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17. Aug, 2020
Wisdom Part I
It is every parent's role to teach those around them whether they are their blood relative or whether they encounter a child or young person that they are responsible for. As we say in the world of safeguarding, raising a child and ensuring their safety is everyone's responsibility.
In London, bus drivers are taught not to challenge a young person who gets on the bus without payment, ensuring at least in part that they reach their destination safely. Designed to align with the mantra 'keeping children safe is everyone's responsibility'. Underground staff are not so forgiving and will challenge most.
Given this mantra it is therefore our duty to tell children, the dangers of eating too many blackberries that they have picked; to look carefully as they cross the road; to not leave the house on their own if they are at risk; to forgive those that hurt them; to brush their teeth; that they are special; beautiful; loved; worth it; worthy and just as good as those upon the podiums. When challenges or carriages of injustice arise, we will tell them to don their armour and march on and that they are still worthy and just as good.
It is also our responsibility to tell our children 'because you are black', this may happen because it has happened to many black people. We will tell them this until the day most people judge them by the content of their character and not by the colour of their skin.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today! MLKJ
One of my all time heroes Ashley Banjo was recently interviewed on the Channel 4's programme 'The Talk', he chuckles as he details the countless times he has been stopped and searched in London when in his car and the rhyme you match the description of someone we are looking for is used.
I don't want to live in fear, in the main I don't. I don't want my grandchildren or those children around me to live in fear, but I feel they do. We march together, we talk together, we lie together, we work together, we live together, we march toward a world where the fear I have for things are the fear all have for things. I for example, should not fear that as I turn up at an interview or a conference or a meeting, that I am going to be judged first by the colour of my skin and secondly by the content of my character, because of my experiences and that of my black brothers and sisters, I live with that fear daily not just for me but for others like me.
My three aims for the outcomes during the #BLM movement that are on the horizon are:
- Ensure justice for all exists - to be treated with fairness during recruitment processes, during investigations, during police Stop and Search procedures, etc.
- To be equally represented in society
- White supremacy is understood so that equity for all races exist.