AUGUST, 2022 • ISSUE NO. 1933 | £2.50
SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY ISSUE 96 PAGES
We Are Forty Proud to be Britain’s national black newspaper for four decades
Inside THIS MONTH
Messages of support Key figures congratulate The Voice p4-6 Memories from ex-staff Voice alumni talk about their experiences
ROUNDUP NEWSPAPER
News, views, stories & videos THE 10 MOST POPULAR STORIES ON VOICE-ONLINE.CO.UK
1. Kayon Williams body pulled from Thames
Sad end to missing person appeal
2. Mum-of-two blocked from re-entering UK
Outrage of detention of British resident who visited Jamaica
3. Dancehall star Popcaan held by Home Office
Latest Jamaican star to face issues entering Britain
p8, 10, 12
4. Actress Mona Hammond dies
Campaigns and policing The stories we covered p16, 18, 20-21, 24-26
Tributes paid to ‘Auntie Susu’ from Desmond’s
5. Campaign to end Afro-hair discrimination
Organisations back move amid school crackdown on hair
6. Black-centred mental health
Carnival special Features looking forward to the celebrations
A feature looking at organisations providing culturally sensitive services
7.Our next Prime Minister?
p41-59
Christian life Marcia Dixon reflects on her Soul Stirrings column p66-67
Kemi Badenoch enters Conservative leadership contest
8. Wireless festival line-up announced Lifestyle coverage of the acts gracing this music festival
9. Widespread racism in Labour
Reggae on the radio Seani B looks at the shows that made a difference p74
The Voice says
Forde Report finds anti-black racism in the party
10. Sterling’s emotional farewell Departing England winger moves from City to Chelsea
This issue is 96 pages
Thank you! THE VOICE would be nothing without our readers. The late Val McCalla established the paper to give you, and our community, a voice that was not being heard in the mainstream. To our many loyal readers, we say a huge thank you for supporting The Voice. Thank you for all the interaction and feedback you have given us. In this special bumper souvenir issue, we look back at the past 40 years. It has been a momentous time, filled with struggle and success. The pages of this paper reflect the experiences of many in the black community. Pride in achievements, and frustration at the lack of progress. Systemic racism is ever-present as stories of police brutality and reports about racial disparities across society constantly remind us. Yet, we are a resilient people. We are still fighting for our rights, for respect, for a seat at the table, and we will never cease to fight for racial justice. We have always been a black-owned business, and that is important. As we look forward to the next 40 years, we will be uncompromising in our efforts to hold power to account over anti-black racism. Our community has grown, and demographics have changed over the past four decades. The Voice will continue to evolve to reflect the black community in all our diversity. We are investing in the digital future so that our content is more interactive and accessible. But some things will not change. Our championing of black business and economic empowerment, and our burning desire for equality. Today, we are suffering a cost of living crisis that is hitting black families harder. We are twice as likely to be in poverty, unemployed, or in low-paid precarious work. The disproportionate impact of austerity, the COVID pandemic and the latest economic dip has left many fearful of the future. There has never been a more important time to come together, to help each other through these bad times, to organise — and to raise our voice.
Got a story? email us at yourviews@thevoicemediagroup.co.uk
NEWSPAPER
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CORPORATE AFFAIRS & COMMUNICATIONS Paula Dyke E. paula@thevoicemedia group.co.uk
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NEWS EDITOR Vic Motune E. vic.motune@thevoicemedia group.co.uk
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AUGUST 2022 THE VOICE | 3
The year that made The Voice
Key moment
The paper was at the heart of community demands for action after police deaths
T
HE YEAR 1985 was an important period for The Voice. When the late Val McCalla created the paper in the aftermath of the inner city uprisings of 1981, the hope was that having a voice would move the government to address the underlying causes of tension — police brutality, lack of jobs, and what we now call systemic racism. That hope was quickly dashed as a policing law, introduced in the wake of the uprisings, led to fears it would make tensions between police and the community worse. Our feature on pages 16 to 21 details the early campaigning in the paper’s first year over the fatal shooting of Colin Roach inside Stoke Newington police station. But it was ‘85 that really defined the paper. Yet four years after Brixton, Handsworth in Birmingham, Chapeltown in Leeds, and Toxteth in Liverpool burned, little, if anything had improved. Margaret Thatcher built some new houses in Toxteth but the material conditions — poverty, unemployment and racism — remained. In October 1985, ‘No Peace for Joy’ was the powerful headline demanding that officers responsible for the death of Joy Gardner — who suffocated as she was bound in 13 feet of adhesive tape during an attempt to deport her — be prosecuted. Around the same time, Cynthia Jarrett died of heart failure as police carried out a raid at her house, and Cherry Groce was shot and injured by police in Brixton. Tensions were boiling, and The Voice ran a front page calling for a Day of Action following a community consultation meeting. In an echo of the US Black Panther newspaper, we carried five demands including an educational programme for black youth, and a study of disproportionate deprivation.
