SpeakOut2

ISSUE 2. AUTUMN/WINTER 2008
FREE
SAME CITY, DIFFERENT LIVES.
THIS IS BIRMINGHAM...
NEWS
INTERVIEWS
FEATURES
COMMENT
LIFESTYLE
Changing Faces
Adam talks about his genetic condition and turning heads
How I Became an Extremist
Speak Out talks to a Birmingham Muslim about his experience
of one of Britain’s most radical groups.
Festive PC Tales
Celebrating Christmas in a multicultural city
YOUR FREE MAGAZINE FOR ALL THINGS BIRMINGHAM
SpeakOut Issue -2.indd 1
11/11/08 19:24:02
Outside of London,
Birmingham is one of the
country’s most ‘diverse’cities.
It is also a city with one of the
biggest gaps between the ‘haves’
and the ‘have-nots’. We want to
know what this means to you.
Speak Out is produced by brap and funded by
the Equality and Human Rights Commission
About brap
brap is Birmingham’s leading equality and human rights
charity, working locally, regionally and nationally, with
individuals, communities and the organisations that serve
them to address and mitigate widespread inequality.
About the Equality and Human Rights Commission
Every three months Speak Out will deliver a magazine
packed with articles, stories, poems, photographs and
comment, and to do this we need your help.
Whether you’re a poet, an artist, a writer, a photographer or someone who has something to say send us
your work and ideas. It doesn’t matter if you’re aspiring
or established, young or old. All that counts is that you
want the opportunity to share your work with the whole
of Birmingham.
To get in contact with the Speak Out team email
[email protected] or for more information
go to brap’s website at www.brap.org.uk.
The EHRC champions equality and human rights for all,
working to eliminate discrimination, reduce inequality,
protect human rights and to build good relations,
ensuring that everyone has a fair chance to participate
in society.
Speak Out, Floor 9, Edgbaston House, 3 Duchess Place,
Hagley Rd, Birmingham, B16 8NH
Speak Out is produced and distributed with support from
Birmingham Library and Archives Services, Birmingham
University Anti-Fascism Society, the Big Issue, and
Comedy Jam
www.birmingham.gov.uk/libraries
Submissions for the next magazine must be
received on or before 9 January 2009.
Photograph by Karen Strunks taken from B4AM - Digbeth series www.karenstrunks.com
SpeakOut Issue -2.indd 2
11/11/08 19:24:06
Issue Two: Autumn/Winter 2008
Content
News
04 If you read nothing else today
SAME CITY, DIFFERENT LIVES.
THIS IS BIRMINGHAM...
06
Interviews
06 On the spot
A former Birmingham Poet Laureate is put under the spotlight
12 How I became an extremist
Speak Out talks to a Birmingham Muslim about clubs,
women and avoiding family get-togethers
Feature
08 My looks?...They’re a blessing
16
Adam talks about his genetic condition, which causes others
to turn their heads
16 In Focus
Speak Out takes a look at some of the best films from
around the world
Comment
11
11 The Apprentices
Two entrepreneurs talk about life in the real Dragon’s Den
14 Christmas comes but once a year - thankfully
Celebrating Christmas in a multicultural city...
Speak Easy
18 Babul and the Blue Bear
Selina Mehra reviews the innovative play written
and directed by Keith Saha
08
19 Competitions
Win a pair of tickets to the Real Deal Comedy Jam
Credits:
Editor: Chris Allen Editorial team: Amy Roberts and Ghiyas Somra
Contributors: Helen Drakakis, Anna Sirmoglou, Selina Mehra, Lee Blake, Nzinga Graham-Smith,
Asif Afridi, Dreadlockalien
Photos: Michael Carroll – www.carrollphoto.org, Karen Strunks – www.karenstrunks.com
Design: Russell Hall – www.russelljhall.com
Printed by: Lion FPG Ltd, Oldbury Road, West Bromwich, West Midlands, B70 9DQ
Thank you to all those people that gave their time freely to help us produce this edition of Speak Out
Speak Out Floor 9, Edgbaston House, 3 Duchess Place, Hagley Rd, Birmingham, B16 8NH
E-mail [email protected]
This month’s front cover: Michael Carroll
SpeakOut Issue -2.indd 3
11/11/08 19:24:11
news
% less on aver
ork still earn 17
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me w
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this month.
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over
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be doing more to clo
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months of the year
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two
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ly
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than men working
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man
of the Equalities & Hu
Trevor Phillips, Chair
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SpeakOut autumn/winter 2008
SpeakOut Issue -2.indd 4
11/11/08 19:24:18
news
Obama: should we have been first?
The election of Barack Obama to President of the United States
ed
raises a number of questions, not least: why hasn’t Britain produc
leader?
a non-white
This year marks the 45th anniversary of one of the
most horrific terrorist attacks Birmingham, Alabama
has ever suffered. The bomb detonated at the 16th
Street Baptist Church on 15 September 1963 killed
four children and injured 22 others. A series of investigations over a period of 30 years eventually identified
the perpetrators as members of the Ku Klux Klan.
This is the legacy of prejudice and discrimination
in the United States. From the Jim Crow laws that
kept schools and buses segregated to the lynchings
and violence meted out to black people, the denial
of civil and human rights to people from non-white
backgrounds represents a dark period in American
history. And while this country has had its fair share
of prejudice and tension – and still does – its recent
history hasn’t been marred by the same glaring injustices of legally enforced segregation or organised
racial oppression.
It’s perhaps from this platform that our political and
media commentators have looked down on America
and asked whether its public is ready for a black
President. It’s perhaps with the backing of this comparatively liberal history that they have felt entitled to
urge Americans to strike a blow for equality and vote
for the first black leader in its history. But a little more
thought on their part would hopefully reveal that the
current state of inequality in this country deprives us
of a moral high ground.
Our segregation may not be state imposed – or not
intentionally – but it exists nevertheless. Communities living parallel lives, massive inequalities in wealth,
institutionalised racism: these are the problems and
challenges facing us today, and that’s without the
legacy that spurred the civil rights movement. In fact,
this remarkable turnaround from the buses of Montgomery and the hoses of Alabama to the election of a
Hawaiian President raises the question of why Britain
seems so far away from producing a non-white leader.
All our political parties would do well to use this time
to reflect on what they stand for. True equality will
only come through empowerment, and empowerment requires our leaders to engage with the needs,
concerns, and rights of ordinary people. If our leaders
hear but don’t listen, the various strategies proudly set
up by governing bodies to allow representatives from
different groups to be consulted on policies are at
best ineffective and at worst conducive to undeserved
self-satisfaction.
