time, the gathering of Carnival was quickly painted as the catalyst for crime and the need for an increased police presence as white communities also began to settle in what were once predominantly black neighbourhoods. But Carnival has

remained forever present as a significant cultural event that has embedded itself not just in black Britain’s calendar, but as part of one of the UK’s most celebrated gatherings across the summer.

It’s been more than 100 years since enslaved Africans danced together and made songs on the plantation fields they were once forced to work upon. What started as satire and a sense of freedom from the people that profited off their labour and existence, has carried its legacy from then to create something that

@thevoicenewspaper

tells the story of Caribbean people and the diaspora that called Britain home.

Notting Hill Carnival today exists as a fusion of Brazilian samba, too, soca sounds and street vendors.

Still, thousands of people make the journey every summer to embrace the joy of Caribbean culture.

Today, to “play mas” is intertwined with a struggle in times gone by, but it also carries with it the liberation of a people who were determined to paint the streets of Notting Hill.

”

@thevoicenews

VIBRANT: Notting Hill’s colourful streets bring joy to many

voicenews

www.voice-online.co.uk

AUGUST 2022

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THE VOICE| 45

46 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Carnival Special

We’re still on the Rampage!

Original co-founder DJ Mike Anthony looks back at the popular sound system’s very first carnival. By Joel Campbell

T

HE VOICE, funnily enough, has been the entire journey of Rampage. If I think about it, you’ve been there from day one from our very first creation.

I started Rampage as far back as 1991. Just two guys, Ritchie and myself, and we were doing house parties back then, and then the house parties got a little bit too overcrowded.

So we moved into the club world and, for those who are old enough to remember, Soul II Soul used to be at The Fridge and they have their big logo on the door.

I used to drive past every day, saying ‘I wish I could have my logo’.

I’d never seen a deejay or a club actually put their logo on the door.

We actually took over from Soul II Soul at The Fridge in Brixton, which is now The Electric.

FAMOUS

From then, we moved in towards the West End and we started to do shows. We started to bring over other acts back then.

We did acts like Naughty by Nature. We had SWV, we were there with Teddy Riley and Guy and other famous people who were big at the time in the early Nineties.

Then around ‘93 ‘94, we made the move towards Carnival because for those who are deejays, you always want to push the boundaries a little bit further.

I used to go to Carnival all the time, and I felt that would be a real good platform for us. Clubs I knew we could do with our eyes closed. But I wanted to head towards the Carnival and be on the street with at least a thousand people.

Why not?

If you think about it back then, how many black people had nightclubs? How many black people had a record label? So, on a music level, this was very forward facing to me.

Thousands of people, you are the centre of attention, they’re dancing,

“I felt Carnival would prove to be a real good platform for us” it’s black music, urban music. If they were to call it urban music, I would still call it black music.

That was for me where I wanted to be, because it was something I could relate to, I could go there, I could see the food, I understood the culture. It was in a sense my peers around me raving, partying with freedom, and I’m like, ‘I’m sold on this. This is me’.

I always wanted to go to Carnival and we would always be kind of blocked because the number of sound systems were at the limit. So, we couldn’t get in.

I remember one day, I’d come home from deejaying, done a gig on a Saturday night. I got home, lied down, it was 10am.

I got up later to my windows vibrating.

I actually live in west London and I’m like, ‘Wait a minute, there’s no sound system on this road. There’s never been a sound system on the street’.

I go downstairs and it’s Jazzy, Jazzy B, there on my street.

Bass speakers pumping. I’m like, wow. The following year they weren’t there. So, it wasn’t a successful Carnival for them.

LIVING FOR THE MOMENT: Dancing at the Rampage sound system at Notting Hill Carnival in 2019 (photo: Getty Images) I went down to Carnival and said: ‘Listen, I want Rampage to play there.’ They were like, ‘Oh yeah, we’ve heard of you, but there’s no place to put you’. I said I know a place.

There’s a road where we can go. But you need power, they said. There’s a power point, we said. Okay, they said, we need to

do a recce. We need to go down there and have a look at the area. If you can supply power, we’re going to give you this road.

So, that was Rampage being born into Carnival. You can imagine how it went.

I’m like, if we get a thousand people on the street, it will look amazing. And that first year, I

mean, there was archive footage on the BBC, and we went big. We could either go hard or go home.

We had a system called Blue Box because most of the sound systems at Carnival have their own speakers.

We never had our own speakers. We always used to rent speakers. So, we hired Blue Box,

KEEPING GOOD COMPANY: Mike Anthony, left, with rapper Kano; above, the Rampage crew in action on the ‘Red Tower’

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@thevoicenews

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the big heavyweight techno bass things, and we put them on the street and 5,000 to 6,000 people turned up. That for me was one of my favourites, because it was our first. Not much surprises me, but that surprised me. That will always be a part of my heart right there.

We move on a year now and we’ve got the hang of it. And this time, I said, let’s build some scaffolding towers. Still face the same way but we need to be higher up. So we built a scaffolding tower – much higher, much, much higher. And I remember one of the members of Rampage was like ‘listen, I’ve got my cousin who’s a MC’. I said Is he good?

The response was ‘yeah, he’s amazing. He’s doing a little stuff on pirate radio’.

This is really important for me to say, but he comes to the stage and he blows the street apart.

Absolutely blows the street apart.

MC Skibadee, rest in peace, my brother. It was just incredible.

Listen to the full interview on our website now

www.voice-online.co.uk

THE VOICE| 47

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48 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Carnival Special

Notting Hill or Trinidad, it’s all so special

CARNIVAL CHAMPION: Allyson Williams MBE grew up being a part of the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival and has been able to use her childhood experiences in her role as a Notting Hill Carnival board member

Allyson Williams has been lucky to embrace the world’s best carnivals. By Joel Campbell

A

LLYSON WILLIAMS MBE is absolutely sure as to which carnival is better when she sits down to talk about Notting Hill versus Trinidad and Tobago.

Unsurprisingly, the Trinidadborn Notting Hill Carnival board member is biased when choosing the country of her birth, but there’s a good reason.

“Oh gosh, well, there is no comparison really. I mean, Trinidad Carnival is bigger, much, much bigger, and you would expect it to be better, and it is better in certain aspects and certain respects,” Williams said.

She added: “Because in Trinidad, it’s an integral part of life. It’s how we celebrate. It’s to do with coming from 200 years, celebrating freedom and emancipation of slavery. So, it is bigger and better and has a lot of different aspects and traditions that are solidly and completely maintained around the Carnival season.”

Explaining further, Williams, 75, said: “I am a Trinidadian, so Carnival is in the blood. You know, as a child, one of the first experiences I ever had was in Carnival, because our parents used to take us to all the chil-

dren’s shows, and anything that was Carnival-influenced, we attended.

“Every year, we attended Carnival on the road, either walking around looking at the bands as they came up or sitting in the inner stand like a picnic area where you would watch in the savanna. You would watch the bands go by from, like, ten in the morning until eight at night.

“We would take food. One of the highlights was the amount of food and the different types of food, meeting up with your friends and choosing where you would sit and where you would meet and all the kids playing together. All of that was an integral part of Carnival for us as children.

“And then, of course, as I got older, I was allowed to walk around Carnival on the road, I didn’t have to sit in the stand with my parents anymore. So I could mingle with the costumes and the people playing masks on the road. So some of those years were some of my best experiences because I was born and bred in Trinidad. And I didn’t leave until I was 21.”

Having left to pursue a career

in nursing and midwifery, Williams says the gods shone on her when she met her husband-to-be.

“When I came to London to do my nursing and then eventually met my husband, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.

“It was just so amazing. Because here was this man who was passionate about Carnival, who formed a member of the Notting Hill Carnival as well.

“That was quite extraordinary.

It just brought everything back.

“I was so delighted to be able to join him and participate at the time. The first time I wore a costume at the Notting Hill Carnival was in 1974. My husband was a musician and he travelled the world playing music.

“He used to run a jazz band.

But when he was in London he would come for the Carnival season and he would help his cousin, Larry Forde, who had a mas band called Sukuya. So I started going there to help Larry as well.”

Williams became a dab hand at making costumes, something she still does until this day.

“We did that for hours a night, every other night. And that’s how I started to get involved. During

that time, I discovered, too, that my husband was quite a prolific band leader himself in his youth in Trinidad. And a lot of people started asking him why didn’t he do this himself instead of helping somebody else?

“After a few years of persua-

“When I met my husband, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven”

sion, we got married and had two children. In 1980, we started our own band and he called it Genesis, because, he said, he was there in the beginning in 1964.

That is how I got involved, and I’ve been involved ever since.”

Williams’ costume designs have turned heads all over the world and, as a result, she finds herself busy all year round.

Still stitching and sewing after all of these years, Williams said she loves it. “I sew and I make costumes all the time. We get jobs to do costumes all the time.

We’ve just done some costumes for a friend who’s doing a film.”

She’s made costumes for the Cayman Islands and for the Trinidad Carnival. Looking forward to this year’s event, Williams said: “Unfortunately, we have had a low profile for the past few years because my daughter was quite ill. So we have a very small section in a band – we collaborated with one of the leading bands.

“We are going to come back big time next year. We never celebrated our 40-year anniversary because of the pandemic. So we’re going to do that next year.”

Watch the full interview on our website now

MEMORIES: Allyson Williams has been able to provide a colourful snapshot of Carnival life over a number of years

@thevoicenewspaper

@thevoicenews

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www.voice-online.co.uk

Voice Group We congratulate you on serving the community for 40 years

As OMG UNITE, Omnicom Media Group’s inclusion-driven agency,

We wish The Voice Media Group A happy 40th birthday!

This is a testament to your brilliant work. We’re proud to have been working with you and look forward to many more years ahead.

Happy

th

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Anniversary

Thank you for championing diversity across the British African - Caribbean Community and celebrating black excellence.

From the VM Group

TransformYour Everyday.

50 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Carnival Special

Memories are made of this

Linett Kamala is a stalwart of Carnival and has been involved in the sound systems for over 30 years. She is also a current Carnival board member. By Joel Campbell

O

N THE event’s official website, Linett Kamala wrote that her “love of the Notting Hill Carnival stems from being in awe of its sights and sounds as a child”.

When she sits down to talk with The Voice, she describes how memories of her first ever experience of attending Europe’s biggest street party still stay with her.

“I was five or thereabouts and I remember being carried on my father’s shoulders,” Kamala said.

“My family had settled originally in the Notting Hill area and, like a lot of people, they moved to a neighbouring area which was Kensal Rise.

“There’s different entry points into Notting Hill Carnival, and one of the spectacular ones is where you come off high road going up to Ladbroke Grove. At the top it’s like a hill.

“I remember being a child on my dad’s shoulders and just seeing what seemed like a sea of what felt like millions of people to me at that time.

SENSATION

“All of these people, particularly black people as well. It was so noticeable, there were so many people that looked like me. I remember the sounds, the heavy bassline, you could feel it.

“I remember the sensation of loads of noise, loads of voices, whistles and things like that. It was a full sensory experience, I remember the smells, all of the barbecue and cooking.

“I’ve literally never forgotten it.”

As with most people, Kamala couldn’t wait to go again. Unlike most people, however, her involvement took a slightly different skew.

Currently an official Carnival board member, back in the day Kamala was keen to find a lane for herself, and as such she gravitated to DJing.

She enthused: “I was one of the first girl DJs with a sound system back in the eighties called This Ya Generation. It’s

“I remember loads of noise.

It was always a full sensory experience” still going and I am still with that sound to this day “Over the past couple of years I have taken over managing that sound system.”

She added: “I’ve always been around, particularly the sound system, if you just take that one aspect of it. From DJing, to mainly becoming more focused on looking after the crowd, security, keeping everyone safe because as you can imagine it’s a huge operation, a free-flowing event which has up to one-and -a-half to two million people.“ Kamala’s memories fuel her fervour to ensure that children remain at the focal point of preevent planning.

Ensuring future generations are engaged gives the event every chance to evolve with its core values intact.

She added: “When I got involved with those of us that are organising Carnival currently, what attracted me was this thing about bringing back the Children’s Day, making that more prominent, because that’s how I got into Carnival.

“I was able to DJ on a Sunday and then I grew, as I got older

THEN AND NOW: Linett Kamala, above, was one of the first girl DJs with a sound system back in the eighties; left, Kamala with the Disya Jeneration sound system in 2019 (photos: Linett Kamala)

The Voice’s value to Carnival “FOR ME, it’s always been a staple. At times we wouldn’t always get positive coverage, so what was good with The Voice was it was celebrat-

with the sound. So we must keep that.”

Building a defined pathway for young people to get into Carni-

ADDING TO THE COLOUR: Children’s Day is always popular

@thevoicenewspaper

ing our culture. It was able to present the Carnival as we know it to be. We could always rely on The Voice in that respect” – Linett Kamala

val if they share Kamala’s love for all things sound system, she explained what she is doing to entice people to get involved with the event.

“I’m piloting a Sound Systems Futures programme,” she said.

“My company are going to sponsor it, and hopefully we can get other people on board, and I have got a lovely team to help me.

“We’re going to be supporting up to 10 young people to really learn about how to run the sound system, what it takes to put on one of the 40-odd sound systems that we have, and they are attached to various sound systems as well and they have got mentors.

@thevoicenews

“So that is something that I am really excited about.”

Staying with the subject of looking to the future, Kamala is clear about some of the things she would like to see happen where the evolution of Notting Hill Carnival is concerned.

“I would like to see that we’ve

“It would be nice to not have to talk about how we’re funded” kept the essence of it,” she enthused.

“It’s a three-part thing. We have the Panorama with the steel pans, a very important aspect, that happens on the Saturday.

“I’d love for the whole gala, the masquerade, the showing off of the costumes to be bigger ….

You don’t really get to see that

voicenews

enough. It would be incredible if in 40 years time we could find a way to do that.”

She added: “It would also be lovely if in 40 years time we could be sustainable.

“It would be nice if we’re not having this conversation about how we’ll be funded. That we will be given respect in terms of being looked upon at a level and being given funding that recognises that.

“Another thing I’d like to see, and we’re open to people telling us and working with us, is we need to be more environmentally sustainable.

“We’re piloting the electric floats this year, for example, so it would be good to be able to roll that out a bit more.

“Sound systems use generators, they’re not great for the environment, right?

“If we could also look at a way to truly recycle, imagine all the rubbish that is generated.

“So those are the things I’m thinking about for the future.”

www.voice-online.co.uk

THE VOICE | 51

AUGUST 2022

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52 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Carnival Special

It’s back where it belongs!

Get ready to see vibrant colours and incredible music return to our streets. By Joel Campbell

T

HE WORLD’S second biggest carnival and Europe’s largest street event, Notting Hill Carnival, returns to the road for the first time since 2019.

The UK’s largest and most important celebration of culture, diversity and inclusivity will once again be full with vibrant colours, incredible music, dancing and delicious food during the August bank holiday weekend.

As is tradition, Carnival will start before sunrise with J’Ouvert on Sunday, August 28, followed by the children’s parade which begins at 10.30am immediately after the opening ceremony.

This year, a group of participants from the Emancipated Run Crew wearing green will lead the parade and complete the route in their own time in honour of those who died in the Grenfell Tower tragedy five years ago, and Monday, August 29 will be the traditional parade starting from midday.

Panorama, the UK’s biggest steel pan competition takes place on the evening before Carnival (Saturday, August 27) at Emslie Horniman Pleasance Park.

Matthew Phillip, CEO of Notting Hill Carnival Ltd, said: “Along with all of the community, we couldn’t be more delighted to be

“We can again celebrate our culture, diversity and inclusivity” announcing that Notting Hill Carnival is back on the streets where it belongs.

“The past two years have been incredibly challenging for everyone, but through the work we have all been doing keeping the spirit of Carnival online and through workshops and more, we have seen our community thrive.

“I’ve seen these wonderful groups of people, brought together because of the Notting Hill Carnival, help and support each other. That is an incredible thing. In returning to the streets, we can once again celebrate the culture, diversity and inclusivity that makes this event so amaz-

RETURN OF THE GOOD TIMES: Revellers enjoy themselves during the 2019 Notting Hill Carnival. It’s now almost time to enjoy Europe’s largest street party once again! (photo: Dinendra Haria/ SOPA Images via Getty Images)

ing – we can’t wait to hear and see everything that is unique about Notting Hill Carnival, back where it belongs.”

Despite a two-year absence from the road, the hunger to participate in Carnival has not diminished.

Mas bands and static sound system numbers are actually increasing for 2022 and Carnivalists can enjoy 38 booming sound systems playing everything from house to calypso and 84 mas bands full of celebratory colour and vibrancy.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq

Khan, said: “I am thrilled to welcome back Notting Hill Carnival and looking forward to the sights and sounds of this world-famous event returning to our streets and bringing communities and visitors together in celebration.

“Over the August bank holiday weekend, there will be something for everyone, with fantastic music, food and amazing, colourful parades lining the streets.

“Notting Hill Carnival showcases the spirit and soul of our city and the values we all hold so dear and reminds us that our city’s greatest strength is in our

Some culture in the park FOLLOWING its huge success last year, Carnival Culture In The Park will be making a return to Opera Holland Park from August 17-20.

The four nights will see some of the world’s leading calypso artists and steel pan players perform:

diversity, vibrancy and energy.”

In June, hundreds of performers from the Notting Hill Carnival community, including masquer-

NEVER FORGOTTEN: Victims of the Grenfell Tower tragedy will be honoured by the Emancipation Run Crew

@thevoicenewspaper

@thevoicenews

August 17 – Steelband Summer In concert.

August 18 – Calypso Masquerade.

August 19 – Pan Jazz.

August 20 – An evening with King David Rudder, one of the top calypsonians of our time.

aders, steelpan players and a soca artist, performed at the Jubilee celebrations outside Buckingham Palace.

A specially formed steelband of over 100 players going by the name of UK All Steel Percussion Orchestra came together from a number of UK bands and delivered two songs by Lord Kitchener: Pan in ‘A’ Minor and London is the Place for Me. This year, for the first time ever, a fully electric eco-truck made possible by long-term partner Spotify, will be joining the parade. Developed in collaboration with Carnival Village Trust, this new innovation is the first step in not only reducing the carbon footprint of Notting Hill Carnival,

voicenews

but also in bettering audio quality and reducing noise pollution on the road.

Its debut outing at Glastonbury Festival earlier this summer played a vital role in the first official collaboration between Notting Hill Carnival and the festival which also saw members of the community run workshops and parade through the fields across the weekend.

Phillip enthused: “Electric trucks are unquestionably the future for Carnival. Work on this truck has been a labour of love for a number of years now and, thanks to Spotfiy, this year we will show that the technology and power of the batteries are now able to cope with the huge power demands the average Carnival truck requires.

“The environmental benefits are only the most obvious benefit. With ongoing support from partners like Spotify, our aim is to eventually fund electric trucks for all the bands, removing a significant cost for them, as well as significant time and energy spent organising vehicles and drivers each year – so they can concentrate on their art.”

www.voice-online.co.uk

THE VOICE| 53

AUGUST 2022

Britain’s national black newspaper APRIL 2021

Lifestyle WHAT THE NFT IS GOING

WWW.VOICE

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LEST WE FO IMVU taking a bold step into the metaverse p36

Eddie Murphy: There’s no other movie like Coming To America p38

See page 37

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rising 40 years ago it sent shockwav es that still reverberate in policing and race relations

See page 3

A seminal case

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www.voice-online.co.uk 020 7510 0340 With your help we can build on our 40 year record of campaigning for the community.

Support us with a monthly subscription to get The Voice delivered directly to your door or contribute what you can, no matter how small.

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NFTs taking the creative world by storm

ON HERE?

SCAN ME

54 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Carnival Special

DRESSED TO IMPRESS: Vibrance Mas started in 2016

Mas not be missed

S

O, BAG packed, whistle around your neck, flag tucked into your waist … you’re ready for the road. But, before you leave, make sure you run through some of the suggestions The Voice has for you ahead of the 2022 Notting Hill Carnival.

For all of you that have a smartphone,

Check out the Carnival website for details on your favourite band and more. By Joel Campbell download the official carnival app. Just like Carnival, the official NHC App is Free. Activity is all year round, so be prepared for your best Carnival experience yet. What does the app provide: Listings • Performing artists • Events Interactive Map • Parading bands – live locations • Static sound systems • Food and drinks

EXCITED: FLAGZ Mas Band in action

• Toilets and First Aid • Transport links Social media stream • Share Content Audio & Video stream • Live Content • Historical Content Voting • Parading bands • Live stages • Sound systems For more information, go to https://nhcarnival.org/

Do your bit by making a text/SMS donation IF YOU have read this Carnival special from the beginning and you’ve taken in the stories we’ve done with Carnival CEO Matthew Phillip and stalwart Linett Kamala, you already know that money is always in short supply where Carnival is concerned.