When Brixton erupted out of fury and frustration at the shooting of Groce, The Voice led with ‘the story behind the rioting’. The Voice had not only warned against the consequences of government failure to act to tackle deprivation and oppression, but was an active participant in community organisation by carrying agreed demands on our frontpage. As the dust settled on the ‘85 uprisings in Brixton and Broadwater Farm, Tottenham, our paper was once again providing analysis of why this had happened, and laying down the actions for the government. This uncompromising stance took place even though the paper was benefiting from an influx of job adverts. ‘85 was a year that cemented
the papers’ reputation for campaigning, and showed that we were not afraid to call for a demonstration and work closely with activists on the ground. That year set the standard for campaigning by pointing the finger squarely at those responsible. On pages 24 to 26, we highlight campaigns against proposed nationality and immigration laws, and the demand for reparations. Much of this coverage in the years that followed is built upon the spirit of those early headlines. When Black Lives Matter protests took place across Britain in 2020, in response to the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, US, this paper once again did not just cover the events but set out the changes we need to see.
FIGHTING FOR CHANGE: Demonstrators including British actor John Boyega raise their fists in Parliament Square, London, in June 2020, after George Floyd’s murder (photo: Getty Images)
40 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022
Muyiwa Olarewaju
Nothing But Truth and Light
Join the debate online voice-online.co.uk/opinion
Standing up for integrity
SPEAKING OUT: Reverend Les Isaac’s words make him a positive voice in a negative world. Inset, Sajid Javid (photo: Getty Images)
Rev Les Isaac inspired a politician to resign from government — which shows the power of Godly words
“
S
O WHETHER you’re a politician or clergy, whatever post you hold, we are all called to serve and to serve in humility…” — Les Isaac. These are the words of the man some consider to be the most unlikely to have any major impact on changing the person in the highest office of our land. The Reverend Les Isaac, founder of Ascension Trust, a Christian charity, is someone that I have known and had a close relationship with for over four decades. I can tell you that Reverend Les’s words that moved former health secretary Sajid Javid’s heart to resign, are consistent with thoughts and messages I’ve heard from him over the past 40 years.
MOVED
I’m getting ahead of myself a little assuming that we all know what I’m talking about. Here is the abridged version. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is still getting a lot of flak and still putting out the flames successfully, it would seem. Enter Sajid Javid, who resigns from the cabinet saying that the sermon delivered at a parliamentary breakfast which was sponsored by Premier
Christian Media, with other MPs including the Prime Minister himself present, moved him so much that he had to leave immediately to draft his resignation letter to Boris Johnson. Not long after, many others followed — a record number of ministers from the government resigned. The law of singularity teaches that only one move produces substantial results, and we can safely say that one message from the founder of street pastors has changed our country forever. In a conversation with Reverend Les, the first interview that he would grant after the resignations, I asked him whether it was his intention to make the Prime Minister resign. He responded by saying it wasn’t even a thought on his mind. The only thing he was concerned with was to share the truth he believed with everyone in that room, politicians,
business leaders and others. He wanted them to know we must be men and women of integrity leading from the front — not being perfect, but being honest in everything we do. Reverend Les is not the first preacher to be within earshot of our leaders in these crucial months that we have gone through. Why has his words caused this political avalanche? Why was it that months back Dawn Butler MP raised a red flag directly about the Prime Minister, and that got her banned from the Houses of Parliament? I can’t really say that I know, but one thing it makes clear is whether we are in high office, organising in the local community, Governor in the local school or passenger on a bus, we must not be silent, we must speak up for what we believe. The popular saying goes
“stand for nothing, fall for anything”. One man standing for simple yet powerful things like integrity and selfless leadership caused an avalanche of change, impact of which we will feel for decades yet to come. It’s interesting to watch the race for a new leader of the UK Conservative Party and
that we all have to speak in to the issues raised. One candidate spoke of growing up in a different country and coming here to a country where politicians aren’t self-serving and aren’t using their office for personal gain. Well, isn’t that exactly what got us here in the UK? That
One man standing for simple yet powerful things can cause an avalanche of change the story it tells. Many have celebrated the diversity in the line-up, but some have raised concerns as to what some candidates have to say. I would encourage all of us to pay careful attention to what candidates are saying and take the opportunity
our Prime Minister and others around him were self-serving, doing things they told us not to do. So it’s not just in other countries, it’s right here on our doorsteps. For this reason, we must not be silent, whether on your social media feed or in the PTA
meeting, speak up, speak out! Register the values that matter to us as a community and as a family. Values of honesty, treating fellow humans with compassion, integrity, perseverance, determination, great leadership and courage, teamwork and collaboration, responsibility and commitment, optimism, hope, compassion and love, passion and pride in our culture — these are all things we should speak up for in every conversation where it’s relevant. There is a songwriter call Phil Thompson and the lyrics of his huge hit My Worship come to mind at this point — it says “I will not be silent”. So thank you to the Reverend Les Isaac for speaking up and being a positive voice in a negative world. Now it’s our turn to let out words speak what our hearts believe.
