“Tell a friend, to tell another friend, to tell to their cousins, and their cousin’s friends and cousins. Spread the word on this basically” sputtered Yaarah Schools’ newest patron, actor Daniel Kaluuya (Skins, Johnny English Reborn). He and a host of others attended last week’s ‘Fusionite’ event in Shoreditch’s Avalon club to show their support for a charity which tries to breathe new life into Ghana’s most under resourced educational systems:
Footage of Fusionite 2010
Music performances, talks, food, fashion show, fusion – night. And any of this for London Fashion Week? No. This is all in the name of Ghana’s children states Yaarah Schools founder, Marie Tejani. The inspirational lady left Ghana a few years ago utterly depleted at how 4000 primary schools in her homeland are still being taught under trees, and how 3500 additional schools are under temporary structures; explaining why the national government estimate it could take up to 25 years for the authorities to build adequate classrooms. This just won’t do affirms Marie, which is why she set up Yaarah Schools in the first place; to provide her people with:
- Classrooms in the remote villages
- Teaching equipment and furniture
- Safe drinking water, toilets and basic medical provisions
- Income generating schemes for the school community
- And adult education and skills improvement programmes within the community
Does anyone on this side of the world actually care though…?
Construction and vast preparation for the Summer Olympics and Paralympics 2012 may be erupting across London and the UK – but the response to Fusionite, Marie and her team’s work illustrates that wider picture, that sprinkle of perspective, that through all the hype and jittery excitement in the capital, there remains space, time, need and yes, a genuine want to communicate here for a community over there.
London is a bustling hot pot (which is why I love it). And it is such a dynamic environment that branches of it can and do pause to reflect, come together – and party it up for a good cause.
Come to the next Fusionite, check out www.yaarahschools.org, and you’ll see what I mean.
This article was also published on the Media Trust Community Channel
9/10/2011
8/31/2011
Street Summer Loving With Channel 4 & somewhereto_
What can one do in Westminster Hall? The answer is simple. More than you think…
Crushing the barriers of creative convention, this recently broadcast Channel 4 Street Summer ident shines some light on a rather grey matter couple of months (Rain? Riots? What else are people ranting about?), whilst showcasing the long-term plan and blue sky-high vision of a nationwide project called somewhereto_.
Delivered by youth engagement agency Livity, in media partnership with Channel 4 and funded by Legacy Trust UK, the name of the somewhereto_ game is to assist any 16-25 year old with a space to do the things they love, be it painting or rapping, writing or dancing, in arenas from a patchy park, to the oldest remaining part of the prestigious Palace of Westminster.
Yes. It’s been a summer of mixed news and emotions, especially in my home city of London town. But I look back and think it is very fitting that Channel 4’s Street Summer season about the contemporary urban arts scene was still dubbed a ‘celebration’. It most definitely was – setting off fireworks with projects from Concrete Circus (bringing together the world’s hottest names in urban sports), to How Hip Hop Changed the World (a hip hop history lesson), Life of Rhyme (exploring the UK rap and spoken word scene), and as for London and the Street Summer somewhereto_ stunt – well it just has a different feel for me since I saw the four lucky young street dancers blessing the floors of Westminster Hall.
Why shouldn’t we - even at times of great uncertainty and adversity - celebrate culture, community, young people, all people?
On that young people front I do raise a glass to work like somewhereto_ - which has an extra celebration at hand – a beat they hope we can all dance to long after this summer is out; in that somewhereto_ worked successfully with Parliament to open up an incredible space which would never normally open its doors to young people to dance in (an unprecedented achievement). And they are working to ensure the Westminster Hall special moment is just one of many stories which help creative young people realise that a space of any kind in their community can be theirs.
So, watch this space through Autumn and beyond as the somewhereto_ journey warms up to break some more records of their own by the time the London Olympic and Paralympic Games 2012 comes by.
Any young onlookers around London and the UK – the race for space is on with somewhereto_, and there’s so much up for grabs. It’s your turn and your time to think and leap outside the box – so take your pick from any one of these: www.somewhereto.com/spaces
Space-holders – play your part and give a space here: www.somewhereto.com/spaces/give-a-space
This article was also published on the Media Trust Community Channel.
Note: somewhereto_ is delivered by youth engagement agency Livity in media partnership with Channel 4. The project is funded by Legacy Trust UK, an independent charity set up to help build a lasting cultural and sporting legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games across the UK.
For more information on somewhereto_ visit: www.somewhereto.com, check them on Facebook here www.facebook.com/somewhereto, or follow them on Twitter @somewhereto_
For more information on Channel 4 Street Summer visit: www.channel4.com/streetsummer
Crushing the barriers of creative convention, this recently broadcast Channel 4 Street Summer ident shines some light on a rather grey matter couple of months (Rain? Riots? What else are people ranting about?), whilst showcasing the long-term plan and blue sky-high vision of a nationwide project called somewhereto_.
Delivered by youth engagement agency Livity, in media partnership with Channel 4 and funded by Legacy Trust UK, the name of the somewhereto_ game is to assist any 16-25 year old with a space to do the things they love, be it painting or rapping, writing or dancing, in arenas from a patchy park, to the oldest remaining part of the prestigious Palace of Westminster.
Yes. It’s been a summer of mixed news and emotions, especially in my home city of London town. But I look back and think it is very fitting that Channel 4’s Street Summer season about the contemporary urban arts scene was still dubbed a ‘celebration’. It most definitely was – setting off fireworks with projects from Concrete Circus (bringing together the world’s hottest names in urban sports), to How Hip Hop Changed the World (a hip hop history lesson), Life of Rhyme (exploring the UK rap and spoken word scene), and as for London and the Street Summer somewhereto_ stunt – well it just has a different feel for me since I saw the four lucky young street dancers blessing the floors of Westminster Hall.
Why shouldn’t we - even at times of great uncertainty and adversity - celebrate culture, community, young people, all people?
On that young people front I do raise a glass to work like somewhereto_ - which has an extra celebration at hand – a beat they hope we can all dance to long after this summer is out; in that somewhereto_ worked successfully with Parliament to open up an incredible space which would never normally open its doors to young people to dance in (an unprecedented achievement). And they are working to ensure the Westminster Hall special moment is just one of many stories which help creative young people realise that a space of any kind in their community can be theirs.
So, watch this space through Autumn and beyond as the somewhereto_ journey warms up to break some more records of their own by the time the London Olympic and Paralympic Games 2012 comes by.
Any young onlookers around London and the UK – the race for space is on with somewhereto_, and there’s so much up for grabs. It’s your turn and your time to think and leap outside the box – so take your pick from any one of these: www.somewhereto.com/spaces
Space-holders – play your part and give a space here: www.somewhereto.com/spaces/give-a-space
This article was also published on the Media Trust Community Channel.
Note: somewhereto_ is delivered by youth engagement agency Livity in media partnership with Channel 4. The project is funded by Legacy Trust UK, an independent charity set up to help build a lasting cultural and sporting legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games across the UK.
For more information on somewhereto_ visit: www.somewhereto.com, check them on Facebook here www.facebook.com/somewhereto, or follow them on Twitter @somewhereto_
For more information on Channel 4 Street Summer visit: www.channel4.com/streetsummer
8/10/2011
The London Riots – Understanding The Incomprehensible
“Trying to understand grievances and anger (to prevent violence and seek justice) doesn't mean you support criminality” tweeted actor, MC and buddy Riz Ahmed (Four Lions).
That is pretty much how I’ve felt: engulfed by news and soul-killing sights of my home city on fire, accompanied by this summer’s anthem of police sirens and helicopters, whilst simultaneously attempting to comprehend what looks like trails of World War 3 in my own back yard.
Amid the flames and looting, we have despicable acts like this:
And inconsolable reactions like this:
However, when the dust settles (which it will), we have to consider – then what? That is why we need time to stop, sit back, take a breather, detach, reconnect and establish how we got to this point. We must try to understand the incomprehensible.
I’ve tried…
Forget police shortcomings. Forget “bad PR for London and the Summer Olympics 2012”. And no offence, but in the bigger picture, we might as well forget about Mark Duggan – yes an unjust killing and the unravelling vital case that seemed to provide the spark to the riots (after violence broke out at an initially peaceful protest of his death on Saturday August 5). But sadly, his story is getting lost in the pool of carnage, fear, anger and confusion left in London, and now other cities across the UK.
The bigger story in my 24 year old eyes seems to be what do we do now with the so-called ‘thugs’ responsible? There is no justification for conflict and trauma inflicted upon the innocent – each and every looter and arsonist does deserve reprimanding. NO ONE is ‘too young’ to understand that stealing, mugging, and burning down a building is wrong. But I refuse to stop at punishment as a solution. It may be hard for many to have empathy with the thousands of kids on street smashing up buildings and cars, but how did it come to this? They are a substantial group of spawns from our society, and therefore much of the responsibility to make amends must rest in our hands.
Where were the parents in all this? Note: If my parents found out I was looting before my balls dropped, my dad would’ve had me on lock down and thwacked me with a rolled up newspaper, whilst my mum would’ve given me the silent treatment (the harsher punishment).
Not saying my family is perfect, or that it’s not hard for those bringing up unruly children – but now (if ever) is the time for all parents, the government, media, schools and our communities to swallow some home truths, and listen to the young voices…
Unemployment of youth in the UK is at an all time high, as is homelessness; with numbers of those without a home souring through the non-present roof – reports say partly due to EMA cuts and rent cost inflation. This with further cuts to youth services nationwide leaves the odd teen (some of which not even old enough to vote) a tad cold towards the system. The media evidently can’t be trusted (bon voyage News of the World), and as for the police - many comments I have heard thrown out by some young people sing that age old tune: “F**k the police! They’re racist anyways”. Yet however ‘juvenile’ their perceptions may be, and despite the fact they probably haven’t helped their employment options by smashing up shops they could’ve worked in (some gathering criminal records in the process), there are too many with the same opinion to go unheard, and over the last week we heard just how loud the masses of the disconnected can be.
I’m not saying that every adolescent ‘vandal’ on the street carries a legitimate reason behind their actions. Of course there are hundreds of opportunists lacking half a logical brain cell out there who saw nothing but free trainers in JD Sports and Foot Locker. However three days of mayhem and resistance in a torn apart capital can’t be caused by a few idiotic criminals – what we witnessed was an uprising (be it with legitimate purpose or not).
That’s why, if this ever happens again (God forbid), I don’t believe sending the culprits to jail, boot camp, Guantanamo Bay (as one friend suggested) is enough. Nor is a national curfew, military intervention, rubber bullets or that ever-mentioned water cannon; that may tidal wave away some of the delinquents, but it won’t alter the mentality of a seemingly lost generation.
IF we are not to follow with the same naivety, misguidance and apathy as the young guns we label as ‘senseless thugs’, we must now act as a nationwide attentive community to reinforce social values (not just discipline); government, schools, parents and young people in it for the long haul. There is no quick fix, we shouldn’t look for one – but instead perhaps embrace and learn from the great mini-headlines from the riots portraying brighter community potential for the aftermath; particular shout outs to the Riot Cleanup groups, my local shopkeepers on Green Street in east London (and elsewhere) standing together and chasing off gang trouble-seekers, and the youth-led media response from the likes of those at Livity’s Live Magazine - based in Brixton - constantly overcoming any pigeon-hole negative assumptions concerning the younger generation with their socially responsible, active and objective youth voice and work.
Much has been taken. But there is much to take.
It is now a task of immense proportions, but cross-community commitment will be rewarded upon the horizon. I’m not the optimistic type by nature, but when asked if I can make sense of the London riots, I prefer to conclude by thinking that together, we just might be able turn this around, and then, hopefully my 13 year old nephew’s generation might look back in 10 years and say – “Well, that was just stupid, innit!”.
This article was also published on the Media Trust Community Channel.
That is pretty much how I’ve felt: engulfed by news and soul-killing sights of my home city on fire, accompanied by this summer’s anthem of police sirens and helicopters, whilst simultaneously attempting to comprehend what looks like trails of World War 3 in my own back yard.
Amid the flames and looting, we have despicable acts like this:
And inconsolable reactions like this:
However, when the dust settles (which it will), we have to consider – then what? That is why we need time to stop, sit back, take a breather, detach, reconnect and establish how we got to this point. We must try to understand the incomprehensible.
I’ve tried…
Forget police shortcomings. Forget “bad PR for London and the Summer Olympics 2012”. And no offence, but in the bigger picture, we might as well forget about Mark Duggan – yes an unjust killing and the unravelling vital case that seemed to provide the spark to the riots (after violence broke out at an initially peaceful protest of his death on Saturday August 5). But sadly, his story is getting lost in the pool of carnage, fear, anger and confusion left in London, and now other cities across the UK.
The bigger story in my 24 year old eyes seems to be what do we do now with the so-called ‘thugs’ responsible? There is no justification for conflict and trauma inflicted upon the innocent – each and every looter and arsonist does deserve reprimanding. NO ONE is ‘too young’ to understand that stealing, mugging, and burning down a building is wrong. But I refuse to stop at punishment as a solution. It may be hard for many to have empathy with the thousands of kids on street smashing up buildings and cars, but how did it come to this? They are a substantial group of spawns from our society, and therefore much of the responsibility to make amends must rest in our hands.
Where were the parents in all this? Note: If my parents found out I was looting before my balls dropped, my dad would’ve had me on lock down and thwacked me with a rolled up newspaper, whilst my mum would’ve given me the silent treatment (the harsher punishment).
