Black Lives Matter - Silence is Complicity
In solidarity to all my Black Brothers and Sisters I send my heart felt LOVE to all those who have been oppressed, beaten, raped, murdered, stigmatised, and abused because of the colour of their skin in the past, and also in recent years/weeks/days! My Love and Respect goes to George Floyds family.
I grew up in a small mostly white town in the South UK, and I attended a Grammar School for Girls that only had 2 Asian girls and 1 Black girl in the whole of my year. At the age of 16 (1996) I randomly met a Black Jamaican music promotor Otiz Francis and his crew, who was in town from London to promote a Jungle and Garage club event. I hit it off with one of his crew, a Beautiful Irish Girl called Claire who was my age and lived with them. Electrybe soon went home to London, but my friendship with Claire (The Irish Girl from Tipperary strengthened over 1996 Pay Phone connection) and soon I moved to London to work and live with this eclectic collection called "Electrybe". For the first time in my life my mind was blown away by the amazing and beautiful mix of ethnicities! London in 1996 was soooo different from my home town (where White was the predominant colour) and this new mixed and more balanced way of life always excited me and felt more normal:
1996 - Electrybe:
For the first time in my life I saw groups of Orthodox Jew Males stoic and stern, yet with a strong air of wisdom, strolling along together in formation through London in their Sharp suits with amazing Ringlets falling around their faces!
In Market Roads in East London I saw beautiful exotic Indian Ladies in bright Saris surrounded with Fragrant Spices! I saw Greek people smiling and laughing sharing their Mediterranean Sunshine! I saw so many new races, and for once I was not a majority colour and I loved it!!
I heard languages I never heard before! I saw Hand signs and next level welcomes that I had never experienced before! I saw territory rules between Manors like never before! I ate amazing new flavours and got scolded for not eating enough and being too skinny by Jamaican mums! I was surrounded by Jungle music with Ragga and Reggae Roots and then later Garage and Pirate Radios Stations playing the latest Underground. Indeed we even got involved with our own Pirate Radio and I made adverts for it. It was all so Fresh and Exciting! My 16 year old mind was blown wide open by so many amazing new experiences, cultures and ways of life! It was an amazing and empowering time in my life!
It was at this time I also saw my first "out there" Racism as opposed to the covert undertones that existed in my all white home town and previous life. I saw White people avoiding Ethnic groups with a Subtle covert type of Racism. I saw Black People loudly and overtly dissing other Blacks ie: Jamaicans taking the piss out of Africans. I saw Asians show Racism towards Blacks and vice versa. I saw most if not all races staring at Orthodox Jews with a funny look in their eye......
I even saw Violent Racism with groups targeting other ethnic groups.
That said I also saw ALOT of the complete Opposite with White, Black, Asian and other Ethnicities totally not seeing colour and actively loving and encouraging blending together in Unity, especially in the Clubs and Rave scene of 1996.
You may be wondering why this white person is sharing this story and trust me, it isn't to say "oh look I lived with a Black person back in the 90's". I am telling this story because going to London in my Teens enriched my life and set me forward to love and embrace ALL cultures! Maybe I would still have a small town mind if I had not had the chance to experience such a rich diverse mix of cultures in my teens, and I feel blessed that I experienced such a beautiful blend of Spice so early on! It opened me to many more future experiences with all Races! I wasn't small minded before I went to live in London, but BOY did it open my eyes to the beautiful normality of having races mix in Unity!
I haven't been able to attend protests as I am moving home during all this Chaos, but I took a Knee for George Floyd and I asked my Black Ancestors for forgiveness on behalf of my White Ancestors for any injustice done to Black skin by White skin. This is a time for great healing and my heart and love is engaged at this time in this cause!
I love you my Sisters and my Brothers - ALL of you! And on behalf on my Ancestors I offer a Heart Felt Apology for the past treatment of you and also for the present treatment of you. Times need to Change. We ALL bleed the same and we ALL have the same Energy!
IT IS TIME TO UNITE!
ONE LOVE!
Lisa x
Black Pumas - Colors (Official Live Session):