Muyiwa Olarewaju OBE is Station Director at Premier Gospel Radio, a TV & Radio Broadcaster, and Principal of gospel group Muyiwa & Riversongz
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CARNIVAL IS BACK ON THE ROAD!
19-page special on the return of the Notting Hill Carnival
68 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022
Tributes
Golden legacies of black heroes
W
HERE TO START? There are so many inspirational and highly significant figures who joined the ancestors during the life of The Voice. We could fill a whole newspaper with tributes to everyone, and it was a hard choice to come up with our selection to profile here. Missing from the list below, but held in the highest esteem, are people like Daniel De Gale, whose battle against leukaemia inspired a successful campaign that has saved many hundreds of lives. There are also Windrush pioneers like Sam King, who fought for Britain in the RAF before becoming one of Britain’s early black councillors and a preacher. Here are some others who have also made black British history and left a positive legacy.
Val McCalla (3rd Oct 1943 – 22nd August 2002)
Val Irvine McCalla – the man who revolutionised Britain’s newspaper industry. McCalla was the founder of The Voice Newspaper – Britain’s first black-owned paper in 1982. He was a pioneer of black news. He had the vision to make black people feel heard – to give them a voice. McCalla arrived in Britain from Kingston, Jamaica when he was 15 and was part of the Windrush generation, looking for a ‘better life’. Settled in England, he quickly realised that the representation of black people, but especially British-born black people was almost non-existing. The Voice established itself as an important pillar of the black community as well as a campaigner against, racism. McCalla’s legacy lives on today as The Voice continues to provide opportunities for black journalists,
celebrates the communities’ accomplishments and spreads awareness on Afrocentric themes. Val McCalla has truly written Black British history.
Professor Stuart Hall (3rd Feb 1932 – 10th Feb 2014)
Stuart Henry McPhail hall was a Jamaican-British academic, political
The Voice pays tribute to great black Britons who passed in the last 40 years activist, professor, and Marxist sociologist. He was a pioneer of cultural studies and a significant founding figure of the Birmingham Centre for Contemporary Cultural studies (CCCS) in 1964. Hall’s work played a crucial and central role in innovating the field of cultural studies by including the impact of race and gender on social, economic as well as cultural systems. He was seen as one of Britain’s most influential and leading cultural theorists.
Betty Campbell (6th Nov 1934 – 13th Oct 2017)
Born and raised as a working-class black girl, Betty Campbell worked her way up and became Wales’ first black head teacher. She was awarded a scholarship to Lady Margaret High School for Girls in Cardiff.
She quickly realised she wanted to become a teacher, but her dreams were crushed by discouraging words from her white head teacher. Despite her doubters, Campbell made history and became headteacher at Mount Stuart in the 1970s. She introduced black culture to the school’s curriculum which became a template for multicultural education throughout Britain.
Felix Dexter (26th July 1961 18th Oct 2013)
Comedian, Actor and writer Felix Dexter never failed to make his audience laugh. The Saint-Kitts-born British artist was known for his acting in Down The Line and Citizen Khan. Dexter travelled to the United Kingdom at the age of seven, where he later studied law at University College London. His stand-up comedy career
only kicked off after his studies when he began touring late-night comedy venues in London. His talent to make people smile didn’t stay undetected – after his performance at the Hackney Empire Theatre, Dexter was hired to work with the black and Asian cast on the BBC sketch comedy show The Real McCoy which was a jump start to his career.
