Perspectives section writer
Emmanuel (Manny) is a biological and medicinal chemistry undergraduate at UEA – Emmanuel has a passion for all things involving race relations, fantasy literature, popular culture and most importantly R&B and nonsensical riffs and melisma- in his spare time he can be found attempting to replicate such displays to a questionable standard. @mannyagugugu
Articles:
(06.09.16) – The Climate Change Crisis is a Crisis of Race
Perhaps not in its inception, though undeniably, the climate change crisis is one of race. The protest today launched by the UK chapter of the Black Lives Matter (BLMUK) stands as a call to arms in opposition of worrying statistics of the UK’s Influence on both global climate change and the local effects — highlighting the disproportionate nature of these adverse affects on communities of colour in the west and world wide.
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(21.08.16) – Though it May Be Cracked, The Glass Ceiling Remains
Classically, a university education especially one of Russell group or Red-Brick standard universities has been marked as a distinction of class mobility, we know that the those in the upper percentage of wealth in this country are typically high academic achievers.
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(24.06.16) – We are Orlando, But Perhaps We are Omar Mateen Too?
Content warning: mass shooting, homophobia, mental health
In the wake of the Pulse nightclub shooting, myself members of queer societies and wider society are yet again pulled into self-reflection in this time of despair. The tragedy stands as a solid reminder that those who live queer lives are aberrant; there are those who can never accept us — our death is the only thing that can appease them. A solid reminder that when these atrocities strike our communities — those who are struck hardest will be the queer people of colour, our trans siblings and disabled siblings. It was a solid reminder of the extent of homophobia within our society leads to; whilst simultaneously exposing the exclusion of faith within our spaces of activism and self-organization. It is entirely uplifting to see people from across the world and many facets of society declare their solidarity following #weareorlando trend; I am filled with pride and affirmation that the life style myself and my kinfolk live are valid, we deserve recognition, we deserve to be able to celebrate our cultures — to simply exist, without fear of decimation and harm.
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(27.05.16) – Beyoncé and her Refreshing Lemonade
Lemonade, Beyoncé’s latest album, is aptly named. In the political climate we live in with constant reminders of the atrocities that black people face, and a music industry that seems to be losing its greatest and brightest this year, nothing could have been more refreshing than this album for popular culture and especially for black women. This is undoubtedly the strongest piece of work Beyoncé has ever produced; musically, visually, and politically. With features and samples from a wide variety of artists including James Blake, Jack White, Diplo and for a second time another sample from Outkast’s’ ‘Spottieottiedopaliciousness’ (which I will never complain about), Knowles-Carter goes from strength to strength and I am truly left to question if it is ever possible for her to release an album less brilliant than its predecessor.
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(05.02.16) – The Defamation of Bill Cosby: Black Communities and Rape Culture
In the three years since the origin of Black Lives Matter campaigning- we as a people have plenty to be thankful for.
Amongst the continuous protests against non-indictments of cops who slaughter us; despite being refused entry to the venues that play our music and profit from our culture, we have made progress.
The movement only gains further ground each day: the suffering of our people is openly documented for all to see, and pioneering individuals in the movement are meeting with possible presidential candidates. The most important achievement of the movement lies in the renewed energy within a generation. Though it is often exhausting hearing the same harrowing accounts; to continuously explain valid theory and personal lived experiences to voices that will attempt to silence you- I am firm in the belief that the only way we can initiate radical change within structured oppression is through continuous and accessible discourse.
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(11.12.15) – Representation Isn’t Enough To Save You, pt 2
To be forthcoming; yes- living and working conditions for black people have reached some atrocious lows in Obama’s two terms as president: the worst black unemployment rate in 28 years was recorded at was 16.8 in March 2011; 28 percent of all African Americans were living in poverty in 2013, and two out of five African American children lived in relative poverty – the most harrowing statistic of all: a $131,000 disparity between the average income of the white household and the African American.