You can help out a bit by donating.

Carnival Village Trust needs to raise funds for this and for other charitable purposes.

Fundraising, payments and donations will be processed and administered by the National Funding Scheme, operating as DONATE, a charity registered in England and Wales (1149800) and Scotland (SC045106).

In addition to any text donation, you will incur your standard network message charge (based on your service provider rates).

For Terms & conditions, see www.easydonate.org l To donate £1, text NHC2022 to 70201 l To donate £3, text NHC2022 to 70331 l To donate £5, text NHC2022 to 70970 l To donate £10, text NHC2022 to 70191

Don’t miss your favourite Mas band!

THIS YEAR, there will be 64 official Mas bands at Notting Hill Carnival. Over the past 40 years, The Voice has featured many.

Earlier this year, we brought you the story on Vibrance Mas, one of the newer attractions taking part this year. The band are on a mission to raise awareness of the damage to our coral reefs by designing and showcasing recycled materials in each of their oneof-a-kind costume creations.

Vibrance Mas started in 2016 in collaboration with one of the oldest bands on the road, Cocoyea.

Band founder Cee said:

“We started with just 40 band members, and increased this number to 170 in 2019. One of the main characteristics of the band is our high quality detailed design, traditional mas with a touch of modern.

“We design for a curvy figure and aim to promote a healthier idea of beauty on the road. The band’s ethos is strongly focused on community and environment issues.”

This year’s costume theme will again focus on coral reefs. Using recycled materials, the costumes aim to highlight the pollution in our oceans as well as global warming. We encourage all

areas of the community to get involved. In 2019, Vibrance worked with teenagers considered to be on the spectrum from NewVic College to make carnival pieces. We don’t believe in titles, students created their own pieces that will be present at NHC, enabling them to leave a footprint at Europe’s largest carnival.”

BANDS TAKING PART: ABIR The Colours of Life Arawak Arts-A-Light Sound Bacchanalia Mas Band Calabash Caranival Club Candy Mas Caribbean Sessions Mas

@thevoicenewspaper

Chocolate Nation Mas The Clement James Centre Colours Carnival Creed D Riddim Tribe Dragons Mas Band Dynamic Mas Ebony Mas Elevate Cultural Arts Elimu Mas Academy Elite Mas Exotic Mas FLAGZ Mas Band Flamboyan Carnival Arts Funatik Mas Gemz Genesis Glorious Backstage Arts Heritage Mas Hotwax

@thevoicenews

Hype Mas IDF Inspiration Arts Invaders Mas Island Mas Jamaica Twist Karnival Mania La Trinity Lagniappe Mas Limitless Mas Mahogany Carnival Making Carnival Mangrove Mas Band Mas Africa Mas Domnik UK Carnival Band Masquerade 2K Omnia Carnival People Of Paradise People’s World

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Reign Mas Band Rumshop Raw Licquer Smokey Joe Roadshow Soca Massive Fancy Sailors UK Soca Saga Boys Stardust Mas Sunshine International Arts Tears Mas Tempo Mas Tropical Fusion Mas Tropical Isles TTMudders UCOM Carnival (United Colours of Mas) Urban Touch Utopia Mas (UK) Vibrance Mas Vincy Alliance Mas Xtreme UK

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40 YEARS OF STERLING SERVICE salutes The Voice Newspaper on

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UK HEAD OFFICEY 3rd Floor CM 5 Chancery Lane MY London, EC4A 1BL (t) : + 44 208 123 4400 CY (e): info@bowlawchambers.com CMY (w): www.bowlawchambers.com

“On behalf of everyone at MMC, I would like to extend our warm wishes to The Voice, as you celebrate this great milestone.”

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BOW LAW CHAMBERS

One of the UKs leading set of dual practising lawyers who can represent you both in the UK and throughout the Caribbean.

A specialist team of Barristers, Solicitors and Attorneys at Law. Mandeville, Montego Bay, Kingston, Eastern Caribbean, Guyana, Trinidad.

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Patricia Macauley Founder and Director, Multicultural Marketing Consultancy

Here’s to many more years of being of service to our communities together.

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Happy birthday to all at The Voice from

56 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Carnival Special

THEN AND NOW: The Notting Hill Carnival in 1981; right, the last time it was held in 2019

The centre of attention I

T’S ALWAYS been The Voice’s duty to keep telling the story of Notting Hill Carnival.

Before the internet, we were obliged to ensure the context surrounding the biggest street party in Europe never gets lost.

Sifting through the archives of our coverage over the years, the importance of authentic documentation of how it all got

started, and why, is crucial. As a community, black people have witnessed what it’s like to have significant parts of our culture stolen, remixed and then repackaged only to be sold back to us.

With Carnival, this can never be allowed to happen. As we turn 40 years old, we revisit some of the coverage down the years.

JOEL CAMPBELL

CROWNING GLORY: Waiting to form up for the procession, majorettes appearing in the Carnival in 1976 22 THE VOICE AUGUST 22 - 28, 2013

CARNIVAL FEATURE FEATURE

JUNE 6 - 12, 2013 THE VOICE 7

@thevoicenews

voicenewspaper

www.voice-online.co.uk

CARNIVAL MAN Friends and loved ones mourn the loss of a ‘true mas man’ who had the spirit of Notting Hill in his soul

@thevoicenews

voicenewspaper

www.voice-online.co.uk

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE VOICE!

THE VOICE WAS PRINTED TO COINCIDE WITH THE NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL IN AUGUST 1982

By Janelle Oswald

London followed by Coldhabour Lane and later HERE WERE few supStockwell Road, south London porters for a publicabefore its final move to the tion like The Voice Docklands. The first editor, Flip when it was founded Fraser, led a team of young in 1982. Most critics were of journalists who set about the opinion that it would addressing the issues that matnever catch on, and it would tered to Britain's black communot last. Yet 32 years on, it nity. They laid the foundation has become one of the most for the future success of the successful black enterprises in paper, combining human interBritain. est stories and coverage of The birth of The Voice began sports, fashion and entertainback in 1981 when Jamaican ment with hard news and invesborn entrepreneur Val tigative reporting. Today the McCalla, who while working THANKS: George Ruddock paper, which is also online and on a London local paper called is as dynamic as ever, continues the East End News, was to be the ‘voice’ for black inspired to lead a group of Britain covering monthly feabusinessmen and journalists in tures such as Community a new and uncertain endeavConversations - an in-depth our — to create his vision of a focus on one community each weekly newspaper to cater for month in the United Kingdom; the interests of British-born Family Matters – a monthly black people. look at an issue surrounding Until then the black press in family, parenting, care, fosterBritain had always addressed a ing and adoption, healthy generation of immigrants, lifestyle and fitness, in a pullrelaying news from their counout guide containing expert tries of origin in the Caribbean advice, information and contact and Africa. Publications were points; and Health Matters -a named accordingly, among monthly pull-out focusing on PIONEER: The mas man in action which were the West Indian issues surrounding mental and Gazette,ofWest Indian World, The physical well-being.

Gloria Cummins, director auditioned as a singer for Tyne Caribbean Times and West Community With more than a hundred Tees Television’s One O’Clock Flamboyan Africa. with However, McCalla people having successfully been Show – a 40-minute variety Association, had worked wanted ‘king’to use his dream and on The Voice’s payroll over time show broadcast on weekdays – Rocky, who played the visionmas to create a new page by - many of today’s most popular and also worked with the Race character in Flamboyan’s producing a publication that black television, radio and print in band for several years.

Council Relations wider variety of current old atime journalists have in the past been She said: “Those had Newcastle. affairs and news. associated with the newspaper Twenty years later, he guys from Rocky’s generation Originally funded by a and its website. These include relocated to Hackney, east weren’t born here in England. £62,000so bank loan from former Commission for Racial gravitated They came from Trinidad but London, Barclays of theBank, the first issue of Equality chair Trevor Phillips, towards the Mangrove, in west they were in the thick The Voice and was printed to coinformer BBC and current Al London, known for its ties whole carnival thing cide and with the Notting Hill Jazeera newsman Rageh Omaar, with Trinidad and icons like brought that knowledge Carnival themin August 1982 and ITV’s Martin Bashir, authors the late Frank Crichlow, who skill and experience with until this day; carnival always teach. could Diran Adebayo and Leone Ross, Mangrove that no university the founded as a reminder of its an easy film maker and novelist Kolton Wire-bending is notstands Community Association. you have Lee and Vanessa Walters, to Mangrove legend Clive craft. It’s something anniversary.

Initially only selling in HEADLINE NEWS: The first edition of The Voice name but a few.

“Mashup” Phillip, who ran the to have a feel for.

London for 54 pence, the news- FOUNDER: The visionary “Rocky will be remembered Mangrove mas band and READERS stone, Ruddock, added: “I paper is us,available nationwide Val McCalla the start of a Big Question eral election – it’s time for us enjoyed a 30-year friendship for all the things he showed through 5,000 retailers serving with Continuing to fly the flag series, on issues effecting the to address our politians and would like to thank all our with Rocky, said: “Back in someone who was always the all, changing face of modern Murdoch's son-in-law) he for black Britain and now black and ethnic community ask what they are doing to readers for their continuous was the grassroots. Above everybody Trinidad black Britain. who accused The Voice of owned by the Jamaica Gleaner living the UK. We feel it’s enhance the future of black support each and every week. a being involved in rivalries but in will be remembered for The Voice promises to stay true Within three decades it had being “just a doom-and-gloom man.”

Company mas true since one.

2004, as pubimportant for The Voice to go and ethnic minority Britain.”

London we all united to its readers and will keep on becomefor Britain's most success- sheet." lished by GV Media Group back to its roots as a camIn an old interview Soon as people got here they Forecasting even greater printing a paper that all readful black newspaper and had The winner of countless Limited, The Voice vows to paigning publication. With progress for The Voice as it would come to the Mangrove, Sequins, Soca and Sweat, a ers can be proud of.” fought off a challenge from the media accolades and awards, serve its readers as quoted by two years before the next gen- celebrates Notting documentary on the it was a community, a family. this important milewas an upbeat, inspira- The Voice’s first office was in current editor and MD George loveNation, “I had heard about Rocky Hill Carnival, Rocky’sNew tional rival (funded by Rupert Mare Street, Hackney, east Ruddock: “This year has seen brings from back home but we didn’t clear. He said: “Carnival Tell us what you think. Email: yourviews@gvmedia.co.uk meet until he came here. He everything together…with all an its prejudice, with all its faults, showman, a was entertainer, the life and soul of with all its in-fighting, it’s the the party – that’s him. When only thing that you see black pans of many different sizes. he spoke, he spoke with his people on the same spot on the J'ouvert or Jouvay: non-stop jamming hands, his whole body, and a same given day.” session mixed with oil and mud originating from His cousin Kim Cowie big smile across his face. All

By Janelle Oswald the French word jour ouvert, meaning day break where everybody dances in the street. the kids came to pay their added: “Even when he got sick or morning, and signals the start of the bacchaCarnival: made up of two Latin words, respects to him because that and was in and out of hospital nalia that is carnival. carne, meaning flesh and vale, the word origiupARE many words and terms to describe was the kind of man that he Rocky would arrive dressed THERE Masquerade: dancers dressed in lavish nated from a festival in ancient Egypt which on. I Here we publish some of the most with all his gold chainscarnival. was.” costume initially dressing in mockery of their forwas subsequently celebrated by the Greeks and suits that you might hear this weekend… the will never forget his silky fashion, true In popular mer slave masters and planters. then the Romans. had Mangrove steel band honoured and shiny shoes – the manBacchanal: originally meaning the worFete: often used in the eastern Caribbean, Go on bad: term commonly used in one of their own by playing style. ship of Bacchus, the word now means to have ‘to fete’ means to dance and sing in the streets at Trinidad & Tobago meaning to lose all inhibihe or song while drinking at carnival.

“He was so independent outside Rocky’s funeral service a dance carnival tions and to let go of oneself while dancing. on May 28 at West London hated being sick, and would Mas: to celebrate carnival through wearJudging point: a place where all the Steel pan: or simply pan, is a tuned steel Crematorium, in Kensal Green. threaten to discharge himself, ing elaborate costumes, dance, music and judges congregate to mark the costumes of the drum that can play more than one pitch. It is The final song could not have and say he can’t be missing performance. performers usually at carnival and where spectators played in groups called steel bands, his been more fitting: Trini to de carnival in Trinidad. It was Jump-up day: the last day of the carnival which may include other instruments watch all the floats. as well as life.” bone.

IN TUNE: Steel pan

T

“paperThewas created to cater for the interests of Britishborn black people

”

HEADLINE ACT: Notting Hill Carnival is the biggest street party in Europe, and The Voice has always been there to give such an important event the coverage it deserves

@thevoicenewspaper

LIFE AND SOUL: Rocky was a well-loved friend to many who put smiles on people’s faces

By Elizabeth Pears

T

Hill NOTTING HE Carnival fraternity bid farewell to one its best loved characters following the death of Orville “Rocky” Byron, who died last month aged 84.

Described as a “true mas man”, the Trinidad-born dancer and artist, who died on May 16, was part of the glue that keeps alive the true spirit of carnival by passing on lasting traditions to the next generation. In his prime he had won a string of awards for having the best band and best costume.

Known for his kindness, sense of fun and an unshakeable passion for his crafts of wire bending and costumemaking, Rocky was easily identifiable in his plush suits, layered with blings around his neck and fingers.

His smile could light up a

room, friends told The Voice, mostly for the warmth it radiated – but no doubt the two rows of gleaming gold teeth also played a part.

Cousin Annmarie Cowie said: “Rocky was joyous. He loved to teach people what he knew. At the nine-night [an extended wake that is a Caribbean tradition] in the Tabernacle, there was a man who sang a song in his memory. He said that as a twoyear-old Rocky had once made him an Indian headdress, and would be working with him on his shoulder all day long introducing him to the creative side carnival. Everybody was in tears.”

She added: “Rocky wasn’t selfish. He always gave what he had and everybody loved him. If you say his name, you get a smile, not a scowl. No one had a bad word to say. He was a party animal and he

loved champagne. At his 80th birthday, if you saw that man wining down the place you would think he was 18 not 80.”

Rocky, starred in British boyband Boyzone’s No Matter What video, was introduced to dancing by his mother as a child to help channel the lov-

DAPPER: A young Rocky

@thevoicenews

able bad boy’s boundless energy.

By the age of 28, his career had taken off and top calypso singer, Small Island Pride, invited him to go on tour with him to Guyana.

KING OF LIMBO He earned the nickname ‘King of Limbo’, and at his best could get as low as eight-anda-half inches from the ground.

In 1961, he set sail from Brazil heading to England, but was thrown off the ship in Hamburg, Germany, for being a stowaway.

He eventually ended up in Newcastle, in the north east of England, where he lived for many years, getting married and becoming a proud father to three children.

Rocky even successfully

CARNIVAL DICTIONARY

Tell us what you think. Email: yourviews@gvmedia.co.uk

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ISSUE NO. 1843 | AUGUST 2

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Brazil and have deWalker, OBE, said clared: “Notting Hill Carniva at the recent l is what Lon- cessful, “Our aim is to put on a suclaunch event at don needs. It’s what safe and spectacular The Tabernacle: the world needs.” carnival “If there is such a thing and really bring Meanwhile Carniva everyon as wonders of the world - and if Notting Hill Carniva l organisers, using all the incredib e together, England has two l Limited (NHCL), le talent and or have introdu enthusiasm that ced a new app which this community will known for.” is

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Female professor is first to deliver inaugural lecture at KCL

‘LONDON NEEDS CARNIVAL’

By Nigel Gordo

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2012

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A WALK MEMORYDOWN A look ba NE ck at LisA su o

weekly Britain’s top black

Voice Interview Boris Johnson

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60

| THE VOICE

AUGUST 2022

Dotun Adebayo

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

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

It was The Voice wot dunnit We championed black political representation - but do today’s generation take things forward?

T

HIS IS how far we have come since those heady days of 1982 when we could only dream of a black MP let alone a black prime minister. But then the launch of The Voice 40 years ago gave our dreams a chance to become reality.

Because all we really lacked in this country was the power of mass communication.

Once we realised that we weren’t alone in experiencing what we were experiencing in terms of police brutality and other injustices, right from the secondary school teacher’s common room to your university dons and your union reps at the workplace, we started talking to each other and letting each other know ‘whaa gwan’. You get me?

Think of all the f*ckries that we had to put up with that we shouldn’t have had to go through. Then, The Voice came along and it was quite literally ‘the voice’ of black political intention and aspiration. It echoed a diversity of African/Caribbean/Black British ‘voices’ and still continues to be the closest thing to knowing what people of African and Caribbean heritage are doing and thinking.

GROOVE

Lord Simon Woolley often laments, if the black vote could be like one nation under a groove, it would be quite a force to be reckoned with.

The reality is that we never spoke with one voice (how could we?). But through The Voice, we spoke loudly about the lack of black representation in parliament, championing what was then known as ‘Black Sections’ in the Labour Party, which ultimately led to the selection of Diane Abbott, Paul Boateng and the late Bernie Grant alongside Keith Vaz as the ‘gang of four’ black and Asian MPs in Westminster. The first of FRUSTRATION: Lord Simon Woolley laments that the black vote is not a force to be reckoned with

their kind in modern times. Ultimately, those are the roots from which Kemi Badenoch and all the black MPs come from – IT WAS THE VOICE WOT DUNNIT – especially when it came to standing resolute against racism.

Maybe naively many of us didn’t care about the politics 40 years ago. We were going to vote for you simply because you ‘is’ black. I can assure you that in the Stoke Newington constituency of Diane Abbott, there were black (and white) Tories who voted for her simply because they could not live with themselves if they didn’t vote for the black woman at such a historic election.

But things done change. Safe to say that we are not as united as a community as we were back in 1982. Racism is no longer the glue that holds us together.

And, frankly, there are so many black MPs now that there is no longer the sense of an imperative to make sure that the next black woman that comes along wins at the polls. Now, it matters what a black woman stands for. Especially if she wants to become prime minister.

And Nels Abbey is not the only one who is afraid of the big bad Kemi. Lee Jasper may not be packing his bags to go

HIGH PROFILE: Kemi Badenoch is now the most powerful black woman in British politics; inset below, Lurline Champagnie, the best Tory MP they never had (photos: PA Images/Getty Images)

We are not as united as a community as we were back in 1982 into Rwandan exile, but he may want to be afraid (very afraid) that Kemi Badenoch’s guns will be aiming for him personally.

She certainly took aim the last time their paths crossed in my living room when they were debating Any Black Questions, the TV programme I used to host on colour telly.

I remember him bemoaning the fact that kids today did not have the number of job options he had when he left school, and got one job in the morning which he didn’t like, got another job in the afternoon which didn’t like him, and by the end of the day, had walked into a third job. Kemi Adegoke (as she was then) in typically pugnacious style, told him in no uncertain terms

that it was no wonder he couldn’t get a decent job when he was flipflopping from one hour to the next. It’s fair to say that Badenoch has her supporters in the black community, like Dr Tony Sewell, whose honorary degree from Nottingham University was rescinded the other day because of the backlash. Of course, Badenoch and Sewell have got form.

She was one of the few prominent black people who backed his controversial report published last year in his role as chairman of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities.

And of course, Kemi Badenoch is not a one-off. The Conservative Party has had black

stalwarts who were demonised for not being ‘conscious’ since Lurline Champagnie (the original black Thatcherite), arguably the best black Tory MP that they never had.

And The Voice, crucially, has given every one of those pretenders to the top political jobs, a platform to set their stall out.

Even Kemi Badenoch.

You might remember me tipping her in this very paper earlier this year, as the black Tory most likely to. But even I could not predict that it would happen this quickly. She has leap-

frogged over fellow Conservative politicians of West African heritage — Kwasi Kwarteng and Bim Afolami.

Despite being knocked out of the Tory leadership race, she has gone from being virtually a nobody to the vast majority of the great British public to being the most powerful black woman in politics, and all she did was throw her hat in the ring.

As the late Val McCalla, the founder and original publisher of The Voice found out when he launched this paper, you’ve got to be in it to win it.

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

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62 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Women

Women’s equality first When it comes to supporting equal rights for black women, The Voice has been proud of its role. By Leah Mahon

O

NE OF the earliest editions of The Voice addressed how black women were facing oppression three times over, while living at the intersection of both race and gender in the working world.

Under the headline “Tougher on Women”, the article shone a spotlight on what it meant to be all of the things from a pamphlet published by a group of black and white activists who were “out to change society.”