Darcus Howe (26th Feb 1943 – 1st April 2017)
Earl Cameron (8th Aug 1917 – 3rd Jul 2020)
The Trinidadian writer, broadcaster, and racial justice campaigner Darcus Howe played a massive role in the Black Power movement in Britain in the 1970s. As part of the British Black Panthers, he organised a peaceful protest for the Caribbean restaurant, The Mangrove, in Notting Hill. It was a safe space for the black community but was repeatedly raided and attempted to shut down by the police. Howe was one of the black activists known as ‘Mangrove Nine’ who were tried and prosecuted for provoking a riot which led to the biggest Black Power trial in British History. The trial concluded in the first judicial acknowledgement of arrests motivated by racial hatred within the metropolitan police in Britain.
Paulette Wilson (20th March 1956 – 23rd July 2020)
Nearly deported in 2017, Paulette Wilson involuntarily became the face of the Windrush scandal. Wilson legally moved from Jamaica to Britain when she was about 10 years old. She went to school at Telford and later worked most of her life as a chef, including at the House of Commons staff restaurant.
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After raising a family and paying taxes for 34 years, Wilson received a letter in 2016 stating she was an illegal immigrant – immediately having to return to Jamaica. She became homeless and was arrested twice. Media coverage of Wilson’s story encouraged dozens of Caribbean migrants to come forward, which is now known as Windrush Scandal.
From dishwasher to Britain’s first black film star - Earl Cameron pulled himself out of poverty and is now a role model for many black Britons. After acting on London’s West End stage, Cameron became a shining star in Britain’s film industry. The Bermudian actor was especially famous and praised for his rejection of acting roles that degrade and stereotype black people. He had his debut with the lead role in the 1951 film Pool of London.
laid the foundation for the Race Relations Act 1965 which made racial discrimination illegal. Born in Port of Spain as the daughter of a Barbadian father and a Trinidadian mother, she also became the first black female governor of the BBC.
Lenford Alphonso (Kwesi) Garrison (13th June 1943 – 18th Feb 2003)
Lenford Alphonso Garrison made it his life mission to focus on the varying lived experiences of black British people by also promoting the pieces of black writers. Garrison founded the Afro-Caribbean Educational Resource (ACER). He argued the British education system failed to give black children a sense of identity because of the lacking teachings on black history and culture. He also established the Black Cultural Archives (BCA) which plays a major role in preserving, recording, and celebrating black history.
Menelik Shabazz (30th May 1954 – 28th June 2021)
Lights, camera, action – Menelik Shabazz transformed Britain’s film industry with his visions and his brand-new ideas. He was the pioneer in the development of Black British cinema. The Barbados-born British film director and producer emigrated to the UK as a five-year-old. Shabazz put contemporary British filmmak-
Dame Jocelyn Barrow (15th April 1929 – 9th April 2020)
Dame Jocelyn Anita Barrow was a community activist, educator and co-founder and general secretary of the Campaign Against Racial Discrimination (CARD) in the mid1960s. In 1959, Barrow arrived in Britain and actively
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ing back on the map over the last 30 years. He was best known for his 1981 film Burning an Illusion which was described as the first film to give a black woman a voice.
By Sarah Danquah www.voice-online.co.uk
Lifestyle Former Arts Editor Davina Hamilton remembers... p72
TV, FILM AND THE VOICE
BUFF founder looks back
No Young Voices, no future Voice p76-77
Travis Alabanza looks ahead to Trans Vegas p84
74 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022
This is Brukout!
by Seani B
Congratulations!!!
This is Brukout! looks back on 20 highlights from the UK’s reggae radio past
I
T’S A month of celebrations all over – whether it is 40 years of this excellent publication, 20 years of BBC Radio 1Xtra or the 60th anniversary of independence for Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago. This month I thought I would take a walk down memory lane and salute some of the major achievements in one of my fields of operation: radio. The radio station I am on, BBC Radio 1Xtra, celebrates its 20th anniversary on August 16 and I am honoured to say that I am one of only three presenters who has lasted the course and is still here to this day. However, the accolades and landmarks began way before my time and I want to look back at some of those things that have helped build and maintain a scene here in the UK. So, in no particular order, here are 20 hotshot highlights from the UK’s reggae radio past.