Perhaps the biggest paradox of all is a Black President coexisting with the Black Lives Matter movement independent of the government. Statistics like these really do not encourage much faith in Obama and his ability as a ‘black president’- but again to merely look at these statistics without considering the economic climate Obama was thrust into would be a misrepresentative and reductive analysis. The ‘Great Recession’ in 2008-13 is widely understood to be caused by a deregulation of wall street during Bush’s Administration and was characterised by fiscal austerity, collapsing of housing markets due to irresponsible lending from the banking sector which (amongst many other contributory factors), could perhaps be lead us to reason these effects on the black community.
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(06.11.15) – Representation Isn’t Enough To Save You, pt 1
More so than ever before with our current Conservative government- UK politics has always been something I’ve personally felt very distanced from. Those who occupy positions of power that govern the direction our nation is heading in are often far richer than I, public/grammar school educated, significantly whiter and straighter than I could ever hope to be – I’ve accepted that fact a long time ago, and it’s not something I see changing in near future.
Don’t misunderstand me though, I will never and apply the often far-reaching and misdirected scope of white liberalism (see Caroline Crampton and Louise Mensch twitter feeds) and contend privileged members of parliament can never hold the interests of the oppressed at heart in their campaigns and motions- effective representation is far more than a skin deep observation.
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(09.10.15) – “When’s White History Month?” and the Identity of ‘Black’
Let’s face it, the history we are exposed to in this state is white-oriented, Eurocentric and frequently glamourizes the power and history of Britain’s Imperialism. School curriculum’s explain theorems, recount stories and literature of white heroes, white professors and white creatives. Our history museums and art establishments are filled to the brim of treasures looted from Africa and Asia that continue to remain in our state for claims of ‘greater accessibility’ for the rest of the world– Infact even within the castle of our Monarch sits the remains of buried princes forcibly taken from their homes. In the supremacist society we live in- white history is celebrated and panegyrized daily, don’t be so ignorant as to ask for your time of remembrance when society does not exclude you.
Black history month exists in defiance of the structures that chose to exclude those that supremacy excludes- but one must, ask what does it mean to be black?
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(11.09.15) – An Open Letter to Peggy Hubbard, Sean Hannity and Fox News
‘For a while now I have been trying to do everything in my power to avoid directly writing around police brutality, (specifically in America) and the black lives matter movement. In all sincerity, there are an endless multitude of articles written around this with a much longer word limit than that which I am offered; but given recent stimuli- I could not stay silent for any longer.’
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(14.08.15) – Where Are Our Actors?
‘In the last 20 years there has been a trend of homegrown UK BME actors/actresses abandoning UK television, where they gained initial notoriety; and heading to America to further their careers. Notable examples would be Chiwitel Ejiofor, Parminder Nagra, and Archie Panjabi. With blockbuster hits and critically acclaimed films under their belts like ‘12 Years a Dlave’, ‘Bend It like Beckham’, and ‘East is East’ for these aforementioned individuals; an apparent lack of talent is definitely not the factor.’
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(01.08.15) – Never Call Me An Oreo
‘Often within BME communities the term “Acting white” coupled with pejoratives i.e “bounty/coconut/” are exchanged as a way to insult and demean one another- and for those people of color inhabiting predominantly white environments we find- oddly these are given often as mere observations and to some individuals, a thinly veiled compliment. Personal and shared experiences through lower schooling and higher education would have led me to believe that ‘acting white’ can be seen as a variety of things:’
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(03.07.15) – Yes I’m Black, No You May Not Touch Me
CW: Racism, Sexual Explicitness
So I suppose this starts as incredibly clichéd as every article you’ve ever read central to this topic, so apologies for the start. My story looks like this initially: a surprisingly overconfident, yet tragically naïve 18 year old city kid sets off to university, desperate to finally leave the comfort and restraint of home, yearning for a new circle of friends with few inhibitions; eager to explore depths of his sexuality and surrounding community. None of this realistically, was achievable with a 12:00pm curfew (African parents. Let’s just leave that one there.)’
The Norwich Radical 