Latest news with #AfricanCaribbean
BBC News
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Community calls for new approach to St Pauls Carnival
There are calls for a new approach to St Pauls Carnival after this year's event was deliberately scaled down. The carnival's organisers said they "reflected on finances" and as such there was no big parade but instead a series of smaller events were held to celebrate Bristol's African and Caribbean a spontaneous street party evolved on the evening of 5 July and the area was filled with thousands of Sharry, the carnival director, told BBC Bristol's Joe Sims the original event had to be scaled down due to a lack of money for appropriate safety measures, which were not considered at the "pop-up" event. He said: "I saw some of the young people climbing up on the scaffolding [at the pop-up event] and part of me is like, that's great, but what if someone falls off? Who pays for the injury and public liability insurance?"It's about getting that balance between making sure that the community can still have that grassroots event, but we as a city take ownership of making sure people are safe when they come." The theme of this year's event was "Roots of Resilience" to commemorate the passing of The Race Relations Act Act was introduced two years after the Bristol Bus Boycott and outlawed discrimination in public places. Many people who attended the "pop-up" carnival told BBC Bristol's Primrose Granville this year's festival had more of a community Burton, 30, said: "It felt like a more community thing. It felt less commercialised - felt less like a money making thing."It was just people coming together as a community."After the event, volunteers arrived early in the morning to clean up the streets. 'Ancestral legacy' Mr Burton, who is a filmmaker, added: "Our ancestors brought this carnival to this city."This carnival shouldn't be dictated by this and that. It's our community event - we were there, we looked after the community and we cleaned up after the community."The carnival director said the clean-up was a "testament to the spirit of the carnival".He said: "Back in the day it was volunteers that would come out, pop up, clean up, a week before pull together all of those different aspects of it."Given we were celebrating the 60th anniversary, the fact that the community did reflect on the ancestral legacy of the carnival - that really does epitomise what we're trying to do at St Pauls."
Metro
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Metro
Black and minority ethnic workers are losing out on £3,200,000,000
No one should be paid less because of their ethnic background, but unfortunately, the disparity is stark. Nationally, there is a 6% pay gap for employees from Black, African Caribbean or Black British ethnic groups, compared to their white counterparts. And according to a Resolution Foundation 2018 report, this amounts to £3.2billion in lost wages. The bad news doesn't stop there, though. London specifically has the largest gap in the UK at a shocking 23.8%, which is appalling because it is one of the most diverse capital cities in the world. But it gets worse – in specific sectors, the gap is even more pronounced. A GMB London survey showed that London's Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) public sector workers take home on average 37% less than their white colleagues, which is reportedly due to reported favouritism, management bias, and malpractice. On top of that, we already know that Black and minority ethnic people are much more likely to be in 'deep poverty' than white people. I want to close the ethnicity pay gap. And as the Chair of the London Parliamentary Labour Party, I want to see serious action to close that huge London pay gap, specifically. I believe the first step to tackle this is to introduce mandatory ethnicity pay reporting. And I have found that it's easier to convince people to acknowledge the ethnicity pay gap once you tell them about the gender pay gap first. For several years, companies of 250 employees or more have been required to report data on their gender pay gaps. I believe it is no coincidence that the gender pay gap has reduced over time. I remember one friend telling me that her company, upon realising their gender pay gap, gave her an instant £4,000 raise. Companies should also have to report their ethnicity pay gaps. If we measure something, we can fix it. But at the current rate, it will take another 40 years to fix the ethnicity pay gap. Shining a light on inequality and injustice is vital. So having the data out there pushes companies to act, and it shows you who is working to improve – and who isn't. It was in the Labour Party's manifesto that the Government intends to deliver mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting for large employers – as well as disability pay gap reporting. I welcomed this, as I have campaigned for it for so long. Back in 2018, as Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Governance and Inclusive Leadership along with Investing in Ethnicity, we launched the Maturity Matrix to spark this type of dialogue. And I regularly called for mandatory reporting when I was a Shadow Minister. Fast forward to earlier this year, I led a debate in Parliament about pay gaps in the workplace, to urge long overdue action. I was delighted to see that there was cross-party support for tackling the various pay gaps that exist in the workplace – and I had a clear indication that the Government is committed to acting on these issues. I believe that now, under Labour, we have the chance to tackle pay inequality. It's another chance to show the difference a Labour Government makes. But I want to make sure that it happens. The Government recently held a public consultation on mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting, which they said would help shape the Government's policies. I urge the Government to follow through with delivering it. Voluntary reporting, often cited as an alternative, is insufficient to tackle the problem. The truth is, the minority of bad companies will not act unless they are forced to. What I have long proposed is that mandatory reporting should be accompanied by action plans for those companies who do report pay gaps. These action plans should set out what exactly the companies will do to address their pay gaps, to set them on the path to equality. Because we don't just want to identify pay gaps, we want to close them. And I want to see the option of fines to be included in the regulations, for those companies who refuse to engage or close their pay gaps. I have also long argued that Government procurement contracts (when government departments hand out contracts to deliver services) should be prioritised for companies who are paying their employees on an equal basis. Then, you incentivise