4. DBC – FIRST BLACK OWNED PIRATE FOCUSING ON REGGAE The iconic logo of DBC has become a UK staple, and its role in ensuring reggae fans got to hear the music they love in west London fed the soul and spirit of many radio stations that followed. Margaret and Lepke Anderson led the way in revolutionising reggae radio from their studios in Ladbroke Grove in 1979.
1. CHOICE FM BEGINS BROADCASTING The dawn of a new age for black music radio which saw real, authentic representation 24/7 in London. Primarily broadcasting on 96.9FM and repping south London, Choice FM broke so many barriers and truly paved the way for many iterations of radio you now hear and see.
6. CHRIS GOLDFINGER ON RADIO 1 – STRAIGHT DANCEHALL VIBES As the sound of the music changed, the style of presenting and DJing on air also shifted. Chris Goldfinger’s legendary reggae dancehall night on Radio 1 aired from 1996-2009 and brought the essence of the dancehall live to air every weekend, with a man who was at the core of that movement out in the streets.
2. DADDY ERNIE – FIVE TIMES A WEEK One of the innovations of Choice was creating a five-night-a-week reggae and dancehall show at prime time! Daddy Ernie’s Superjam ran from 7-9pm Monday through to Friday. 3. 1XTRA BEGINS The summer of 2002 saw the BBC start the “legal pirate” – BBC 1Xtra began broadcasting on the new digital technology DAB across the whole of the UK. With a line up that included Robbo Ranx, DJ Amarley and International sounds such as Mighty Crown and Tony Matterhorn, I’m still proudly on the station now and spreading the good vibes on Caribbean music. The journey continues!
5. RANKING MISS P ON RADIO 1 The DBC experience led to the first national reggae show on Radio 1 – presented by the Ranking Miss P. The show aired in the mid-1980s on a Sunday night and was the only outlet for many reggae listeners across the UK. Miss P also presented a reggae show on the BBC World Service which has in excess of 180 million listeners.
7. WNK NORTH LONDON Wicked, Neutral and Kicking began life as a pirate station for north London. Its owner Joe Douglas was himself a reggae and soca DJ. At the end of the 1980s, the station went legal, sharing a frequency with London Greek Radio in a unique on-air split and time share. The set up didn’t work favourably for either party but the raw vibes that WNK brought saw them bolster the on-air offering in London in the early 1990s. 8. STING ON 1XTRA / 2003 Boxing Day in Jamaica saw the annual live event that would be spoken about for weeks to come. I remember waiting for the tapes of Sting to be
unique deal with the owners of Reggae Sunsplash in Jamaica. They produced two sold-out shows at Crystal Palace FC’s Selhurst Park ground. The show couldn’t get a licence in 1986, but returned the following year for a record-breaking show with an attendance of over 200,000 at Clapham Common. 13.COMMANDER B The art of broadcasting is getting and keeping the attention of your target audience. Each night on Choice FM, Commander B the VIP did this with his popular “Night Flight” show. Every night without fail I was locked in, but to be truthful, it was the talent competition that he used to run that made me lock in to find out who would get the flush
LEGEND: Ranking Miss P presented the first national reggae show on Radio 1 during the mid-1980s circulating in my community so we could hear who clashed with who and how it really went down. In 2003, Robbo Ranx with 1Xtra went to Jamaica to record the event and played it on air a few days later – a revolutionary moment! It was amazing to hear something which was so central to the culture being respected and appreciated by an organisation like the BBC. The broadcast won a prestigious award for its handling of the Vybz Kartel vs Ninjaman clash that went further than music. 9. BIG JOHN ON GALAXY It’s not just about London though – the Midlands had its fair share of pioneers and the next two points salute two real revolutionaries. The first is broadcaster Big John. The four-nights-a-week show began in 1994 and stayed on air for 11 years. His influence on dancehall and reggae cannot be understated. Big up Daddy Crucial as well who brought his style to the network at the same time. Galaxy went on to be owned by Capital and the programming outlook changed (now where have we heard that before?)
