A NOD TO WHITE PEOPLE!

To the ones who are ACTIVELY anti-racist,

THANK YOU for showing up, for putting your career on the line, for risking potential opportunities, for taking on the opposition of your family, for losing friends, for accepting the loss of love, for standing up in the face of so much hate in support of Black and Brown people. For not backing down, for not giving up, for committing to the cause, for staying by our side, for every post shared to highlight (systemic and institutionalised) racism and every other sickening treatment on those targeted just because they are Black and/or Brown. 

For choosing to get educated, for wanting to help however you can, for openly using your privilege for good and to better the lives of Black and Brown people. For publicly being in support of (ALL) BLACK LIVES MATTER... 

A nod to the white people who not only get it but have consistently demonstrated that they will continue to be forever about it - THANK YOU!

Black and Brown people are likely to always feel the negative impact of what has been done to them historically and what they are experiencing today (as well as anything that may be ahead of them in the form of racism, etc.) however, I know most (if not all of us) realise that not every white person is racist. We see those of you who are firmly in our corner, speaking on our behalf and boldly making moves, irrespective of any repercussions to help us finally end the harsh treatment we have faced at the hands of the oppressors for centuries. 

Gratitude is a must and so, with this post, I am extending a hearty THANKS to each white person doing their part and then some! 🖤

God bless,
Charley - @charleyjaiuk x

BROWN PEOPLE ON STAGE & SCREEN...

Random fact: I really do not like the words Black (an association to evil, fear and aggression), BAME (a patronising term used to describe certain people considered to be 'less than'), or Urban (a racial stereotype which is a waste of a word). These words have always made me feel uncomfortable but, like so many I became accustomed to using them, accepting their apparent ‘representation’. I much prefer the words *Brown (referring to people whose skin/complexions are beautiful shades of brown) and Underrepresented (those who are inadequately represented or supported).

Bigwigs have a duty to positively represent all and that includes Brown/Black people. Pertaining to the entertainment industry in the UK, there are opportunities (albeit with the world of struggles and barriers), however, we are less likely to be given a prime gig and more likely to be portrayed/treated negatively when booked!

Diversity, inclusion, and representation have always been amiss when it comes to Brown people. While, notably, there have been some improvements, featuring a few, or the odd 1, on a Talk Show, for example, does not represent diversity, inclusion, or representation any more than a ‘comedy’ show with an all-brown cast does. We need to see and hear relatable content on every channel, every stage, in every magazine, billboards, radio, and screens, etc., worldwide, and the ratio needs to be equal and frequent. We need for these representations to be POSITIVE and UPLIFTING. There is more to Brown people than comedy and tragedy!!

TV and Filmmaking Execs, etc., need to show themselves to be actively anti-racist by employing and featuring more Brown people. Many say they're listening, however; they refuse to have us in the room where they claim to be making decisions on how to 'better represent' who we are, our heritage, our stories, etc. This confuses me. How can I better represent whites, for example, with the content I create for my blog if I do not speak directly to white people about the views and feelings surrounding their needs, struggles, experiences, etc.? The same applies to Brown people. It isn't as simple as thinking you know, or only speaking with well-known, or highly successful people from our community. You've got to converse with all of us!

We cannot continue to have white people 'flying the flag' for us, as it were. That is not the way. It has never been the way. 400+ years and it is still the same responses from one too many white Execs/bosses across all industries which results in the same devastation for Brown people followed by the inevitable protests. It's ridiculous that I am even writing this! I shouldn't be. It's 2020 for goodness sake!!

The Media, Education, Corporate, Commercial and every other institution, requires serious reform. Brown people will be better represented when they are included in making the relevant changes towards achieving this goal. We need to have a say across ALL platforms and sectors. That is inclusion and diversity!! Not keeping us at arm's length, continuing to exclude us, while at the same time displaying slogans, banners and messages throughout your websites and social media accounts which state - BLACK LIVES MATTER. 

