Walthamstow Academy Sixth Form Bulletin. 03 July 2020

How can I be anti-racist?

Anti-racism is actively identifying and speaking out against racism in organizational structures, policies, practices and attitudes, every time you witness it. If something makes you uncomfortable, voice your discomfort and you are being anti-racist.

What is white privilege? Theconsciouskid on Instagram summarise what white privilege is really clearly. They describe it as, “White supremacy is a system of structural and societal racism which privileges white people over everyone else, regardless of the presence or absence of racial hatred. White racial advantages occur at both a collective and an individual level.” White privilege is defined by the Oxford England Dictionary as “the inherent advantages possessed by a white person on the basis of their race in a society characterised by racial inequality and injustice”.

Actions speak louder than words what is helpful to hear, are phrases like these:

• “I’ve found an organisation that helps in these types of instances and I’ve donated money.” • “I’ve brought this topic up to my co-workers and family so we can talk through what’s happened.” • “I’ve researched more on this and I have learned more about the history of this particular race issue.”

Black Lives Matter

Black lives matter movement. Edited by Folakemi Omoyinmi

The black lives matter movement is an international human rights movement, originating in the African American community, that campaigns against violence and systemic racism towards black people. It was founded in 2013 in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer. The mission of the BLM movement is to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on black communities by the state and vigilantes.

Visit https://blacklivesmatter.com/ for more information on the BLM movement.

The systems of oppression that have had an impact on black people

Slavery started in the year 1619. People from Africa were kidnapped and forced into slavery in the American colonies and exploited to work as indentured servants and labour in the production of crops such as tobacco and cotton. Slave masters had complete control over their slaves. The civil War in America had officially abolished slavery in 1865, but it didn’t end discrimination against black people in America as they were still treated as second-class citizens. Black people continued to endure the devastating effects of racism, especially in the south of the US.

The introduction of Jim Crow laws further marginalised African-Americans by denying them the right to hold jobs, get an education or other opportunities. Black people couldn’t use the same public facilities as white people, live in many of the same towns or go to the same schools. Interracial marriage was illegal, and most black people couldn’t vote because they were unable to pass voter literacy tests. Those who attempted to defy Jim Crow laws often faced arrest, fines, jail sentences, violence and death. Rosa Parks, the woman who refused to give up her seat on a public bus to a white man, acted as a major catalyst for the civil rights movement which began in 1954. Civil rights activist such as Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X are very important leaders who are well known for their methods which led to the ending of legal racial discrimination in the US. Even though this occurred, black people have since and are still even today, treated unfavourably by others.

There was also a period of mass incarceration in the US which oppressed many black people and in particular, black males. Mass incarceration refers to a large number of people incarcerated in the US prison system, especially black people. Mandatory minimum sentencing, police practices, and harsher laws have contributed to the rise of the term mass incarceration. Many argued that these laws put in place did not favour black people, most of which were from poor areas. For example, harsher laws such as increasing the amount to post bail meant that many black people who had committed petty crimes or even those who were innocent were not able to get out. Once they were in, that was it. In July 2017, statistics found that there are 41.4 million people in the US that are black/african-american which represents 12.7 percent of the whole population. However, they represented 33% of the US prison population.

Many people argue that the 13th amendment to the US constitution has also led to the continued oppression of black people. The 13th amendment states that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States. Therefore, despite slavery being officially ‘abolished’ in 1865, many still argue that due to the imprisonment of black people today, slavery still exists but just in a modern form.

Visit https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/slavery for more on Slavery.

Visit https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-movement for more on Jim crow laws and the civil rights movement in America.

Visit https://www.vox.com/2015/7/13/8913297/mass-incarceration-maps-charts for more on mass incarceration.

Visit https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/thirteenth-amendment for more on the 13th amendment.

