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RILSEE PAGE 28-29
ERY CHI GALL SAAT DON KINGS ROAD, LON
Merry Christmas to our readers
BBC DIVERSITY
IS SirALenny’s JOKE message: End the shame of all-white newsrooms
S
IR LENNY Henry has slammed the BBC for dragging its feet over black representation. The comedian, actor and media diversity campaigner
made his comments as it emerged that several regional BBC newsrooms are all-white.
TATE BRITAIN 1 D E C 2021 – 3 A P R 2022
READ MORE › Page 3
Supported by
The Deborah Loeb Brice Foundation With additional support from the Life Between Islands Exhibition Supporters Circle, Tate Americas Foundation, Tate International Council, Tate Patrons and Tate Members
Research supported by H Y U N D A I TAT E RESEARCH CENTRE: T R A N S N AT I O N A L In partnership with
Media partner
Njideka Akunyili Crosby Remain, Thriving (detail) 2018 Tate Purchased with funds provided by Michael and Sukey Novogratz (Tate Americas Foundation) 2020 © Njideka Akunyili Crosby. Commissioned by Art on the Underground.
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C ARIBBE AN - BRITISH ART 1950s – NOW
Inside THIS MONTH
News, views, stories & videos THE 10 MOST POPULAR STORIES ON VOICE-ONLINE.CO.UK
1. First black hair TV ad to air on Channel 4
New column from Kelechi Okafor Police can shove their ‘apology’ p12
We report on the Christmas ad for natural Afro hair care brand Afrocenchix.
2. Deportation flight to Jamaica ‘in chaos’ as detainees win legal challenges
This piece reported the latest news as tensions ran high at detention centres.
3. Primary school in gang role-play row
Why it’s important to celebrate black Jesus – by Rev John Root p40
Parents at a south London school were furious after a session led by an ex-cop got black boys to play gang members.
4. Model makes history as first black plus-sized woman crowned Ms Great Britain
Makala Green’s money tips for Christmas p48
We speak to Kat Henry, the first plus-size woman to win the prestigious title.
5. Jamaica’s opposition leader renews calls to remove Queen as head of state Pressure builds in Kingston to follow the lead of Barbados and become a republic.
6. How to spot signs of mental health issues in men
Christmas is coming early for fans of Tory Lanez p50
KEEPING MONEY circulating within the community – by buying black – is not just about supporting black-owned business. It’s also a matter of economics. The longer a pound stays within any community, the more opportunity that pound has to be invested and the more interest it earns. This is the difference between having money and accumulating wealth – the former offers a good life but the cash can disappear as quickly as it arrived. The latter supports future generations with their education and ‘cultural capital’, buys properties and earns a greater stake in policy-making. A study in America found that a dollar circulates on average within the African-American community for just six hours compared to 30 days in the east Asian community. We strongly suspect there will be a large gap in Britain, too.The Voice newspaper is unashamedly pro-black business, and that’s why we have published our fifth issue of the Black Business Guide. This Christmas is a perfect time to keep money within our community by sourcing your presents from black businesses. Here are just some examples which can be found in the Black Business Guide... ● Black children’s books from iamjulietcoley.com ● Dolls at Abena’s Closet on Etsy: uk/shop/ AlexairesBox ● Children’s clothes at Zhmoodesigns (Instagram @ zhmoodesigns) ● Range of gifts including cards from lovejamii.com ● Cards at In Ya Feelings (Instagram @in_ya_feelings) ● Women’s fashion at melaninworldplus.com ● African-inspired clothing at tribrantclothing.com ● Toys and play materials from likemeforme.co.uk
7. Black Business Guide
Our guide makes it into the most viewed online content of the month.
There’s a lot more to come! Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce eyes gold at Paris 2024 p55
8. Demo today set to add pressure over Jamaica deportation flight
A second article covering the saga of the deportation got a lot of shares online.
9. Black supplementary schools are back and here to stay
A feature that explored how black parents are rejecting mainstream education.
10. Black and mixed race boys face no support from youth offending services, says report Shocking, but not surprising, statistics show that little has changed in this area.
This issue is 56 pages
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Paulette Simpson E. paulette.simpson@thevoice mediagroup.co.uk
Supporting black business this Christmas
We report on a social media video encouraging men to think about wellbeing.
