The Voice Newspaper: December 2022

DECEMBER 2022

s a m t s i r h C y M err s r e d a e r r u o to

WIN

CHRISTMAS SOLIDARITY WWW.VOICE-ONLINE.CO.UK

SUPPORT: Crystal Palace and Cote d’Ivoire forward Wilfred Zaha is one of many African footballers who are helping children in their home nation - P6

ENTER THE VOICE CHRISTMAS COMPETITION D EL IC IO U S

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SEE PAGE 28-29

SAVE OUR AFRICAN & CARIBBEAN BBC SHOWS

Community come together to support each other in hard times

WELLBEING: DJ Tendai Chagweda is helping people improve their mental health through roller skating - P24

CARE: Marvin HamiltonChambers supports young people in care who are lonely at Christmas P19

ISSUE NO. 1937 £2.50

Celebs and MPs join campaign as pressure mounts on the Beeb over threat to local black programmes LIFELINE: Abba Graham’s Manchester food bank offers produce consumed in black households - P18

READ MORE › Page 8-9

People and ideas that transform the world lse.ac.uk

Inside THIS MONTH

Making Christmas ‘back home’ The role of remittances p4

ROUNDUP

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

1. Young mother and her child die

Coverage of tragic case of mum who jumped on tracks

2. Labour takingblack vote for granted Expose of party failings on black representation

Passionate about women’s rights First Lady of Sierra Leone p10

3. Reggae royalty clash Investigation into artists’ claims of rip-off

History book Voice launch tome celebrating 40 years p20-21

4. Labour crisis intensifies

Outcry as ‘racist’ candidate picked in Barking

5. Social media influencer dead Controversy in Jamaica as popular woman killed

Power to us Who is on the black Powerlist?

6. GRM-rated awards

p22-23

The winners are…

Reclaiming black Jesus Bishop Talbert Swan explains why p35 Empowering youth Boxer Joshua Buatsi’s mission p54

7. Doctors destroyed my life

Family speak about impact of medical mistakes

8. Flooding in St Lucia

Heavy floods cause chaos in Caribbean

9. Celebrating Ron Hope

Life of first black cop is honoured

10. Guyana visa-less

No paperwork for travel to UK

This issue is 56 pages EDITOR Lester Holloway E. lester.holloway@thevoice mediagroup.co.uk

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

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

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

The Voice says

One love this Christmas

THE VOICE wishes all our readers, supporters and advertisers a very happy Christmas.

Last Christmas our editorial encouraged our readers to keep money in our community. Little did we know this was to take on extra meaning and urgency later in 2022 as the cost of living crisis struck.

Family budgets are tighter than ever, but yet again we are asking you to please buy black when possible - especially for Christmas presents. Check out our latest Black Business Guide, and see the Christmas list feature on pages 24-25.

Black communities are predicted to be hardest hit by the rocketing cost of living, just as we were during austerity. On top of that, we are sending money ‘back home’ in increasing amounts to give our family and friends a decent Christmas as well (see page 4).

We also need to work together and help each other get through the current crisis. This edition is dedicated to the heroes and heroines who are working tirelessly in their own way to help those in need. Such as people giving up their time and money to help black kids in care (page 13), running food banks (pages 19-20), and working to improve the mental wellbeing of others (page 24).

This is what our community is about; when our backs are against the wall the fighting spirit emerges, and we organise to help those who most need it.

The One Love spirit will continue to carry us through these hard times.

But it can’t just be about perseverance in the face of adversity. In the new year, we need to redouble our campaign for change, coalescing around policies to tackle systemic racism, wealth disparities and inequality in general.

Power concedes nothing without demands, as the great Frederick Douglass said.

Coming out of the pandemic we began 2022 on an optimistic note. Positivity is important, and so is unity.

And with unity comes the ability to demand better.

So let’s enjoy the festive period and get ready for the challenges and joys that 2023 will bring.

Got a story? email us at yourviews@thevoicemediagroup.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 NEWS DESK E. newsdesk@thevoice mediagroup.co.uk

CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS E. subscriptions@thevoicemedia group.co.uk

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DECEMBER 2022 THE VOICE |

3

Celebration

Black heroes of 2022 We celebrate those remarkable individuals and organisations making a huge impact this year. By Sinai Fleary

T

HIS YEAR has been tough on us all and the rising cost of living crisis is enough to dampen the mood.

However, there are several notable black people who really went out of their way to make things a bit better for our community this year.

The Voice would like to acknowledge and celebrate those remarkable individuals and organisations.

Each and every person on this list continues to give back to the community in more ways than one and are truly modern day heroes.

So with some festive cheer, welcome to the Black Heroes list 2022.

Korrine Sky Campaign for Africans in Ukraine

MEDICAL student Korrine Sky, 26, was one of the black students who tried to flee Ukraine early this year.

Sky and many other black students from parts of Africa and the Caribbean, were turned away from rescue buses at the Polish-Ukrainian border out of the war-torn country because of the colour of their skin.

She used social media to tell their stories of the shocking racism they faced, as she attempted to flee the warzone to safety.

As a result, the story went viral and later, the situation became known as ‘Africans in Ukraine’. which was trending on social media for several days.

With the increased awareness, the stories were picked up by media outlets and African and Caribbean government officials who were able to arrange emergency evacuation flights for their citizens.

Once back in the UK, she continued to amplify the voices of black students left in Ukraine and coordinated assistance for students trapped in remote parts of the country.

Kwajo Tweneboa Social Housing Campaigner

KWAJO TWENEBOA, 23, is a leading social housing campaigner who has tirelessly campaigned against the appalling living conditions of some social housing tenants.

Tweneboa, from Mitcham, south

London, uses social media to share videos of tenants who live in inhumane homes with disrepair, damp, mould and mice infestations.

His work has prompted several local authorities and housing associations to get tenants rehoused into suitable accommodation or get their long standing repairs completed.

Tweneboa first started sharing the awful conditions that plagued his flat on the Eastfields Estate while his father was terminally ill.

Even though the repairs were completed to his flat, he vows to continue to expose the inhumane housing conditions people are living in, until every family living in social housing has a safe and a clean place to call home.

This year, his work has rightfully propelled him into the public eye, which has seen his work backed by Dragons’ Den star Steven Bartlett and others.

Stormzy #Merky FC

THERE’S no stopping British rapper Stormzy!

The rapper already has the scholarship for black students to attend the University of Cambridge, and a publishing imprint called Merky Books which will champion black and underrepresented authors.

But this year, he announced a new collaboration with Adidas to launch #Merky FC — a programme that will provide off the pitch opportunities to young black people interested in pursuing a career in the football industry. #Merky FC will provide various multiyear, paid professional placements across the industry.

Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon Championing STEM fields

AT THE start of the year, Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon became the first black host of TV show Countdown.

Her new role catapulted her into the eyes and hearts of the nation.

At the time, she told The Voice: “As ground-breaking as it seems in 2021 to be a black woman doing arithmetic every weekday on daytime TV, I’m hoping this means it won’t be going forward. Here’s to all the new arithmeticians, mathematicians, and people who are inspired by seeing me grapple with 75 times tables, obscure English words and the most serious trainer game on TV.” Dr Imafidon has an extensive background in mathematics and computing.

At the age of 11, she had passed her Computing A-level and by the time she was 19, she made history as the youngest ever graduate with a Master’s degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Oxford.

Dr Imafidon is the CEO and Head Stemette of non-profit organisation Stemettes, which helps people get into Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields.

She will also front a new campaign launched by Sir Lewis Hamilton’s charity Mission 44 and the education charity Teach First to recruit and upskill 150 black STEM teachers.

Vanessa Nakate Climate Change Activist

VA N E S S A NAKATE is a climate change activist from Uganda in East Africa who began her journey as a climate activist in 2018.

She has used her voice and platform to highlight the dangers climate change poses to Africa, despite the continent only producing a small fraction of the green-house gas emissions.

Vanessa was propelled into the limelight in 2020, when she was controversially cropped out of a photo with other climate activists – who were all white.

She later slammed the edited photo in a video and said she now understood what the word “racism” means.

Vanessa has gone on to become a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador, climate activist and author.

Swiss Black Pound Day store

IN JUNE this year, a permanent Black Pound Day (BPD) store opened in Westfield Shopping Centre, west London.

BPD was founded by award-winning UK music artist and So Solid Crew member Swiss in June 2020 to encourage people to shop from and spend money with local and online UK black-owned businesses.

He said: “We are so excited to be in a position to create this opportunity to bring the best of our homegrown black brands to the general high street consumer, ensuring sustainability and consistency all year round.”

The new store has enabled more than 80 black-owned businesses to sell to Westfield London shoppers.

BPD continues to be part of our monthly calendars as it takes place on the first Saturday of every month.

Sir Lewis Hamilton Hamilton Commission and Mission 44

IN JUNE this year, Formula One driver Sir Lewis Hamilton was named the most charitable athlete in the world according to The Sunday Times Giving List.

Sir Lewis’ philanthropy has seen him donate an incredible £20 million this year to support young people with employment and education.

In 2021, he established his foundation Mission 44 to transform the lives of young people from underserved communities. In January 2022, he announced a £1 million partnership with Sky to address the disproportionate rate of school exclusions amongst black pupils.

Sir Lewis’ foundation also has programmes to boost diversity in motorsport, including providing Master-level motorsport engineering scholarships for black students.

4 | THE VOICE DECEMBER 2022

Remittances

Making Christmas for family back home The amount of money sent abroad to relatives is set to rise by £4 billion, with families in Britain leading the way.

By Leah Mahon

A

S THOUSANDS of families settle down for the Christmas season in Britain, there are many others that will be making sure their families across the world also have a festive season to remember.

For people whose heritage lies in Africa and the Caribbean, the practice of sending money ‘back home’ — or remittances — has long been ingrained in our culture and throughout generations.

The amount of money sent by people to low and middle-income countries has grown by 4.2 per cent to £515 billion in 2022, following an almost record recovery of 8.6 per cent in 2021, according to the World Bank.

World Remit, a global money transfer service, reported that global users have sent nearly £270 million to Nigeria, £170 million to Kenya, £145 million to Ghana, £100 million to Uganda and £75 million to Cameroon in the period to June 2022.

SEASON OF GOODWILL: Many families in the UK make sure that family overseas also have a festive season to remember (photo: Getty Images)

The remittances market is predicted to increase by £4.1 billion by 2026 with the UK being dubbed a “major send country” after a 30 per cent growth spurt in 2021. Kenya Abaneme, 37, below, who has lived in Britain since 2011, tells The Voice that sending money to Nigeria has always been a “duty”.

“I still have family back home in Nigeria, my parents are there. I have an 11-year-old son that is in boarding school. So, I have to send money to support his studies and also help out my parents, because they are retired now. Just a dutiful daughter, just to send some appreciation,” she explains.

Six years ago, the now mumof-two says she was a student and already had been sending money home intermittently, but once she secured a full-time job in the energy industry, giving back to her Nigerian family became a “monthly commitment” as the biggest earner out of three

GLOBAL HELP: More than £500 billion has so far been sent to low and middle-income countries in 2022 (photo: Getty Images) siblings. Ishmael Lea South, 49, told The Voice that sending money home to Jamaica has always been a part of family life.

He says: “I saw my parents doing it. My parents used to do it by post to their cousins, siblings and my mother. My father’s mother died when he was young [so needed financial

support]. When we first went to Jamaica on holiday, we would come in contact with some of our cousins [that was when I started sending money back].

And we’ve got one brother, the eldest brother who’s never been to the UK.” Over in Britain, the cost of living crisis has also gripped the purse strings of many households as energy, food and fuel costs spike.

However, the sense of responsibility, Kenya admits, is a part of her personality and “doesn’t really think about it” despite expecting to send more money over during the Christmas period especially.

“It does take a strain on my budgeting and savings, but I don’t really consider it too much of a burden,” she says.

“I tend not to think of it as too much of a hassle, because if I do it will weigh down on me too much.”

Ishamel also says that the sense of duty to provide for others less fortunate back home continues despite the rising costs to live, and especially as

millions in Africa and the Caribbean prepare to celebrate Christmas. He adds that it’s important to “send something as a family” and his reasons for doing so are simple.

“Charity begins at home with your immediate family. Whether it’s your cousin or siblings.

“Yes, we have it tough here in the UK. But our immediate fam-

It does take a strain on savings, but it’s not too much of a burden ily also has it tough in the Caribbean as well,” he says.

Kenya admits that the “currency value” of converting the British pound in Nigeria goes a long way. The acknowledgement of this is also entangled with a complicated relationship with the Empire.

Persistent economic depriva-

tion in these countries has its roots in colonialism, and that some of these countries have only existed independently for less than 100 years.

For both Kenya and Ishamel, they say they have sent thousands of pounds back home over the years, and are not weighed down with the notion of adding to stereotypes about the “third-world countries” when their families deserve to “treat themselves” to a good Christmas this year like millions across Britain.

“It’s a duty [to send money home]. Many of us in the UK, we do say there’s a lot of racism and discrimination, but still there’s much more benefits here than many other countires.

Every time we go to Africa and the Caribbean, people are always saying they want to come to England,” Ishmael says. “Many of us here, especially from the black community, take for granted that we’re living in a first-world nation and we should use that benefit to benefit our siblings and our families in Africa and the Caribbean this Christmas.”

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6 | THE VOICE DECEMBER 2022

News feature

Humanity at its best Matthew Chadder asks why so many headlines surrounding African and Caribbean players are negative when the stars are doing good things in their communities

P

REMIER LEAGUE star Wilfred Zaha has recently donated money for a school in the Ivory Coast — does this headline sound familiar? Probably not.

“Obscene Raheem” or “Raheem shoots himself in foot” may ring more of a bell — and the question is why?

Why are so many headlines surrounding Afro-Caribbean players negative and misleading? Where are the humanitarian stories of these very same footballers; the good they do in their community; the money they spend positively?

The gambling stories and drunken nights out are plastered all over front pages for all to see — but the good that is being done is hidden away.

SHOWCASE

Eleven years ago, Francis Nkwain decided enough was enough and founded the Best of Africa awards to celebrate black excellence and showcase the humanitarian side of these footballing superstars.

And, as Francis recalls, it is all thanks to one informal dinner conversation with a group of footballers.

He told The Voice: “It was more a question of what these gentlemen would do that summer, the likes of Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Sebastien Bassong (both from Cameroon) and Salomon Kalou (Ivory Coast). They all seemed to

be taking time in their schedules to visit an existing project in their home countries or embarking on something either in the field of education or health. This struck a nerve with me.

“From that informal conversation it took ten days to put the very first BoA together. The intention behind this was to say to the players, ‘you’re never really getting the opportunity to speak with each other, but you seem to share the same sense of reality of doing things back in your different countries’.”

A seemingly endless list of people involved in this humanitarian work exists and it includes some of English football’s most famous stars, making it all the more shocking that the light has not been shone upon their efforts, “Whether it was the Kalous, Drogbas, Eto’os or the Adebayors, wherever they found themselves, they were doing these things quite naturally. I was blown away by just how committed these gentlemen were, they would give up their time and resources.

“Part of our responsibility was how we helped them identify better practices, organisations that can better deliver on the things they want to deliver.”

The fantastic work of these footballers is continuing today, yet still going largely unnoticed, with Nkwain pointing towards a poignant recent example of bi-

COMMON GOAL: Former Chelsea star Didier Drogba has worked tirelessly in the Ivory Coast

FORCE FOR GOOD: Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha has his own foundation in the Ivory Coast that helps widows and children when they go to school; below, Best of Africa awards founder Francis Nkwain ased coverage. “Raheem Sterling and Leon Bailey did a fantastic project where they travelled out to Jamaica. But the column interest that it received was unfair, because it leaned more towards the fact that Prince William was there at the same time as them.

“The lack of public attention around their work is of no interest however to these footballers who are simply seeking to make a difference.”

FANTASTIC

The BoA founder went into detail about a fantastic story of a current and former African Premier League star.

“Yves Bissouma had been doing a lot of work back in Mali, and he had a teammate at Brighton, Gaetan Bong, who had been doing a lot of work in Cameroon and in Tanzania and he decided that he mustn’t limit himself to the geography that he calls home.

“He partnered up with Gaetan Bong to do a set of orphanages which they are planning to roll out across the coming years through the continent. These kind of projects exist, they don’t do them for news, but we as family encourage and support them and that is the spirit of the BoA evening, we come together just to say ‘whilst the world may not see you, we see you’.”

Zaha, speaking to Crystal Palace’s official website, said: “In my country, I have a foundation that helps widows and kids when they go to school.

“I will buy food for them, I will buy backpacks with equipment that they need for school.

“I recently bought a football club in my country. There are so many kids that obviously want to play football and there are not that many opportunities. I’m glad God has blessed me with the opportunity to reinvest in my country and actually buy a team, which is crazy to say out loud!

“I have an academy as well, the Wilfried Zaha Academy. [Children] come to play for the academy. If they want to take it seriously and they are good enough, they have the opportunity to play for my club.

That’s just another way to make it out.”

With the household names finding it hard enough to gain this positive coverage, it is the even smaller humanitarian sto-

ries which are being lost in history that Nkwain believes to be “just as important.”

“Diomansy Kamara back in the day identified a country that wasn’t his, Mali, and decided to build a football academy, with his earnings, not just for business, but at the start as a home away from home for young boys who are maybe involved in street life.

From that it has grown into something else and given such rewarding feelings, and earnings and structure to multiple individuals and families.”

Despite the vast gap in wealth and resources between male and female athletes, it has not slowed some women down, as they continue to make great strides and influence change too.

“Assisat Oshola, her foundation work in Nigeria is bordering on eight years old now,” adds Nkwain.

“In Uganda, Eniola Aluko has been able to lift the profile and participation of young girls in

sport, truly phenomenal. Jean Ssenide has been with us on numerous occasions, the advocacy that she brings to different aspects of the game, the fights that she leads through the intelligence of her words, whether they be in books or programmes that she is invested in, have made great strides for us as a people.”

FAME

Whilst Best of Africa does exist to showcase these stories, the people involved are not looking for fame and recognition — but rather a chance to showcase the good being done in an effort to share a common goal.

“We choose to celebrate and exhibit this in the privacy of our little gathering because the heart of what it is, is our shared humanity,” says Nkwain.

“That shared humanity is what we try to celebrate, not how starry your name is or how dizzying the numbers in your bank account are. They are not as important to us, as the example that you provide as a person who has the option to look away and chooses not to.”

Hopefully, one day the hateful headlines will be replaced with humanitarian ones, and these players will be recognised for the good they are doing and will continue to do.

Study at the world’s leading university dedicated to the social sciences lse.ac.uk

8 | THE VOICE DECEMBER 2022

BBC in crisis

Pressure grows on BBC over the threat to black shows

Celebs join battle to save local African and Caribbean programmes as MPs prepare to grill public broadcaster’s bosses. By Vic Motune

T

HE BBC is facing increasing pressure to U-turn over a proposal to axe black local radio shows.

MPs and celebrities have signed an open letter calling on the public broadcaster to reject the cuts.

BBC bosses face a grilling by MPs on the culture and media committee, as furious black staff discussed the plans at an event organised by the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity.

Famous figures who have signed the letter to the Beeb include actors David Harewood and Adrian Lester, MP Dawn Butler, Baroness Doreen Lawrence and Lord Simon Woolley.

They are urging the BBC not to reduce broadcast hours, staff or production spend on these shows following the announcement of the cuts to local radio last month.

The action was coordinated

by Black Equity Organisation (BEO), a powerful anti-racist group headed by Dame Vivian Hunt.

Earlier this month The Voice exclusively revealed the fears of black BBC production staff the corporation’s proposed budget cuts and reorganisation mean that African Caribbean and Asian programmes on local radio would be axed.

BEO said it was concerned about the “devastating impact” the cuts would have on black licence-fee payers who “rely on these programmes as vital sources of community news”.

It added that the “little black audiences have, is in danger of being taken away”.

The letter continued: “Unlike other communities, black people in Britain have no dedicated national broadcast chan-

nel with news, current affairs and topical issues specific to their lives. There are 1.9 million people of black heritage in the UK. In an average week, this audience only has two hours of dedicated programming, primarily from where they live via BBC local radio.”

The black regional radio shows, broadcast every Sunday evening, discuss issues like sickle cell, the Windrush Scandal, as well as broader issues of racism.

TALENT

The coalition of MPs and celebrities say the BBC proposals are inconsistent with the corporation’s obligation to properly reflect Britain’s diverse communities.

There is also concern at the impact cuts would have on developing a black talent pipeline at the BBC, as working on those shows has been a key route to get BBC contracts.

Media diversity campaigner Marcus Ryder was one of the speakers at a special panel de-

bate called ‘BBC Local Radio Cuts – Could Diversity Be the Biggest Casualty?’, held at Birmingham City University (BCU).

He told The Voice: “This shouldn’t just be about avoiding cuts. This should be an opportunity to start a dialogue with diverse audiences, to engage in some fresh thinking about how best it reflects these diverse audiences.

“Viewing and listening habits are changing so we need a discussion about what serving these audiences look like in a changing media landscape.”

Rupa Huq, MP for Ealing Central and Acton, is expected to take a lead in grilling BBC executives when they appear before the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport parliamentary select committee.

BBC insiders have revealed that bosses want to take the Sunday evening regional black ‘magazine’ shows off air and replace them with a single programme on the digital app, BBC Sounds.

As well as fighting the plans,

many commentators are questioning whether the BBC sees racial diversity as a priority, despite the BBC Charter enshrining this as one of their goals.

The BBC has admitted that it lags behind other broadcasters in BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) viewer share.

For more than a century, the BBC has been hailed as a national institution that plays a key role in shaping and reflecting the identity of Britons through its broadcasting.

But it has also been criticised for failing to accurately portray the lives of black communities who have helped build and shape our multicultural society.