This was one of the earlier acknowledgements that focused on issues affecting black women that looked at contraception, abortion and their contribution to family life at a time when they were “hardest hit by the economic crisis” as the Poll Tax disproportionately disadvantaged those from the black working class.

In March 1993, the newspaper dedicated two pages to how black women in Britain stood against a hostile society for International Women’s Month.

“The only way we can fight is if we help ourselves,” read the headline.

RADICAL

It signalled the new face of British political life which was becoming increasingly black, female and radical. Black women students led the formation of the Organisation of Women of African and Asian Descent (OWAAD) in 1987, inspired by the African Student’s Union who became active in campaigning nationwide for issues directly impacting black women in the UK. Connected by informal networking and magazines, black women rose up to protest at Heathrow Airport after news broke that some were being subjected to virginity tests when they arrived in the country.

They led the charge again in the disproportionate exclusion of black pupils from schools and campaign against the “Sus laws” targeting black men and boys that marred the 1980s. In our history, black women have been at the centre of almost all movements for black liberation.

But in the end, they still fight for themselves. Jean Hagen, of community organisation Cam-

den Black Sisters, told The Voice at the time: “Feminism is more a white woman’s issue than a black woman’s issue.

“White women were asking for equal rights for all women, for things like jobs and healthcare, but they were not fighting for us really because we are not all equal in the first place. The only way we can fight is if we help ourselves.”

Diane Abbott, who in 1987 was the first black woman to become an elected MP, in her early political career bolstered the fight for black rights, particularly those of women.

The Voice followed the rise of politician Valerie Amos when she was appointed into Cabinet as head of the Department of International Development. It was described as a “watershed moment in British history”. She went on to make the front of the July 2015 issue when she became the ninth Director of SOAS, University of London.

Black women’s stories were also told light-heartedly at a time of significant social and cultural movement.

Nicole Sylvester, a former editor at the newspaper’s supplement magazine Woman to Woman, told The Voice that she and her team tried to cover “every conceivable topic” that women would be interested in when glossy magazines were on the rise. “We were modelled on your usual women’s magazines, so we did a health section, beauty, entertainment.

It was a mish mash of everything. It was just newsy, bright, breezy; it wasn’t heavyweight

‘WATERSHED MOMENT’: Valerie Amos became the head of the Department of International Development in 2003; below, how The Voice covered her appointment and championed black women over the years (photo: PA Images) or controversial,” she recalled.

“But times have changed now.

Women have changed and the generations coming up, that’s just not how it is now.”

She added: “The Voice was named The Voice because it came about at a time when black people had no voice. That was aptly named, and it was something we needed.

“It was a media outlet that was taken seriously because it was probably in one of two or three. It was the largest. And it gave us a voice. I was very proud to be a part of it.”

There has always been a strong focus on women’s health and safety in The Voice.

In 1985, it covered a shocking report that found nearly one in eight black women in London had been sexually assaulted, and the reason for the attacks were often racially motivated.

The article cited the stereotypical over-sexualisation of black women as a reason for the assaults, with one interviewee saying: “There’s a particular fear of white men that black girls grow up with. We know they think we’re hot, sexual animals, that we’re always available. It goes back to slavery.”

Issues like Female Genital Mutilation also made headlines, and campaigns were backed that helped women

understand how to check for breast cancer, in a step-by-step picture-led guide that was published in September 1994.

In February 1994, The Voice brought attention to a domestic violence campaign rolled out by chat show host Crystal Rose, after it was revealed that 500 women became victims of gender-based violence in south London that year.

ALARMING

The newspaper also advocated for black women victims of abuse in the December 2003 issue, which led with the alarming statistic that one in four women suffer domestic violence on the front cover. It reported over four pages about the impact domestic violence was having on black women, ahead of plans to reform the Domestic Violence Crime and Victims bill at the time.

Recognising that domestic violence is a global problem affecting communities in Africa and the Caribbean, The Voice spoke to international women’s campaigners who identified numerous barriers deterring women from reporting abuse. In the last year, The Voice has championed a campaign by domestic and sexual violence charity Sistah Space here in the UK. The charity, who are special-

ists in supporting black victims of abuse, are advocating for Valerie’s Law which amassed over 100,000 signatures after backing from celebrities such as Sir Lewis Hamilton and singersongwriter FKA Twigs.

Ngozi Fulani, the chief executive, said The Voice has been instrumental in highlighting violence against women and girls. “It’s important people understood that gender-based violence includes physical and verbal violence; rape or sexual abuse. It’s compounded if you have this intersectionality of racism and misogyny,” she explained.

As black culture of the 1990s began to surge in realms like music, fashion, and the big and small screens, Britain’s only black newspaper reported on the ventures and successes of some of the era’s biggest singers, writers and actresses.

However, over the past 40 years, the often untold stories of black women living in Britain have continued to be a focal point in the newspaper.

Ngozi added: “There’s no other newspaper that’s been so consistent in raising matters that affect African and Caribbean heritage people. Often, that’s the only time we hear about it. The Voice has been a voice for such a marginalised community.”

AUGUST 2022

THE VOICE| 63

Trinity SELT wishes The Voice Newspaper a happy 40th anniversary Secure English Language Tests (SELTs) approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) CITIZENSHIP, SETTLEMENT AND PARENT/PARTNER VISA APPLICATIONS (A1-B1) GESE: Graded Examinations in Spoken English A speaking and listening in English test available at levels A1, A2 and B1 Tests available seven days a week at centres UK wide Provisional result received by 9am the next day and certificates sent within seven days Prepare with the Trinity GESE Study App, an on-the-go study tool that helps you learn and track the progress of your English language learning in preparation for taking a Secure English Language Test (SELT).

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64 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Education

Lessons to be learned

How this newspaper covered the miseducation of black kids — and some of the solutions found. By Vic Motune

T

HE EXPERIENCES of black pupils in the education system was always likely to be one of the key issues The Voice campaigned on after its launch in 1982.

In the 1960s and 1970s, black parents grew increasingly concerned about the fact their children were being suspended, expelled, and branded ‘educationally subnormal’ at alarming rates.

Adding to their worries was the fact that negative views of black people’s contributions to the world were embedded into the school curriculum.

Supplementary schools were founded by black parents in the 1960s and 1970s as a reaction to the racism and low expectations from teachers. They also played a leading role in the teaching of black history.

The Voice regularly featured stories about the activities of these schools and the achievements of their pupils. However, as the newspaper reported, the supplementary school movement was at a crossroads by the end of the 1980s.

DEBATE

In its June 20 1989 edition, The Voice carried a report about a growing debate as to the next path they should take. Should teaching at supplementary schools be restricted to cultural education or should they provide academic teaching as well?

Under the headline ‘Helping our kids to help themselves’, the article examined both sides of that debate.

One supplementary school teacher, Courtney Hay from Bradford, was firm in adopting the cultural approach.

He told The Voice that basic skills were covered in the state school system in a way that black culture was not.

However, David Simon from London’s Ebony Supplementary School disagreed. He felt that it was important to teach kids skills TOP OF THE CLASS:The Voice has a proud record when it comes to carrying stories regarding the education of black pupils

already taught in schools in an effort to close the attainment gap that black children faced.

He went on to tell the newspaper that his school had developed “our own unique teaching techniques”.

In the April 26 1994 edition, the newspaper covered the efforts of one pioneering black teacher to take this debate a step further.

Ann-Marie Kennedy, head teacher of the privately run Seventh Day Adventist Harper Bell School in Birmingham, was so dissatisfied with the government’s National Curriculum, she devised her own to include “a true picture of black people’s involvement in British and European history”.

She told The Voice she also wanted to challenge the view that only black people would FINDING THE RIGHT ANSWERS: Educational equality is an issue close to The Voice’s heart (photo: Getty Images) benefit from the teaching of black history. issue of exclusions. According uniform and appearance poli- hands and protect them from ing “state violence” on black “Very few teachers are aware to one analysis of official figures cy and had to be cut off or he stereotyping and a culture of children. low expectations at school. of black people in Europe during published by the Department of would face suspension.

“I see teachers acting more “It’s a massive trend,” she said. like prison guards and cops than the early years,” she said.

Education for the academic year The Voice highlighted the Although efforts were made 2018/19, black Caribbean pu- campaign of his mother, Tues- “My inbox is filled with messag- educators,” she said. “I don’t to include the teaching of black pils were being excluded from day Flanders, who said his es from parents asking ‘how do want to de-centre the story of history in schools during the schools in England six times dreadlocks were a fundamental I take my child out of school?’ Child Q, but also we know there 1990s, Noughties and 2010s, more often than their white peers tenet of his Rastafarian beliefs Every day I average about five to are many Child Qs that have many other teachers and educa- in some areas of England. and therefore should be exempt six messages from parents trying been treated like this.” to find out what they have to do tion campaigners echoed KenStories about black pupils be- from the policy.

The Black Lives Matter pronedy in expressing their dissat- ing unfairly targeted for things Her son was taught in isola- to ensure that their child doesn’t tests also prompted calls for isfaction. such as their hairstyles, kissing tion and subsequently chose go back to school in September.” greater race equality in higher However, the Black Lives Mat- teeth and fist-bumping have to leave the school to attend a education. ter protests that swept through regularly featured in The Voice nearby academy instead.

The 2010s saw some highthe UK in May 2020 follow- since its 1982 launch.

Fulham Boys’ School later In November 2021, a Voice On- profile appointments — Baroning the death of George Floyd, Among them is Chikayzea overturned the ban. line report highlighted how this ess Valerie Amos was appointed meant the spotlight on concerns Flanders, a 12-year-old who In its September 2020 edition, trend was continuing.

Director of SOAS in 2015, makabout the experiences of black was forced to leave Fulham The Voice’s front page story told The story, headlined ‘Black ing her the first black female children and parents in the edu- Boys’ School in London on his readers about an emerging trend Supplementary Schools are back head of a UK university. cation system intensified. first day in September 2017. it had investigated.

The Voice also published exand here to stay’, said there had As well as the lack of black He was told his dreadlock ‘Our children’s education is been a dramatic increase in par- clusive interviews with former history on the school curricu- hair, which he wore tied up, did in our hands’ was the headline ents sending their children to media executive Sonita Alleyn, lum, there was also the thorny not comply with the school’s as it reported that, while many black supplementary schools who in 2019 became the first families across the UK following recent Black Lives black Master of an Oxbridge struggled with home- Matter protests. college when she was appointed WINDRUSH schooling their children Master of Jesus College, CamThe case of Child Q, the name HELPLINE campaign while working from given to the 15-year-old black bridge University. launched home, lockdown after schoolgirl strip-searched by the There was also Lord Simon NEWSPAPER the COVID-19 pandem- police and wrongly accused of Woolley who, after being apTRIBUTE TO ic had provided black having drugs with her, re-ignit- pointed principal of Cambridge LORD MORRIS OF HANDSWORTH OJ From shop steward to the people’s hero families with new op- ed the concerns of parents about University’s Homerton College portunities. way schools discriminate in March 2021, became the first OUR CHILDREN’S EDUCATION The newspaper spoke the black man to be elected head of against their children. to Cheryl Phoenix The Voice spoke to several ed- an Oxbridge College. from the education ucation campaigners and teachBut despite these landmark Following lockdown black campaign group Black appointments, the number of ers as part of its coverage of the parents are discovering Child Agenda. black academics remains low, that homeschooling is a story for Voice Online. way to challenge the low She told The Voice Among them was Zahra Bei, with figures from the Higher Edexpectations and racial that lockdown had pro- a teacher with 20 years’ expe- ucation Statistics Agency showdisparities of mainstream schools vided parents with the rience, and a member of the ing that the number of black opportunity to take group No More Exclusions. professors has consistently retheir children’s eduShe told the newspaper the mained below one per cent for Get The Voice delivered directly to your door every month cation into their own education system was inflict- several years.

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Calvary Church of God in Christ celebrates 70th Annual Holy convocation

O

n Friday 26th August 2022 to Monday 29th August 2022, Calvary Church of God in Christ (COGIC) UK, one of Britain’s oldest Black Pentecostal Churches will be celebrating its 70th Annual Holy Convocation. This will be held at COGIC UK headquarters, 127 Dunstable Road, Luton, Bedfordshire LU1 1BW. The church is currently under the leadership of Bishop Dr. Alvin Blake, who has presided over the jurisdiction since 1998 and had this to say: “Our forefathers have left a great legacy of tirelessly working in the community with both young and old, promoting the saving grace of the Gospel to all people. We want to celebrate our heritage this year by looking at where God has brought us from, to inspire the next generation to exceed our achievements and to push towards their dreams and goals ensuring that their faith in God remains central to all they do.”

The COGIC Choir played a significant part in introducing UK audiences to the Black Church and the power, and spirituality of gospel music To usher us into the next chapter of our faith, we have invited our recently elected International Presiding Bishop and Chief Apostle, Bishop John Drew Sheard to be our keynote speaker during the Convocation.

COGIC UK has a rich history, as it was founded in 1948 by Mother Mary E. McLachlan. The Church was officially incorporated into COGIC in 1952 by Bishop Charles H Mason, who founded the international church in 1918, (and was the first International Leader of COGIC) when he visited the UK for the World Pentecostal Conference.

In 1963, Bishop and Mother McLachlan returned to Jamaica. Superintendent Robert Clifford Bell was installed to continue the work. Under the leadership of Bishop Bell, COGIC UK became prominent not only within the Black Pentecostal community, but across all Christian denominations.

The COGIC Choir played a significant part in introducing UK audiences to the Black Church and the power, and spirituality of gospel music.

They were the first black gospel choir to be featured on the BBC TV Songs of Praise programme with the viewing amongst the highest in the programme’s history.

butions from special guests from the UK and overseas. There will be educational workshops, extravagant praise and empowering preaching over the 4 days.

This year’s Convocation will feature live worship services, a gospel concert, video presentations and contri-

The concert on Friday 26th August will include singing from well-known artists such as: Volney Morgan & New-Ye,

Muyiwa & Riversongs, Becca Folkes, Revelation Choir direct from Denmark, Sarah Watson and Samuel Bella.

This promises to be a wonderful celebration of thanksgiving for COGIC UK’s impact on spiritual and community life thus far. We look forward to celebrating with you.

66 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Faith

Time to reflect on some memorable moments F

HISTORIC APPOINTMENT: The Bishop of Dover, the Rev Rose HudsonWilkin, became the first black woman to be appointed as a bishop in the Church of England. There are now three black bishops within the CoE (photo: Getty Images)

Marcia Dixon MBE looks back on the positive impression her Soul Stirrings column made

OR OVER three decades I edited the Soul Stirrings column in The Voice – a column that was introduced during the early years of the newspaper’s existence to encourage members of the UK’s growing black Christian community and gospel music scene to buy the paper.

Soul Stirrings featured news stories, interviews with church leaders, Christian influencers and gospel artists, and became a must-read for the church community. It was a page that influenced, provided thought leadership and served as a platform for people to raise their profile or raise awareness of their churches/ministries and the impact they were having in the community.

Even now, I meet people who tell me that the Soul Stirrings page was the first section they turned to when they read The Voice. Someone even told me they used the Soul Stirrings notice board section to find clients for their business. And years ago, I received a letter from someone stating an article stopped her from committing suicide.

Over the years, I have interviewed thousands of people, including black theologian James Cones, the late Rev Joel Edwards, the first black man to be appointed as General Secretary of the Evangelical Alliance, Bazil Meade, Muyiwa, TD Jakes and covered a wide range of stories that touched on lots of issues. Here are a few key stories that I recall.

SEEDS OF HOPE

The Seeds of Hope report, published in 1990, was one of the first major stories about the Church of England (CoE) that I reported on.

The publication of the report was a major press event and was hosted by the rising church leader minister of the moment,

Rev John Sentamu. In 2005, he went on to become the first black man to be appointed as the Archbishop of York, the second most senior position in the CoE. Seeds of Hope stated that the Church of England was guilty of institutional racism, which prevented talented black people from being put forward to be considered for leadership positions within the church.

The report called on the church to get rid of racism and start providing opportunities for its black members to serve as leaders.

Since the publication of Seeds of Hope, there has been some important changes within the church.

There has been an increase in the number of black ordinands and appointments of black people to high office within the CoE. There are currently three black bishops within the Church of England, namely the Bishop of Dover, Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin, (the first black woman to be appointed as a CoE bishop), Bishop of Woolwich, Rt Rev Woyin Karowei Dorgu, and Rt Rev Rosemarie Mallett, the newly appointed Bishop of Croydon.

Just recently, three people from the CoE black and Asian community were voted to serve as observant Participants at the House of Bishops, a governing body in the church.

Change takes time and can be slow, but it’s good to see that progress has been made. There will be some that say it’s not enough.

They may well be right but, from my vantage point, it’s evident the CoE has followed through on some of the issues raised in the Seeds of Hope report and that changes have been made.

OPENING OF THE MIRACLE CENTRE

In 1998, a seismic shift took place in Britain’s black Pentecostal church movement.

Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo held the official opening of the Miracle Centre in Hackney, east London.

The 4,000-seater building filled with state-of-the-art sound equipment was the largest church to open in Britain for 100 years and signified to the world the growth of the black church movement here in the UK. Soul Stirrings was one of the first newspapers to feature the story.

The opening of the Miracle Centre — or KICC as it was

@thevoicenewspaper

known — not only highlighted that Christianity was thriving in Britain’s black community, it also served as inspiration to black Pentecostal church leaders, and made them aware that it was possible to plant and grow churches that appealed to the masses. In the years following the opening of KICC’s Miracle Centre, the UK saw a rise in mega-churches that experienced success in attracting hundreds of people to their churches. Notable churches from this era included Glory House in Plaistow, Christian Life Church in Walthamstow, east London, Trinity Baptist Church, west Norwood, Jesus House in Brent Cross and New Wine in Woolwich. Furthermore, Pastor

@thevoicenews

Matthew highlighted that utilising PR and marketing could play a part in helping a church to grow, have societal impact

voicenews

and reach the community. KICC is no longer based at Waterden Road, Hackney. The building was bought and demolished to

www.voice-online.co.uk

AUGUST 2022 THE VOICE | 67

Faith INVESTIGATION: A phone call from a member of the public sparked a probe into the Victory Christian Centre led by Senior Pastor Douglas Goodman, left; below left, Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo held the official opening of the Miracle Centre in Hackney – Soul Stirrings featured the story as Britain’s black Pentecostal church movement grew

VICTORY CHRISTIAN CENTRE

make room for the 2012 London Olympics. However, KICC and its founder Pastor Matthew continue to have a major impact and serve as an inspiration in the church world.

Their church headquarters is now based on a site they’ve named Prayer City in Chatham, Kent. They have 24 branches in the UK, and 32 branches overseas in Nigeria, Ghana, Canada, South Africa, Togo, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ireland, Namibia and Malawi.

Pastor Matthew has also broadened his reach. KICC now have their own TV station which is broadcast on Sky and have fully utilised social media. Pas-

tor Matthew holds live prayer services on his social media platform, attracting thousands of followers across the world.

He stands as a giant in Britain’s black Pentecostal church movement and has proven it’s possible to build a ministry impacting millions.

GMTV GOSPEL CHALLENGE

The UK gospel music scene played a major role in alerting the wider public to the presence of black churches during the 1980s and 1990s.

The Inspirational Choir directed by John Francis (now a

Bishop and leader of Ruach City Church) led the way.

They appeared on the top five chart single Wings of a Dove by the pop group Madness and got a record deal as a result, firstly with independent label Stiff Records and then with CBS Records (now known as Sony Music).

Legendary gospel show People Get Ready, hosted by the then Voice marketing manager Juliet Coley and John Francis, broadcast first on ITV and then Channel 4 from 1988 to 1993 and proved to be very popular.

And there was certainly a vibrant underground gospel music scene. Soul Stirrings always fea-

tured news stories about the UK gospel scene and its artists, so it made sense that in 2001, The Voice joined forces with GMTV (now called GMB) to launch The Voice/GMTV Gospel Challenge (the word challenge was used because Christians didn’t like the term competition).

This challenge aimed to find Britain’s best gospel artist. The winner would receive a record deal with the world’s leading Christian record label at the time, Integrity Music.

The Gospel Challenge created a buzz in the gospel and wider Christian scene because record deals weren’t easy to get.

Winning the competition would be a dream come true for an artist. People sent in their entries from all over the country.

Regional heats were held in London, Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester, and the winners of each heat — Raymond & Co, Robert Barrowdale, Carla Hayles, and Voices of Praise from Leeds — took part in the final, performing live at GMTV

studios. The public had the final say, and they voted for the winners Raymond & Co. The group already had a reputation as one of the best groups in the country. Winning the Gospel Challenge just added to their reputation.

