there is *so much* that is amazing to say about today's
@ukblm
inaugural Festival of Liberation, but for now, a picture of me with the incredible
@marcia_rigg
taken by the legendary Margaret Busby!
truly gutted and honestly close to tears by the low turn out today.
if we're really serious about how these struggles are linked, surely we need to be demonstrating that?
#KeepEyesOnSudan
March for Sudan - this Sunday 21st January
1.30pm - All Souls' Place (near BBC Portland Place, up from Oxford Circus).
resharing with alt text
#AltTextSudan
#Alt4You
#KeepEyesOnSudan
APNews: Arts Council England (
@ace_national
) has updated its policies, warning that "political statements" made by individuals linked to an organisation can cause "reputational risk", breaching funding agreements (1/5)
'Palestinian statehood is not in the gift of a neighbour, it's the inalienable right of the Palestinian people'
Labour leader
@Keir_Starmer
hits out at Israeli Prime Minister
@netanyahu
@HashashinTag
it looks like there is smoke coming from it already, so it may have already been hit once before the second direct hit?
whatever the case, this was horrific to see and hear.
La hawla wa la quwatta illa billah.
"If I die, remember that I, we, were individuals, humans, we had names, dreams and achievements and our only fault was that we were classified as inferior"
- Belal Aldabbour, Palestinian, neurologist, Gaza City
300 days of war. Right now, We can not connect with our families. There are no working networks in Sudan and we do not know what’s happening.
#KeepEyesOnSudan
@marcusjdl
this'll sound a bit tangential, but my dad was one of the co-founders of Brixton mosque. they got that space in part by squatting in it. if it was today, they'd still be praying in people's front rooms.
so that "exclusive" that just came out in The Times about Shamima Begum being smuggled into Syria by a double agent working for Canada, is that not this same story from 2015?
Why has nothing been made of it/done based on this before? or has it??
March for Sudan - this Sunday 21st January
1.30pm - All Souls' Place (near BBC Portland Place, up from Oxford Circus).
resharing with alt text
#AltTextSudan
#Alt4You
#KeepEyesOnSudan
🇸🇩 We must show up for our communities who are protesting the escalating brutality & violence in Sudan.
Our Legal Observers said the London protest went smoothly today, but if you are attending the march next weekend - please read our bustcards & keep each other safe ✨
🇨🇩IMPORTANT info for anyone at
#StandUpforCongo
protests today:
😷mask up, avoid police surveillance
📹 don’t post photos/videos with protesters faces
🦺 find a Legal Observer if u see arrests/police violence
🔎 read our bustcards ⬇️
🤐 don’t talk to cops
🙏🏾 keep each other safe
"Sudan people are revolutionary...the power of the people will always be stronger than the people in power...we can't lose hope" - representative of the Medaniya group
"RSF kills, UAE pays"
#KeepEyesOnSudan
i pray these images and the thousands of others haunt everyone who has sat silent in the face of this genocide and ejection of Palestinians from their land by the occupying state of Israel.
(i don’t believe those who are actively complicit have conscious enough to be haunted)
CW: mentions of eating disorders, medical discrimination, ob*sity, and more. depression, suicidal ideation
"I was afraid to not eat, I was afraid to eat too much, and I was afraid of possibly eating the wrong thing."
ok, so it's been a bit of a mixed/stressful week, but some exciting news.
In May, I got an email from the Royal Academy - Yinka Shonibare had offered me 2 free applications for the Summer Exhibition.
Found out yesterday both pieces I entered are shortlisted!
#OMG
#Alhamdulillah
A few weeks ago, I had a few portraits of myself made by the fantastic
@Tobi_Shobo
- I'm still forcing myself to be more comfy *in front* of the camera, but Tobi made it fun and I love these!!
Have Black people make all your pictures, tbh!
#photography
Been meaning to share this but also wanted to be in a suitably celebratory mood. I guess a grateful mood will do.
Got my final grade for my Documentary Photography MA last week - passed with distinction!
Been wishing i could tell my mum - she'd be so pleased.
#Alhamdulillah
APNews: Arts Council England (
@ace_national
) has updated its policies, warning that "political statements" made by individuals linked to an organisation can cause "reputational risk", breaching funding agreements (1/5)
more of this!
the silence of our cultural institutions are unacceptable.
I've been told by one that ACE funding disallows them from making political statements.
silence in the face of a genocide can't be an option.
#AltTextPalestine
#Alt4You
@BSonblast
thanks for replying, and I actually considered deleting that tweet, because exactly what you said above. it's my impatience coming through, but yes, I realise it takes time, and the organisers and related groups are doing amazing work (which I don't want to detract from)! 🖤
Only Israeli minors are "children"
Palestinian minors are "people aged 18 & younger"
This is NOT a mistake; it's a premeditated carefully worded editorial decision!
