Category: Guest Articles

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Guest Articles

Innovation in Isolation:

Eleana
Eleana

Written by Eleana Ntagia

Things you should know before you start your new social media platform!

Eleana decided to use lockdown as a time to build her Instagram page. She posts about her passion for fashion and beauty. In this article she gives out tips and tricks to grow a successful Instagram platform.

Hello, my name is Eleana, I am 20 years old and I study journalism. In this article, we will discuss about beauty and fashion. I will be explaining how I started my beauty and fashion Instagram account and I will be showcasing different ways on how you could combine your everyday clothes in your wardrobe to create different outfits.

Instagram @eleanantagia

I hope to share a good insight into the concepts of beauty and fashion. These are only a few things I wish I knew before I started my account. I am still new on the platform, but I aim to grow with the new content I am working on. For me, the best way to approach this was to ask myself what is beauty and what does it mean to me? Weirdly enough I have never really thought about it. So, go ahead and ask yourself what is beauty to you?

A little bit about myself:

Growing up, I was not always into fashion and beauty so let me tell you a little bit about myself and how I got into it. When I was young, I used to do lots of activities so dresses and skirts were not my favourites. I used to hate dressing up despite my mother’s efforts. Coming into my teenage years, I started enjoying playing around with clothes and making an everyday outfit look elegant. Since then, I have been teaching myself more about outfit combinations-more specifically being colour oriented.

Being in my early 20s now, fashion has become my passion. I spend a lot of time researching about new innovative products and clothes to add in my collection. Being over the top comes from my Greek routes. Culturally, in Greece we take pride in our stylish outfits as we love to dress up. 

One of the reasons I decided to go into journalism is because I absolutely love vlogging my life. I am known for the annoying friend that documents everything and I think this is the right time to give you a glimpse of my lifestyle.

A little insight on how to start: 

I recently decided to start a new Instagram account showcasing my wardrobe and beauty products.  I have always wanted to do it, but I was never confident enough. Also, I would like to think am a perfectionist so if I want to do something it has to be perfect or it does not work for me. Lockdown has pushed me into being more creative and into exploring myself and my style a bit more. I love styling different pieces, dressing up and taking pictures. Finding clothes in my wardrobe that I have never worn has further sparked my creativity!

Here are a few tips on how to start:
1. DESIGN YOUR OUTFITS –

Before I started my account, I planned enough content for a week, and had extra outfits planned for the future. With all the shops being closed, I have decided to showcase clothes I already have in my wardrobe. However, I do admit that if the shops were open I would of possibly go out to buy some new outfits as well. As we all know, most fashion recycles so any old pieces you have in your wardrobe could be trendy again at some point. 

2. DESIGN YOUR WORKSPACE –

Besides your outfits, the environment you work with is very important! This is why I had to work around with my workspace. I organised my room to look more aesthetically pleasing and disposed a lot of things I did not need to free up space. That made it easier for me to take pictures and create my videos as I did not have to move everything around. 

3. WORK WITH YOUR LIGHTING!

Lighting is crucial for photo shooting and vlogs, hence why I decided to invest in a ring light. You can find affordable, good quality products on online or on amazon. This will improve the quality of the pictures. Lots of my friends ask me what camera I use to shoot my content with and honestly, I use my iPhone camera. It has got a high-quality resolution hence why I am not willing to spend more on a professional one just yet. I recommend that you do not spend a lot on unnecessary photography kits if you will not use them professionally. Most of the time I find myself using natural light so I would suggest that you start working in the mornings.

4. HAVE A ROUTINE AND A PLAN –

Planning is everything. Being consistent with your work and preparing future contents ahead will relieve you of stress and uncertainty. I have found it will also give you more time to edit your content and you can always reshoot if you are not happy with the results. Sometimes however, I do not always feel like putting makeup on, doing my hair, and getting dressed up. Therefore, planning could allow giving yourself a few days off. Throughout the nice weather I found myself spending more time outside with my family, so it is always good to have pre-shoot content. 

5. PHOTOGRAPHY –

Usually my brother or my mum take the pictures of me. However, if they are both busy, I use my iPhone’s self-timer camera function. I would suggest you work with your angles as much as possible and see which poses work best for you. That way you spend more time perfecting that pose and taking more content. 