Their debut album for Integrity Music was released to critical acclaim and opened new opportunities for Raymond & Co, which included being invited to be a support act on a UK-wide tour by X Factor winner Will Young and winning a MOBO. The group continued for several years, and remained a popular UK gospel act renowned for their superb vocals. And although they have now disbanded due to family commitments, they retain a special place in the hearts of gospel music lovers.

The GMTV Gospel Challenge without doubt consolidated The Voice’s position of being a major influence in the UK gospel scene at the cutting edge of key developments.

During the 1990s and the early noughties, Victory Christian Centre (VCC) was one of the most well-known black Pentecostal churches.

Baby boomers and Generation Y flocked to hear the teachings of Senior Pastor Douglas Goodman at VCC in Finchley. The church was on the up and up.

All that changed after a church member saw a profile of Pastor Goodman in The Voice. They phoned The Voice newsdesk to say things were not as they seemed at VCC. That phone call sparked an investigation into the church and uncovered allegations of sexual assault and fraud.

Following a court case in 2004, Goodman was jailed for three-and-a-half years for two indecent assaults, one attempted indecent assault and perverting the course of justice.

The Charity Commission also got involved and closed the church as they investigated allegations of fraud and financial mismanagement.

The goings on at VCC were a talking point within the church community and highlighted that churches, just like other institutions, were susceptible to the temptations of sex, money and power, and the negative ramifications that can occur when giving in to them.

In spite of the court case, Douglas Goodman is still involved in pastoring and provides leadership at Victory 2 Victory church.

68 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Tributes

Golden legacies of black heroes

W

HERE TO START? There are so many inspirational and highly significant figures who joined the ancestors during the life of The Voice.

We could fill a whole newspaper with tributes to everyone, and it was a hard choice to come up with our selection to profile here.

Missing from the list below, but held in the highest esteem, are people like Daniel De Gale, whose battle against leukaemia inspired a successful campaign that has saved many hundreds of lives.

There are also Windrush pioneers like Sam King, who fought for Britain in the RAF before becoming one of Britain’s early black councillors and a preacher.

Here are some others who have also made black British history and left a positive legacy.

Val McCalla (3rd Oct 1943 – 22nd August 2002)

Val Irvine McCalla – the man who revolutionised Britain’s newspaper industry. McCalla was the founder of The Voice Newspaper – Britain’s first black-owned paper in 1982.

He was a pioneer of black news. He had the vision to make black people feel heard – to give them a voice.

McCalla arrived in Britain from Kingston, Jamaica when he was 15 and was part of the Windrush generation, looking for a ‘better life’. Settled in England, he quickly realised that the representation of black people, but especially British-born black people was almost non-existing.

The Voice established itself as an important pillar of the black community as well as a campaigner against, racism. McCalla’s legacy lives on today as The Voice continues to provide opportunities for black journalists,

celebrates the communities’ accomplishments and spreads awareness on Afrocentric themes. Val McCalla has truly written Black British history.

Professor Stuart Hall (3rd Feb 1932 – 10th Feb 2014)

Stuart Henry McPhail hall was a Jamaican-British academic, political

The Voice pays tribute to great black Britons who passed in the last 40 years activist, professor, and Marxist sociologist. He was a pioneer of cultural studies and a significant founding figure of the Birmingham Centre for Contemporary Cultural studies (CCCS) in 1964.

Hall’s work played a crucial and central role in innovating the field of cultural studies by including the impact of race and gender on social, economic as well as cultural systems.

He was seen as one of Britain’s most influential and leading cultural theorists.

Betty Campbell (6th Nov 1934 – 13th Oct 2017)

Born and raised as a working-class black girl, Betty Campbell worked her way up and became Wales’ first black head teacher. She was awarded a scholarship to Lady Margaret High School for Girls in Cardiff.

She quickly realised she wanted to become a teacher, but her dreams were crushed by discouraging words from her white head teacher. Despite her doubters, Campbell made history and became headteacher at Mount Stuart in the 1970s. She introduced black culture to the school’s curriculum which became a template for multicultural education throughout Britain.

Felix Dexter (26th July 1961 18th Oct 2013)

Comedian, Actor and writer Felix Dexter never failed to make his audience laugh. The Saint-Kitts-born British artist was known for his acting in Down The Line and Citizen Khan.

Dexter travelled to the United Kingdom at the age of seven, where he later studied law at University College London. His stand-up comedy career

only kicked off after his studies when he began touring late-night comedy venues in London. His talent to make people smile didn’t stay undetected – after his performance at the Hackney Empire Theatre, Dexter was hired to work with the black and Asian cast on the BBC sketch comedy show The Real McCoy which was a jump start to his career.

Darcus Howe (26th Feb 1943 – 1st April 2017)

Earl Cameron (8th Aug 1917 – 3rd Jul 2020)

The Trinidadian writer, broadcaster, and racial justice campaigner Darcus Howe played a massive role in the Black Power movement in Britain in the 1970s. As part of the British Black Panthers, he organised a peaceful protest for the Caribbean restaurant, The Mangrove, in Notting Hill. It was a safe space for the black community but was repeatedly raided and attempted to shut down by the police.

Howe was one of the black activists known as ‘Mangrove Nine’ who were tried and prosecuted for provoking a riot which led to the biggest Black Power trial in British History. The trial concluded in the first judicial acknowledgement of arrests motivated by racial hatred within the metropolitan police in Britain.

Paulette Wilson (20th March 1956 – 23rd July 2020)

Nearly deported in 2017, Paulette Wilson involuntarily became the face of the Windrush scandal. Wilson legally moved from Jamaica to Britain when she was about 10 years old. She went to school at Telford and later worked most of her life as a chef, including at the House of Commons staff restaurant.

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After raising a family and paying taxes for 34 years, Wilson received a letter in 2016 stating she was an illegal immigrant – immediately having to return to Jamaica.

She became homeless and was arrested twice.

Media coverage of Wilson’s story encouraged dozens of Caribbean migrants to come forward, which is now known as Windrush Scandal.

From dishwasher to Britain’s first black film star - Earl Cameron pulled himself out of poverty and is now a role model for many black Britons. After acting on London’s West End stage, Cameron became a shining star in Britain’s film industry. The Bermudian actor was especially famous and praised for his rejection of acting roles that degrade and stereotype black people. He had his debut with the lead role in the 1951 film Pool of London.

laid the foundation for the Race Relations Act 1965 which made racial discrimination illegal. Born in Port of Spain as the daughter of a Barbadian father and a Trinidadian mother, she also became the first black female governor of the BBC.

Lenford Alphonso (Kwesi) Garrison (13th June 1943 – 18th Feb 2003)

Lenford Alphonso Garrison made it his life mission to focus on the varying lived experiences of black British people by also promoting the pieces of black writers.

Garrison founded the Afro-Caribbean Educational Resource (ACER).

He argued the British education system failed to give black children a sense of identity because of the lacking teachings on black history and culture. He also established the Black Cultural Archives (BCA) which plays a major role in preserving, recording, and celebrating black history.

Menelik Shabazz (30th May 1954 – 28th June 2021)

Lights, camera, action – Menelik Shabazz transformed Britain’s film industry with his visions and his brand-new ideas. He was the pioneer in the development of Black British cinema. The Barbados-born British film director and producer emigrated to the UK as a five-year-old. Shabazz put contemporary British filmmak-

Dame Jocelyn Barrow (15th April 1929 – 9th April 2020)

Dame Jocelyn Anita Barrow was a community activist, educator and co-founder and general secretary of the Campaign Against Racial Discrimination (CARD) in the mid1960s.

In 1959, Barrow arrived in Britain and actively

@thevoicenews

voicenews

ing back on the map over the last 30 years. He was best known for his 1981 film Burning an Illusion which was described as the first film to give a black woman a voice.

By Sarah Danquah www.voice-online.co.uk

Lifestyle Former Arts Editor Davina Hamilton remembers... p72

TV, FILM AND THE VOICE

BUFF founder looks back

No Young Voices, no future Voice p76-77

Travis Alabanza looks ahead to Trans Vegas p84

70 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Lifestyle

Black creatives led the trends and shaped culture in UK

SHE’S IN FASHION: Model Jourdan Dunn; below, Richard Blackwood and Moira Stuart CBE

The Voice has always sought to bring you the best of creative Black Britain. By Joel Campbell

I

F YOU started from the front page of this celebratory edition of The Voice, you should, by now have a sense of the struggle, the fight, the push to have all things that emanate from the Black British experience elevated to be seen as just as important as anyone else’s. That includes entertainment and the arts.

These pages over the past 40 years have been called a number of different names. Some may have been introduced to them when they were called 24-7, or more recently Lifestyle, but whenever content has sat in this section, it has strived to deliver the same thing consistently.

And that’s presenting Black excellence, the African, Caribbean and Black British culture in all of its diverse facets.

LIFE

Black people bring so much to the table from so many creative walks of life. In fact, if necessary, we’re prepared to build our own tables. Take Marlon Palmer for example.

For the best part of the past three decades, Palmer, the founder of Kush Cinema Online, has forged a lane in the delivery of Black independent films, never wavering from his deep held belief that, as a community, Black people ‘really now needed to start focusing on ownership, being even more self-determining and have a greater say in helping disadvantaged independent filmmakers showcase, distribute and monetize their content.’

His journey is one The Voice is proud to have supported from the jump. (Check out our interview with Palmer on our website to learn more).

“Black people bring so much to the table from so many creative walks of life” In the world of film, there are too many names to mention in this piece that have significantly delivered in their field, making a major contribution to the wider industry.

However, check out our story with British Urban Film Festival’s Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe MBE, who looks back on some of the prominent names that have been both featured in The Voice in the past four decades and have been awarded on his platform.

If it’s hard to narrow down the focus in film, trying to do the same with music is impossible.

There is no narrowing down what black people have done for the musical landscape in this country. Black people are inte-

gral. Black people are the beat.

Black people are the vibe.

From Chineke! Orchestra to Chip, from Soul II Soul to Summer Walker, from Soca to Seal, from Sade to Unknown T, Garage, Grime, Jungle, Jah Shaka, Drill, Dubstep, Dancehall, we’ve covered it all in the past 40 years.

When no mainstream entity understood what Eski Beat was, we did. When no mainstream understood the significance of the house party, we did. When Dizzie Rascal’s I Love You was sending the streets mental, we gauged the temperature and brought you the story.

We’re proud of multi-instrumentalist jazz musician Courtney Pine CBE, we’re proud of classical-soul pioneer, composer, producer and pianist Alexis Ffrench and proud of cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason and his talented family, and we’ve been there as a newspaper to tell their stories.

Black people have permeated every area of the industry leaving an indelible mark where ever they go. From Hackney Downs and Brockwell Park all dayers to 51st State and Wireless festivals, we’ve covered it and everything

@thevoicenewspaper

in between. Take a look at some of the names that have an important hand in shaping the culture today, such as Taponeswa Mavunga, Director of Africa at Sony Music UK, industry executives and Ghanaian London-born twin brothers, Alec and Alex Boateng who are co-presidents of 0207, Def Jam, and Faron McKenzie, Head of Station at BBC Radio 1Xtra, YolanDa Brown, recently appointed Chair of the BPI – The Voice has charted their evolution and growth.

Moving into the world of fashion, we have always done it, but must again salute Edward Enninful OBE, for his powerful work which has enabled so many to go on and fulfil their dreams.

Just as potent for the Black community is Naomi Campbell’s career. The model, mother and businesswoman remains a beacon of inspiration 37 years after her career began, a story we’ve loved documenting along the way. Jourdan Dunn was the first black model on the cover of UK Vogue in 12 years, and the first black British supermodel to ever

@thevoicenews

enter Forbes rich list. Few in the world of fashion and modelling have done it bigger than Enninful, Campbell and Dunn.

On television, we’ve never been better represented both in front of the camera and behind the scenes.

The industry is awash with Black talent consisting of top tier names across the board.

EXPERTISE

Barbara Blake Hannah, Moira Stuart CBE, Charlene White, June Sarpong MBE, Trisha Goddard and many more have represented for the women in their areas of presenting expertise.

The likes of Sir Trevor McDonald OBE, Clive Myrie, Jordan Jarrett-Bryan, Rageh Omaar and Alex Beresford among a host of others, have and continue to fly the flag for black men. In comedy, from The Lenny Henry Show, birthed in 1984 two years after this paper was first printed, to the more recent Channel 4 double-BAFTA-winning, The Lateish

voicenews

Show with Mo Gilligan, The Voice has been there to ensure the narrative around these success stories is coloured by the Black perspective.

From seeing the Black Comedy circuit featuring the likes of Gina Yashere, London Hughes, Eddie Kadi, Slim, Robbie Gee, Geoff Schumann, Curtis Walker, Richard Blackwood and Kojo, to seeing each and every one of those artists reach their pinnacle, this paper has been there.

Under no illusions that art, music, fashion, film, theatre, radio, comedy, gaming and everything else that flies under the banner of Arts and Entertainment is informed by and informs society as whole, The Voice takes its position as the narrator of the story very seriously.

The Black experience must be delivered with complete authenticity. There’s no compromise on this. The next 40 years represent an exciting time for this newspaper and everyone else interested in what comes from creative Black Britain.

www.voice-online.co.uk

AUGUST 2022 THE VOICE | 71

Lifestyle

Jay-Ann blazing the game trail J AY-ANN LOPEZ, the CEO and founder of Black Girl Gamers, wants to see greater representation in leadership and equity spread among black people, as one of the biggest industries moves forward.

Lopez, 30, has been blazing a trail in the world of gaming for the last seven years, galvanising and educating a growing audience via her online platform.

While this newspaper doesn’t have a 40-year history of celebrating our contribution to the gaming space, alongside the likes of Lopez, the future looks bright.

“In terms of 40 years time, I would love to see more leaders that are black in gaming. I mean in terms of director-level talent and above,” Lopez says.

Black Girl Gamers is an online safe space and platform that heightens the visibility of black women in gaming and advocates for diversity and inclusion.

The entrepreneur has partnered with V&A Museum, Belong Gaming Arenas, Facebook and Twitch to curate events that

Black Girl Gamers founder Jay-Ann Lopez shares her vision for the next 40 years highlight the need for inclusion in the industry. She has won awards and has been requested to speak at Twitter, Unilever, Wellcome Collection and Microsoft on the need for improvement in dominant gaming culture and how companies can do more.

Speaking to Lifestyle, she enthused: “In these companies you don’t see much diversity, which also leads to a lot of the problems through either unconscious bias or very conscious bias. And the thing is, 52 per

“I would love to see more leaders that are black at director level”

cent of gamers in the UK are women and a lot of gamers in general, in terms of the percentage of up-and-coming gamers, are young black teens.

“So it’s a bit interesting as to why the industry is quite monolithic, especially in the UK where, I think, 80 per cent are white men, and very low percentages of other races, even though the UK is a huge hub for major gaming studios that disseminate their products all over the world. So in terms of the next 40 years. I’d like to see more black and non-white leadership in the companies.”

Between 2019 and 2020, the number of video game users in the UK jumped from 33 million to over 36 million. With over 50 per cent of the population embracing gaming as a form of fun, entertainment or distraction

amidst the pandemic, the UK’s video game market has come to be valued at over £5 billion.

Since its foundation in 2015, Black Girl Gamers has grown from a small Facebook group into a thriving collective of 8,000plus black women around the globe – all with a shared passion for gaming and a shared ambition to make an impact on it.

Looking ahead from a personal perspective, Lopez is bullish.

“I’d like to see Black Girl Gamers grow in its scale and its locations. I’d like to continue what we are doing in terms of our content and in terms of brokering black women the opportunities and creating more equity in the space, and I’d like to create industry-shaking events, which I am already doing, but I want them to get bigger and better.

“That’s the next 40 years for black girl gamers and for the next 40 years of gaming. Just more stories, more leaders and more representation and equity in the space for black and nonwhite people.”

JOEL CAMPBELL

VISIONARY: Jay-Ann Lopez has demonstrated her ambition

03 – 24 Sep

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Season Partner

72 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Lifestyle

40 years of building careers

Former Arts Editor, Davina Hamilton, salutes The Voice for enabling hundreds of aspiring writers to develop solid careers in journalism

A

S I began reflecting on my time at The Voice, I realised that it was 20 years ago that I joined the company. In May of 2002, as a fresh-faced 19-year-old (oh, to be young again), I walked through the doors of the organisation, which was then located on Stockwell Road in Brixton, South London.

I began my tenure as an intern on work experience – I left 14 years later as the publication’s Arts Editor.

This legacy of moulding aspiring writers into fully-fledged journalists is, for me, one of the company’s greatest achievements. In its 40-year history, The Voice has given countless young writers, myself included, the opportunity to begin and develop a career in journalism.

From sourcing stories to perfecting paragraphs – and then delivering on deadline day – so many skills were learned, experiences had, and careers built thanks to The Voice.

VARIETY

When I think about my many (many) endeavours with the company, the word that springs to mind is: variety. My time at The Voice saw me going from work experience intern to editorial assistant, then on to Arts Reporter and finally Arts Editor.

These many roles saw me undertaking a host of varied tasks, from compiling the newspaper’s listings pages; to reviewing concerts and West End musicals; to interviewing a slew of stars, including Chaka Khan, Cuba Gooding Jr, Kelly Rowland, So Solid Crew, Idris Elba and Sir Lenny Henry, to name a few.

With the world of arts encompassing music, theatre, film, literature, dance, fashion, culture and so much more, my remit as Arts Reporter and Arts Editor was broad!

Among my fun-filled endeavours was organising a Carnivalthemed photo shoot, for which I commissioned a ‘model’ (it was actually my sister – budget restraints and all that) to dem-

KEEP ON RUNNING: Davina on London’s South Bank with Mr Motivator; below, our former Arts Editor helped launch Sunday Night Live in 2010 and paid tribute to The Real McCoy star Felix Dexter who died in 2013

“The Voice has given young writers the opportunity to develop a career in journalism” onstrate a range of the most popular dancehall dances at the time.

For each picture, I wrote up meticulous descriptions of dances including ‘Signal di Plane’, ‘Give Dem a Run’ and many more. Aside from being tons of fun, it also allowed me the opportunity to showcase and celebrate the impact that Jamaica’s dancehall culture has worldwide.

Similarly fun was a feature I compiled to promote the 2010 comedy show, Sunday Night Live. The groundbreaking event saw nine UK comedians take to the stage at London’s Hammersmith Apollo – and me being me, I decided to commission a photo shoot and interviews with all of the participating comedians ahead of the event.

So, on a breezy afternoon in London, top comedy talents, Tameka Empson, the late Felix Dexter, Leo Muhammad, Curtis Walker, Richard Blackwood, Miss London, Slim, Eddie Kadi and Kevin J, descended into The Voice office, where I interviewed them all – one by one – before they gathered together for the group photo shoot. A day full of laughter that celebrated these much-loved comedy talents. With the Black British comedy

scene having a special place in my heart, I will be forever proud of my 2012 campaign, Bring Back The Real McCoy. After attending an event that same year, which celebrated the 21st anniversary of the beloved BBC sketch show, I got a real bee in my bonnet that the cutting-edge comedy – which aired from 1991-1996 – had never been re-run by the BBC or released on DVD. As a result, I swiftly penned an article, titled Bring Back The Real McCoy, which lobbied the BBC to make the sketch show available on DVD, or at very least, re-run it on one of the numerous BBC channels.

Countless readers showed their support by way of emails; former cast members added their voices to the campaign; and I followed up with several more

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customers can receive in Caribbean takeaways – in my article, Curse Of The Caribbean Takeaway.

HERO

articles. The BBC’s initial response to The Voice stated they would not be releasing the show on DVD, as “we do not feel there is a big enough market to justify the investment.”

However, in 2017, it was announced that the BBC would be releasing series one of The Real McCoy via their platform, BBC Store, and three years later, in 2020, the sketch show was aired on BBC iPlayer.

Though I’d left The Voice by 2016, I was pleased to see the show I’d championed so passionately finally getting the rerun it deserved. My affiliation

@thevoicenews

with The Real McCoy meant that I was enlisted to write the obituaries following the passing of two of the show’s cast members: Collette Johnson and Felix Dexter, who both died in 2013. Writing these tributes was heart-wrenching. But I’m proud that I was able to celebrate their legacies through writing, which was the best way I could.

These are just a few of the articles that spring to mind for me, but frankly, there are too many features to mention.

I loved exploring Caribbean food culture – specifically the notoriously harsh treatment

voicenews

I was enthralled as I explored the history of the Benin bronzes – and other African artefacts – that had been looted through colonialism and now reside in British museums – for my article, Should Britain Return Africa’s Stolen Treasures?