Before the 1990s, BBC shows rarely addressed the experiences of minorities unless it was to highlight racial tensions.

This was the context in which shows like Black Britain, The Real McCoy, and Blouse and Skirt were created to increase the representation of people of colour on BBC programming.

However, these communities remain an underserved audi-

RIGHT TO A VOICE: BBC presenter Ed Adoo says it feels like the BBC don’t value black audiences

ence. Despite record numbers of major broadcasters including the BBC making public pledges to increase diversity following the Black Lives Matter demonstrations of 2020, it now seems as though these commitments have slid to the bottom of the agenda.

Ed Adoo, who presents the African Caribbean show on BBC Three Counties told The Voice: “We had a meeting with bosses and were told that the BBC is committed to these shows but we have no idea what form or structure this commitment will take. We’re still waiting to hear.”

He continued: “I’ve always trusted the BBC to deliver for local audiences, in particular to the listeners of the African Caribbean and Asian shows.

However, I feel the BBC has really fallen short of its mantra on diversity. These shows are the only platform for black and Asian communities on BBC Local Radio.

“The shows feature important stories about the Windrush for example, sickle cell or the Luton or Northampton carnivals,

incredible stories which may not necessarily get shared on the mainstream daytime outputs. The BBC is a public service broadcaster, its output is funded by the licence fee payers and these audiences have a right to a voice.

“It just feels like the BBC hasn’t really truly valued African Caribbean and Asian programming on local radio. If they did, they would have consulted with these audiences.”

INDICTMENT

BBC insiders and media industry commentators say the planned cuts will worsen an existing lack of diversity among BBC radio staff.

A 2021 report from The Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity provided a damning indictment of ethnic representation in BBC local radio newsrooms which are meant to serve communities across the country.

The report, called Diversity of Senior Leaders in BBC Radio News, found that only six percent of the BBC’s Radio News senior leadership across the UK

DECEMBER 2022 THE VOICE |

9

BBC in crisis CHANGES: The BBC recently announced changes to local radio programming which Black staff say will see African and Caribbean shows cut from the schedule

LOCAL VOICE: Jacqueline Shepherd presenting on BBC London (photo: Instagram)

BBC is homogenising black communities Montel Gordon says axing local shows disenfranchises the local community and the plan shows how out of touch Auntie Beeb has become

Nations are people of colour and only eight per cent across its entire News and Current Affairs division. Earlier this year, the BBC was accused of failing to tackle a negative culture towards black staff after its latest Equality and Diversity report revealed that there was not a single black person employed in a leadership role in the corporation’s production sector for a second year running.

had almost no black audience.

These programmes helped to turn that around. It would be a shame if, at a time of heightened awareness of diversity, and all the promises that the BBC and other broadcasters have made postGeorge Floyd, the corporation were to roll back on these programmes.”

A BBC spokesperson told The Voice: “We are committed to

The BBC is a public service broadcaster, its output is funded by the licence fee payers who have a right to a voice Former BBC London presenter Henry Bonsu told The Voice: “I would be concerned as somebody who used to broadcast on BBC London. I remember the landmark BBC report People and Programmes from 1996, which led to the setting up of a lot of these diverse programmes around the country.

It found that BBC local radio

reflecting all communities in our output. We’ll confirm programmes for the new schedules in due course.

“We’re investing more in audio commissioning for community programmes, in particular, so the voices and programmes our audiences love and feel deeply connected to will be available to a wider au-

dience on BBC Sounds. We are in direct conversations with everyone impacted by these proposals. We will look at each programme on a case-by-case basis. We always have the door open for future and existing talent.

“More broadly the BBC remains committed to reflecting and representing the diverse audiences it serves both on and off-air. Latest figures show more black, Asian and ethnic minority staff are joining the BBC, than leaving, as published in the BBC’s Equality Information Report.”

Asked as to whether or not the BBC had a firm commitment to keeping the shows, the spokesperson said: “It is incorrect to report that we are ending all of our black and Asian community programmes.

“We have outlined proposals for our weekend and afternoon schedules and are currently consulting with staff about this. We hold ourselves to the highest standards when it comes to representation of all backgrounds and diversity is a priority for us.”

THE BBC is seemingly intent on axing all regional black magazine shows and instead replacing them with just one. This massacre would affect the closure of an estimated 48 staff posts with the BBC aiming to focus on producing digital content with their platform BBC Sounds.

This homogenising of the black communities throughout the country under the banner of just ‘one’ shows how out of touch the BBC are with reality.

More so, this move is a continuation of the long-running elimination of black shows.

The whole point of regional black shows is the regional issues facing the local community — it’s an insult to the black community to give one show on BBC Sounds which is difficult to find and navigate.

The Voice’s understanding of the BBC’s reasoning behind this is these shows are not reaching the younger audience as they attempt to divert attention to things that would compete with TikTok. With their bad rep for youth-related content, it would be better to establish additional content that relates to young people than axing these shows. At times, saying initiatives or shows (like this for instance) are not reaching the ‘younger generations’ seems an easy cop out and equally, should that mean, we must forget the generation that these shows appeal to?

Rhodri Talfan Davies, the director of Nations at BBC, in charge of Nations and local audiences across Britain, stated “the

plans will help us connect with more people in more communities right across England — striking a better balance between our broadcast and online services — and ensuring we remain a cornerstone of local life for generations to come.”

These shows remain important to our community and pivotal towards our community allowing people to share their thoughts on the latest news/popular culture in a way national radio cannot.

As Elonka Soros, former BBC Editor of Diversity and Communities, summarised on presenter Devon Daley’s show, the distinctiveness of hearing your news in your local area, the issues that may occur and people sharing their experiences, is something where it only occurs on local radio.

This has not been the first time the BBC has attempted to enclose local radio shows.

Previously in 2019, they attempted to axe broadcaster Dotun Adebayo’s show on Radio London which was reversed due to severe backlash on a longstanding anchor for the BBC. The regional magazine shows remain integral components to not only the black community but many others throughout the UK. Axing these shows disenfranchises communities.

Local radio has helped establish careers of prominent journalists and broadcasters and particularly for those outside the capital with smaller black population, a place to hear what’s actually happening in your community.

This plan ultimately destroys the infrastructure of radio as we know it.

10 | THE VOICE DECEMBER 2022

Children’s rights

‘My story is Africa’s story’

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IERRA LEONE’S First Lady Fatima Maada Bio is a woman on a mission, she wants to see her country and the rest of Africa rise.

Her unwavering determination for change across the continent has seen her recently make history by becoming the first First Lady to address the United Nations General Assembly But, more importantly, she is the first First Lady to have a resolution approved by the UN General Assembly.

At the heart of her advocacy is the rights of women and children.

By taking her fight to the UN, she is responsible for November 18 being declared the World Day for the Prevention of, and Healing from, Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence.

Speaking to The Voice, she said: “I had the G7 vote in favour, I had the whole of the European Union vote in favour, the Middle East, that I thought was going to be a very difficult one.

Sierra Leone’s First Lady is on a mission to save children from child marriage. By Sinai Fleary When I heard Saudi Arabia’s name I thought ‘are you kidding me?’

The First Lady started pursuing the resolution in 2021, and says a highlight for her has been having it backed by major religious groups like the Catholic Church and Islamic Relief.

PASSIONATE

She is passionate about championing women’s and girls’ rights because of her own horrifying first-hand experience of being a victim of child marriage.

She said: “I am not talking from someone else’s story, it is my own story.

“By the time I was 12, I was already married off and the paedophile was just waiting for me to be shipped off. This person

that I was calling uncle is now going to be my husband and it kills your dream immediately.

You don’t dream, you don’t think about your future, you don’t plan for your future because you hate yourself so bad.

“You start blaming yourself and ask ‘why me? ‘why not my sisters?’”

She spent four years of blaming herself and says many girls who face child marriage feel suicidal and believe the only way out is “if they are not here anymore”.

In 1991, a civil war began in Sierra Leone which lasted for almost 11 years. The deadly war forced thousands of people to flee the country in search of refuge and safety.

Arriving in the UK in 1996, as a teenage refugee, Maada Bio

VISION: First Lady Fatima Maada Bio, right, with Sinai was one of those people. She recalls the war being “the worst thing to happen to your country” but also feels it was her own

“salvation” because it meant she was not sent to the matrimonial home to begin a life as a child bride.

She remembers coming to London as a refugee without any family and struggling to fit in, but says she was supported by The Prince’s Trust to complete her education.

“Coming to England has taught me that I can, and that I am able to,” she added.

During her formative years, she also worked at McDonald’s in Oxford Street to get by.

She is not ashamed of her humble beginnings or her struggles while living in the UK, in fact, she embraces them and uses them to drive her vision for change for others.

“My story is Africa’s story. It is every African’s story. From day one it is a struggle but we struggle with grace.”

Fast forward to today, she says it feels “amazing” to have a global annual day that will be used to highlight the sexual abuse and exploitation of children.

For the full interview visit www.voice-online.co.uk

THE CHOICE IS YOURS WHEN IT COMES TO SENDING MONEY ABROAD

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12

| THE VOICE

DECEMBER 2022

Dotun Adebayo

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

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

Our Queens of Christmas I’m dreaming of another black Xmas number one

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VER UNDERESTIMATE the power of the Christmas Number One. The chart position ain’t what it used to be but festive number ones capture a mood of the nation this Christmas and, if you’re lucky, for all the Christmases to come. They are modern day carols.

And even if England were to win the World Cup, we’d still have to have a Christmas number one.

So ain’t it good to know that a black woman is at the very top of the Christmas number one tree where she has been for 28 years, and it doesn’t look like anybody is going to topple her anytime soon.

Mariah Carey is still the undisputed queen of Christmas.

She doesn’t even have to sing a note. While she tucks into the festive spirit at her home in Aspen, Colorado, with her best buddy, our very own Jasmine Dotiwala, her Christmas anthem All I Want For Christmas Is You is doing all the leg work.

As everybody knows Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without it.

There are however four other black queens of Christmas number ones who we need to give a shout out too also.

WINIFRED ATWELL Let’s Have Another Party Winifred Atwell’s 1954 honkytonk knees-up was the antidote to more than a decade of miserable British Christmases.

Just the tonic a nation still in post-war austerity needed to make Christmas fun again.

This was the year that rationing ended officially and everybody wanted to rejoice at yuletide. And that’s what Let’s Have Another Party gave Britain the liberty to do.

From the photographic evidence it wasn’t a white Christmas that her sea of admirers were dreaming of!

Astute as ever Atwell invested

CHART TOPPERS: Clockwise from above, Mariah Carey, Leona Lewis, Winifred Atwell, Alexandra Burke and Whitney Houston all had Christmas Number Ones (photos: Getty Images) the proceeds from Let’s Have Another Party in property all over Brixton in south London which tapped the gap in the market with English landlords preferring to starve to death than have new black immigrants, Irish and dogs paying them rent.

From Winifred Atwell in 1954 it would be another 38 years before a black woman was to be the Christmas number one.

WHITNEY HOUSTON I Will Always Love You Whitney’s I Will Always Love You blew everything else away that year. Whitney gave the vocal performance of her life and became the soundtrack of that winter of ‘92.

It reassured lovers everywhere that, despite the fairy-tale wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana coming to a crashing

end just a couple of weeks earlier, love is everlasting.

LEONA LEWIS A Moment Like This Sixteen years ago — yes SIXTEEN! — Christmas number one was the dream come true for the former TV talent show winner Leona Lewis.

Britain wanted a Mariah Carey of its own, and we got it.

It’s not the best of Christmas songs but when it is umbilically tied to her dream come true it encapsulated the Christmas spirit that year. A year of a heatwave and, to be fair, Leona brought some of her own heat into what was otherwise a lacklustre Christmas chart, with the likes of McFly. ALEXANDRA BURKE Hallelujah Her version of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah tapped into some-

thing in the year that Mohammed al-Fayed accused the royal family and Tony Blair of conspiring to murder his son Dodi and Princess Diana. I know it was all packaged nicely for us, but she nailed it.

So, there you have it, our five queens of Christmas number ones. Number six is unlikely to happen this year. Stormzy is the only black artist in the top ten of the bookies’ favourites for Christmas number ones 202 In contrast to the black queens of Christmas number ones, the kings have faired relatively better.

If getting a Christmas number one is the pop star equivalent of winning the World Cup, it is strange to think that Earth Song was Michael Jackson’s only Christmas number one.

Because if we extend the

analogy he is surely the Pele or the Maradona of the music industry and they both won multiple world cups.

From Michael Jackson in 1995, when the real war of the royals started after that now discredited Martin Bashir interview where Princess Diana talked about being one of three in their relationship, we have to roll back the hands of time to 1986 and Reet Petite, Jackie Wilson’s classic from the 1950s, dusted down and sent back up to the top of the charts on Christmas Day 1986.

On reflection Reet Petite with all its zest for life was not the appropriate soundtrack to the most watched episode of EastEnders ever when Dirty Den served divorce papers on Angie.

Before that, in 1978 Boney M secured the Christmas number one song, thanks to an old

Harry Belafonte song which it is true they completely decimated, as they were wont to do.

Thankfully Harry Belafonte’s own version of the song was also a Christmas number one — in 1957.

Back to 1976 and Johnny Mathis had shown how a Christmas number one should be sung with his version of When A Child Is Born.

From there you have to go all the way back to 1961 with “the British Johnny Mathis”, Danny Williams, and his rendition of the classic Moon River which became a Christmas number one.

And the final black Christmas number one of the last 70 years of the pop charts was in 1959, Emile Ford and the Checkmates with What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For?

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

DECEMBER 2022 THE VOICE |

13

Care system

Christmas time in care Marvin Hamilton-Chambers was once homeless. He’s now working with children in care and giving them a Christmas to remember. By Vic Motune

M

OST PEOPLE take it for granted that they’ll visit their family for Christmas and enjoy the festive season with loved ones.

But as families across the country plan to spend time with each other, this is often not an option for young people in care homes, or who are leaving care for the first time.

For them, it can be a challenging and stressful time of year, one that can bring up memories of tough Christmases past or intensify feelings of regret, loss, or anxiety at not being with their parents.

The typical image of a tightknit family, opening presents and enjoying Christmas lunch together is a long way from their reality. This fact will not have escaped the people tasked with supporting young people in care settings.

Key workers and care home managers realise it takes patience and a willingness to listen to help these young people work through their emotions.

TRADITIONS

And at this time of year, many of these professionals go the extra mile to make sure that those they look after have the best Christmas they can, one that perhaps builds on happier times in their lives or creates new festive traditions for them.

Among them is Marvin Hamilton-Chambers. The 27-yearold, below, is a key worker for Outward, a London-based charity which provides supported housing for vulnerable young people in the care system including those who have learning disabilities, are asylum seekers, or who were formerly homeless and who are on the verge of becoming independent adults.

Hamilton-Chambers mainly works with 18 to 21 - y e a r olds to build their life skills

and self-confidence so that they maintain their own accommodation and hold down regular employment once they leave the care system.

It’s a job he is passionate about but for him, this time of year can be one tinged with sadness. Some of the young people who live in the supported housing that Outward provides do go home for Christmas. However many do not.

“It’s really sad,” he says.

“When I first started working at Outward, I noticed at Christmas, a lot of the young people just preferred to stay in their rooms.

“When I asked them why they weren’t going to stay with family they’d tell me they didn’t have any family members around, or that the relationship with them was too strained. It could be quite lonely for them, and that doesn’t help with their mental health at Christmas.”

One year, Hamilton-Chambers and his manager were determined to create a festive season that would be memorable for four young people.

“They initially told us ‘we don’t care about Christmas’. So we decided to do something different that year. My manager said ‘Guys, here’s the Christmas budget. We’re going to trust you to go shopping and buy whatever you want.

“It wasn’t something we were supposed to do but straightaway one of the boys told us how much he loved to cook. So he went out with the others and bought all the food that was needed for a Christmas dinner. They overdid it a bit with the spending but they were so excited that we trusted them with the money.

“And it definitely put a smile on my face because they all went from not caring about Christmas to something that turned out to be a really happy occasion and reinforced the bond they had with each other.”

LONELY: The festive season can be tough for young people in the care system; below, the John Lewis Christmas TV advert

people of colour, that you can go through certain things in life but don’t let that be your story.

Don’t be the victim, be someone who overcomes problems. I’ve always seen what happened to me as something that has made me stronger.”

Earlier this year he won the Support Worker of the Year award at The National Learning Disability & Autism Awards in Birmingham.

The experiences of young people in the care system during the festive season have been given a high-profile boost by the new John Lewis Christmas TV advert.

COMPLEX Loneliness and isolation are challenges that young people in care face all year round, not just at Christmas. Recognising this and putting the right support mechanisms in place is a key part of the work of people like Hamilton-Chambers. It’s work he is passionate about and its impact can be life-changing.

“The most rewarding thing is seeing a young person grow so much,” he says. “They might have been in gangs in the past, they might have been abused by

family members and stuff like that. But just seeing young people come in so guarded but later grow and develop is great.”

He continued: “A lot of people in our service tend to be people of colour. Maybe it’s the fact that I look just like them but I relate to them really well.

“I’ve worked with some very challenging young people and it’s been a journey. I make a habit of praising them for even small things because many of them have never got much in

the way of praise and encouragement.”

The passion for the work he does dwells from the fact that as a teenager, he was in exactly the same position as many of the young people he works with.

Chambers found himself in supported housing after leaving home as a teenager. “That experience made me realise what a good support worker was” he recalls.

“I always want to inspire just young people, especially young

The 90-second ad features the story of a middle-aged man learning to skateboard before welcoming a teenager into what will be her new foster home.

John Lewis said the ad was part of a broader campaign featuring the “authentic voices of carers” and “young people with different experiences of a complex care system” which it hopes will “generate conversation and action around an often overlooked issue”.

Hamilton-Chambers hopes this conversation will include ideas about a much-needed investment in the care system.

14 | THE VOICE DECEMBER 2022

Community spirit

Creating Christmas in our own image A look at the entrepreneurs and their products making this a happy black Christmas. By Leah Mahon

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HE MOST wonderful time of the year is now snowed under with not just glittering baubles and rows of tinsel, but a black Santa Claus and angels to a new festive twinkle on some of our favourite dishes to make it a very special black Christmas.

For many families from African-Caribbean backgrounds, finding something that reflected their homes amid the Christmas season had been near impossible despite the worldwide pledge by giant brands to become more inclusive at the height of the Black Lives Matter movement. However, as the festive season dawns, The Voice has profiled some incredible black-led ventures that are spearheading representation for black families this Christmas.

AMC GOSPEL CHOIR X MANCHESTER CAMARATA: FESTIVE HAPPENING THIS Christmas, the critically-acclaimed Manchester Camarata returns with the AMC Gospel Choir to deliver a sequence of festive performances of some of Christmas’ best-loved classics.

Audrey Mattis, the choirmaster at the helm of the AMC group, will be leading this year’s shows which she calls a “huge privilege” as they prepare to welcome audiences to a blend of both gospel and the classics.

“This is one of the choir’s premiere and favoured performances. We make space in our diaries to be available for this date each year. Even though our December diary is filled with corporate and private events, this is the one concert that is curated to totally honour our sense of pride in our classic, gospel music history,” she says.

“The opportunity we have to share the stage with Manchester Camerata fills us with pride. A professional orchestra and a professional gospel choir is still a very new thing. Performing this repertoire to a largely new audience each year is mind-blowing plus the significance of this special season, remembering Christ’s birth, gives the concert extra pathos.”

With music and gospel choir sounds having fallen out of the mainstream, Audrey believes it’s more important that ever this type of music is put back on the “musical map” more than ever to a wider audience. Composers and artists like composers Richard Smallwood and Israel Houghton bring the show’s gospel roots right home.

The Albert Hall in Manchester is

RAISING SPIRITS: AMC Gospel Choir (photo: Jason Lock) expected to be filled with festive cheer and reflections this Christmas season, something that Audrey says has become a tradition for many eager listeners.

“We want people to be uplifted, emotional, exuberant and filled with hope for the world by the time they hit the half time break. Then for spirits to be raised again for the last set until the very last, musical note rings out in the hall,” she says.

“Last year the Lord Mayor of Manchester was in the house and came to congratulate me during the midpoint break. He’d brought his mom. It’s that kind of gig for us, a family time and one where everyone wants to have a joyful, shared experience. This concert is something that was created only a few years ago but it has already become a tradition for so many to attend.”

To find out more about the AMC Gospel Choir x Manchester Camarata: Festive Happening, visit alberthallmanchester.com.

Tickets start from £22.50

NOIR KRINGLE: THE BLACK SANTA’S GROTTO EXPERIENCE AFTER hearing about a friend who was about to take her daughter to a black Santa Grotto in the US, Charlotte Lewis recalled how “amazing” it would be to give a similar experience to her young daughter during the festive season.

“I searched and I looked and there wasn’t anything UK based,” recalls Charlotte. “It was all over in America and even then it was more just sort of photo opportunities. It wasn’t an actual full on experience in a grotto.

I kind of toyed with the idea for a while and I wondered if I could put something on.”

The mum-of-two said that the same sentiments from friends and family about the lack of diversity at Christmas eventually prompted her to create her own sold-out grotto in 2019 that first welcomed families at a small venue in south-east London.

It showcased their first black Santa Claus, affectionately called Noir Kringle. The response to probably one of the first black Santa Grottos in the

‘MAGICAL’: Charlotte Lewis created her first grotto in 2019

UK only highlighted further how every year, black families were dealing with a lack of diversity and inclusion at a time meant for festive giving.

Charlotte says the black Santa Grotto experience is meant to “invoke memories for adults and memories for children” of home including an Oware board from Ghana to black cake from the Caribbean.

