News

In the week that followed David Cameron's speech on multiculturalism, there have been a number of responses to it and not from those you would consider being the 'usual suspects'. We've commented on it with a piece by OBV Director Simon Woolley but I'd like to also highlight three people with differing political standpoints who’ve responded on the speech.

Last Sunday, Londoners like myself alongside many thousands of visitors to the capital immersed ourselves in multiculturalism. The event was the Chinese New Year celebration - the year of the  rabbit. London’s Chinatown and its surrounding streets were heaving with revellers fantastically enjoying this  part publically funded event.

For the Chinese community it is a showcase of what they do best: culture, business, great food and entertainment. Equally we Londoners take pride in this too as part of what makes our metropolis a great city.

Sheila D'Souza had little idea that just after one year of taking part in Operation Black Vote’s Black Women’s Councillor shadowing scheme funded by the Government Equality Office, that she would not only be an elected representative but also chosen from the thousands of new elected representatives as ‘New Councillor of the Year’.

UK Black is a podcast featuring highlights from the BBC's local African and Caribbean news programmes around the country. Presented by the Sony-award winning broadcaster Eddie Nestor, it's a snapshot from communities in fourteen regions - each with their own distinctive flavour.

This week, we speak to former OBV alumnus, now Yale World Fellow, Marvin Rees, debate whether Caribbean food is as healthy as it is delicious, more on the multiculturalism debate and reggae legend Ken Boothe. All this plus so much more on..UK BLACK WITH EDDIE NESTOR.

With all the big political issues going on at the moment, such as, the furore around what our Prime Minister said about multiculturalism, I almost forgot to tell you some good news. No! Very good news.

A few weeks ago I arrived in Glasgow on a wet Saturday morning for the annual Unison Black workers conference. My only reservation about speaking at the conference was not being able to spend more than a few hours there. Like most parents I also want to spend quality time with my child, and therefore I promised him that I would return home ASAP.

During my annual leave over the Christmas period, I enjoyed watching the last series of the Oprah show before she launches her OWN TV Channel. Despite the undercurrent of feelings by some that Oprah is not “black” enough, the lady has some massive achievements under her belt! I wonder if I’ll ever see a British (and obviously black) Oprah in my lifetime – not to mention a Barack Obama (a whole different ball game). Just how far behind African-Americans are the Black-British?

It’s good to see mentoring supremo Ray Lewis again teamed up with Mayor Boris Johnson.

In 2008 the Eastside Leaders Academy chief was appointed Deputy Mayor (for Young People) but was hounded out of office by the media. Lewis may have made mistakes but a track record of leadership and community service had convinced Boris Johnson of his talent and the role he could play in the lives of young black boys in London.

Caveat accompanies BMHUK’s welcome of the new cross-government national mental health strategy writes Matilda MacAttram.

While welcoming the new national strategy that sets out the plan for the future of mental health care in England, equality groups recognise that real progress will not be achieved unless the enduring discrimination faced by black patients is properly addressed.

Last year, OBV held talks with BBC Directors regarding the lack of Black content as well as the lack of prominent Black faces in the larger BBC family.

We are still in negotiations regarding a mentoring scheme and other projects.

However, there has been an increase in diverse programming recently including Dotun Adebeyo's 'Young, Muslim and Black series on Radio Four; 1968 Olympics: Black Power Salute on BBC Four; and Blues music and the railroads, again on Radio Four.

Simone Webb an A Level student at Harlow College sixth form and Labour party member, currently standing for Eastern region representative on the Young Labour national committee, writes a piece in today's Guardian.

In her piece she argues that in an age where citizenship is promoted in schools and the political class often lament the lack of politicisation amongst young people the recent student protests are a positive development.