Black Lives Matters is a world where everybody is treated exactly the same, no matter what the incidence or the situation is, regardless of their skin colour. It’s a world where equality strives amongst all of us and the melanin in our skin doesn’t define how we get treated, what our opportunities are, and where we’re going to end up within our lifetime.
The first protest I ever attended was on the 6 June, 2020, when the whole world went into uproar following the tragic death of George Floyd. On that day, I went to just be a participant. I wanted to listen to what other people had to say, but I felt it from the second I stepped into Butte Park. My emotions were rising, something inside me was burning. And I had to take that platform to speak. And the reason I had to speak is because on that day, things were said that were not relevant. People were making statements like, all lives mattered. Yes, if all lives mattered, then black people wouldn’t still be brutalised the way we see it today. On that day, people said that there was no racism within Cardiff and it was at that point I knew I had to stand and represent the people. I spoke because I wanted to educate the people around me that racism is real and acknowledge that it’s still here today. These emotions, they don’t come from nowhere. They’re not from a book, this is not from a movie. This is everything that I’ve lived day in, day out. And the truth is something that cannot be denied. And when you hold those truths and when you have those experiences, you can’t afford to be quiet.
We bleed the same colour. We’re fuming. How can black people ever breathe when you don’t give us opportunities? All these changes cause anxiety. So together we’ll stand to fight society. All we ask for is a little respect. You use the media to politically infect. If all lives truly mattered, you wouldn’t just see black men battered. I can’t hold my silence any longer. So, I’ll shout to make us stronger. We need unity to end the division. Update your policies, they need revision. We need to understand this land is not just for the white man. You might not think that this still exists. So, I’ll try to educate you. I insist you go and ask your questions and see how far you’re led by your deceptions. Open your eyes and let’s stay woke today for all of you, Queen NICHE spoke. I’m a Muslim woman, African and Asian.
Black Lives Matter is completely relevant to Wales because how was I able to relate to a movement that was happening in other countries, but was so significantly the same in our own? So, if anybody thinks this is just America, think again, because the injustice exists here just as much as it does everywhere else. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have a truth to tell.
Unfortunately, racism still exists, and it has since I was a child. Actually, in the society that we lived in, it was easier for me to excel by abbreviating my name. The racism started when I was very young, but I didn’t know it was racism. And an unforgettable experience was when I was twelve on a school bus and I got attacked by two white ladies and was told to move to the back of the bus. Unfortunately, there’s been many other incidents, especially since about eight years ago when I decided to wear my hijab. I have had hot coffees chucked over me, I’ve had my scarf pulled, I’ve had racial abuse, I have people chuck things at my car.
To be an ally is to be anti racist. It’s to say no. No to microaggressions, no to small commentary, no to making a passing comment about somebody’s hijab or anything of their attire, especially if it is based on their colour, on their skin, on their ethnicity. To be an ally, you stand for our cause, and you do that with power. And don’t be afraid you will be challenged because the system itself has not been made to do the changes and sustain the changes that we are asking for. Yes, it’s difficult, but without white allies within this cause, we cannot make those changes. And therefore, it is extremely important that if you understand what white privilege is, you can understand how and why you are an asset to help us make these changes today.
To women that look like me, the women that look like my sister? Here, you are already queens. You don’t become a queen. You are born a queen. We are born with a gift of the tongue. We have a voice, but a voice that society teaches us women shouldn’t walk like this. Women shouldn’t talk like this. Women shouldn’t behave like this. Well, let me educate you. Today, I am a woman. I was born a woman. I identify as a woman, and therefore everything I do was a God given gift to me as a woman to represent. I will advise that you empower yourself to speak your truths. But I just ask you all to remember just one thing every time you speak, make sure everything you say is nothing but the truth, because the truth will always prevail itself. The truth cannot be denied. The truth can be questioned, but you will always have an answer. I will empower you to speak, and I will tell you to always speak your truth. Because only when the world hears the truth can these injustices be dealt with. Because when I hear the truth, I can then present it to the people who have those powers and control, and then we can try and eliminate that.
No justice, no peace,