Not saying my family is perfect, or that it’s not hard for those bringing up unruly children – but now (if ever) is the time for all parents, the government, media, schools and our communities to swallow some home truths, and listen to the young voices…
Unemployment of youth in the UK is at an all time high, as is homelessness; with numbers of those without a home souring through the non-present roof – reports say partly due to EMA cuts and rent cost inflation. This with further cuts to youth services nationwide leaves the odd teen (some of which not even old enough to vote) a tad cold towards the system. The media evidently can’t be trusted (bon voyage News of the World), and as for the police - many comments I have heard thrown out by some young people sing that age old tune: “F**k the police! They’re racist anyways”. Yet however ‘juvenile’ their perceptions may be, and despite the fact they probably haven’t helped their employment options by smashing up shops they could’ve worked in (some gathering criminal records in the process), there are too many with the same opinion to go unheard, and over the last week we heard just how loud the masses of the disconnected can be.
I’m not saying that every adolescent ‘vandal’ on the street carries a legitimate reason behind their actions. Of course there are hundreds of opportunists lacking half a logical brain cell out there who saw nothing but free trainers in JD Sports and Foot Locker. However three days of mayhem and resistance in a torn apart capital can’t be caused by a few idiotic criminals – what we witnessed was an uprising (be it with legitimate purpose or not).
That’s why, if this ever happens again (God forbid), I don’t believe sending the culprits to jail, boot camp, Guantanamo Bay (as one friend suggested) is enough. Nor is a national curfew, military intervention, rubber bullets or that ever-mentioned water cannon; that may tidal wave away some of the delinquents, but it won’t alter the mentality of a seemingly lost generation.
IF we are not to follow with the same naivety, misguidance and apathy as the young guns we label as ‘senseless thugs’, we must now act as a nationwide attentive community to reinforce social values (not just discipline); government, schools, parents and young people in it for the long haul. There is no quick fix, we shouldn’t look for one – but instead perhaps embrace and learn from the great mini-headlines from the riots portraying brighter community potential for the aftermath; particular shout outs to the Riot Cleanup groups, my local shopkeepers on Green Street in east London (and elsewhere) standing together and chasing off gang trouble-seekers, and the youth-led media response from the likes of those at Livity’s Live Magazine - based in Brixton - constantly overcoming any pigeon-hole negative assumptions concerning the younger generation with their socially responsible, active and objective youth voice and work.
Much has been taken. But there is much to take.
It is now a task of immense proportions, but cross-community commitment will be rewarded upon the horizon. I’m not the optimistic type by nature, but when asked if I can make sense of the London riots, I prefer to conclude by thinking that together, we just might be able turn this around, and then, hopefully my 13 year old nephew’s generation might look back in 10 years and say – “Well, that was just stupid, innit!”.
This article was also published on the Media Trust Community Channel.
7/27/2011
Interview With West London Award-Winning Comedian - Nathan Caton
He talks about the Game Boy era, the ‘Your Mum’ generation, gangs, guns and knife crime, bad hip hop lyrics, the good, bad and ugly of family and community life – all with raw truth, cutting satire and hilarious punch and kick lines.
(a taster of Caton from ITV’s FHM Stand Up Hero)
Catching award-winning Greenford-based stand-up comedian Nathan Caton at the Rich Mix (www.richmix.org.uk) in Shoreditch last week was a summer highlight; he’s a fellow 80s child who gave me moments of nostalgia, cracking me up to the extent I literally choked on my Magners. After the set and the realignment of my facial muscles, I met the 26 year old funny guy to thank him for my t-shirt stain, and in turn, nail him down for a little Q&A about his ever-evolving home city, his calling, and his thoughts on the art of stand-up:
Q: I’ve read that you were never the class clown, but that you were the ‘shy bookworm’. Is that true?
A: Yeah, I was quite a reserved kid… a teacher’s pet to be honest.
Q: So how/when did you discover stand-up?
A: Over my teenage years I started getting a bit more courage, I became more of an extrovert. Then one time in church I was joking around about doing stand-up for a talent show, and my friend told me to give it a shot. I thought ‘naaaaah’, but I ended up doing it and I liked the buzz on stage. I still did A-Levels, even went to university and studied architecture, but I spent more time in comedy clubs than doing uni work. I got back into comedy, practiced at home in the mirror; every now and then I’d try it out on my mum – she’s a tough nut to crack, so if she’d laugh I’d know it’s funny. Eventually at some point, I decided stand-up was something I really wanted to do... even though I bombed a few times (laughs).
Q: You mean awful tumbleweed ‘I can hear a pin drop in this room’ experiences?
A: Unfortunately yeah I got a few of those - but that’s part of the learning curb as a comedian. I’ve been to gigs where the audience just talk over you and really don’t care that you’re on stage, but if I ever did have a gig like that, I’d just try and get another gig so I can smash it, do better, and erase the memories from the bad shows.
Q: As far as London goes, where are the places you go to catch some good stand-up comic relief?
A: The Comedy Store in Piccadilly Circus, the Bearcat Comedy Club in Twickenham and Headliners in Chiswick are my favourite joints.
Q: Where’s the one spot you want to perform in the capital?
A: Hammersmith Apollo – I was born in Hammersmith, so that would be cool.
Q: What are your best and worse memories of growing up in London?
A: Being a teenager here was normal, hanging out with friends, talking about girls with mates, going cinema etc. My best memories are the last days of school when you’re just waiting for the summer jam. The worse thing was girls didn’t really like me that much. I got bare knock downs (laughs).
Q: A common theme in your show refers to how much teenage lifestyle (including gun and knife crime) and communities have changed since our school days. Is there an underlying message in your comedy?
A: I want to naturally portray me as me on stage – for the audience to see me and get to know my life and the world as I see it through my comedy. As a result I do hope it may break down some assumptions and barriers. So yes, I have a laugh about today’s societies and knife crime, but it’s good if it can make people aware too. We hear it all the time – and it (knife and gun crime) is a problem that needs to be addressed by governments and councils more, especially as gang culture seems to have come to the forefront again in the last 10 years or so. In London, I guess that’s because I don’t think there’s as much of a community feel as there was when I was a kid; it’s a melting pot of multiculturalism, so many different people with different mentalities, with some parts segregated and ignorant to others. But at the same time I can see that aspect of community gradually seeping back into London, and in terms of the next generation, I won’t ever stereotype – I actually believe a lot of teenagers and young kids are misunderstood, one of the reasons being the media gives a wrong, unbalanced perception a lot of the time.
Q: Any advice for young jokers who want to get on stage?
A: Write a lot - anything you find funny, write it down. Constantly gig. Don’t give it up if it’s what you want to do. It’s taken me six years to get here, a grind and a half, but well worth it.
Q: Who are your kings of stand-up?
A: As a kid it was Lenny Henry as a face and voice of black comedy. Then there is Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle – all funny and clever inspirations. Right now I’m really into Reginald D Hunter, a guy who can make you think, and laugh – qualities I only see as good things in stand-up.
Q: You had a joke in your set about being irritated by someone comparing you to a ‘young posh Lenny Henry’, and that it happens because you’re a ‘black UK comedian’. Does that still make you twitch?
A: Don’t get me wrong, Lenny is a legend, and it’s a positive comparison as he is funny. But it is a bit annoying as of course I don’t want to be pigeon holed. And yeah I don’t see myself as a black comedian - comedy is universal. Race does not matter. But in terms of public and media perspectives, that’s just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes…
Nathan will be performing around the country this summer, including a set at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August (www.edfringe.com).
For more info on Nathan Caton and his upcoming shows, check out www.nathancaton.com
This article was also published on the Media Trust Community Channel
(a taster of Caton from ITV’s FHM Stand Up Hero)
Catching award-winning Greenford-based stand-up comedian Nathan Caton at the Rich Mix (www.richmix.org.uk) in Shoreditch last week was a summer highlight; he’s a fellow 80s child who gave me moments of nostalgia, cracking me up to the extent I literally choked on my Magners. After the set and the realignment of my facial muscles, I met the 26 year old funny guy to thank him for my t-shirt stain, and in turn, nail him down for a little Q&A about his ever-evolving home city, his calling, and his thoughts on the art of stand-up:
Q: I’ve read that you were never the class clown, but that you were the ‘shy bookworm’. Is that true?
A: Yeah, I was quite a reserved kid… a teacher’s pet to be honest.
Q: So how/when did you discover stand-up?
A: Over my teenage years I started getting a bit more courage, I became more of an extrovert. Then one time in church I was joking around about doing stand-up for a talent show, and my friend told me to give it a shot. I thought ‘naaaaah’, but I ended up doing it and I liked the buzz on stage. I still did A-Levels, even went to university and studied architecture, but I spent more time in comedy clubs than doing uni work. I got back into comedy, practiced at home in the mirror; every now and then I’d try it out on my mum – she’s a tough nut to crack, so if she’d laugh I’d know it’s funny. Eventually at some point, I decided stand-up was something I really wanted to do... even though I bombed a few times (laughs).
Q: You mean awful tumbleweed ‘I can hear a pin drop in this room’ experiences?
A: Unfortunately yeah I got a few of those - but that’s part of the learning curb as a comedian. I’ve been to gigs where the audience just talk over you and really don’t care that you’re on stage, but if I ever did have a gig like that, I’d just try and get another gig so I can smash it, do better, and erase the memories from the bad shows.
Q: As far as London goes, where are the places you go to catch some good stand-up comic relief?
A: The Comedy Store in Piccadilly Circus, the Bearcat Comedy Club in Twickenham and Headliners in Chiswick are my favourite joints.
Q: Where’s the one spot you want to perform in the capital?
A: Hammersmith Apollo – I was born in Hammersmith, so that would be cool.
Q: What are your best and worse memories of growing up in London?
A: Being a teenager here was normal, hanging out with friends, talking about girls with mates, going cinema etc. My best memories are the last days of school when you’re just waiting for the summer jam. The worse thing was girls didn’t really like me that much. I got bare knock downs (laughs).
Q: A common theme in your show refers to how much teenage lifestyle (including gun and knife crime) and communities have changed since our school days. Is there an underlying message in your comedy?
A: I want to naturally portray me as me on stage – for the audience to see me and get to know my life and the world as I see it through my comedy. As a result I do hope it may break down some assumptions and barriers. So yes, I have a laugh about today’s societies and knife crime, but it’s good if it can make people aware too. We hear it all the time – and it (knife and gun crime) is a problem that needs to be addressed by governments and councils more, especially as gang culture seems to have come to the forefront again in the last 10 years or so. In London, I guess that’s because I don’t think there’s as much of a community feel as there was when I was a kid; it’s a melting pot of multiculturalism, so many different people with different mentalities, with some parts segregated and ignorant to others. But at the same time I can see that aspect of community gradually seeping back into London, and in terms of the next generation, I won’t ever stereotype – I actually believe a lot of teenagers and young kids are misunderstood, one of the reasons being the media gives a wrong, unbalanced perception a lot of the time.
Q: Any advice for young jokers who want to get on stage?
A: Write a lot - anything you find funny, write it down. Constantly gig. Don’t give it up if it’s what you want to do. It’s taken me six years to get here, a grind and a half, but well worth it.
Q: Who are your kings of stand-up?
A: As a kid it was Lenny Henry as a face and voice of black comedy. Then there is Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle – all funny and clever inspirations. Right now I’m really into Reginald D Hunter, a guy who can make you think, and laugh – qualities I only see as good things in stand-up.
Q: You had a joke in your set about being irritated by someone comparing you to a ‘young posh Lenny Henry’, and that it happens because you’re a ‘black UK comedian’. Does that still make you twitch?
A: Don’t get me wrong, Lenny is a legend, and it’s a positive comparison as he is funny. But it is a bit annoying as of course I don’t want to be pigeon holed. And yeah I don’t see myself as a black comedian - comedy is universal. Race does not matter. But in terms of public and media perspectives, that’s just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes…
Nathan will be performing around the country this summer, including a set at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August (www.edfringe.com).
For more info on Nathan Caton and his upcoming shows, check out www.nathancaton.com
This article was also published on the Media Trust Community Channel
7/21/2011
Review: Just Do It - A Tale Of Modern-Day Outlaws
A few months back, I caught a special preview of Emily James’ documentary film Just Do It – a mind boggling fly on the wall observation into the world of the climate change activist; that direct action packed species hell-bent on civil disobedience in the name of the environment…
I was sold, even more so as I loved The Age of Stupid (another groundbreaking climate change film of which James was the executive producer), and even though a reflex reaction made me picture an inanimate pair of Nikes when I first heard ‘Just Do It’. Silly me - but how will communities across the UK and the world react to the film, and James’ portrayal of the key sparks in the climate change movement; from the Plane Stupid guys to Climate Camp, from the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference (COP15) to the occupation of coal power stations and airports in London and across the nation?
The film is currently touring cinemas across the UK, and on July 16 I jumped on the bus down the road to Stratford Picturehouse to see what those in my own back yard thought – plus there’s nothing like seeing once more, real people on the big screen having a jolly old rave on top of a police wagon (one of my favourite scenes from Just Do It).
Kyle Miers, a student from east London stated: “Well it’s not the same kind of thrill as the final Harry Potter movie…” – released the same week. “But it is so inspiring, sad, funny, honest, and depicts the real capability of people power” he added.