What a year! Voice of Sport's Rodney Hinds reflects on 2021 p53
EDITOR Lester Holloway E. lester.holloway@thevoice mediagroup.co.uk
Spotlight
ROUNDUP
CORPORATE AFFAIRS & COMMUNICATIONS Paula Dyke E. paula@thevoicemedia group.co.uk
NEWS DESK E. newsdesk@thevoice mediagroup.co.uk
There are more Christmas ideas in the Guide from other great blackowned businesses, so scan the QR code, right, to see more! The Voice wishes all our readers a happy and healthy Christmas full of joy and love. Got a story? email us at yourviews@thevoicemediagroup.co.uk
NEWS EDITOR Vic Motune E. vic.motune@thevoicemedia group.co.uk
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Joel Campbell E. joel.campbell@thevoice mediagroup.co.uk
SPORTS EDITOR Rodney Hinds E. rodney.hinds@thevoice mediagroup.co.uk
ADVERTISING AND SALES E. advertising@thevoicemedia group.co.uk CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS E. subscriptions@thevoicemedia group.co.uk
The Voice Newspaper Unit 1, Bricklayers Arms, Mandela Way, London, SE1 5SR T: 020 7510 0340 Web: www.voice-online.co.uk GV MEDIA GROUP LTD
DECEMBER 2021 THE VOICE
| 3
The big interview
‘Experiencing racism made me want to change things’ FIGURE OF INFLUENCE: Sir Lenny Henry has done so much to raise the issue of racism within the UK (photo: Barcroft Media via Getty Images); inset, Sir Lenny as a young comedian in 1984 (photo: PA Images)
Sir Lenny Henry reflects on the moment at the BAFTA awards in 2013 that made him become a leading champion of diversity. By Lester Holloway
L
ENNY HENRY recalled the moment that propelled him into being seen as a champion of racial diversity in the media – as well as a comedian and actor. It was 2013, and Lenny had been acting in the West End when he was invited to host the BAFTA awards. “Everybody that got up to collect a BAFTA Award was white. There were no black recipients that year. “I was a bit drunk. I think I had four Martinis, and a couple of shandies... and a rum and Coke... and a glass of port, and some rum cake... “I think I said to a guy outside, something like, ‘It’ll be “All White on the Night”’, and it went in all the papers, and I got a lot of stick for it, but a lot of black people said, ‘He’s right – where are we?’ Where are we in this industry that wants to represent us, but doesn’t allow us to be part of the creative process? Where are we?’” The lack of racial diversity in the media had long bugged him. As a young comic he felt a “pinch in my soul” that the only
The industry doesn’t allow us to be part of the creative process black people he saw at the BBC were cleaning or serving in the canteen. While he had expressed concerns about lack of diversity in the media before then, his comments at BAFTA established Sir Lenny as a serious and passionate activist for change. His professional partnership with producer and author Marcus Ryder has been instrumental in championing the need for change, and they work together on the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity. He said: “Although we’ve got some black people on Strictly, and MasterChef, (a) they always go out in the first week and (b) who’s producing that pro-
gramme? It’s rare to find a person of colour in the production team of those shows. So sh*t needs to change.” Sir Lenny, 63, has been in the media for 46 years since winning popular TV competition New Faces way back in 1975 as an impressionist. Since then, he has come a long way, becoming one of Britain’s favourite comics, a writer, an award-winning actor, a presenter, a knight of the realm, a professor, and the cofounder of Comic Relief.
IMPRESSIVE Alongside that impressive list, he is also an author, and has just launched two books at the same time – a children’s fantasy book and collection of essays called Black British Lives Matter. The point that Sir Lenny is keen to stress, as far as lack of media diversity is concerned, is that it’s not good enough just to complain about it; we must get involved in order to make things better. “BAFTA was a big turning point for me. I went from standing on the sidelines going, ‘Pfft! Why aren’t there any black people in this production?’, to standing up and saying in public, ‘Things need to change’. “And if you go through life,
Lenny on his new kids’ book “It’s a superhero story about a 12-year-old called Tunde, who can fly. He gets bullied at school. I don’t know about you, but I was bullied a lot at school. So hopefully it’s relatable to the kids who read it. “And then there’s this thing – if you had superpowers, what would you do? Would you use your powers for evil and get your own back on the bullies?
“Or would you aim for a greater good and help mankind? So Tunde has all those things to think about. Tunde has two or three friends that he can rely on, they have his back. And I think one of the main things that the book pushes is to have your friends around you and choose carefully who they are.” l The Boy With Wings is out now
if something happens, and you go, ‘Somebody should do something about this!’... really? It’s kind of you, you’re somebody. And that’s what I realised.” Sir Lenny also reflected on his journey as a comedian, and how he switched from early gags about being black to targeting racist attitudes. In his second performance, after winning New Faces in 1975, he impersonated Al Jolson on the Black and White Minstrel Show, an appearance he regrets being persuaded to do by his family. He said: “One of the first jokes I wrote was ‘Enoch Powell says he wants to send us all back home, and he wants to give us £1,000, which is great for me because I only live in
Dudley!’ Sometimes I got the jokes wrong, when the jokes were directed against me. “And I realised that if I tell jokes against myself, what am I doing that for? “I started to make jokes that were about the situation and about the politics rather than just about me being black. And so the jokes got better.”