Films and documentaries to watch to educate yourself on racism and black oppression

1. 13th - This documentary from Ava DuVernay explores the inequality of the US prison system, where Black prisoners are hugely over-represented. While the film is named after the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery throughout the United States in 1865, DuVernay argues that slavery has taken on a new form with the mass incarceration of Black people. Available to watch on netflix. Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6IXQbXPO3I

2. Just Mercy - Telling the true story of a lawyer and social justice activist, Just Mercy is a heart- wrenching look at the over-representation of Black men on death row. Sentenced to death despite no evidence or just because they "looked guilty", this film will make you understand how, for many, being Black is enough of a crime to die for. Available to watch on amazon prime or other streaming services e.g. 123 movies. Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVQbeG5yW78

3. The Hate U Give - The Hate U Give tells the story of Starr, who witnesses her friend shot dead by police after reaching for his hairbrush. While friends and family from Starr's neighbourhood take to the streets to protest, her predominantly white private school friends and boyfriend struggle to understand. An important watch for how not to use your white privilege. Available to watch on now TV or other streaming services e.g. 123 movies. Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MM8OkVT0hw

4. When They See Us - This miniseries tells the story of the Central Park 5 – five young Black men falsely accused and prosecuted for the sexual assault of a white woman. With no evidence or DNA, the group still served sentences ranging from six to 13 years in prison for crimes they didn't commit; another damning story of systemic racism in the judicial system. Available to watch on netflix. Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHbOt2M8md0

5. 12 Years a Slave - Based on Solomon Northup's memoirs of being born a free man then sold into slavery in 1841, this film doesn't hold back on the brutal, degrading and fatal reality of slavery. The way racism and oppression manifests in society may have changed, but the scars of slavery are important to understand. Available to watch on netflix. Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z02Ie8wKKRg

6. American Son - In this film, time passes and tension mounts in a Florida police station as an estranged interracial couple awaits news of their missing teenage son. Available to watch on netflix. Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbKZlSwAS3M

Songs to listen to which explain what black people go through, white privilege and racism in general (please note the songs include swear words and inappropriate language)

1. DAVE - Black 2. JOYNER LUCAS - I’m not racist 3. MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS FT JAMILA WOODS - White privilege II 4. BEYONCE FT KENDRICK LAMAR - Freedom 5. LIL BABY - The bigger picture

Books to read to educate yourself on racism and which talk about racism and white privilege in general

1. Why I’m no longer talking to white people about race - Renni Eddo-Lodge Reni Eddo-Lodge wrote about her frustration with the way that discussions of race and racism in Britain were being led by those who weren't affected by it. Exploring issues from eradicated black history to the political purpose of white dominance, whitewashed feminism to the inextricable link between class and race, Reni Eddo-Lodge offers a timely and essential new framework for how to see, acknowledge and counter racism.

2. Me and white supremacy - Layla F Saad A blistering expose of how entrenched white privilege is in modern society, Saad’s Me and White Supremacy blog dug deep into the - often unconscious – racial prejudice which many white people took completely for granted. Packed with practical exercises and enlightening socio-political context, the book of the blog offers numerous ways of transforming the discourse surrounding institutionalised racism. Me and White Supremacy teaches readers how to dismantle the privilege within themselves so that they can stop (often unconsciously) inflicting damage on people of colour, and in turn, help other white people do better, too.

3. White fragility - Robin DiAngelo Anger. Fear. Guilt. Denial. Silence. These are the ways in which ordinary white people react when it is pointed out to them that they have done or said something that has - unintentionally - caused racial offence or hurt. But these reactions only serve to silence people of colour, who cannot give honest feedback to 'liberal' white people lest they provoke a dangerous emotional reaction.

4. How to be an antiracist - Ibram X. Kendi Stirring and provocative, How to be an Antiracist skewers smug self-satisfaction about liberal credentials by stating that we are all complicit in racist incidents. Only by assertive ‘antiracism’ can such appalling abuse and attack begin to be curbed. An incendiary polemic from an acknowledged authority on the subject.

Not being racist is not enough. We must be anti-racist. In this rousing and deeply empathetic book, Ibram X. Kendi, founding director of the Antiracism Research and Policy Center, shows that when it comes to racism, neutrality is not an option: until we become part of the solution, we can only be part of the problem.