Their own merchandise of black angels and elfs is not just about having “darker hair or a darker skin tone,” but they all look African, says Charlotte, so people feel as if they are “actually being seen”.

“Sometimes the parents are more excited than their children, which speaks to their inner child because it’s something they haven’t ever experienced. I played an elf during the event and I’ve had children say to me, ‘I didn’t realise that elfs could be black,’” she admits.

This year, the black Santa Grotto is making the “magical” experience more personalised by sending invites to the children in the lead up to the event, where they can expect new additions to the festive fun.

Charlotte, who is a part-time hairdresser, says the experience is a “joyful thing,” especially at a time when black boys are not portrayed in a way that shows “sensitivity and vulnerability” that will show a new generation of children a “new narrative”.

The black Santa Grotto will be held at the Crooked Billet Yard, Shoredith, London, E2 8AF from 17th-20th December.

To find out more and sign up, visit Noirkringle.co.uk

STORK

FUSION FOOD: Stork restaurant in Mayfair has launched the Ubuntu Christmas menu

IT’S DESCRIBED as a “migration of flavour and cuisine,” as Pan-African dining “reimagined” for the masses. Stork, an “erudite” modern restaurant, first opened in 2019 to fervently curious and home-grown diners eager to try a new offering of fusion food from the kitchens of the black diaspora, now in the heart of Mayfair.

Nicole McFarlane is the director behind London’s newest high-end restaurant, and says that they believe that the “the separation and the division of people that have come from Africa” has not served us as a people, and they hope to bring a new-found unity to a tragic history. “We know that a stork is a bird that migrates and

our concept really aligns with that journey in that we seek to deliver food that’s inspired from across the African continent, including the diaspora. Then take people on a journey to a more modern interpretation of that food – it’s a very inclusive approach,” she explains.

Anyone from Ghana, South Africa or even Mali could find their flavour profiles away from the mid-market offerings, located in the capital’s most affluent area that seeks to rewrite the stories of bad customer service and the food making consumers sleepy. It is also what Nicole calls an “entry point” to a Pan-African palette for unfamiliar diners as they launch their Ubuntu Christmas menu.

DECEMBER 2022 THE VOICE

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15

Community spirit MANHOOD ACADEMY MANHOOD ACADEMY, a London-based charity that works with young boys in the community, was founded to help black boys growing up in the inner-city to flourish.

Davis Williams is the proud founder of the organisation and tells The Voice that their pledge for the young boys to nurture and educate is quite simple.

“The first one is being your brother’s keeper. It’s very important that they look after each other as well as looking after themselves. The second one is being your sister’s protector, encouraging them to look after the women in their life and having respect. The third line is being your community’s provider,” he explains.

“So that means doing things in the community, making your community a better place and a safer place for not only for themselves. And then the fourth one, they are their ancestors reincarnated.

“So, it’s about practising black history, African history, every day long remembering those that came before themselves and letting them know that they’ve got responsibility. The third line is what we have really activated during this period to be their community’s provider.”

This Christmas, the Manhood Academy will take around 15 students to Brixton Soup Kitchen – a black-owned food bank dedicated to giving back

to those less fortunate – that has been helping struggling people amid the cost of living crisis and will now be going the extra mile this festive season.

The popular community hub also gives away school utensils and clothes, and was recently visited by award-winning American artist Pharrell Williams and his family.

Davis hopes that the special day will encourage the young boys to see that to be a man, “you need to be compassionate” at a time of year that is meant to be about giving.

“We live in a day and time where everything’s about social media and selfies,” he says.

“Young people, and humans in general, very rarely do they think about other people and how they can serve. We’re really encouraging young people in our curriculum, to be a man you need to be compassionate. You need to have empathy.

You need to give back and you need to share your blessings and those other positive virtues.

“So the impact is about the internal impact on the young people, on their sense of worth, their sense of being connected to something bigger than them, global themes, and connecting them to a side that lets them be a bit more humble and a bit more loving in this time of need.”

For more information visit manhoodacademyofficial.com

HELP: Davis Williams, left, founder of the Manhood Academy

Spread across an array of individual dishes with vegan options, Stork showcases a black-eyed bean hummus snack, contrary to the usual chickpea that is lashed with palm oil.

Their “Small Small” starter section offers a “warmly spiced Caribbean” ackee tartlet infused with scotch bonnet and pimento peppers – a festive nod to pastries. Three main courses signify fruit, meat and fish dishes across the Earth, Land and Sea, and a pumpkin pie is sweetened with candied walnuts and the fluffiness of Baobab Meringue that makes up just one dish in their dessert selection.

Being the first affluent

restaurant in Mayfair comes with diners who are keen to re-discover Pan-African food and also European customers that are keen to expand their taste buds.

Nicole says: “I fundamentally believe that many people have come to Stork and had an experience with food, but left with a whole new perception of not just the food, but the culture and the people and the level of excellence that resides around Africa – and that’s really what it is for us.”

The Stork Christmas Ubuntu menu is available from December and requires a minimum of four diners for £85pp, visit storkrestaurant.com

This Lung Cancer Awareness Month, Dr Bakare urges Black community Thisrecognise Lung Cancer Awareness Month, to lung cancer symptoms Dr Bakare urges Black community to recognise lung cancer symptoms • Lung cancer is the third most common cancer in England with around 39,990 cases diagnosed each year • Around 89% of those diagnosed cancer are aged 60 • with Lunglung cancer is the third most and over cancer in England with common

• In 2019, 39,990 lung cancer around casesaccounted diagnosed for 12% of all cancer diagnoses each year England and all cancer • in Around 89% of 20% thoseofdiagnosed deaths with lung cancer are aged 60

• Over 60% of those diagnosed and over stage 1 lung cancer have a • with In 2019, lung cancer accounted five-year survival rate compared for 12% of all cancer diagnoses to just 4% for those in England and 20%diagnosed of all cancer later. deaths • Over 60% of those diagnosed with stage lung cancer have a Suspected lung1cancer referrals were five-year survival slower to recover fromrate the compared impact of to just 4%pandemic for thosethan diagnosed the Covid-19 most other later. despite being a leading cause cancers, of cancer death. This Lung Cancer Awareness Month, a GP speaks to us Suspected cancer were as new datalung shows that referrals 63% of Black slower to recover from the impact people surveyed did not know thatofa the Covid-19 pandemic most other persistent cough for overthan three weeks cancers, a leading cause could be adespite sign ofbeing the disease. of cancer death. This Lung Cancer Dr Seun Bakare, GPa Clinical Leadtofor Awareness Month, GP speaks us Urgent Care, who is supporting NHS as new data shows that 63% of the Black lung cancer campaign, passionate people surveyed did notisknow that a about changing the persistent coughattitudes for over within three weeks Black which can keep could community, be a sign of the disease. people from contacting their GP practice Dr Seun Bakare, GP Clinical and delaying medical help. Lead for Urgent Care, who is supporting the NHS “Some of us campaign, are apprehensive about lung cancer is passionate seeing our GP if attitudes we think something about changing within the is wrong but if you orwhich a loved one has had Black community, can keep apeople coughfrom for over three weeks, it’spractice time contacting their GP to make an appointment with your GP,” and delaying medical help. says Dr Bakare.

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“Assuch the as suspected health problems, weather it’s quite a cough,becomes may workcolder, themselves out on normal to experience a cough or a cold. their own.

“We’re here to help but we can only do that when you come into the GP surgery,” says Dr Bakare. “As the weather becomes colder, it’s quite normal to experience a cough or a cold.

But a cough lasting more than three weeks could be a sign of cancer so don’t wait around for it to disappear. It’s probably nothing to worry about, but if it is cancer, finding it early will make it easier to treat.”

But a cough lasting more than three Here, Bakare some ofsothe weeksDr could be aanswers sign of cancer most questions lung It’s don’t common wait around for it to about disappear. cancer: probably nothing to worry about, but if

it is cancer, finding it early will make it I thought only people who smoked easier to treat.” who got lung cancer?

Here, smoking Dr Bakareisanswers of the While a leadingsome risk factor most common about lung for lung cancer questions and the majority of cancer: lung cancers occur in current or former smokers, it can also sometimes occur in I thought only people who smoked people who have never smoked. who got lung cancer?

Whilecan smoking is a cancer? leading risk factor Who get lung for lung can cancer majority of is Anyone get and lungthe cancer - there lung cancers occur in current former no single cause.

People of anyorage and smokers, it can sometimeswith occur in background canalso be diagnosed people who but have the disease it’snever moresmoked. likely to affect people over the age of 60.

Who can get lung cancer?

Anyone can lung cancer - there is What are theget common symptoms of no single cause. People of any age and lung cancer? background can be diagnosed As well as a persistent cough forwith more the disease but it’s morealikely affect than three weeks (either new to cough people over theweeks age ofor 60. that lasts three more, or a

long-standing cough that gets worse), What are the common symptoms of you should be on the lookout for feeling lung cancer? out of breath when doing normal tasks, As well as aorpersistent for more any aches pain whencough breathing than three weeks (either aup new cough or coughing, or coughing blood. that lasts three weeks or more, or aloss Unexpected tiredness and weight long-standing cough that getsasworse), are also common symptoms, are you should be onthat thekeep lookout for feeling chest infections coming back. of or breath normal Ifout you your when loved doing one has any oftasks, these any aches or pain when breathing symptoms, please contact your GP right or coughing, or coughing up blood. away.

Unexpected tiredness and weight loss are also common are What should I do symptoms, if I’ve beenas coughing chest infections that keep coming back. for more than three weeks?

If you or your loved one has any to of see these Definitely make an appointment symptoms, please your GPGP right your GP as soon ascontact you can.

Your away. will ask about your general health and

What are the common causes of lung cancer?

As well as smoking, there are many risk factors because we are constantly inhaling chemicals from our environment.

This could be in your workplace, air What are the common causes of lung pollution or exposure to radon gas. Your cancer? risk may also be higher if you’ve had a As well as smoking, there are many lung disease before or if there’s a family risk factors because history of lung cancer.we are constantly inhaling chemicals from our environment.

This be in me yourfor workplace, air will If mycould GP refers tests, what pollution or exposure to radon gas. Your happen? risk may also arrange be higher you’ve tests had a Your GP may forif further lung disease before or ifThis there’s a family to investigate the issue. could be a historyx-ray, of lung chest CTcancer. scan or bronchoscopy.

The earlier you see your GP and a If my GP refers me for tests, what will diagnosis is made, the earlier treatment happen? can start - increasing the likelihood of Your GP may arrange for further tests survival. to investigate the issue. This could be a People diagnosed with cancer at chest x-ray, CT scan or lung bronchoscopy. the stage are nearly Theearliest earlier you see your GP 20 andtimes a more likelyistomade, survive five years than diagnosis theforearlier treatment those whose cancer isthe caught late. Early can start - increasing likelihood of diagnosis survival. can make a big difference.

People can diagnosed with lung cancer at Where I find more information? the earliest stage are nearly 20 times For more information, visit more likely to survive for five years than www.nhs.uk/cancersymptoms those whose cancer is caught late. Early diagnosis can make a big difference.

“If you a more lovedinformation? one has Where canor I find For more information, visit had a cough for over www.nhs.uk/cancersymptoms three weeks, it’s time to “Ifmake you an or aappointment loved one has had ayour cough with GP”for over three weeks, it’s time to make an appointment with your GP”

symptoms. They may examine you and What should I do if I’ve been coughing ask you to breathe into a device called a for more than three weeks? spirometer, which measures how much Definitely makein anand appointment to see air you breathe out. You may also your GP as soon as you can.

Your GPout be asked to have a blood test to rule will ask about your general and other possible causes, suchhealth as a chest symptoms. They may examine you and infection. ask you to breathe into a device called a spirometer, which measures how much air you breathe in and out. You may also be asked to have a blood test to rule out other possible causes, such as a chest infection.

Seun Bakare, GP

Seun Bakare, GP

16

| THE VOICE DECEMBER 2022

Policing

Met chief: lie detector tests for new recruits

B

RITAIN’S TOP cop talked tough on weeding out racists in the ranks by revealing he’s considering introducing lie detector tests for new recruits.

In his first interview with The Voice since being appointed, Sir Mark Rowley compared the Metropolitan Police to a house in danger of falling down and indicated that tackling ‘corrupt’ officers would be a defining issue he would be judged by.

But he rejected the ‘label’ of institutional racism, claiming this was a ‘highly politicised’ term and he preferred the ‘clear, accessible language’ of systemic racism.

The Metropolitan Police commissioner took over Scotland Yard following Cressida Dick’s resignation in February after she lost the confidence of London mayor Sadiq Khan.

Dick had been hit by a string of racism scandals, including horrific language shared on a WhatsApp group by cops at the Charing Cross branch, and the strip-search of Child Q. Currently, 500 cops are on restricted duties or suspended because they have been accused of serious misconduct, while 3,000 are not fully deployable because of performance concerns, mental health or physical issues.

Asked about the Met’s vetting procedures, Sir Mark said: “We’re exploring all sorts of things. I’ve even got the team sort of researching the latest lie detector technology, [whether] there’s anything we can use in that. I’m up for anything, and everything, that will help us in our thinking to get under the surface of who are the right people for us.”

Last month, an independent investigation commissioned by the government following the rape and murder of Sarah Everard

by Wayne Couzens, a serving Met officer, found applicants with criminal records or with family ties to organised crime were being cleared to join the force.

The Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) watchdog also found a failure to scrutinise allegations of misconduct, concluding: “it is too easy for the wrong people to both join and stay in the police”.

Earlier this year, a review of stop and search by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) criticised misuse of the tactic with some cops believing ‘reasonable suspicion’ included a person being in a ‘high crime area.’

Sir Mark believes a data-driv-

WARNING: Met Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley compared the force to a house in danger of falling down

Tough-talking top officer promises to clean up Scotland Yard. By Lester Holloway

CONCERN: How The Voice reported the crisis affecting police forces across the country in its edition last February en approach is key to identifying what is going wrong, but he also wants to squeeze out the space for ‘malign individuals’ to infect police culture by improving management with better training to enforce standards.

He said: “I know we haven’t made anywhere near as much progress as we ought to have done and that creates challenges, particularly with black communities where we have the most difficult relationship because of the challenging history we have.

“For me this is an integrity issue. You’d much rather be focused on how we keep communities safe. But if people don’t believe that we’re serious about integrity, it’s just like if you had a survey on your house and you were told you have to spend “£20,000 fixing the foundations”.

“You’d be really cross about it,

but frankly, you’d have to find a way of doing it, otherwise your house is gonna fall down.

“It’s a bit like that for me, I have to find a way of fixing that and be really vigorous about that. But then be equally vigorous about how we tackle issues of crime that concern communities.”

With young black men 12 times more likely to be murdered in London, Sir Mark said the black community had been ‘over-policed and under-protected’ and he was keen to redress the balance. He said authorities needed to get better at early intervention to divert young people away from gangs.

“I’ve been discussing with the mayor trying to reinvigorate community policing, because a lot of these solutions will come at that level, for example spotting the 13 year old who’s

maybe got a challenging family background and has been drawn into a gang network, spotting them, before it becomes too late.

“Because probably when they’re 16, or 17, and they’re now men of violence, it’s probably only going to end in one way in terms of prison.”

The Met’s Gang Matrix has been heavily criticised for including black men with ‘little or no’ links to criminal gangs. After a legal challenge, 1,000 black Londoners were removed, leav-

ing 2,000 on the database. Sir Mark admitted “the way we’ve run the Matrix hasn’t been as tight and disciplined as it ought to be” but stopped short of saying he would lobby the Home Secretary for more cash for early interventions to steer youngsters away from crime.

The Met were slammed for their slowness in suspending the firearms cop who shot dead unarmed Chris Kaba, 24, through the windscreen in September.

The Scotland Yard chief

SCRUTINY: A review of stop and search by the Independent Office for Police Conduct criticised misuse of the tactic

claimed that his hands were tied by the IOPC investigation process. “If I was gonna say, ‘Well, I’m going to start ignoring [the IOPC] and plough on and do my own thing, [people would say] ‘Hang on, there’s an independent body over there, you’re ignoring them’. So I think I have to work with [the system] otherwise, it would look very odd.

“The facts as presented in the media aren’t always accurate.

And actually, the officers deserve a fair hearing as well.”

On institutional racism, Sir Mark said the term was “a label which has become highly politicised means different things to different people, but I accept we’ve got systemic issues”.

He also said the term ‘bad apples’ was “toxic” and he preferred to talk about corruption.

“I think when we talk about bad behaviour, we don’t call that sort of racism, misogyny and other things for being as bad as they are, it’s worse than bad behaviour. It’s often criminal. It’s seriously damaging to our integrity.

So talking about those who corrupt our integrity is part of that language for me.”

See the full interview: www.voice-online.co.uk

AUGUST 2022

Contact your GP practice If you’ve seen blood in your urine – even just once, or had tummy trouble such as discomfort or diarrhoea for three weeks or more, it could be a sign of cancer. It’s probably nothing serious, but finding cancer early makes it more treatable.

Your NHS wants to see you. nhs.uk/cancersymptoms

THE VOICE| 17

18

| THE VOICE DECEMBER 2022

Cost of living crisis

HEROES WAGING WAR ON

By Leah Mahon

T

HE FESTIVE season is said to be full of goodwill and cheer for everyone, but for many households this winter they will be turning to foodbanks to get through Christmas.

The cost of living crisis that has gripped the UK has seen a surge in energy bills, making it increasingly hard to afford to put food on the table. Black and minority ethnic households, in particular, are 20 per cent more likely to go hungry.

According to the Food Foundation, just 10.8 per cent of white British families will struggle with food insecurity.

Abba Graham, the founder of EAICO (Ebony and Ivory Community Organisation) food bank in Stockport, Greater Manchester, witnessed first-hand how desperate people were to find food once she opened the doors to her foodbank in May 2020 at the height of the pandemic.

She tells The Voice that there was no “wider view mirror” looking at the needs of diverse communities that were left on the fringes.

“We decided as an organisation it was time to look after our own and that’s where the food bank came from, because we recognised there were a lot of people, lockdowned, struggles — all of that stuff.

“And at the same time, we also know that there is a correlation between our origin palette and mental well-being because there’s just something about our food.”

The Trussell Trust, a national charity working to end the need for food banks, has over 1,000 situated across the UK. They gave out almost 1.3 million emergency food parcels in the six months to September this year.

In the same period, an extra 320,000 people showed up to a food bank for the first time as demand outweighed donated supplies for the first time.

Abba says that the foodbank, which serves up to 100 people a month, has seen a surge in demand as those in need come “hiding” as they turn to others for help.

She adds: “We are very proud people and some people come hiding. For you to admit you can’t afford to buy food for your family is a big thing and you know very well and a lot of the people coming are people who work, which is really sad and they come feeling ashamed.

But we try to make it as safe as possible.”

Harrow Road Soup Kitchen, which was inspired by Brixton

‘We’re a proud people - it’s hard to admit you can’t feed your family’

FOUNDER: Abba Graham runs a food bank in Stockport Soup Kitchen to give back to their community, has also seen not just a rise in the number of people coming through the door, but also the type of people they are serving.

“It is a different demographic now. We’re getting people that you wouldn’t have seen before, people that have got good jobs, that are in work but still can’t afford the cost of living — a lot more of them are coming to us. It’s not really the homeless and the people that are nearly homeless,” says Deujean Bernard, who has been working at the food bank since it opened in August 2021.

LONELINESS

For Deujean, he knows just how important it is to give back, especially at Christmas after dealing with his own bouts of loneliness during the festive season when he was younger.

“I know what loneliness is at Christmas. So, I just wanted to bring everyone together.”

Deujean, who cooks at the food banks, says they pay homage to their Caribbean roots by offering some of the foods they grew up eating, but also provide “African and the mix with English food” such as bangers and mash, and fish and chips to their food bank users.

In Stockport, Abba says their food offerings have been intentional about being inspired by the African-Caribbean palate.

She’s often the only voice in the room when working with food networks that mentions the flavours and dishes that many of the black diaspora grew up eating. “I’ve seen in many places where they have [black people]

gone to local food banks. Nothing wrong with them, but a lot of them do tin stuff. We do a lot of fresh food. So, they don’t use them, because they don’t know what the tins are and so what you get is waste anyway,” explains Abba.

“I also explain to them that we’re not trying to be difficult, but that is our palate and that’s what we eat and that’s what makes us feel like we’ve eaten and feel good. It’s not a luxury, but at the same time, our food is expensive.”

Aromatic spices and fusion flours found in curry goat oxtail are all a staple of Abba’s food bank that they will be serving and delivering to countless families over Christmas. She admits that there is immense “pressure” to meet demand over the festive season, but says the work is “so gratifying” serving the community.

For Deujean and the rest of the team in Harrow, they are expecting up to a 100 people on Christmas Day with a “threecourse meal with all the trimmings” along with presents and activities on offer to give back to his community.

“I went over to Brixton [Soup Kitchen] and I saw how they were doing. And I’m a person before I even got into this, I like helping people, so I get happiness from seeing that I’m helping others,” says Deujean “That’s my enjoyment. I like knowing about other people, especially over Christmas. I see this as a time to bring everyone together, to have some enjoyment and we can go into the New Year more prosperous and more happy.”

TASTE OF HOME: The EAICO food bank’s offerings are inspired by the AfricanCaribbean palate

DECEMBER 2022 THE VOICE |

19

Cost of living crisis

HUNGER AT CHRISTMAS

After arriving as a refugee from the Ivory Coast, John Gnahore became a teacher and now runs a project feeding his hungry pupils

By Vic Motune

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VITAL SUPPLIES: Some of the provisions donated to the food bank which John Gnahore launched in September

HE RECENT pandemic produced many stories of teachers who went the extra mile to help the students in their care.

Aside from playing a key role in helping students continue their education in innovative ways, there were many teachers who helped young people navigate the anxiety and isolation that lockdown produced for many young people.