I went for a run (twice!) through London’s South Bank with fitness hero, Mr Motivator; I waxed lyrical with Stephen Marley, below left, and listened to him share precious memories of his late father, reggae legend, Bob Marley; and I had the pleasure of visiting Nelson Mandela’s former home during a press trip to Soweto, South Africa.

To say my experiences at The Voice were varied would be an understatement. My 14 years with the company were educational and entertaining in equal measure – and I’m immensely proud to be part of the publication’s 40-year legacy.

www.voice-online.co.uk

ADVERTORIAL

AUGUST 2022

THE VOICE| 73

SUMMER:

In the Black Fantastic at Southbank Centre

T

his summer, the Southbank Centre is exploring contemporary Black art and culture with an extraordinary season of multi-artform events, featuring a major five-star exhibition, outdoor art, music and performance as well as plenty of free events.

Art and exhibitions

The Summer events are inspired by the latest Hayward Gallery exhibition, In the Black Fantastic, curated by writer and broadcaster Ekow Eshun, open now until Sunday 18 September.

It’s the UK’s first major show dedicated to the work of Black artists who draw on science fiction, myth and Afrofuturism to question our knowledge of the world.

Time Out called the exhibition ‘defiant, empowering and brazenly loud’ and The Evening Standard gave it five stars and stated there’s ‘Unlikely to be a better show this year.’

Encompassing painting, photography, video, sculpture and installations, the exhibition creates immersive aesthetic experiences.

Fantasy becomes a zone of creative and cultural liberation and a means of addressing racism and social injustice by conjuring new ways of being in the world.

In the Black Fantastic is at the Hayward Gallery from Wednesday - Sunday until 18 September 2022. The gallery is open late until 9pm every Wednesday.

Tickets are £13.50 and there is a special £5 ticket offer available for under-30s and Lambeth residents.

There is also free outdoor art across the site (until Sunday 4 September) showcasing artists who use fantasy in their work, including renowned artists Hew Locke, Wangechi Mutu and Lina Iris Viktor.

Summer: In the Black Fantastic

Dive into contemporary Black art and culture with the Southbank Centre’s summer season, taking inspiration from the themes of the Hayward Gallery exhibition In the Black Fantastic.

Riverside Stage IMAGE CREDIT: Lina Iris Viktor, Eleventh © 2018. Courtesy the Artist

Throughout the summer there will also

FREE RIVERSIDE STAGE

Faggamuffin Bloc Party S AT 6 AUG

BORN N BREAD S AT 6 & SUN 7 AUG

Brownton Abbey FRI 12 – SUN 14 AUG

SXWKS FRI 19 – SUN 21 AUG

Circle FRI 26 & S AT 27 AUG

Colourful S AT 27 – MON 29 AUG

Music

The Southbank Centre’s venues will be alive with a varied programme of music as part of Summer: In the Black Fantastic, spanning club, cosmic and cutting-edge new talent.

On Saturday 30 & Sunday 31 July, futuristic dub techno from Space Afrika meets readings selected by legendary editor Ellah P Wakatama in an evening exploring the Black experience through a fantastic lens.

Alabama’s Pink Siifu will also step into the Queen Elizabeth Hall foyer on Saturday 6 August with support from Goya Gumbani and muva of Earth. Together they swing through notes of soul, punk, jazz, rap and experimental.

See a glorious free music and dance performance on Friday 12 August by Kinetika Bloco, a performance company creating a unique new British carnival sound, which engages young people from south London in creative activity.

Lose yourself in the soulful world of singer-songwriter Tawiah’s poignant second album, Ertha, created in collaboration with artist Al Moore on Saturday 27 August.

London-based rapper and producer John Glacier carves soundscapes with her punk-poet electronic songs on Saturday 3 September.

Talks

Writers Courttia Newland and Michael Salu discuss the fantastical in their work with Ellah P Wakatama at literary event Writing in the Black Fantastic on Thursday 15 September.

Visit: southbankcentre.co.uk for the full summer programme.

VISIONARY GIGS

Shakedown FRI 5 AUG

be free DJ takeovers, live music and performance on the Riverside Stage, with artists exploring how the fantastic can be a gateway to Black creative and cultural liberation. Guest curators and artists include sxwks, Faggamuffin Bloc Party, BORN N BREAD, Brownton Abbey, Cocoa Butter Club and Colourful.

SUMMER

Ellah P Wakatama x Space Afrika x Alistair MacKinnon S AT 30 & SUN 31 JUL

IN THE BLACK FANTASTIC

Pink Siifu & Tha NEGRO ALIVE’!

Experience + Goya Gumbani + muva of Earth

DI V E IN TO NE W BL ACK A R T A ND CULT URE

S AT 6 AUG

UN T IL SUNDAY 18 SEP T EMBER

In the Black Fantastic x Tawiah + Al Moore S AT 27 AUG

John Glacier S AT 3 SEP

74 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

This is Brukout!

by Seani B

Congratulations!!!

This is Brukout! looks back on 20 highlights from the UK’s reggae radio past

I

T’S A month of celebrations all over – whether it is 40 years of this excellent publication, 20 years of BBC Radio 1Xtra or the 60th anniversary of independence for Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago.

This month I thought I would take a walk down memory lane and salute some of the major achievements in one of my fields of operation: radio.

The radio station I am on, BBC Radio 1Xtra, celebrates its 20th anniversary on August 16 and I am honoured to say that I am one of only three presenters who has lasted the course and is still here to this day.

However, the accolades and landmarks began way before my time and I want to look back at some of those things that have helped build and maintain a scene here in the UK. So, in no particular order, here are 20 hotshot highlights from the UK’s reggae radio past.

4. DBC – FIRST BLACK OWNED PIRATE FOCUSING ON REGGAE The iconic logo of DBC has become a UK staple, and its role in ensuring reggae fans got to hear the music they love in west London fed the soul and spirit of many radio stations that followed. Margaret and Lepke Anderson led the way in revolutionising reggae radio from their studios in Ladbroke Grove in 1979.

1. CHOICE FM BEGINS BROADCASTING The dawn of a new age for black music radio which saw real, authentic representation 24/7 in London.

Primarily broadcasting on 96.9FM and repping south London, Choice FM broke so many barriers and truly paved the way for many iterations of radio you now hear and see.

6. CHRIS GOLDFINGER ON RADIO 1 – STRAIGHT DANCEHALL VIBES As the sound of the music changed, the style of presenting and DJing on air also shifted.

Chris Goldfinger’s legendary reggae dancehall night on Radio 1 aired from 1996-2009 and brought the essence of the dancehall live to air every weekend, with a man who was at the core of that movement out in the streets.

2. DADDY ERNIE – FIVE TIMES A WEEK One of the innovations of Choice was creating a five-night-a-week reggae and dancehall show at prime time! Daddy Ernie’s Superjam ran from 7-9pm Monday through to Friday.

3. 1XTRA BEGINS The summer of 2002 saw the BBC start the “legal pirate” – BBC 1Xtra began broadcasting on the new digital technology DAB across the whole of the UK. With a line up that included Robbo Ranx, DJ Amarley and International sounds such as Mighty Crown and Tony Matterhorn, I’m still proudly on the station now and spreading the good vibes on Caribbean music. The journey continues!

5. RANKING MISS P ON RADIO 1 The DBC experience led to the first national reggae show on Radio 1 – presented by the Ranking Miss P. The show aired in the mid-1980s on a Sunday night and was the only outlet for many reggae listeners across the UK. Miss P also presented a reggae show on the BBC World Service which has in excess of 180 million listeners.

7. WNK NORTH LONDON Wicked, Neutral and Kicking began life as a pirate station for north London.

Its owner Joe Douglas was himself a reggae and soca DJ. At the end of the 1980s, the station went legal, sharing a frequency with London Greek Radio in a unique on-air split and time share. The set up didn’t work favourably for either party but the raw vibes that WNK brought saw them bolster the on-air offering in London in the early 1990s.

8. STING ON 1XTRA / 2003 Boxing Day in Jamaica saw the annual live event that would be spoken about for weeks to come. I remember waiting for the tapes of Sting to be

unique deal with the owners of Reggae Sunsplash in Jamaica.

They produced two sold-out shows at Crystal Palace FC’s Selhurst Park ground.

The show couldn’t get a licence in 1986, but returned the following year for a record-breaking show with an attendance of over 200,000 at Clapham Common.

13.COMMANDER B The art of broadcasting is getting and keeping the attention of your target audience. Each night on Choice FM, Commander B the VIP did this with his popular “Night Flight” show. Every night without fail I was locked in, but to be truthful, it was the talent competition that he used to run that made me lock in to find out who would get the flush

LEGEND: Ranking Miss P presented the first national reggae show on Radio 1 during the mid-1980s circulating in my community so we could hear who clashed with who and how it really went down. In 2003, Robbo Ranx with 1Xtra went to Jamaica to record the event and played it on air a few days later – a revolutionary moment! It was amazing to hear something which was so central to the culture being respected and appreciated by an organisation like the BBC. The broadcast won a prestigious award for its handling of the Vybz Kartel vs Ninjaman clash that went further than music.

9. BIG JOHN ON GALAXY It’s not just about London though – the Midlands had its fair share of pioneers and the next two points salute two real revolutionaries.

The first is broadcaster Big John. The four-nights-a-week show began in 1994 and stayed on air for 11 years. His influence on dancehall and reggae cannot be understated. Big up Daddy Crucial as well who brought his style to the network at the same time. Galaxy went on to be owned by Capital and the programming outlook changed (now where have we heard that before?)

@thevoicenewspaper

10. PCRL BIRMINGHAM “We give people who have no voice a means of expressing what they are feeling. For us, it’s all about freedom of speech. It is our human right to be heard.”

The words of PCRL owner and pioneer Cecil Morris after the Birmingham-based free station was raided and Morris himself was charged for unlawful broadcasting. The importance of PCRL cannot be ignored. It was set up just after the Handsworth Riots in 1985 and has been noted as an important outlet for the community at that time.

11. TONY WILLIAMS REGGAE TIME – BBC LONDON When you talk about core essentials in my upbringing, then this is right up there.

Sunday afternoons on BBC Radio London, particularly in summer, were an event.

This was the true definition of “appointment to listen” radio.

Big tunes, big guests and something for everyone.

12. CAPITAL RADIO / REGGAE SUNSPLASH 1987 In the mid 1980s, The Capital Radio Music Festival struck a

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14. BUJU BANTON’S FIRST RADIO INTERVIEW AFTER RELEASE It was the most sought-after interview in recent radio history.

After being incarcerated for over a decade, everyone wanted to hear Gargamel speak. I remember my barber Kirk telling me, “Seani you got this”.

I truly never believed until I got the call. Not only did I get the exclusive but also Buju’s first ever live performance for a radio station 15. PIRATES ANTHEM – SHABBA RANKS, COCOA TEA, HOME T The importance of pirate radio to the UK Black music scene is unparalleled.

When the playlists of the mainstream legal radio stations did not cater to fans of black music, especially reggae and dancehall, it was the job of these community radios to make us know who were tomorrow’s stars.

Released in 1988, Pirates Anthem sung about the cat and mouse game between these illegal broadcasters and the DTI who was the government’s department to dismantle these stations.

Fun fact, When Kiss FM became a legal station in 1990, this was the first song they played on air.

voicenews

16. INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY SESSION This has been one of the most important sessions I’ve recorded in Jamaica for 1Xtra.

Lila Ike, Sevana, Jaz Elise and Naomi Cowan are shining examples of when a DJ and artists work together. The relationship I have with these four queens resulted in this session. With over 12m views on YouTube, it became one of the biggest moments in 2020.

17. RODIGAN V BARRY G In 1985, we saw two heavyweights of radio face off in a clash that is in the history scrolls of reggae radio.

David Rodigan representing the UK and Barry G repping Jamaica for what many know as the Sleng Teng clash. This clash was broadcast in Jamaica on JBC Radio 1 and on Capital Radio in the UK simultaneously.

18. WORLD CLASH ON 1XTRA Irish and Chin’s popular “Sound System World Clash” just recently closed its curtains for the last time in Birmingham.

However, when it was a growing brand with its events in New York, Montego Bay and London, BBC Radio 1Xtra was there to showcase the rich culture of Soundsystem.

19.REGGAE SESSIONS ON JOHN PEEL Long before I was going to Jamaica recording sessions for the BBC, we would have to give thanks for being remembered by broadcasting legends like John Peel from time to time.

Known for his eclectic taste in music, John had the reggae stars like Bob Marley and the Wailers, Aswad and Maxi Priest all perform sessions for him 20. MACHEL MONTANO ON 1XTRA Even though it’s not reggae, it was a win for everyone when international soca star Machel Montano became a host of the first national soca show on the newly formed Radio 1Xtra.

It was a big coup to get the biggest soca star to host the show and add the level of authenticity to the programme.

Big up his co-host, DJ Slic, too.

www.voice-online.co.uk

AUGUST 2022 THE VOICE | 75

This is Brukout!

How The Voice has covered the scene down the years...

BIG COUP: Clockwise from left, Machel Montano became host

of the first national soca show on Radio 1Xtra, Maxi Priest, Aswad in concert at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire as part of the Island Records 50th Anniversary Festival in 2009, soundclash champion David Rodigan, and the one and only Bob Marley in concert

76 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Lifestyle

Thank you for everything!

Former Young Voices editor Dionne Grant reflects on how much she owes to getting that first life-changing chance

I

REMEMBER THE day so vividly. It was a sunny Saturday afternoon in 2006 when I pulled into a quaint, gravelcovered car park at a north London pub to interview the cover star of my first Young Voices magazine as Editor.

A few moments later, the sound of tyres slowly turning into the car park grabbed my attention. Driving past my parked vehicle, there he was.

Behind the wheel was the man of the moment, the star of the newly-released UK box office smash Kidulthood, and the reluctant heartthrob of longrunning TV series The Bill, none other than Aml Ameen.

He flashed me his winning smile, and a wave, before parking up and walking back to my car to greet me. As endearing as you can imagine, Ameen asked about my journey, thanked me for the opportunity, and led the way into the beautiful venue for our interview.

INVESTED

“Young Voices saw the future in me early, and invested in a part of my history. For that, I’m forever grateful,” Ameen tells me when we reflect on the first time we met 16 years ago.

“It was a new time in black youth popular culture. I was on The Bill every Wednesday and Thursday, and you could see me in the cinema with Kidulthood. It was a magical time and an important time. The visual representation of a young London black British actor, who was relatable to people on the street, was powerful. It was a seed that went into the minds of generations to come after.”

Ameen, who has racked up a number of film and TV credits since our cover interview, recently celebrated the release of his directorial debut, Boxing Day. Part inspired by his own life, Boxing Day made history by becoming the first British Christmas rom-com led by a majority black cast, starring Ameen, Little Mix star Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and How To Get Away With Murder actress Aja Naomi King.

“My fondest memory has to be that Dionne Grant had the biggest crush on me,” he laughs.

“And if not that, it would be that later many people said they had my Young Voices poster on their wall.”

“Happy Anniversary to The Voice newspaper,” he adds.

Regarding the “crush” claim, there’s his side, my side, and the truth.

The months followed a similar pattern. I met and interviewed a number of homegrown and international stars for Young Voices, including Mary J Blige, Ashley Walters, Chris Brown, Popcaan, Jamelia (who was in the launch issue alongside Ameen), Krept & Konan, Sisqo, and the late Jamal Edwards MBE, to name a few.

But, I didn’t do it alone. I was also able to build a strong team of freelancers who contributed interviews with some of the hottest celebrities of the moment, fashion features, skincare tips, wonderful lifestyle editorials, and we had our very own agony uncle. Together, we built a double award-winning publication.

This team, much too many to name, has since gone on to take the industry by storm! But much like it was for me, Young Voices provided that launchpad.

I had been a journalist at The Voice for about a year when I was offered the opportunity to become Editor of Young Voices, a standalone magazine – previous iterations saw the publication, aimed at 13-18 year-olds, as a pullout in the main newspaper. But this was different.

This would sit on shelves of the shops I would frequent and my name and picture would be

IN GOOD COMPANY: Dionne’s big break with The Voice means she has been able to meet many stars over the years, such as British singersongwriter Lisa Maffia; below left, Dionne with a gong at the Urban Music Awards and the cover featuring ‘crush’ Aml Ameen

beside the word “Editor. What?!

I had worked hard for this moment. My journey at The Voice had started as a two-week work placement and I had worked my socks off to secure a permanent position. But, still, the imposter syndrome was real.

I was young and nervous, but excited about the task ahead and went about building what would become my most treasured memory and biggest accomplishment in almost 20 years in the media industry.

In 2007, two years into editing my “baby”, as I would affectionately call it, Young Voices

won its first award. Accepting the Best Publication gong at the Urban Music Awards was completely unexpected. I had no speech planned, and was completely blown away by the honour, especially in a category that featured some of my favourite publications.

I was shy and awkward, but with my colleague Joel Campbell, the current Entertainment Editor at The Voice, by my side (and over-plucked eyebrows and no make-up), we went up to collect the award. And, just to make sure I didn’t find my way back into my comfort zone, Young Voices won in the same category the following year.

I was now the Editor of a double awardwinning magazine!

But, it wasn’t always fun, parties, and meeting celebrities. Deadline day was hard, stressful, and probably in cluded some of the longest days I’ve ever worked in my career. On one occasion, I

“The Voice has been an essential tool in launching the careers of many black journalists” worked from 9am to 3pm the following day.

There would be times writer’s block would mean you’d stare at a blank page for hours on end or you’d be forced to fill a page because an article or an advert you had expected didn’t come in, or a technical issue meant the designer couldn’t send the magazine to the printers.

You name it, we experienced it. But, would I change anything about that experience?

Short answer? No. In an industry such as the media, it’s a prerequisite to have tough skin. And there’s no experience quite as toughening as editing a publication.

So many expectations, so many demands, so much logistics, meetings, planning, bartering, the list is endless.

There’s no doubt in my mind that my longevity in this

industry is down to my experience at the Editor of Young Voices .

I am currently the senior manager of publishing at BuzzFeed UK, the London-based arm of an international media company, where I manage the social strategy for three media brands – BuzzFeed UK , our namesake, Tasty UK , our food vertical, and Seasoned , our black British vertical.

The latter is probably one of my greatest achievements in this role. I am one of the founding members of Seasoned , a platform created by myself and black staff across the business who wanted to see themselves represented in the content produced by the company.

If becoming the Editor of Young Voices has taught me anything, it’s to be the change you want to see.

The Voice has been an essential tool in the media landscape, launching the careers of many black journalists, including myself, and ‘Thank You’ for the lessons, the experiences, the opportunities and the tools, will never seem like enough.

Happy 40th Birthday, The Voice . May you continue to flourish and thrive in the ever-changing media landscape. The work you do is vital and the changes you make immeasurable.

Thank you for everything.

AUGUST 2022 THE VOICE | 77

Lifestyle

THERE’S NO PAST 40 YEARS WITHOUT YOUNG VOICES M Y FIRST memories of reading The Voice started with Young Voices, which at the time was a solitary page.

If I was at an aunty or uncle’s house that had it, I’d rip it out and take it home if my parents hadn’t already bought it.

Young Voices for me is why I understand that the future belongs to those who prepare for it today. The first time my mother first sent me to the shops to buy The Voice aged seven, I returned and immediately asked why she hadn’t bought any of the other more familiar titles.

Her response was ‘I want you to see yourself’.

I obviously didn’t understand what she meant at the time, but I would years later, seven years later actually, the year I decided I was going to be a journalist.

Skip forward another seven years and I had secured a twoday-a-week work placement at this very organisation where Young Voices had turned into a stand alone, free magazine, which I had the pleasure to contribute to.

I’ve always been inspired by the content produced by this paper and my own journey has underpinned the value of continuity. Children and young

Lifestyle Editor Joel Campbell believes it’s vital that we listen to the views of young people EARLY DAYS: Young Voices was once a solitary page; right, Young Voices became a free magazine

Mon 8 Aug

Happy 40trhy Anniversa Voice adults need to be embraced and made to feel part of the community from as early an age as possible, as I was.

The way the young people of today consume content has changed with the advancement of all things digital, but the im-

Black women rise PROMOTING AND positively elevating women is very much at the fore at the moment, but The Voice had this at the core of their ethos many moons ago.

At a time when printing costs and ad revenue for bespoke products provided the landscape to deliver extra value for our readers, Women2Women (W2W) provided the perfect space for conversations pertaining to Black women that could not be found anywhere else.

Once again, Britain’s best Black newspaper was doing its part to ensure the community’s voice was heard and respected.

And we didn’t need a globally galvanised push to do it.

portance of ensuring they are stimulated in the correct way is still the same.