APPALLING He recalled growing up five miles from the constituency of Enoch Powell, infamous for his ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech made when Sir Lenny was 10, and the equally appalling election campaign four years earlier in Smethwick – just three miles from his house – when the
Conservative candidate Peter Griffiths won with the slogan ‘If you want a n****r for a neighbour, vote Labour’. “I was racially abused nearly every day going to school. I don’t know about you, but that just seems to be par for the course. Somebody calls you a n*g-n*g, or a w*g or c**n or something. It was every day. “I definitely learned to deal with it and I can’t fight for sh*t, but I learned to fight with my fists. And then I learned to fight with my brains. And then my life improved 100 per cent. “My brothers fought a lot when they first came to this country, because they were being picked on by Teddy boys all the time. But in the end, policy is what changes things.”
Lenny on Black British Lives Matter with Marcus Ryder “Me and Marcus Ryder wanted to curate something that could be an institutional touch-point for anybody wishing to look at the state of what’s going on with black Britain today. The chapters from Doreen Lawrence and Leroy Logan stand out for me among many great contributions.
“We have to stand together and be one. If we choose to be disjointed we’re never going to get this done. “But if we choose to stand together, we can move this down the road a bit. And that’s what black British lives matter means.” l Black British Lives Matter is out now
38 | THE VOICE DECEMBER 2021
Christmas feature
Overwhelmed? Here’s how to survive the festive season Christmas is a busy time with lots of obligations and things to do. But if you plan, you can still make time to enjoy one of the happiest times of year, says Sinai Fleary
C
LOOK AFTER YOURSELF: It can be easy to feel overwhelmed – but try and enjoy the day (photos: Ekaterina Bolovtsova/ Pexels)
AN YOU believe it is that time again? The festive season is fast approaching and it can be stressful with so much to do and so much happening. So at The Voice, we have put together a few tips on how you can not only survive this festive season, but really thrive this Christmas and have enough time to pamper yourself, too. 1. Write things down First things first, to avoid feeling overwhelmed, get a notebook and a pen and start making all your lists. Write down everything you will need over the holidays and use each page for different categories. Have a gift list, a food list, a card list – and tick them off as you buy them. That way, you will easily see the progress you are making and won’t forget anybody. Create a list of the all-important food ingredients and items you will need for your Christmas dinner – and, of course, don’t forget the drinks! By having lists, it will inspire you to start preparations early and this will save those last-minute dashes to the shops. 2. Let technology help We are now living in the technology age, so take advantage of it. There are so many bargains to be found while shop-
ping online. Online shopping can be less stressful, as you avoid the big crowds and long queues. Plus, you can compare prices online and save some money on your shopping. So grab your tablet, phone or laptop and shop from the comfort of your sofa – with a glass of Sorrel or egg nog. 3. Declutter and tidy up Having a good pre-holiday declutter and tidy up can make more space in your home and will help you feel more organised. Not only that, the extra space will come in handy for all those parties and family sleepovers. Plus, you will have somewhere to put all those gifts that will be arriving.
4. Make time for elderly relatives The past 18 months or so have been tough for everyone. Make sure you set aside some time to check in on vulnerable members of your family. It will do wonders for your mood and
and do some cooking. After all, Grandpa and Grandma always have the best family recipes! 5. Stick to your budget Whatever your budget is for spending during the festive season, make sure you stick to
Set some time to check in on vulnerable loved ones – you’ll be glad you did will help spread some Christmas cheer. If you are lucky enough to still have elderly relatives, pay them a visit and do something that they enjoy. Play dominoes or cards or simply listen to them tell stories about when they were young. Tomorrow isn’t promised, and you will be glad you did. Don’t be afraid to get in the kitchen with them
@thevoicenewspaper
it. So many of us overspend at Christmas and start the new year with massive credit card bills, which causes unnecessary stress and arguments. Just imagine how great you will feel in January, when you don’t have to fear the letters from the postman and can begin your new year debt-free. It will work wonders for your bank balance and you can be-
@thevoicenews
gin planning your new year without worrying.
our families and friends, we often forget to look after ourselves. Set aside a day during the holidays that is dedicated to just you. On this day, make sure you pamper yourself. Have a long bath, have a nap, bingewatch that Netflix series you haven’t had a chance to watch or curl up on the sofa with a good book. Whatever makes you relax, do that on your special day. You deserve it!
6. Check your mental health The festive season can be a difficult time for so many people. Make sure you check in on those around you who may be struggling with their mental health. Offer a helping hand and a listening ear and let them know they are not alone. Perhaps visit some mental health websites, so you are aware of the signs and symptoms to look out for if you are worried about a loved one. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you are struggling, as very often, early intervention can make all the difference to how well someone recovers.
8. And finally... live your best life! Dance, smile, laugh loud and enjoy cuddles with those you love and take loads of pictures to capture your memories. But most importantly, make sure you have the best festive season ever.
7. Rest We spend so much time working, studying and looking after
The Voice wishes all of our readers a very happy Christmas and a prosperous new year!
voicenews
www.voice-online.co.uk
THE VOICE| 39
SEPTEMBER 2021
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