FEBRUARY 2022 • ISSUE NO. 1927
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Justice system failing black women SEE PAGE 25
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HOW I BEAT SOCIAL MEDIA ABUSE TV Countdown presenter Anne-Marie opens her heart to The Voice about fame and being a role model
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EXCLUSIVE
r Anne-Marie Imafidon said she was stunned by the racist trolls who claimed she was not qualified to be a presenter on TV’s Countdown. Anne-Marie, 31, told The Voice she got through it by focusing on the messages
of love and support - and was delighted to see the haters slapped down by those who pointed out how qualified she was. The former child prodigy, who speaks six languages, said: “The support has been overwhelming and really heartening because, as people have said, represen-
Anne-Marie is leading a drive to get more young people into STEM subjects
tation matters. “It will be the first time that certain people have ever seen a black person doing maths - and there’s power in that.” .
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THE 10 MOST POPULAR STORIES ON VOICE-ONLINE.CO.UK
1. Meet Countdown’s first black host
Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon picked as presenter for popular TV show.
2. Anger as Jamaican man shot dead on hunting trip with five white men Peter Bernardo Spencer was lured into a cabin and shot nine times.
Very sadly he was later found dead. RIP.
4. Outrage as school bans ‘black’ words like ‘bare’ Campaign group makes accusations against school, which they deny.
Your Valentine’s gift dilemma solved treating your loved one, or yourself! p12
Girl gangs - young women are being groomed says ex-gang member p16
Seani B's five-point plan to get Caribbean music back on track p41 Jamaican alpine skier Benjamin Alexander to compete at Winter Olympics p46
News, views, stories & videos
3. Fears mount over missing autistic student Harvey Parker
'Gil Scott-Heron saved my life' – how legendary singer rescued a boy following abuse in UK care homes p8
t h g i l t o p S
ROUNDUP NEWSPAPER
5. Black Brits most vulnerable to losing citizenship
Campaigners fear six million black and Asian people could be impacted.
6. The tragedy of knife crime
Our in-depth investigation into the surge that claimed a record 30 teenage lives in 2021.
7. Boris Johnson’s racist comments
A reminder of the Prime Ministers’ history of offensive articles.
8. Lambeth ex-mayor under fire for racist tweets
The councillor later resigned his seat.
9. Anger as Maya Angelou image imprinted on same coin as slaveowner
African Americans unimpressed by the legendary writer being stamped on a quarter.
10. Black kids in care failed by racist system – new report Evidence that London boroughs are putting black children in harm's way.
This issue is 48 pages
Adam Jogee
Councillor Adam Jogee has served as the Mayor of Haringey since October 2020 and is the youngest serving Mayor in London. Adam is a son of North London via Jamaica, the Wirral and Zimbabwe. He is proud of his diverse roots as well as the fact he is the first Mayor of Haringey from the Muslim community – something that Adam believes “took too long to happen in a community as diverse as Haringey”. Adam started his political journey early through volunteering as a teenager in the office of Barbara Roche, the then MP for Hornsey and Wood Green before being the first elected Leader of Haringey Youth Council in 2006. He went on to represent London on the UK Youth Parliament from 2008-2010. Adam was first elected to Haringey Council in 2014 and is currently serving his second term as Mayor of Haringey and is the eldest of three children. He says: "I was never able to stop talking as a kid – in fact – my school report aged four says, 'When I set a task, Adam spends his whole time walking around asking everyone else how they are doing; he ends the class with nothing on his paper.’ So, I guess it was always going to be law or politics for me." “I've always been hugely passionate about helping others and speaking out on issues that matter to those most in need. My background and the experiences of my parents and grandparents drive me every day in the pursuit of a better world. "I don't think I would be doing what I do, at my age and at this level, if it wasn't for the strong African blood flowing through my veins. "I am very grateful that my parents ensured my siblings who got me engaged with my roots. I love Harare – and Kingston, Jamaica, too. "I was 22 when I won my first election, I was young and definitely thought I could be everyone's friend. I soon learned that it's more important to be true to yourself and your values. "And so to any young person who wants to get involved in representing their community and speaking out on the issues they care about, I say this: "Aim high, work hard... and keep going."
Follow Adam on Twitter @Ajogee and you can visitharingey.gov.uk to find out more.