And that is why we do not need to be naïve to believe
that the election of Barack Obama is a victory for
equality in America. Black people are still three times
more likely to be unemployed, women more likely to
be underpaid, and the children of poor parents more
likely to be on minimum wage. All this is as true on the
morning of Obama’s victory as it was in the months
and years before.
But the real victory for equality last night is not that
n,
America voted in a black President, but that a politicia
t
any politician, found the humanity and spirit to connec
ing
electrify
the
is
triumph
real
with ordinary voters. The
reinvigoration of American politics. The real symbol
of the American election is not Mr Obama, but those
people who voted for the first time, inspired by the
prospect for change.
That is the lesson for our political leaders – perhaps
the lesson for us all.
So what lessons can our policy makers learn from
the election of the first black President? Perhaps they
would be wise to take heed of what Senator Obama
did not do. He did not concern himself with the politics of representation. He did not seek to ‘speak’ for
a particular group of people. The politics of the new
Democrats extends beyond consultation exercises
and gimmicky initiatives tinkering with the symptoms,
and not the causes, of social exclusion.
Sourc
e
Numb : Statistical
Review
er 6)
2007,
autumn/winter 2008 SpeakOut
SpeakOut Issue -2.indd 5
5
11/11/08 19:24:21
interview
On the spot
Who are you?
Three weeks ago a young lad read a poem
he had written about coming to this country from his homeland which was a war
zone. His innocent recollection in rhyme of
horrific happenings inspired me but when
he ended the poem with a comparison of
how he is treated in England, his hopes
and his dreams, I did shed a small manly
type tear (or two), but so did four other
teachers (I say in a ‘justifying the crying’
type way). The power of the story.
What was the last thing you
dreamt about?
Have you ever experienced
discrimination?
I daydream all the time if that counts. However, at nights I rarely have dreams and if I
do I almost immediately forget them shortly
after waking up. I figure that reality is too
full of madness to be adding thoughts from
the unconscious. I do freak out sometimes
and wake up sitting bolt upright and thinking for a second or two that I am falling
over a cliff or down some stairs.
You run Birmingham: what would
you do to improve the quality of
people’s lives?
I would make it mandatory for everyone
to laugh at least three times a day, to
smile and be polite to another driver at
least twice per journey, and to speak to
their neighbour.
6
When did you last cry?
This is an interesting question that I do
keep on asking myself. How we define
ourselves changes all the time however at
present….My name is Richard, I write and
perform poetry under the name of Dreadlockalien. My tick box title would be ‘Anglo
Indo Caribbean’; however, I will always
have to tick ‘Other.’ My social status would
be that of a proud father of three children
and my economic status is that of a director
of an educational arts company.
Err…yes. Almost every day to some
degree and for some reason or another.
However, the strangest incident was when
I was greeted at a school by an Asian
male teacher. Upon identifying myself as
Dreadlockalien he replied, “we thought
you would be blacker”. Not sure if I
should apologise or not he then enquired
if I was part Asian, to which I explained
that my dad was Jamaican Indian. In an
almost disappointed and then conciliatory
tone he then stated: “well at least you are
not white!”
When was the last time somebody
or something inspired you?
I watched a TV programme about a family
that built a brilliant environmental, sustainable house out of natural materials and
traditional methods. It must have inspired
me as I am keeping an eye out for some
land and googling the price of straw bales
and lime plaster.
What’s your most embarrassing
moment as a performer?
It was a large home crowd at the launch of
one of my plays, lots of friends and family, press, funders and work colleagues. A
compere who was brought in from London
whipped the crowd up for introductory
applause ‘for the one and only… Dreadlock Allan’. He had misread Alien as
Allan, resulting at the time in laughter that
hurts your belly and even still nowadays
in campfire recollections, birthday emails
and telephone calls for the one and only
Dreadlock Allan.
Do you ever use a rhyming
dictionary?
All the time, it’s a great way to meet new
words. I have a few printed ones but
mostly use online rhyming WebPages.
Are you an outsider?
With a name like Dreadlockalien I make a
living from being an outsider. Sometimes
even off the planet! Seriously though, to
be an outsider you first have to have a
sense of home or structure to belong to
which you then feel estranged or displaced
from. This sense of belonging can be social
or geographic in origin. I’m therefore an
outsider to anyone beyond my postcode
SpeakOut autumn/winter 2008
SpeakOut Issue -2.indd 6
11/11/08 19:24:24
interview
I AM WHATEVER COLOUR YOU SEE
or estate where I live. I’m an outsider in
most cultural settings as well. Maybe one
day there will be a place for all Anglo Indo
Caribbeans to congregate and bond.
Do you have a message for the
next generation?
Please think hard about the choices you
make for the future. Our generation didn’t
and look where it has put you.
What’s the first thing you do
when you wake up in the
morning?
Open my eyes! After that I take a minute
to gather my thoughts, remember the bad
times and praise and give thanks for the
good times. I am truly blessed to be doing
a job I truly love and my family are healthy
and safe, so I always try to start each day
with a smile.
What would you ban if you
could?
Apart from banning all the angry power
greedy men running most of the institutions
of this world I would also love to ban the
word ‘race’ as understood in its current
form. We have enough titles of difference
such as heritage, cultural, tradition, ethnicity, religion, geography and culture. The
perpetuation and usage of the word Race
is supporting the outdated and disproved
theory of genetic difference. We are all
from the Human race, I am not ‘mixed
race’ as both my parents are human, I am
therefore a child of dual heritage and your
fellow Human.
What book/poem/song/film
means the most to you?
Has to be Benjamin Zephaniah City Psalms
as the book that turned me to poetry.
‘Sonny’s Lettah’ by Linton Kwesi Johnson
is a poem close to my heart. My favourite
song has to be ‘Confidence’ by Moqapi
Selassie and the film that means the most
to me would be one of the poetry videos
up on my youtube channel.
If you were a musical instrument,
what instrument would you be?
I’d love to say alto saxophone for all of
those jazzy blues feel-good-about-yourself
reasons, but if I was to be honest I would
probably be a penny whistle or a harmonica.
Finally, describe Birmingham to
a stranger.
Influenced from 360°, steeped in history and
tradition, vibrant with cultural energy and a
frontline grittiness. A harbinger of change, a
collection of the good hearted and a pulsing
heart of post-millennium England.
Dreadlockalien is running the UK schools
poetry slam championships this year.
