EDITORIAL
Dear Readers,
Welcome back to the Black & Asian News. You will find below a selection of news articles on issues as varied as “Culture & Entertainment”, “Work & Employment” and “Information Technology” both in the UK and wider Europe (You just need to click on the title to read them.).
I am not somebody who really likes to read news stories on racial violence, but the article that I find the most interesting in this week’s issue is by Yasser Louati from TRT World, which provides an incisive historical exploration of Why France and its police have a problem with brutality and racism. The second article that I find well written is on Black Pete from the Conversation.
Hope you will also make time to watch some of the striking and original short films that you will find in the BBC Arts’ Culture in Quarantine Site and in the Mobile Film Festival for Women’s Empowerment.
If you find these resources useful, please consider becoming a Donor or Sponsor, thank you.
Have a nice weekend,
Thushari Perera
BLACK EUROPE RESOURCES
Read the blog here if this newsletter does not upload properly.
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CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT
Image by Omar Medina Films from Pixabay
Berlin: Staatsballett’s first black female dancer accuses it of racism, The Guardian, 9 December 2020
“…she had been appalled to discover on joining, that the practice of blackfacing dancers was considered normal, after she saw young white children applied with black makeup for a production of The Nutcracker. Lopes Gomes said she was told in October by Theobald that the company would not be renewing her contract.”
Nines and Mahalia top winners at 2020 Mobo awards, The Guardian, 9 December 2020
“Rapper and R&B singer each pick up two awards, with Steve McQueen, Headie One and Young T & Bugsey among other winners”
Mobo founder introduces innovative platform for black talent, The Voice, 7 December 2020
“Kanya King’s call to CEOs and the C-Suite comes as she today introduces MOBOLISE, a new platform that connects black people to mentoring, networking and the best career opportunities”
‘If our band was fronted by a white girl, people would get it’: How the UK fails Black indie musicians, The Independent, 9 December 2020
“The recent furore over the lack of rock category at the Mobos highlighted how Black Brits with guitars get overlooked. Stephanie Phillips speaks to Nova Twins, Babeheaven and more about making space for alternative artists”
Director of Bob Marley musical sceptical about UK theatre’s progress on diversity, The Guardian, 1 December 2020
“Tickets for Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, written by Lee Hall and starring Arinzé Kene, go on sale on Tuesday with an opening night planned for 16 June.”
The impact of COVID-19 on diversity in the creative industries, Creative Industries – Policy & Evidence Centre, 2 December 2020
“As part of our research agenda on the industry’s response to COVID-19, we partnered with the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Creative Diversity to consult Industry Champions and APPG partners on the impact of the pandemic on diversity in their organisations and sectors. “
Oscar Protests About Diversity Need to Add Hiring Stats, Variety, 1 December 2020
“Of course the protests must continue, carrying on the important work that #OscarsSoWhite did to revolutionize Hollywood starting in 2015. It’s time to add another step. Protesters should link up with organizations that gather hiring statistics…”
CONSUMER ISSUES
Image by Ahmad Ardity from Pixabay
Where are all the black perfumers…?, Marie Claire, 7 December 2020
“While make-up brands are embracing a wider array of skin tones, the fragrance industry is still lagging behind. Meet the black perfumers refusing to accept the status quo…”
British Fashion Council ambassador Priyanka Chopra acknowledges ‘extraordinary talent of South Asian designers’, The Indian Express, 4 December 2020
“Priyanka Chopra, who shared a picture wearing a pantsuit by Kaushik Velendra, had announced her appointment as the BFC ambassador on November 16”
Black Pound Day to Officially Launch Across Wales in December, Business News Wales, 4 December 2020
“Black Pound Day is an initiative founded by Swiss, music artist and member of So Solid Crew collective. The initiative encourages all communities to support black businesses to address the economic disparity and inequalities faced by black business owners and entrepreneurs in the UK.”