Now, with the UK facing another major national challenge looming in the form of the cost of living crisis, teachers like John Gnahore are at the forefront of helping children and families avoid deepening poverty.

The head of languages at Eastlea Community school in Canning Town, east London, Gnahore decided to give up his personal time and money to help some of his poorest pupils after noticing they were going without food at lunchtime last year.

He said: “It was while I was on playground duty I happened to see pupils eating unhealthy snacks like crisps instead of lunch. When I asked them they told me their parents couldn’t afford school meals.

“So I decided to put my own money behind the counter at the school canteen so they could have a hot meal.”

The supportive relationship Gnahore has with many of his pupils provided them with a safe space to open up about difficulties they were facing at home. And through these conversations, the bleak reality of poverty in the local area became increasingly clear to him.

“I am one of those teachers who play football with the children, or I might sit and have a chat with them. Sometimes they want to stay in my classroom during lunch because they want to do their homework and they don’t have internet access at home.

“But as I talked to them I saw a pattern emerging of more and more children going without food at lunchtime.

“I think it’s understandable that some parents prefer others not to know they are struggling financially. However, many said that free school meals for their children was a big weight off their backs.”

ROLE MODEL: John Gnahore at his desk at Eastlea Community school

I know what it means to be hungry. I can easily spot the signs Figures from the Food Foundation released earlier this year estimated that up to two million children in the UK live in households that do not have access to a healthy and affordable diet which puts them at high risk of suffering from dietrelated diseases and poor child growth.

A survey published in September by NASUWT union revealed that teachers are increasingly providing money, food, and clothing to help children and families dealing with the deepening cost of living crisis.

Of 6,500 teachers surveyed, 58 per cent of teachers said they had given food or clothing to their pupils and six in ten said they had made referrals to outside agencies, with 35 per cent saying they had helped a pupil’s family get access to a food bank.

Gnahore’s upbringing in Ivory Coast explains why he felt he had to do something. Realising that his own life was in danger

following his involvement in protests against the country’s then dictatorship, he fled to the UK in May 1994 as an asylum seeker.

Gnahore struggled to get back on his feet. His refugee status did not allow him to work or claim benefits so he survived on food and clothing donations from local charities and churches.

His local MP, the late former Conservative prime minister Ted Heath, successfully campaigned to prevent Gnahore from being deported and gain indefinite leave to remain.

LESSONS

After successfully qualifying as a teacher, he never forgot the lessons he learned during his childhood in Ivory Coast and his early years in the UK. “I grew up in a small village in Cote d’Ivoire as one of 12 children who lived in a mud house with a rotten roof,” he recalls. “I didn’t have my first pair of shoes until I was 12 and what we ate came from the farm so I know what it means to be poor and hungry. I can easily recognise the signs when a child is struggling.

“My father was someone who used to share the little he had with others, and that’s what inspired me to help the children I teach when I saw they weren’t

eating. You can have all the money in the world in your bank account but what about the suffering around you?”

Gnahore then began to think about other ways he could help children and families who were struggling financially.

In 2020, while the UK was in lockdown, he worked as a food bank volunteer near Erith in Bexley where he lives.

The food bank played a vital role for families who lost their source of income during the pandemic and faced food and financial insecurity as a result.

Many of those Gnahore helped distribute parcels to during that period were using a food bank for the first time.

It was this experience that gave him the idea to set up a food bank at his school to support families who were struggling financially. Along with a like-minded colleague Uroosa Malik, Gnahore got the project going after receiving the school’s backing last year.

The Eastlea Community school food bank was finally launched in September after several months of planning.

After he finishes teaching each day, Gnahore goes to the food bank on the school’s premises where he and Malik oversee the distribution of food parcels.

Parents collect what they need. And on the occasions when it is difficult for them to pick up the parcels at school, volunteers drop them off.

Gnahore funds the food bank through fundraising events at the Thai boxing gym for young people in Bexley that he runs and self-finances.

“It’s tough fitting everything in,” says Gnahore. “As teachers, there is always a lot to do and we face a great deal of stress with our workloads. But it’s very rewarding to help young people and families. You can’t put a price on it. If we overlook these issues we are going to end up losing a lot of children.”

Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT General Secretary, said: “The financial worry and anxiety that many parents are already experiencing is also being felt by children and is likely to have a negative impact on their education. It’s vital that schools and wider children’s services are funded to provide more by way of support, advice, and counselling for children, parents, and carers who are struggling.”

20 | THE VOICE DECEMBER 2022

Voice celebrations

40 years of black history in one book The Voice launch book celebrating 40th anniversary in Birmingham and London

T

HE VOICE’S new book celebrating four decades of publishing was launched at two swish events in London and Birmingham.

The book — 40 Years of Black British Lives — chronicles the biggest stories capturing moments in history through the eyes of the newspaper.

Big names, community champions and entrepreneurs gathered at both events to hear the authors discussing key moments in black British history.

And there was a special award for the longest-serving employee, Voice of Sport’s Rodney Hinds, who has been at the paper for 22 years. He received recognition for his sterling service to the community.

Guests at the Millenium Hotel in South Kensington included entrepreneur and musician Levi Roots, Baroness Floella Benjamin, Diane Abbott MP, sports boss Geoff Thompson and sculptor Basil Watson.

It was also a chance for past Voice journalists such as Dionne Grant, Joseph Harker, Marcia Dixon and Elizabeth Pears — who have gone on to blaze a trail in the media — to catch up on old times.

Former editor Winsome Cornish, who wrote the chapter covering 2003 — 2012, said:

PANEL: Host Henry Bonsu holds the book alongside the panel (L-R) Winsome Cornish, Richard Adeshiyan and Vic Motune, and, right, our advertising team Trevor Raymond, Garfield Robinson, Sylvester Amara and Getnet Kassa receive special recognition awards

“The Voice has been an institution in Britain for the past 40 years, and to celebrate the 40th anniversary with a book about black British life is really the pinnacle.”

Current editor Lester Holloway added: “It’s not just the story of The Voice newspaper over the past 40 years, it’s really a history book. It tells the story of the struggle that we’ve been through as a community. And in many ways it puts the present in context.”

The present team — covering editorial, advertising and everything else — were presented with special appreciation awards.

At both events, the chapter’s authors — Vic Motune, Richard Adeshiyan, Dotun Adebayo, Cornish and Hinds — discussed their decade and took questions from the audience.

The Voice’s executive director, Paulette Simpson CBE, said on the night: “We said what could we do to really celebrate 40 years and also leave a legacy for the community?

“So we thought about doing a book that will enable us to leave a legacy of the experiences of black people in Britain over the last 40 years.”

To get you copy email: subscriptions@thevoicemediagroup.co.uk

Then and now...

CAPTURING KEY MOMENTS IN HISTORY: A collage of front pages from the early days of The Voice; below, 40 years on the newspaper is still campaigning for the community as shown in pages from its recent August edition

AUGUST 2022 THE VOICE | 3

The year that made The Voice

Key moment

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.

Business and Enterprise

‘It doesn’t take a genius to see it was a racial murder’ 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 Burrell, Kingsley Sylvester, Rashan Charles and reggae singer Smiley Culture, among others.

T

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

AUGUST 2022 THE VOICE | 27

Policing

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

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

20 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022

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)

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 If the anger felt by black Britons murder, several residents came about racial disparities in polic- forward to provide names of the ing remained a fairly low pri- suspects — Gary Dobson, brothority for many politicians and ers Neil and Jamie Acourt, Luke 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

DISPARITIES

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

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.

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

B

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.

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 See inside for full story

@thevoicenewspaper

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

@thevoicenews

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.

UNIVERSITY FEATURE INSIDE: Your guide to Freshers’ Week S Among those who hailed the PLU 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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21

Voice celebrations

SPECIAL: Voice of Sport’s Rodney Hinds is presented with a special Arsenal shirt by the club’s media officer Reece Bedford; sub-editor Denise Dale checks in guests; and Lifestyle editor Joel Campbell poses with Voice columnist Seani B and the book

PRIDE: Prof Geoff Thompson MBE, Donna Watson, sculptor Basil Watson, Baroness Floella Benjamin and entrepreneur Levi Roots, left; Dotun Adebayo and Winsome Cornish discuss their chapters on stage

CATCHING UP: Ex-Voice journalists Natricia Duncan, Rykesha Hudson and Dionne Grant left; current Voice journos Leah Mahon, Sinai Fleary and Rodney Hinds

22 | THE VOICE DECEMBER 2022

Powerlist 2023

Movers and shakers and big deal makers The Powerlist honours high achievers from all walks of life at glitzy ceremony at the Savoy

I

T WAS a night of glitz and glamour at the Savoy hotel by the Thames in central London as the Powerlist 2023 was unveiled.

The star-studded ceremony was graced by the likes of actor Colin Salmon, perhaps best known for his role in three Bond movies, who hosted the event, and singer Lemar.

As ever, the awards were about recognising black movers and shakers across all professions, from finance to tech and much more besides.

The winner was Dame Sharon White, who has enjoyed a glittering business career. Now chair of the John Lewis Partnership, her high profile roles include being head of the broadcast industry regulator Ofcom, and serving as the first black Second Permanent Secretary to the Treasury when George Osborne was Chancellor.

White was previously named as one of the most powerful black women back in 2014.

She said it was an “incredible honour” to receive the Powerlist award, adding: “My hope is that we can take the serendipity out of social mobility — everyone should have the chance to be who they want to be in life, with their background as a source of pride, not a disadvantage.”

Now in its’ 15th year, The Powerlist — in partnership with J.P.Morgan — inspires black youth by spotlighting role mod-

Powerlist 2023 Top 10: 1. Dame Sharon White Chair John Lewis Partnership 2. Dean Forbes CEO, Forterro, Partner at Corten Capital 3. Anne Mensah Vice-President of Content UK, Netflix 4. Tunde Olanrewaju Senior Partner, McKinsey and Company 5 Steven Bartlett Entrepreneur and Dragon, Dragons’ Den 6. David Olusoga Historian; Joint Creative Director of Uplands Television Ltd 7 Lord Simon Woolley Co-Founder/Director, Operation Black Vote & Principal, Homerton College, Cambridge University 8. Paulette Simpson CBE Executive, Corporate Affairs and Public Policy, Jamaica National Bank; Executive Director, The Voice Media Group 9. Richard Iferenta Partner, Vice Chair, KPMG 10. Dr Sandie Okoro Group General Counsel, Standard Chartered Bank els and opening eyes to the possibility of careers they may not have considered.

In second place was tech wizz Dean Forbes, who is chief executive of one of Europe’s largest software companies Forterro.

His prize is also a recognition of the growing influence of the tech sector, which expanded by over 25 per cent between 2010 and 2019.

The Voice’s executive director Paulette Simpson CBE, who is

Other winners: Arts, Fashion and Design

Chi-chi Nwanoku OBE Founder, Chineke! Foundation Duro Olowu Fashion Designer Professor Dr Shirley Thompson OBE Composer, Conductor & Reader in Music, University of Westminster Dame Pat McGrath DBE Make-up artist/Founder, Pat McGrath Labs Lynette Yiadom-Boakye Artist Sir Frank Bowling Artist Grace Wales-Bonner Fashion Designer Precious Adams (New) Soloist, English National Ballet Sonia Boyce (New) Artist, Professor of Black Art & Design, University of the Arts, London Lubaina Himid CBE (New) Professor of Contemporary Art, University of Central Lancashire Misan Harriman (New) Chair of The Southbank Centre, London; Photographer Brenda Emmanus OBE (New) Broadcaster and Journalist Business, Corporate, Financiers & Entrepreneurs Camille Drummond Senior Vice President, Global Business Services, BP Eric Collins CEO and Founder, Impact X Capital, Host of The Money Maker, Author, We Don’t Need Permission

also deputy CEO at JN Bank UK, was in eighth place.

Newcomers on the list include photographer and activist Misan Harriman, and CFO at the Bank of England Afua Kyei who was previously responsible for mortgages at Barclays.

The Powerlist was selected by a panel of judges that includes retired high court judge Dame Linda Dobbs, and businessman and Apprentice sidekick to Sir Alan Sugar, Tim Campbell.

WINNER: Dame Sharon White, chair, John Lewis Partnership, has enjoyed a glittering business career

Pamela Hutchinson OBE Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion, Bloomberg Netsai Mangwende Chief Financial Officer, GroupM UK Tevin Tobun CEO, GV Group (Gate Ventures) Paulette Rowe CEO, Integrated and eCommerce Solutions, Paysafe Roni Savage CEO and Founder, Jomas Associates Femi Bamisaiye CIO, UK General Insurance, Aviva Yemi Edun Founder and CEO, Daniel Ford & Co & Daniel Ford International Donya Rose Managing Director, Capital Release Unit, Deutsche Bank John McCalla-Leacy Partner and Head of ESG at KPMG UK Emeka Emembolu Chief of Staff, BP Nathalie Villette UK Country Head & Group Head Global Corporates, Ecobank Ayana McIntosh-Lee (New)Senior Vice President, Global Head of External Affairs, BP Teddy Nyahasha (New) CEO, OneFamily Syreeta Brown (New) Virgin Money Ola Fadipe (New) Director, EMEA, Head of Recruiting Merary Soto-Saunders (New) Head of HR, CVC Credit Partners Afua Kyei (New) Chief Financial Officer, Bank of England Tangy Morgan (New) Senior Advisor, Bank of England

Media, Publishing, Entertainment & Sports Akala Educator Rapper, Poet, Activist

Edward Enninful OBE Editor-in-Chief, British Vogue and European Editorial Director of Vogue Amma Asante MBE Writer, Director Charlene White ITN News Anchor and Loose Women Presenter Lorna Clarke BBC Controller of Pop Music Marcus Ryder MBE Head of External Consultancies, Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity Reggie Yates Writer, Director, Broadcaster Sir Lenny Henry Actor, Writer, Campaigner Vanessa Kingori MBE Chief Business Officer, Condé Nast Britain; Vogue European Business Advisor Bernardine Evaristo Writer, Professor of Creative Writing, Brunel Idris Elba OBE Actor, Producer, co-founder of S’able Labs Afua Hirsch Journalist, Author, Broadcaster Stormzy Grime Artist and Philanthropist Alex Scott MBE Former England Footballer, TV Presenter Michaela Coel Writer and Actor Daniel Kaluuya Actor Emma Paterson (New) Literary Agent Austin Daboh (New) Executive Vice President UK, Atlantic Records Riki Bleau (New) Founder & Co-President, Since ’93 Raheem Sterling Footballer Maro Itoje Rugby Player, Activist Marcus Rashford Footballer and Campaigner

DECEMBER 2022 THE VOICE |

23

Powerlist 2023 ROLE MODELS: Left to right, Chuka Umunna; Tevin Tobun, CEO, GV Group; and singer Lemar

TRAILBLAZERS: Eva Simpson, The Powerlist editor; below, former No.1 Powerlistee, Jacky Wright, chief technology and platform officer at McKinsey and former corporate vice president and chief digital officer, Microsoft US, and Karen Blackett OBE, UK president, WPP

Politics, Law and Religion

David Lammy MP Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, MP for Tottenham Joshua Siaw MBE Partner, White & Case Tom Shropshire General Counsel & Company Secretary, Diaego The Rt. Revd. Rose Hudson-Wilkin CD MBE The Bishop of Dover in the Diocese of Canterbury Segun Osuntokun Managing Partner, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner Harry Matovu QC Barrister Marcia Willis Stewart QC (Hon) Partner, Birnberg Peirce & Partners Stephanie Boyce LLM, DipICArb, FCG Honorary Professor of Law The Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London Professor Patrick Vernon OBE Political Activist and Social Commentator Sandra Wallace CBE Partner & Joint Managing Director, UK and Europe, DLA Piper Jacqueline McKenzie Specialist Windrush Solicitor; Partner, Leigh Day

Public, Third Sector and Education

Marvin Rees Mayor of Bristol Sonita Alleyne OBE Master, Jesus College, Cambridge Professor Patricia Daley Human Geographer and Academic Dr Patrick Roach General Secretary, NASUWT Miatta Fahnbulleh Director, New Economics Foundation

2 for 1 from £69 You’re better off with Specsavers at Christmas With single-vision lenses to the same prescription Book an eye test at specsavers.co.uk Cannot be used with any other offers. Second pair from the same price range or below. Both pairs include standard 1.5 single-vision lenses (or 1.6 for £169 Rimless ranges).

Varifocal/bifocal: pay for lenses in first pair only. Excludes SuperDigital, SuperDrive varifocals, SuperReaders 1-2-3 occupational lenses and safety eyewear. Additional charge – Extra Options.

24 | THE VOICE DECEMBER 2022

Health and Wellbeing

Get your skates on!

Sinai Fleary meets the Roller Skating DJ who says skating saved her mental health

T

HE TIGHT lockdown restrictions during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way so many of us work and socialise.

But the pandemic also impacted the way we exercise and our overall lifestyles.

According to research by Sport England, 63 per cent of people across the first six weeks of lockdown in March 2020 said exercise was important for their mental health and wellbeing.

Tendai Chagweda, from Peckham, south-east London, took up roller skating during the first lockdown and says it saved her mental health.

Speaking to The Voice, she said: “It was an equilibrium for me, as I needed to get out and about as I’m currently living at home with my parents “I was cooped up, so getting out and skating was like freedom and a new lease of life again.

“It literally saved my mental health.”

The 44-year-old skated briefly before the pandemic, but when she broke her leg in 2018, this stopped her from practising.

She refers to herself as a “Corona Skater” because she took up skating during lockdown and simply saw it as a form of exercise while the UK was under tight restrictions.

However, she never imagined her love for roller skating would transform her life and propel her onto the international stage.

Ms Chagweda is also a DJ, and has fused both her love for music and skating together to forge a new and exciting career.

She has been booked to appear in Spain at popular skating events and recently DJ’d for American superstars Usher and Dr Dre at the grand opening of a new skating venue in west London.

In the past 12 months, Google searches for “roller skates” have more than doubled in the UK. Ms Chagweda believes the popularity in roller skating in the black community is on the rise due to the “community spirit” and “freedom” it provides.

Prior to the pandemic, the professional skater was facilitating vision boards and goalsetting workshops for corporate companies to encourage people to “dream big.”

She told The Voice that during one of her vision board

workshops just before the first national lockdown, she said she needed to find a roller skating group that would “motivate her to skate” as she felt she wouldn’t keep it up if she skated on her own.

She says that a few weeks later the unimaginable happened, and she found a group — which she refers to warmly as “her community.”

“I was sitting in Burgess Park and the owner of the Burgess Park Skate Group skated pass me and saw me wearing my skates and said ‘hey I’ve got a group, you wanna join?’” she explained.

She added: “It was crazy, but it felt like I was home. I’ve found a community of skaters and found what I needed.”

She joined the group and together they skated every day during lockdown.

She said: “For me, it gave me alignment. I knew I needed to do something for my health, I was 42 years old at the time and I wasn’t the most active person.

“I look good for my age and I know that is not always going to be the case.”

“I need to do something that is ticking a lot more boxes,” she added.

ALL CHANGE: Tendai Chagweda has fused her love for music and skating together to forge a new career

SAFE HAVEN

Ms Chagweda said the skating group provided her with more than just exercise but is also a safe haven, where she could speak to “like-minded” people about work-related issues and her mental health.

Ms Chagweda worked in the corporate world for companies like JP Morgan and American Express, but didn’t feel “valued” and left to pursue a more creative and fulfilling career.

She told The Voice taking up skating during the pandemic helped her find her passion and new career — where she feels “aligned” with her true purpose.

She is encouraging those within the black community to take up exercise even during the winter months as it will work wonders not just for their physical health, but also their mood and mental health.

Skating has given so much to Ms Chagweda, that she says she has now given up raving and says she gets everything she needs socially from her beloved skate group.

Roller skating and the black community ROLLER skating has been deeply rooted in black culture for several decades and has always been popular with black communities around the world.

During the Civil Rights Movement, black skaters were forced to only skate on designated evenings known as ‘Black Night’.

Black skaters protested and called for rinks to be desegregated in the 1960s. Roller Discos proved extremely popular in America’s black commu-

nities, as it brought music, dance, fashion, freedom of expression to the skate rinks.

Michael Jackson’s video features a roller skater doing the famous moonwalk in his music video Bad was a defining moment for popular culture, as it brought a new sense of cool to roller skating.

Hip hop culture, films and music videos have also featured roller skating heavily over the years. Dancing while

on skates or roller dancing can be traced back to the 1970s with a black skater called Bill Butler.

He is credited as being the first to start dancing on skates and is affectionately known in the skating world as the Godfather of Roller Disco.

Today, celebrities like Usher and Jermaine Dupri regularly attend roller discos and share videos online which is capturing the hearts of a new generation.

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Wishing you a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

26

| THE VOICE DECEMBER 2022

Exhibition

History of Leeds black community celebrated

MEMORIES: Left, local resident Maureen Wilkes at the Rebellion to Romance exhibition standing next to a picture of herself as a teenager at ‘Rasta House’ in Leeds; below, Susan Pitter and Alford Gardner

King Charles visits exhibition exploring black lives in the city

T

HE LEEDS black community turned out in force as King Charles visited an exhibition celebrating black history in the West Yorkshire city.

The Rebellion to Romance exhibition, organised by Jamaica Society Leeds, featured a carefully curated collection to reflect the lives of the West Indians who settled in Chapeltown and other areas of Leeds in the 1970s.

King Charles spent time admiring the exhibits and talking to members of the local black community.

Susan Pitter, the festival director and curator, told The Voice: “The exhibition is a part of the Jamaica Society’s Out of Many festival, which is marking 60 years of Jamaican independence this year and going into early spring in 2023.

