Schoolgirl dies after drinking hot chocolate, race riots & other stories from Black, Asian an Arab communities in the UK you shouldn't have missed this week - curated by Melissa Sigodo.

The Read - "I didn’t move to this city just to survive. I came here to live. And lately, that feels impossible", writes Naila Aroni

Good afternoon,

Thank you for subscribing to The Thread.

Once again, through your support we have another paid-for opinion piece for The Thread this week. I cannot wait for you to read this powerful write up which I am sure will resonate.

After the racist riots we witnessed, this should be a watershed moment for race relations in Britain, but unfortunately, honest conversations about racism and Islamophobia won’t be had across the media and in politics.

Therefore, now more than ever, it is important to have our voices heard and stories told. The media is not always representative of the experiences of people of colour and I want The Thread to fill that gap. Afterall, the lack of diverse voices is partly why we see so many racist and stereotypical narratives about the communities we come from.

I hope this newsletter serves to show that people of colour are human and that as humans we are just as complex as anyone else.

Without further ado, here’s the latest opinion piece and stories you shouldn’t have missed this week.

---

The Read

Naila Aroni is a policy analyst and writer from Nairobi, Kenya who lives in London. She specialises in arts, culture, and politics. Her work has been featured in Al Jazeera, Africa Is a Country, The Africa Center and other prominent platforms.

As if living in London wasn’t already exhausting as a Black Muslim immigrant woman, the news of riots planned by the far-right served as a stark reminder of how the rise of fascism is bringing the hatred from wider society right on our doorsteps, writes Naila Aroni.

---

Naila Aroni - Friday August 9, 2024 - The Thread

When I heard the far-right were coming to attack my neighbourhood, all my usual responsibilities faded into the background. I felt overwhelmed by anxiety and a sense of impending doom which left me glued to my phone screen, constantly refreshing social media for updates.

While I am not visibly Muslim, as I don’t wear a hijab, I am vulnerable to experiencing racism simply by existing as a Black woman, and footage of rioters also attacking Black people was confirmation of this, not that I needed any.

About two months ago, I was racially abused at Euston station in London when a middle-aged white man spat at me and threatened to beat me up for simply asking if I could borrow his charger. In an instant, he charged at me, threatening to punch me while shouting in a language I didn’t understand. As I backed away in shock, he continued hissing and spitting in my direction, treating me like I was the scum of the earth.