Waitress Meliz Pravin took a chance on the film through a recommendation “I know near to nothing about climate change, but my friend said I should give it a shot, and I’m really glad I did. It’s an eye-opener, and illustrates how much we as communities, in London and around the world, need to do to ensure this planet doesn’t go to s**ts.”
Such an impact I’m sure James herself will be hoping for all around, as she expresses the need not to underestimate the scale and consequences of global warming: “It's almost tempting to be flippant about it (climate change) but we really must resist that. It’s a problem of such a great scale that will dominate the rest of our lives.”
No wands or wizards, but do not overlook this on screen magic this summer. Just Do It is an action film through and through, one that is as enthralling as it is informational and inspiring. It provides an exciting, different way of looking at climate change and our world as a whole, provoking the kind of reaction to make any neutral viewer budge from the couch and fence they may well be perched on.
For all UK screenings of Just Do It, click here: www.justdoitfilm.com/screenings
Click here for more info: www.justdoitfilm.com
Photo: Kristian Buus
This article was also published on the Media Trust Community Channel
I was sold, even more so as I loved The Age of Stupid (another groundbreaking climate change film of which James was the executive producer), and even though a reflex reaction made me picture an inanimate pair of Nikes when I first heard ‘Just Do It’. Silly me - but how will communities across the UK and the world react to the film, and James’ portrayal of the key sparks in the climate change movement; from the Plane Stupid guys to Climate Camp, from the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference (COP15) to the occupation of coal power stations and airports in London and across the nation?
The film is currently touring cinemas across the UK, and on July 16 I jumped on the bus down the road to Stratford Picturehouse to see what those in my own back yard thought – plus there’s nothing like seeing once more, real people on the big screen having a jolly old rave on top of a police wagon (one of my favourite scenes from Just Do It).
Kyle Miers, a student from east London stated: “Well it’s not the same kind of thrill as the final Harry Potter movie…” – released the same week. “But it is so inspiring, sad, funny, honest, and depicts the real capability of people power” he added.
Waitress Meliz Pravin took a chance on the film through a recommendation “I know near to nothing about climate change, but my friend said I should give it a shot, and I’m really glad I did. It’s an eye-opener, and illustrates how much we as communities, in London and around the world, need to do to ensure this planet doesn’t go to s**ts.”
Such an impact I’m sure James herself will be hoping for all around, as she expresses the need not to underestimate the scale and consequences of global warming: “It's almost tempting to be flippant about it (climate change) but we really must resist that. It’s a problem of such a great scale that will dominate the rest of our lives.”
No wands or wizards, but do not overlook this on screen magic this summer. Just Do It is an action film through and through, one that is as enthralling as it is informational and inspiring. It provides an exciting, different way of looking at climate change and our world as a whole, provoking the kind of reaction to make any neutral viewer budge from the couch and fence they may well be perched on.
For all UK screenings of Just Do It, click here: www.justdoitfilm.com/screenings
Click here for more info: www.justdoitfilm.com
Photo: Kristian Buus
This article was also published on the Media Trust Community Channel
7/07/2011
Review: Juliyaa, Bands And Stables @ Proud, Camden
That’s it. I’ve decided. This is probably where I’m spending my next birthday.
Situated in the heart of the Stables Market (itself a bustling tourist attraction) in Camden, Proud is where I embraced a manic Monday night doing what every individual in London should be doing on the first day of the week – listening to live music and having an embarrassing battle on the dance floor.
Proud has got pretty much everything you need for a summer loving night; a lovely terrace with comfy seating, a BBQ smoking away and a bar (a spot not just for the smokers). Inside there’s a long lit up room with another bar and seven separate ‘stables’, chill out areas which you’re able to rent out for parties (there’s even one with a dance pole, but this night wasn’t that kind of party!). Walk through and we reach the main music stage room – with yes, yet another bar (you can never have too many).
And the common factor across the venue? The answer, on this particular Fourth of July, was an array of live music on hand. From the terrace, to the stables and the main music stage, unsigned band after solo act after acoustic set stepped up to create the infectious ‘I’m not going home until last train’ vibe. Family, friends, and fans of the performers eventually just merged into clusters of audiences, spoilt for choice at what, and who to jam to.
I vouched for Juliyaa in the main room, an awesome front girl (Julia Suit) and her band responsible for that shameful dance-off aforementioned. I loved it. Call Juliyaa soothing soul with a stiff kick, with blissful beats such as Talk to Me, Down To The River, and a stunning piece of vocals in a remix of Outkast’s Hey Ya.
Note: For more of Juliyaa catch her on Facebook and Twitter.
Veteran visitors of Proud will know it’s not just about up and coming music and bars though, as spoken word poetry, film screenings, and established acts from Florence and the Machine to Babyshambles, and even The Saturdays have featured there. So for any Proud virgins, visit www.proudcamden.com, see what’s on, and have a go.
This was also published on the Media Trust Community Channel
Situated in the heart of the Stables Market (itself a bustling tourist attraction) in Camden, Proud is where I embraced a manic Monday night doing what every individual in London should be doing on the first day of the week – listening to live music and having an embarrassing battle on the dance floor.
Proud has got pretty much everything you need for a summer loving night; a lovely terrace with comfy seating, a BBQ smoking away and a bar (a spot not just for the smokers). Inside there’s a long lit up room with another bar and seven separate ‘stables’, chill out areas which you’re able to rent out for parties (there’s even one with a dance pole, but this night wasn’t that kind of party!). Walk through and we reach the main music stage room – with yes, yet another bar (you can never have too many).
And the common factor across the venue? The answer, on this particular Fourth of July, was an array of live music on hand. From the terrace, to the stables and the main music stage, unsigned band after solo act after acoustic set stepped up to create the infectious ‘I’m not going home until last train’ vibe. Family, friends, and fans of the performers eventually just merged into clusters of audiences, spoilt for choice at what, and who to jam to.
I vouched for Juliyaa in the main room, an awesome front girl (Julia Suit) and her band responsible for that shameful dance-off aforementioned. I loved it. Call Juliyaa soothing soul with a stiff kick, with blissful beats such as Talk to Me, Down To The River, and a stunning piece of vocals in a remix of Outkast’s Hey Ya.
Note: For more of Juliyaa catch her on Facebook and Twitter.
Veteran visitors of Proud will know it’s not just about up and coming music and bars though, as spoken word poetry, film screenings, and established acts from Florence and the Machine to Babyshambles, and even The Saturdays have featured there. So for any Proud virgins, visit www.proudcamden.com, see what’s on, and have a go.
This was also published on the Media Trust Community Channel
7/03/2011
Review: Foo Fighters @ Milton Keynes Bowl - 70,000 Fans, 200 Green Flies, Fireworks And Alice Cooper
So, I'm on the M1 home from the national bowl in Milton Keynes. I'm with my 3 friends in a rented KIA titch car (which looks like something straight out of The Inbetweeners). It's 3am, we've been stuck in traffic for 3 hours, eating rotten quiche, listening to dance anthems from the 80s on the radio. I NEED to piss, I've swallowed 200+ green flies, I smell of beer, I'm battered from multiple mosh pits (including one instigated by a guy with his arm in a sling!), and now making my passenger friend type this up because that's how bored I am. The reason for this turmoil? A day with 70,000 others at the best rock 'n' roll feast ever, headlined by the Foo Fighters, with additional cameo highlights including Alice Cooper, that drummer from Queen (Roger Taylor) and the mighty supporting Biffy Clyro.
I will die smiling.
I will die smiling.
6/24/2011
Review: Open City London Documentary Festival Feat. Position Among The Stars, Cocaine Unwrapped + Blood In The Mobile
“Opening minds, eyes and doors in the city of London” – that was the tagline of the glorious Open City London Documentary Festival. Held at the University College of London (UCL), and showing 160 stunning and unique films over four days (June 16-19), I was simply drowning in a pool of on screen gold.
And I mean gold.
I managed to catch 11 documentaries over two of the days – easily done as the diverse festival films showcasing “the stories that matter from around the world” were screened simultaneously across the central London campus and ranged from being 19 minutes to nine hours long.
Yet the first few seconds of the Open City opening ceremony were enough to impress with a top quality film worthy of an Academy Award; Leonard Retel Helmrich’s Position Among The Stars – the third part of a trilogy after The Eye of the Day and The Shape of The Moon - followed a striving and animated Indonesian family over 12 years as they battle corruption, poverty, religious disputes, gambling addiction and the generation gap from the slums of Jakarta. The “revolutionary” (literally, unbelievable) camera work, seamless ever-evolving family dynamics portrayed by the film, and the ability to make the audience laugh, feel awkward and cry within a tight 30 minutes makes this documentary a must-see.
One and all can relate to the story with quotes such as “We have to eat first… school comes second”, “No government in the world takes care of it’s people” and “Your possessions take possession of you” resonating in societies across the globe.
Other honourable mentions in my Open City London Doc Fest run down go to Cocaine Unwrapped and Blood In The Mobile – both gritty, hard hitting and jam packed with knowledge; a quality described by Open City Director, Michael Stewart, as “not an accomplishment. Knowledge is always a process that can be developed through such things as documentary film… which itself is always evolving, ever-changing and unpredictable.”
In the case of Rachel Seifert’s Cocaine Unwrapped it was definitely a shocking documentary about an ever-expanding problem – the corruption and destruction surrounding the cocaine industry; from the 11 million Westerners currently using the drug, to the misunderstood and at times exploited sources of the white stuff.
Rachel’s film took us around the world, as we heard from reps in Bolivia, and the farmers innocently and legally growing coca leafs (an ingredient in cocaine), yet losing out because of others either wanting to take their crops to grow cocaine, or burn them to prevent them being used to make the drug. We also got to hear from the female dealers in Ecuador, imprisoned and suffering from the social inequality notions that come with being involved with cocaine. We dropped right into the violence breaching from drug trafficking conflict in Mexico; a country which has seen 37,000 drug dealing related deaths since 2006. And we saw how cocaine powerhouse Colombia is still going strong despite the millions invested by the US in the ‘war on drugs’ (declared by President Nixon back in 1971). We even got snippets from beyond the South American side of the thin white line, with perspectives from consumers in London (some of which didn’t care where their drugs originated from), to a reformed convicted dealer in Baltimore who, despite appealing, has seen rapists and paedophiles released before him. The prisoner stated: “You can get over an addiction… but you can never get over a conviction”
“Drug policy is not black and white” said director Seifert in the post-screening panel discussion, which is why her film which blasted and exposed a hole in the grey matter that is the failed war on drugs, is so powerful. It leaves the audience seeking solutions, and the key governments and influencers in the world with their pants down.
My final Open City two thumbs up goes to Blood In The Mobile – directed by Frank Piasecki Poulsen, who honed in on the exploitation of the Democratic Republic of Congo and their natural resources; which are being drained by bodies across the world amidst the ongoing, long standing civil war in the African country. Poulsen uses mobile phone mega-cooperation Nokia as a target, one of MANY (along with laptop and other mobile phone merchandisers) who use the metal coltan in their products – a mineral most readily found in the mines of eastern Congo. We follow the mission to try and track down where exactly Nokia’s sources lay, with the camera shooting from their headquarters, to geologists’ laboratories, right to the mines, impoverished miners and hostile heart of eastern Congo. Having done volunteer work in the DRC back in 2008, let’s just say this staggering piece of documentary cut deep:
These are the “stories that matter”? With all the numbing, dumbed down, directionless rub one can scope through on the saturated box, the three I’ve flagged, along with the other 157 Open City films, really did rejuvenate one’s faith in raw, honest and good storytelling. Michael Stewart called the festival “a celebration of documentary film, modelled on the London Film Fest”, and one that “shows respect for the authenticity of ‘real stories’, the people involved, and the people watching.”
To all filmmakers and film lovers, in London and beyond – Open City had the winning formula – no fabricated edutainment, just the truth, and with that came impact, and inspiration. Open your eyes here: www.opencitylondon.com
This was also published on the Media Trust Community Channel
And I mean gold.
I managed to catch 11 documentaries over two of the days – easily done as the diverse festival films showcasing “the stories that matter from around the world” were screened simultaneously across the central London campus and ranged from being 19 minutes to nine hours long.
Yet the first few seconds of the Open City opening ceremony were enough to impress with a top quality film worthy of an Academy Award; Leonard Retel Helmrich’s Position Among The Stars – the third part of a trilogy after The Eye of the Day and The Shape of The Moon - followed a striving and animated Indonesian family over 12 years as they battle corruption, poverty, religious disputes, gambling addiction and the generation gap from the slums of Jakarta. The “revolutionary” (literally, unbelievable) camera work, seamless ever-evolving family dynamics portrayed by the film, and the ability to make the audience laugh, feel awkward and cry within a tight 30 minutes makes this documentary a must-see.
One and all can relate to the story with quotes such as “We have to eat first… school comes second”, “No government in the world takes care of it’s people” and “Your possessions take possession of you” resonating in societies across the globe.
Other honourable mentions in my Open City London Doc Fest run down go to Cocaine Unwrapped and Blood In The Mobile – both gritty, hard hitting and jam packed with knowledge; a quality described by Open City Director, Michael Stewart, as “not an accomplishment. Knowledge is always a process that can be developed through such things as documentary film… which itself is always evolving, ever-changing and unpredictable.”
In the case of Rachel Seifert’s Cocaine Unwrapped it was definitely a shocking documentary about an ever-expanding problem – the corruption and destruction surrounding the cocaine industry; from the 11 million Westerners currently using the drug, to the misunderstood and at times exploited sources of the white stuff.