I usually like to shoot more than one outfit, all from different angles. Also, to make the pictures look different I change my hairstyle or add a different lipstick. 

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6. BE CONSISTENT –

Most importantly you must be consistent. The more you post the more exposure you get. I sometimes find myself too lazy or not motivated enough to post stories every day and that is something I am working on improving. 

7. USE ALL THE TOOLS ON INSTAGRAM –

For instance, I have decided to do more Instagram videos (IGTVS). That has improved my editing skills and has made me want to work more on how to make them look more professional. In addition, this will help my journalism career by improving my video editing skills.

Why I started:

Studying journalism was not always an obvious choice for me. It was not until my college years that journalism and vlogging drew my attention. The high competitiveness of the field and the limited opportunities in the country is always a concern. However, the support of my family and friends has encouraged me to follow my dream of being a successful journalist. During my first year in university, I thought it would be a good idea to link social media with journalism and have a page where I can express my thoughts on style and beauty.

I feel like when it comes to journalism engagement is key. You must be on the lookout of what is going on in the world and the fastest way to do that is online.

Enough with all the boring stuff. Let us get down to presenting you with 4 of my go to outfits for casual occasions. 

Fashion Lookbook:
Explaining the outfits:

The 4 different outfits/ways I present you, showcase how you could combine a pair of plain black jeans with various outfits. 

Outfit one is a very casual everyday outfit. You can always switch it up and wear it with any casual t-shirt. You can dress it up with accessories and a nice coat or you can dress it down by wearing it how I have.

Outfit two is smart casual. I feel like a shirt always dresses any outfit up and makes it look smarter. Also, you can throw in a pair of loafers and the leather jacket to make the outfit look chic and classy. I know that lots of my friends would not wear loafers so you can switch it up for a pair of ankle boots. 

Outfit three is my favourite. I would wear this outfit anywhere! The trick to make it look casual is to roll up the sleeves to make the outfit more comfortable.  To complete your look, roll the sweatshirt up so can see the shirt. 

Finally outfit four is something I wear a lot to go out for drinks. I would only wear the bandeau top only during summer. If you are planning on wearing this outfit when the weather is not on your side, I would switch it up for either a bodysuit or a nice blouse. The blazer makes the outfit look smart and it is a nice little cover up. 

Overall:

Hope this article has given you a little insight on how to start and encouraged you to pursue fashion passion. I would love to have you with me on my fashion journey so if you are interested, follow my Instagram account to see my latest content. 

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Guest Articles

Afrophobia: The next level of debate people are afraid to have

Israel Campos
Israel Campos

Written by Israel Campos

The conversation has to keep happening:

The truth, urgency and real need for this conversation has been so trivialised in recent times. I confess that it even “embarrasses” me, in a way, to give voice to this cry of freedom by so many acclaimed. Still, the aggressiveness that the impact of racism has on all those affected by it, like me, does not allow me to shut up in the frustration of silence. On the contrary, it only encourages me even more to speak out.

I fear that these lines will be immediately directed, right by its title, to the “race card box”. Yes! That ignored complaint box – that no one will ever read; purposely created to perpetuate a system that turns victims into the problem and lovingly normalises the real problem. But the weight of my day-to-day reality does not allow me, however much I try, to do it differently.

With David Lammy – British Labour Party politician
The beginning of it:

I remember, exactly, as if it was today. Of that excited young boy, even before turning 18, who flew from his city, Luanda, to set foot in the lands of Her Majesty for the first time. He was bringing a lot of enthusiasm and hope in his suitcase as well as many uncertainties. Of course, I can’t forget the first impression, the one that is recorded forever and ever. Having been held by the airport board force for more than three hours. This was only for one reason: not knowing how to speak English. Even when all the information requested and needed was written in the documents I had with me.

My first days in the UK were painful. From homesickness, to missing the warm weather, but above all for feeling literally like a fish out of water. Even worse in a city like Exeter where seeing a black person walking the streets can be as rare as hens’ teeth.