“And that has been shaped by three years of community consultation, of asking people: if we were going to do a celebration of roots, of culture, of heritage, of arts that explored not just Jamaican culture but wider West Indian culture as well, what would you want it to look like?

“We are telling our own stories because only we can tell our stories and in the way that we

can. I think it’s also important to know there is a narrative beyond London. London is the heart of the nation, but we are the soul.”

Some of the black community who first settled in Leeds were part of the RAF, as there is an air force base near the city.

Windrush pioneer Alford Gardner, 96, is one of that number. He told The Voice: “The first lot of Jamaicans that came to England, I came with them; some of them were experts at their jobs. All the best brains left the island. And when it came to enjoying ourselves, we did enjoy ourselves!”

The King was presented with a copy of The Voice’s book 40 Years of Black British Lives, and a framed copy of our August front page, an edition guest-edited by him.

He told The Voice’s executive director Paulette Simpson CBE and the paper’s editor Lester Holloway that he enjoyed the collaboration.

Earlier in the day during his visit to Leeds, the King attended the launch of The World Reimagined, a project led by former EastEnders actress Michelle Gayle using large globes decorated with art to stimulate a national conversation about enslavement and its legacy (see below).

HOLD THE FRONT PAGE: The Voice’s editor Lester Holloway and executive director Paulette Simpson CBE with the King

Reimagining the future

THOUGHT-PROVOKING: The spherical sculptures on display as part of the exhibition The World Reimagined in Trafalgar Square (photo: Getty Images)

NINETY-SIX globes decorated with art to tell the story about enslavement and its legacy – and encouraging a national conversation about it – went on display in London’s Trafalgar Square.

The event was put on by The World Reimagined, an education art project with visual artists working in paint, photography, mosaic, and collage.

The globes, which feature unique designs by artists commissioned to depict their interpretations of what slavery meant, were displayed in London after being shown in Birmingham, Swansea, Bristol and Leeds.

The project involved more than 200 schools and colleges, and

100 community groups. Sculptures include one by Turner Prizenominated artist Yinka Shonibare CBE, who is the founder of the project.

The World Reimagined’s artistic director Ashley Shaw Scott Adjaye, above, told The Voice: “It’s

important that we begin with the history so that we can all have a shared understanding. And then within that shared understanding there’s so much that we can learn from each other about the impact this had on all of our lives.

“Really, at the end of the day, what we hope for is social and racial justice. And for us that means an understanding of each other so we began with education.

“We began with artists giving interpretations of our themes: Mother Afrika; the reality of the enslaved; and reimagine the future. And so now we have access points to have the conversation.”

DECEMBER 2022 THE VOICE | 27

Terence Channer

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

Counting the cost of post-justice trauma Challenging racism in the courts can damage mental health — so is it worth it?

T

HE STRESS caused by fighting racial injustice or any form of discrimination or injustice can sometimes be as traumatic — or even more traumatic — than the injustice itself.

We therefore have to tread very carefully when embarking on any fight for justice no matter how meaningful.

As a litigation lawyer, one of the things I hear from psychiatric experts, time and time again, is that the claimant’s condition should improve once the litigation has ended.

There is a mental toll to seeking justice through legal or other remedies, which is why some simply don’t fight.

Fighting is often re-traumatising and wrongdoers often rely on re-trauma, so that you either decide not to fight, or you start the fight and then throw in the towel.

There was a time that to speak openly in the fight against injustice meant a death sentence for some — and it remains the most effective way to shut someone up (e.g Medgar Evers, Steve Biko etc).

Now that we have moved on to more subtle forms of discrimination, the main tactic employed by the wrongdoer is to either: * Seek to convince you and/or others that “it wasn’t that bad” that you are hypersensitive or exaggerating the wrong and its impact (gaslighting); or * Seek to show that it didn’t happen.

I often advise clients that seeking a remedy or accountability for wrongdoing and injustice is usually very stressful.

It’s not a case of not being brave when deciding not to fight. It is often wise not to fight.

I know it sounds defeatist, but

mental health and one’s general well-being takes priority.

One has to weigh up whether it’s worth it. In some cases it is and in some cases it isn’t worth it, even though there has been an injustice.

I fully support those who feel frustrated and afraid to fight injustice particularly in employment due to the risk to their careers and therefore choose to either remain quiet or move on.

It is difficult to predict the ‘justice trauma’ (what lawyers call ‘litigation stress’ when litigating cases). This weighing up exercise is how far the initial wrong is overshadowed by what I call justice trauma.

I recently spoke to a very close friend again about his suc-

There is a mental toll to seeking justice through legal remedies cessful employment case. He had succeeded against the odds several years ago with no legal representation.

I considered him to be highly intelligent and very articulate and therefore more than capable of representing himself. Hence, I was not surprised that he won his case.

However, when recounting his case it was always with a forlorn look and on a couple of occasions he said “that case damaged me“.

I believe that he is suffering from a classic case of PJT (postjustice trauma).

When raising this issue in a

IS IT REALLY WORTH IT?: One has to weigh up whether it’s worth fighting for justice (photo: Getty Images) recent LinkedIn post I received numerous responses. Here are just a few: “My struggle for racial justice … has and is taking a terrible toll on my physical and mental health” “The effects on the body, mind and soul of #RacialTrauma are real and profound yet white clinicians and therapists #CounsellorsSoWhite lack the racial literacy as does #HRSoWhite “I have a race discrimination complainant who has been signed off sick for months

pending investigation into her allegations and is still waiting for her employer to agree to support her with a counsellor with expertise in racial trauma — the white male counsellor they allocated really does not get it and is aggravating her condition rather than healing with his cultural biases within a culture of disbelief. It’s pure #gaslighting” “I have been fighting injustice & discrimination for 4 yrs now!

Sadly the systems & processes which have been set up for us to try to get justice are discriminatory, oppressive & biased caus-

ing even more stress, psychological damage & trauma!”

“Fighting racial injustice should never be entered into lightly.

However it is so important that where people are able to withstand the re-traumatisation that they do fight.”

“In those times you need lots of support around you and ways of looking after yourself. Talking to others who have gone through similar experiences and sought justice is really important as fighting racial injustice can be a lonely experience. As you say there is no right or wrong ap-

proach and each individual has to weigh up and decide on what’s best for them.”

“In my experience the majority of discrimination and injustice cases are never complained about. It’s too painful to relive the trauma over and over again.

This is why the system needs to be more preventative, and less painful and more accessible for complainers. And People development needs to increase selfawareness and integrity.”

“It is often a case of carefully picking your battles, for not every battle is worth the trauma.”

Terence Channer is a consultant solicitor at Scott-Moncrieff & Associates LLP who specialises in police misconduct, injury and healthcare law. He is a passionate anti-racism advocate.

28 | THE VOICE DECEMBER, 2022

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THE VOICE | 29

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30 | THE VOICE DECEMBER 2022

ADVERTORIAL

Joe Appiah: Why we to talk about cancer

ADVERTORIAL

need B

ritish masters athlete Joe Appiah knows firsthand the importance of talking about cancer and has been sharing his story to encourage other people to open up, and help save lives.

Recalling his shock diagnosis of prostate cancer last year, he said, “Cancer doesn’t discriminate.

We might think it’s not going to happen to us, but it can happen to anyone”.

FRIENDLY ADVICE SAVED MY LIFE

The British, European and World record holder credits a friend, a personal trainer who had just been diagnosed with prostate cancer, for saving his life in 2021.

“He called to tell me and encouraged me to see my GP,” the 52-year-old explains. “One of his personal training clients is a doctor and noticed he was using the toilet more often. She said ‘you’ve got a problem, haven’t you?’, and they’d talked it over.

“But I didn’t have any symptoms or a family history of it. I only went because he told me to.”

In June 2021 he had a blood test revealing his prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level was more than three times the average for a man his age. This was followed by an MRI scan and a biopsy.

Joe was with his wife Tammie to hear the results in July 2021.

Professor frank Chinegwundoh “The consultant says, ‘did you understand what I’ve said, you have cancer’. We couldn’t believe it. I never thought anything beyond the PSA was maybe too high and I’d probably get tablets.”

“It didn’t sink in until we’d left,” adds Tammie, 50. “We sat outside in the car afterwards and had a little cry together.”

Professor Frank Chinegwundoh, MBE, is a urologist specialising in prostate cancer at Barts Health NHS Trust, chairman of the charity Cancer Black Care and a trustee and Chair of the Clinical Advisory Board of TACKLE (the National Federation of Prostate Cancer Support Groups).

He says: “Having a raised PSA level [a type of protein - produced in the prostate] doesn’t automatically mean you have cancer. There can also be other reasons, which is why PSA test results should be discussed with a doctor.”

CHAMPION TREATMENT

A further scan confirmed Joe’s cancer was still within his prostate and had been caught early. In September 2021 he had an operation to remove his prostate at Guys and St Thomas’s Hospital in London.

This was a success and Joe went home to recover but had to stay in bed for a week to let his body start to heal. Tammie and daughters Jadine and Myah took time off work to help him.

Within six weeks, he’d returned to his athletics training thanks to a recovery plan drawn up with hospital physiotherapists and his coaches and was back at work within eight weeks. In February 2022, he won a gold and a bronze medal at the European Masters, followed by two further golds at the World Master’s Championship in July.

“I wanted to show others that this cancer is beatable if caught early. That was one of the reasons I wanted to come back and compete – to complete the cycle.”

LET’S CHAT CANCER

Since treatment, Joe has encouraged others not to be afraid to discuss their health, to improve awareness and reduce rates of prostate and other types of cancers.

“I think family are crucial to this, to early diagnosis, crucial to education and awareness because they’re probably the first people to notice something,” he says. “And you’re more likely to confide in your wife that something’s happening.

“It’s important we open up and start talking to our kids. Because otherwise they grow up without knowing the risks and the symptoms, and the likelihood is that if they developed it, they’d catch it late. We can change all of that, just by talking about it.”

Professor Chinegwundoh agrees. “Knowing the risks is crucial. Around 1 in 4 black men will get a diagnosis of prostate cancer and are more likely to get it at a younger age. Death rates are also higher in the Black community. Unfortunately, many men are not diagnosed until their cancer is advanced.

“It’s important to know your family history. Having a parent or sibling with some specific cancers increases your risk of getting that too. For example, anyone with a prostate can get prostate cancer, but if your Dad or brother had it, your risk is doubled.

“Talking with those closest to you means those at risk can get advice.”

TALKING ABOUT CANCER GIVES YOU SUPPORT WHEN YOU NEED IT

Joe and Tammie were there for one another and their daughters during his treatment. “They were my support network,” he admits. “I couldn’t have recovered without them.”

“Cancer affects our relationships and emotional health too.” reminds Professor Chinegwundoh. “Being open with your loved ones helps them and allows them to be there for you too, when you need it most.”

But embarrassment can mean people avoid those conversations.

“Many men don’t discuss their health, especially when it’s down there. They feel embarrassed,” says Joe. “And people don’t want to feel vulnerable or worry their families. But if they don’t know what’s wrong with you, how can they support you?”

DECEMBER 2022

THE VOICE| 31

“Please don’t put off a conversation because you’re worried, embarrassed or afraid, as that can delay treatment or mean you don’t get help to prevent or manage any problems,” says Professor Chinegwundoh.

“A cancer diagnosis can be frightening and sometimes people I see have put off seeking help sooner.

“If you have any cancer – we want to catch it early, when the chances of recovery are better. So please see your GP if you need to discuss your risks or get help for any worrying symptoms - if something doesn’t feel right or you’re concerned about changes to your body. Perhaps a cough that has lasted over three weeks, blood in your urine or poo, a lump or changes in your breast tissue or a change in a mole or a persistent sore.

We want to give you the right help as quickly as possible.”

SCREENING CAN SAVE LIVES FROM CERVICAL, BREAST AND BOWEL CANCERS

NHS cancer screening helps to identify health problems you might not be able to see or feel, so you can get the right treatment as soon as possible. The NHS offers women cervical screening between the ages of 25 and 64 (which can help prevent some cancers and helps to save around 5,000 lives per year) and breast screening between the ages of 50 to 71 People aged 60 to 74 are also sent a bowel cancer screening home test kit, as well as 56 year olds and some aged 58 as part of a gradual expansion to include over 50s.

Invitations for screening are usually posted to people who have registered with a GP practice, in line with how they have registered their gender. You can also ask to be contacted by text, email or phone call. To find out more, talk to your GP, contact NHS 111 or visit www.nhs.uk.

EXTRA PROTECTION THIS WINTER

With winter ahead, flu and COVID vaccines are being offered to people age 50 and over, pregnant women, and others at greater risk, for example because they have certain health conditions or are taking certain types of treatments, such as those for cancer.

It’s also not too late to come forward for an earlier dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Getting all the doses you need gives you and your loved ones the best protection from serious illness and hospitalisation.

Professor Chinegwundoh says: “The COVID-19 vaccine is safe for people with long-term conditions and serious diseases such as cancer, especially if they’ve had treatment making them more vulnerable to the severe effects of COVID. “They’re also recommended for anyone who is helping to care for someone who is immunosuppressed in that way, or others in the same household.”

 FIND

OUT MORE

• Check your risk in 30 seconds with the Prostate Cancer UK risk checker at www.prostatecanceruk.org/risk-checker • Visit NHS.uk for information about prostate cancer, symptoms, treatment and further support, including information on all screening programmes offered by the NHS in England.

• You can book an appointment for any dose of the COVID-19 vaccine you are eligible for at www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination or scan the QR code to book online.

You can also phone 119 for free or visit a vaccination walk-in vaccination site without an appointment – see: www.nhs.uk/vaccine-walk-in

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34 | THE VOICE DECEMBER 2022

Muyiwa Olarewaju

Nothing But Truth and Light

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

Let’s celebrate the good in one another this Christmas

Don’t focus on the negativity around you... building each other up is the key to changing the world

I

T’S THE season to celebrate.

In the next 90 days, there are at least 60 award celebrations happening — not to talk of the big Christian celebration of Christmas where families gather, friends reconnect and lots of turkeys pay the price.

When we think about it, in spite of the glitz and glamour of the season, what are the things that get the most attention?

Doing a quick poll, I think we can safely conclude the things that have got the most attention in the media, in culture, have been things that have amplified how bad people are, the wrong they’ve done and have cancelled them multiple times.

As a society, we seem to thrive on negativity. Bad news seems to sell better than good.

I want to challenge you in this season to go against the grain, as award ceremonies come to life and celebration is in the air. Will you make a choice to be a channel of positivity, and be a conduit for life?

Hebrews chapter 10 verse 24 in the Bible says this “let us consider how to inspire each other to greater love and to righteous deeds”.

Is there someone who in the last year or their work or life has really touched your heart and you want to motivate them to do more? You want to give them recognition and bond with them. Well, what better way to do it than give them an award. Now I’m not saying set up a venue, have PR people involved etc.

I’m saying to decide on that person in your workplace that has made such a positive impact on you, or that neighbour two doors away from you that you really love what they did and haven’t told them yet.

The teacher in your children’s school that’s going over and above. Would you consider buying them a card or a bottle of wine or even a trophy engraved with your message?

TIME TO CHERISH: Support your family this Christmas (photo: Getty Images)

Consider how you can inspire them to greater love and righteous deeds would you consider giving them your own Oscar for ‘Best Neighbour’. Sounds funny and ridiculous but every good deed makes a difference. Romans chapter 15 verse 2 says this “each of us must strive to please our neighbours pursuing their welfare so they will become strong…” There’s a great saying we have in my family “the reason for our being is greater than just us”.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. You change your world…

I change my world… together we change the world. So while we celebrate in the holidays or we look at the The British In-

dependent Film Awards or the Hollywood Critics Association Creative Awards or the Oscars, the Golden Globes, the BAFTAs, and all the rest of it celebrating the good work that people are doing, while we watch that from a distance can we create our own, where you celebrate the people who you think have made the difference?

Give them their flowers now, not later! Like the writer of 1st Thessalonians in the Bible puts it in chapter 5 verse 11 “support one another building up each other…” This I think is what the next few months should be about, what every day should be about. If you didn’t know, let me let you in on a secret. Big

Is there someone who in the last year has touched your heart? brands spend thousands, sometimes millions on the opportunity to be seen in an award ceremony, or to win awards because it raises their brand image and it will boost the confidence of the stakeholders. A lot of time, other people think ‘oh if they’re winning such a

big award I want to work with them’.

If brands spend so much, imagine the confidence you give someone that you’ve decided to honour today. So will you think now of three people who over the next month or two you are going to give flowers to?

It doesn’t have to be a fancy Academy award, MOBO or Brit award. It could just be as simple or complex as you want.

The most important thing is them knowing that you appreciate and celebrate them. To be honest, I have never been that person that’s clamouring after awards. Over the years, there have been several moments where people decided to cam-

paign and argue why I wasn’t included in one award or the other. Honestly, it was always quite embarrassing for me. That said, when the OBE award from Downing Street and her Majesty the Queen came, I was so glad and encouraged.

So imagine the person you decide to honour... how much they would feel seen and appreciated when you or others choose to decide that this person in your family, in your workplace or on your road deserves to be celebrated, applauded and loved.

Let’s celebrate one another in this season because there is enough trying to pull all of us downtown.

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

@thevoicenewspaper

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DECEMBER 2022 THE VOICE | 35

Faith

Reclaiming our black Jesus

OUTSPOKEN VOICE: Bishop Talbert Swan, below left, says Jesus was a black Palestinian Jew; below, a depiction of the Last Supper by Sarah Jenkins

Firebrand preacher Bishop Talbert Swan explains why the Jesus you were taught about is white. By Richard Sudan

T

HE CHRISTIAN West refuses to come to terms with the reality of a black Jesus of African origin.

Bishop Talbert Swan explains why: “As Dr Freddie Haynes says, white Christians have been so busy being white they’ve never got around to being Christian.

“Their religion is actually white supremacy. I often say that white Christianity is nothing but white supremacy in drag.”

Bishop Talbert Swan is a larger-than life character, an outspoken voice on social media, and a preacher not only of the faith but also of voting reform and ending police brutality.

Speaking to The Voice, he quickly warmed to his theme.

“You can’t give a historically accurate depiction of Christ as a dark skinned man living in Africa, and then push white supremacy, because it automatically debunks that myth.

Jesus was a black Palestinian Jew, who was lynched by the government because he was looked at as someone who was subversive to their system.”

Swan doesn’t mince his words, insisting Jesus Christ was a revolutionary black man, assassinated by the Roman Empire.

He said Jesus spoke for the poor, was a champion of justice, and was born in Bethlehem where his descendants remain persecuted to this day.

Jesus’ mother Mary was black.

And so too were many biblical figures featured in the Bible.

Swan adds that had Jesus been alive in 1950s America, he’d have been made to sit at the back of the bus with the approval of many Christians.

Had Jesus been alive today, fleeing to modern Britain instead of Egypt, he may have found himself deported to Rwanda.

For some, all this might seem controversial, especially to those who view challenging the idea of a white Jesus as rocking the boat.

“Beside scripture and revelation which talks about feet like burnished brass, hair like lamb’s wool, when you look into the genealogy in

the book of Luke, and the women in his genealogy like Rahab the Harlot, who was clearly a Caainanite, a black women.

“Tamar, a black woman, and the queen of Sheba a black woman. You’re saying that Jesus had these black folk in his genealogy, but somehow he came out as a blonde haired blue eyed white man?

“Abraham was born in the city of a black man, Nimrod. In the book of the songs of Solomon, Solomon says ‘I am black but handsome’. So there’s all kinds of references that speak to blackness of the ancestors of Christ.

“You can’t get away from the fact that biblical scholars, the historians and others all corroborate that these were not European folks that lived in that region.

“It’s only when you get to Hollywood that you get to Charlton Heston being Moses and Yul Brynner playing Pharaohs, films like the Passion of the Christ, that you see all of these white folks living in the middle of Africa”

CONCLUSION

Swan’s belief that Jesus was black is not a conclusion he acquired after studying black history, or even meeting the right teacher.

“We grew up with an understanding of who Jesus was, not just from a spiritual perspective but from a historical and cultural context. But during that time, there was no such thing as the Middle East. The term Middle East was only coined in the 1850s,

after the Suez Canal was built that separated North East Africa from what they now call the Middle East. People who lived in the region at that time looked like us. We were vocal in speaking about it and challenging the depictions that we saw” Born in Springfield, Massa-

chusetts, where he still resides, Bishop Talbert Swan gave his first sermon at age 15. One of his early memories is of campaigning for his uncle, Benjamin Swan, who served as a house representative between 2009 and 2016.

Like the radical preachers

before him, from Nat Turner to Sam Sharpe, through to Reverend Martin Luther King, Swan was never going to preach a watered down whitewashed version of Christianity.

He doesn’t hold back either, in bringing the heat to the doorstep of both the Democrats

and Republicans, arguing that both parties are steeped in racism. This is a familiar tale too for UK black communities, who continually see race equality neglected from all sides, but are nonetheless expected to turn up at the ballot, like obedient lambs.

HOPE

Bishop Swan’s message too, is of hope for black people across the diaspora and a call for Churches to unite around the true teachings of Jesus.

“We’re not free here, if you’re in bondage over there in the UK. You’re not free there if we’re in bondage here in America.

“We’re not free if black people are in bondage in the Caribbean and they’re not free if black people in Mexico are not free.

“We’ve got to really fight for justice and freedom for our people across the diaspora no matter where on the globe that we are.”

36 | THE VOICE DECEMBER 2022

Lyndon Mukasa

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

Eye on the Diaspora

Why is Africa backing Putin?

HISTORIC SUPPORT: Russian president Vladimir Putin greets Guinea’s president lansana Conte during their meeting in Saint Petersburg back in 2016 (photo: Getty Images)

Kremlin’s historic support for liberation movements provides a backdrop to African nations position on Ukraine conflict

T

HE PUTIN-LED Russian invasion of Ukraine has been widely condemned globally but Russia is not entirely without support.