Visit www.dreadlockalien.co.uk for
more information.
I am, whatever colour you see
I’m the scorched suntan look y’all
sit out in summer for
I am the dark stained pine antique
cupboard door
I’m the shady Latino that was on the
dance floor
I’m the colour of the exotic other
Olive from my dad, ebony from my mother
I’m chocolate dark, milk and white
I’m the bronze that blushes throughout
the night
I’m the colour of rain-soaked rust
I’m the beige bloke this area don’t trust
I’m the oak coloured chestnut that’s
roasted on open fires
The tub of fake suntan that runs that
ego so desires
I am that caramel bar melted in the heat
Sugar toffee cinder
Sugar candy sweet
I’m tarnished copper
I’m unpolished brass
I’m the sandalwood sojourner that you
just walked past
I’m the dark that’s between the handsome
and tall
I’m the subtle shade of a sandstone wall
To me colours are not just a joke
So every colourful morning please
get it right
If colour’s what you see
Then who is truly brown, black, or white?
autumn/winter 2008 SpeakOut
SpeakOut Issue -2.indd 7
7
11/11/08 19:24:27
feature
Over a million people have
some form of disfigurement,
but a recent study has shown
nine out of ten people have
negative attitudes about
them. Here one person
reveals his experience of living
with a facial disfigurement.
8
SpeakOut autumn/winter 2008
SpeakOut Issue -2.indd 8
11/11/08 19:24:29
feature
Photos by: www.carrollphoto.org
MY LOOKS?...THEY’RE A BLESSING
I have a genetic condition called Neurofibromatosis,
Type 1. The condition means excess body tissue grows
on nerve endings causing growths, called fibromas, to
appear. For me, the majority of my fibromas are on my
face, and this means that, like it or not, I attract attention
and turn heads.
As a 23 year old man, who has had a facial disfigurement for the majority of his life, I am all too familiar with
the situations having a disfigurement can entail. Not all
these situations are bad; in fact many are a real blessing.
If I didn’t have this disfigurement there are many things
I would not have encountered.
The first, and by far the most common situation I face,
is being stared at. In my day-to-day life when I walk
around, it is safe to say that most places I go, people stare.
This can make me feel very self-conscious. In some cases
this can actually do a great deal of damage to someone’s
self-esteem. Over time I have developed techniques to
defuse the situation for both parties. Sometimes I make
eye contact or smile or nod in the direction of the person
staring. This shows them that you are switched on and
it also lets them know you’re aware of the fact that they
are staring - people often get embarrassed.
If you struggle making eye contact then either look at the
bridge of their nose or look towards something behind
them. As long as you create the illusion of eye contact
then you will appear confident.
I was walking back from work one afternoon, when this
man said hello and then asked me, straight out, what
was wrong with my face. When this happens I allow
myself three options: I can just lie and say I have to be
somewhere and leave the conversation awkward and
unresolved. Secondly, I can kick off and make a scene.
I rarely consider this a serious choice as it would blow
the whole thing out of proportion. The third – my
favoured option – is to just be honest. So, I simply told
this man what my condition is. It led into a conversation
as to what I, and he, did for a career. I wanted to show
the person behind the disfigurement (who happens to be
a highly intelligent and funny guy!).
For the people who stare, it is perfectly natural to do so.
Ninety-nine per cent of time it’s simple curiosity rather
than rudeness. My advice to you is simple: just acknowledge the person by smiling, nodding, and saying hello.
If I didn’t have this
disfigurement there are
many things I would not
have encountered
Try not to sit there looking gormlessly at them – it’s rude.
Alternatively, if you are curious and feeling rather bold
just approach them and ask them: “Do you mind if I ask
you about…” I, for one am happy to answer questions.
But, while staring is common and can be easily defused
comments and bullying can do serious damage. Before I
even discuss this I will go on record and say anyone that
does or has made comments to someone with a disfigurement is 100 per cent out of order. If you are ignorant
to the point where you can’t control your tongue, or
need to bring someone else down to make yourself feel
better then I suggest you get help.
As someone that went through the entire education
system with a disfigurement I know all too well the
emotional turmoil that people go through as a result of
people’s comments.
The most frustrating piece of advice you can ever be
given is “ignore it”. Seriously, it isn’t the kind of thing
you can ever ignore, it’ll sting every time.
I used to respond by being highly confrontational:
through all of secondary school I was either yelling at
someone or being yelled at and I really don’t recommend this. These days I tend to just deal with it as when
it happens and occasionally I am moved to ask people
to stop.
These incidences always seem to happen on public
transport. One day I was catching a train to Wimbledon
when a group of teenagers got on. Straight away the
warning sirens went off in my head.
They started to stand and point, they made gestures and
whispered among themselves. They properly thought
they were being really discreet and clever but the reality
was they were being blatant and dumb.
I eventually grew tired and approached the ringleader and
asked him, in a polite yet firm manner, to stop being rude.
Their explanation was long-winded. They said they
weren’t talking about me but that instead they were
discussing football. It was all an elaborate lie. I ended
simply by telling them they were disgracing themselves
and they should grow up before getting off the train
quickly (I’m not an idiot).
It is amazing how few people do not recognise that
disfigurement could happen to them. Anyone could go
through a car windscreen or get burns; it’s only by the
grace of God that they don’t.
Disfigurement does have its frustrations, but for me it has
also been one of the things that has shaped my character
autumn/winter 2008 SpeakOut
SpeakOut Issue -2.indd 9
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11/11/08 19:24:29
feature
How important is physical appearance?
Justin
You may not want to be judged
by your appearance but you
can be sure that you are. Be
aware that you choose how you
present yourself. You cannot not
communicate, you are always
communicating something.
Rachel
You should always judge a
book by its cover - until
you have read it!
Musab
It is great to know
that you stand for
something as opposed
to standing against
everything
and made me who I am today. What I
am about to say may not apply to all
people, but I hope it will at least provoke
some thought.
The key thing that has shaped and continues to shape my character is my faith.
There is so much scripture that just drives
me to be the guy I am today. Also, through
things such as university and work I have
developed amazing friendships with my
peers and colleagues.
When you go through the ups and down of
having a disfigurement it can become easy to
reject the world and stand against everything.
This is not the way to handle it. Find out
what you like, the things that drive you. In
my case things like my faith, writing articles
(like this), charity work and music are what
drive me.
It is the best feeling in the world to know
that you stand for something as opposed
to standing against everything.
Recently Changing Faces, a charity I
support, launches its new Face Equality
campaign. The campaign centres on a
nationwide advertising campaign featuring
three adverts.