Dehumanization is the root of all cruelty, & Western media has been at the forefront of it since Oct 7!
major media outlets that spread and engaged with the lies long enough to promote the propaganda, now bringing out their "investigation" results that were already blatantly clear at the time.
resharing with alt text
#AltTextPalestine
#Alt4You
the two points debunked here have steady been THEE absolute proof positive talking points of how "the most moral army in the world" was fighting a "war on Hamas." We knew they were lies because we're not clowns and we pay attention to people on the ground. And here we are.
spent the day with this recording on ADHD in Black women & girls. So much appreciation to
@ZuvaSeven
,
@AdultingADHD
and all the people who shared.
thread of quotes below, but *so* much more in the recording.
10 minutes in, and already familiar - actually had assessing psychiatrist say to me “your adhd must be fairly mild, given your academic ability”
not everyone has the luxury of being *allowed* to not achieve academically, plus adhd doesn’t necessarily preclude academic success
"insulting Israel in France would be punishable "by two years of imprisonment and a fine of 75,000 euros" and "inciting hatred or violence" against Israel would land you 5 years in prison and give rise to a fine of 100,000 euros."
A new bill in the French senate to outlaw anti-Zionism is absolutely unreal
Basically the proposal is that insulting Israel in France would be punishable "by two years of imprisonment and a fine of 75,000 euros" and "inciting hatred or violence" against
CN: police violence
Last night police broke into our flat and assaulted my brother. Thankfully my brother is ok (as possible); we’re raising money to replace the door.
Hate to come back on here just to share this, but unfortunately needs must.
#ACAB
my dad would have been 71 today.
grateful to have had him for the short time we did.
he's the reason for my love of music, Shakespeare & photography
he opened my eyes to the insidious corruption of Western politicians & embodied compassion & empathy.
continue to RIP, Daddy 🖤🖤🖤
@natalieisonline
yeah, they're over here, living it up with all their benefits!
it's honestly so infuriating how it has taken for so many people to be in these circumstances to *finally* realise maybe living on benefits isn't all they've cracked it up to be with their bigotry!
got my first Covid-19 vaccination today! I look a lot less excited than I was - I was actually so giddy they had to repeat questions 🤦🏿♀️😬
all super quick and surprisingly painless. 😊💉💪🏿
Sadly decided to leave
@BlkWomenPhoto
due to continued silence on Palestine. Sad to leave the group & some amazing people, but not a hard decision in the end.
[the image is basically the whole blog post]
#photography
#CeasefireNow
10 minutes in, and already familiar - actually had assessing psychiatrist say to me “your adhd must be fairly mild, given your academic ability”
not everyone has the luxury of being *allowed* to not achieve academically, plus adhd doesn’t necessarily preclude academic success
there were many reasons I left the Refugee Council - the only job I've ever chosen to leave for irreconcilable differences - this messaging from the latest CEO just feels like a great demo of the RC management culture/view of refugees. 😐😒
The many refugees we work with
@refugeecouncil
want to make a big contribution to the UK, learn English, get a job, pay taxes and respect our laws and way of life.
@ClareFoges
rightly says they need better support to do this.
Join the London protest for Sudan on the 18th Feb. We need voices, we need numbers. We must support and stand in solidarity with the Sudanese people!
#KeepEyesonSudan
#LondonforSudan
"Amazon and other book retailers have now classified the Bridgerton series as “diverse reads” even though the novels feature zero people of color."
Melanie Curry on the cost of retrofitting diversity while work of authors of colour continues to be ignored.
hey folks - Batul is one of the organisers of the gatherings and protests for Sudan - can you help her cover any of her train costs from Wales to London?
Please pass it on.
“Remember, we are not just content for sharing; we are a people being killed, a cause trying not to be erased from existence. Oh, how alone we are!" Motaz Azaiza”
Resharing with alt text
#AltTextPaletsine
#Alt4You
The latest posts from Motaz, Bisan, Ismail Jood and more Palestinian journalists are heartbreaking. They have lost any hope of surviving.
They have done everything they could just to share what's happening with us while trying to survive a genocide. I have no words.
"Monitoring the police when they use force or harass people, filming them, and challenging their behaviour are an important way that consent is withdrawn. Walking by signals to the police that they have public endorsement."
"are you anthologizing us or mummifying us?
Are you supporting Palestinians while they are still living, or can you only care when we're being slaughtered?
Are your politics a performance or a commitment?"
thread
Okay I really have to say, because it's starting to become a trend now... Enough with the "let's quickly rush out a poetry anthology for palestine" solicitations from non Palestinian editors.
Just sharing some 'me' news
#photography
1 - I got DYCP funding in December - insha'Allah this month I'll be starting work on becoming an archivist!
2 - I'll be on a panel at Autograph ABP later this month. Tickets at link below.
BREAKING: Palestine Action permanently shut Elbit down in Tamworth!
After sustained direct action, the Israeli weapons maker was forced to sell due to increased security costs which cut their profits by 75%.
The new owners wrote to Palestine Action to confirm the factory is no
this long-continued, openly racist campaign of bullying, hatred and intimidation is unconscionable and continues to be perpetrated by mainstream media outlets, journalists and others quite comfortable to push the women of colour involved to mental breakdown.
Just broke down weeping in my class.
I know women of colour do not matter in the UK. And indeed our suffering brings joy to many.