Many African countries have refused to condemn Russia or support UN sanctions against the country.

In March, 16 African countries abstained and one (Eritrea) rejected a UN resolution that demanded that Russia immediately end its invasion of Ukraine.

What does this say about Africa’s increasing willingness to assert its own geopolitical interests in the face of Western opposition?

For many African countries, the willingness to support Russia goes back to the Cold War when the Soviet Union provided military and economic assistance to liberation movements across the continent.

Countries like South Africa, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Angola all received assistance in their respective lib-

eration struggles. In the case of South Africa, the ruling ANC received a huge amount of support from the former Soviet Union during its campaign against the Apartheid regime.

This is something that has not been lost on current South African president and ANC leader Cyril Ramaphosa, who abstained on the UN resolution to sanction Russia, arguing that the resolution failed to emphasise the role of peaceful dialogue to stop the war.

RESENTMENT

Many African leaders share Putin’s opposition towards NATO. This resentment has been building for a decade since the overthrow of Libya’s president Muammar Gaddafi in 2012, which has since led to the destabilisation of Libya, North Africa and the Sahel.

The deterioration of security around the Sahel region over the last ten years has brought about a need for increased security, and

Russia has been providing support to many African countries.

During this period, countries such as Nigeria, Libya, Ethiopia and Mali have forged military alliances with the Kremlin. This has come in the form of arms but also private military organisations such as the controversial Wagner Group which has been

accused of profiting from conflict, committing human rights abuses and making the security situation in many parts of Africa worse.

In 2014, when the United States refused to sell weapons to Nigeria due to human rights violations against members of Boko Haram, Russia quickly stepped in

to fill the power vacuum. With the presence of China, the influence of the West is slowly being marginalised in Africa. This has been amplified even further by the poor distribution of Westernmade vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the climate crisis intensifies, many African governments

are tired of the West only offering conditional assistance that seemingly serves their interests more than it does for ordinary Africans. As a result, Russia like China often utilises its history of anti-colonial support for Africa to respond to and take advantage of anti-Western sentiments that has grown in recent years.

Is the ‘giant of Africa’ becoming a failed state?

THE Federal Republic of Nigeria is often considered to be the “giant of Africa” due to its huge population and large economy.

With a population of over 220 million people, the country accounts for 16 per cent of Africa’s population and an estimated one fifth of all black people in the world when you include the Nigerian diaspora.

Nigeria is the 10th largest oil producer in the world and is becoming increasingly powerful internationally.

However, in recent years Nigeria has come under increasing strains stemming from security challenges that could threaten the viability of the Nigerian state in the 21st century.

There are the ongoing secessionist movements such as those in the

Delta region and Boko Haram, and the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the northeast where over 40,000 people have been killed and 300,000 displaced.

However, a new conflict has been fermented by the ongoing climate crisis. In the northwest, desertification in the Sahal has forced Muslim Fulani cattle herders to migrate further south on to land held by southern ethnic groups.

This has erupted into an ethnic/religious conflict that has been termed the Herder-Farmer conflict which has led to the deaths of over 10,000 people and tens of thousands displaced as a result.

This conflict has extended further south into the southeast and southwest which has led the Eastern Security Network to clash with Nigerian armed

forces. Armed vigilante groups have exacerbated these issues.

It is widely believed these issues have been exacerbated by the unequal distribution of wealth in Nigeria due to corruption and mismanagement.

Since 2015, Nigeria surpassed Brazil and India to become the most unequal country in the world. This is partly due to the ongoing and rapid population growth.

ELECTIONS

As the security and economic situation continues to deteriorate, there is increasing doubtfulness over the government’s ability to deal with these problems effectively.

Many hope that with the upcoming elections in 2023 things could change,

but the problems are very complex and multifaceted and are unlikely to be solved with a new leader. Nigeria is no stranger to internal struggles. Under the British, colonial Nigeria was effectively run as two separate states with the south having more direct rule and the north having limited autonomy.

There are clear religious and ethnic differences between both regions with the south being predominantly Christian and the north being predominantly Muslim.

This led to stark differences in the standards of living between the two regions with the south benefiting relative to the north from more institutional and economic development. This legacy still exists today and it is no surprise that conflict often centres around

the unequal distribution of wealth and resources in the country. The 1967 Biafran war demonstrated this tension as the Republic of Biafra attempted to secede from the Nigerian state due to Igbo nationalist aspirations and issues with the Hausa-Fulani dominated government at the time. This led to a brutal civil war with scars still felt today.

Many would argue today’s problems are in part due to the artificial nature of the colonial state which for some Nigerians is not as important as their ethnic identity.

However, it is unlikely that the Nigerian state will collapse anytime soon.

What is likely to continue is violence and instability as the issues behind these conflicts are likely to get worse before it gets better.

Lyndon Mukasa is a writer and researcher. He studied International Development at the London School of Economics.

@thevoicenewspaper

@thevoicenews

voicenews

www.voice-online.co.uk

AUGUST 2022

THE VOICE| 37

UK Visas and Immigration

What happens on the day of your Secure English Language Test?

Taking an exam in a foreign language can sometimes be an unsettling experience. Trinity College London always works to make the process as easy and convenient as possible for every candidate who books to take their SELT test at one of our UK exam centres.

SELT stands for Secure English Language Test and is a Home Office requirement for most UK visa applications. The English language test will be determined by the visa you are applying for.

When you arrive at the Trinity SELT centre at the time specified on your confirmation email, a steward will guide you through your test experience. The steward will confirm that the ID you brought matches the one used for booking the test and show you where to securely store all your belongings. Security checks to comply with UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) are also performed at this stage. Those wearing religious clothing will be able to adjust them in a private area to ensure they can make security checks safely and comfortably.

Once the security checks have been completed, you will be registered before taking the exam.

SELT tests are taken via one-to-one video

conferencing and the examiner will already be on the screen to meet you.

After the test, the steward will meet you outside the exam room to take you back to your locker and explain that you will receive your provisional GESE result by 9am the day after your exam and your certificate will be sent within 4 – 7 days.

Trinity SELT exams are taken at one of our 20 UK SELT test centres. Tests can be booked 24 hours in advance, with tests taking place seven days a week.

Ready to book your exam?

Scan the QR code or visit trinitySELT.co.uk to find a date and location that fits your schedule.

38 | THE VOICE DECEMBER 2022

Midlands News

By Veron Graham

Film to boost fostering Councils come together to make movie highlighting the reality of kids in care

C

HRISTMAS is a time when emotions run high, especially for children not living with their real parents. So as the festive season approaches, several Midlands authorities have collaborated to release a short film to address the urgent need to recruit foster carers.

Entitled Childhood, the film highlights the impact of neglect on children, particularly siblings who may be left to care for each other at ages when they need care themselves.

Through lead characters ‘Sophie’ and ‘Charlie’ — living in a tough home environment — viewers will see their journey from that to being nurtured and supported into foster care, re-engaging with education, hobbies and interests. The film is a collaboration between over 50 local authorities including Birmingham Children’s Trust, Coventry, Dudley, Leicester, Nottingham, Walsall and Wolverhampton as well as Sandwell Children’s Trust.

Emma Taylor, chief executive at Sandwell Children’s Trust, who collaborated with over 50 local councils on the project, said: “No single fostering service could have produced this film. It’s an excellent example of partnership working, and

COLLABORATION: Childhood highlights the impact of neglect on children

we are proud to have been one of the original partners. We’re asking people to come forward who believe they are able to provide safe, loving and nurturing homes for children who need our care. We have amazing people in Sandwell from many diverse communities and I would encourage anyone thinking about fostering to come and join Sandwell’s biggest family.”

Figures on the number of African-Caribbean and mixed heritage children and young people currently in need of foster care are hard to find, recent studies, including The Black Care Experience Report, 2021, point to an overrepresentation of such children and young people in the system, plus an overall shortage of foster carers in general, particularly those which share their cultural heritage.

BEDROCK

Ofsted’s recent annual fostering statistics make for concerning reading: applications for first-time foster carers are at an all-time low. Over the last year they totalled 8,280, which marks a 21 per cent fall on the 2017-18 figures.

Figures from The Fostering Network (TFN) claim nearly 9,300 more fostering families are

needed. Currently, over 70,000 children are living with almost 56,000 foster families in the UK, and the number of children coming into care keeps rising.

Kevin Williams, TFN chief executive, added: “Foster carers are the bedrock of children’s social care; they are vital in our society and our young people

rely on their care, dedication, passion and skills to support them when they need it most.

“The reasons children become looked after vary widely.

We need more people to come forward to foster, to stand by their side and to be there for them no matter what.”

Rachel Brown, who has been

a foster carer recruiter for a number of years, led on the national project, said: “Sadly, there is an unmet need for foster carers in the country today and there is likely to be an increase in this need. The costof-living crisis and other struggles families across the UK are facing creates and escalates

difficulties for many.” The film is available to watch and share from all participating local authority platforms and the organisers have called for the message to be spread across the UK using the hashtags #FosterForYourCouncil and #Childhood. * See our feature on children in care – page 13

Arts group secures £430,000 grant for programmes WHILE the cost of living crisis and tighter corporate budgets paint a difficult future for many in the voluntary and arts sectors, an East Midlands arts group has secured nearly £430,000 in grant funding from the Arts Council to support its burgeoning programme over the next three years.

Leicester-based Serendipity is one of the few organisations in the country that has received an increase in this latest round of funding.

Serendipity’s founder, CEO and artistic director, Pawlet Brookes MBE, said: “The whole team at Serendipity has worked so hard over many years to ensure that diverse artists and audiences see themselves reflected across the arts and a greater understanding

and enjoyment can be realised for all audiences.

“Arts and culture can make a significant contribution to everyone’s quality of life but they also make significant contribution to the local and national economy. We are delighted that this support from the Arts Council cements our charity’s role in offering greater opportunities for everyone.”

FESTIVAL

Serendipity, created in 2010, received an annual grant for five years. For the next three years, it was increased to £427,728 a year, representing a 100 per cent increase on its previous grant of £213,864. Serendipity’s programmes include the flagship dance festival, Let’s Dance Interna-

tional Frontiers, Black History Month Leicester and the Annual Windrush Day Lecture. Serendipity is establishing a legacy through growing a living archive documenting black arts, heritage and culture, through publishing the voices of black arts practitioners and community activists, through nurturing artists to create high quality new work, and by mentoring young people.

Peter Knott, area director for Arts Council England, said: “Serendipity programmes festivals and dance that bring people and communities together and we’re delighted to be increasing our investment in their work over the next three years. It’ll be great to see them continue to inspire people, no matter what background, to engage in arts and culture.”

GUIDING LIGHT: Serendipity’s founder, CEO and artistic director, Pawlet Brookes MBE

DECEMBER 2022 THE VOICE | 39

A VISION TO TRANSFORM YOUNG LIVES

T

HE FOUNDING chief executive of a social enterprise which is helping youth steer away from the criminal justice system has offered advice for those affected by trauma, which is expected to increase during the festive season and the challenging economic climate.

Avril Grant, CEO and founder of AVision, said: “It’s a sad reality that our young people are exposed to violence at such a young age and many experience trauma. It’s important that young people have a safe space where they can feel comfortable enough to express their thoughts and feelings without judgement.

All our experienced counsellors and therapists are culturally competent and easy to relate to.

“My advice to any young person experiencing trauma is to find someone they trust who they can talk to and will listen without judgement; or reach out to someone who can connect you with organisations like ours.

Don’t hold it in, these things can take you to difficult places.

“For any adult who knows of a young person coping with trauma, provide a safe space or someone who can, to allow them to talk it through, even if you don’t know what to say back. At AVision we believe it

takes a joined-up approach to reduce youth violence and a critical part of that process is about healing the wound itself, rather than putting a plaster over it. With a better understanding, they can then break a negative cycle and build a new path towards transformation and hopefully, aspiration.”

AVision delivers a range of holistic empowerment interventions and Grant’s guidance follows the announcement of its latest initiative: providing specialist counselling, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), to 85 young people who have experienced severe trauma, in association with West Midlands Police (WMP).

ADVERSITY

The youth, drawn from all cultural backgrounds, have fallen into regular trouble with the police as a result of the trauma.

They will undergo CBT to help them cope with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, paranoia or extreme anxiety to improve their control over trauma-induced thoughts and enable them to make better decisions. Experts recognise that children who experience adversity are more likely to end up in trouble with the law themselves as they grow

Midlands News JOINED-UP APPROACH: AVision CEO and founder Avril Grant

up. AVision is offering the programme as part of the Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP), a task force within WMP’s Crime Commission, which was set up in 2019 to tackle the causes of violence. It follows previous initiatives tasked with preventing youth entering and/ or returning to the criminal justice system: the Enterprise to Employment Project, BEST (Breakthrough, Enterprise, Skills & Training) and Realise Your Vision.

Grant told The Voice: “Young people in trouble are not going to parents for help as much as they used to and fear being judged by anyone they may approach. Christmas is a time when people are often under more pressure to provide and this can lead to violence.”

“This intervention is an important contribution to the action we are taking to prevent and reduce violence”, said the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster.

“Whilst we need robust policing to hold offenders to account for their actions, we have known for a long time that we cannot simply arrest our way out of the problem of high levels of violence. Schemes like this can help tackle violence head on and prevent people from reoffending time and again.”

Birmingham duo honoured for helping needy in difficult times

COMMITMENT: Fiona Ramdeen and Sharon Bhola-Harris were recognised during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with a medal for services to the community

A BIRMINGHAM duo is continuing to serve its locality with reportedly the only food pantry in the city that provides culturally appropriate food.

BCG Food Pantry, based in the Jewellery Quarter, was previously a food bank which provided pre-packed parcels to the needy.

However, recognising that elders from Caribbean communities were not receiving its requirements, it started to provide cooked meals and delivered them.

“We were concerned about

sustainability,” said Fiona Ramdeen, BCG founder and chair. “We thought it would be more appropriate to enable the people we help to choose what they need.”

Now packing parcels according to members’ requests, its services reach three local schools and associated families plus housing associations that provide supported living. Its offering of £35 worth of shopping for less than £4 which its individual members can do twice a week, is seeing its membership rise. The efforts of Fiona

and BCG trustee and co-manager Sharon Bhola-Harris were recognised during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with a medal for services to the community.

Fiona said: “We were both in shock at getting this award! We are still extremely proud at being recognised for our hard work and commitment in supporting our people in the most difficult times.”

BCG began in May 2012 as a day centre for the vulnerable before repurposing as a food bank during the pandemic.

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

40 | THE VOICE DECEMBER 2022

Dawn Butler

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

Labour MP for Brent Central

Braverman must go!

DESPERATE: Migrants picked up in the English Channel arrive at Dungeness RNLI station; below left, Home Secretary Suella Braverman said it was her ‘dream’ to deport people to Rwanda

Why the Home Secretary is worse than Scrooge

S

HE WAS forced to resign, and since then Suella Braverman has not shown any evidence of competency in her job, so why on earth was she gifted her old job back?

It is evident that almost everything this twice appointed Home Secretary does is bad, dangerous and incompetent — and the list is growing. She has committed serious security breaches, used inflammatory language, ignored advice on overcrowding at Manston Processing Centre, and panic-hired staff to handle complex asylum cases without any training.

Two attempts at the same job and a record of serious failures.

Surely PM Rishi Sunak can see the disastrous impact of whatever grubby political deal he did in reappointing her.

Braverman committed some serious security breaches, not just once but six times. She sent confidential documents to a backbench Tory MP and others, and she used her personal email address to send sensitive Government emails.

This isn’t a minor slip up — security services insist on secure communication to avoid security risks to our country. Basic knowledge for a Home Secretary with responsi-

bilities including the police and secret services. I fear we will be in an unprecedented situation where security agencies may not trust the Home Secretary.

Braverman was rightly forced to stand down. But astonishingly, six days later Sunak reappointed her to the same job, He talks about integrity under his leadership, but clearly those are just empty words.

This is the Home Secretary who famously said it was her ‘dream’ to deport people to Rwanda. Addressing the House on migration, she deliberately referred to an “invasion” to invoke strong negative feelings.

WARNINGS

A combination of Braverman’s incompetency, careless cruelty and casual relationship with the Ministerial code means she failed to act on repeated warnings about worsening overcrowding at Manston and that the Home Office was potentially in breach of the law. Complying with the law is a Ministerial Code requirement.

Manston is a short stay assessment centre that risks, in the words of Business Secretary Grant Shapps, being turned into an ‘unofficial

detention centre’. It has a safe occupancy level of 1,600 people but was allowed to reach occupancy of 4,000.

Children are being housed in tents. In desperation, a child has thrown a message over the fence, describing the conditions as prison like and pleading for help. A migrant was pinned to a fence and dragged away after claiming to reporters he had been at the centre for 30 days.

And not a shred of humanity displayed by Braverman. Instead, under her watch, there

has been panic recruitment to clear the backlog of asylum applications. New recruits with no experience of the system and without the training they were promised are expected to conduct complex interviews and make life changing decisions. It is an unbelievable shambles.

Braverman’s position is clearly untenable. The Home Secretary’s language and mistakes are serious, reckless and irresponsible and must have consequences.

Almost everything twice appointed Home Secretary Suella Braverman does is bad, dangerous and incompetent — and the list is growing.

PM Rishi Sunak’s grubby political deal which saw her reappointed six days after her forced resignation has resulted in disaster. She committed six security breaches.

The lack of outcry from her own side was galling — but sadly symptomatic of this heartless Sunak Government. Under her watch, we have panic

measures to clear the asylum application backlog, with untrained new recruits expected to make life changing assessments.

That is why I told the PM at PMQs that Braverman must be sacked. If he truly wants to deliver of a vision of “integrity, professionalism and accountability” as he said in his first speech as PM, then he will put country before party, and sack her.

It is the right thing to do, and he must do it now.

China giving platform to female DJs

C

HINA L’ONE was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and migrated as a refugee to the UK to join her now late mother at the age of 13 years old.

She is a multi-award-winning entrepreneur, international DJ, founder and CEO of We Run The World Female DJ Agency and a member of Toastmasters International.

She said: “Growing up as a kid, all I can remember was my passion and dream to be a performer. At the age of 15, my now late mother got me into the Italia Conti Theatre school at Wimbledon, and I joined many other performing schools as a teenager.

“I loved poetry growing up and as a child, struggling with stammer and dyslexia, poetry became my means of therapy. It helped me deal with, and

Spotlight

cope with, my mother’s mental health issues. I can truly say, poetry helped heal my pain.”

As a teenager who battled a lot with stammering, she frequently wondered if she would become anything when she got older. In 2001, she accidentally took over her friend’s birthday party, and found she had a natural talent for DJing. Since then, it’s been her love.

In 2002, China launched her first enterprise called Raw Talent; it was a platform for those

under 18, a membership club for young people, and a place where they could build their confidence in dance, singing and DJing.

After DJing for a while, in 2012 she started the first all-female DJ agency — We Run the World Female DJ Agency — to raise awareness of female DJs globally. Her work has been recognised globally, with features in Forbes magazine and being invited to 10 Downing Street.

She’s won multiple awards including Business Excellence and Best Female DJ Agency.

Her goal is to continue to work on herself as a person so that she can become the best version of herself, and to raise the profile and awareness of all female DJs. For more details visit www.femaledjagency.com

PASSION: Entrepreneur China L’One

AUGUST 2022

THE VOICE| 41

42 | THE VOICE DECEMBER 2022

Ambassador Campaign

Inspirational leaders

To celebrate the 40-year anniversaries of the Black Cultural Archives and The Voice, we will spotlight 40 people who are making waves

Jason Arthur

F

OUNDED BY educationalist, activist and historian Len Garrison, this year the Black Cultural Archives celebrated over 40 years of excellence in the Arts, Heritage and Archival space. To mark this major milestone an initiative called BCA’s Chairs 40x40 Future Leaders Ambassador Campaign was established.

This identified 40 inspirational leaders from across the country, one for every year of the BCA’s existence. These leaders were honoured by a portrait exhibition showcased at the BCA during black history month, photographed by Lewis Patrick and curated by Sherece Rainford of Gallery OCA. The initiative also featured a nationwide billboard campaign

with the ambassadors pledging their continual support to the BCA agenda throughout the country.

The Black Cultural Archives were immensely proud to have a range of stakeholders supporting this initiative, chief among them The Voice newspaper, which also celebrated a milestone 40th birthday this year.

To cement our partnership each month, four members of the 40x40 will be profiled in The Voice. This month we celebrate those making strides in the political, film production, charity and WHEN I took the helm at the Women’s Equality Party fashion industries. You can con- (WEP) in 2019, I became the first black person to lead a nect with each of them through national political party in British history.

I have led campaigns to: challenge racism and mitheir LinkedIn profiles. sogyny in policing; tackle male violence against women and girls; address the cost of living crisis; and push for Find out more about BCA on www. a radical new approach to parental leave and childcare https://blackculturalarchives.org/ which would transform the UK economy and accelerate progress to equality.

The initiative was supported by: I have stood for election multiple times including conLambeth Council, Mayor Of testing the 2021 London Mayoral election, where I and London, FT, Migrant Leaders, WEP won over 150,000 votes.

Copper & Vine, Paramount, I am passionate about making sure the fight for femiChatham House, Clear nist change goes hand in hand with the fight for racial Channel, The Voice, Global Street justice, and liberation for all marginalised groups.

Art, Sherece, Wintrade Global Growing up in Southern Africa in the twilight years of Women In Business Network, and apartheid, I have seen profound change happen and Donation QR Code, right has never stopped believing it is possible.

Mandu Reid

Nathan Palmer I AM a fashion designer from Wales that makes made-tomeasure and bespoke formal wear for men, women and children.

