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ConnectingCommunitiesOBVNewsIssue5Summer201017becausetherex19sbeenlittleneedtolearEnglish.Youngwomenarestillexpectedtomarryyoungandwithintheircommunity.Withthisbackdropitx19stakenamere50yearstoreachastagewheninthelocalelectionstherewereover50individualsstandingforlocalcouncilelectionsandtwopeopleasParliamentaryCandidatesfromallparties.Thisisrealprogressas17Turkishspeakingcouncillorswereelected.WhenIwas9rstelectedbackin1994IwasoneoftwocouncillorsinLondonandinthesubsequent16yearsthishassteadilyWhenI9rstannouncedIwasstandingasacouncillorintheLondonBoroughofHackneybackin1994IwasmetwithresponseswhichwouldnothavebeenoutofplaceifIwasplanningalonetripupMountEverest.AsaTurkishwomanitwasunheardof.Iwasaskedonanumberofoccasionswhyx18myhusbandwasnx19tstandingx19andwhatexactlyacouncillordidTurkishspeakingcommunitiesintheUKx13madeupofTurkishTurkish-CypriotandKurdishpeople-didnothavearecordofinvolvementinpublicservicesorbeingengagedinthepoliticalsystem.ManylikemyfamilyhadarrivedintheUKasmigrantsbackinthe1950sandhadretreatedintoenclavesinIslingtonHackneyandHaringeyandeitherworkedinfactoriesorrestaurantsandwentontoopensmallbusinesses.TheyhadlittlebackgroundorexperienceoftheUKx19spublicsectors.TheTurkishcommunityarebyandlargesecularMuslimswhohaveoverthedecadesdevelopedourowninfrastructureandservices.FormanyTurksitisquitenormalthatyouremployerwhereyoushopwhereyoueatoutandotherservicesyourequirewillallbeprovidedbyTurkishbusinesses.Hencewhymany9rstgenerationTurkishpeoplex13particularlywomenlikemymother-willhaveonlybasicknowledgeofEnglishincreased.Ihavehadaprettyhighpro9lecampaigningandworkingquietrelentlesslytoencouragemorepeoplefromTurkishspeakingcommunitiesbecomeactiveinpoliticsandpubliclife.Ix19vecitedhow9rstandsecondgenerationTurkishchildrenhaveunderachievedformanyyearsinschoolsandhowinrecentyearsmanyofouryoungpeoplehavebeendrawnintonotoriousdrugringsandgangsinLondonandbeencriminalised.Theirfamiliesareoftenpreoccupiedworkinglonghoursandlackthecon9dencetoensuretheirchildgetsagooddealattheirschool.Weareasigni9cantandgrowingcommunitywithnumbersacrossLondonestimatedtobearound500000butconcentratedinkeyLondonboroughsHackneyIslingtonHaringeyEn9eldLewishamSouthwarkandBarnet.Inmanyoftheseboroughx19sschoolsTurkishisnowthesecondlanguageafterEnglish.WehaveaverybuoyantTurkishmediawhichhasdonemuchtohighlighttheworkandactivitiesofTurkishcouncillorsandhowimportantitistohavepeoplefromallbackgroundsholdingpublicof9ce.AsBMEcouncillorswebringourownexperienceandperspectivetothetablewheredecisionsthataffectallourlivesaretakenissueslikeschoolssocialservicesemploymentandtheenvironment.ThefactthatsomanyTurkish-speakingcandidatescameforwardforelectionthisyearhasdemonstratedthatthereisasigni9cantchangeinattitudesandthatassecondandthirdgenerationswex19verealisedthatwemusttakeourplaceinthedemocraticinstitutionswithintheUK.IstooddownatthelastelectionsafterservinginbothHackneyandIslingtonCouncilsfor16years.ItwastimetomoveonbutIx19msopleasedthatthereisnownoshortageofpeoplefrommycommunitycomingforward.IwillcontinuetocampaignfortheneedformorepeoplefromallBMEcommunitiestotaketheirplaceintheTownHallsandhopefullyinParliamentinthecomingyears.BaronessMeralHusseinEceChairEthnicMinorityLiberalDemocratsRaceAdvisertoNickCleggandCommissionerontheEqualityandHumanRightsCommissionTakingourplaceinpoliticsItx19staken50yearsbutTurkishpeoplearenowbreakingthroughinpoliticswritesBaronessMeralHusseinEcex1cWex19verealisedthatwemusttakeourplaceinthedemocraticinstitutionsintheukBaronessHusseinEceTurkishLabour