Microaggressions

Microaggressions have been defined as brief and common daily verbal, behavioral, and environmental communications, whether intentional or unintentional, that transmit hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to a target person because they belong to a stigmatised group. Example of microaggressions include saying things like the following to a person of colour:

- Wow you are so articulate - Asking a person of colour if that is their real hair - Your name is so hard to pronounce The truth is that the only way to avoid microaggressions is by arming yourself with knowledge about microaggressions. It is important to include some reflective work around your own internal prejudices in an effort to connect with your empathic response and minimise harmful comments or behaviors.

Visit https://www.messiah.edu/download/downloads/id/921/Microaggressions_in_the_Classroom.pdf for more examples on microaggressions in the classroom

Visit https://www.businessinsider.com/microaggression-unconscious-bias-at-work-2018-6?r=US&IR=T & https://www.cultureamp.com/blog/the-importance-of-understanding-microaggressions-at-work/for more on microaggressions in the workplace

Thank you Folakemi Omoyinmi.

Dear Ms Obrien These pictures are a mix of shots I took at the protests on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday and they were mostly outside Downing Street and Parliament Square.

The protests were mostly peaceful and felt pretty empowering except for Saturday when things got pretty chaotic with flares and glass bottles flying over while horses were running over people in the middle of a storm.

At the moment my favorite type of photography is street photography and portraits, although I enjoy doing a bit of everything. My favorite part of photography is getting to edit the shots later and give them a certain 'feel' to them by adjusting the colours and exposure of them. I realised how much I liked it when I started doing my media coursework and learned through YouTube videos and playing around with the old camera I already had.

As for getting my pictures published, I always think about doing it but never get around to it for some reason. If I manage to get any money out of these shots I will donate them to BLM or other similar causes.

Kind regards,

Sorin Diaconescu sorin-d-visuals.com

TED: Black Lives Matter Born out of a social media post, the Black Lives Matter movement has sparked discussion about race and inequality across the world. In this spirited conversation with Mia Birdsong, the movement's three founders share what they've learned about leadership and what provides them with hope and inspiration in the face of painful realities. Their advice on how to participate in ensuring freedom for everybody: join something, start something and "sharpen each other, so that we all can rise."

Every week we are asking you to write to us at Walthamstow Academy Bulletin to tell us a story or offer advice to your year group. Is there something that has affected your family or community that hasn't been reported on yet?

News doesn't have to be negative so if you've got a positive story you think other people would like to know tell us them too!

Email your news or article to either or all, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

The Day: News

The Guardian: News

The Independent: News

The Times: News

Access Aspiration – Talks Next weeks’ provision for Access All Areas: (Week commencing 6th July/ Zoom 4pm)

• Finance and technology Sector 8th July- Nasdaq= talk by Bryan Mahon Ball https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-mahon-ball-7b4a6a8/

• Engineering/ Geologist 9th July- Jomas Associates= talk by Roni Savage https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronisavage/ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/roni-savage-wants-see-more-women-construction-hows- she-crowcroft/

There is a great article about Roni and Women in Engineering

SuperCurricular

The Uptree Learning Hub are offering online career workshops on a range of different careers (including law, business and finance and science and engineering). If interested, please visit: https://uptree.co/uptree-workshops/

Upcoming Careers Workshops (Online)

Friday 10 Jul Careers in Law online

Tuesday 14 Jul Summer Careers Course Week 1: First Impressions online

Wednesday 15 Jul Summer Careers Course Week 1: First Impressions online

Tuesday 21 Jul Summer Careers Course Week 2: Finding Work Experience online

Wednesday 22 Jul Summer Careers Course Week 2: Finding Work Experience online

Uni Taster Days and Webinars A large selection of taster days and webinars covering business , accounting, marketing, law, criminology, psychology, midwifery, life sciences click Here

Enrichment - Activities & Resources Delivered by External Providers

Short online courses. You can choose from hundreds of online courses from top universities and specialist organisations. MOOCs (‘massive online open courses’) can be accessed through a range of sites, such as www.futurelearn.com and www.coursera.org

Boredom Busting courses can be found here.