Prejudices:

However, my problem was never so much and essentially with the lack of racial diversity in the spaces I used to go to – despite its great importance. It is the prejudices that were associated with black people that were there. The way this was reflected in the treatment they received by others. In other words, more than the lack of racial diversity, what worried me the most was the racism itself; despite being aware that one can come from another.

In my first three weeks in this country, I remember finding myself searching on the internet for things like “black idols in the UK” or “books on race in the UK”. There I was, that boy who had no idea what being black could mean in a society like the British. As he came from a society where being black was the norm. Therefore it represented nothing to him. It even reminds me of the writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her similar experience when she first arrived in the United States of America.

A difference that you need to learn:

After some time, I got used to it. That is, I entered the so-called naturalisation of the oppression system until I “met”, via a friend that loved her, the writer Reni Eddo-Lodge. I read her book “Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race”. This revolutionised my perspectives on certain actions before seen by me as only individuals practices. This book made me understand the bigger picture. I learnt how the benefits associated with systemic racism are fundamental to the perpetuation of the state of affairs.

More than that, it was also possible to understand another reality that is almost nonexistent in the debates about the racist structure within the UK. Reni Eddo-Lodge is a British black writer. That’s why whilst reading her book, I saw fundamentally the narrative of racism in the UK; being told by her experiences point of view, as a black Brit and all those who identify themselves in this way.

Although I found some common denominators between her experience on what it is to be black in the UK and my own; it is very clear for me that I could not find my experience fully represented in the book, under the lens of a black African living in the UK.

Believe it or not, being a black British born and being a black African born in the UK has a completely different meaning.

It may not seem like it, because in the eyes of some we are all black. Therefore, we are all the same but in reality, it does not work like that.

Afrophobia is a problem that has been systematically ignored in the UK. This is despite the visible effects it has on the lives of many Africans in the country; many of whom are not even refugees but legal immigrants or international students.

As an example, I remember all those friends of mine, who went to the same college as me here. They were mostly Nigerians or South Africans, therefore native English speakers, and who were still obliged to take the IELTS test, which is an English language test intended for “non-native speakers”.

Or even of all the times that someone laughed at my accent; for being considered too “aggressive”, or “funny” or “disturbing”.

Why talking about it matters:

Afrophobia is a “burden” present in the daily lives of many Africans in this country. It is being treated as less intelligent as soon as your nationality is discovered. Or perceived as speaking “wrong English” when you want to get information from the NHS desk, for example.

It is to be the “dancing-member” of your group of friends from university. The one that is always told off when don’t wanna do so because “Africans love to dance”, don’t they? 

It is beyond having to explain that Africa is not a country but a continent, every time someone calls you African instead of your nationality.

It is above all having to deal daily with the ignorance. This is of those who deliberately feel the right to underestimate the existence, value and sensitivity not of a race but of an all continent to which Europe and its citizens should dedicate everything, just not more hate and disrespect.

Including Afrophobia in the general discussion of racism in the UK is an imperative. So that we can make the fight more inclusive; and to ensure that no one from the oppressed groups is left out.

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Guest Articles

BLM London Protests

The Stories of those involved:

Written by Greg Kennedy

After the murder of George Floyd by four Minneapolis Police officers and countless other cases of racially motivated hate crimes across the US by citizens and police – the UK stood alongside the United States this weekend in a number of Black Lives Matter protests across the country.

People are demanding action against those responsible for the death of George Floyd and other victims of racism across the US. The UK marches put a spotlight on racism here in our own country with protesters demanding justice for those here in the UK.

Thousands of cardboard signs had plastered across them the names of victims of racism in this country including Stephen Lawrence, Belly Mujinga, Shukri Abdi and more. Many were also critical of the systematic racism in place, the police and those currently in charge of the country. 

London Protests:

The vast majority of the protests that took place in Parliament Square on Saturday were generally peaceful. They included protesters calling for justice, kneeling to show solidarity and marching through the busy roads of London.

The centre of the city came to a halt while the masses passed through – much to the delight of the delayed bus drivers and drivers who smashed their horns in support. Some came out onto the roof of their cars to join in with the crowds. While walking through the protests we noticed one woman who climbed on to the roof of her car. She jumped up and down on it so much that the roof of the car had caved in. A pick-up truck loaded with a heavy sound system also made its way through the crowd blasting Pop Smoke and Tupac tunes. 

