So Young, So Street-wise

Teen-age Black Journalists target UK racism and power abuse

Reporting the truth on race-hate crimes is probably harder than writing about hydro-informatics. Yet, in a remarkable roundtable conversation, teenage journalists of African, Afro-Caribbean and Asian backgrounds, have shone light on racism and power abuse on the streets of London. Moreover, this ability to plumb the depths of their own urban experiences fits them well for journalism careers in the multi-cultural, multi-media capital of Britain.

Using as a marking point the six-year search for justice by the parents of black teenager Stephen Lawrence, slain in a racist attack, the young journalists were asked "What's it like being young and black in London?" The interviews were held at the London offices of Children's Express, a centre for learning through journalism for children aged 8-18 years.

Reaction to the Lawrence inquiry
"When things like the Stephen Lawrence murder happen," says Mehrak Golestani, 15, from south-west London, "white people only react to it like they do because it seems the right thing to do. There's no real intimidation or fear for them." But for Golestani "Being from an ethnic minority, the fear is always there - that you could be the next Stephen Lawrence. It's really worrying. You could be the next Stephen Lawrence and the police wouldn't give a damn. You can't say all the police are racists because that would be silly. They're not out and out, but they're subconsciously racist."

Others agree and describe the all-pervasive nature of racism. "It's institutions themselves that are racist. It starts at the very top," says Darell Philip, 17, of East London. "Look at the people at the BBC [British Broadcasting Corporation]. All the cooks and cleaners are black. I don't know what I think about that. The media attention around Stephen Lawrence did do good but at the end of the day the injustice still remains," he says.

Prejudice, Ignorance and Stereotypes
Senab Adekunle, 16, of east London draws attention to the daily prejudices and stereotypes black people face. "You believe a bus conductor when he says the bus is too full. But I remember a time when all my family were waiting to get on this bus and the conductor said there was no space. Then he let all these white people on. There were only four of us and about seven of them. We were left out in the cold. There were hardly any black people on that bus. My whole family just flipped," says Adekunle.

Daniel Blackwood, 17 of north London says "There's a fruit stall on the end of my road and they are blatantly racist. When they see me walk past they say, 'are you off with the rest of the brothers, going to mug someone?'. He's a traditional racist."

Carlene Thomas-Bailey, 14, of south-west London says black youth do not feel safe in their encounters with public servants. "Black people say they feel intimidated by the police. But the police aren't meant to intimidate you - they're meant to protect you, she says, adding that "When you see a police car you're supposed to feel safe, not that you're going to get arrested because of the colour of your skin. When you look at someone you should see the person, not the colour. But black is negative and white is positive."

Rupal Patel, 15, from north-west London says "I notice this sort of racism when I'm wearing my England shirt. White people look at you and say, 'why are you supporting England - you're Indian?'. I try to let it not affect me."

Many white youth learn their prejudices in the parental home, suggests Aminah Carter, 15, also from north-west London. She observes that "If a kid's parents are debating with their friends and they talk about 'big lips and chicken' stereotypes of black people, then the kid picks up on it and when they get to school they use the same thing. I've even had a teacher who cracked a racist joke about French people. I didn't laugh but everyone else did."

Race -hate jibes
Alleged differences that lead to race-hate jibes in schoolyards and mixed neighbourhoods, and to being stopped by traffic police, can also lead to death as in the case of Stephen Lawrence, according to one youth. Mehrak Golestani says "The school my mate goes to is predominantly white and suddenly this new family came - three or four brothers. They were all skinheads, the family was NF [National Front, a white race-hate organisation]. They kept saying stuff to him and his friends. They kept taking the mickey out of the way they talked. Golestani described the menacing atmosphere that developed. " My mate had Pele Pele jeans on - they had PP on the back - and they said, 'what does that stand for - Paki Paki?'. They treated it like it was minor but in reality it's bad. They said, 'why don't you two just fuck-off to your promised land?'. Soon things turned nasty. "After school the boys followed my mate's friend and shot him through the leg with a BB gun [air rifle]. The NF boy came up to my mate and said 'you'd better watch out Paki because you're next'. As a result says Golestani "There's always this doubt at the back of his mind because he doesn't know if this white person is going to turn on him."

Police
The young journalists report a litany of woes afflicted on black youth. There is bitter resentment at negative police behaviour and misuse of stop and search powers. Jay Servin, 18, from north London says "I've had several run-ins with the police. I was called 'nigger' by officers up in Richmond. I didn't feel anything. I was shocked. Another time, me and my cousin were stopped by two police officers. They asked us what our relationship was with each other. We said we were cousins. One said to the other, 'didn't you know they're all cousins?'. Then we gave bad abuse back. We retaliated badly. They said they'd nick us for swearing but we just walked off.