Previously an athlete, I formally represented Great Britain in the 110-metre hurdles and Welsh rugby union on 7’s IRB circuit.

I have been in the commercial fashion industry since 2010 when Nathan Palmer clothing was created making smart casual menswear.

That transformed into suit making, which became Nathan Palmer Bespoke in 2015, opening a shop in 2017.

I love what I do and the opportunities it brings, such as presenting and styling on BBC Wales and BBC Scotland and Northern Ireland.

I AM the chief executive of Mission 44, a charitable foundation launched by Sir Lewis Hamilton to boost social mobility in the UK. After starting my career as a teacher in east London, I spent the last fifteen years working in leadership roles in the non-profit sector, including at Teach First, the #iwill campaign and Youth Futures Foundation.

I also have experience of the political sector, having served as a senior local councillor in London.

I have made suits for Ian Wright (FA Cup final), Sam Warburton (receiving his OBE from HRH Prince William), sport personalities, movie stars and many more.

In 2021, launched Perverse Demand streetwear clothing, with my business partner Debbie O’Sullivan.

Dr Clare Anyiam-Osigwe BEM I FOUNDED Premae Skincare in 2011 as the world’s first allergy-friendly certified vegan beauty company.

I was also honoured by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2017 for services to dermatology and received multiple business awards with international distribution through my own clinic in Harley Street.

My film journey began in 2014 as the MD and lead script juror of BAFTA, BIFA, and AMAA-accredited British Urban Film Festival (BUFF).

My directorial debut No Shade secured international theatrical release in 2018, making me only the sixth black British woman to secure cinematic distribution. It was streamed to over 16 million on Amazon Prime in 2019.

I was also commissioned by The Voice to produce Windrush Stories in 2018. The film is being re-cut for distribution to PBS in 2023. I recently served as a panellist and presenter for African

Movie Academy Awards in Lagos, Nigeria, and I am a showrunner/writer/ director at my own production company Buff Studios for several projects including camera operator/EP for Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe’s debut documentary Absolutely Marvellous which receives its world premiere at BUFF2022 at Rich

Mix Cinema on November 26, 2022. I’m one of the few black female TV directors to direct the soap series Hollyoaks, my episodes marking a historic milestone for the show which has been on-air for 27 years, with me directing the 5,999th and 6,000th episodes which air December 8 and 9 on Channel 4.

Lifestyle ‘WHY DON’T DECORATIONS LOOK LIKE ME?’ Full story page 48

Karla-Simone Spence in The Confessions of Frannie Langton p44

Mother Goose and more!

Where to Pantomine this Christmas? p46

Dogon Tribe mythology reimaged in Denise Crittendon debut novel p52

44 | THE VOICE DECEMBER 2022

Lifestyle

This is not another slavery tale

The Confessions of Frannie Langton is an upcoming TV period drama based on the novel of the same name by Sara Collins. By Joel Campbell

J

AMAICAN-BORN, CAYMANIAN-BRITISH novelist and former lawyer Sara Collins says when she was offered the chance to adapt her novel, The Confessions of Frannie Langton, for television, she knew “straightaway” that she didn’t want to write “yet another period drama where the only thing that happens to the black characters is slavery”.

Starring Karla-Simone Spence in the title role, The Confessions of Frannie Langton, set against the opulence of Georgian London, narrates Frannie’s journey from a Jamaican plantation to the grand Mayfair mansion of celebrated scientist George Benham and his wife, Madame Marguerite Benham.

Frannie falls hopelessly in love with Marguerite after being brought to London and sent into service in her husband’s household. United in their longing to escape society’s limiting expectations, they slip into an intense emotional and sexual entanglement with each other.

Speaking on presenting the unusual narrative, Collins said: “My life-long irritation with the depiction of black characters in historical fiction as nothing but victims of that institution was the reason I’d written the novel in the first place.”

She added: “But I also wanted to avoid the sort of colourblind fantasy about interracial romance that seems to be in vogue nowadays – deliciously anachronistic, but occasionally guilty of indulging the audience’s self-serving reasons for pretending slavery never happened at all. Instead, I wanted to dramatise a passionate love affair between a black woman and her white mistress in Regency London. We’ve been led to assume this kind of thing would never have happened, which is precisely why it’s the story I wanted to tell.”

On what attracted her to The Confessions of Frannie Langton, Spence enthused: “It’s an incredible story.

“I was really intrigued by Fran-

nie’s journey. She’s an incredibly witty, resilient woman. As soon as I read the scripts I was like, ‘I have to play her.’ I really wanted this role.”

Describing the journey, Spence added: “It’s a period drama, set in the 1800s. It’s Frannie’s story and she wants the world to know what she went through from her own account.

“When Frannie arrives in England from Jamaica with John Langton, she is technically a free woman.

“She could run into this new world, but where would she go?

Frannie is a survivor. She has made difficult decisions in order to survive.

“So in that moment she chooses to stick with the devil she knows. A choice that has led her to where we find her at the beginning of the show.”

She added: “In the show people assume many things about Frannie and the life that she has led, including that she can’t read

“They assume that Frannie would be subservient.

She is not” or write. But she has a great love of reading and for books. She can be the most intelligent person in the room but can’t always show it.

“They assume that Frannie would be subservient, having been a former slave. She is not.

Only when it suits her to be.

“They assume that her connection to Madame is an obsession that carries ulterior motives, but this is simply not the case.

Frannie is young and hasn’t really experienced love before.

“She did eventually know who her mother was, but she never had that maternal bond. Frannie never felt that she was nurtured and looked after.

“So when she discovers Madame (Sophie Cookson), it is such

INTENSE: Frannie Langton (Karla-Simone Spence), right, falls in love with Madame Marguerite Benham (Sophie Cookson) a breath of fresh air for her. She has never had a romantic connection with anyone. When she first meets Madame she feels this magnetic attraction, that she doesn’t quite understand.

“Initially, Frannie is very impressed with Madame’s literary taste. Madame is very forward in her thinking and voices her thoughts, just as Frannie does

and Frannie admires that. But in 1820s England, love between two women is a forbidden love. Society does not approve, but Frannie doesn’t care. She has always lived her life having to conform and being a certain way. Now she doesn’t want to hide anymore.”

Delving into the complexity of Frannie, Collins said it was important to ‘convey her passion

as an act of defiance against impossible odds’.

“Sadly, depicting a black woman (in any era, but even more so in a period piece) who is driven by an unbridled desire for all the things the world says she isn’t supposed to have — sex, love, an education, control of her body and her choices — might still be viewed by some

ROLE: Patrick Martins stars as Laddie Lightning in The Confessions of Frannie Langston

as subversive. But every time I faced the blinking cursor of the draft screenplay, and the challenges that came with getting the series made, I reminded myself that it was a rare opportunity to embody the sensuality and psychological complexity that characters like Frannie have for too long been denied.”

Full of praise, Collins said Spence’s performance was ‘full of tenderness and intelligence, vulnerability and rage’.

Spence admitted landing the role was a big deal.

She enthused: “I poured everything into my final round of auditions. When my agent called to say they were offering me the role, I screamed and had to mute myself because I just went crazy. I was really happy. I had waited for this moment for a really long time and it was worth the wait.”

The Confessions of Frannie Langton premiere on new, free streaming service, ITVX, on December 8

@thevoicenewspaper

@thevoicenews

voicenews

www.voice-online.co.uk

DECEMBER 2022 THE VOICE | 45

Lifestyle LOST IN TIME: The Witcher: Blood Origin comes to our screens this December

Will.i.am excited at return of The Voice Kids UK Series 6 WATCHING YOUNGSTERS chasing their dreams is always a crowd pleaser so it’s no surprise to hear musician Will.i.am say he is excited for this year’s The Voice Kids UK Series 6.

The popular music show will return to ITV and ITV Hub this Christmas.

The superstar coaching panel has received a fresh injection of pop royalty as Boyzone favourite Ronan Keating joins Will.i.am, Pixie Lott and Danny Jones on the hunt for the best young music stars.

Will.i.am, right, revealed the best thing about being a part of the show. “I love working with the younger kids,” he enthused.

“I get so excited because they are so eager, earnest and what they really want to do is sing because it’s pure fun.

With the

What’s on TV at Christmas?

W

HETHER YOU are set on chilling on your own or can’t wait to be with the family over the festive season, there is guaranteed to be something for you to watch on television, writes JOEL CAMPBELL. Lifestyle has handpicked a few choices for you to consider across a multitude of platforms.

At the start of the month ITVX screens The Confessions of Frannie Langton, featured on page 44, a dark and gripping forbidden love story which we reckon is one for the adults after the kids have gone to bed.

You’re going to have to wait a few more weeks for The Witcher: Blood Origin (Netflix Series) which hits screens in December.

Set 1,200 years before events we’re familiar with, The Witcher: Blood Origin will tell a story lost to time, and the events that lead to the pivotal in “conjunction of the spheres,” when the worlds of monsters, men and elves merged to become one. Blood Origin will be a four-part, liveaction limited series, and a prequel to the hit Netflix series The

Witcher. When looking ahead to what’s on this Christmas, one of the more bizzare programme listings has to be the World Cup final which takes place on December 18.

Much has been said about Qatar hosting the biggest football tournament in the world, but whatever your thoughts, it’ll probably be the only time we ever see this competition taking place in the winter. History will be made, so with that being said, where’s your money?

Just a few days after the World Cup final, BBC Sports Personality of the Year takes place on December 21.

For those who need convention in their life, the staples, Death in Paradise Christmas Special, EastEnders, Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special and Would I Lie to You? At Christmas, have all been confirmed. Shifting genres, some of the nation’s favourite actors star in animations, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and The Horse, and The Smeds and The Smoos.

Idris Elba will voice the fox, with Tom Hollander as the mole

and Gabriel Byrne as the horse in the adaptation of Charlie Mackesy’s best-selling book.

The Smeds and The Smoos is about two families on a far-off planet. It will star Bridgerton’s Adjoa Andoh as Grandmother Smoo and Gavin and Stacey’s Rob Brydon as Uncle Smoo.

First published 179 years ago, look out for A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story on BBC Four. The powerful tale of life, love, loss and redemption is as relevant today as it ever was.

Mica Paris is one of the ‘sitters’ that will feature in the Portrait Artist of the Year Christmas Special on Sky Arts.

Six celebrities take on a festive challenge to paint one of three well-known sitters with a little help from some wise mystery guests. While there’s celebration in the air, as always, the art is created under the watchful eyes of discerning judges, Tai Shan Schierenberg, Kathleen Soriano and Kate Bryan.

Check out www.voice-online.co.uk for more of what’s in store over Christmas on your screens

grown-ups it’s a different dynamic, because their participation is often about a last chance at a career in music and the pressure is really intense.”

Speaking on his most memorable aspect of 2022 as the year comes to a close, Will.i.am said: “The most important thing for the music industry this year is that artists and acts got back out there to perform in front of live audiences.

“After a couple of very tough years for the music business because touring and festivals were cancelled due to the pandemic, it was such a great feeling to be performing live again. Black Eyed Peas toured Europe during the summer and the energy we got from the fans at every stop was tremendous.” That energy propelled us to work on our ninth album, Elevation.”

46 | THE VOICE DECEMBER 2022

Lifestyle

Oh yes it is! Panto is back

Joel Campbell says there’s lots of magical Christmas shows to be enjoyed in the capital

A

LL ROADS lead to the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre for this year’s highly anticipated pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk.

With Emmanuel Akwafo playing Dame Trott, Maddison Bulleyment starring as Jill, Jodie Jacobs taking on the role of Fleshcreep, Leah St Luce playing Jack and Finlay McGuigan as Simon, the Nicholai La Barrie production, which opened last week, runs until January 7, 2023.

La Barrie, right, who is associate director at Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and Jack and the Beanstalk director, said: “Jack and the Beanstalk is going to be funny, joyous and full of Christmas magic.

“One of the great things about getting to make a panto at the Lyric is that we get to speak to our West London community and make a show for all to enjoy.

“This show is for everyone to sing and dance along to, and we can’t wait to hear kids laugh as loud as they like. We want the whole family to have the best time in the theatre, and for this to be an unforgettable experience.”

Writers Jude Christian and Sonia Jalaly (Jack and the Bean-

stalk) said: “Jack and the Beanstalk is bursting full of adventure and magic – it’s the perfect combo for a festive night out with some quintessential panto surprises thrown into the mix too.”

Rachel O’Riordan, artistic director and CEO of the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, said: “The Lyric Hammersmith Theatre’s much loved annual pantomime has become a West London favourite.

“Now in its 13th year, it continues to attract audiences of all ages from West London and beyond. Newly adapted by co-writers Jude Christian and Sonia Jalaly, Jack and the Beanstalk is the first panto directed by our associate director, Nicholai La Barrie. I am so thrilled for audiences to watch and experience this magical festive show, which our talented production team and artists have dreamt up.”

On from now until January 7 Relaxed Performance: December 6, 11am Open Captioned Performance: December 21, 6pm Audio Described Performance: December 17, 6pm BSL Performance: December 28, 2pm

Olivier award-winner Rowe stars in Mother Goose THE pantomime Mother Goose was first created for Hackney Empire regular and music hall legend Dan Leno, who first played the title role in 1902.

The 2022 festive season will burst into life with the 23rd Hackney Empire pantomime, providing joy for all the family, and in some cases, a vital introduction to theatre.

Mother Goose stars Olivier award-winner Clive Rowe in the title role. He is joined by Kat B as Billy Goose, Ope Sowande as Jack Goose, Ruth Lynch as Priscilla the Goose, Tony Marshall as Squire Purchase, Holly Mallett as Jill Purchase, Gemma Wardle as

STAR ROLE: Leah St Luce plays Jack in Jack and the Beanstalk

Cinderella with a unique twist

PLAYING FOR LAUGHS: Clive Rowe, centre, shares a joke with the cast

GET READY to experience a unique twist on this classic tale, set in the ancient home of Sphynx cats, pharaohs and the empress Cleopatra.

Each year, Theatre Royal Stratford East’s panto tears up the rulebook and turns a classic story on its head.

Featuring show-stopping original music and laugh-out-loud comedy, alongside magical sets and costumes, the production is a perfect festive treat for all ages.

The cast includes Kathryn Bond as Sphinx, Wesley Bozonga as Marc Antony, Gracie McGonigal as Cinderella, and Gigi Zahir as Cleopatra.

December 15, 1.30pm & 7pm Dementia Friendly and Relaxed Performance: December 3, 1.30pm Final performance: December 31 at 1.30pm

Fairy Fame, Rebecca Parker as Demon Queen and a brilliant ensemble.

Sign Language Interpreted Performances: December 3, 1.30pm & 6pm December 15, 1.30pm & 7pm Dementia Friendly and Relaxed Performance: December 3, 1.30pm Final performance: December 31 at 1.30pm

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AUGUST 2022

THE VOICE| 47

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48 | THE VOICE DECEMBER 2022

Lifestyle

Mummy, why can’t angels be black?

Alison Burton and Natalie Duvall have created a range of diverse decorations. By Joel Campbell

M

“

UMMY, WHY do none of the Christmas decorations look like me?” It’s a question to which there was previously only really one answer.

It’s also the question which drove Alison Burton and Natalie Duvall, two working mothers, to create the change they wanted to see for their daughters.

March Muses, the British black-owned decoration brand, are on a mission to make our Christmases colourful, representative and inclusive.

The businesswomen have created the first ever range of diverse decorations in the UK, as seen on TV’s Dragons’ Den. Britain is home to approximately nine million people in Britain from a non-white background, and the numbers of households with mixed heritage continues to rise.

Multicultural Britain is here, and on a mission to help support inclusion and understanding, Duvall and Burton are bringing to life the notion that change often begins at home.

PRESENCE

Understanding the significance of representation, they created a brand which has seen the likes of Liberty of London, Selfridges and Dragons’ Den investors Deborah Meaden and Peter Jones all want a piece of the (Christmas) pudding.

Burton and Duvall insist conversations about race and ethnicity are more important than ever, and strongly believe that it is vital for homes and spaces to reflect the world we live in more authentically.

Diverse ethnic representation should not only gain presence on our televisions, books, and toys, but also progressively mirrored across our celebration

decoration. They believe it will help create a new generation of understanding and positive experiences amongst all communities.

Unfortunately, a survey commissioned by the Diana Award, an anti-bullying organisation, recently revealed that one in four children in the UK (24 per cent) have said racism is worse in school since lockdown. At a particularly difficult time of year, where families and friends come together to celebrate the festive holidays, concerns remain that the festive period surrounding children within their homes, can appear particularly white — most greeting cards, sparkling Santa baubles and feathered Christmas angels quietly promote the unspoken racism.

Burton said: “We want these images to be normal and not a novelty.

“As our daily lives become more diverse at home, at school and at work, it’s important that we discuss diversity with our children, families, and friends to help create change and understanding.

“These decorations can help to facilitate those discussions.”

The added: “It was about time. The fact that now not just us, but our children and their friends and our community will have a choice when it comes to how they decorate this festive season is everything.

“We are raising the next changemakers and the next generation of CEOs and decision-makers. We are

CELEBRATING DIVERSITY: Some of the beautifully crafted, handmade Christmas products launched by March Muses; below, founders Natalie Duvall, left, and Alison Burton with their children

making these images normal and not a novelty and that is what matters.

“For such a long time Christmas was whitewashed but not anymore. March Muses is here to celebrate diversity by diversifying celebrations.”

Both Burton and Duvall were born in the month of March and the word ‘muse’ means to be inspired, so this season, the range includes very special angels named after a person of colour

who has inspired them and who also shares a March birthday.

These include singers Nat “King” Cole, Mariah Carey, Chaka Khan, Diana Ross, Sarah Vaughan, Harry Belafonte, and Aretha Franklin, world class athletes Tessa Sanderson, Simone Biles, and Mo Farah, author Andrea Levy, actor John Boyega, and Duvall’s daughter, Olivia.

Speaking on why she invested in the brand, Dragons’ Den star

Deborah Meadon said: “Alison and Natalie are both very capable and impressive and they raised an important point with their Christmas Decoration collection.

“It was one which resonated with me and one I believe would resonate with many people, opening up a new approach to a very traditional market.

“They are also open to working towards finding alternative materials to improve their sustainability. I’m very pleased to say sales are already booming and the product range has widely expanded.”

Fellow Dragons’ Den investor, Peter Jones, added: “This year, March Muses are ensuring that the way we shop for decorations is with purpose.

“Anyone who wants to assist in change for good should just go on their website to see their full range of diverse Christmas decorations.

“You’ll be blown away and will no doubt find something you love. It’s been great assisting these entrepreneurs in their journey and I look forward to supporting their continued growth.”

Landing the cash from the Dragons has allowed the duo to up their levels.

They enthused: “It was very freeing to receive this money.

It allowed us to work in a better way, from how we fulfil our

products, to the way we market our range.

“The advice we’ve been given has been invaluable and also doors have now started to open.

“As two black women, and with the lack of diversity still in the boardroom, it was very hard to get into these corporate spaces.”

DIVERSE

On the subject of taking things to the next level, Burton and Duvall were excited about what the future holds.

“We’d love to break America as we know they have products that are diverse, but none look like ours.

“There is still a tendency to have white angels painted black with no thought about skin tone features or hair. We are trying to change that and bring a sense of authenticity into the space.”

Before world domination however, Burton and Duvall say the festive season will be about plenty of ‘family, sleep, Akee and salt fish, rum punch. In that order.’

The enthused: “We have already started planning Christmas 2023 so the work never stops at March Muses HQ. “Christmas is a time for us to have a moment of rest, and look back at all the amazing things we have done this year.

“It’s also a chance for us to really spend some time with our daughters.”

DECEMBER 2022 THE VOICE | 49

Lifestyle

Educating your little scholars S O, YOU’RE looking for something to buy for the younger members of the family and you want to support a black business?

Lifestyle has got you covered.

During Black History Month we caught up with the owners of Little Scholars Playground, a diverse children’s book publishing company and early years hub.

The founders Natalie and Denhue, below, are on a mission to encourage parents to embrace Science Technology Engineering and Maths (STEM) for their children early on.

The couple have 20 years experience working in the STEM industry. Denhue has a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering while Natalie works as a product designer (web and app) and developer and has a master’s degree in web design and content planning.

Underpinning their passion for STEM is the couple’s core belief that the industry spawns the leaders, inventors and innovators of tomorrow.

Speaking on their passion

Couple’s books help parents embrace STEM for children for creating high quality toys, books and learning resources that help children to develop and grow, Natalie enthused: “The company started after we had our daughter in December 2019. We call her the lockdown baby as we were on lockdown three months after she was born. Like most babies she liked books where she could lift the flaps, but when we were looking for those types of books with a black protagonist we couldn’t find any.”

She added: “I’m a designer by profession and Denhue is a

writer in his spare time and we had some time on our hands with a newborn, I was on maternity leave and we were in lockdown, so we thought we can do this ourselves. So, we created our first book, Zara’s Caribbean Adventure and, as you do, you show friends and family first.

Everyone liked the quality and said it was amazing and it kind of took off from there.

Denhue says it was attempting to understand why more black people didn’t penetrate certain STEM fields that prompted him to become proactive about changing the narrative.

“I’m an aeronautical engineer by training. I got into engineering at university and entered into the airline world where I do compliance monitoring, so I make sure passengers are safe.

“So Natalie and I are both in STEM fields but

GIFT IDEAS: Left, Stem Leaders focuses on black innovators who changed the world; above, solar system puzzle from my point of view when I look at people around me they are all white males. That just makes me think, what is it about why we don’t penetrate these industries? STEM fields are the most rewarding in terms of pay and benefits so when I look around, why can’t I see more people like myself?”

Denhue says whenever he gets the opportunity he encourages young people to get into STEM. The couple genuinely be-

lieve the earlier that introduction comes, the greater the chance of turning the child’s head to an area of vocation that can literally change the world.

