News

Forget about UKIP leader Nigel Farage, or even the darling of the Conservative Right, Mayor Boris Johnson, it is the Conservative’s first MP of African descent Adam Afriyie, who has been tipped by conspirators to topple David Cameron.

Whether or not this is wild speculation or a serious manoeuvre to dislodge the PM, one thing is for sure it is the first time in British history that a Black person has been talked about as Prime Minister in this way.

OBV speaks exclusively to Colleen Brown, Theatre Producer, Unemployment Counsellor, School Governor and OBV graduate. Brown tell us about her new play ‘Pumpkin Soup for the Soul’ and shares her courageous journey to get there.

Colleen Brown was first introduced to OBV in 2009 when she was selected for the Lewisham Civic Leadership Programme. She didn’t know it at the time, but being part of the project would prove to be a life changing decision.

Under the stewardship of Aisha Richards, Mark Crawley- Dean of Students- and his senior team, there is a quite revolution being undertaken at the University of Arts in London.

They are, perhaps, one of the first universities in the country which has not only undertaken a comprehensive study that outlines clear race inequality in the assessment of Black students, but has also engaged in a public, student and staff debate about how to best tackle this particular challenge.

The 2011 Demos report found that 83% of Muslims were proud to be British compared to 79% of the national average. This makes British Muslims one of the most patriotic groups within British society, yet despite this, negative perception of British Muslims is increasing.

It wasn’t so many years ago when it seemed that the Liberal Democrats were the loudest cheerleaders when it came to tackling race equality. Not so anymore. Reports in the Guardian and Lib Dem websites have highlighted the fact that an internal report commissioned by the Leader Nick Clegg has been rejected, leaving many in the party feeling their efforts and views are just not wanted.

This is a great shame on many levels. Just over a year ago, Nick Clegg as Deputy Prime Minister stated:

We must tackle racism with an iron fist’

Over here in the UK many Black people may not have heard about Myrlie Evers-Williams. This week she was catapulted into the global spotlight by introducing the President of the United States, Barak Obama for his Presidential inauguration.

In Britain and much of the western world, we are taught that democracy is ‘good’ and that other forms of government (totalitarian, dictatorship) are ‘bad’.

Democracy is often heralded as the height of human civilisation, born from a system of governance “by the people, for the people” which is the epitome of impartiality, justice and equality. However, whilst this propagates free speech and protects the rights of all, it is also, fundamentally, its own fatal flaw.

Introduction

By reading the notes of Andy Morgan, we know he loves this region of the African Sahara desert. Music was is introduction. He met some Touareg poet-guitarists Tinariwen at music Festival in the Desert in 2001 and went on to co-manage and then manage them and helping them to win fans and influence people all over the world.

In a speech last week at a conference run by the Home Affairs Select Committee, one of Scotland Yard's most senior officers criticised the recruitment strategy used by the police. His criticism comes as it emerged that in the last strategic command course, which qualifies a police officer to the ranks of senior officer, not a single candidate on the course was from a Black or ethnic minority (BME) background.