So to everyone who has played a part in this public bullying campaign: Well done.
Last Saturday was 2 years since my mum passed.
I found out last night that my photobook, 84 days, has been selected as part of
@photofusionUK
's Salon 21.
I wish she could have seen it. I know she'd be super proud.
#photography
look through it here:
CN: illness; death; loss
“these photos were never meant to be a record of her illness or her death. They were only ever a way to hold on to seeing the world while I couldn't see it clearly myself.”
My photo book, 84 days
#photography
Fancy a sneak peek into the rehearsal room for Best of Enemies? 👀
Our amazing cast are busy getting ready to open on 3 Dec and we can't wait! 😍
Tickets are available for both in person and broadcast performances:
📸 -
@knox_o
إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعون
Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un.
“Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Allah we shall return.”
Our beloved daughter, granddaughter, sister, aunt and friend Azeezat Johnson returned to Allah on the 7th of March 2022.
@KGuilaine
this is unbelievably brutal, vicious and violent in so many ways (including the school's enabling of this teacher's violent behaviour). I'm shocked and fuming with you. Sending love to your little girl, and hoping there will be some accountability here. Absolutely horrendous.
"People usually celebrate my kind of brilliance when women like me are dead" - the truth of this!!
Celebrate it and de-claw it, talk about how it 'transcended race' and all of that kind of thing.
@zahrahnesbitt
@BootsUK
the security guard's racism trumping actual proof.
@BootsUK
this kind of incident doesn't happen in a vacuum - violent, racist security guards feel comfortable enacting this kind of thing because there's a culture in the workplace that teaches them it is tolerated.
Just thinking about the degree of dissonance, compartmentalisation, dissociation it takes to somehow function in a world that is so constantly and globally traumatic.
"There are no more words to speak about what is going on in Gaza. There are no more laws to break.
The hypocrisy is obvious.
Human rights have a skin colour, and the darker you are, the less human rights you have."
Abir Al-Sahlani, MEP
A Swedish MEP spent most of her allotted speaking time at an
#EU
parliamentary session in silence to protest
#Israel
's war on Gaza, before saying there were "no more words to speak about what's going on in Gaza" and that "human rights have a skin colour".
Story credit:
"We need to stop teaching children that obedience is their greatest virtue...as we brace for the possibility of more systemic racial devastation, we need young people who push boundaries and become the kinds of adults who will not let themselves be victimized." -
@DrStaceyPatton
@ztsamudzi
it's OK to not be making "the best" use of your time, to not follow original schedules and plans, to not be "achieving", to not be doing your "best".
Just getting through is taking a lot of emotional and mental energy. Remember that, and be as easy on yourself as possible. 💜💜💜
quite incredible to see the number of people insistent that she did this for "publicity" rather than consider the fact someone could be rightly disgusted by a convicted paedophile being celebrated.
"Well done paedophilia!" shouts French actress Adèle Haenel as she walks out of the César Awards after convicted rapist Roman Polanski won best director. She's not the only one: host Florence Foresti also didn't return to the stage, writing on Instagram that she was "disgusted".
@TillyLovesBooks
there's also Friends House opposite Euston - they have a cafe and bookshop, but also seating in various places around the building and sofas on some of the floors upstairs.
this thread.
i veer away from street
#photography
in part from anxiety about how i might be reacted to, and in part because of questions of ethics and consent.
the idea that ethics goes out the window when it comes to "art" or in the pursuit of so-called "authenticity"...
@LibyaLiberty
@warsan_shire
that idea, of the civilised west, of freedom, it's always been an illusion. I do think it's gotten even worse, but with what's happening now it's also just become much more apparent.
there *are* things we can do.
those in power only care when their interests are affected.
imagine this at every major station in london/across the UK, a refusal to allow life to just continue as normal until change occurs (and not just for Palestine).
I'm auctioning these 2 photos to raise funds for the excellent work of
@Genderintell
&
@inclusivemosque
.
Auction ends 7pm (GMT!) Sunday 31 Oct.
Really want to hit the £1,000 mark - can you help with a RT, a share on IG, an email or word of mouth? 🙏🏿💜
"At times, l have been overwhelmed by the realization that all our experiences are interconnected....it took me many years — and many books — to grasp how my identity as a Black Muslim man impacts how I move through the world and how the world responds to me."
“It’s a common misconception that once someone enters jail or prison, they lose their interest in the outside world…At times, l have been overwhelmed by the realization that all our experiences are interconnected.”
The sooner we realize this the better.
"If Canadians, Americans and Europeans can get used to the new ubiquitous face masks, will they also get used to niqabs? Will discrimination against the few women in the West who wear it stop?"
just looking through old photos for a *thing* (👀🤫) and found this one i made of my mum in April 2005, exactly a month after my dad died. as heartbreaking as it is, i also love it and wish i'd had a better camera to make it with at the time. (also, screenshot because twitter!)
@mmegannnolan
@Tom_Gann
I feel it's not cloth-eared so much as a continued deliberate attempt to impose the lie, despite the obvious, that this is not a problem with the police per se, therefore more of them about should somehow be considered positive.