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10. PCRL BIRMINGHAM “We give people who have no voice a means of expressing what they are feeling. For us, it’s all about freedom of speech. It is our human right to be heard.” The words of PCRL owner and pioneer Cecil Morris after the Birmingham-based free station was raided and Morris himself was charged for unlawful broadcasting. The importance of PCRL cannot be ignored. It was set up just after the Handsworth Riots in 1985 and has been noted as an important outlet for the community at that time. 11. TONY WILLIAMS REGGAE TIME – BBC LONDON When you talk about core essentials in my upbringing, then this is right up there. Sunday afternoons on BBC Radio London, particularly in summer, were an event. This was the true definition of “appointment to listen” radio. Big tunes, big guests and something for everyone. 12. CAPITAL RADIO / REGGAE SUNSPLASH 1987 In the mid 1980s, The Capital Radio Music Festival struck a
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14. BUJU BANTON’S FIRST RADIO INTERVIEW AFTER RELEASE It was the most sought-after interview in recent radio history. After being incarcerated for over a decade, everyone wanted to hear Gargamel speak. I remember my barber Kirk telling me, “Seani you got this”. I truly never believed until I got the call. Not only did I get the exclusive but also Buju’s first ever live performance for a radio station 15. PIRATES ANTHEM – SHABBA RANKS, COCOA TEA, HOME T The importance of pirate radio to the UK Black music scene is unparalleled. When the playlists of the mainstream legal radio stations did not cater to fans of black music, especially reggae and dancehall, it was the job of these community radios to make us know who were tomorrow’s stars. Released in 1988, Pirates Anthem sung about the cat and mouse game between these illegal broadcasters and the DTI who was the government’s department to dismantle these stations. Fun fact, When Kiss FM became a legal station in 1990, this was the first song they played on air.
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16. INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY SESSION This has been one of the most important sessions I’ve recorded in Jamaica for 1Xtra. Lila Ike, Sevana, Jaz Elise and Naomi Cowan are shining examples of when a DJ and artists work together. The relationship I have with these four queens resulted in this session. With over 12m views on YouTube, it became one of the biggest moments in 2020. 17. RODIGAN V BARRY G In 1985, we saw two heavyweights of radio face off in a clash that is in the history scrolls of reggae radio. David Rodigan representing the UK and Barry G repping Jamaica for what many know as the Sleng Teng clash. This clash was broadcast in Jamaica on JBC Radio 1 and on Capital Radio in the UK simultaneously. 18. WORLD CLASH ON 1XTRA Irish and Chin’s popular “Sound System World Clash” just recently closed its curtains for the last time in Birmingham. However, when it was a growing brand with its events in New York, Montego Bay and London, BBC Radio 1Xtra was there to showcase the rich culture of Soundsystem. 19.REGGAE SESSIONS ON JOHN PEEL Long before I was going to Jamaica recording sessions for the BBC, we would have to give thanks for being remembered by broadcasting legends like John Peel from time to time. Known for his eclectic taste in music, John had the reggae stars like Bob Marley and the Wailers, Aswad and Maxi Priest all perform sessions for him 20. MACHEL MONTANO ON 1XTRA Even though it’s not reggae, it was a win for everyone when international soca star Machel Montano became a host of the first national soca show on the newly formed Radio 1Xtra. It was a big coup to get the biggest soca star to host the show and add the level of authenticity to the programme. Big up his co-host, DJ Slic, too.
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AUGUST 2022 THE VOICE | 75
This is Brukout! How The Voice has covered the scene down the years...
BIG COUP: Clockwise from left, Machel Montano became host
of the first national soca show on Radio 1Xtra, Maxi Priest, Aswad in concert at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire as part of the Island Records 50th Anniversary Festival in 2009, soundclash champion David Rodigan, and the one and only Bob Marley in concert
84 | THE VOICE AUGUST 2022
Lifestyle
Trans Vegas is Travis time!