The Young Voices of today are the older Voices of tomorrow, just look at Dionne’ Grant’s piece on the opposite page.

A BATTERSEA ARTS CENTRE AND BAC BEATBOX ACADEMY PRESENT

Tickets £15*

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78 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Film festival BETTER MUS’ COME

INNA DE YARD

From Jamaica to the world: Reggae on film Joel Campbell previews a major new film season hosted by the BFI Southbank

T

HIS MONTH sees the BFI Southbank mark 60 years of Jamaican independence with a major new film season curated

by Lloyd Bradley.

The season, From Jamaica to the world: Reggae on film, celebrates Reggae music and culture and explores its relationship to cinema.

Bradley, the writer of Bass Culture: When Reggae Was King and Sounds Like London: 100 Years of Black Music in the Capital, brings together classic such as a BFI re-release of The Harder They Come, screenings of Burning An Illusion, Sprinter, Dancehall Queen, Rudeboy: The Story Of Trojan Records and many more.

More details of the season can be found below: THE HARDER THEY COME (Perry Henzell, 1972). In selected cinemas UK-wide and on BFI Player from August 5.

Jimmy Cliff brings a knockout soundtrack and charisma aplenty to a film that needs no introduction to anyone with the slightest interest in reggae or Jamaican culture.

Besides its credentials as an explosive action thriller with a killer soundtrack, it is universally

credited with introducing reggae and the roots movement to the world as a serious cultural proposition.

Perry Henzell’s unfiltered portrait of Jamaica’s music industry, the emerging Rasta faith and how so many Jamaicans lived, both in the town and the country, redefined a genre of music, giving it context and weight.

A screening on August 5 will be introduced by season curator Lloyd Bradley.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME: REDUX (2006) Perry Henzell’s only directorial feature after The Harder They Come will screen during the season and be available on BFI Player.

BRUK OUT (Cori Wapnowska, 2017). August 6 A special event dedicated to exploring dancehall culture will also feature a screening of Bruk Out, which follows Dancehall Queens from around the world as they come to Kingston to be the Best of the Best.

BEING BLACKER (2018).

August 9 The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Molly Dineen, the eponymous Brixtonbased music producer Blacker Dread and musician Naptali.

This intimate feature documentary tells the story of renowned Jamaican-born reggae record shop owner, music producer, businessman, father, son and community pillar Blacker Dread.

BURNING AN ILLUSION (Menelik Shabazz, 1981).

August 19 Menelik Shabazz’s trailblazing film, newly remastered by the BFI in 2K, vividly captures the time and the struggles of the Black community in 1980s London.

The film is a powerful comingof-age story, adored by a generation on its original release.

REGGAE FUTURES. August 20 Reggae Futures celebrates the uniquely British approach to contemporary reggae. With a selection of film extracts, join au-

thor and season curator Bradley, along with a panel of Black British music’s finest, to celebrate the best of this musical revolution and contemplate where it might go next.

LION OF JUDAH, WAR IN ETHIOPIA, 1935-1936 (Lutz Becker, 1975). August 23 A rare chance to see the documentary which features original footage from the Italian-Abyssinian war. Emperor Haile Selassie mobilised the Ethiopian and Patriot troops, along with world opinion, against Mussolini in a conflict that presaged the Second World War. It was also a key moment for Black people around the world, galvanising Pan-Africanism and promoting development of the Rastafari movement.

Cultural historian Professor

BRUK OUT

Patrick Vernon OBE and guests will explore the impact of the war and its relevance today in a postscreening discussion.

BOB MARLEY: THE MAKING OF A LEGEND (2011).

August 30 A fascinating documentary mostly comprised of photos and footage shot before the Wailers had any taste of success.

Director Esther Anderson, who will take part in a Q&A following the screening on August 30, alongside co-director Gian Godoy, gained intimate access to Marley and his circle.

THERE’S MORE: Further fascinating music documentaries screening in the season will include, Inna De Yard (Peter Webber, 2019), which follows a group of reggae veterans including Cedric Myton, Ken Boothe, Judy Mowatt and Lloyd Parks as they discuss life, music and philosophy.

One third of the Wailin’ Wailers and a solo star in his own right, Peter Tosh was one of roots reggae’s most ferociously militant artists, whose story is told in Steppin’ Razor: Red X (Nicholas Campbell, 1992). Never one to shy away from confrontation, his head-on approach to the Jamaican government earned him sev-

eral beatings and convinced him he was under constant surveillance. This documentary draws on the audio diaries he kept, up to the day when gunmen broke into his house and ended his life.

Given how large Marcus Garvey looms over roots reggae and Rasta culture, there has been surprisingly little contemporary work about his remarkable life. Roy T Anderson’s African Redemption: The Life and Legacy If Marcus Garvey (2021), uses archive photographs and documents, the activist’s writings, historical critique and modern academic discussion to present a definitive picture of Garvey.

Completing the line-up for the season are a pair of films fromJamaican filmmaker and visual artist Storm Saulter.

Better Mus’ Come (2010) takes us inside the street battles to explore the country’s politics on a personal level. In Saulter’s second feature Sprinter (2018), Akeem Sharp (Dale Elliot) is Jamaica’s next sprint sensation, who hopes his talent will take him to the US, but events at home look set to disrupt his plans.

This season is presented at BFI Southbank throughout August by African Odysseys, which celebrates its 15th anniversary in 2022

AUGUST 2022

THE VOICE| 79

Image: Rudeboy

Celebrating 15 years of

A SERIES OF CLASSIC & NEW FILMS AND LIVE EVENTS EXPLORING JAMAICAN MUSIC AND CULTURE

Reggae_TheVoice Ad_v2.indd 1

BFI SOUTHBANK - AUGUST BFI.ORG.UK

18/07/2022 18:14

80 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Lifestyle

Celebrating black icons of

Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe shares how he was inspired to set up the British Urban Film Festival

I

’M 43, 44 in December, and for most of my life, black film has been in my DNA. I started watching television before I started watching black films, and my consciousness of the medium had nothing to do with black film or television.

It was a drama series called Tales Of The Unexpected, narrated by Roald Dahl, who was someone that I’m sure most of us know from reading his books in childhood. As well as Tales Of The Unexpected, which became a TV series, there was also The BFG and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

So, that was kind of my first exposure to drama. With Tales Of The Unexpected, what you had was a certain kind of drama, which has been greatly brought into a more public sphere by Jordan Peele, who is about to release Nope.

RICHER

So, for me, Jordan Peele is Roald Dahl of his time. There’s nothing original in film, whether it’s black or white.

When you’re a geek like me and you see these parallels and these patterns, you realise that the more things change, the more they stay the same. As a culture, as an audience, and as a society, we are the richer for it.

And for those that are new or kind of newly engaged into black film and TV, it is important to understand where we’ve come from, to work out where we’re going in the future.

Just a couple of days ago, Daniel Kaluuya, who is Peele’s go-to guy, revealed that he turned down work in Black Panther 2 to work on Nope, which is a horror comedy film, very much the raison d’être of Peele.

Kaluuya himself is looking to evolve now to take on more behind-the-screen work as a producer.

A lot of actors these days are now becoming multifaceted producers, directors and writers, because possession is nine-tenths of the law.

It’s all very well being hired to play a role, but it’s probably more important to own a lot of your creativity – and obviously Kaluuya has realised

that. But even before Kaluuya, you had people such as Michaela Coel, with I May Destroy You a couple of years ago, and the kind of infamous battle she had with Netflix and her then agents at the time.

I digress. I set up the British Urban Film Festival (BUFF) in 2005 where there wasn’t that outlet to cater for black film and television.

I was only able to create BUFF because of the environment that I was fortunate enough to have worked in.

Firstly, I worked with the late Menelik Shabazz, when he set up Black Filmmaker Magazine in the late 1990s, and then later with Charles Thompson, who set up the Screen Nation Film and Television Awards.

So, I had already seen that kind of pathway and then, when I set up BUFF, it seemed like a no-brainer to create this outlet which was a solution to an age-old problem of ‘where can black content be seen, validated and be made to be seen as credible.

Seventeen years on, BUFF has continued to be that solution for filmmakers and for audiences who feel like their voices are being heard.

Best actor, best actress?

Questions like this are difficult for me to answer, because even though with BUFF we have

KEY MENTOR: The late Menelik Shabazz, who set up Black Filmmaker Magazine, inspired Emmanuel on his journey.

Inset below left, Amma Asante

our own awards system, our awards are more known for the people we honour, and in the past six years, we’ve honoured six black creatives, mainly British.

The first person we honoured posthumously was Richard Pryor in 2015.

Pryor was a trailblazer in the 1970s and 1980s. Not only was he a prolific American actor and comedian, but he was a producer and writer.

He had films that grossed over $100 million. This is back in the 1970s and 1980s, before it became commonplace in the latter part of the 20th century.

After that, we honoured the likes of Wil Johnson, Ashley Walters, Amma Asante, Noel Clarke and Shabazz. These are people that have played an

important part in how we shape the culture on and off screen as well. So, in terms of best actor and best actress, I would start with the people that have been honoured through BUFF. I love watching all black actors perform to their very best, and it

topher Scott Cherot, who not many people would have heard of. I saw one of his films back in the late 1990s called Hav Plenty, which is one of the best movies I’ve ever seen.

It was co-produced by Kenneth ‘Babyface’ Edmonds, and

“I love watching black actors perform to their very best. There’s so much great content out there, we could be here all day” gives me great heart to see such great work, not just on streamers but on film and television as well. There’s so much great content out there. We could be here all day.

To directly answer the question, there’s no one best actor for me. I guess an easy answer would be Denzel Washington. But there are so many other great actors. I mean, Denzel is a great actor in his own right.

But there’s someone like Chris-

had a cameo from Lauryn Hill.

But Cherot was a phenomenal talent just watching him on screen. Plus, the fact that he wrote, co-produced and directed it just spoke to my heart.

A lot of actors that I like are of those multifaceted actors, writers, producers and directors.

So, if you’re looking for people who I would admire in that field, then it would be people of that ilk.

In terms of black British writ-

ers, producers and directors, well, we’ve got Andrew Onwubolu, otherwise known as Rapman, who has now got a TV series coming soon on Netflix.

Prior to that, he made his name with Blue Story, in the wake of the trilogy Shiro’s Story on YouTube, which through sheer luck managed to gross more than £1 million at the box office.

Originally, the film was being shut down, literally, by cinemas due to events that had nothing to do with Rapman and the team.

But because of that bad publicity, more people actually went out to watch the film.

So, he’s someone that I’ve got a lot of time for in terms of producers and directors.

Have to shout out Fiona Lamptey, a very prominent, prolific producer who’s now director of UK features at Netflix, someone I see as a friend and as a peer, having known her through her time at Channel 4.

People should also watch out for Sheila Nortley, who’s doing great things as a producer.

AUGUST 2022 THE VOICE | 81

Lifestyle

film and television MAKING THEIR MARK: Clockwise from left, Christopher Scott Cherot, Idris Elba and Rungano Nyoni

The Voice is vital for telling black people’s stories worldwide THE VOICE has enabled me greatly to realise my potential. But also, The Voice as a newspaper serves a very important course, which is to tell our stories — ‘our’ as in the AfricanCaribbean experience, not just in the UK, but globally.

Over the past 40 years, the newspaper has done more than most to make sure that our voices are heard. Not only in the Caribbean but in North America, Canada, Africa, and wherever the black experience exist.

It would be great if there

were more newspapers and more media to be able to put out these stories on a day-by-day basis.

In many ways, without The Voice, I don’t know where we would be in the discussion about the experience of black film and television.

So, The Voice serves a very important purpose and I hope it is still around for the next 40 years.

Indeed, I trust that it will be because the work that you do, Joel, Lester and the rest of the team, is vitally important.

Sun 14 Aug

JOURNEY

But when you think of the other five, they also need a mention: Asante, Ngozi Onwurah, who was the very first with Welcome II the Terrordome in 1995.

Then you have debbie tucker

green and Destiny Ekaragha.

Not forgetting I Am Not A Witch

by Rungano Nyoni.

So, those six alone would be people that I would look up to, just because of what they managed to accomplish.

From the male perspective, a couple of names already mentioned, Shabazz, who was my mentor, is the reason I started this journey. Then you have Charles Thompson, who himself was a producer and also a barrister.

Then some of the other names that haven’t been mentioned, Ashley Walters, an actor who has been around for many

years is now going into directing.

You’ve got Wil Johnson, who’s still at the very top of his game.

He’s been acting for about 40 years now.

But there are so many other producers and directors just doing so many great things, and a lot of them have come through the doors at the British Urban Film Festival.

So, if I’ve not mentioned anyone, it’s just because there were so many.

Idris Elba is another one with his own company, Green Door.

Like I said, so many people are doing great work. It’s a great time to be a black creator.

Happy 40trhy Anniversa Voice Tickets £15*

openairtheatre.com/le-gateau-chocolat

* £13.20 ticket + £1.80 booking fee. No booking fee when purchased in person at the box office

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Photo credit: Lee Faircloth

If I don’t mention my wife Clare, I’d probably be shot!

Not just the fact that she’s my wife but to date, she still remains just the sixth black British female to have a film released in UK cinemas.

And that’s something I always find stressful in terms of ‘why only six?’.

82 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Lifestyle

‘Show up, come and see the work and rave all about it!’

Lynette Linton talks black British theatre on The Voice’s anniversary. By Joel Campbell

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RTISTIC DIRECTOR at The Bush Theatre in west London, Lynette Linton, is clear about what she wants to see from the community in the next 40 years – and that’s for them to ‘Show up! Come and see the work! Rave about it and tell everybody!’

Where black people and the theatre are concerned, Linton, 32, represents the face of the now and the future.

Talking to Lifestyle about theatre over the past four decades and who has inspired and influenced her own journey, Linton says she’s only where she is because of those who had come before her.

“One person that pops into my mind immediately is now my friend and mentor Adjoa Andoh,” Linton enthused.

“She inspires me because of the work she has been doing tirelessly for so many years.

“She represented for black women in theatre in the 1980s and 1990s. She’s now getting critical acclaim for her part in the success of Bridgerton and stuff like that, but she is a pioneer and I am very lucky to work with her and stand on her shoulders every day.

“She agreed to mentor me when I asked her to be in a show I was doing. We offered her a part in it and then she became part of that show and I directed her, which was amazing, and then we became really good friends.

“She’s a mentor of mine and a friend, and we learn from each

other. She’s a peer but she has also done so much that has led me to this position.”

Linton added: “I also want to mention Mona Hammond, partly because she just passed away. I always think it’s interesting that when people pass, that’s when you think about how much they have done.

“She helped to set up the Talawa Theatre Company back in the day, which was a big thing. She was in EastEnders and Desmond’s and so many different things. I want to shout her out because I hope that her name continues to exist and she’s out here.

“Talawa Theatre Company is very important, and they champion a lot of artists, they also put amazing work on. For me, it was an incredible space to try some stuff out and they gave me some really good script notes back in the day. Lots of incredible artists I work with now started there.

It’s an incredible space.”

CELEBRATED

With so many contributions to the British theatre space emanating from the black community since The Voice has been in existence, it’s impossible to laud every one of the practitioners in their various guises. However, Linton says the works of playwrights Winsome Pinnock and Roy Williams should always be a part of the conversation.

“Winsome Pinnock needs to be celebrated and mentioned.

“She is an incredible mentor to so many people and her

INSPIRATION: Lynette Linton, right, says Adjoa Andoh is not just her mentor but is now a very good friend; below, Roy Williams is just one of the playwrights who has inspired Lynette over the years (photo: Getty Images)

work is timeless and absolutely incredible. Roy Williams has to get a shout because what I love about him is he has written so many classics that people are re-doing now, but he’s still out here writing plays, and he just continues and continues. He’s got such a legacy and is such an incredibly supportive human.

“Both Winsome and Roy are Titans of the theatre world that we need to be constantly gassing and shouting about because they have done so much for the community.”

Linton’s road to the helm at The Bush wouldn’t have even got going if it wasn’t for one person. Paying special homage to Rikki Beadle-Blair, she said there were many in the theatre space that owed their careers to him.

“Rikki Beadle-Blair is the reason I recognised I am a director and a writer. He was the first black director I met and I was, like, ‘ahh, I can do this’.

“He empowers so many people, and I feel quite emotional when I talk about him because he is the reason why so many people are in this industry and believe in themselves.

“He gave me my first show that I wrote for Stratford East and then I followed him

“If we keep the momentum, telling stories of black joy and black love, then we’re just going to keep moving” around. He needs more props, basically, because he’s one of the most incredible mentors, directors and facilitators that we have in our industry.

“So many people owe him their careers, including me.”

In terms of becoming an Artistic Director, Linton admits it’s a role she didn’t believe she could land before her 30th birthday.

“Growing up, I didn’t even know what an Artistic Director was, that’s the first thing I want to say,” she continued.

“I think theatre visibility and how it’s run, who runs it and what it is and how to get into it is still not very accessible for a lot of people, unless they have ways in.

“That is something I have been hoping to shift and change by having this job. Even when I applied for the job I did it because I wanted the role, but I didn’t think I would get it because I am so young and be-

cause I didn’t think they would want someone like me.”

Looking forward to the next 40 years, Linton is clear about what she’d like to see happening in the British theatre space where black people are concerned.

POSITIVE

Speaking on what would constitute positive progression, she said: ”I hope there has been a real shift with some of the work that has been on.

“There has been a lot of work that has come out that has been incredible, and we want to make sure that it’s not just a phase, which the industry can do sometimes.

“Our stories need to be consistently being made.

“I also think that we still have a lot of work to do as a theatre industry to disrupt the traditional thought of what theatre is, in that people still think it’s go-

ing to see Shakespeare or going to see Wicked. We need to disrupt that.

“Also, we want to ensure that these shows are moving into the commercial spaces, so they’re moving to the West End. They are viable shows.

“I think that’s the work that is still ongoing, so that in the next 40 years we can sit down here and we don’t even have to ask the question because we are just part of the landscape.

“I don’t think we’re there yet. I think we’re seeing an explosion of incredible work, but I want to make sure that’s still happening 20 years from now, and that we are taking up the spaces that we deserve to be in and that we should have been in over the last 40 years.

“The amount of black British talent coming through the British theatre at the moment is extraordinary. It has always been there but the platform has shifted. Hopefully, we’re not waiting for people to tell us ‘yes or no’, we’re just making the work.

“If we keep with this momentum, we keep collaborating, we keep talking to each other, we keep telling stories of black joy and black love, then we’re just going to keep moving.”

AUGUST 2022

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Lifestyle

Trans Vegas is Travis time!

Alabanza is ready to take centre stage as they launch their memoir at the UK’s largest trans art festival.

By Jerome Conway

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RANS VEGAS, the UK’s largest trans arts festival, celebrating trans and non-binary artists from Manchester, across the UK and beyond, is back for 2022.

The first live event is in the first week of August at Feel Good Club, launching Travis Alabanza’s new memoir None of the Above.

Travis Alabanza is one of the UK’s most prominent trans activists, or in Travis’s words ‘artist’. In 2019, the Evening Standard listed them as one of the 25 Most Influential People under 25. More recently, they were picked as one of Bernardine Evaristo’s ‘Ones to Watch’ in Sunday Times Style and were also chosen as one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in 2021.

JC: Your book (None Of The Above) hits the shelves this month, coinciding with The Voice’s 40th anniversary, it couldn’t have been more timely. How do you hope the book is received and how does it differ, if at all, to the way it might have been received had it been written in 1982 when The Voice was born?

TA: Congratulations on 40 years! How incredible to be here 40 years on. Of course, in 40 years the language we use surrounding gender has shifted, there are more ways for us as people to name ourselves and who we are, and we are seeing more examples of queer and trans people of colour.

It is ultimately about change, deciding whether to make one, and how others view you – a timeless subject recorded in literature.

JC: In the book you examine seven phrases that have been directed at you about your gender identity, which include some of the most transformative experiences as a black, mixed-race and non-binary person. Can you share a bit about what’s revealed? The trans and non-

EXCITING TIMES: Travis Alabanza is relishing the chance to return to Manchester for the event (photo: Mia Maxwell)

“The Voice has always been a place where many of us as black lovers of arts and culture go to” binary experience hasn’t always been well documented in The Voice over the past 40 years, so can you talk about the need for recognised authors from the space, such as yourself, to take control of the narrative?

TA: I think when we are saying we represent community, and we have to mean all of that community. The Voice is a place where so many of us as black lovers of arts and culture go to, and what it means if we are leaving out a section of that black community, is that we aren’t all welcomed – even if we wish to be. Trans people have always existed within black communities – and so if we are reporting on our community, it is only accurate to include us!

