In the enduring struggle for civil rights, the unyielding spirit of Black women has been a driving force, yet their monumental contributions remain shrouded in shadows of history. Battered by the duality of racism and patriarchy, Black women have long known the pain of being overlooked and their ideas being sidelined. As Malcom X aptly stated ÔÇÿThe most disrespected person in America is the Black … Continue reading Matriarchs Of The Civil Rights Movement
By Alex Daud Briggs Stephen Lawrence was an 18-year-old young person living in South East London nearly 30 years ago. He was a normal teenager ÔÇöstudying for his A-Levels in Technology, Physics, and English Language and Literature with the hope of becoming an architect when he was older. On 22nd April 1993, however, he was stabbed by a gang of white youths while he and … Continue reading The Importance of Stephen Lawrence Day
By Laila Hodd As a mixed-race girl growing up in one of the least diverse areas of the UK ÔÇô Cornwall, where only 1.8 per cent of the population are from the BAME community – I have been aware of the realities of racism since primary school. This is where my brother and I were first exposed, and we have become used to ignorant comments … Continue reading The Mixed Experience: A Journey of Lifelong Microaggression
by Ona Ojo. ÔÇÿI began to write verse, not only because I liked it, but because it was a way of expressing the anger, the passion of the youth of my generation.ÔÇÖ – Linton Kwesi Johnson YouÔÇÖve stumbled across spoken word before. You may have watched a few viral performances, from HBO’s Def Poetry or on the Button Poetry and Youth Speaks channels on Youtube. … Continue reading Poetry as a Cultural Weapon: Black Poets and the Power of Spoken Word
Words by Cerys Jones The presence of popular culture within contemporary society has become more prevalent than ever during the coronavirus pandemic. Different forms of media have adapted their content following the requirements of society, thereby molding the cultural industry into one solely focussed on education and entertainment. The execution and global dissemination of the ÔÇÿ#Blackout TuesdayÔÇÖ trend and campaign which took place on Tuesday, … Continue reading Mainstream Pop Culture: The Pros & Cons From a Quarantine Perspective
Words By Cynthia Vera Art by Jasmine Snow ÔÇ£Hey, chocolate mama!ÔÇØ See, these were the first three words a grown man ever yelled out at me which I remember making me feel like my body was not my mine, but rather an unwilling participant in a parade of sick fantasies. See, I was only 14, chubby cheeks and strong bones. I was still growing, still … Continue reading I Am Not Your Porn Tag – The Weight of Racial Fetishisation
Yn yr oes a fu, ydi hiÔÇÖn dderbyniol i glodfori’r hyn a wnaeth Barti Ddu, sydd yn cael ei ystyried yn un o f├┤r-ladron fwyaf llwyddiannus y byd, neu oes rhaid dysgu ein Cymry ifanc am y caethweision roedd Barti Ddu yn ei drin yn wael? Diffiniad ‘M├┤r-leidr’: Yn ├┤l geiriadur Caergrawnt, diffiniad o ÔÇÿf├┤r-leidrÔÇÖ ydi unigolyn sydd yn ymosod ar longau er mwyn eu … Continue reading Barti Ddu a’r Oes Aur o F├┤r-Ladrata
By Cynthia Vera There used to be a time when I used to believe that America was best country in the world. I believed it was the Land of the Free. I guess as a young immigrant from a British-colonised African country, I had no other choice than to believe otherwise. I am from a ÔÇ£developingÔÇØ country after all, so how can I not idealise and romanticise a country … Continue reading Stop Killing Us
Words by Ona Ojo, Ella Rowe Hall, Thomas Benny, Finegas Stocking and Megan Evans (in order of appearance) Illustration by Shafia Motaleb @artsyfifi Sorry to Bother You (2018) dir. Boots Riley RileyÔÇÖs directorial debut is an absurdist dark comedy set in an alternate modern-day Oakland. Despite an unpromising start in a telemarketing office, young, black and anxious Cassius ÔÇÿCashÔÇÖ Green quickly rises through the company … Continue reading Films Made by BAME Directors
Illustration by Jasmine Snow @jasminesnowartContributions by: Ella Clucas, Kate Waldock, Ellie Hutchins, Ella Lloyd, Annabelle Ingram and Rhian Lock (in order of appearance) Kindred (1979) by Octavia Butler If youÔÇÖre looking for a book that will enthral you in its narrative whilst at the same time educating you on the history of racial politics, Kindred is it. In this poignant science fiction novel Butler brings … Continue reading Books Written by BAME Authors
Introduction by Jasmine SnowContributions by Ona Ojo, Ella Saoirse Clucas, Manon Jones, Kate Waldock, Ella Rowe-Hall (in order of appearance)Illustration by Shafia Motaleb @artsyfifi It is understandable to feel sad, angry and perhaps even defeated by the news at the moment. However, alongside the numerous petitions to sign, organisations to donate to and protests to attend there is another invaluable way in which we can … Continue reading An Essential Black Lives Matter Reading List