Rachel’s film took us around the world, as we heard from reps in Bolivia, and the farmers innocently and legally growing coca leafs (an ingredient in cocaine), yet losing out because of others either wanting to take their crops to grow cocaine, or burn them to prevent them being used to make the drug. We also got to hear from the female dealers in Ecuador, imprisoned and suffering from the social inequality notions that come with being involved with cocaine. We dropped right into the violence breaching from drug trafficking conflict in Mexico; a country which has seen 37,000 drug dealing related deaths since 2006. And we saw how cocaine powerhouse Colombia is still going strong despite the millions invested by the US in the ‘war on drugs’ (declared by President Nixon back in 1971). We even got snippets from beyond the South American side of the thin white line, with perspectives from consumers in London (some of which didn’t care where their drugs originated from), to a reformed convicted dealer in Baltimore who, despite appealing, has seen rapists and paedophiles released before him. The prisoner stated: “You can get over an addiction… but you can never get over a conviction”
“Drug policy is not black and white” said director Seifert in the post-screening panel discussion, which is why her film which blasted and exposed a hole in the grey matter that is the failed war on drugs, is so powerful. It leaves the audience seeking solutions, and the key governments and influencers in the world with their pants down.
My final Open City two thumbs up goes to Blood In The Mobile – directed by Frank Piasecki Poulsen, who honed in on the exploitation of the Democratic Republic of Congo and their natural resources; which are being drained by bodies across the world amidst the ongoing, long standing civil war in the African country. Poulsen uses mobile phone mega-cooperation Nokia as a target, one of MANY (along with laptop and other mobile phone merchandisers) who use the metal coltan in their products – a mineral most readily found in the mines of eastern Congo. We follow the mission to try and track down where exactly Nokia’s sources lay, with the camera shooting from their headquarters, to geologists’ laboratories, right to the mines, impoverished miners and hostile heart of eastern Congo. Having done volunteer work in the DRC back in 2008, let’s just say this staggering piece of documentary cut deep:
These are the “stories that matter”? With all the numbing, dumbed down, directionless rub one can scope through on the saturated box, the three I’ve flagged, along with the other 157 Open City films, really did rejuvenate one’s faith in raw, honest and good storytelling. Michael Stewart called the festival “a celebration of documentary film, modelled on the London Film Fest”, and one that “shows respect for the authenticity of ‘real stories’, the people involved, and the people watching.”
To all filmmakers and film lovers, in London and beyond – Open City had the winning formula – no fabricated edutainment, just the truth, and with that came impact, and inspiration. Open your eyes here: www.opencitylondon.com
This was also published on the Media Trust Community Channel
6/23/2011
Review: Birthday In Cable + An Interview With DJ Kyle Hall
My latest 24th birthday was on Friday June 10, and this year, a combination of manic working weeks, fatigue, hay fever, man flu, and an early Saturday morning footy tournament made me want to be a bit of a hermit and rest in for the big weekend (yawn, I know). Shout out to my ever reliable (and insistent) lads – who bought me a ticket to London Bridge based night club, Cable. My orders were simple: dance till I drop.
However, despite my love for the Cable venue and vibe (which with a louder sound system, could live up to the epic Fabric and now legendary The End Club), plus some Vodka + Red Bull beverages, my batteries were just running out. The beats were heavy, the laser lights were buzzing; but by 2am I depressingly felt like 24 going on retirement.
Where was the cure for my poor performance? On rolled 19 year old Detroit guest DJ, Kyle Hall. God is a DJ I believe – as within minutes the room transformed, amped up, I resurrected and it was officially an underground rave till sunrise (7am to be exact). I can’t even define Hall’s sound; it’s quite diverse, with sprinkles of electronic, techno, dance and even jazz – though note, I’m no expert in any of those fields. All I know is it doesn’t matter what your music tastes extend to – I affirm if your body isn’t moving when this guy spins the turntables, you’re either deaf or dead inside. Words just won’t do it justice, so check out the vid, and the words from Hall himself, who I caught up with over Skype to chat music and the DJ game, from Detroit to Montreal, Norway to London:
Q: Where have you just come from?
A: Montreal – I played a gig there at a cool place called Circus After Hours. Nice venue, nice city, nice people.
Q: I saw you two weeks ago in London, you’ve just come in from Montreal. How often do you play abroad?
A: About three times a month. I’ve actually just had to get some extra pages in my passport – took ages to sort it out.
Q: Where’s the most obscure place you’ve played a set? As in which location did you least expect to be doing your thing…?
A: A place called Tromsø in Norway; it’s parallel to the Arctic Circle and I guess I never imagined I’d end up doing a set there. From what I remember it’s got one of the highest suicide rates because they hardly get any sun there. But the people I met were all really friendly.
Q: What’s an average day like in the life of Kyle Hall?
A: I’m not really home that much, so it’s hard to settle down and have a routine if I’m not in the same place for longer than a week. But everything I do is based around music man. I listen to records, buy music, create music, play sets – other than that I do normal things like going out with friends.
Q: I read that your music is “experimental with jazzy bits” – how would you describe your music to a virgin ear?
A: Electronic, techno, experimental, jazzy, soulful… all those adjectives sound good – it doesn’t pigeon anything I do. I’m quite diverse, and besides, sometimes people’s understanding of techno and electronic music can be very blanket; there are simply different interpretations, and in America most don’t understand the difference anyway. I think defining such styles is too long to get into. I think as long as you dig it, you dig it!
Q: What’s the music scene like back home in Detroit? You get any influences from there?
A: There’s not really a scene back in Detroit, no DJ crews or constant buzz like there is in London; which seems to have more of a communal, evolving with music feel.
Q: How did you start out then?
A: My dad bought my first (and second) turntables actually. I just started to do the DJ thing when I was 13-14, chilling, enjoying the music as a young kid, buying records and putting bits and pieces together.
Q: What is playing in your headphones right now?
A: Africa Hitech by Mark Pritchard and Steve Spacek – a sick CD.
Q: Any DJs you particularly into currently? Any from the UK… ?
A: FunkinEven and Floating Points are two in particular I’d like to mention. I’ve done great gigs with them in the UK and they’re mates of mine now.
Q: What makes a great gig for you as a DJ?
A: When you’re comfortable, the records can play themselves, and when you don’t have to do too much thinking. It’s not good when you start to rush things, and you’re being too analytical. The music should flow and get across an undeniable connection with the crowd; though that comes with having the foundation as a DJ and understanding of what you like to play and how. Overall it’s a good one when you’re able to be artistic but say what you got to say and make a point somewhere. When those features interlock then you can just do your thing and enjoy yourself.
Q: Do you enjoy it when the crowd responds? Or are you too busy zoned out in the music to notice?
A: I’m really aware of the crowd – it’s important to know your surroundings. It tells you what options you have, and where you can go with the crowd. Every song has different qualities, and if people seem like they’re enjoying it, I know where to take them next. But only if they’re ready.
Q: How did you feel about the Cable show I saw you at? The vibe? Location? Crowd?
A: It’s a really sick location, an amazing cool place to play. It’s still fairly new I believe, and I think their sound system is going to be developed. But it has the potential to be a really great venue. I’d definitely like to play there again.
Q: Where else have you played in London – and what do you think of the music scene?
A: I’ve played at Plastic People (in Shoreditch), Corsica Studios (in Elephant and Castle) and a few other places including Fabric (in Farringdon); though I’ve only played in Room 3 there – I really want to play in the main room one day. In general the music scene in London is so great – the people are always so open and accepting, and so in turn are able to connect with what I do.
Q: What do you think of the city as a whole?
A: I love London – it’s one of my favourite places to play and visit. I’ve tonnes of friends there who I catch up with when I'm down, we have BBQs and do normal shit, I like Soho, the restaurants, record shops, and the IMAX theatre near Waterloo where I was able to drink beer whilst watching Iron Man with my girlfriend... that was awesome (laughs). These are the many reasons why of all the cities in Europe, London is the one I come back to the most.
Q: When can London next expect a set from Kyle Hall?
A: I’ll be back in July and later in the year. All the info is on my Facebook fan page.
This is also published on the Media Trust Community Channel
However, despite my love for the Cable venue and vibe (which with a louder sound system, could live up to the epic Fabric and now legendary The End Club), plus some Vodka + Red Bull beverages, my batteries were just running out. The beats were heavy, the laser lights were buzzing; but by 2am I depressingly felt like 24 going on retirement.
Where was the cure for my poor performance? On rolled 19 year old Detroit guest DJ, Kyle Hall. God is a DJ I believe – as within minutes the room transformed, amped up, I resurrected and it was officially an underground rave till sunrise (7am to be exact). I can’t even define Hall’s sound; it’s quite diverse, with sprinkles of electronic, techno, dance and even jazz – though note, I’m no expert in any of those fields. All I know is it doesn’t matter what your music tastes extend to – I affirm if your body isn’t moving when this guy spins the turntables, you’re either deaf or dead inside. Words just won’t do it justice, so check out the vid, and the words from Hall himself, who I caught up with over Skype to chat music and the DJ game, from Detroit to Montreal, Norway to London:
Q: Where have you just come from?
A: Montreal – I played a gig there at a cool place called Circus After Hours. Nice venue, nice city, nice people.
Q: I saw you two weeks ago in London, you’ve just come in from Montreal. How often do you play abroad?
A: About three times a month. I’ve actually just had to get some extra pages in my passport – took ages to sort it out.
Q: Where’s the most obscure place you’ve played a set? As in which location did you least expect to be doing your thing…?
A: A place called Tromsø in Norway; it’s parallel to the Arctic Circle and I guess I never imagined I’d end up doing a set there. From what I remember it’s got one of the highest suicide rates because they hardly get any sun there. But the people I met were all really friendly.
Q: What’s an average day like in the life of Kyle Hall?
A: I’m not really home that much, so it’s hard to settle down and have a routine if I’m not in the same place for longer than a week. But everything I do is based around music man. I listen to records, buy music, create music, play sets – other than that I do normal things like going out with friends.
Q: I read that your music is “experimental with jazzy bits” – how would you describe your music to a virgin ear?
A: Electronic, techno, experimental, jazzy, soulful… all those adjectives sound good – it doesn’t pigeon anything I do. I’m quite diverse, and besides, sometimes people’s understanding of techno and electronic music can be very blanket; there are simply different interpretations, and in America most don’t understand the difference anyway. I think defining such styles is too long to get into. I think as long as you dig it, you dig it!
Q: What’s the music scene like back home in Detroit? You get any influences from there?
A: There’s not really a scene back in Detroit, no DJ crews or constant buzz like there is in London; which seems to have more of a communal, evolving with music feel.
Q: How did you start out then?
A: My dad bought my first (and second) turntables actually. I just started to do the DJ thing when I was 13-14, chilling, enjoying the music as a young kid, buying records and putting bits and pieces together.
Q: What is playing in your headphones right now?
A: Africa Hitech by Mark Pritchard and Steve Spacek – a sick CD.
Q: Any DJs you particularly into currently? Any from the UK… ?
A: FunkinEven and Floating Points are two in particular I’d like to mention. I’ve done great gigs with them in the UK and they’re mates of mine now.
Q: What makes a great gig for you as a DJ?
A: When you’re comfortable, the records can play themselves, and when you don’t have to do too much thinking. It’s not good when you start to rush things, and you’re being too analytical. The music should flow and get across an undeniable connection with the crowd; though that comes with having the foundation as a DJ and understanding of what you like to play and how. Overall it’s a good one when you’re able to be artistic but say what you got to say and make a point somewhere. When those features interlock then you can just do your thing and enjoy yourself.
Q: Do you enjoy it when the crowd responds? Or are you too busy zoned out in the music to notice?
A: I’m really aware of the crowd – it’s important to know your surroundings. It tells you what options you have, and where you can go with the crowd. Every song has different qualities, and if people seem like they’re enjoying it, I know where to take them next. But only if they’re ready.
Q: How did you feel about the Cable show I saw you at? The vibe? Location? Crowd?
A: It’s a really sick location, an amazing cool place to play. It’s still fairly new I believe, and I think their sound system is going to be developed. But it has the potential to be a really great venue. I’d definitely like to play there again.
Q: Where else have you played in London – and what do you think of the music scene?
A: I’ve played at Plastic People (in Shoreditch), Corsica Studios (in Elephant and Castle) and a few other places including Fabric (in Farringdon); though I’ve only played in Room 3 there – I really want to play in the main room one day. In general the music scene in London is so great – the people are always so open and accepting, and so in turn are able to connect with what I do.
Q: What do you think of the city as a whole?
A: I love London – it’s one of my favourite places to play and visit. I’ve tonnes of friends there who I catch up with when I'm down, we have BBQs and do normal shit, I like Soho, the restaurants, record shops, and the IMAX theatre near Waterloo where I was able to drink beer whilst watching Iron Man with my girlfriend... that was awesome (laughs). These are the many reasons why of all the cities in Europe, London is the one I come back to the most.
Q: When can London next expect a set from Kyle Hall?
A: I’ll be back in July and later in the year. All the info is on my Facebook fan page.
This is also published on the Media Trust Community Channel
6/21/2011
Review: Taste Of London Festival
Stuffed and satisfied – the only way to describe my condition following my tour of the Taste of London food fest in Regent’s Park last Friday (June 17).
I felt like that boy again - reliving my youth; the chubby dumpling-shaped boy who once ran down the aisles of Costco (as my Uncle Louis pushed the trolley), munching all the samples available. Anything with a toothpick was graciously jammed in my gob.