10
The fact that cover-design is
a profession means no!
The opinions of friends means
much more.
I was asked to be one of the faces of the
campaign, which for me was a real honour.
I am all for getting the message of social
equality out on the front line.
Anyway, the campaign’s rationale is to
challenge people’s initial perceptions: this
is because quite often when an individual
meets someone with a disfigurement they
take them at face value, pardon the pun.
The Face Equality campaign seeks to challenge and alter those perceptions.
Siobhan
As a black woman, I soon
realised that my external identity
was rooted in the perceptions
of others, which often works
against you – I’ve been stopped
and searched many times at
customs both here in the UK
and entering Jamaica.
For me Face Equality is a chance to prove
that just because I look different it doesn’t
mean I am less of a person.
As someone who is no stranger to rejection
this gives me a platform to show people that,
despite all the slings and arrows that are
thrown at me, I am achieving and am not
going to shy away.
Face Equality will mean I can go into a bar
and order a drink and not have to deal with
people’s ignorant attitudes.
It will mean being able to sit on the tube
without feeling people are looking at me –
just let me read my book and mind my own
business. It means going to a gig and not
getting stared at – people come to watch the
band, not me. Face Equality also means going for a job interview and not having that
awkward first 30 seconds.
I hope you have been challenged by this
article. If you have any questions about
disfigurement there are several organisations
you can contact, one of which is Changing
Faces (www.changingfaces.org.uk) or alternatively if you see me knocking round just
ask me, I am more than happy to chat.
SpeakOut autumn/winter 2008
SpeakOut Issue -2.indd 10
11/11/08 19:24:35
comment
Ever dreamt of following the growing number of people who pack in their jobs
to follow their dreams? Speak Out meets two people who have taken the plunge
Lee Blake, Managing Director 50Fifty:
Recently, I was part of a group of youth
workers who were debating what single thing
was most important to them when it came
to national identity. We discussed things like
language, religion, food, dress, dance but
(after a while) a country’s national flag came
out on top. Personally, I wouldn’t put it so
high, but I can appreciate that many people
all over the world have fought and died for
their flag. It got me thinking about how my
identity leaves me with mixed feelings over
which flag I should wear and also why I
decided to make my own flag.
I am mixed race: father, Jamaican (St
Elizabeth); mother Brummie (Hall Green!).
Half black, half white – I used to be called
half-caste, then bi-racial, dual heritage and
now it seems that mixed race is the term in
vogue (if you have any more please put your
answers on a postcard). So, should I wear an
English cross of St George or Union Jack, or
the Jamaican flag?
Growing up I always supported England at
football, and West Indies at cricket. I never
wore an England shirt when I was growing
up as I associated the St George’s flag
and the Union Jack with skinheads and the
National Front. I think it has changed somewhat now.
One day in 2004 I travelled to Portugal to
watch England beat Croatia 4-2. Boarding
a train into the centre of Lisbon for a few
drinks, I was struck by the joyful, celebratory
mood. However, after a few good-natured
songs the mood changed to xenophobic
chanting and I had the pleasure of being
racially abused by my fellow countrymen.
This inspired me to look for a flag that
represented my dual heritage. One day I
was teaching young people how to use
Photoshop and it suddenly dawned on me
that I could easily make my own t-shirt. I
mixed the Union Jack with the colours of
the Jamaican flag and wore it to the world
cup in Germany 2006. People loved it. Back
in Birmingham my friends and colleagues
– Afro-Caribbean, Pakistani, Irish, Italian,
and Indian – asked me to mix the Union
Jack with their parents’ and grandparents’
national flags. They wanted to say they were
proud of both their identities.
After that, I went to the Notting Hill Carnival,
sold a few t-shirts, then set up a website, and
hey presto…started a business!
Nathan Wilkins, JEP Ltd
I set up JEP Entertainment with two friends,
Samuel and Damian. We’re all from inner
city Birmingham – Lee Bank, New Town and
Handsworth – and all three of us left school
with less than four grade C or higher GCSEs.
But this lack of achievement at school never
stopped us of them from striving to achieve
our goals.
We’ve always had a passion for comedy –
especially the likes of Chris Rock and Eddie
Murphy – but we were frustrated that the
closest we could ever get to it was through
our (very) extensive DVD collection.
Since leaving school we have gone on to
study various elements of business and marketing and were able to combine these skills
to set up as club promoters. In November
2004, we were offered the chance to purchase the Birmingham slot of a UK comedy
tour. Although financially the show was a failure, we now had the bug for urban comedy
shows and were determined to make it work.
We decided that the best way to build a
successful business was to create our own
brand. To do this, we first had to decide on
a name for the business. It was at this point
that tragedy struck: Damian’s dad passed
away. This was obviously a hard time for
Damian and but also for Sammy and me
as ‘Junior’ – as everyone called him – had
always encouraged us to strive for success.
So when we were thinking of a name to call
our business one name stood out from the
rest: ‘Junior Entertainment Productions’.
‘Entertainment Productions’ because that was
our business, and ‘Junior’ to pay respect to
Damian’s father and also because we knew
we were juniors in the comedy game.
Well, since those early days the Real Deal
Comedy Jam has gone from strength to
strength and is recognized as the biggest
urban stand-up comedy show in the UK.
Not bad for three young men from inner city
Birmingham who loved to laugh.
autumn/winter 2008 SpeakOut
SpeakOut Issue -2.indd 11
11
11/11/08 19:24:38
Speak Out talks to a
HOW I
BEC AME
AN
EXTREMIS T
interview
Birmingham Muslim about
his time as a member of
a worldwide Islamic movement and whether it is right
for the British Government
to want to ban it.
“What should I do if I don’t like you?”
Luckily, Sabir’s question isn’t directed at Speak Out’s
interview technique. Instead, the 26 year old part-time
student is explaining how disagreements should be
dealt with.
“The best thing for me to do is to engage with you openly,
find out where we disagree, and then try to talk to each
other. The only way we can really communicate is if we
both listen to each other.”
Sabir’s interest in communicating and engaging is born
from his four-year experience of one of Britain’s most
radical groups. Hizb ut Tahrir – a political party calling for
the replacement of democracy with an Islamic state – was
highlighted in the government’s post-7/7 counter-terrorism
proposals as an organisation that would be banned. But
while the group has yet to face official censorship, a growing number of former members are speaking out against
what they see as the organisation’s dangerous insistence
on an inflexible dogma that asks Muslims to choose between their faith and being British.