Got a story? email us at yourviews@thevoicemediagroup.co.uk
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FEBRUARY 2022 THE VOICE | 3
The big interview
Zephaniah: ‘This government is turning into a dictatorship’ The celebrated poet talks politics, mental health and spirituality. By Richard Sudan
T
HERE’S no doubt Benjamin Zephaniah is one of the most loved and respected poets in the country with a career spanning decades. You probably read his work in school, or saw him speaking up for social justice at countless protests. In recent years, he became a professor at Brunel University, teaching writing poetry for performance. Flick on the TV and you might catch him on Netflix’s Peaky Blinders or on Sky’s spoken word platform Life and Rhymes. When asked to reflect on the last year or so, in typical Benjamin fashion he begins by talking about others, not himself. “To the people struggling, don’t be afraid to ask for help. It’s easy to feel isolated. We must be more socially and politically aware and invest in mental health services. Don’t be afraid to speak up. You should fix the roof when the sun is shining,” he said. “So many people and my friends were suffering with mental health issues, and the people supporting them were often struggling themselves too. It was nice to see people clapping for the NHS, but people were really suffering. I realised I’m one of the lucky ones” If Benjamin is fortuitous, his success as a poet over the years is certainly not down to luck. He has remained consistent, always using his platform to speak about racial injustice and social issues culminating in the remarkable feat of
To those people who are struggling, don’t be afraid to seek help seeing his Life and Rhymes poetry show, platformed on Sky TV. Not only that, but the show won a Bafta. “It’s great to see there is an appetite for poetry out there. I’m really not into prizes, but some of the stuff on TV now is not just show business. Winning the award shows that people are deeper than that” As ever, though, Benjamin is less philosophical and damning in his critique of politics, something which affects us all, whether we want to be ‘political’ or not.
ADDICTS
“The government has apparently announced a ‘War on Drugs’. But it’s macho posturing, appealing to people who think all drug addicts are horrible people and what we need to do is fight them. Actually, we need to treat them, listen to them. It’s a medical condition. “And this policing bill – it’s an attack on our civil liberties. It’s our basic right to be able to protest, and the government wants to take that away from us. The government is divorced from people, but worried about people. They want to control them and tell them what to do. Going down this road ends up in a dictatorship.” Both Benjamin and I are Windrush descendants. Like so many, he knows the
STAR: Benjamin on stage (photo: David Corio/Redferns)
path the new borders bill could take us down. “The idea that you can take away my passport and nationality is terrifying. You can’t make people stateless. It really shows you how ruthless these people are. The bill is appeasing people who are scared of foreigners.” Speaking up against the lies and racism used to attack foreigners is something Benjamin is known for, passionately having often defended immigrants on the BBC’s Question Time. “They want to blame foreigners for all the problems, as if the border is sacred. One thing this country needs and has always needed is an exchange of people coming in and out, free to move – it keeps us going. The bill is appealing to the lowest in our society” We shift gears from talking about leadership, or lack of it, in UK politics to a figure who was undoubtedly the epitome of leadership – Desmond Tutu, who recently passed. “For a high-ranking Christian, Desmond Tutu made clear that Christianity is not just about sitting down and blessing people that are good Christians. He talked about, and advocated, for all people’s rights, not just black people. Hearing a man of his stature speak like that was very inspiring.” Beyond leadership, it’s clear Benjamin also views Tutu as something of a trailblazer, especially when institutions like the Church and others are often accused of being out of touch from the communities who support them. “Desmond Tutu showed us that Christianity can remain relevant in the world, if we care about all people. That’s a wonderful legacy and example to leave behind.” One of the things that some religious leaders stand accused of is promoting falsehoods around COVID and the public health crisis it exposed. “An idea, sometimes pushed
WORDS OF WISDOM: Respected poet Benjamin Zephaniah (photo: Getty Images) by spiritual or natural people and people of faiths, is that science is bad. If not for science you wouldn’t get on a plane and have technology. It’s improved our lives. “Back in the day, science was done with white men in white coats who were remote, but now we have black and educated people in science who have our interest at heart. It doesn’t mean they are perfect, but with science you do the research and tests and put the findings out there to be challenged. That’s a good thing.” No doubt too, that while social media is often invaluable, in the midst of the pandemic there’s been a downside. “Certain things can hold us back if we let them. Simply going to social media for your news and falling into the echo
chamber of people that agree with you, is one of them. Do the research and think for yourselves.
CRITICALLY
“Thinking critically doesn’t mean just listening to the people you agree with. You must go further. I would prefer to have questions that can’t be answered, than answers that can’t be questioned.” When I first met Benjamin more than a decade ago, we talked about the need for black and minority ethnic political representation. It’s improved. But it’s also clear that we need the right representation in politics. “It’s been painted with black and brown faces but many of them maintain the status quo.