Illustration courtesy of Tom Pritchard
Now, a grown man, the grace is ever present as are the love handles. But the food was simply of a different calibre at the Taste of London food showcase. Envision a field with 40 of London’s plushest restaurants (from Gauchos to the The Ritz Restaurant), along with over 200 stalls offering tasters of their latest products, wine tasting and cookery master classes, celeb chef theatres (featuring the likes of Michel Roux Jr, Pierre Koffmann, Silvena Rowe, Chris Galvin and Gary Rhodes) - and we have every food connoisseur’s heaven:
Slight downside - the festival itself (presented by Channel 4, Brand Events and in partnership with British Airways) ran over four rainy days (June 16-19); where grey clouds dropped an unforgiving shower on the capital. On the afternoon I attended, my trainers looked like a dark shade of mud, and I watched with sympathy for the ladies with white dresses and sandals skidding through the puddles. Nevertheless, brollies high in the air, cocktails all around, the summer festival mood shone through.
This vegetarian in particular simply couldn’t complain with ample samples of butternut squash soup, couscous, Bermudan rum, toffee vodka and wine to keep me and my friends company. Through rain, hell, fire and brimstone – I do recommend.
Next year the Taste of London festival runs from June 21-24. For more info, sign up here.
This is also published on the Media Trust Community Channel
I felt like that boy again - reliving my youth; the chubby dumpling-shaped boy who once ran down the aisles of Costco (as my Uncle Louis pushed the trolley), munching all the samples available. Anything with a toothpick was graciously jammed in my gob.
Now, a grown man, the grace is ever present as are the love handles. But the food was simply of a different calibre at the Taste of London food showcase. Envision a field with 40 of London’s plushest restaurants (from Gauchos to the The Ritz Restaurant), along with over 200 stalls offering tasters of their latest products, wine tasting and cookery master classes, celeb chef theatres (featuring the likes of Michel Roux Jr, Pierre Koffmann, Silvena Rowe, Chris Galvin and Gary Rhodes) - and we have every food connoisseur’s heaven:
Slight downside - the festival itself (presented by Channel 4, Brand Events and in partnership with British Airways) ran over four rainy days (June 16-19); where grey clouds dropped an unforgiving shower on the capital. On the afternoon I attended, my trainers looked like a dark shade of mud, and I watched with sympathy for the ladies with white dresses and sandals skidding through the puddles. Nevertheless, brollies high in the air, cocktails all around, the summer festival mood shone through.
This vegetarian in particular simply couldn’t complain with ample samples of butternut squash soup, couscous, Bermudan rum, toffee vodka and wine to keep me and my friends company. Through rain, hell, fire and brimstone – I do recommend.
Next year the Taste of London festival runs from June 21-24. For more info, sign up here.
This is also published on the Media Trust Community Channel
6/04/2011
Hip Hop Ain’t Dead – It’s In London
Review: Made In Palestine @ Queen of Hoxton
Where has hip hop wandered off to? Is it still a dominant cultural movement? A provocative tool capable of social impact?
Some of my die hard old school hip hop fanatic friends would give a resounding no, believing the lines of the genre are now blurred in a world of whirlwind commercialism, with any thought provoking messages lost in the midst of booty shaking ringtone-esque beats. I can sympathise with the cynicism, as contemporary rap and ‘hip hop’ trends with the likes of Soulja Boy at the forefront just don’t seem to amp me up as much as the likes of N.W.A., Afrika Bambaataa, the late Gil Scott-Heron and others did, and still do.
But whilst that may not be the dominant sound being broadcasted, the waves of empowering hip hop music still flow. And anyone that knows of rap artists Lowkey, Logic, Poetic Pilgrimage, Crazy Haze and Shadia Mansour will vouch for that. Through their music, bleeding real hip hop, the crew (along with others) have come to be recognised as usual suspects of the justice for Palestine movement, and they were all there on Monday May 30 getting fists up in the air at the Queen of Hoxton ‘Made In Palestine’ gig.
The itinerary gave little new to the ear – at least for me; someone who’s seen Lowkey live six times, Logic four times, and having guest speaker (political activist, journalist and co-founder of the Equality Movement) Jody McIntyre in my phonebook. However, these hip hop anthems and voices were as engaging, hard-hitting and uncompromising as they ALWAYS are. This was, and is, political hip hop at its best – with headliner Lowkey offloading his catalogue of lyrics that protest and challenge not only crimes against Palestinian people, but crimes against humanity overall. Logic rapped about being an “outsider looking in” on injustices, expressing solidarity and the work needed for a truthfully peaceful future. And Jody, never afraid to expose the dividing lines between those who stand for the equality of all and those who stand for the supremacy of some, delivered a short poem about his devastating memories of Palestine. Finishing with beats Terrorist, Obama Nation and Long Live Palestine, Lowkey himself even stated: “Hip hop ain’t dead. It’s in London.”
The hip hop with a point/punch is not lost, it’s just evolved as a cultural movement (and is perhaps a little bit more challenging to find).
Let’s just take the case of the Made In Palestine headliner; I’ve read one popular YouTube user’s comment on a video of Lowkey’s speech at the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Massacre Protest (May 2010), describing the rapper as a “British Tupac”. Now, I wouldn’t go that far. Set up a room for the two to converse today and I’m crying out to be a fly on the wall. But the two are still very different. Tupac Shakur will forever be a hip hop icon in his own right, remembered not only as a producer of timeless beats, but a voice for those experiencing hardships, violence, racism and other social problems in Harlem and the world he grew up in. The hip hop theme tastes quite a bit different for Lowkey and the artists at the Queen of Hoxton, who definitely embody relevant and purposeful hip hop beyond the melodies, rifts and hooks, but nevertheless they spit, speak and shout for a very different cause.
The Made In Palestine east London event in particular brought Lowkey and the other hip hop acts and fans together to fundraise for the Samouni Project.
Note: Whilst Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seem to chit chat, stall and chin chat some more over peace talks and the future of Palestine and Israel, Made In Palestine skipped that old tune, with hip hop activism including an interval session lead by Irish-American anti-war activist Kenneth O’Keefe; raising awareness and calling for direct action and support for the Samouni family that lost 48 members in a shell attack by Israeli forces in Gaza, January 2009.
Though there was no mention of ‘thug life’, Tupac himself was probably bopping from the heavens, as the Made In Palestine hip hop rumbling the Queen of Hoxton basement that night clearly had great political and social influence and integrity – and cannot be confused or even mentioned in the same breathe as ‘hip pop’. Peace signs, lighters and phones were up in the air for each act backing power to the Palestinian people, with DJ Snuff providing relentless backing track after track for Lowkey, Logic and the rest. Palestinian justice combined with the hip hop ‘stand up and be counted!’ heart beat was heavy, all the way through to the very end when we were treated to a cameo appearance by Akala (who nonchalantly stood behind me for much of the show), a new generation raw hip hop legend – as acclaimed by Lowkey.
So, I ask again – where are you hip hop? Substantial changes are evident, but my fanatic aforementioned friends should rest happy in the knowledge their hip hop is alive and kicking – they just have to look in the right places. Subsequently therein lays the other issue: How much/easily will they and you hear of this content? Are we expecting chart-toppers to emerge from the Queen of Hoxton – along with a YouTube sensation catchy dance routine to ‘Long Live Palestine’? Not sure about the first, and good God I hope not to the second. It is most probable the revolution will not be televised. But like with every hip hop generation (from Tupac to Lowkey) – what does that matter as long as the good word is spoken and the hip hop faithful are there to listen and act.
This is also published on the Media Trust Community Channel
Where has hip hop wandered off to? Is it still a dominant cultural movement? A provocative tool capable of social impact?
Some of my die hard old school hip hop fanatic friends would give a resounding no, believing the lines of the genre are now blurred in a world of whirlwind commercialism, with any thought provoking messages lost in the midst of booty shaking ringtone-esque beats. I can sympathise with the cynicism, as contemporary rap and ‘hip hop’ trends with the likes of Soulja Boy at the forefront just don’t seem to amp me up as much as the likes of N.W.A., Afrika Bambaataa, the late Gil Scott-Heron and others did, and still do.
But whilst that may not be the dominant sound being broadcasted, the waves of empowering hip hop music still flow. And anyone that knows of rap artists Lowkey, Logic, Poetic Pilgrimage, Crazy Haze and Shadia Mansour will vouch for that. Through their music, bleeding real hip hop, the crew (along with others) have come to be recognised as usual suspects of the justice for Palestine movement, and they were all there on Monday May 30 getting fists up in the air at the Queen of Hoxton ‘Made In Palestine’ gig.
The itinerary gave little new to the ear – at least for me; someone who’s seen Lowkey live six times, Logic four times, and having guest speaker (political activist, journalist and co-founder of the Equality Movement) Jody McIntyre in my phonebook. However, these hip hop anthems and voices were as engaging, hard-hitting and uncompromising as they ALWAYS are. This was, and is, political hip hop at its best – with headliner Lowkey offloading his catalogue of lyrics that protest and challenge not only crimes against Palestinian people, but crimes against humanity overall. Logic rapped about being an “outsider looking in” on injustices, expressing solidarity and the work needed for a truthfully peaceful future. And Jody, never afraid to expose the dividing lines between those who stand for the equality of all and those who stand for the supremacy of some, delivered a short poem about his devastating memories of Palestine. Finishing with beats Terrorist, Obama Nation and Long Live Palestine, Lowkey himself even stated: “Hip hop ain’t dead. It’s in London.”
The hip hop with a point/punch is not lost, it’s just evolved as a cultural movement (and is perhaps a little bit more challenging to find).
Let’s just take the case of the Made In Palestine headliner; I’ve read one popular YouTube user’s comment on a video of Lowkey’s speech at the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Massacre Protest (May 2010), describing the rapper as a “British Tupac”. Now, I wouldn’t go that far. Set up a room for the two to converse today and I’m crying out to be a fly on the wall. But the two are still very different. Tupac Shakur will forever be a hip hop icon in his own right, remembered not only as a producer of timeless beats, but a voice for those experiencing hardships, violence, racism and other social problems in Harlem and the world he grew up in. The hip hop theme tastes quite a bit different for Lowkey and the artists at the Queen of Hoxton, who definitely embody relevant and purposeful hip hop beyond the melodies, rifts and hooks, but nevertheless they spit, speak and shout for a very different cause.
The Made In Palestine east London event in particular brought Lowkey and the other hip hop acts and fans together to fundraise for the Samouni Project.
Note: Whilst Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seem to chit chat, stall and chin chat some more over peace talks and the future of Palestine and Israel, Made In Palestine skipped that old tune, with hip hop activism including an interval session lead by Irish-American anti-war activist Kenneth O’Keefe; raising awareness and calling for direct action and support for the Samouni family that lost 48 members in a shell attack by Israeli forces in Gaza, January 2009.
Though there was no mention of ‘thug life’, Tupac himself was probably bopping from the heavens, as the Made In Palestine hip hop rumbling the Queen of Hoxton basement that night clearly had great political and social influence and integrity – and cannot be confused or even mentioned in the same breathe as ‘hip pop’. Peace signs, lighters and phones were up in the air for each act backing power to the Palestinian people, with DJ Snuff providing relentless backing track after track for Lowkey, Logic and the rest. Palestinian justice combined with the hip hop ‘stand up and be counted!’ heart beat was heavy, all the way through to the very end when we were treated to a cameo appearance by Akala (who nonchalantly stood behind me for much of the show), a new generation raw hip hop legend – as acclaimed by Lowkey.
So, I ask again – where are you hip hop? Substantial changes are evident, but my fanatic aforementioned friends should rest happy in the knowledge their hip hop is alive and kicking – they just have to look in the right places. Subsequently therein lays the other issue: How much/easily will they and you hear of this content? Are we expecting chart-toppers to emerge from the Queen of Hoxton – along with a YouTube sensation catchy dance routine to ‘Long Live Palestine’? Not sure about the first, and good God I hope not to the second. It is most probable the revolution will not be televised. But like with every hip hop generation (from Tupac to Lowkey) – what does that matter as long as the good word is spoken and the hip hop faithful are there to listen and act.
This is also published on the Media Trust Community Channel
6/01/2011
Review: Streetfest 2011 – Wretch 32, The Nextmen, Skateboards, Bikes, Blades And Graffing
My cousin Brian came down to London last weekend from Montreal, Canada. It was a pit-stop; four days were all he had to get reacquainted with the city. Yet if ever there was an event that epitomised diving into the deep end of London street culture, it is Streetfest – and this year’s instalment stuffed Bri and I with everything that is glorious, raw and urban in the capital.
Off one of Shoreditch’s back roads on the sunny cider-must Sunday (May 29) was a hustle and bustle like no other. You walked into the transformed Hearn Street car park and immediately ran into a gauntlet of graffiti artists getting busy on the right hand side walls. Streetfest welcomed the finest, as I heard that behind the masks and paint mists were Inkie, Blam, Andy Council, Candy Flo, Elfin, Jess Douglas, Richt, Sainty, 45RPM and personal favourite – Remi Rough. If these names mean nothing to you, click on the links – zero disappointed is a promise.
The live art exhibition was the backdrop to a line up of entertainment throughout the day. My cousin wondered around like an overwhelmed overseas student at a Fresher’s Fair, with ears perked and wide eyes scoping from the hip hop b-girl dance competition (provided by the b.Supreme ladies - see above), to the bike ramps, to the spoken word poetry skills of G.R.E.Ed.S and Phresh Mentality. And all this was just outside.