Growing up in Birmingham, any conflict between Sabir’s
nationality and religion was the last thing on his mind.
“None of my friends would have called me devout,” he
recalls. “When I was younger I was always ready for a
night out – we were always down Broad Street on a
Friday or Saturday.”
I had never
been particularly
religious, but
9/11 made me
more interested
in the religion
I had been
brought up in
12
After completing his A-levels, Sabir moved north to Leeds
to study politics and government. “I think I initially had
what most people would call a normal, enjoyable university experience…I’d go out with friends, sleep late, and
skip the occasional lecture. I was having a great time but
towards the end of the first year I got the feeling that there
had to be more than the fun-loving but empty lifestyle I
was living.”
And then, at one o’clock on Tuesday 11 September 2001,
everything changed.
“Sitting there seeing the 9/11 attacks, I was in shock – like
most people, I guess – and, like most people, I think my
instinct was that America had it coming. I remember being haunted by lots of different questions, like: ‘what does
Islam say about terrorist attacks?’ and ‘do I really share
the same religion as the people on the plane?’”
“Like I said, I had never been particularly religious, but
9/11 made me more interested in the religion I had been
brought up in. I was at a particular place where I was
ready to be open to answers that seemed to go deeper
than my superficial lifestyle.”
SpeakOut autumn/winter 2008
SpeakOut Issue -2.indd 12
11/11/08 19:24:38
interview
When you’re a member you’re
almost living in a bubble
Sabir started attending a mosque for Friday prayers
where he met someone who was a member of Hizb ut
Tahrir. Meaning ‘Party of Liberation’, Hizb ut Tahrir is a
global movement looking to establishing a ‘caliphate’ or
Islamic state. It operates in over 40 countries, with some
estimating it has more than a million members worldwide.
Its alleged homophobia, anti-Semitism, and dislike of
democracy has led the British government to brand its
views ‘abhorrent’.
“Hizb ut Tahrir is different from a group like Al-Qaeda,”
explains Sabir, “which uses violent methods to achieve its
goals. But it does encourage people to think that all answers and viewpoints that aren’t from a particular Islamic
viewpoint are automatically wrong.”
Speaking on a BBC documentary, Andrew Green, a
former diplomat who worked with the Foreign Office on
counterterrorism, agreed with Sabir:
“We mustn’t be naïve about these groups. They are there
to peddle hatred: hatred of our own society, hatred of
non-Muslims. In practice, as we’ve seen, it’s only quite a
small step from someone filled with hatred to someone
who turns to violence. They are a gateway.”
Whilst Green may have the highest credentials, the idea
that the non-violent party is a ‘conveyor belt’ towards
terrorism seems unfair. After all, since ex-Prime Minister
Tony Blair said he would ban Hizb ut Tahrir, two official reviews have been conducted and no sanctions have been
put in place. Some critics – including a former member
who wrote a book about his experience – argue that the
party insists its members choose between being British
and Muslim, and that some will inevitably go on to commit
terrorist acts. But, I ask Sabir, isn’t this absolving people
of personal responsibility?
The former radical sighs as he removes his thick-rimmed
spectacles and rubs his eyes. “There might be an element
of that,” he eventually concedes. “But when you’re a
member you’re almost living in a bubble. You lose contact
with people and become dependent on them.”
“Most obviously, you lose contact with a lot of your old
friends. Because drinking is not allowed by Islam, you stop
going to pubs, clubs and even people’s houses where
alcohol might be served. I remember going to visit an old
friend at uni and asking him to take down any posters
of women he might have up. He did, but a lot of people
wouldn’t bother and so you’d lose contact with them.”
And there was another element to Sabir’s new-found faith.
“There were strict rules about men and women mixing”, he
recounts, “and that led to problems with my family.”
From what he describes as a ‘traditionally large’ extended
family, Sabir increasingly found himself making excuses
not to attend weddings, birthday parties, and family gettogethers because he knew the company would be mixed.
“In the end, I stopped making excuses to my parents
and told them the truth: that I didn’t think men and
women should mix in social gatherings unless they
were closely related.”
How did his parents react to that?
“They were shocked,” Sabir recalls. “They had brought me
up in this religion and now because of it they could see
me isolating myself from the people who loved me most.”
Even if many members exist – in the words of one former
member – in an “extremist, separatist, utopian mindset
from which there’s no escape”, Sabir began to have
doubts. Becoming curious about religion, he began independently reading about different interpretations of Islam
and what he found surprised him.
“Hizb ut Tahrir is based on a form of Islam called Wahhabism,” explains Sabir, “which stresses a literal reading of
the Quran. I began reading about other schools of thought
that had different interpretations and different views.”
However, Sabir is quick to quash the idea that he left the
party because he started believing in a different school
of thought.
“It wasn’t like that at all,” he explains. “There are still some
things I think are true about that way of thinking. But other
schools of thought also have important things to say. No
one way of thinking will ever provide all the answers. If
you can’t engage with other views, you’re going to miss
the truth they bring to the table.”
“It’s not something I think is specific to religion: the danger
is with any ideology that you unquestionably stick to. No
one system of belief can ever provide all the answers: you
have to continually question things.”
That, it seems, is as good a description as any for Sabir, the
ex-radical extremist turned questioning sceptic. I wonder
though how far his liberalism goes? Does he, for example,
agree with those calling for Hizb ut Tahrir to be banned?
Sabir shakes his head. “The best way to fight extremism
is with evidence and facts. When you have reasoned arguments, why resort to a ban?”
Names and personal details have been changed by request. The views
expressed in this article are those of the individual and not necessarily
those of brap. For more information about Hizb ut Tahrir visit their website.
autumn/winter 2008 SpeakOut
SpeakOut Issue -2.indd 13
13
11/11/08 19:24:39
comment
Chris Allen
explores whether
Christmas can
survive in a
multicultural city
Christmas comes but once a year…*
Beginning earlier each year – this year it officially began
on 27 July when I saw my first Christmas card for sale in
a shop – the rampant commercialism of Christmas is such
that if we are unable to get the latest Playstation/ Wii/
X-Box (delete as applicable) we will be officially deemed
‘bad parents’ by one and all by the morning of Boxing Day.
Our consumer tendencies don’t even get a rest on Christmas Day
itself either. Last year, whilst 2.8 million people attended a Church
of England service, 3.7 million logged onto the web to spend
more than £52 million in the ‘January’ sales. Maybe they were all
looking for the Playstations, Wiis and X-Boxes they couldn’t find
beforehand. All pretty depressing.