A third of UK children do not see themselves reflected in books, finds survey, The Guardian, 2 December 2020
“Responses from 60,000 young readers show 33% feel unrepresented, with an even worse picture among poorer and minority ethnic readers”
Is Disney racist?, EuroWeekly News, 16 October 2020
“Peter Pan, The Jungle Book and Dumbo have been given racist warnings as they are rather stereotypical.”
MEDIA
Image by Igor Saveliev from Pixabay
SAAC: “British Asian creatives are underrepresented in mainstream radio”, BizAsia, 7 December 2020
“Research by SAAC shows 4 presenters of South Asian origin across the major commercial national stations…”
Voice4Change England (V4CE) launches Britain’s first charity magazine to support Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, Melan Mag, 3 December 2020
“Voice4Change England, a UK umbrella organisation representing around 460 organisations and 1,000 individuals working in the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic voluntary and community sector, has launched a 13-page publication to help tackle the financial strains and challenges experienced by the voluntary sector in recent months.”
ETHNICITY & IDENTITY
Image by Shutterbug75 from Pixabay
Unity Talks: The power of Black and Asian solidarity, GayTimes, 4 December 2020
“I can have conversations about being Indian, a person of colour, a woman, being gender fluid, working class, a Dalit caste and many other of my intersections. And I benefit from them all and can share ideas and thoughts across different groups. By pooling together what I learn and grow from I can shape new ideas. Imagine what we can do if we did this collectively.”
The hidden story of African-Irish children, BBC News, 4 December 2020
“In the middle of the last century, thousands of students from African countries were studying at Irish universities. Some had children outside marriage, who were then placed in one of Ireland’s notorious mother and baby homes. Today these children, now adults, are searching for their families.”
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY/SCIENCE
Image by Mike Renpening from Pixabay
More than 1,200 Google workers condemn firing of AI scientist Timnit Gebru, The Guardian, 6 December 2020
“More than 1,500 researchers also sign letter after Black expert on ethics says Google tried to suppress her research on bias”
Twitter accused of censoring Indian critic of Hindu nationalism, The Guardian, 7 December 2020
“Writers including Salman Rushdie and Amitav Ghosh expressed anger after Tripathi, who is chair of PEN International’s Writers in Prison Committee, had his Twitter account suspended on Sunday without warning.”
Twitter Expands Hate Speech Rules to Include Race, Ethnicity and National Origin, Gadgets360, 3 December 2020
“Twitter said it had planned from the start to add new categories to the policy over time after testing to ensure they can be consistently enforced.”
Facebook to start policing anti-Black hate speech more aggressively than anti-White comments, documents show, The Washington Post, 3 December 2020
“The company is overhauling its algorithms that detect hate speech and deprioritizing hateful comments against Whites, men and Americans.”
Aerospace giant Leonardo is first defence organisation to forge partnership with ethnic minority association, Edinburgh Evening News, 7 December 2020
“Leonardo – which employs over 7,500 people across the UK – has forged a partnership with the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE-UK) to attract a richer diversity of job applicants to the business.”
GOVERNMENT & COMMUNITIES
Image by DMS – Own work from Wikicommons
Southall: The London town with a disastrous reputation that’s really not so bad, MyLondon, 4 December 2020
“It’s described as being run-down, deprived and dangerous with high crime statistics, but a closer look reveals that’s not the whole truth…In terms of deprivation, the wards in and around Southall rank an average of 10,626.8 out of 32,845 total wards in England in the English Indices of Deprivation statistics…
EDUCATION
Image by WikimediaImages from Pixabay
Evaristo says ‘powerful statement’ to be first black female head of UK drama school, The Guardian, 4 December 2020
“The appointment makes Evaristo one of the few people of colour to stand as figurehead of a major higher education institution in the UK, and she now sits alongside names including Dame Judi Dench…”
WORK & EMPLOYMENT
Image by Whoisdejalynn from Pixabay
Unilever signs race-based hair discrimination pledge, Personnel Today, 9 December 2020
“Despite hair being a protected racial characteristic under the law, there is a widely held belief that black hairstyles are inappropriate, unattractive, and unprofessional. We’ve been suspended from school, held back in our careers, and made to feel inferior by racist policies and attitudes.”