Alabanza is ready to take centre stage as they launch their memoir at the UK’s largest trans art festival. By Jerome Conway
T
RANS VEGAS, the UK’s largest trans arts festival, celebrating trans and non-binary artists from Manchester, across the UK and beyond, is back for 2022. The first live event is in the first week of August at Feel Good Club, launching Travis Alabanza’s new memoir None of the Above. Travis Alabanza is one of the UK’s most prominent trans activists, or in Travis’s words ‘artist’. In 2019, the Evening Standard listed them as one of the 25 Most Influential People under 25. More recently, they were picked as one of Bernardine Evaristo’s ‘Ones to Watch’ in Sunday Times Style and were also chosen as one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in 2021. JC: Your book (None Of The Above) hits the shelves this month, coinciding with The Voice’s 40th anniversary, it couldn’t have been more timely. How do you hope the book is received and how does it differ, if at all, to the way it might have been received had it been written in 1982 when The Voice was born? TA: Congratulations on 40 years! How incredible to be here 40 years on. Of course, in 40 years the language we use surrounding gender has shifted, there are more ways for us as people to name ourselves and who we are, and we are seeing more examples of queer and trans people of colour. It is ultimately about change, deciding whether to make one, and how others view you – a timeless subject recorded in literature. JC: In the book you examine seven phrases that have been directed at you about your gender identity, which include some of the most transformative experiences as a black, mixed-race and non-binary person. Can you share a bit about what’s revealed? The trans and non-
EXCITING TIMES: Travis Alabanza is relishing the chance to return to Manchester for the event (photo: Mia Maxwell)
“The Voice has always been a place where many of us as black lovers of arts and culture go to” binary experience hasn’t always been well documented in The Voice over the past 40 years, so can you talk about the need for recognised authors from the space, such as yourself, to take control of the narrative? TA: I think when we are saying we represent community, and we have to mean all of that community. The Voice is a place where so many of us as black lovers of arts and culture go to, and what it means if we are leaving out a section of that black community, is that we aren’t all welcomed – even if we wish to be. Trans people have always existed within black communities – and so if we are reporting on our community, it is only accurate to include us! JC: There’s a young kid out there whose non-binary experience is going to look very different to yours, Travis. Do you see this book enabling them to navigate their road ahead a little more easily? TA: I hope so. I wanted to write a book I couldn’t see out there. I think so many books about identity are written from knowing all the answers – yet this is written from a place of being in flux, of change, of not knowing. I hope it gives young people the chance to relax into that state, too. JC: In your opinion, how can The Voice best join in the efforts to enable that same young kid to be the best version of themselves as we
move towards the next 40 years as a newspaper? TA: I think we have to empower and encourage young people to write their own stories! Give them space within our conversations. To listen and hear and engage. JC: You’re regarded as one of the UK’s most prominent trans activists. How do you see that moniker? And how do you envisage using your voice going forward? TA: I think I’m less an activist and more an artist. I hope my art continues to amplify and reflect the voice of other amazing trans people in the country. I love the work of groups such as Cradle, Queer House Party, and Bent Bars – doing great stuff for the community!
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“Black LGBT+ people are now leading the way in so many of these fields” JC: On the theme of moving forward, where are some of the biggest challenges that need to be addressed for the LGBT community? TA: At the moment, there is such a particular and painful tactic used by the Tory government to use trans people as a political football to make points. There’s a huge cultural misunderstanding about what and who trans people are, that
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makes our quality of life in this country extremely challenging. Trans people need better access to employment, housing and healthcare – but also a country that treats us as human. JC: If those are the challenges, where have the biggest wins and successes come in recent years, in your opinion? TA: I think we are seeing lots more LGBT+ people live and create unapologetically, whether the world is supporting us or not, and black LGBT+ people are leading the way in so many of these fields. Dean Atta or Jay Bernard in publishing, Danielle BrathwaiteShirley or Malik Nashad Sharpe within the art world, Tanya Compas creating amazing spaces for black LGBT+ peo-
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ple, or podcasts like Two Two’s podcast. Black LGBT+ people are everywhere! Making work and thriving. JC: Is there anything else you want to share with The Voice? TA: I’m so excited for the Trans Vegas event in Manchester. I’ve spent so many great shows in Manchester over the years and haven’t been back for a while. And to be able to host a panel of trans people of colour creatives is so exciting. Trans Vegas presents Travis Alabanza None of the Above book launch and A-POCALYPSE cabaret, August 5 2022, 7-11pm, Feel Good Club, 26-28 Hilton Street, Manchester, M1 2EH
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AUGUST 2022 THE VOICE | 85
OF SPORT NEWSPAPER
NINE-PAGE SPECIAL LOOKING BACK ON 40 YEARS OF COVERAGE
THE BEST IS YET TO COME! Sports Editor Rodney Hinds reflects on an incredible journey with The Voice
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HE VOICE celebrates 40 years of publishing this month. It is a landmark that all concerned should be proud of. Four decades of sports coverage has mirrored that of the community the newspaper serves: struggle, racism, triumph, challenges and overcoming adversity. One of the keys to the coverage has been the stories of the elite athlete, such as Frank Bruno, but also the passion and commitment of those with less profile like England netball star Ama Agbeze. Those community organisations, who achieve so much with no or little resources, have always had a place in our sports coverage. Their dedication is every bit as great as those that are on our radars seemingly every day. Just as powerful has been the stunning progress of women’s sport. There was a time when women were only under the microscope courtesy of athletics. Women are now competing at the highest level of boxing, football and cricket to name just a few sports. A trawl through
The Voice’s archives has been a fascinating experience and indicates that in many ways we have come full circle; those that give us magic sporting moments have to endure societal problems. The landscape may not have changed dramatically but the conversations have – on the back of the killing of George Floyd as the sports fraternity have found their voices and understand the power of their profile. They are not politicians but they can exert enormous influence with their profile. To all those that have contributed to The Voice’s sports coverage over the years, journalists and photographers, I say a massive thank you. To Joel Campbell in particular, I give heartfelt kudos for an incredible journey over the last decade or so. In a recent interview, Geoff Thompson, the independent deputy chair of Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, told this correspondent: “Sport will always reflect society and society will always reflect and influence sport.” Nothing truer has ever been said. Here’s to another four decades… and beyond.