Christmas, Eid, Diwali, Vaissaki, St Patrick’s Day, Pride et al are –
in many ways - very similar to the prawns and strawberries in that
they are not always to everybody’s taste or preference. Whatever’s
on offer though, you have the choice to either politely say ‘thank
you’ and move on or indulge yourself and enjoy. You can even
be downright rude by ignoring the offer and stomp off muttering
various curses and swear words under your breath. No offence,
no outrage and you may even – metaphorically at least – get a
money-off voucher.
Something much more entertaining and fun are the now obligatory ‘PC gone mad’ stories that regularly pepper the tabloid
newspapers. In recent years, the tabloids have proclaimed that
‘Now Christmas is Banned’ and lest we ever forget Birmingham’s
very own ‘Winterval’ debacle from the late nineties. What then will
offend or outrage this year? Whatever it is, here’s a simple analogy
that will assist all and sundry to ‘get over it’.
In the past I have tried a bit of everything: Holi in Tipton, Eid in
Small Heath, Christmas in Stourbridge and St Patrick’s Day in Digbeth amongst others. This is not to say that everyone has to do this
or that I want to be a part of any particular ‘culture’. Instead, I just
like ‘trying’ even if I’m not ‘buying’. On the other hand, I also accept
that some don’t like to ‘try’ - we all have that right not to as well.
Imagine for a moment that you’re in your local Asda/ Morrisons/
Sainsburys/ Tesco (again, delete as applicable). At the end of the
aisle you see a ‘try before you buy’ display. Usually, it’s something
that you would never normally buy - let’s say prawns in strawberry
compote for example. As you walk closer to the display, you begin
to weigh up whether or not you want to indulge yourself. You ask
yourself whether you’re in the mood for prawns and strawberries.
In our increasingly diverse society, wouldn’t it be nice if we could
all just do this and not just offer some kneejerk ‘PC gone mad’
reaction when we see one or other group, community or culture
doing something different? Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all
respect each other’s differences without being threatened or fearful of them – or even believing that they are trying to ‘replace’ or
‘substitute’ those things that we hold dear?
On approaching the display, the assistant welcomes you and offers you a free sample (typically accompanied with a money off
voucher – let’s be honest, no-one’s going to pay full price for it).
As they do, you choose to either indulge and enjoy, or politely say
‘thank you’ and move on. Irrespective of your own choice, you’ll
accept that somebody else may make the opposite decision. Rarely
though – if indeed ever – would you be outraged or offended.
14
Last year when in M&S, I was offered me some champagne. I
neither got upset nor outraged. Instead, I just said ‘no thanks’ and
left the champagne for those far more desperate than me to have a
free sip of alcohol on a Friday lunchtime.
SpeakOut autumn/winter 2008
SpeakOut Issue -2.indd 14
Maybe, but we’re not there yet.
So in the true spirit of Winterval, I wish everyone – as and when
they apply - Merry Christmas (Joyeux Noel, Feliz Navidad,
Wesółych Świąt etc), Shubh Diwali, Happy Ayyám-i-Há, Eid Mubarak, Happy Hanukah, Joyous Samhain, Vaissaki greetings and
anything – or anyone – I might have overlooked. No offence…
* thankfully
11/11/08 19:24:41
comment
Have a politically incorrect Christmas
It’s that time of year when newspapers are full of stories of PC councils
banning Christmas trees, mince pies, and Santa Claus. But how true are
they are? Here Speak Out offers a quick look behind the headlines…
THE HEADLINES: In 1998, Birmingham Council decided to
rebrand the Christmas holidays ‘Winterval’ for fear of offending ethnic minorities. The Archbishop of Birmingham said: “I
confess I laughed out loud when our city council came out with
Winterval as a way of not talking about Christmas.”
THE FACTS: Winterval was a marketing ploy attempting to
exploit the three month period of religious and secular events
running from October to January, including Bonfire Night,
Diwali, Eid, New Year and Christmas itself. A spokesperson
for the council said: “Christmas is the very heart of Winterval. Far from not talking about Christmas the events within
Winterval and the publicity material for it are covered in
Christmas greetings and traditional images, including angels
and carol singers.”
THE HEADLINES: In December 2005, the Daily Express
reported: “BC is used for dates leading up to the birth of
Christ to help place the timing of eras throughout history
and is internationally accepted. But officials at the Cheddar
Caves museum in Cheddar Gorge, Somerset say that is not
politically correct and have changed all exhibit dates to BP
[Before Present].”
THE FACTS: BP dating is a year-numbering system counting back from 1950, usually used by scientists when carbon
dating. The Cheddar Caves Museum decided to use the new
system because it is easier to understand. “We’d still use AD
and BC when a piece can be dated, but BP when its age is
effectively prehistoric,” a spokesperson said.
THE HEADLINES: In 2004, The Sun reported that Luton
Council had cancelled Christmas for fear of “offending
Muslims”. Instead, it is holding a “Harry Potter themed”
event called Luminos. The same story also ran in a variety of
newspapers in 2005 and 2006.
THE FACTS: Luton Council once held a festival called
Luminos in November 2001. “We started with a Friday
lantern procession to mark Diwali and ended as usual with the
traditional switching-on of the town’s Christmas lights on Sunday,” explains council leader David Franks. “Reports that we
cancelled Christmas were nonsense then and we were most
annoyed to see The Sun repeat the lie three years later.”
And one for Easter…
THE HEADLINES: The Daily Telegraph reported in 2003
that “schools across Britain have been ordered by local
authorities to abandon the ancient tradition of serving hot
cross buns at Easter”. The decision was taken because the
sign of the cross “will spark complaints from Jewish, Hindu
and Muslim pupils or their families.”
THE FACTS: Complaints about the article were received
from six councils involved claiming they had never had an
official policy on hot cross buns and that councillors had
never discussed banning the buns. The paper subsequently
apologised.
What does Christmas mean to you?
Divij
I always enjoy celebrating
Christmas with relatives. This
is the first Christmas I will
be in Birmingham, so it will
be strange without them. I’m
seeing now all the lights and
decorations are being put up,
and I really admire them.
Aftab
People say Christmas has gotten too commercial, but I prefer
it commercial! We always go
the German market. You get
wine, fruits with chocolate –
it’s really quite Christmassy.
It’s commercial but it’s good
commercial because it gets
people together.