Making a statement:

People were climbing on bus stops, traffic lights and statues all in an effort to raise their cardboard message the highest.

Towards the end of the day there was some trouble with the protesters. Police had to control parts of the crowd. However, this seemed to be a tiny minority of those involved in the marches and the protests had largely died down. For the most part of the day the police were barely seen and let the crowd go ahead with no issues. 

‘Racism is also a pandemic’:

Matt Hancock and Cressida Dick, who warned against protests the day before, were made to look clowns. Huge amount of people, more than most had predicted, turned up to support Black Lives Matter in London. Despite the ongoing Pandemic, those who turned up felt this issue was more important. They raised signs that read “Racism is also a pandemic”.

After speaking to many of the protesters, there was a general feeling of anger and frustration with the recent events. However, everyone I spoke to also seemed to feel immensely encouraged and motivated about changing attitudes after seeing the amount of people that had come out to protest. This felt like a significant turning point in Britain. Thousands turned up to support Black Lives Matter – and this was despite the ongoing pandemic. 

Those involved:

We talked to lots of those involved to find out more about why these protests are happening and to hear the stories of some of those calling out racism. 

Crissie, Activist since 1985:
BLM London Protests

“How could anybody stay at home huh?! I’ve been campaigning since 1985 for justice, for black and immigrant people, for asylum seekers, for women in particular because we’re invisible in the social justice movements.

We’ve been making sure our voices are heard because of the terrible thing that happened to not only George Floyd but the other sisters and brothers in the US who for years have been slaughtered and those here in the UK who’ve been killed by police – who then get away with it. 

This kind of crowd that’s come out, as they have all around the world, is a mixture of black and white, immigrant and indigenous. We are all here for one thing and that is to absolutely change this world. 

A combination of Covid, the pandemic of poverty and the pandemic of racism are really a catalyst moment for the movement. I’ve not seen this in the years that I’ve been organising and now we have a real chance to change something.

But the first thing we have to do is stick together and not let anybody steal our grassroots movement because there will be plenty of ambitious politicians or NGO’s who will want to seize this moment for their agenda, but their agenda is not our agenda, our agenda is to change the world, our agenda is to invest in caring and not killing. We can do that by taking back: the military budget, the police budget, the budgets that put us down and slaughter us and jail us and incriminate us. We can take those budgets back into our own hands.

This is a moment where we come together because we are catching the same fire and we have to put it out together!”

Unnamed, with a sign that reads, “I’m tired of being perceived as aggressive”:
BLM London Protests

“It’s important to be here. I think everybody should be here just so everyone can get equality.

I think as a black man, I’m tired of seeing people of my colour being killed.

Today, seeing this many people around us of all colours of all races coming together for one love one peace – we all bleed the same blood at the end of the day. That’s why I’m here today. 

The sign I made is, ‘I’m tired of being perceived as aggressive’, a lot of the time young black people, especially young black men, are perceived as being aggressive all the time.

People are walking down the street, crossing the road when they see me – just because of my skin colour. I’m sick and tired of it. I want change.

I don’t want to be perceived as someone who is bad. I’m not, I’m a good guy”.

Unnamed, protesting for change just outside Parliament Square:
BLM London Protests

“We are out here to fight the injustice in the justice system all across the board for black people. 

We’ve had enough now it has been going on for far too long. 

People have been ignoring it for far too long. This George Floyd thing has just made it apparent now. It’s in your face, it can’t be denied – we have to do something about it now!

What we need to do is get organised, get someone speaking for the people and take it to the people that can actually make real change. Because right now it is just people in the street.”

Nathan and Ranni, speaking up against the system in place:
BLM London Protests

“(Nathan) We are here to support everything that is going on. This type of thing has been going on for years. This is ridiculous now.

It’s not just the fact that this man was killed, it’s the fact that so many more instances of what’s happened have been ignored.

People stand up and they just get put back down. This is what happens when people turn a blind eye and brush it under the rug. This is what happens! People protest and stand up together – that is what matters.

(Ranni) People say that the system is broken, but the system isn’t broken, the system was created against us in the first place.

