Hello everyone, it’s super nice to welcome you back to another entry in ‘My Black dairy!’ As you know from the title today’s entry is about being the ‘most visible yet least remembered‘ and before I continue on in this post I wanted to explain what I mean.
So what do I mean in saying I am the most visible yet least remembered?
I am mainly discussing about black presence. When you see me, you see a canvas of rich dark chocolate melanin. My skin is coated with such an intensity that it very hard not to visually see me especially in a country like the UK which is dominated by white people. According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), 3.3% of the population in England and Wales (2011) is black (this figure has remained fairly consistent as recent studies show). The break down of other ethnicities are evident below in the following diagrams:
Therefore, this problem of black presence is further exacerbated by the fact that there are so little of us located in such areas. As a result, we as a demographic, are usually forgotten and ignored in favour of our white counterparts. However, is this ok?
Well some may argue that it is. With white people accounting for just under 90% of the population (as shown above) it is natural for institutions and government’s to curtail their policies to the majority as it will have the greatest affect. Besides, politics is in essence is about maximising utility, so this strategy is probably most effective.
Having said that, this argument is controversial because it perpetuates a system of institutional racism. It implies that some groups of people are more important than others and this is problematic because it allows society to assimulate this same structure (both subconsciously and directly). This in turn creates a power balance suggesting some races are more superior than others and some opinions have greater importance. There are many examples in history which can facilitate this, one key example being the Slave trade which was the most significant in exemplifying the dehumanisation of one race in favour of another.
However, if we revert back to the present day, why does this pose as a problem for black people in the 21st century? Well, quite simply put, our history has been white-washed into epitomising the 21st century as the ‘post-racial society’. By this, I am referring to the idea that black people and white people are essentially on the same playing field as we have both reached a point of ‘equality.’ This notion became a lot more prevalent since the election of Barack Obama in 2008 as the 44th US president. Blanket statements like ‘the US isn’t racist, as we have a black president’ are clear examples of how race relations have become a taboo topic that people fail to acknowledge and address.
As a result of this opportunities, opinion and problems for black people are easily forgotten and sometimes shunned because many believe in such a phenomena. It fails to acknowledge that I, as black young woman from London, am already at a disadvantage to my white female counterpart because she has access to another concept that many fail to acknowledge called ‘white privilege’. In my video below, I discuss the issues and problems that I face as a young black woman due to the problems created by institutional racism which over the ages (spanning from slavery) has seeped into societies unconscious prejudice/discrimination against such individuals like myself.
Politics is a another key example that illustrates the point mentioned above. With political parties failing to address the needs and concerns of BME’s (Black and Minority Ethnicities), voter turnout and participation has fluctuated accordingly. For example in Hackney, BME’s account for just under 40% of the population but many voted for the Labour Party in the recent UK Election 2016 because they were the most appealing in addressing BME concerns. This is evident as the election showed a swing in BME votes for the Labour Party compared to the 2015 election. Furthermore, the Hackney South and Shoreditch constituency won a large proportion of the vote (winning 79.4%) and the Hackney North and Stoke Newington also shared similar results by winning 75.1%. Obviously, there are other factors to be considered, but this shows that there is clearly some correlation between policy appeal and voter turnout.
With recent studies also showing that the demographic of BME’s are growing in numbers, this could play a key turning point in UK politics. Thus, being detrimental to parties such as the Conservatives which don’t traditionally target such demographic and have been losing existing support (as demonstrated in the UK Election 2016).
Although, the growth in this demographic poses a threat to current political parties in power, it will also change the dynamic of society as we know. Black people can no longer be ignore because will become even more present, our demands will become even louder and our power will become even stronger. Consequently, rather than facing a future where such passion is perceived as aggression and creating a ‘rivalry’ amongst races, it is important to acknowledge us now for who we are not what you want us to be.
So to end on a high note, I have recently participated in campaign lead by the Edinburgh University BME committee and ACS to show case black students and what we are truly all about. The campaign is essentially as photographic representation of black student at university and serves as a clear indicator regarding our presence. We are powerful and strong, we are not aggressive! Here are just a few of the amazing photos all beautifully captured by Wami Aluko
For a more personal perspective, please watch the video below, (just a quick note, sorry if I ramble but the whole point of this series is to remain authentic but these videos will become more structured as the MBD series progresses)
<p><a href=”https://vimeo.com/237103845″>MBD: Most visible yet least remembered</a> from <a href=”https://vimeo.com/user72207771″>Haddy Jeng</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p>
Featured Image Source: Photography by Wami Aluko
Haddy Jeng 