Graham
I think Christmas is too commercial nowadays. Advertising
for Christmas starts as soon
as the last one’s finished and
you get Christmas cards in
the shops at October. I like
the lights the council put up
because they make the city
look pretty, though.
jennifer
I find it difficult to get into the
Christmas spirit because it has
become far too commercial: the
majority people have forgotten
the religious element of it.
Matthew
I don’t really celebrate Christmas because I’m a Christian
and nowhere in the Bible
does it say Jesus was born in
December, so it’s actually more
a tradition. For me, Christmas
is about spending time with my
family. I like the decorations
and lights people put up but in
the end I see it as meaningless.
Jennifer
I work as a waitress so
Christmas for me is one month
serving turkey, roast potatoes,
Christmas pudding…England is
very religious. In Spain, Christmas is a lot more about having
fun – going out with friends and
enjoying yourself.
Emma
Christmas to me means spending quality time with my family,
which is really important. Having
said that, I think Christmas is a bit
too commercial – I like the idea
of giving presents, but people
definitely spend too much.
autumn/winter 2008 SpeakOut
SpeakOut Issue -2.indd 15
15
11/11/08 19:24:49
feature
CHINA
C.R.A.Z.Y (2005)
Director: Jean-Marc Vallee
Fire (1996)
Director: Deepa Mehta
Raise the Red Lantern (1991)
Director: Zhang Yimou
Covering a 20-year period, this bittersweet
film, packed with 60s and 70s tunes, tells
the story of Zach, the fourth of five kids in
a typical, working-class, religious Canadian family. Zach, though, is no ordinary
fellow – unlike his macho brothers, he likes
wearing his mom’s jewellery and wants a
baby stroller as a birthday present, much
to the horror of his dad who buys him a
hockey game instead. Ten years later, when
his dad suspects him of having a sexual
relationship with a boy, he takes Zach to a
psychiatrist to cure him from his “disease”.
Fire, the opening film in Mehta’s trilogy
about Indian society, tactfully and artfully narrates the story of two disaffected,
middle class women (Sita and Radha) in
modern Delhi who, mutually unhappy
with their married lives, get closer to each
other in a lesbian relationship. With Sita’s
husband only marrying her because of
pressure from his family to have children
(his real love is his Chinese girlfriend) and
Radha’s husband’s religious beliefs having
led him to take a vow of celibacy, the film
portrays relationships triggered not by love
or respect, but duty.
Set in 1920s China, Raise the Red Lantern
follows Songlian, a young woman reluctantly accepting the life of a concubine as
the only means of financial survival after
the death of her father. Educated and
eager to experience the world, she is now
confined to the estate of her rich husband,
Chen, along with another three wives who
fight for his attention as their only means
of control. Initially repulsed by the sexual
politics of the age, Songlian eventually
becomes embroiled in the ‘game’, realizing that her status within the house is
directly proportional to the attention she
receives from the ‘master’. For the most
part, the film deals with the ever-changing
balance of power between the concubines,
and Songlian’s attempts to win favour by
scheming against the other wives and even
faking a pregnancy – the ultimate source of
her downfall.
Exploring the emotional dynamics of a
family - a family many can relate to - this
is primarily the story of a teenager trying
to fit in whilst balancing personal, family
and societal demands. The story of a father
and son relationship (early on in the movie
Zach breaks one of his dad’s favourite, rare
Patsy Cline records and desperately searches for a replacement for a good 15 years),
this is also a story of self-discovery and
acceptance of difference in a world that
values conformity and sameness. Zach
spends most of his teenage and early adult
life wondering whether he is gay and an
atheist - values diametrically antithetical to
the ones endorsed by his parents. Repulsed
by himself, Zach ironically prays for his salvation whilst trying to fit into the masculine
world that his father and brothers represent.
Only after his heroin addicted brother dies
does he finally manage to break free and
come to terms with his sexuality and beliefs.
And it is only then he finally earns the acceptance of his family.
16
INDIA
CANADA
In Focus: global perspectives on inequality. Different worlds, different eras, but similar struggles
The women’s relationship is forbidden,
but their physical and spiritual desire and
genuine love draws them together and
helps them defy duty, traditions and
conventions in pursuit of emancipation.
Fire is not so much a story about a lesbian relationship as a story about freedom
and self-expression which challenges
traditions and oppressive social orders.
Banned and received with great uproar
in India (despite the discreetness with
which Mehta handles the only lesbian
scene in the film), Fire is also about the
dangers of fanaticism which can deprive
us of our humanity and compassion.
Not only does the film depict a viciously
patriarchal system in which women lack
control of their lives and are objectified, it
is also a searing metaphor for a closed,
authoritarian society. Filmed shortly after
the Tiananmen Square massacres, Red
Lantern was banned in China for a long
time. The artificial harmony of the house
with its bright colours and detailed ritualistic customs masks a bleak, stifling existence
manifest in its vast, empty and lifeless corridors. The camera shots are excruciatingly
beautiful, yet also painfully cold, lonely and
claustrophobic – we rarely get a glimpse of
the sky or, indeed, the master himself, that
distant, overpowering presence.
SpeakOut autumn/winter 2008
SpeakOut Issue -2.indd 16
11/11/08 19:24:55
and
La Haine (1995)
Director: Mathieu Kassovice
City of god (2003)
Director: Fernando Meirelles
Filmed in documentary-style black and
white, L’haine follows a day in the lives of
three ethnically diverse young people in
an impoverished Parisian estate the day
after a riot, during which their Arab friend
was shot by the police. Arab drugs dealer
Said, black boxer Hubert and Jewish thief
Vinz have a lot in common: unemployment,
poverty, a lack of both education and a future. Aimlessly wandering their neighbourhood getting into trouble with skinheads
and the police, the trio try controlling their
anger over their friend’s potentially fatal
injury and their own miserable existence,
impotence and isolation. When Vinz gets
hold of a police revolver the gun dominates
and casts a shadow over all subsequent
conversations, setting the scene for the
grim, inconclusive ending.
A fast-paced, colourful portrayal of
the cycle of violence among the poor
young criminals in the so-called City of
God (one of Rio’s most ill-famed slums),
this dazzling film is based on an autobiographical novel by Paulo Lins, who
managed to ‘escape’ the slum himself.
Although seen through the eyes of
Rocket, a young kid with a passion for
photography, the film it is not his own
story – it’s what he sees through his photographic lens that actually matters. And
what he sees are scenes of rape, barbarity, violence, intimidation and revenge by
kids as young as seven who are involved
in serious gang crime. In the Rio slum,
life has little if any meaning or value and
crime seems to be the only option. Poverty has undermined family and other
kinds of value, and gangs rule – evident
in the transformation of what used to be
a family home into a drug dealer’s den.