The system’s failed. The political parties of this country have made me a revolutionary. It’s their fault, they’ve shown me how impotent they are. “I want to be put out of a job as a radical poet and be a Rasta comedian, but I have so much work to do first. I am pleased, though, when I see so many young people now rallying around issues, because there’s a lot more awareness now, and hope. We need that.” There’s an anecdote I can’t fit into this article, but I’ll say this, having known Benjamin for a few years. You’re as likely to see him by himself chatting to a homeless person in Leicester Square, as you are on Peaky Blinders. He’s the people’s poet. He’s one of our best. He cares. Give him his flowers while he’s still here.
32 | THE VOICE FEBRUARY 2022
ADVERTORIAL
Here’s why I got tested for HIV and why you should too
“
T
I’ve been in the nursing profession for over 15 years. From starting out as a student nurse, to where I am today, I’ve always been committed to raising awareness about HIV. Although we’ve made so much progress in the fight against HIV since the 1980s, it’s still something we need to destigmatise and educate people on.
hat’s why teaming up with Terrence Higgins Trust for National HIV Testing Week was a dream come true for me. It’s a great opportunity for you to get tested and encourage others to do the same, particularly those from groups most affected by HIV including gay and bisexual men and Black African men and women. That’s why teaming up with Terrence Higgins Trust for National HIV Testing Week was a dream come true for me. It’s a great opportunity for you to get tested and encourage others to do the same, particularly those from groups most affected by HIV including gay and bisexual men and Black African men and women. I had my first HIV test when I had just become a qualified nurse. I was nervous; however, I was lucky enough to have an incredible doctor who talked everything through and made me feel at ease. Whether you do an HIV test, or not, your status won’t change either way. Putting off getting tested can delay treatment and lead to complications for your general health. CHANGED Because of the stigma and a lack of education that we’ve had around HIV, people mistakenly still think of it as it was in the 1980s. HIV has changed, it is no longer a death sentence, and a positive test is no
longer something that should be feared. Effective treatment means you cannot pass on the virus and can expect to live as long as anyone else. Additionally, it’s vital to know that HIV affects everyone, regardless of gender, sexuality, race, and age. If you’re sexually active, you could potentially have HIV. Never think that you’d never need to test just because you’re not from a certain demographic. Everyone should test for HIV because anyone can be affected by it.
diagnosis. Cultural barriers and systemic problems prevent people from accessing sexual health services. Some of the patients I’ve spoken to also struggle due to language barriers and differences in culture. They may not feel comfortable with their clinician and feel like they can’t relate to them, or that they can’t reveal certain things.
ORDER YOUR FREE HIV TEST You can do it at home by ordering a free test kit now from startswithme.org.uk which will be posted through your door in plain packaging. If you have any questions, you can contact Terrence Higgins Trust in confidence via 0808 802 1221 or tht.org.uk/thtdirect
AWARENESS Something I love about National HIV Testing Week is the diversity of everyone involved in the campaign. I worked with people of all genders, races, ages—and that visibility matters. Seeing someone who looks like you that you can relate to in some way makes it easier for you to think, ‘Ok, I can go and get tested’. The campaign resonated with a variety of people, I had messages from a lot of older people from Black African communities, as well as people living with HIV who thanked myself and Terrence Higgins Trust for normalising talking about the virus. It was incredible to see such a positive response from an array of people and to hear from many that the campaign encouraged them to get tested. I am committed to doing my part to help raise awareness about the importance of HIV testing in our community. I want everyone who reads this to know that it’s never
COMMUNITIES Recent stats have shown that late diagnosis continues to be a problem in Black African communities. Late diagnosis means that you’ve tested positive after the virus has already started to damage your immune system. In 2020, 59% of Black African people in the UK were diagnosed with HIV late — this is unacceptably high given the advancements we’ve made in the fight against the virus. It’s clear that much more needs to be done to tackle the barriers that prevent people in our community from testing. Sadly, stigma and fear continue to be an obstacle. In our culture, there’s a lot of pride in how much you let people know about your health and family. HIV and sexual health are often not openly discussed and there’s a lot of shame attached to a
”
been easier to test for HIV. It’s quick, painless and it’s always better to know your status sooner rather than later.
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VOICE panel of past few months for race activists and en- equality Their conclusion “the seed has trepreneurs was echbeen oed by has planted” Britain’s most to deliver change predicted 2022 senior go- trade union will ing forward. be a better year leader, Dr Patrick than the last Roach who Black Britain was one. seeing a message, said, in a New Year new generation Looking into their that black workers of activism crystal ball and had the power the panel said entrepreneurship. to force change that although One and tackle panellist said: “The we had survived structural racism. tide is cera turbulent tainly changing.”
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Supported by John J. Studzinski CBE With additional support Exhibition Supporters from the Lubaina Himid Circle, Tate Americas Tate International Foundation, Council and Tate Patrons Media partner
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