It needs to be completely reformed so that everyone has equal opportunity because at the moment we don’t have that. We get stood on, we literally get stood on and it needs to change. 

(N) The UK and the US were built on systematic racism. It goes all the way back to slavery. People say the system is broken but it has never changed. That is what we need, massive change. 

People start to get scared because of protests like this and things might get violent but this is what happens when you turn a blind eye to everything that goes on.

(R) This is the safest I’ve ever felt in London. I don’t get why our skin colour is threatening. 

(N) This is the safest I’ve ever felt outside my own house, subconsciously the black community is seen as a threat and I don’t understand why. We’re not threatening people. It’s a ridiculous thing and I’m just hoping there is going to be so much change from this.”

BLACK LIVES MATTER

Links below for ways you can help:

https://linktr.ee/sophieella

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Guest Articles

Black Lives Matter Leicester

BLM protest - Leicester
BLM protest - Leicester

Written by Leah Adina

The murder of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, took place on 25thMay. A police officer knelt on his neck for nine minutes while three other officers stood by. This sparked protests in America which soon spread across the world, and to the city in which I live, Leicester. 

Black Lives Matter - Leicester
Black Lives Matter Protest Leicester

The protest held on the 6th June saw a turnout of over three and a half thousand and zero arrests. From 1pm we chanted, heard impassioned speeches and knelt for nine minutes in silence. Those nine minutes we knelt were not comfortable, we had to change knees, switch positions or stand. Kneeling for that length of time was hard and uncomfortable but nothing compared to what George Floyd endured in the last moments of his life. 

The people behind and a part of the protest:

The protest, organised by a group of young people some as young as 14, had the support of Leicester Councillor Deborah Sangster and other more experienced protestors. As for many this was their first protest.

I caught up with one of the organisers, Huda who is 21.  She described how they organised the protest by having delegated groups responsible for: speakers, press/social media, stewarding and music. In liaising with the police, the organisers ensured social distancing and the presence of trained stewards and first aiders. While the police expressed concerns surrounding music in relation to having a large gathering the organisers reiterated that, “our aim is to have the protest and raise awareness for the movement and the injustices faced by black people”.  

The speeches that followed raised hugely important points of anti-blackness in the Asian community, white privilege and an education system which is failing black boys. 

I also spoke with one of the speakers, Kondwani also known as Kswift, on why he felt he should speak out: 

“I feel like this has being going on for way too long and it’s time to put our foot down. People need to understand and learn before change can really happen. Its challenging enough to go through the system, now imagine being black, there are so many things in place to oppress us, it’s overwhelming. This is not something that I want to see my kids going through. I want them to be able to look back and say this is how it was, not this is how it is.”  

Why we protest:

Many may question why we are protesting. It is imperative to understand that this is not just an American problem, the UK and many other countries have a deep issue with systemic racism which plagues our society.

This is bigger than just George Floyd, bigger than America, it is a global issue.

Black Lives Matter - Leicester
Black Lives Matter Protest Leicester

Leicester is home to many of the Windrush generation and their descendants, the African Caribbean Centre located in Highfields, only exists because members of the Caribbean community were willing to protest until it became ours. The UK has a deeply rooted issue with racism that hasn’t ‘gone away’ as many argue. It is time to weed out these roots, confront wrongdoings and grow something new and better.

What now?

People are also questioning what we want. What we want is justice for those that have been wronged, black British history being taught as part of the curriculum, members of authority undergoing training to unlearn prejudices, a school system helping young black kids instead of excluding them, black businesses thriving and most simply: equality.  

Black Lives Matter - Leicester
Black Lives Matter Protest Leicester

The time for change is now, the time to speak up is now, the time educate is now. Be a part of the solution not the problem. To any non-black people, have those uncomfortable conversations with yourself and family as it is necessary in order to enact change. Either you’re with us or you’re against us against us, don’t allow your silence to aid our oppressors.  

I refuse to keep quiet on an issue which is killing black people. Speak up now and let this generation be the last that has to speak on these issues, because I mean it from the bottom of my heart when I say I don’t want to see my kids protesting this in the future. 

Black Lives Matter

Justice for Shukri Abdi

Petition and donation links below:

https://linktr.ee/abdiTV