“Never seen a superhero like me in a sci fi, wondering if your dreams were ever even meant for me.”
-FKA Twigs, Home with you
I’ve been Thinking about how much representation matters when growing up as a Black kid in Britain, and the importance of publicly celebrating who we are.
Have you ever thought about how many people of colour there are on the front covers of magazines, or on a popular social media post? Not many/ Not nearly enough.
To be visibly and publicly celebrated, to have a platform where Black voices are amplified is important, especially when working to undo hegemonic narratives of beauty, and to remind Black young people growing up in Britain today that yes, we are great.
It matters so we can tell Black children whom are still facing the same prejudices we did, even though it’s hard, yes you can be anything you want to be.
Last night I watched The Talk on Channel 4 where famous Black Britons including , Ade Adepitan, Tinnie Tempa, Rochelle Humes, Marvin Humes, Emeli Sande, Lennie James (Actor /Writer), Gary Younge (Author / Journalist), Leigh-Anne Pinnock (Little Mix ), Maro Itoje ( Rugby Union), and others talked about what it was like growing up as Black and mixed raced children in Britain.
This included the usual childhood frolics…well certainly for those growing up Black in Britain anyway- being targeted by the police, poor employment opportunities and the impossibility of smashing the glass ceiling, there being no room for error when having to work 10 times harder and be 10 times as better than their white counterparts, and being told by our parents not to expect anything from a country where racism is systemic, that is institutionally racist and set up to watch us fall, and the sad truth realising as Black children beginning to experience all these things whilst coming into young adulthood, that they were indeed right.
Rugby Union player Maro Itoje with his dad on The Talk
They talked about encouraging self love, and the importance of teaching Black History in schools as ways of celebrating who we are.
I resonated with so much of what was said and yeah I cried because much of their experiences echoed what I had experienced too, and whilst I did I realised nothing much has changed since I was a kid either.
Lady Phyll, founder of UK Black Pride posing for British Vogue August 2020
With all that said it’s great to see Lady Phyll amongst other Black Greats being celebrated in British Vogue because yeah, Representation Matters.
Photography by Misan Harriman
“Sticks and stones can break your bones, but those words really felt like stones.’
ADE ADEPTIAN, THE TALK, CHANNEL 4
Read it. Lady Phyll in British Vogue:
Watch it:
FKA Twigs- Home with you video. Oct 2019
‘I never seen a hero like me in a Sci Fi.’
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