SUPPORT FOR ALL: The Voice’s coverage has always reached out to everyone in society, whether it’s an elite athlete such as Frank Bruno or those with less profile like Ama Agbeze
The Voice celebrates four decades… what people have had to say THE VOICE means so much to me on a personal level. I was well aware of its symbolic and cultural importance for many years. So, when I started working for the Kick It Out campaign in 2008 and dealing with the publication on a regular basis, it felt like an important milestone in my then fledgling career. And, in Rodney, I have made a friend for life in the process. Here’s to another 40 years and beyond. Danny Lynch, Director of Communications, Irish FA WE HAVE worked with The Voice team for almost a decade and they have set an outstanding example of journalism excellence for our students. Whether it is demonstrating a deep understanding of an audience, coverage of political issues including, most recently, the Black Lives Matter campaign, or simply the commitment to telling a good story, they show our students how journalism can be done and what it can achieve. In a clickbait
world, The Voice stands for integrity in practice – and good stories. Julie Nightingale, Course leader, MA Magazine Journalism, Centre for Broadcasting and Journalism, NTU
THE VOICE is where my journey as a journalist started and I will forever be grateful for the opportunities back then and also now. Black community voices are not well represented in the British media – The Voice has addressed this directly by ensuring we can read and feel our views, as shared by our people. Long live The Voice, a publisher that continues to play a vital role in British society. Leon Mann, Managing Director, Refresh Sports Consultancy and Productions CONGRATULATIONS TO The Voice on celebrating 40 years of publishing. It has always been a source of valuable information including sports news impacting the black and AME commu-
THE VOICE for 40 years has been the only newspaper that has consistently paved the way for black people to achieve great things, not only through the positive stories within their newspaper, but through the whole culture of the organisation. Thank you for being a beacon of light. Paul Sesay, Founder of the National Diversity Awards
nities, even before it was popularised by social pressures and entered main stream. The Voice has often been the only reliable source which enabled them to keep connected with current affairs from home as well as with other communities in the UK. The Voice has played and is playing a valuable role. Thank you and here’s to another 40 years. Audrey Bampoe, Treasurer, Fight For Peace
THE VOICE is a place for our stories to be told with our authentic truth by our people. The wider media industry doesn’t really reflect who we are and our contributions and experiences, so The Voice allows that and helps spread important awareness through our communities and beyond. This big anniversary is a recognition of the period of time that The Voice have done it and done it well. Troy Townsend, Head of Education and Development, Kick It Out HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to The Voice as it celebrates 40 years!
I was 20 years old when it started up and I remember reading it. It informed us all; not only about recent news in the black community, but also taught us about our history and where we came from. I want to say thank you for all that you have done and continue to do for us. Here’s to another 40 years of black history, news, music and culture – past and present. Paul Canoville, Chelsea’s first black player MY FIRST encounter with The Voice over 20 years ago is one that made a lasting impression on me because it was the first time I’d ever seen a newspaper covering national stories of people and communities that looked like me. Stories of black culture, faith, art, events and music I could relate with in an authentic voice I understood. To me, The Voice means hope, The Voice means heritage, and The Voice means legacy. Danielle Obe, Chair, The Black Swimming Association