Far from a feel good movie, this bleak, realistic representation of life for the working
class, minority ethnic segments of Parisian
society shows lives fuelled with social tensions and often hatred and violent conflict.
An urban, empty landscape – empty parks,
empty trains, empty streets, an empty
shopping mall – fights for space with the
concrete council estates the protagonists
live in. A feeling of sterility and inevitability
permeates a film that refuses to allow us
to believe these young people can control
their fates. The societal constraints and
limitations imposed on them are nearly impossible to overcome. Engaging, disturbing
and brilliantly acted, this movie is particularly relevant with the rise of the far right in
Europe and Sarkozy’s presidency victory.
Meirelles chose 200 kids from the slums
to act in the film, asking them to improvise during key scenes. The result is a
frighteningly realistic aura that convinces
the viewer the only way to escape the
crime is to escape the City of God. An
exciting, inventive, adrenaline pumped,
cliché-free and visually stunning cinematic experience which begins and ends with
blood in the streets.
ENGLAND
BRAZIL
and a common humanity. Anna Sirmoglou looks at some of the best films from around the world.
FRANCE
gles
feature
Dirty Pretty Things (2003)
Director: Stephen Frears
Multicultural London: the only white
English characters in the film are immigration officials. The characters –
Nigerian, Turkish, Russian, Indian – are
‘non-people’, the invisible underclass,
the new arrivals who struggle to survive
in a less than welcoming city, working
endless shifts and living in crammed
environments.
Such is Nigerian Okwe, a taxi driver by
day, porter in a dodgy hotel by night,
he early on discovers the dark secret of
the hotel: the owner exploits immigrants
by asking them to sell their kidneys for
a passport. The film, part thriller, part
love story, follows two characters as they
try to survive a hostile environment and
eventually take revenge on a corrupt and
corruptible system.
A passionate plea for humanity, Dirty
Pretty Things shows how human bonding can exist in a world of sleaze, emptiness and blackmail.
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reviewed
Babul & the
Blue Bear
Review by: Selina Mehra
‘Babul and the Blue Bear’ is a play that strikes an intriguing balance: from beautifully
touching through wonderfully innovative to undoubted humour, a combination which
makes for an entertaining performance for both younger and older audiences alike.
The story follows Benny, an emotionally complex young man full of angst, humour and
above all youthful naivety, who is struggling to reconcile his identity as a mixed heritage
male growing up in West Yorkshire, a predominantly white area, and it is this identity
struggle that the play explores.
The play begins with the death of Benny, and from this end point begins a journey that
takes us back through Benny’s childhood. This narrative trick has been used before, but
is often executed clumsily, with clunky transition scenes between what has already passed
and what is yet to come. However, in Babul and the Blue Bear, actor Johnny LeighWright switches with apparent ease between the younger and older Benny, which gives
the audience the opportunity to look more closely at the events in Benny’s lives and reflect
on the challenges he has faced.
The play makes use of symbolism to encourage the audience to gain a more in depth understanding of Benny, and to identify Benny’s need to escape to a place and time where
he can be safe and loved. This is most significantly demonstrated by Benny’s stuffed lion
Babul, which also gives the play part of its name. The stuffed lion is present throughout the play, even as Benny jumps between the different ages. The audience witnesses
Benny’s regression from the independent angst-ridden teen to the naïve and vulnerable
Benny that seeks the protection of the lion, babul, in order to escape the deprived nature
of his life.
Benny’s story returns primarily to a turbulent and difficult time, characterised by his time
spent in care, his tragic dependence on a relationship with his alcohol addicted white
mother and his quest to find his absent black father, symbolising his constant search for
love and security. There is a certain tragic reality to the portrayal of Benny’s relationship
with his mother, one which perfectly demonstrates Benny’s need to be loved regardless of
the compromising situations he finds himself in. This is demonstrated most poignantly in
a scene where the young Benny has to act as parent to his mother, ensuring she takes her
medication and gets to bed safely. This scene all takes place to a backdrop of poverty and
the soothing tones of Ella Fitzgerald.
Benny’s confusion over his identity is attributed to a number of things that are ‘missing’.
For instance, Benny’s lack of contact with, and understanding of his black ‘roots’ becomes
a source of sorrow and pain. He is desperate to know his father in order to have a role
model to look up to and guide him. To Benny’s dismay, this dream is dashed, when his
father appears as a black comedian in an old eighties videotape hidden beneath his mothers bed. Telling racist jokes through a resonant thick Yorkshire accent, the father is a figure
of ridicule, using song (including a rendition of ‘you were always on my mind’) and poor
humour to expose his own sense of loss and mask his insecurities.
For the audience, Johnny Leigh-Wright is a particularly engaging actor who through his
use of word, song and dance passionately articulates the raw naivety trapped in the soul
of the character. Similarly, the use of racist jokes and names teamed with the portrayal
of the constraints of growing up in a small West Yorkshire town raises numerous questions about self, ‘race’, and most importantly, identity: challenging yet at the same time,
intensely emotional.
All in all, the play is both a provocative and thoughtful piece of art that reminds all of us
that there is always a story to be told.
18
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competition
1.
Can you name these
inductees on Birmingham’s
Walk of Stars?
If you unscramble the faces of these Birmingham
celebrities, you could win a pair of tickets to
the Real Deal Comedy Jam at the Alexandra
Theatre on Saturday 6 December 2008, featuring
Will-E Robo and Donnell Rawlings
The Real Deal Comedy Jam will be held
at the Alexandra Theatre on Saturday
6 December 2008
TBC Line up includes: Slim,
Lateef Lovejoy, Ava Vidal
(BBC2 ‘The Crouches’),
Will-E Robo (‘Def Comedy Jam’,
‘MTVBase Gods of Comedy’),
and Donnell Rawlings
(The Dave Chapelle Show’).
3.
Send your answers to the Speak Out team at Brap:
Email: [email protected]
Post: Speak Out, Floor 9, Edgbaston House, 3 Duchess Place,
Hagley Rd, Birmingham, B16 8NH
Winners will be announced in the next issue
Under 18s must be accompanied by an adult. All entries must be received by Monday 24 November 2008
Look out for the Spring issue
of Speak Out in January 2009
Don’t forget if you have something to say,
or want to share your stories, photographs
or work with the rest of Birmingham get
in touch.
email [email protected] or for more
information go to www.brap.org.uk
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