Inside the Streetfest ‘arena’ were stalls, another 32ft built-in ramp (obviously a day of spoils for the skaters, bikers and rollerbladers from Lovenskate, Bicycle Union and Kingdom representing), and the main stage room with a stunning background design provided earlier during the live art battle by the globally renowned Secret Wars faction (see above). Performers Ghostpoet, Urban Nerds, rap artist Wretch 32 (see below) and eclectic duo The Nextmen blew the roof off. The bass was heavy; hip hop, dubstep, old school jungle, snippets of The Prodigy and more left me and my people raving like a couple of alcopopped delinquents - a picture thankfully left out of the Streetfest 2011 coverage.
Before we departed there were still some things to do; a go on the ingenious Adidas electronic graffiti board (see below - think advanced enormous Etch A Sketch for any budding graffer), and a few drop ins to the free photobooth, where lines of people waited to grab some funny, romantic and mental snapshots with their mates and lovers.
Brian shot back to Canada clutching our nostalgic photobooth moment below (my sisters Pam and Paola up top, crammed in with yours truly bottom left, Bri in the middle and brother from another Tom bottom right). Judging from the expressions, my bet is we'll all want to be on this side of the Atlantic for Streetfest 2012.
PHOTOS: Adidas/Ollie Adegboye
This is also published on the Media Trust Community Channel
5/22/2011
I’m HIV Negative!
I don’t mean to shout from the rooftops - with relief no less. After all, HIV is not a death sentence (as it was once viewed in the past). With progress in anti-retroviral treatment HIV is now recognised as a manageable chronic disease for the 33 million people worldwide currently living with the virus; it’s not doom and gloom – which is why we use the word ‘living’ not ‘dying’ with the virus.
Nevertheless, anyone who’s been in my position can sympathise that’s it’s an unforgiving nerve-racking period sitting there, waiting for the result.
Before I took the ‘FasTEST’ same day HIV test service at the Terrance Higgins Trust clinic (in Waterloo) I was surveyed, grilled with deeply personal questions – but research required (as a condition) by the trained health professionals to see if I represented any of the groups where HIV is most prominent. So, without further ado, I was asked if I was homosexual, had multiple sex partners on the go, had taken any drugs using a needle (and so on and so on) No. No and… no.
But even then I felt nervous. 60 minutes of perspiration - despite the fact I knew I didn’t fit into any of the HIV ‘high risk groups’. Even then, I wondered, for any who did fit into the ‘high risk’ categories, what must go through their heads as they watch time go by a bit too slow for comfort?
A few drops of blood later and it was confirmed – I am HIV negative. Having gleefully abandoned Biology and Chemistry at G.C.S.E. level the scientific technicalities of the test were beyond me. But it was done. Dusted. Simples. I walked out as easily as I had walked in. And then my mind backtracked to this documentary I had recently watched about HIV/AIDS and homosexuality in Kenya:
Guardian Films and Christian Aid follow ‘Melvin’, a gay prostitute on the streets of Mombasa, living cautiously and often abused in a very stigmatised environment when it comes to homosexuality and HIV; and with the memory of murdered Ugandan gay activist David Kato fresh in everyone’s mind. Melvin is definitely ‘high risk’ – but will he get HIV tested? No. The fear feeds an ‘ignorance is bliss’ attitude as he sees those who are gay and HIV positive subject to severe hostility and discrimination – in a country where there wasn’t a single medical facility for gay people until 2006.
Yet it took me one hour and no qualms to get tested in London; though I shouldn't forget to credit the superb persuasive powers of the Terrance Higgins 'FasTEST' saleswoman on street who convinced me to say "Why not!?" on my way home from work. No appointment needed. No charge. Confidentiality. No age, class, race, sexual preference, or immigration status limitations. One on one private advice before and after the test. IF I was found to be HIV positive, the Terrance Higgins clinic would’ve helped me get the support I required from local services. And, if not Waterloo, I had my pick of seven other walk-in clinics in London (and many more across the country).
In my opinion, everyone should be entitled to such health service and respect, which is why HIV justice actions such as this one set up by UNAIDS are so important: www.whatabouthiv.org; the vision is for a future with zero new HIV infections, zero stigma and discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.
I started this blog by stating HIV/AIDS is no longer a death sentence. Though perhaps I can only say that with confidence because I live in this city.
For more information on local and national sexual health services, and to find your nearest HIV testing clinic, visit www.tht.org.uk/fastest
This is also published on the Media Trust Community Channel
Nevertheless, anyone who’s been in my position can sympathise that’s it’s an unforgiving nerve-racking period sitting there, waiting for the result.
Before I took the ‘FasTEST’ same day HIV test service at the Terrance Higgins Trust clinic (in Waterloo) I was surveyed, grilled with deeply personal questions – but research required (as a condition) by the trained health professionals to see if I represented any of the groups where HIV is most prominent. So, without further ado, I was asked if I was homosexual, had multiple sex partners on the go, had taken any drugs using a needle (and so on and so on) No. No and… no.
But even then I felt nervous. 60 minutes of perspiration - despite the fact I knew I didn’t fit into any of the HIV ‘high risk groups’. Even then, I wondered, for any who did fit into the ‘high risk’ categories, what must go through their heads as they watch time go by a bit too slow for comfort?
A few drops of blood later and it was confirmed – I am HIV negative. Having gleefully abandoned Biology and Chemistry at G.C.S.E. level the scientific technicalities of the test were beyond me. But it was done. Dusted. Simples. I walked out as easily as I had walked in. And then my mind backtracked to this documentary I had recently watched about HIV/AIDS and homosexuality in Kenya:
Guardian Films and Christian Aid follow ‘Melvin’, a gay prostitute on the streets of Mombasa, living cautiously and often abused in a very stigmatised environment when it comes to homosexuality and HIV; and with the memory of murdered Ugandan gay activist David Kato fresh in everyone’s mind. Melvin is definitely ‘high risk’ – but will he get HIV tested? No. The fear feeds an ‘ignorance is bliss’ attitude as he sees those who are gay and HIV positive subject to severe hostility and discrimination – in a country where there wasn’t a single medical facility for gay people until 2006.
Yet it took me one hour and no qualms to get tested in London; though I shouldn't forget to credit the superb persuasive powers of the Terrance Higgins 'FasTEST' saleswoman on street who convinced me to say "Why not!?" on my way home from work. No appointment needed. No charge. Confidentiality. No age, class, race, sexual preference, or immigration status limitations. One on one private advice before and after the test. IF I was found to be HIV positive, the Terrance Higgins clinic would’ve helped me get the support I required from local services. And, if not Waterloo, I had my pick of seven other walk-in clinics in London (and many more across the country).
In my opinion, everyone should be entitled to such health service and respect, which is why HIV justice actions such as this one set up by UNAIDS are so important: www.whatabouthiv.org; the vision is for a future with zero new HIV infections, zero stigma and discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.
I started this blog by stating HIV/AIDS is no longer a death sentence. Though perhaps I can only say that with confidence because I live in this city.
For more information on local and national sexual health services, and to find your nearest HIV testing clinic, visit www.tht.org.uk/fastest
This is also published on the Media Trust Community Channel
5/20/2011
Review: 2011 London Youth Policy Symposium
Young people. Youth. The next generation. Young adults. Young’uns. Young-guns. Adolescents. Youts. The yout-dem. Teenagers. Youngsters.
WHATEVER you wish to call us/them (I’m 23… what the hell does that make me?), that matters little; as long as mutual respect reigns over any patronisation and ignorance, I’m a happy lil’ boy undettered by the generation gap. Labels and pigeon holes aside, what does matter is that respect and understanding which sets the foundation for promise.
Though for that promise to be fulfilled, action must be the follow up. And I guess that’s what the point of this year – officially the UN International Year of Youth (August 2010-2011). Over the past few months from London to Bamako, New York to Beijing and beyond, conference after youth event after debate after projects have been created to convert all that hot air surrounding ‘youth development’ into some clean cut agendas.
The latest one I attended as a social reporter (above, me, tapping away) was the 2011 London Youth Policy Symposium at the Royal Chace Hotel in my very own great green back yard - Enfield; a good 20+ train stops away from my home in east London, but home soil nonetheless. From Washington in January, Brussels in March and a penultimate session unfortunately cancelled in Nairobi, this was the fourth and final in a series of symposiums set up by the British Youth Council and Open Society Foundations (supported by the British Youth Council as well as the Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council), bringing key youth stakeholders together from around the world to learn, share and better meaningful youth participation in international decision-making.
Due to my face being stuck to my laptop/work, I missed all the chin-wagging of London Symposium Day 1 (May 17), which focused more on the issues and challenges of mobilising global youth voices. However, I was happy to roll in on Day 2 (May 18) which looked ahead to the solutions and action points (always my favourite part).
Some exciting, high-end to grassroots and innovative organisations brought their expertise and experience to the table, and with me not wanting to write a dissertation about wider strategies and mainstreaming, conditions and capacity building, impact of youth participation, transparency of organisations and structures, accountability and representation of youth people… (catch your breathe), here’s the run down of some key messages plus snapshots from the day:
Youth audit on the UN. Capitalise on our informal and formal networks. Train and support established leaders to lead and facilitate young people.
We must do all of the above according to Jennifer Corriero, Co-founder of Taking IT Global.
Regard young people as potential, a resource – not a ‘problem’ as many are referred to, said Mutinta Munyata and Kristoffer Sunday, of UN Habitat (located in Nairobi, Kenya), who set up and promoted an urban youth programme as well as a youth advisory board; one which harnesses youth participation, as well as provides strategic advice to UN-Habitat coordinators.
Sarah Huxley of DFid (UK Department For International Development) and author of the Youth CSO Network Youth Participation in Development Guide – spoke of having to create a strategic framework like the one she was involved in, surrounding prioritising youth participation on a global level; this now includes steering committees and co-ordinating sharing and learning networks across a range of nations.
And Kat Watson of IPPF (International Planned Parenthood Federation) recounted creating an International Youth Committee with her organisation as a form of good practice – putting young people at the forefront of youth policy; helping youth people to have a voice, but also "helping the older generation to have an ear."
We must address the challenges! (a general reoccurring key point); from the lack of access to facilities, to the demand of grants and funding from needy youth groups, overcoming apathy, improving communication and providing constant opportunity for youth representation from grassroots, to advocacy and policy-making levels.
Great points all round. Though, as you can tell, we can state the issues/problems (from sunrise to sunset). The immense list of WHY is endless. Next step, beyond the corridors of a hotel in London town, has to be HOW we actively tackle the obstacles of meaningful international youth participation, and see that promise come to fruition.
Stay tuned at www.youthpolicy.org/participation as more ideas and research is collated to bring out the questions, and bring in the answers.
Photos: Elaine Wong - www.elainewong.co.uk
For more photos: www.flickr.com/youthpolicy
This is also published on the Media Trust Community Channel
WHATEVER you wish to call us/them (I’m 23… what the hell does that make me?), that matters little; as long as mutual respect reigns over any patronisation and ignorance, I’m a happy lil’ boy undettered by the generation gap. Labels and pigeon holes aside, what does matter is that respect and understanding which sets the foundation for promise.
Though for that promise to be fulfilled, action must be the follow up. And I guess that’s what the point of this year – officially the UN International Year of Youth (August 2010-2011). Over the past few months from London to Bamako, New York to Beijing and beyond, conference after youth event after debate after projects have been created to convert all that hot air surrounding ‘youth development’ into some clean cut agendas.
The latest one I attended as a social reporter (above, me, tapping away) was the 2011 London Youth Policy Symposium at the Royal Chace Hotel in my very own great green back yard - Enfield; a good 20+ train stops away from my home in east London, but home soil nonetheless. From Washington in January, Brussels in March and a penultimate session unfortunately cancelled in Nairobi, this was the fourth and final in a series of symposiums set up by the British Youth Council and Open Society Foundations (supported by the British Youth Council as well as the Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council), bringing key youth stakeholders together from around the world to learn, share and better meaningful youth participation in international decision-making.
Due to my face being stuck to my laptop/work, I missed all the chin-wagging of London Symposium Day 1 (May 17), which focused more on the issues and challenges of mobilising global youth voices. However, I was happy to roll in on Day 2 (May 18) which looked ahead to the solutions and action points (always my favourite part).
Some exciting, high-end to grassroots and innovative organisations brought their expertise and experience to the table, and with me not wanting to write a dissertation about wider strategies and mainstreaming, conditions and capacity building, impact of youth participation, transparency of organisations and structures, accountability and representation of youth people… (catch your breathe), here’s the run down of some key messages plus snapshots from the day:
Youth audit on the UN. Capitalise on our informal and formal networks. Train and support established leaders to lead and facilitate young people.
We must do all of the above according to Jennifer Corriero, Co-founder of Taking IT Global.
Regard young people as potential, a resource – not a ‘problem’ as many are referred to, said Mutinta Munyata and Kristoffer Sunday, of UN Habitat (located in Nairobi, Kenya), who set up and promoted an urban youth programme as well as a youth advisory board; one which harnesses youth participation, as well as provides strategic advice to UN-Habitat coordinators.
Sarah Huxley of DFid (UK Department For International Development) and author of the Youth CSO Network Youth Participation in Development Guide – spoke of having to create a strategic framework like the one she was involved in, surrounding prioritising youth participation on a global level; this now includes steering committees and co-ordinating sharing and learning networks across a range of nations.
