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Carer gets new wheels after riots, Nandos waitress attacked and other stories from Black, Asian an Arab communities in the UK you shouldn't have missed this week - curated by Melissa Sigodo.

Carer gets new wheels after riots, Nandos waitress attacked and other stories from Black, Asian an Arab communities in the UK you shouldn't have missed this week - curated by Melissa Sigodo.

"Does violence occur at Carnival? Yes. Does violence occur at Glastonbury, Reading, and any other mainstream festivals? Yes" - This week's opinion piece is out.

Aug 30, 2024
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Carer gets new wheels after riots, Nandos waitress attacked and other stories from Black, Asian an Arab communities in the UK you shouldn't have missed this week - curated by Melissa Sigodo.
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Good evening or perhaps by the time you see this, it might be morning.

My apologies for the late newsletter. It has been a week riddled with technical issues. I should consider sending out a monthly printed copy. Watch this space.

Aside from that, as promised, we have another opinion piece for The Read.

Those of you who have been paying attention to the news will have heard many opinions around Notting Hill Carnival. This week’s opinion piece delves into that, so I hope you enjoy reading it.

Without further ado, here The Read as well as news you shouldn’t have missed this week.


The Read

Habiba is a freelance journalist and writer. She has written for Refinery29UK, British Vogue, HuffPost UK, inews, and several other publications. Habiba writes stories about race, gender, and internet culture.

“Seeing the way the mainstream media continuously portrays carnival is deeply frustrating. A weekend of Black joy, music, and culture is always reduced to violence and knife crime”, writes Habiba Katsha.


Habiba Katsha - Friday August 30, 2024 - The Thread

I was two-years-old when I first went to Notting Hill Carnival. My parents who came to the UK just a few months prior, wanted my sister and I to learn about other Black cultures. Though I was too young to remember, my sibling says I spent the day on my dad’s shoulders taking in the costumes, music, and the general atmosphere of carnival. 

Even though I’m Congolese I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by a lot of different Caribbean communities. I grew up in a church filled with Jamaicans, Bajans, St. Lucians and Grenadians. My sister started playing in bands at carnival at the age of 16. She would play Soca around the house before she set off to hit the road. These experiences have allowed me to have a fond appreciation of Caribbean cultures and carnival in itself. But getting older and learning about the history of Carnival made me respect it even more.

“Carnival is an act of resistance”

When Carnival was established in the 18th century in Trinidad it was a way of emancipated slaves to celebrate their newfound freedom. Here in the UK, Notting Hill Carnival was a direct response to the death of Kelso Cochrane, an Antiguan who was killed in racially motivated attacks. 

As an African, I’ve always felt that the contributions that Caribbeans have made to this country have been undermined. Of course, this country was built on the backs of different immigrants including Africans, Asians, and Caribbeans. But we cannot understate how much the Windrush generation contributed to the UK and the violence and racism they faced when they arrived on British soil. 

When I attend Notting Hill Carnival, I’m a guest. This year the experience was extra special as I spent the day with my best friend who is Jamaican and Dominica. It was heart-warming to see how proud he was of his culture and community. For him and many other West Indians, carnival is way more than just a party. 

Carnival to me means celebrating Caribbean people and communities. It’s a weekend to see how far they’ve come as a community but to also speak out about the injustices the community still faces. Seeing the way the mainstream media continuously portrays carnival is deeply frustrating. A weekend of Black joy, music, and culture is always reduced to violence and knife crime.

Does violence occur at Carnival? Yes. Does violence occur at Glastonbury, Reading, and any other mainstream festivals? Yes, but it seems that carnival is the only occasion that seems to get a bad rep. It’s impossible to stop violence at a street party where millions of people attend. Notting Hill Carnival is more than what the media says it is. It’s a joyous occasion and should not be associated with problematic stereotypes. I love Carnival and I will always use it to champion the experiences of West-Indians in the UK.


News

A carer whose car was burned and flipped during riots has purchased a new vehicle after receiving the money raised through a GoFundMe set up by his employers. Brendan Nwabichie said although he was “happy”, he claims that bosses attempted to "tarnish” his name and make him seem “greedy.” Full story.

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