JC: There’s a young kid out there whose non-binary experience is going to look very different to yours, Travis. Do you see this book enabling them to navigate their road ahead a little more easily?

TA: I hope so. I wanted to write a book I couldn’t see out there.

I think so many books about identity are written from knowing all the answers – yet this is written from a place of being in flux, of change, of not knowing.

I hope it gives young people the chance to relax into that state, too.

JC: In your opinion, how can The Voice best join in the efforts to enable that same young kid to be the best version of themselves as we

move towards the next 40 years as a newspaper?

TA: I think we have to empower and encourage young people to write their own stories! Give them space within our conversations. To listen and hear and engage.

JC: You’re regarded as one of the UK’s most prominent trans activists. How do you see that moniker? And how do you envisage using your voice going forward?

TA: I think I’m less an activist and more an artist. I hope my art continues to amplify and reflect the voice of other amazing trans people in the country. I love the work of groups such as Cradle, Queer House Party, and Bent Bars – doing great stuff for the community!

@thevoicenewspaper

“Black LGBT+ people are now leading the way in so many of these fields” JC: On the theme of moving forward, where are some of the biggest challenges that need to be addressed for the LGBT community?

TA: At the moment, there is such a particular and painful tactic used by the Tory government to use trans people as a political football to make points.

There’s a huge cultural misunderstanding about what and who trans people are, that

@thevoicenews

makes our quality of life in this country extremely challenging. Trans people need better access to employment, housing and healthcare – but also a country that treats us as human.

JC: If those are the challenges, where have the biggest wins and successes come in recent years, in your opinion?

TA: I think we are seeing lots more LGBT+ people live and create unapologetically, whether the world is supporting us or not, and black LGBT+ people are leading the way in so many of these fields.

Dean Atta or Jay Bernard in publishing, Danielle BrathwaiteShirley or Malik Nashad Sharpe within the art world, Tanya Compas creating amazing spaces for black LGBT+ peo-

voicenews

ple, or podcasts like Two Two’s podcast. Black LGBT+ people are everywhere! Making work and thriving.

JC: Is there anything else you want to share with The Voice?

TA: I’m so excited for the Trans Vegas event in Manchester.

I’ve spent so many great shows in Manchester over the years and haven’t been back for a while. And to be able to host a panel of trans people of colour creatives is so exciting.

Trans Vegas presents Travis Alabanza None of the Above book launch and A-POCALYPSE cabaret, August 5 2022, 7-11pm, Feel Good Club, 26-28 Hilton Street, Manchester, M1 2EH

www.voice-online.co.uk

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OF SPORT NEWSPAPER

NINE-PAGE SPECIAL LOOKING BACK ON 40 YEARS OF COVERAGE

THE BEST IS YET TO COME! Sports Editor Rodney Hinds reflects on an incredible journey with The Voice

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HE VOICE celebrates 40 years of publishing this month. It is a landmark that all concerned should be proud of.

Four decades of sports coverage has mirrored that of the community the newspaper serves: struggle, racism, triumph, challenges and overcoming adversity.

One of the keys to the coverage has been the stories of the elite athlete, such as Frank Bruno, but also the passion and commitment of those with less profile like England netball star Ama Agbeze.

Those community organisations, who achieve so much with no or little resources, have always had a place in our sports coverage. Their dedication is every bit as great as those that are on our radars seemingly every day.

Just as powerful has been the stunning progress of women’s sport. There was a time when women were only under the microscope courtesy of athletics.

Women are now competing at the highest level of boxing, football and cricket to name just a few sports. A trawl through

The Voice’s archives has been a fascinating experience and indicates that in many ways we have come full circle; those that give us magic sporting moments have to endure societal problems.

The landscape may not have changed dramatically but the conversations have – on the back of the killing of George Floyd as the sports fraternity have found their voices and understand the power of their profile. They are not politicians but they can exert enormous influence with their profile.

To all those that have contributed to The Voice’s sports coverage over the years, journalists and photographers, I say a massive thank you. To Joel Campbell in particular, I give heartfelt kudos for an incredible journey over the last decade or so.

In a recent interview, Geoff Thompson, the independent deputy chair of Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, told this correspondent: “Sport will always reflect society and society will always reflect and influence sport.”

Nothing truer has ever been said. Here’s to another four decades… and beyond.

SUPPORT FOR ALL: The Voice’s coverage has always reached out to everyone in society, whether it’s an elite athlete such as Frank Bruno or those with less profile like Ama Agbeze

The Voice celebrates four decades… what people have had to say THE VOICE means so much to me on a personal level.

I was well aware of its symbolic and cultural importance for many years.

So, when I started working for the Kick It Out campaign in 2008 and dealing with the publication on a regular basis, it felt like an important milestone in my then fledgling career.

And, in Rodney, I have made a friend for life in the process. Here’s to another 40 years and beyond.

Danny Lynch, Director of Communications, Irish FA WE HAVE worked with The Voice team for almost a decade and they have set an outstanding example of journalism excellence for our students.

Whether it is demonstrating a deep understanding of an audience, coverage of political issues including, most recently, the Black Lives Matter campaign, or simply the commitment to telling a good story, they show our students how journalism can be done and what it can achieve. In a clickbait

world, The Voice stands for integrity in practice – and good stories.

Julie Nightingale, Course leader, MA Magazine Journalism, Centre for Broadcasting and Journalism, NTU

THE VOICE is where my journey as a journalist started and I will forever be grateful for the opportunities back then and also now.

Black community voices are not well represented in the British media – The Voice has addressed this directly by ensuring we can read and feel our views, as shared by our people. Long live The Voice, a publisher that continues to play a vital role in British society.

Leon Mann, Managing Director, Refresh Sports Consultancy and Productions CONGRATULATIONS TO The Voice on celebrating 40 years of publishing. It has always been a source of valuable information including sports news impacting the black and AME commu-

THE VOICE for 40 years has been the only newspaper that has consistently paved the way for black people to achieve great things, not only through the positive stories within their newspaper, but through the whole culture of the organisation. Thank you for being a beacon of light.

Paul Sesay, Founder of the National Diversity Awards

nities, even before it was popularised by social pressures and entered main stream. The Voice has often been the only reliable source which enabled them to keep connected with current affairs from home as well as with other communities in the UK. The Voice has played and is playing a valuable role. Thank you and here’s to another 40 years.

Audrey Bampoe, Treasurer, Fight For Peace

THE VOICE is a place for our stories to be told with our authentic truth by our people. The wider media industry doesn’t really reflect who we are and our contributions and experiences, so The Voice allows that and helps spread important awareness through our communities and beyond.

This big anniversary is a recognition of the period of time that The Voice have done it and done it well.

Troy Townsend, Head of Education and Development, Kick It Out HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to The Voice as it celebrates 40 years!

I was 20 years old when it started up and I remember reading it. It informed us all; not only about recent news in the black community, but also taught us about our history and where we came from. I want to say thank you for all that you have done and continue to do for us. Here’s to another 40 years of black history, news, music and culture – past and present.

Paul Canoville, Chelsea’s first black player MY FIRST encounter with The Voice over 20 years ago is one that made a lasting impression on me because it was the first time I’d ever seen a newspaper covering national stories of people and communities that looked like me. Stories of black culture, faith, art, events and music I could relate with in an authentic voice I understood.

To me, The Voice means hope, The Voice means heritage, and The Voice means legacy.

Danielle Obe, Chair, The Black Swimming Association

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Sport

Turning back the clock Rodney Hinds discovers what sport stories were making the headlines in The Voice’s very first edition on ...

August 28, 1982

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HE VOICE’S first sports page featured athletics, boxing and football. The lead story involved middleweight Roy Gumbs whose career spanned from 1976 to 1991. Born in St. Kitts and Nevis, Gumbs lived in Tottenham and our story tells of his frustration as he sought a bout with titleholder Tony Sibson.

Gumbs told The Voice: “I can’t let it get to me too much. You can’t let the system beat you – right now there’s only one man that can beat me, and that’s myself!

“I’m still hoping that I can fight for the title. I missed out on the nomination by only one vote last year. I really don’t want to wait yet another year before I can have a chance.”

Football has always been key to The Voice’s sports pages.

Our first edition featured the old First Division (now the Premier League). Top teams at the time were Liverpool, Manchester United and Southampton. Yes, Southampton! Times have certainly changed.

Tottenham striker Garth Crooks was key to the north London outfit’s bid for glory. He had big boots to fill, as Spurs had just lost the services of Argentinian World Cup winners Osvaldo Ardiles and

Ricky Villa. There was some visionary sports writing on the page too as attention turned to division newcomers Watford who had a protégé in their ranks.

The Voice stated: “The man to watch in season 1982/83 is young Jamaicanborn Johnny Barnes, the best prospect for years.”

Having gone on to win silverware with Liverpool and gained 79 England caps, Barnes, now 58, certainly delivered.

Crystal Palace icon Vince Hilaire also gets a mention with the article promoting his chances of a senior England cap. He never did get that cap, but did gain nine England Under-21 caps.

We also highlighted the financial struggles of the National Young Athletes League which needed a meagre £3,500 to survive. The League was instrumental in the careers of such track and field luminaries as Daley Thompson, Mike McFarlane and Peter Elliott. A spokesperson for the League told The Voice: “Athletics has never been so popular as a sport. It would be a great shame if the League had to fold.”

The final item focussed on motorsport.

Yes, even four decades ago there was a link to motorsport. Our story was based on a Caribbean Airways’ event at Brands Hatch. A spokesman for the airline said that the company had decided to sponsor the race because “the motor racing fraternity is very well-heeled and could give the Barbadian tourist industry a shot in the arm.”

FIRST OF MANY: The Voice’s very first sports page; left, Vince Hilaire’s chances of an England call-up were being talked up; right, Tottenham Hotspur’s Garth Crooks in goal-scoring action for the north London club – the striker was key to Spurs’ bid for glory (photos: Getty Images/ PA Images)

@thevoicenewspaper

@thevoicenews

voicenews

www.voice-online.co.uk

AUGUST 2022 THE VOICE | 87

Sport

TRAILBLAZERS: The Voice was predicting a bright future for John Barnes, who made his name at Watford and went on to play 79 times for England; left, Daley Thompson also featured in the first edition of The Voice – the Olympic gold medal-winning decathlete featured in a story about the struggles of the National Young Athletes League (photos: Getty Images)

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Sport

MAGNIFICENT 40...

Rodney Hinds has been The Voice’s sports editor for 22 years. Here, he highlights some of the names he has interviewed during his career VIV ANDERSON

The first black player to play for the senior England team made his debut in November 1978 to change the face of the British game. “Being black and playing for England isn’t a news story any more,” he once said.

JOHN BARNES

Quite simply one of the finest black footballers of all time.

He made his name at Watford before becoming a superstar at Liverpool. Earned 79 caps for his country.

NIGEL BENN

The boxer known as ‘The Dark Destroyer’ illuminated British boxing in the 1980s.

The two-weight world title holder captured the hearts of millions during arguably the most enthralling period in British middleweight history. His heart was always splattered across his sleeve.

ROLAND BUTCHER

The first black man to play for the senior England team was actually born in Barbados. Ironically, he made his Test debut at Bridgetown in 1980-81. A headline in the local paper read at the time: Our boy, their bat.

SOL CAMPBELL Made his name at Spurs, but when he moved just down the road to fierce rivals Arsenal, he proved his genuine class.

He went on to become an ‘Invincible’.

PAUL CANOVILLE

When you survive the trauma of being abused by your own fans, you have to have something special in your make-up.

Paul Canoville did, as Chelsea’s first black player, survived. He has since dedicated his life to working with young people.

LINFORD CHRISTIE

The oldest man to win an Olympic 100m title, Linford Christie claimed the 1992 title in Barcelona, aged 32. In all, he competed in three Olympic Games. In an international career spanning 17 years, he competed over 60 times for his country.

ANDY COLE

Not too many players can claim to be legends at two football clubs. Cole can.

He scored goals for Newcastle and then went on to score more goals, and win silverware, at Manchester United. His partnership with Trinidad & Tobago star Dwight Yorke was special.

LENNOX LEWIS

When the subject of boxing’s greatest heavyweights comes up, Lennox Lewis has to get a prominent mention.

He beat everyone put in front of him, most notably the legendary ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson and Frank Bruno in the Battle of Britain.

ASHLEY COLE

England have not had a better left back and 107 caps proves that. He made his name at Arsenal and after a controversial move to Chelsea, went on to win all the major prizes.

GARTH CROOKS

Crooks played for Stoke City, Tottenham, Manchester United, WBA and Charlton Athletic. He was an active member of the PFA and was elected the first black chairman of the union.

JERMAIN DEFOE Defoe appeared 276 times for Spurs. He notched 91 goals in that time to earn himself the reputation as one of the top flight’s greatest ever goalscorers.

HOWARD EASTMAN I vividly remember watching this pugilist do his thing in the gym. Eastman was a Guyanese-British former professional boxer who competed

from 1994 to 2014. He challenged twice for middleweight world championships; the WBA title in 2001 and the undisputed title against Bernard Hopkins in 2005.

PAUL ELLIOTT

The former Charlton, Chelsea and Celtic defender is now a key man at the Football Association.

The chair of the FA’s Inclusion Advisory Board once said: “We’ve been pleased to see football stand together to challenge the injustice we are seeing in society.”

CHRIS EUBANK

Eubank filled stadiums and arenas in world title fights at middleweight and super middleweight, recording huge TV audiences for his blockbuster events masterminded by hall of fame promoter Barry Hearn. Eubank Snr was part of the British triple threat that included Michael Watson and Nigel Benn.

RIO FERDINAND

When he was doing his thing for West Ham and Leeds, this central defender was oozing class.

He confirmed that by winning major prizes with Manchester United. Now using his platforms to inspire the next generations.

DONNA FRASER

Four-time Olympian Fraser has proved to be gifted off the track too. She said she was “absolutely honoured” to become the vice president of UK Athletics in 2015.

Now head of inclusion and engagement for the Commonwealth Games.

AUGUST 2022 THE VOICE | 89

Sport ROYSTON FFRENCH

One of my most interesting interviews during my career.

Champion apprentice jockey in 1997, Ffrench had his first ride in public in October 1995 and rode his first winner on the first day of the turf flat season in 1996.

AL HAMILTON

The man responsible for giving black sports journalists their chance. Jamaica-born Hamilton loved all sports but in particular his boxing.

He was instrumental to the careers of Frank Bruno and Maurice Hope.

LEWIS HAMILTON

Without doubt the most amazing story The Voice has ever covered. He began as a karter and has ended up with seven Formula One world titles. Now a global inspiration for those in and outside the sport.

AUDLEY HARRISON

The north Londoner won Britain’s first super-heavyweight gold at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

Often outspoken and misunderstood, Harrison was key to boxers getting better financial deals.

CHRIS HUGHTON

The affable Hughton has managed three clubs in the Premier League. In 1979, Hughton became the first mixed-race player to represent the Republic of Ireland, amassing 53 caps for the country of his mother’s birth. His father is Ghanaian.

COLIN JACKSON

Jackson went undefeated at the European championships for 12 years in a row but his piece de resistance remains a 12.91 seconds 110m hurdles world record, which stood for more than a decade.

ANTHONY JOSHUA

At one time, Joshua was in possession of the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO crowns. I remember a train journey from London to Cannock in a bid to get ten minutes with the big man. He has made the heavyweight division exciting again for Britons.

JEANETTE KWAKYE

Her highest ranking achievement was qualifying for the 100m Olympic final in 2008 — the first British woman to achieve this feat in nearly three decades. Now a respected broadcaster, Jeanette did a superb job as host of BBC’s recent World Athletics coverage.

DENISE LEWIS

The heptathlete won the gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, was twice Commonwealth Games champion, was the 1998 European Champion and won World Championships silver medals.

Now excelling in the world of broadcasting.

LEON MANN

I remember a meeting with this visionary over a decade ago. Since then, this entrepreneur-cumactivist, broadcaster turned filmmaker, has gone on to leave his mark. Initiatives such as the Black Collective of Media in Sport (BCOMS) and the Football Black List are set to provide genuine legacy.

CHRISTINE OHURUOGU

Ohuruogu won Commonwealth Games

IAN WRIGHT

The footballer that gave all ‘late starters’ to the game genuine hope. He was loved because he gave absolutely everything for Crystal Palace and then the Gunners. Many a black Arsenal fan supports the team because of the man known affectionately known as ‘Wrighty’.

400m gold in Melbourne in 2006.

A world title arrived in Osaka in 2007.

She completed a golden three years in the 400m to top the podium at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

to 1996, winning the gold medal in the javelin at the 1984 Olympics.

WILF SLACK

Respected, knowledgeable and honest, the former Charlton and Huddersfield Town manager was the quiet coach next to Gareth Southgate as the Three Lions reached the finals of Euro 2020.

For such a big man, the Middlesex cricketer was softly spoken. Born in St Vincent, Slack came to England at the age of 11 and learned his cricket at High Wycombe. The England lefthanded opener collapsed and died while batting in Banjul, capital of The Gambia, in 1989 at the age of 34.

HOPE POWELL

TROY TOWNSEND

EBONY RAINFORD-BRENT

GEOFF THOMPSON

CHRIS POWELL

Dubbed by this newspaper as the ‘First Lady of British Football’, she played for England 66 times and managed her country from 1998 – 2013. Now coach of Brighton.

The first black woman to play for the England cricket team, TV pundit RainfordBrent received the Freedom of the City of London in recognition of her powerful advocacy against racism in cricket.

CYRILLE REGIS

My love for football was based on the abilities of Pele, Johan Cruyff and Cyrille Regis. Regis, alongside Laurie Cunningham and Brendon Batson at West Brom, was key to the black community’s love affair with the Beautiful Game. Legend.

TESSA SANDERSON

This icon appeared in every Summer Olympics from 1976

Allyship is key to the community’s progress. Kick It Out’s Troy Townsend has been a beacon of consistency in terms of tackling racism in football.

Thompson is a former world champion athlete and one of the country’s most respected sports administrators and youth activists.

ALEX TUDOR

There has been a dearth of black Britons representing the England cricket side since Tudor played his last Test in November 2002.

The former Surrey fast bowler burst on to the Test scene in 1998, taking the wickets of Australia’s legendary Waugh brothers, Steve and Mark.

MICHAEL WATSON

A hugely talented boxer, who never quite got the ring recognition he deserved, he proved what a genuine fighter he was when sustaining injuries that would have put paid to many.

RACHEL YANKEY

Yankey is one of the country’s most decorated players having won every competition available with Arsenal, which included two FA Women’s Super League titles.

90 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

In the Black Fantastic 29 JUNE – 18 SEPTEMBER 2022

MEMBERS GO FREE Lina Iris Viktor, Eleventh © 2018. Courtesy the artist.

AUGUST 2022 THE VOICE | 91

Sport

‘We’re going backwards’

Kick It Out chief: If we are not careful, the next 40 years could be as challenging

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S THE Voice celebrates its landmark, what does racism in sport look like in another 40 years? Tony Burnett, inset below, Chief Executive Officer of Kick It Out, football’s anti-racism campaign, spoke to Rodney Hinds about the future.

The pair met at the inaugural Black, Asian and Mixed Ethnicity Referee Conference recently held at Villa Park, Birmingham.

RH: Where would you expect or hope racism in sport to be in another 40 years?

TB: In society I think we have gone backwards.

I have been asked so many times over the past 12 months about the rights and wrongs of taking the knee, but I never get asked about structural racism, or why there has only been one black referee in the history of the Premier League, or why there is only one black manager in the Premier League, yet people are happy to talk about actions like taking the knee, and not the reason why players feel they need to stand up against racism.

So, I am worried that as a society we have gone backwards, because we’re not prepared to have the honest conversation that’s needed to take us forward.

We missed a moment with George Floyd because we got

distracted by people toppling statues and not having a conversation about where racism has come from, how it affects us in society, how we can deconstruct the construct that has affected so many of us for all our lives.

If I look at sport, it is just a reflection of that. I look at football, I see black players dominating the Premier League and black players dominating professional football, yet I see no black managers coming through in 2022 and that is disappointing to say the least.

I look at other sports we’re involved in like cricket, where there are serious issues.

When you look at the representation of black players in cricket, it has gone backwards over the past 40 years.

So, I am worried, I don’t think we’re making progress in a lot of areas, I think we’re going backwards, and I think that reflects society’s attitude on this topic. We are not prepared to have the serious conversations.

If we are not careful, the next 40 years could be as challenging.

RH: Do you see a will for change from some governing bodies?

TB: In football, there is a will for change. However, on a general level it’s too uncomfortable.