And Kat Watson of IPPF (International Planned Parenthood Federation) recounted creating an International Youth Committee with her organisation as a form of good practice – putting young people at the forefront of youth policy; helping youth people to have a voice, but also "helping the older generation to have an ear."
We must address the challenges! (a general reoccurring key point); from the lack of access to facilities, to the demand of grants and funding from needy youth groups, overcoming apathy, improving communication and providing constant opportunity for youth representation from grassroots, to advocacy and policy-making levels.
Great points all round. Though, as you can tell, we can state the issues/problems (from sunrise to sunset). The immense list of WHY is endless. Next step, beyond the corridors of a hotel in London town, has to be HOW we actively tackle the obstacles of meaningful international youth participation, and see that promise come to fruition.
Stay tuned at www.youthpolicy.org/participation as more ideas and research is collated to bring out the questions, and bring in the answers.
Photos: Elaine Wong - www.elainewong.co.uk
For more photos: www.flickr.com/youthpolicy
This is also published on the Media Trust Community Channel
5/17/2011
Review: The Greenhouse Effect @ Farm: Shop - Dalston
What a venue! I can’t lie – it didn’t instantly catch my wondering eyes from the outside. In fact, coming out of Dalston Junction underground station, I took a right and walked straight past the venue (twice) before realising. Yet beyond the barred windows of the Farm: Shop lays the most environmentally friendly event setting I’ve seen in the bustling neck of the woods I call east London.
Check out the vid to see it being put together:
Founded by Something & Sons, the agriculture centre run by volunteers demonstrates different ways of growing food in Hackney (and London in general); with a chicken pen (for eggs) on the roof, fish tanks (providing nutrients for plants) at the front of the community café, vegetables growing in the greenhouse out back, and mushrooms all around the shop. A pure green hub – a perfect spot on May 12 for The Greenhouse Effect; a spoken word poetry, music, and panel discussion night tackling that evergreen issue: climate change.
Catherine Brogan (above, who I’ve caught a few times performing alongside her Rhymes Won’t Wait Collective companions) opened the show inside the greenhouse, easing the audience in with some humorous bits of poetry.
The panel discussion followed (see pic below), compared by the lovely Maleena Pone – a session that pitted three sides of the climate action spectrum: Laura Trevelyan from Christian Aid who engage politicians and other networks in climate justice for the developing world, Raj Malhi from the UKYCC (UK Youth Climate Change Coalition) who rally up and educate young people on the issue, and Dan Glass, representing for Plane Stupid who take a direct action approach (meaning occupying power stations and airport runways is no qualm for the Plane Stupid activists).
Expertise in the different fields shone through, each stating personal struggles, successes, hopes and apprehensions. In the end, there was no gold, silver or bronze medals awarded, just three golden stars as each panellist stated different methods work for different audiences, and that we’re on the right track as long as the climate action movement is growing and constantly on the radar.
Recycle? Lobby your MP? Cycle to work? Create a youth-led flashmob? Convert the naysayers? Educate the ignorant? Get climate change in the national curriculum? Shut down a carbon spewing factory? The ball’s in your court.
The rest of the night was a music and spoken word fest – as I shed weight trying to catch each act running from the greenhouse in the garden to the room upstairs. Nick Lee provided some acoustic tunes, Becca Bland set a nice vibe with extracts from her upcoming novel, Pete the Temp (above) rocked the greenhouse with some sing-a-long anthems, there was a bit of folk by Martha Rose, some brilliant poetry by carbon footprint analyst and writer Danny Chivers, Yomi aka G.R.E.Ed.S (below) got everyone swaying with his guitar accompanied poetry, and finally (but far from least), Nick Mulvey closed the evening with a show-stopping (literally) set – which included his version of a Congolese beat; I doubt anyone understood a word of the Lingala verses – but it was soul-filling nonetheless.
The after party at Favela Chic in Old Street, together with Brazilian hip hop and rounds of Mojitos, meant it was a fabulous Thursday - albeit a heavy one, with a painful Friday morning as a follow-up.
£4 entry? For the Greenhouse Effect? Well worth the hangover.
Photos: Tekla Balfour
If you’re into the green life (in any way) I recommend checking out the Farm: Shop:
20 Dalston Lane
City of London
E8 3AZ
Or call:
020 3490 5124
This is also published on the Media Trust Community Channel
Check out the vid to see it being put together:
Founded by Something & Sons, the agriculture centre run by volunteers demonstrates different ways of growing food in Hackney (and London in general); with a chicken pen (for eggs) on the roof, fish tanks (providing nutrients for plants) at the front of the community café, vegetables growing in the greenhouse out back, and mushrooms all around the shop. A pure green hub – a perfect spot on May 12 for The Greenhouse Effect; a spoken word poetry, music, and panel discussion night tackling that evergreen issue: climate change.
Catherine Brogan (above, who I’ve caught a few times performing alongside her Rhymes Won’t Wait Collective companions) opened the show inside the greenhouse, easing the audience in with some humorous bits of poetry.
The panel discussion followed (see pic below), compared by the lovely Maleena Pone – a session that pitted three sides of the climate action spectrum: Laura Trevelyan from Christian Aid who engage politicians and other networks in climate justice for the developing world, Raj Malhi from the UKYCC (UK Youth Climate Change Coalition) who rally up and educate young people on the issue, and Dan Glass, representing for Plane Stupid who take a direct action approach (meaning occupying power stations and airport runways is no qualm for the Plane Stupid activists).
Expertise in the different fields shone through, each stating personal struggles, successes, hopes and apprehensions. In the end, there was no gold, silver or bronze medals awarded, just three golden stars as each panellist stated different methods work for different audiences, and that we’re on the right track as long as the climate action movement is growing and constantly on the radar.
Recycle? Lobby your MP? Cycle to work? Create a youth-led flashmob? Convert the naysayers? Educate the ignorant? Get climate change in the national curriculum? Shut down a carbon spewing factory? The ball’s in your court.
The rest of the night was a music and spoken word fest – as I shed weight trying to catch each act running from the greenhouse in the garden to the room upstairs. Nick Lee provided some acoustic tunes, Becca Bland set a nice vibe with extracts from her upcoming novel, Pete the Temp (above) rocked the greenhouse with some sing-a-long anthems, there was a bit of folk by Martha Rose, some brilliant poetry by carbon footprint analyst and writer Danny Chivers, Yomi aka G.R.E.Ed.S (below) got everyone swaying with his guitar accompanied poetry, and finally (but far from least), Nick Mulvey closed the evening with a show-stopping (literally) set – which included his version of a Congolese beat; I doubt anyone understood a word of the Lingala verses – but it was soul-filling nonetheless.
The after party at Favela Chic in Old Street, together with Brazilian hip hop and rounds of Mojitos, meant it was a fabulous Thursday - albeit a heavy one, with a painful Friday morning as a follow-up.
£4 entry? For the Greenhouse Effect? Well worth the hangover.
Photos: Tekla Balfour
If you’re into the green life (in any way) I recommend checking out the Farm: Shop:
20 Dalston Lane
City of London
E8 3AZ
Or call:
020 3490 5124
This is also published on the Media Trust Community Channel
4/18/2011
Mali Youth Summit On HIV Round Up: What About HIV? Zero New Infections, Zero AIDS-Related Deaths & Zero Stigma and Discrimination. The Call To Action
Day 5: Closing Blog
So, it's the end of the Mali Youth Summit on HIV, and I'm off the plane; back in the UK - jetlagged, but inspired, tanned up and ready for action.
I went as a UK youth media representative and HIV activist, I return as part of a global movement. Not too shabby a deal.
What did I learn from the conference? If you've been following my daily blogs, the answer is, never enough.
Over 33 million people are living with HIV worldwide, 7000 new infections every day (3000 of those being in young people), over 10 million without access to HIV treatment. There is much great work happening around HIV prevention and justice (evidence supplied by my fellow youth ambassadors and the UNAIDS summit facilitators) - but with too many shortcomings past and present, there's still so much more that needs doing.
But having met and worked alongside some of the greatest minds and hearts at the summit, as well as already chowing down on endorsements from the likes of the President of Mali and the Executive Director of UNAIDS, Chinese TV presenter James Chau and even her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway - I conclude with the belief there is terrific potential with the newly formed youth-led global network to frontline what is being called the 'HIV/AIDS response revolution'.
All you need to know is on the Call to Action, detailing every facet of how it’s going to be done.
The lethal dose to HIV injustice has been created – now it just needs to be injected – and it will be, right in the lap of the President of the General Assembly of the UN at the GA High Level Meeting on AIDS this June. Trust, if it were possible, I'd play delivery boy quite happily.
Though not to be overlooked - undoubtedly it was a challenging graft putting our key messages and demands together in this document (I would know, having sat on the drafting committee). With the branches of HIV injustice spreading far and wide, the drafts chipped and changed from the start of the summit last Friday April 15, to the final moments yesterday evening. Yet consider a hotpot of 150+ passionate and outspoken HIV activists from across around 70 nations – and the journey towards this mission statement (however rocky) was an inevitable, and necessary one.
Now this Call to Action is a momentous stepping stone, a call out to Heads of States, governments, all leaders, all those possessing the political and social power (and the wads of cash) – to make this investment, as HIV justice does not speak solely to the interest of key populations; young people who use drugs, young men who have sex with men, young people living with HIV, young transgender people and young sex workers. This public health revolution applies to ALL.
If you care about morality, then you care about HIV.
Zero new infections, zero AIDS-related deaths and zero stigma and discrimination. Can it be done? Sign up to the Call to Action at www.whatabouthiv.org - every revolution starts somewhere.
So, it's the end of the Mali Youth Summit on HIV, and I'm off the plane; back in the UK - jetlagged, but inspired, tanned up and ready for action.
I went as a UK youth media representative and HIV activist, I return as part of a global movement. Not too shabby a deal.
What did I learn from the conference? If you've been following my daily blogs, the answer is, never enough.
Over 33 million people are living with HIV worldwide, 7000 new infections every day (3000 of those being in young people), over 10 million without access to HIV treatment. There is much great work happening around HIV prevention and justice (evidence supplied by my fellow youth ambassadors and the UNAIDS summit facilitators) - but with too many shortcomings past and present, there's still so much more that needs doing.
But having met and worked alongside some of the greatest minds and hearts at the summit, as well as already chowing down on endorsements from the likes of the President of Mali and the Executive Director of UNAIDS, Chinese TV presenter James Chau and even her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway - I conclude with the belief there is terrific potential with the newly formed youth-led global network to frontline what is being called the 'HIV/AIDS response revolution'.
All you need to know is on the Call to Action, detailing every facet of how it’s going to be done.
The lethal dose to HIV injustice has been created – now it just needs to be injected – and it will be, right in the lap of the President of the General Assembly of the UN at the GA High Level Meeting on AIDS this June. Trust, if it were possible, I'd play delivery boy quite happily.
Though not to be overlooked - undoubtedly it was a challenging graft putting our key messages and demands together in this document (I would know, having sat on the drafting committee). With the branches of HIV injustice spreading far and wide, the drafts chipped and changed from the start of the summit last Friday April 15, to the final moments yesterday evening. Yet consider a hotpot of 150+ passionate and outspoken HIV activists from across around 70 nations – and the journey towards this mission statement (however rocky) was an inevitable, and necessary one.
Now this Call to Action is a momentous stepping stone, a call out to Heads of States, governments, all leaders, all those possessing the political and social power (and the wads of cash) – to make this investment, as HIV justice does not speak solely to the interest of key populations; young people who use drugs, young men who have sex with men, young people living with HIV, young transgender people and young sex workers. This public health revolution applies to ALL.
If you care about morality, then you care about HIV.
Zero new infections, zero AIDS-related deaths and zero stigma and discrimination. Can it be done? Sign up to the Call to Action at www.whatabouthiv.org - every revolution starts somewhere.
4/17/2011
Mali UNAIDS Youth Summit On HIV - Day 4, Time In The Media Spotlight, Meeting A Norwegian Princess (And Finally A Bit Of Mali Life)
Struggling a bit with the heat and fatigue. When I look back at today, I think it’ll be a blur, but a fond fuzzy one at that.
More inspirational speeches, workshops and final touches to the ‘Call to Action’ document took up much of the Mali Youth Summit on HIV penultimate day – though unfortunately I missed chunks of the sessions; running around behind the scenes putting my own final touches to the ‘Traditional Media’ afternoon work group I was asked to facilitate.
What I did catch however was motivation talk at its best. Chinese TV presenter James Chau (CCTV News and World Wide Watch), lead on a few panel discussions – but the lively mood really boomed when he walked around the CIDB (Centre International des Conférences) conference room among the 150+ delegates for a ‘hot potato’ round; asking any youth leaders present to stand up and say one thing on the mic that they thought would aid this HIV social revolution.
There were voices from South Africa, China, Russia, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and several more (and I mean SEVERAL more – in the end James didn’t have to walk over to the raised hands, some eager activists just followed him around the room waiting for their shout). I heard everything from “Support young women against HIV stigma and abuse, protect those who will nurture our future”, to “Put funding in the right place, for the people that need it the most, and where we can make the biggest impact”, and more than one saying loud and proud, “This is up to us. We must take responsibility… This is our movement – so let’s take charge right here, right now.”
