Say It Loud: I'm Black and I'm Proud!!!

28th September 2010

I was listening to Styles P Featuring Floetry ‘I’m Black’ the other day (study music) and I feel a weird sense of pride when I listen to the lyrics, even though I don’t agree with all he says (very un-PC if u get me!!) I love the chorus...”So proud to be just who I am...I’m black”. How often is it that people sing things like that anymore?

I have written quite a few blogs on race issues as I see myself as somewhat ‘afrocentric’...not because all I see is race but because I feel it vital as a black British woman trying to be more than a woman in what is still a largely white man’s world to be aware of the race issues that still affect us. So while I don’t walk around with a chip on my shoulder I’m not blind.

When I think of my patriotism to Britain I think of Black Britain. It’s very different to white Britain. My 3 years at a typically white middle class university and my time at various law firms taught me that. The things I witnessed and experienced and heard about while at the predominately ethnic school in Peckham I went to and the ‘black’ college I went to are so different o the stories exchanged with the students I interned with and people I travelled with. And while I won’t act like I am proud of all the things I have seen through association and surroundings, it has contributed to shaping the woman I am becoming. And that woman is one who does not and will not (when I’m a high flying lawyer) underestimate the relevance of coming up from the tales of Peckham!

Presiding over Leeds uni’s ACS and leading it to success (we seriously did a heavy job that year) is seriously one of my biggest achievements alongside attaining a 2.1 at uni. Seeing black people prevail is one of my biggest dreams because all through my life I have watched our community struggle and I have read of the history of struggle which is so deeply sad. I wrote my final year dissertation on institutional racism and deaths in custody and the things I read about and concluded on still make me shudder today.

My ambition to be successful is not just because I want to live a comfortable life and have a big family. It’s more so because I want to be another ambassador for what hard work can do. I want to prove that you don’t have to be a certain way to attain a certain level of success. Not that we don’t have several of such examples, but we don’t have enough. Especially Black, African, Female, Muslim-hijabi examples-get me!!

At an interview with a magic circle firm I interned with last Easter the managing partner of the firm said to me, upon reading my application again, ‘Do you feel you want to be a lawyer not just because your interested in law but because you have something to prove?’. I remember thinking – that was bold!! But I also thought ‘ye damn straight’. But what a shame that that is/was the case. It spoke volumes to me though that he actually knew that there would naturally be an element of that in my pursuit. That was blatantly a racial/religious inspired question-it still happens in 2009!

This is why I think Black History Month is important. Some people don’t see the point in it but I see a huge point. Until the west stop stripping Africa naked, until the city really let blacks in, until the police stop victimising our men, until our men stop victimising themselves, until the cycle of hatred and crime ceases, there will always be a need for this month.

To me it’s purpose is fundamentally to remind us of how our ancestors, grandparents, parents, brothers and sisters have struggled to elevate our position so that we take our rightful stance in society. Slavery is still the greatest crime against humanity. Fact. Surely if we were more aware of what they went through we would push ourselves further today?

So...till I see true equality I will continue to raise my fist. Till colour is no longer a barrier in even the slightest way I will raise my fist. And till I see the west accept black beauty I will continue to be pro natural and anti bleach/weave while I raise my fist!! (I joke)

Black history wasn’t in the curriculum when I was at school, but I had to learn about WW1, WW2, Vietnam, Russian Revolution, the Holocaust and so on...you might even say none of that is even our history!!! So if they won’t teach us, we must teach ourselves!!! Until we can learn to celebrate our history-struggles and successes-they won’t.

I will end with a quote taken from my A level English coursework which is a quote from my man Malcolm! I hope I didn’t make it up!!

“I believe in the brotherhood of all men, but I do not believe in brotherhood with someone who does not want brotherhood with me”. Interpret as you will.

It’s all about peace, love and unity.

Happy BHM to everyone!
Still smiling...