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- Nothing happens without people coming together to influence change - Peter's message this Black History Month
29 October 2024
Nothing happens without people coming together to influence change - Peter's message this Black History Month
I’m Peter Ashan, and I’ve been a resident with Anchor since 2021. My parents came to London from Barbados in about the 1960s, and I was born in Hackney, so I grew up around London. I’m enjoying Anchor – it's good to be able to get involved, join committees and groups, and feel like you can have a say in the place you live.
I grew up Waltham Forest, which was hugely diverse in terms of ethnicity and belief, and working class, so it was great to grow up in such an inclusive environment. While I didn’t experience any prejudice on the streets, I was conscious of more institutional racism. At school, for example, we weren’t taught any Black history unless it was through a White lens. I remember learning about the British Empire, but not what the reality of that meant.
In 1988, I became a college lecturer, working in adult and higher education. I lectured on the history of art and design, media studies, and visual art, and eventually transitioned to being a personal tutor to focus on the more pastoral side. Likewise, when I was at school, we were just thrown a football and told to play, so I wanted to help young people develop both in sport as well as socially and as people. That’s why I started coaching youth football.
As an educator, I’m very conscious of what’s lacking in our education. After educating myself and accumulating enough knowledge, I started doing Freedom Walks. These are walks around areas of London that teach people how London came to be the multi-ethnic, multi-faith, diverse place that it is today. Obviously I run lots for Black History Month, but they happen all through year! I love meeting other people and hearing their stories, and sometimes end up including them in future walks. The history I talk about often goes back to the Transatlantic slave trade and the 16th century, but can go right back to middle ages. I chose local areas because people think nothing happens there, but our individual histories link us to the national events and provides context to the big picture. Nothing happens without people coming together to influence change.
To me, this year’s theme of ‘Reclaiming Narratives’ means the Black community uncovering our histories for a wider audience. At school, history was “done to us,” so now it’s about uncovering our viewpoint, and discovering stories unheard before. In some areas that’s a bit easier than others, so I’m really passionate about uncovering and sharing Black visual artists. Reclaiming our history means knowing that Black artists have always existed and contributed to society in rich and meaningful ways. I’d recommend visiting some places like Rich Mix (Tower Hamlets) and Rivington Place, where the Association of Black Photographers are based (Shoreditch).
I’d like us to see Black History as 365 days a year, not just as something to do in October. That means looking to embed Black history, art, and culture within the curriculum, within our own awareness, within the year. There’s no point in history that hasn’t been touched and influenced by Black people, so we need to see it in its entirety.
Peter is an Anchor resident.
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