Then an unexpected cameo appearance - her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway (pictured above with our photographer extraordinaire Kris Krug) stood up and stated her support for the HIV social revolution. I have little care for our own Royal Family, and to be honest, I couldn’t give a royal fanny about the Royal Wedding – but Princess Mette-Marit was of a different calibre at this conference; walking around the delegates preaching youth empowerment – renowned for being an engaging, warm speaking and on point youth ambassador for youth initiatives.
“We must mobilise the youth, have faith in our ability, and in our collaboration” said the Princess, adding “If the governments and local communities do not respond, do not wait, create your own networks and initiatives, work at it and make it so you cannot be ignored.”
Then it was my small media time to shine, given the task of explaining the ins and outs of press releases and op-eds, as well as building a strategic plan to push for youth-led media promotion of this summit’s Call to Action. With 5 other working groups happening simultaneously (others on activism, youth leadership, social networking, community engagement and building partnerships) I was happy to have just a concise group of 12 dedicated media players, up for harnessing the awareness and support of the Call to Action. With revolutionary reps and HIV activists from Egypt to Mexico, China and Togo, it was a dynamic media hub of resources geared up to make headlines on ground.
The end presentations were great (including one lead by awesome Tanzanian VJ/DJ starlet Vanessa Mdee - above left) and I hope that 2-hour network time will be a long-lasting one as we take our action plan forward. Yet one spot of realisation I must mention is perhaps a bad assumption generally; that it would be hard for some people at the summit to grasp a session on social media if they did not have readily available internet access, or training in modern media.
True story for some, false for others – a vital factor to consider regardless, and a point brought up already by Mauritian delegate Guffron Rostum yesterday.
However, nearing the end of my work group, Togolese delegate Afawoubo Komi Gagnon (below left) completely flipped perspectives on the issue concerning accessibility to media platforms. Nevermind Twitter (which he has), Facebook and other ‘modern’ social media, the 23 year old stated that when it comes to traditional media: “It will be very difficult in my country as remote areas often do not have TVs, or radio, or the literacy skills are too limited to read newspapers and magazines.”
But being a big media enthusiast eager to learn more about the various processes (which explained his sign up for my work group), we exchanged emails and arranged plans for me to mentor him part-time post conference.
No biggy.
Afawoubo - like with so many of the delegates at this summit - is stating the issues that need to be addressed and not forgotten; and it’s only a good thing to hear such a voice. After the launch of the Call to Action tomorrow (April 17), we must continue to consider the pitfalls and the strengths, and work on both. We should believe in success, but not fear failures – which can be remedied by this immerging global network. And there’s proof with Afawoubo becoming my latest colleague.
Note: It’s late now and my fingers are cramping up. It’s my last night in Mali before the closing tomorrow. I’m off, logging off – as I check out a Mali culture/HIV celebration night, do a little Mali dance, eat a little Mali food, live a bit of Mali life.
Credit: Kris Krug
Final update tomorrow + the official HIV/AIDS Call to Action.
More inspirational speeches, workshops and final touches to the ‘Call to Action’ document took up much of the Mali Youth Summit on HIV penultimate day – though unfortunately I missed chunks of the sessions; running around behind the scenes putting my own final touches to the ‘Traditional Media’ afternoon work group I was asked to facilitate.
What I did catch however was motivation talk at its best. Chinese TV presenter James Chau (CCTV News and World Wide Watch), lead on a few panel discussions – but the lively mood really boomed when he walked around the CIDB (Centre International des Conférences) conference room among the 150+ delegates for a ‘hot potato’ round; asking any youth leaders present to stand up and say one thing on the mic that they thought would aid this HIV social revolution.
There were voices from South Africa, China, Russia, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and several more (and I mean SEVERAL more – in the end James didn’t have to walk over to the raised hands, some eager activists just followed him around the room waiting for their shout). I heard everything from “Support young women against HIV stigma and abuse, protect those who will nurture our future”, to “Put funding in the right place, for the people that need it the most, and where we can make the biggest impact”, and more than one saying loud and proud, “This is up to us. We must take responsibility… This is our movement – so let’s take charge right here, right now.”
Then an unexpected cameo appearance - her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway (pictured above with our photographer extraordinaire Kris Krug) stood up and stated her support for the HIV social revolution. I have little care for our own Royal Family, and to be honest, I couldn’t give a royal fanny about the Royal Wedding – but Princess Mette-Marit was of a different calibre at this conference; walking around the delegates preaching youth empowerment – renowned for being an engaging, warm speaking and on point youth ambassador for youth initiatives.
“We must mobilise the youth, have faith in our ability, and in our collaboration” said the Princess, adding “If the governments and local communities do not respond, do not wait, create your own networks and initiatives, work at it and make it so you cannot be ignored.”
Then it was my small media time to shine, given the task of explaining the ins and outs of press releases and op-eds, as well as building a strategic plan to push for youth-led media promotion of this summit’s Call to Action. With 5 other working groups happening simultaneously (others on activism, youth leadership, social networking, community engagement and building partnerships) I was happy to have just a concise group of 12 dedicated media players, up for harnessing the awareness and support of the Call to Action. With revolutionary reps and HIV activists from Egypt to Mexico, China and Togo, it was a dynamic media hub of resources geared up to make headlines on ground.
The end presentations were great (including one lead by awesome Tanzanian VJ/DJ starlet Vanessa Mdee - above left) and I hope that 2-hour network time will be a long-lasting one as we take our action plan forward. Yet one spot of realisation I must mention is perhaps a bad assumption generally; that it would be hard for some people at the summit to grasp a session on social media if they did not have readily available internet access, or training in modern media.
True story for some, false for others – a vital factor to consider regardless, and a point brought up already by Mauritian delegate Guffron Rostum yesterday.
However, nearing the end of my work group, Togolese delegate Afawoubo Komi Gagnon (below left) completely flipped perspectives on the issue concerning accessibility to media platforms. Nevermind Twitter (which he has), Facebook and other ‘modern’ social media, the 23 year old stated that when it comes to traditional media: “It will be very difficult in my country as remote areas often do not have TVs, or radio, or the literacy skills are too limited to read newspapers and magazines.”
But being a big media enthusiast eager to learn more about the various processes (which explained his sign up for my work group), we exchanged emails and arranged plans for me to mentor him part-time post conference.
No biggy.
Afawoubo - like with so many of the delegates at this summit - is stating the issues that need to be addressed and not forgotten; and it’s only a good thing to hear such a voice. After the launch of the Call to Action tomorrow (April 17), we must continue to consider the pitfalls and the strengths, and work on both. We should believe in success, but not fear failures – which can be remedied by this immerging global network. And there’s proof with Afawoubo becoming my latest colleague.
Note: It’s late now and my fingers are cramping up. It’s my last night in Mali before the closing tomorrow. I’m off, logging off – as I check out a Mali culture/HIV celebration night, do a little Mali dance, eat a little Mali food, live a bit of Mali life.
Credit: Kris Krug
Final update tomorrow + the official HIV/AIDS Call to Action.
4/15/2011
Mali UNAIDS Youth Summit On HIV - Day 3, HIV, A Mauritian Encounter, The Drug Intervention, And The President Of Mali
The President of Mali walks in and the national anthem hits. The bustling room at Bamako's Centre International des Conférences bears witness to the first ever gathering of around 150 young HIV activists repping from 70+ nations. Though I struggle to mumble the words (of an anthem I don't understand), the pride is still there as President Amadou Toumani Touré stands on stage at the centre of a panel with the tagline backdrop banner stating: 'The emergence of a new generation of leaders against AIDS/HIV'. The Mali Global Summit on HIV is officially kickstarted.
I've been in Mali for two days now, and my forehead is sunburnt to a crisp, but that aside, today was awesome - and provided an unbelievable wealth of eye opening issues surrounding the HIV activism movement. Where the hell do I start...? Let's go back to the opening ceremony and panel.
There were a few highlights from the 2-3 hour welcoming session and overview. The stat thrown out that there are 7000 new infections of HIV every day (40% of those are young adults) resonated with every one in the room. There were a few spontaneous rallying outbursts from the audience; the delegates were hyped, locked and loaded to be the shotgun in the fight against HIV injustice.
Support was provided from all corners, including the President of the Republic of Gabon who sent a video message. President Ali Bongo Ondimba left us with: "We expect from our leaders of tomorrow to lead in the fight against HIV injustice which is breaking up families around the world."
Michel Sidibé (above left), the Mali-born Executive Director of UNAIDS, stepped up the gear in the auditorium; thrilled to host the summit in his home country. Michel touched upon the complex history of Mali, but spoke of the progress made since the election (and subsequent re-elections) of Mali President Amadou Tamani Toure, who came to power in 1991 "scaling the country... giving the minimal services for his people, bringing democracy to the country." Michel asked all to take note of what has happened in Mali, as well as how China has responded vigourously to HIV issues, what is happening in Tunisia, and in Egypt (on a political activism level) - and to realise such a social revolution was happening right here in Bamako.
"Over 10 million people around the world need not die because they can't get access to HIV treatment. We must work together to ensure the value of life is not different from Bamako to New York" Michel added. Speaking directly to the delegates he finished with, "You are not the leaders of tomorrow, you are the leaders of today. Let's facilitate places for HIV treatment, build concrete actions, make our societies more inclusive, and may sexual and HIV education be the vaccine."
Then it was the turn of President Toure (above and below), who made a promise to deliver the summit message and youth voice to the High Level summit in June. Toure spoke of empowerment: "We must and we will stand against any discrimination towards HIV. No longer will patients have to go to get their HIV treatment, the antiretrovirals should be delivered to them (free of charge). We will build upon the national fund for those fighting HIV/AIDS... And I encourage all the young people involved to be cautious, but vigilant - use your power to take care of yourselves now, and for the future."
With all this inspirational chit chat (plus the outstanding Mali music and dance entertainment - see below), it was almost easy to forget there was much work to do!
Working groups and process meetings took up the next few hours, providing action plans for the attendees evolved around youth leadership, access to information and HIV services (for key population high-risk areas in particular), laws and policies effecting stigma and discrimination, and HIV resources and funding. All of the information and feedback was compiled to form the final 'Call to Action' document (which I'll release on here on Sunday April 18). Right now, that document is being moderated by youth leaders repping and volunteering from 7 nations, before the final draft comes though to myself and the drafting committee tomorrow night (so no Mali clubbing as hoped for, I’ve got an all-nighter date with my good old laptop).
Pretty heavy stuff – I know. Right now I type this dreary eyed with beads of sweat running down my crispy forehead, with the veggie Chinese food I just ate weighing me down down into my pillow. All the whilst I’m trying to take this all in, and wonder (as with many I’ve spoken to) about the real impact, and outcome of this 3 day conference… Two presidents and an executive director have shown support and amped up the summit, but what about the youth leaders here who will lead the social movement? Soaked in humidity, but are they soaking up the content and vision of this event? I close this blog with the integral voices, two perspectives I found as the sun set on conference Day 1.
It was awesome to meet a delegate from my homeland, Mauritius. 24 year old Guffran Rostom (above left) who travelled up from Quatre Bornes, told me about his work as a HIV Prevention and Advocacy Officer for NGO, PILS (Prevention Information Et Lutte Contre Le SIDA); who focus on supporting vulnerable children in ‘informal’ schools with sexual education. Having not been back to Mauritius since 1999 I had no idea HIV was so prevalent there, but Guffran assured me his work and more support was needed in a small country of which 0.97% of the population have HIV (70% caused by infecting drug users i.e. transmission through dirty syringes). A drug intervention and harm reduction (by pushing medical centres to commit to replacing the dirty syringes with clean needles) needs a section in the HIV Call to Action plan Guffran affirms: “Over 10,000 people in Mauritius are using heroin… harm reduction, methadone substitutes and drug therapy will all help immensely in the fight against HIV.”
When asked about the summit overall, he called it a “great moment to create this global network of participation and activism.” But practically, we discussed a number of obvious challenges – such as the different levels of technology and access to (and knowledge of) social networks dependant on where you are in the world. And with that, there is the issue of the sheer quantity of regions and issues involved (which could cause conflicting priorities). These truths cannot be overlooked.
And that brings me onto my last interview of the day, with 19 year old Kenyan, Geoffrey Ochieng Gomba (above left) – who sees many great aspects of the summit, but hopes it won’t prove to be a complete waste of time. To be honest, it’s not in Geoffrey’s nature to be sitting around listening, he’s our modern day African Action Man. Born HIV positive, he’s always been a HIV activist, and has been working for a small initiative in Kenya protecting and supporting young women with HIV since the age of 11. His passion shines though: “There is never enough we can do. HIV is prevalent in 4.7% of women in Kenya, and with the discrimination and abuse some face – we need action now… It’s not even an issue of HIV sometimes, but an issue of morality, as women with or without HIV are getting maltreated. They need to be empowered now, and know their rights.” Though the atmosphere at this summit is buzzing, Geoffrey has no patience for politics, complications or slow compromise. “Life is too short” he says, with plans to go travel to every African nation and lead a charge for HIV/AIDS justice.
In my personal opinion, the political game inevitably plays a major factor in any global revolution.
Nevertheless, whatever Guffran and Geoffrey’s intentions are post conference, I do feel their apprehensions (however big or small) about the long-term impact are justified. At the same time, I can’t imagine any better people to input into this potential global movement and Call to Action.
From all the conversations I’ve had thus far, the fears and belief, criticisms and praise - who better than those passionate people on ground working with HIV issues to guarantee all areas are covered. That alone will keep this buzz going.
Credit: Photographer Kris Krug - for every awesome snapshot, except the last crappy ones I took on my phone.
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