Save the Children UK pledges that people of colour will make up a quarter of its senior team, Third Sector, 9 December 2020
“The charity says it has, in some cases, been ‘complicit in colonial oppression’ and wants to create more inclusive employment pathways”
Closing the blue and white-collar divide, Raconteur, 7 December 2020
“If you take Uber drivers, you have an overwhelming number of ethnic minorities,” he says. “You’re asking them to choose between putting food on the table and avoid getting the virus, which is a very hard choice to give them.”
Funding announced for projects to tackle racial inequality, Liverpool Echo, 7 December 2020
“The money will be split between plans for a development hub pilot for black-owned businesses, a project targeting structural racism in the workplace and improved online resources for the International Slavery Museum.”
‘Where is the fairness?’ Fiji’s British Army veterans fight for a life in UK, The Guardian, 4 December 2020
“…out of uniform, Ratucaucau says he has been abandoned by the UK government, left damaged, bitter and broke, and facing deportation from the country he served… At present, there are 5,000 active troops from Commonwealth countries across the British armed forces, with plans to recruit more.”
Majority of young people think nepotism influences hiring decisions, warns study, People Management, 2 December 2020
“The poll found two-thirds (62 per cent) of students and graduates would like to see companies introduce blind recruitment as a way of reducing unconscious bias. The research found that just one in seven (14 per cent) employers practised blind recruitment, although one in three (37 per cent) planned to do so in the near future.”
POLICING & JUSTICE SYSTEM
Image by Alexander Lesnitsky from Pixabay
Black History Month: What it was like for Sislin Fay Allen, Britain’s first black policewoman, Sky News, 29 October 2020
“The sight of a dark-skinned young woman dressed in a police uniform, with a solid Jamaican timbre, patrolling the streets of south London in 1968 was a shock to residents.”
HEALTH
Image by Eurochild
Growing up in lockdown: Europe’s children in the age of COVID-19, Children’s Rights Alliance for England, November 2020
“This new report from Eurochild reflects on the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on children’s rights across Europe. It provides recommendations for improving public policies in the short and long-term to support better outcomes for children and families.”
Physician urges BAME people to take Vitamin D to protect them against coronavirus, ITV News, 9 December 2020
“A North Somerset physician is urging people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds to protect themselves against coronavirus by taking Vitamin D everyday. Professor Parag Singhal, who works in Weston-super-Mare, said the vaccine rollout will take a long time and those most vulnerable to the virus must not get complacent.”
Tier restrictions explained in five South Asian languages, BBC News, 1 December 2020
“England will return to a three-tier system of restrictions from 2 December. The tiers will be allocated based on the infection rates in each area.”
Inquiry into racial inequality in health and social care workplaces, EHRC, 4 December 2020
“We will gather robust evidence to understand the experiences of ethnic minority people working in lower-paid roles, exploring their experiences during the pandemic which highlights how long-term work-related issues may have increased their risk of COVID-19. We’ll use this evidence to make recommendations to improve outcomes for ethnic minority workers. These actions will be aimed at employers, governments and other agencies and follow a timeline to hold these organisations to account.”
SPORTS, FITNESS & OUTDOORS
Image by Martin Gauger from Pixabay
First black woman capped for Scotland rugby team vows to inspire BAME players, The Scotsman, 4 December 2020
“The first black woman to be capped for Scotland’s international rugby side has vowed to help other people of colour join the sport.”
German Football for the “Real” Germans, Fair Observer, 4 December 2020
The same mixture of victimization and resentments that drives the electoral successes of far-right parties inflames fan hatred and racism in German football.
Take a Look Around: Football Needs to Get Over Eurocentrism, Football Paradise, 3 December 2020
“Eurocentrism in football leads to a warped perception of the game to where leagues, players, managers and even investors from other continents are often scrutinised, underappreciated and sometimes racially abused upon entering European leagues.”