It starts with just one of you TV bosses, Casting Directors, Filmmakers, Magazine Editors, Radio Execs, etc., extending an invitation to Brown people to join you in a very transparent conversation about the issues the majority seem ready to discuss. Yes, it will be uncomfortable but, it will also be the start of the change all of us need to see. There is no quick fix but to begin the remedy, in my humble opinion, white led and white driven organisations need to start employing Brown and underrepresented people and also include us in certain decision-making especially where the representation of us is concerned. Don't just say you support us, SHOW us that you do!

Charley - @charleyjaiuk

BLACK AND PROUD!

No disclaimer because I don’t gi a rarse who may or may not be offended. My truth, in this post, is born from pain. The pain I am entitled to feel, to sometimes wallow in and to share as and when I see it is necessary. Necessary to heal, necessary to help others heal. Heal so I do not turn into my oppressors, the oppressors still oppressing in the face of the current times, oppressors who do not realise their time is about to be up, the oppressors of black people. People with heart, soul, ongoing strength, the loudest courage, deep wisdom, and an awakened emotionally charged fire no amount of comfort can put out.

This chapter of the fight, BLACK LIVES MATTER, is The One that will not end until Black people see the change we have needed to see as of 1619! We are finally using our voices in a bold and unapologetically passionate way (no holding back, just like our ancestors) to speak on every injustice and we will keep speaking, shouting and pushing for our voices to be heard until we get results!

Jim Crow's segregation laws had the objective of denying persons free from slavery any equal rights or access to the political system. Those laws have been abolished, it is now 2020, yet there remains among us too many who are religiously ignorant. They're about to get the most shocking wake up call of their lives because black people are NOT having it anymore. The unlawful killings of black people will STOP!!

The brutal lynching of George Floyd, like a shockingly disgraceful long list of blacks before and since him, stirred up the world of emotions in me. His unlawful murder got me in my throat and in the pit of my stomach. The anger was instant and has not left an ounce of my being. But, do you know what? I don’t want it to. I need it to stay. I need to stay hurt, vexed, for the fire in my belly to continue to roar, for my head to continue thinking of ways I can contribute towards the change we need and for my heart to remember that love is why we are here and love is why we matter. Love is why we fight!

To my Black people – we feel, think, digest, process and respond differently, but, we ARE and always will be one race: one community. We are affected, but we are not broken. We may be physically distant but, we can be socially connected. Some of us will protest offline and some of us will make noise online. However we choose to invest, the important thing is that we do (respectfully and peacefully) because without a united stance we may never have the oppressors recognise that our lives matter! Don’t come together just for the time. Come together and stay together indefinitely because each of our lives depends on our unity. We need to continuously feel proud of our heritage, spurred on by the great achievements of our ancestors, push forward with the work we are doing today and believe that, by the grace of God, concrete changes will follow. We need to continue the fight for as long as it takes. Together!

White racist people, read this slowly – black and brown people are not here to serve you in any sort of way and we were not birthed to be hunted for sport either! Your sudden realisations that you have been or are ignorant is not something we can support you with but, there, there now... Google is readily available to everybody! Get educated, elevate your consciousness, unlearn the conditioned thinking and behaviour that has caused you to despise Black people! Change is hot on the heels of everyone. Don’t resist the revolution, get with the programme!!

To White people who are genuinely in support of Black Lives - the most important things you can do to support us is to use your privilege to STAND IN THE WAY OF BRUTALITY and to open the doors to platforms where we can and will be heard.

I am proud of my fellow black people. Proud of the activism efforts of so many. Proud of the conversations we are finally showing up for. Proud of the honesty we are sharing. Proud of the movement - BLACK LIVES MATTER TOO! BLACK LIVES WILL ALWAYS MATTER! ALL BLACK LIVES MATTER!!!!

I AM SO PROUD TO BE BLACK!!

Now read this post again to fully understand the message here.

God bless,

Charley Jai x
@charleyjaiuk

AUDIO VERSION of this post can be listened to here: 

https://charleyjaiuk.podbean.com/e/black-proud-charley-jai/