The couple have already pulled together a ‘Christmas gift bundle’ consisting of some of their best sellers and most loved products. The full bundle is a great gift for little ones to enjoy reading and learning.

The bundle includes: Zara’s Caribbean Adventure, a lift-the-

flap board book, Emmanuel’s African Adventure, a lift-the-flap board book, ABC First Words board book, a bundle of six educational posters, one Zara sticker, one Emmanuel sticker, one Santa sticker, one Sienna sticker and two sheets of our brown or blue Christmas gift wrap.

Check out the full interview with Natalie and Denhue on the Voice website. Website: littlescholarsplayground.com

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50 | THE VOICE DECEMBER 2022

This is Brukout!

by Seani B

It’s an all Jamaican affair Sean Paul, Shaggy, Protoje, Koffee and Kabaka Pyramid in running for Grammy award in reggae category

I

T’S ONE of those things that regularly divides opinion from music fans across the world, particularly in the reggae space.

It’s the Grammys, the annual global celebration of all things from the world of music.

Last year saw Californian reggae act Soja taking the award in the reggae category ahead of Spice, Sean Paul, Etana and Jesse Royal, which caused much controversy.

The nominations for this year have recently been released, and it’s an all Jamaican affair.

Sean Paul, Shaggy, Protoje, Koffee and newcomer to the awards, Kabaka Pyramid.

The phenomenal Shaggy has been previously nominated seven times, netting two wins for Boombastic and his joint album with Sting 44/876; Sean Paul has one from his Dutty Rock album in 2004 and Koffee made history two years ago by becoming the first female to win in the category.

Protoje’s A Matter Of Time set was nominated two years ago and shows the experience of the artists in the category as a whole.

The much lauded Kabaka Pyramid album, The Kalling, sees a first nod for a man who has been working studiously alongside Damian “Junior Gong” Marley who produced the album.

“This has been a blessing for Jamaica – to have all five nominees from the island is a good look,” Kabaka told us.

“I’m definitely grateful for the opportunity for my name to be mentioned alongside so many legends of the music over the years. It’s a great validation of the work the team has put in.

“I’m pleased to see my good friend Protoje who is nominated again, and I’m looking forward to February 5th.”

Shaggy’s offering is Come Fly Wid Mi, a salute to Frank

Sinatra which was produced by one-time Grammy winner, Sting.

Come Fly Wid Mi was born out of a “crazy idea” Sting had while on tour with Shaggy a few years ago. The album boasts reggae interpretations of some of ‘Ol’ Blue Eyes’ most beloved songs, kicking off with the uplifting ode to resilience That’s Life, followed by Come Fly with Me. The album also includes the sultry That Old Black Magic, the metaphoric euphoria of being in love embodied on Fly Me to the Moon, and the misery of lost love on Angel Eyes, Luck Be a Lady, Witchcraft, and Under My Skin.

“I’ve always been a Sinatra fan,” says Shaggy. “As a child, Frank’s music was often playing in our house and on Sundays, all of the Jamaican radio stations would play the greats – Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole.

It’s great to be working with Sting again. He’s the brother I never knew I needed!”

Sting added: “The reason reggae may work here is there’s a joy and energy about it which is similar to the energy that Frank’s music had at its summit. You know the songs, you know the voice, you just never expected this. He’s not trying to be Frank, he’s Shaggy.

So, relax and let that smile soothe the cares of the world away.”

Sean Paul’s excellent Scorcha album was his eighth studio set and came hot on the heels of his 2021 Live and Livin’.

The album was crafted by a series of producers including Banx & Ranx, Izy Beats,

CLASS ACT:

Shaggy’s offering is a salute to Frank Sinatra; below, Koffee’s album Gifted demonstrates a maturity to her craft

Jigzagula and Sean himself among others. The set clearly continued his prolific hit-making style.

March saw the release of the debut full album from Koffee.

Her previous EP Rapture already bagged the main prize in 2019, and Gifted demonstrated a maturity to her craft that fans were waiting for. Her presingles Lockdown, West Indies and Pull Up set the tone and the set seemed to have something for everyone.

Protoje’s follow up to A Matter Of Time shows a skill that many artists could do with following

– artistic development. Not content with just putting music out for the sake of it, this set, Third Time’s A Charm shows a man who is happy with the

Lila Ike and Sevana) enjoy a fruitful relationship with a major label where they seem to retain a large amount of creative independence under their deal.

“Overall it’s a fantastic line up and one that the genre should be proud of” weight of expectation that is on his back and wants to bring the music and the artform to new territories and places.

Protoje and his In Digg Nation crew (which includes

One album that I have to give props to that didn’t make the list but was an excellent project came from Masicka, 438. The quirky named album had the feeling of a polished dancehall

album by an artist who sent social media in a frenzy on it’s release.

Overall, it’s a fantastic line up and one that the genre should be very proud of. It shows the versatility and range of the music and personally, I wish every single one of the artists the best of luck. I’m looking forward to seeing the unity between them all as the decision approaches.

As the end of the year draws ever nearer, I’d like to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy and prosperous New Year. Many thanks for reading the column and please feel free to connect and give me your feedback in 2023!

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52 | THE VOICE DECEMBER 2022

Lifestyle

Embrace your heritage

T

HE FIRST book to be published through the Angry Robot Books, ‘Black Voices Matter’ programme, Denise Crittendon’s Where it Rains in Color presents a ‘blue-black protagonist as a gorgeous, galactic role model.”

Set in Swazembi, a blazing, colour-rich utopia and the vacation centre of the galaxy, this idyllic, peace-loving world is home to waterless seas, filled with cascading neon vapors, where tourists and residents alike soar from place to place in a swift wind force called The Sweep.

In the fictitious land no one is used to serious trouble, especially Lileala, a pampered 50-year-old whose radiance has just earned her the revered title of Rare Indigo, the highest and most sacred of honours.

But, her perfect lifestyle is shattered when a band of drugaddicts from a dying planet come up with a way to infect her with a fatal skin disease.

They succeed and the unthinkable happens — Lileala Walata Sundiata loses her ability to shimmer. Where her skin should glisten like diamonds mixed with coal, instead it dulls and forms scar tissue. And she starts to hear voices in her head.

Distraught over her condition, she flees to the village where her Rare Indigo predecessor, Ahonotay, is said to be hiding.

Ahonotay reveals a destiny to Lileala that awakens a new power inside her and she realises her whole life — and the galaxy — is about to change.

Denise Crittendon’s novel Where it Rains is Color aims to counteract the harmful messages of society

“Where it Rains in Color infuses romance, mystery and the mythology of the Dogon tribe of Mali, West Africa,” said Crittendon.

Significantly inspired by her time in Zimbabwe, Crittendon questions and plays with universal beauty standards, and challenges the structure and system in which they live.

“Lileala is a pampered beauty prepping to be the Rare Indigo — a glorified figurehead and the most stunning woman on her planet and beyond,” Crittendon explained to Lifestyle, breaking down the story.

“She literally has the ability to shimmer. When she’s suddenly afflicted with a strange skin disease and haunted by phantom voices, she morphs into a tel-

epathic healer who penetrates the minds and souls of her ancestors. Although the Earth has been demolished, she taps into its troubled history and uses her new awareness to make changes that shock the galaxy.”

She added: “Swazembi is fictitious, but its inhabitants are descendants of a real-life African tribe known as The Dogon.

“The Dogon are amazing because they developed an advanced understanding of the cosmos without the aid of technology. They live in huts on the cliffs of Mali, West Africa.

“Yet, their knowledge of the Sirius star system pre-date the research of western astronomers and baffles scientists to this day.

Whenever they are asked how they acquired this knowledge, they always claim it came from beings from space.

“For years, their claims have been referred to as Dogon mythology. Where it Rains in Color is speculative fiction that suggests maybe there’s more to that mythology than we think.”

A veteran journalist, Crittendon has been writing for so long she sometimes wonders if she has ink in her blood.

Her career includes two major metropolitan daily newspapers and stints as editor-in-chief of two magazines, one national

Campaign for Obama’s book lights up Marble Arch BRITISH VOGUE Editor in Chief, Edward Enninful, recently said of Michelle Obama’s new book, The Light We Carry, that “the former First Lady writes with her unmatchable ease and honesty about how to embrace your differences to stand out. Indispensable advice for us all”.

Obama’s image was projected onto London’s Marble Arch last month as The Light We Carry was published globally in a blaze of publicity.

Obama was also interviewed in a UK broadcast exclusive for BBC Breakfast and next month the book will also be BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week.

In The Light We Carry, the

former First Lady shares her practical wisdom and powerful strategies for staying hopeful and balanced in today’s highly uncertain world.

A mother, daughter, spouse and friend, she shares fresh stories, her insightful reflections on change and the earned wisdom that helps her continue to “become.” With her trademark humour, candour, and compassion, she also explores issues connected to race, gender, and visibility, encouraging readers to work through fear, find strength in community, and live with boldness today.”

JOEL CAMPBELL

‘INK IN HER BLOOD’: Denise Crittendon’s career includes stints as editor-in-chief of two magazines

and one based in her hometown, Detroit. Speaking of her book’s political and social message, she enthused: “The book flips beauty standards thereby challenging Eurocentric assessments of physical appearance.

“It attempts to counteract the harmful messages of a society that marginalizes dark skin tones, a society where women of colour across the globe have resorted to desperate measures to adapt to narrow, racist perspectives.

“In some regions of Africa, toxic creams that lighten the skin by burning the outer layer are so popular they have been declared a public health emergency.

Women have been led to believe their melanin-rich complexions are unappealing.

“My novel scoffs at this by presenting a blue-black protagonist as a gorgeous, galactic role model. This is of vital importance because just as black lives matter, so does black representation.

“Yet, it’s the 21st century and society is still resisting the notion that a black girl can be a mermaid, that black people can be elves and fairies, that black can be beautiful.

“So, my message is simple: Don’t let others govern your selfimage. Embrace your heritage and rise above colonial values.

This mindset applies to my translucent characters as well. In the novel, they’re the pariah of the galaxy and must learn to accept themselves just as they are.”

AUGUST 2022

THE VOICE| 53

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54 | THE VOICE DECEMBER 2022

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AMBITION: Joshua Buatsi, centre, at Wisdom Boxing Gym in Accra

Empowering youth Boxer Joshua Buatsi is on a mission to help communities in Ghana. By Rodney Hinds

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S BOXER Joshua Buatsi’s professional career steadily pivots, so does his ultimate ambition to empower the youth of his born nation of Ghana.

Buatsi, the 2016 Rio Olympic bronze light-heavyweight medallist, has so far made a favourable and prominent influence within boxing and has become a force to be reckoned with in his division.

He was born in Tema, a city on the bight of Benin and Atlantic

coast of Ghana, to Christian parents from the Volta region of the Anlo Ewe ethnic group. He lived his juvenile years in the country before moving to Croydon, south London with his family at the age of nine. He now has 16 professional fights under his belt, (16-013 TKOs).

The connection Buatsi has with the place of his birth never waned.

His love for the people of Ghana has always been a key part of his make-up and fuel to his ambi-

tions. These key fundamentals, together with a deep Christian faith, has been the inspiration to set up a foundation in Ghana to give back to the community he was raised in.

The mission of the foundation is to focus on the amelioration of the youth from under-served communities in Ghana. The ultimate goals are to strengthen their innate physical and mental ability, to develop a high level of academic prowess, discipline, self-esteem, and confidence through the disci-

plines boxing provides. The foundation is split into supporting two divisions; an orphanage, New Life Nungua Children’s Home International is a registered non-governmental and non-profit organisation founded from a burning desire to aid the development of the homeless orphans in Ghana.

In addition, Wisdom Boxing Gym has been set up, which is an educational fitness institution focused on youth development, education and life skills through physical fitness and boxing.

Top coach Lorna Boothe looking to raise standards in track and field

By Rodney Hinds FORMER COMMONWEALTH Games gold medallist Lorna Boothe MBE is among the country’s leading athletics coaches that have launched the British Athletics Coaches Association (BACA), with the aim of providing support and representation for all British athletics coaches and helping to raise standards in track and field in Britain.

Boothe, right, has gone on to become a top-level coach whose achievements were recognised in the 2019 Honours List with the MBE for ‘services to sports coaching and administration’. Heavily involved at

club level and as a director of England Athletics, Boothe has helped set up the IAAF Academy, the World Class Coaches Club and the lottery-funded World Class Performance Programme.

With BACA, she will liaise with the European Athletics Coaches Association and the Global Athletics Coaching Academy.

And BACA’s first innovation will be to provide expert advice and mentoring to its member coaches from a pool of some of Britain’s greatest ever competitors and coaches, through its BACA Advisers’

Panel. The Advisers’ Panel will provide BACA members with the experience and knowhow of top coaches from across the whole range of track and field events, including para specialists. The BACA Advisers’ Panel includes former world champion distance runner Liz McColgan, multievent specialist Rafer Johnson and jumps expert John Shepherd.

“BACA has been formed to assist British athletics coaches move into a properly managed volunteer and professional future,” said Mike Winch, one of BACA’s founders. The other founders are Alex Starr, Judy Oakes OBE and Sarah Hewitt.

Winch added: “We aim to provide coaches with the tools to fulfil their aspirations within the sport, to deliver the best coaching assistance to their athletes possible.”

BACA membership is open to all qualified, licensed athletics coaches.

The association has its own members’ code of conduct and supports the UK Athletics and European Athletics’ wel-

fare and diversity policies. BACA will liaise closely with the European Athletics Coaches Association and Global Athletics Coaching Academy.

BACA will operate independently of the national and regional governing bodies, while intending to work alongside the governing bodies to discuss coaching issues.

After a long period of consultation and planning, the founders have registered BACA as a not-for-profit company, as well as developing a presence across social media, including a Facebook group which already has 1,600 members.

Visit www.baca.uk.net.

DECEMBER 2022 THE VOICE | 55

Sport

Burning ambition

DESTINED FOR GREATNESS: Oghenegaren EsiovwaThompson with his coach

Aptly for the festive season, the Voice of Sport’s Matthew Chadder talks to two young Christmas crackers making a name for themselves in the competitive world of fencing

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GHENEGAREN ESIOVWA-THOMPSON has been fencing since the age of six and has shown a high level of talent.

At such a young age, he has already achieved and won so much within the sport.

He’s held national champion status since the age of nine and won nearly every tournament that he’s been involved in, including most recently the International Competition Wratislavia Challenge 2022 when he came first out of 126 fencers.

The young man is destined for greatness. We sat down with him and his father, Darren Kwaw Thompson, to talk about his passion for fencing and his future goals and ambitions.

MC: Where does the love for fencing come from?

OET: The Power Rangers! I would see people playing with swords and I took inspiration from that, and I thought ‘why don’t I try it?’ I would play with pots and pans as if they were swords, I would pretend I was one of the characters in the movie. My mum bought me a plastic sword to

play with then she came up with the idea that I should take up fencing.

MC: What is your earliest memory of fencing?

OET: I remember my mum telling me that I found a place where you can play with swords, when I saw the venue where I would be training, I thought, ‘yeah, I will try the sport out’.

MC: What do you love the most about fencing?

OET: It is not repetitive. Every competition and every opponent is different, you actually have to think about what you’re going to do, and how you are going to apply your tactics.

DT: Every match is different, you just have to pretty much adapt to the person that you’re fighting.

Sometimes you might try one thing that doesn’t work and then you have to then change in a split second and do something else.

Your cognitive abilities have to be well developed because everything’s within a split second and it’s extremely precise.

MC: Darren, when did you feel watching him, that he had the

ability and at what age was he when you thought, ‘right, we’re going to really take this seriously?’

DT: I think it’s when the instructor said to me one week he fenced really well, and then the following week, she said, he fences really well and then the third week, she said, listen, he beats everybody in this class, you have to put him in competitions.

I was quite reluctant to do that because I didn’t know anything about fencing, this was completely new to me. She said, ‘look, you have to put him in, we’re going to put him into a team competition and then after that, it’s up to you’. I think that was the point where I was like okay, this is now a lot more than just Power Rangers and plastic swords!

MC: What competition has been your most memorable?

OET: I think my favourite one was a Welsh competition I was nine years old at the time. This was my first Leon Paul Under 13’s competition that I won. In the final, which was quite hard, I was down 6-2, and I managed to

turn it around and win the match, 10-6.

MC: How hard has it been to maintain a high level?

What do you do to maintain a discipline to keep working hard?

OET: I try to train, even

after winning a competition, sometimes I take a week off.

There’s always new competitions, and always higher age categories. You’ve just got to keep motivated to be honest. I always strive for more.

MC: What is your ultimate goal or ambition within fenc-

ing? Where do you want to take it?

OET: I want to win the Olympics. The best prize, biggest prize for me is to win the Olympics and hopefully I can do that. It is going to take a lot of work, but hopefully I can get there one day.

Teagan targets Olympics glory after Commonwealth success

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T SUCH a young age, Teagan Williams-Stew has high aims and ambitions for the future, with her eyes firmly set on the Olympics. The teenager spoke to the Voice of Sport about her journey so far and what she hopes the future will hold.

MC: Where does your love of fencing come from originally?

TWS: I was looking for secondary schools and I went to one school and their PE teacher there said, ‘come along to fencing and try it’. So, I went along, and just loved it. I quit all my other sports at the time so that I could fence, and I just haven’t stopped.

MC: Is it something you were curious to try?

TWS: It was definitely something I was curious to try because no one around me does it. I thought, ‘this sport is different, let me try it’. Because it’s such a different sport, everyone was like, ‘oh, what’s fencing?’

And that made me want to continue even more.

MC: What is the best part about fencing for you?

TWS: Fencing is such an unpredictable sport, which I really like as scenarios are always changing and there are some calls that are very unpredictable.

MC: Describe the feeling of winning a medal at the Commonwealth Games

TWS: That was my first ever Commonwealth Games and I was lucky enough to do both junior and senior. I didn’t know how I would be feeling going into the senior category, so it was just great for me to get on the podium. My first competition was the senior day, and after I came second in that it kind of set me up for the rest of the week. I was like, ‘okay, now it’s just time to win everything else’.

MC: Just how tough was the tournament?

TWS: I don’t think I’ve trained as much as I usually would, leading up to the Commonwealth Games. For me, that was the biggest thing mentally,

not necessarily feeling prepared, and then going into the compe-

tition, and then I came second, which then that reassured me.

MC: Women’s participation in sports is growing a lot.

With your experience as a fencer, how have you found it to be? Accepting and inclusive or have you found there are barriers you’ve had to push down?

TWS: I think for the most part it is accepting. Being a woman in sport anyway, there are always certain barriers that you have to push down. I think with fencing they’re trying their best to make it equal, but it is a male-dominated sport at the end of the day, and it always has been. I know British fencing are working on trying to make it a more equal sport.

MC: What is your ultimate goal and ambition within fencing?

TWS: My short-term goals are to medal internationally for the next couple of seasons, and then my final goal would, of course, be to get to the Olympics and medal there, as an individual or part of a team. I feel like it’s just a lot of hard work and dedication.

You dedicate your whole life to sport pretty much when you do it at an elite level, you’re flying away every week, and you’re training five days a week. I’ve still got a lot of work to do and there’s a lot of training that needs to be done, but I don’t see with all of those things put together why I can’t get there.

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DECEMBER 2022 | THE VOICE

CENTRE OF ATTENTION: Kerry Davis has been inducted into the Hall of Fame (photo: National Football Museum)

Kerry’s deserved honour

First black woman to play for England inducted into the National Football Museum’s Hall of Fame

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ERRY DAVIS, England’s first ever black player to play for the Lionesses, has been inducted into the National Football Museum’s Hall of Fame.

Kerry was inducted in the Hall of Fame during the final day of the Football Writing Festival which has been hosted by the museum once more. Kerry was part of the panel talk ‘Legacy of the Lionesses’ alongside author Carrie Dunn, journalist Miriam Walker-Khan and host Harriet Muckle.

Judges voted unanimously to induct Kerry in recognition of her groundbreaking football career, and pioneering successes as the first female black professional footballer to play for Eng-

land, laying foundations for the ethnically diverse sporting community of the future.

During her 16-year international career, Davis represented the England women’s national football team in the inaugural 1984 UEFA Championships final and at England’s first FIFA Women’s World Cup appearance in 1995. She also helped England win the Mundialito tournament in Italy and scored for her country at Wembley Stadium. In total, the ex-forward won 82 caps and scored an impressive 44 goals for England.

Tim Desmond, chief executive of the National Football Museum, said: “In 2019 we relaunched the National Football Museum Hall of Fame to be more

“She is truly a pioneer and now takes her rightful place amongst the greats of the game” representative of our women footballers both past and present.

“As the museum researched the stories around the women’s game for our exhibitions and programmes, more and more legends have come to the fore. We are delighted now to induct Kerry into the Hall of Fame; she is truly a pioneer and

now takes her rightful place amongst the greats of both the women’s and the men’s game.”

At club level, her journey began in Stoke on-Trent as a 23-Year-old student playing for Crewe Alexandra Ladies, when Italian club Roi Lazio signed her in November 1985.

She spent four years playing semi– professionally in Italy, one year at the Stadio Flaminio with Roi Lazio, two years with Trani and one with Napoli. Davis eventually returned to Crewe Alexandra Ladies, but by April 1994 was playing for Knowsley United Women in the FA Women’s Cup final. Knowsley became Liverpool Ladies that summer and Davis left for Croydon Women in Decem-

ber 1994. Kerry joins acclaimed and proud company, most recently Carol Thomas, Walter Tull, Paul Ince and Terry Butcher.

The Hall of Fame, supported by the Professional Footballers’ Association, celebrates the achievements of those who have made an outstanding contribution to the game, either on or off the pitch.