ENVIRONMENT/GREEN
Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay
Flock Together: meet the London birdwatching group for people of colour, Time Out, 3 December 2020
“During lockdown, Ollie Olanipekun co-founded Flock Together, a birdwatching group for people of colour. He explains why you need to lose yourself in nature right now”
Mother whose child died of asthma calls for education on air pollution, The Canary, 7 December 2020
“An inquest at Southwark Coroner’s Court is investigating whether dangerous levels of air pollution in the London Borough of Lewisham, where Ella lived with her family, may have contributed to her death.”
Toxic waste dumping in the Gulf of Guinea amounts to environmental racism, The Conversation, 2 December 2020
“In our recent paper, we show how Western companies and businesses (primarily those in Europe and the US) target countries in the Gulf of Guinea – we covered Nigeria, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire – as a dump for their toxic waste. This, despite the knowledge of the physiological and environmental effects of this waste.”
EUROPE (GENERAL)
Image by Mediamodifier from Pixabay
A child labour free Europe: How the new Commission can make it happen, Euroactiv, 19 November 2020
“European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s pledge to have ‘zero-tolerance’ for child labour in EU trade policy is a promising step. Delphine Moralis explains how these warm words can be turned into concrete actions to improve the lives of millions of children.”
Two-thirds of Irish Travellers have suffered discrimination – report, Belfast Telegraph, 6 December 2020
“The research compiled by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) found that 68% of Traveller men and 62% of Traveller women reported experiencing discrimination.”
FRANCE
By Alexandre-François-Louis from Wikimedia Commons
The Haitian Revolution and the Hole in French High-School History, New Yorker, 3 December 2020
“Despite Marcus Garvey’s assertion that Louverture’s “brilliancy as a soldier and statesman outshone that of a Cromwell, Napoleon, and Washington,” despite Aimé Césaire’s belief that Haiti was the place where “negritude stood up for the first time and proclaimed its faith in its humanity…It’s thought of as a minor story, not la grande histoire”
Related Link: Black Spartacus: The Epic Life of Toussaint Louverture, British Library Player, 2020
Why France and its police have a problem with brutality and racism, TRT World, 3 December 2020
“Republican ideals are one thing but we can only judge people and institutions according to their track records. For instance, Blacks and Arabs are 20 times more likely of being racially profiled by the police”
French government shuts down anti-racist group, Anadolu Agency, 2 December 2020
“Collective Against Islamophobia in France forced to close as government seeks continued crackdown on Muslim groups”
GERMANY
Image by Sabine van Erp from Pixabay
Germany to remove antisemitic Nazi-made changes to its phonetic alphabet, The Jerusalem Post, 6 December 2020
“Nazis decided to get rid of Hebrew first names from this alphabet during the Second World War out of antisemitism.”
NETHERLANDS
By Constablequackers from Wikimedia Commons
In a year of Black Lives Matter protests, Dutch wrestle (again) with the tradition of Black Pete, The Conversation, 3 December 2020
“In a representative national poll from November, opposition to replacing Black Pete with Soot Pete decreased from 66% to 43%. And only 19% thought that Black Pete would still exist in 10 years’ time.”
FREE FILMS
From the Arts & Humanities Research Council: Animated Thinking – Short Films to Inspire
“We launched a new series of short animated films on BBC Arts’ Culture in Quarantine Site on 24 November. Produced by Calling the Shots and created by early career creatives, animators, and filmmakers, the films bring outstanding arts and humanities research to life for new audiences. You can read more about the series read more about the series and watch the films online”
Mobile Film Festival – Women’s Empowerment
“Founded in 2005, the Mobile Film Festival is an international Festival of short-length movies, based on a simple principle: 1 Mobile, 1 Minute, 1 Film. The aim: discover, support and accompany talents from the whole world to become tomorrow’s directors. The choice of the mobile phone enables to ban all economic constraints so that anyone may contribute in the same conditions.” Discover the Official Selection here!
Other Related Links:
Black & Asian News – Black Europe Resources
Black & Asian Heritage Mix’ – Black Europe Resources
Books – Black Europe Resources
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