Digital Resource Hub – University of Oxford resources that enable further exploration of passions, as well as interests, and show how to discover more about Oxford. Resources from Oxford University

• Oxplore - As the 'Home of Big Questions', Oxplore aims to engage students aged 11- 18 with debates and ideas that go beyond the classroom. Big questions tackle complex ideas across a range of subjects and draw on the latest research undertaken at Oxford.

• Suggested reading and resources - Links and reading lists for each subject offered at Oxford can be found here.

There is an abundance of resources – too many to list click here for more fascinating and exciting subjects and areas to choose from.

what’s on the box this week ……

BBCiplayer Selma Fim_here. Film chronicling the tumultuous three-month period in 1965 when Dr Martin Luther King Jr led a campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition, culminating in the epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, which led President Johnson to sign the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the civil rights movement that forever altered history.

I am not your Negro documentary here Narrated entirely in the words of James Baldwin, through both personal appearances and the text of his final unfinished book project, this film touches on the lives and assassinations of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr and Medgar Evers. The film brings powerful clarity to how the images and reality of black lives in America today are fabricated and enforced.

Have you listened to George the Poet You must listen to this Award-winning podcaster and spoken word artist George the Poet comes to the BBC’s own Radio Theatre for a one-off live show exploring what rap can teach us about education.

For George, rap was always a vehicle for knowledge. Rap was an essential part of George’s own development as a poet, and studying Sociology at Cambridge University allowed him to look more closely at what rap can do for marginalised communities.

George brings a number of friends to the stage to explore what rap can teach us about education. Neuroscientist Dr Becky Inkster and psychiatrist Dr Akeem Sule are co-founders of Hip Hop Psych. Hip Hop Psych dissects hip hop lyrics to analyse the mechanisms of mental health problems, signals which are sometimes overlooked because of their mode of communication.

Sonita Alleyne OBE is the new Master of Jesus College, Cambridge. She is the first woman to be the Master of Jesus College and the first black person to lead any Oxbridge college. Sonita is the co-founder and former CEO of media production company Somethin’ Else.

Featuring an exclusive poem from Chapter Two of the podcast with music written by Benbrick.

Wellbeing and Activities

National Theatre at Home: Click here for details on how to view it live from YouTube live national theatre site. Showing this week

Les Blancs, the final play by Lorraine Hansberry, directed by Yaël Farber: a brave, illuminating, and powerful work that confronts the hope and tragedy of revolution. Streaming from 7pm UK time tonight, to 7pm on Thursday 9 July.

Extra-Curricular Learning from past outbreaks

In the early 1980s, there were no treatments for HIV. Today, modern drugs that help people lead healthy and happy lives are affordable and widely available. There is still no HIV vaccine, showing why those treatments are so critical. But it took time for the benefits to reach those who needed them most.

At the height of the AIDS crisis, treatment cost up to $15,000 per person, per year. So, as science moves at pace to find COVID-19 treatments, these lessons of fair access can’t be forgotten.

“The solution to this pandemic has to be global, so treatments must be accessible and affordable for everyone who needs them,” says our Epidemics Lead, Dr Josie Golding. wellcome trust - four-lessons-past-epidemics-guide-us-search-covid-19-treatments?

The Mix is a digital charity in the United Kingdom. Their main remit is ‘to take on the embarrassing problems’ and subjects close to the hearts of the young people who use its service. Specifically, the charity works with anybody under the age of 25, providing them ‘essential support’ via a range of different channels, inclusive of a free helpline and chat service, articles, and peer-to-peer community chats. Alongside this, The Mix provides opportunities for young people to have a say on what the charity supports and campaigns for and provides volunteer and training opportunities. Click here to explore: The Mix