Driving while Black
Servin continues, "You can be driving down the street with your friends and the police will come and stop you. One time we goes, 'we knew you were going to stop us' and the guy said, 'three black boys with pillows on the back of the car doesn't fit with your image'. They thought we'd stolen the car, though it was my friend's."

Mehrak Golestani also has doubts about the role of local police. "My friend was walking home from school on his own. He noticed that two men were following him. He knew they didn't live there but he didn't want to be too suspicious for no reason. He went into his house and they came up to the same floor and knocked at the door. They were policemen. Golestani continues his story: "They said someone had robbed the off-licence. The police didn't arrest him, they just said they wanted him to come with them. He asked why and they said he fitted the description. He asked what it was and they said 'an Asian youth'. He said 'what if I don't come?', and they said they would arrest him on suspicion. His mum wasn't there, he was on his own so he went with them to the shop. The shopkeeper said it wasn't him but the police didn't say sorry or offer to take him back."

"The thing that gets me", says Golestani, " is how does he fit the description? All they had was 'Asian youth'. Imagine if they said that about a white person - just 'white youth'."

Distress
Daniel Blackwood, 17, north London says "Police are there to do their job - but they are doing it wrong. Stopping and searching young ethnic youths is causing us distress. It's annoying, but the police don't seem to care. They need to think of a new way to sort out their stop and search policy."

Rupal Patel describes a disturbing encounter with authority by saying "There's a stairwell near school. Some people go there for a puff but when the police came, I was just taking a short cut. They said they thought we might have some illegal substances. They searched me and went through my pockets and everything. They didn't do it to my friend and if they had they would have found something. I didn't have anything. Everyone else there was white and I was the only one they checked."

Amina Kibria, 17, from east London picks up this point as well. "I remember a fireworks incident. Me and my brother Ahmod and a couple of other relatives had some fireworks and we thought we'd take them down the park and set them off. After about five minutes, a police officer comes across and tells us it's illegal and confiscates the fireworks."

Last year, the same thing happened but it wasn't us, it was a white family, says Amina Kibria, and adds "I was watching them from my balcony and I could see them clearly. There were some Asian kids hanging about, but it was the white family who were celebrating and setting all these fireworks off. I never saw one police officer come down and say that was illegal. It seems like people are being racist."

As a result, says Amina Kibria, "There are all these little cases emerging. Now, every time you see a police person you wonder whether they're racist or not, whether you can trust them or not. I always feel like a victim, like they're analysing me. I think they are going to laugh at me or think I'm stupid because I'm Asian."

No respect
Ahmod Kibria, 14, is Amina's brother and says "I'd like to see an Asian or a black police officer. You see them on the TV but you never see one in real life. I live right opposite a police station. You can see everything through the window. In five years, I've never seen a black or Asian officer. The police should take action soon or people will doubt them again. I hope things improve."

Senab Adekunle, 16, of east London has her doubts. "Policemen are always sarcastic, feisty, usually ugly. They always look like they own everywhere, like they have the right to ask you what you've been doing since you were born. I hate policeman. The more mature ones listen, but the younger ones think they can treat you like shit."

To this catalogue of local incidents, Carlene Thomas-Bailey adds that black travellers returning from visits abroad are unfairly treated by customs and airport officials. "When I went to the Trinidad carnival, I travelled back with a black male friend and my family. When we got into London, everyone was let through but he got stopped and searched because they thought he had illegal substances."

"It was such a bad end to the holiday, says Thomas-Bailey, and she adds, "My dad also got stopped because of the colour of his skin. This means something to you, it's not just a petty thing. When we came out of the airport it really hit me."

Hope for the future?
Mehrak Golestani says "Stephen Lawrence has made everyone realise that racism is so evident. It's so much more than just the police. He should be there to remind us what this country is capable of doing. Something positive should come out of his death. He should be an inspiration to every young ethnic person."

Amina Kibria agrees "I hope the Lawrence enquiry proves there was racism. It would give us some hope."

Carlene Thomas-Bailey agrees and offers a final observation: "Stephen Lawrence has shown what society and the police force must do. Racism has got to stop."

The media challenge --a view from The Chronicle
The Chronicle believes these moving testimonies of young black life in white working class areas of London are worth noting for two reasons. They document city life for black and white youth - a mixture of fitful harmony, exclusion and increasing outbreaks of racial abuse and murder.

Yet, by digging deep into the traumas of their own lives the aspiring young black reporters reveal their talented potential for journalism careers. They are using their knowledge of the urban territory and sharpening their reportorial skills, intellect and intuition.

With their inner city roots these black journalism trainees are ideally placed to help shape public debate in the aftermath of the Lawrence affair, a major watershed in British race relations. Their skills and sensitivities are resources the nation and the media need to more confidently and truthfully address diversity and democracy in ailing cities and social institutions.

The Children's Express London Bureau may contacted at
Tel: 0171-833-2577; Fax: 0171-278-7722,
E-mail: director@childrensexpress.btinternet.com