People kind of squirm when any black person talks about their

DAMNING STATISTIC: Uriah Rennie was the only black referee in the history of the Premier League

lived experience with racism, and whilst we are not prepared to have those uncomfortable conversations, we are not going to move forward. If you look at managerial appointments, the same white faces are generated for jobs over and over, and for black managers to break into that it, it is virtually impossible and that shouldn’t be right in 2022.

I’m not sure if we’re fixing this without legislation because we TB: We use terms like ‘positive have been having this same con- action’. I can’t stand that terminology to be honest. The first thing is versation for years. we need to get serious about fair RH: What needs to happen representation.

So, across football, we need at grassroots in terms of the authorities and what is a start- to set targets for representation, and we need to hold football ing point?

accountable to deliver those targets.

That requires data, and on a basic level, for football to not have the data to say what representation looks like across the game in 2022 is appalling.

Secondly, education, we need to work with our young people in schools to give them a proper history of what it means to be a black and black British, which they don’t currently get. All kids need that.

The third thing is better investment in social mobility, because a lot of our kids grow up in tough areas and a lot of the challenges they face is because we don’tinvest anything like what we

Some notable events from around the world in 1982 January 27: West Indies beat Australia to win cricket’s World Series Cup

Compiled by Karen Palmer

July 11: Italy beat West Germany 3-1 to win the World Cup final – the third time they had won the tournament July 25: Tour de France won by Bernard Hinault of France

March 13: Great Britain’s Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, right, win the European Ice Dance Championship

April 3: 136th Grand National: 48-year-old Dick Saunders, above

RH: Why have we not had a black referee in what is arguably the best league in the world in over a decade?

TB: It is madness. Madness that it has taken us until 2022 to get this seriously on the agenda, but I am glad it is now on the agenda.

However, the length of time it takes referees to get through the system, it is going to be another 10 years until we fix this.

We are going to keep holding the authorities account to fix it.

We all know Uriah Rennie, 2008 was his last game!

July 4: Jimmy Connors beats John McEnroe 3-6, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 in the men’s final

January 30: WBC super welterweight champion Wilfred Benitez of Puerto Rico defeats Roberto Duran in 15 round unanimous decision at Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas

March 31: NBA and Players Association reach a 4-year agreement that includes a 53 per cent revenuesharing plan in return for minimum and maximum payrolls; first of its kind in team sports

need to in areas where poor people live.

August 19: Renaldo Nehemiah sets record for 110 m hurdles, 12.93 seconds centre, wins on 7/1 favourite Grittar.

He’s the oldest jockey to win the race

Villa, above, beat Bayern Munich 1-0 in Rotterdam

April 9: LA Lakers block 21 Denver shots setting NBA regulation game record

June 6: Sweden’s Mats Wilander wins first career Grand Slam at French Open, beating Guillermo Vilas of Argentina 1-6, 7-6, 6-0, 6-4 in the final

May 26: 26th European Cup: Aston

June 11: Defending champion Larry Holmes TKOs Gerry Cooney in round 13 for WBC and The Ring heavyweight titles, Caesars Palace July 3: Martina Navratilova beats Chris Evert 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 for the first of six straight Wimbledon singles titles

September 21: NFL players begin a two-month strike October 24: Tennis ace Steffi Graff plays her first professional match November 9: Boxing great Sugar Ray Leonard, above left, retires

92 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Sport

Ron reminisces on Present incumbent Rodney Hinds caught up with Ron Shillingford, The Voice’s first sports editor. The pair went down memory lane

D

URING HIS time as the first sports editor of The Voice, Ron Shillingford was lucky enough to follow the fortunes of some of the world’s greatest sportsmen and sportswomen.

Here, he looks back at what proved a highly eventful era.

RH: How did the opportunity of writing for The Voice come about?

RS: Okay. Well, I started the year writing for Boxing News, because I was so enthusiastic about boxing growing up. The editor, Harry Mullen, eventually offered me a job. When I turned up at the office to confirm the role, it suddenly disappeared, it didn’t happen. That was my first experience of blatant racism.

Anyway, in August 1982, I’m at Notting Hill Carnival and I come across The Voice. I couldn’t believe it, a black newspaper!

I saw the very first issue. I was so excited. I asked them who’s in charge and where can I contact them because I want to write about sports for them. I used to do my copy on a Thursday night and physically take the copy with some pictures, and it would be in the next Tuesday edition of The Voice, and that was from the second issue. So that was my main s o u r c e of writing output.

I was still a draughtsman then, I studied civil engineering but it wasn’t what I wanted to do.

RH: What were the excitement levels for you like, Ron, in terms of a black newspaper, in getting the opportunity that you always wanted to write for a black newspaper and to write generally? What was the feeling among Voice staff once

“We’ve got a proliferation of black stars.

A third of the England football team is black” you joined them, because obviously, it was a new concept in 1982?

RS: I never went full-time with The Voice until 1987, because they didn’t have a budget. It was a great experience and gave me great openings to get press passes for cricket and boxing.

Boxing, especially, was my big GOOD TIMES: thing as you know, plus athletJavelin champion ics. In fact, all of the mainstream Tessa Sanderson sports I used to cover. always made herself I did have problems, though, available for interviews, for years in terms of accreditawhich is something tion. I remember I couldn’t get Ron Shillingford, an FA Cup final ticket until I told inset left, has never The Guardian, who ran a story. forgotten; inset They reported that there were so right, spotlight on many black footballers in the top John Fashanu and flight, and it was poor that The Sanderson Voice couldn’t get a pass.

From then on, they gave us a pass every bean, mostly the Caribbean, and also the African community, and year! their publications, but the CaribRH: To bean people didn’t have a newsthat end, paper.

There were very few openings did the v a r i o u s for black people. It used to be a s p o r t s novelty for black people to be on authorities TV in those days, so that’s how e m b r a c e far we’ve come.

The Voice in the early 1980s? RH: What was the sporting RS: Not really. landscape like for you in 1982, Some used to say why and who were the big sporting do you need a black newspa- names that you were writing per? Aren’t you alienating your- about at the time? self? And I said, ‘not at all’, it’s RS: There was a young boxer just like the Irish and the Jews who had just turned pro, and and so on. The Muslims have he was very talented, called papers, as black people as sec- Lloyd Honeyghan. I remember ond generation, first generation, writing a piece, and he claimed the Windrush generation, had that he would beat Sugar Ray Leonard in a couple of years’ no avenue growing up.

Coming over from the Carib- time once he got up to a world

@thevoicenewspaper

and you know how he loves the limelight?

So, yeah, I had a good rapport with him. John Barnes was accessible too. Nice guy.

title level. Tessa Sanderson, she was well established then. She was very accessible too. Then coming through were the likes of Linford Christie, Nigel Benn,

@thevoicenews

Chris Eubank and John Fashanu, who was coming up through the ranks in the early 80s.

Even then, Fash could see the value of publicity and the media,

voicenews

RH: Did you at any stage think the black sporting fraternity would grow the way that it has 40 years later?

RS: Yeah, definitely. It was inevitable because they were going to have kids. They were inspiring the whole next generation.

Now we’ve got a proliferation of black stars. It’s not even an issue anymore.

A third of the England football team is black.

Black cricketers not so much as football, but everybody gravitates to football. In every sphere of sport, black people are making progress.

www.voice-online.co.uk

AUGUST 2022 THE VOICE | 93

Sport

dream writing role

LEADING THE WAY: Boxing, which has boasted superstars such as Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn, left, has always been given extensive coverage and has many black role models; below, from the left, Lewis Hamilton, Paul Canoville and Linford Christie have helped to break down race barriers

NOVEMBER 2020 THE VOICE | 31

Lewis Hamilton: #92 special tribute

THERE FROM THE START

The Voice’s Joel Campbell has followed Lewis Hamilton from his early karting days – and feels privileged to have witnessed one of the best coming of age stories in the world of motorsport

I

CAN still remember walking into the fantastic McLaren Technology Centre in Woking 14 years ago, waiting to be taken to a brilliant white room where I sat waiting for the next big thing in Formula 1.

In came Lewis Hamilton and the first thing I wanted to talk to him about was his love for Sizzla Autodromo Internacional do Kolanji.

Algarve, in the debut race at the We got that out of the way course. and then it was onto the obvious Of the 262 F1 races he’s been touch points such as ambitions in, Hamilton has reached the in the sport, how he expected podium 161 times. his brand to transition beyond He is six time-world champijust racing, how important his on and if the season goes as it dad was to his journey, etc etc. has, he will equal the great MiI left there in no uncertain chael Schumacher who finished terms about the burning desire his career having bagged seven he had to be considered a great F1 titles. in the sport and whenever I interviewed him again throughout the 14 years, that steely resolve Hamilton’s stock this year hasn’t and oh so firm handshake, have only risen because of his sportnever wavered. ing endeavours, his work away Fast forward to 2020 and he from F1 in shining a light on the is the best to ever do it. that blight the world, In a sport that is all about the inequalities racism, sea pollution numbers and fine margins, from be they recently the police the millions of pounds of invest- and most have all addment required to run an F1 team brutality in Nigeria, say we’re to the hundredths of a second ed value. It’s safe to a living legend. watching now drivers the separate can that That’s safe to say because it in a race, it was interesting to hear Hamilton dismiss them all would be difficult for you to point present day another towards together when asked about his mindset approaching each race. sports person doing what he’s His attitude centres on the doing and using their platform pursuit of greatness, always to right the world’s wrongs.

Safe to say who ever is in your has done. Yet, it is the numbers which make him great and a mind right now, has a long way look at them over the course of to go before they are considhis career to date make for won- ered the best in their respective sport to ever do it. Hence why I derful reading.

Hamilton’s win in Portugal say he is a living legend.

I genuinely cherish the fact I marked his 92nd victory in Formula One - his eighth win of the have witnessed this period of 2020 season and his first at the sporting history from as close

He’s handled it all like a champion

ENDEAVOURS

up as I have done and nothing will stay with me more than his win in the wet and rain at Silverstone in 2008, on his way to his first title. For me that was and is the most epic race in British F1 history.

I could have been at Wimbledon that day, witnessing another epic moment in sporting history, but I wouldn’t have swapped experiences for the world (and trust me, I love Wimbledon).

Fans of the young driver back then will never forget the awesome rookie year Hamilton experienced and to this day there are those who believe he should of won it. Oh the thought.

Maybe it’s something another rookie driver should seriously consider shooting for because only the gods know if the benchmarks Hamilton are setting now will ever be reached.

Will there ever be another driver as good?

Critics will point to him being in the best cars in order to amass the records he has done.

I say, the best driver should be in the best car. Show me one better in his era?

With the ups there have been downs. Show me another driver in the sport that has ever been racially abused?

He handled that black face saga in Spain back in 2008, where he was called a “black sh*t”, in the same way he’s done everything in his career, like a champion.

For me and for many, Hamilton has been a legend for some time. Nothing about this season has seen him relegated from that lofty status, if anything, still he rises.

How Hamilton passed Schumacher PORTIMAO WAS all about Lewis Hamilton, as he moved clear of Michael Schumacher on a record 92 F1 wins.

But there was so much more to Hamilton’s victory, and to the very first Grand Prix at the Algarve International Circuit...

• The all-time wins record was broken in Portugal for the second time – Alain Prost surpassed Sir Jackie Stewart’s 27 wins at Estoril in 1987.

• Speaking of Prost, Hamilton’s win tally is now the same as Prost’s (51) and Ayrton Senna’s (41) combined.

• Even before his record, Hamilton had more wins (91) than 2nds, 3rds and 4ths combined (90). Hamilton won on the 28th different circuit in his F1 career, extending a record he already held.

• Hamilton now holds the all-time records for most wins, podiums, points, races led and pole positions.

• Hamilton extended his streak of points finishes to 45 in a row – no other driver has scored in more than 27 in a row.

• Hamilton won by the largest margin in 2020 – 25.592 seconds.

• Hamilton, Bottas and Max Verstappen shared the podium for the 7th time in 12 races this season.

• Hamilton ended in P1 / Bottas P2 / Verstappen P3 for the sixth time... making it the second-most common finishing order in F1 history.

• Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel finished 10th for a 4th time this season, having never done so prior to 2020.

PART OF THE FAMILY: Joel Campbell has been on the scene with the Hamiltons since their early rise to fame, as seen with, from main, dad Anthony, a young Lewis and brother Nicolas

94 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

Sport

MAN ON A MISSION: Sir Lewis Hamilton in action in his Mercedes and, inset below, winning the British Grand Prix at Silverstone last year. Below right, how The Voice has covered his triumphs down the years

Always on the right track Rodney Hinds speaks to Ron Shillingford on our role in the rise of Sir Lewis

RH: Lewis Hamilton will always be special to you in general and The Voice in particular, won’t he?

RS: I was very proud of promoting and championing Lewis when he was just eight. He was karting and was beating kids twice his age, even adults. He was fantastic.

He actually came into The Voice offices with his dad Anthony. There was a big fuss about him because, even though he was 10 at the time, he was already getting major media exposure.

The Voice predicted that he would one day be a world champion.

“I was proud of promoting and championing young Lewis” RH: What was it about a young Lewis and his dad that made you think that he was going to go on to be successful?

RS: Lewis’s dad was doing

about four jobs at a time to finance his kid, and the kid was brilliant! He was already a karate black belt at 10 years old, because he was mixed race and getting bullied at school. I thought this kid has got the right mindset to be a world champion at whatever he goes into.

He’s going to succeed because he’s got a very supportive father and he’s already an expert in one discipline. If he can focus his mind to be a black belt at 10 in karate, then he can do anything.

I remember his dad saying he’s fearless. Whenever he had a crash or bump, he would be annoyed with the car and the other driver – he wouldn’t fear for himself. He was completely fearless.

RH: Can you recall where you first met Lewis?

RS: I’ve only met him twice – when he was 10, and then I went to his house in Stevenage when he was 15, and I did a big spread on him

@thevoicenewspaper

OF SPORT FAMILY AFFAIR SIMPLY THE 46 00

TURKISH DELIGHT

However, Hamilton’s story has been years in the making.

By Rodney Hinds yourviews@gvmedia.co.uk

N

DECEMBER 2019 | THE VOICE

SPORTS

2007 - 24, 18 xx JUNE 20xx - xx, MONTH

O WONDER Formula One sensation Lewis Hamilton is as quick as he is! The rookie that is taking the sport by storm has the middle name of Carl in honour of the legendary United States Olympic gold athlete, Carl Lewis.

Hamilton, the talk of the Grand Prix world and beyond, looked to extend his lead in the world drivers championship last week in Indianapolis, after claiming his maiden Formula One victory in Montreal in only his sixth Grand Prix. Apart from his obvious ability on the track, Hamilton is proving to be a media darling.

His press conferences are assured and articulate for one so young; he is proving to be a credit to his family. At just 22 years old he looks - with a modicum of luck - set not only to win the world championship but for many more years to come.

Awards

Hamilton introduced himself to McLaren team boss Ron Dennis at the 1994 Autosport Awards, asking if he could drive for the team in the future.

In 1998, he was signed to the McLaren driver development support programme, the contract including a future option of an F1 seat, making 13-year-old Hamilton the youngest ever driver to secure an F1 contract.

Behind the scenes of the glitz and glamour of motor sport, Hamilton has been supported by a strong family unit every bit as important as the mechanics and engineers that serve him so well in the pits.

Hamilton dedicated his historic win in Canada to his father Anthony.

His mother Carmen and father separated when Lewis was just two. Lewis grew up with his father, stepmother and half-brother Nicholas who suffers from cerebral palsy. Hamilton’s paternal grandparents emigrated to the United Kingdom from Grenada in the 1950s.

His grandfather worked on the London Underground. While Hamilton quite rightly grabs the headlines, he has never forgotten the sacrifices made by his family. The motor-racing fraternity had better get used to seeing young Hamilton on the podium.

You know the opposition is worried about his talent when teammate Fernando Alonso, twice a world champion, made a jibe suggesting that McLaren favour Hamilton.

Grenada is noted for its spices. It would appear to have unearthed a man to provide some extra flavour to the exciting world of Formula One.

NEWSPAPER

■ TURKISH champions Fenerbahce are set to offer Ghana midfielder Stephen Appiah a contract extension. The 26year-old, who played a key part in Fenerbahce’s title win last month, has attracted interest from several top European sides.

BEST

TAKE TIME ■ MARLON DEVONISH says Britain should avoid rushing its next batch of promising sprinters into the senior international arena.

The Coventry-based Olympic relay gold medallist, 31, said: “There are some good lads coming through, but I think it would be wrong to rush them.

“It might result in irreparable damage, and in the long term, it will not be the best policy.”

ILLUSTRATION BY TAYO FATUNLA

S

EVEN-TIMES FORMULA 1 world champion Sir Lewis Hamilton had his early karting career chronicled in The Voice.

Here, the newspaper’s first sports editor, Ron Shillingford, explains to Rodney Hinds the relationship between the ambitious karter and the country’s leading black paper when the protege was in his formative years.

Record breaker Lewis Hamilton – eight-page tribute edition

TOP SPORTS COVERAGE 24/7 VOICE-ONLINE.CO.UK/SPORT

F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton on the road to seventh heaven SEE PROFILE ON PAGE 71

NEW MAN AT ICC ■ RAY MALI has become acting president of the International Cricket Council following the death of Percy Sonn.

The 70-year-old president of Cricket South Africa since 2003 will assume the role for approximately 13 months until the ICC’s 2008 annual conference.

Lewis Hamilton with proud father Anthony

Life in the Fast Lane: The View on Lewis Hamilton

By Tiffany Maria Joseph

THE VOICE of Sport asked members of the proud black community three question to get their view on the sensational Lewis Hamilton.

■ How impressed are you with Hamilton in his debut season?

■ Do you think he can win the world title this year?

■ Is Hamilton set to make the same positive impact as Tiger Woods and the Williams sisters?

LUTHER BLISSETT, former Watford & England footballer: ■ I am highly impressed; think that everyone is, his achievements so far have been phenomenal.

■ He is leading at the moment and has a long way to go. There has

to be a possibility when you are in the lead. If things go his way and he does not get too many mechanical failures, then he has a good chance.

■ He definitely wil because when somebody has the profile that he has achieved already, its got to inspire others, no doubt about it.

AL HAMILTON, founder of the Commonwealth Sports Awards: ■ I have watched his races including the win in Canada, you don’t get that kind of talent often, it only comes about once in a lifetime.

He is a remarkable talent, personality, and a lovely human being.

■ I have no doubt. That this is his destiny. Some people are destined like a Bob Marley or Nelson

Mandela; they are put on this earth for a specific reason. Hamilton is a winner. He does not like to finish second. Winning comes naturally to him.

■ He is making that right now!

This is the new toast to the black community, well, the whole community. At a time when we are celebrating our history, here is a son of one of our descendants. There was a time when motor racing was only for the elite. I am glad to be alive.

LES FEVRIER, football agent: ■ I think he has done fantastically well–he has worked really hard to achieve.

■ I am very confident that he could win the world championship

at some stage but I hope it is this year.

■ Yes, if he is managed correctly, I am sure he will be up there with them. He is a very young man with a lot of drive and determination, he has got quality.

JENNY DAINTON, customer relations manager at the Football Association ■ Very impressed and surprised. It is so nice to see a young black face doing so well.

■ Yes definitely!

■ I think so. There are several similarities with him and the Williams sisters and Tiger Woods.

Each of their fathers have positive impacts on their lives and very influential on guiding their sporting careers too.

2020 VISION

SIR VIV’S • Focus on the FEARS Next Racing Richards ■ SIR VIVIAN Generation fears cricket in the to Caribbean is • near Hamilton “breaking point” and a total is anxious of Commission: petty, collapse through internal politics that blight the for continue toDriving West Indies. “When I change my was representing country, I was Sporting Equals prepared to•battle,” Richards told BBC Live. “Thathomage to Radio Five pays is how serious we the greatest of protook our sporting fession and that is I allWhen time missing now. was involved before, I for was criticised • fourth bullet being too hard.” here

Vivian Richards

“The Voice was a big help to Lewis’s dad, and he will endorse that even to this day” then and a big interview, and that was well received. Then he got too big!

He was off all over the place.

I used to phone Anthony, but he wasn’t interested in me anymore. He was done with me.

@thevoicenews

RH: In regard to Lewis, when you watch Formula 1 now, do you just sit back and have a little bit of satisfaction?

RS: Absolutely! His father was really appreciative of me because he was using the me-

voicenews

dia exposure in The Voice to leverage sponsorship and all kinds of support, both locally and nationally. He knew how to use all the pieces that we did.

He kept a scrapbook and he used to take it around.

He told me he wanted to get in the local media, but The Voice was a big help to him, and he will endorse that even to this day.

www.voice-online.co.uk

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