progress, with those who have good practices benefitting. The case for action is not only about fairness and equality – it has been shown that the most ethnically diverse companies are more likely to be profitable too. Many organisations have worked on this issue and the progress made is thanks to our collective voice. GMB, my trade union, are campaigning on this with their 'Mind the ethnicity pay gap', which aims to shine a light on the disparities in pay between ethnic groups. And there are so many others – from the #EthnicityPayGap Campaign, to UNISON, Action for Race Equality, the Runnymede Trust, ShareAction and many more. More Trending The demand is clear, and I am convinced the consultation will have backed that up. I want to see disability pay gap reporting along the very same lines too – but that must be led by, and centred around, disabled people's voices. There is a wealth of diverse talent across our country that is ready to flourish. All we want is better and fairer workplaces where people are paid fairly on merit. Equality benefits everyone. So, if we get this right on gender, ethnicity, and disability, we will create a better and fairer working environment for everyone. It's time to deliver equal pay for all. Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Share your views in the comments below. MORE: I always felt 'mum guilt' – then I went on a girls' trip MORE: I dehydrate myself so I don't have to use public disabled toilets MORE: I won't risk my safety by seeing Charli XCX at Glastonbury 2025
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Pride of first African-Caribbean councillor
Wolverhampton's first African-Caribbean councillor has said she is "proud" to be recognised for her contributions, ahead of a bronze bust being unveiled during Windrush Day celebrations. Mel Chevannes, who was elected in Graiseley in 1981 and served as a councillor for 11 years, later chaired The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust. Friends, family and ex-colleagues welcomed her husband's idea to permanently recognise her achievements and a group was formed with the purpose of commissioning a commemorative art piece. Ms Chevannes said she was proud to be recognised for her "professional, community and educational contributions to this wonderful city". She also stated she was "humbled to be honoured" by a bronze bust in the city that has been her home for 50 years. Her husband, Frank Reeves, proposed the idea of a permanent recognition of her contributions to Wolverhampton, after a biography of her life was published. A flag-raising ceremony outside the Civic Centre at 10:30 BST on Sunday will feature speeches from representatives of the Windrush community, Wolverhampton mayor Craig Collingswood and Deputy Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands Sandra Samuels. She became the first person of African-Caribbean heritage to become mayor of the city in 2022. The bust will be unveiled at Wolverhampton Art Gallery during an event introduced by Lord-Lieutenant Derrick Anderson. HMT Empire Windrush docked in Tilbury, Essex, on 22 June 1948, bringing hundreds of passengers from the Caribbean to the UK, who were invited to rebuild post-war Britain. Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Events to be held to mark Windrush Day What is Windrush Day? Zephaniah to be celebrated at Windrush Day event City elects first black mayor in nearly 200 years City of Wolverhampton Council The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Photos of 1980s African-Caribbean life in Bradford to be displayed
A selection of photos by a Bradford-based photographer are to go on display at a museum. Victor Wedderburn's photos, which capture 1980s African-Caribbean life in the city, will be shown at the National Science and Media Museum as part of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. The photos feature local landmarks such as Lumb Lane's Roots Record Shop and the Perseverance Hotel, as well as sound system parties. Originally from Jamaica, Wedderburn arrived in the UK in 1971 at the age of 16, joining his Windrush Generation parents in Bradford. After losing his job at Crofts Engineers to redundancy in the early 1980s, he used his redundancy pay to buy a second-hand camera and film developing kit. He then began documenting life in the city. A spokesperson said: "Wedderburn's images, in a colour format rarely seen at the time, are an intimate portrait of the world and people that surrounded him." The new display follows Wedderburn's debut exhibition, Frontline 1984/1985, at Loading Bay in Bradford, and consists of a selection of photos from that exhibition. The photos, in the National Science and Media Museum foyer, will be available to view until October 29, 2025. For more information and to book free admission, visit
Time Out
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Kings Co Imperial celebrates 10 years with smashburger dumplings and iconic chefs
In 2015, Kings Co Imperial made its debut in Williamsburg, spinning on Chinese classics with a Brooklyn twist. Countless orders of wok-seared dumplings and one sister spot in the Lower East Side later, and the restaurant has reached its ten-year milestone. To mark a decade in service, the restaurant has invited chefs from around NYC to the kitchen to cook up classics of their own. Starting this month, both locations of Kings Co Imperial are celebrating the anniversary with the summertime series, 'Dishes of a Decade.' From June 18 through September 30, the Chinese restaurant concept is inviting iconic chefs and eateries across NYC to create limited-edition dishes. For chef and co-owner Josh Grinker of Kings Co Imperial, it is all about celebrating those who have inspired them along the way. 'This series is about honoring the city that shaped us—and sharing the table with chefs we admire, whose food has inspired us over the years,' said Grinker in a press release. 'Nobody in this city accomplishes anything by themselves. Being in business for 10 years is a testament to our neighbors, our customers, our vendors and more.' Harlem's JJ Johnson is kicking things off this month. Infusing his African Caribbean heritage into a tried-and-true Chinese dish, Johnson's Jerk Duck Fried Rice special comes with a crown of ginger scallions and a fried egg. Rubirosa is bringing three of its time-honored pizza recipes to the restaurant: The Red with Rubirosa's signature vodka sauce, fresh mozzarella and Italian sausage; The Green with pesto and marinara; and half-red, half-green pie called the Tie Dye. But instead of pizza dough, the base of each will be scallion pancakes. George Motz of the West Village's Hamburger America is bringing a taste of Americana to the humble dumpling with the Fried Onion and Cheeseburger Dumpling (a dip of French's Chinese mustard is optional), while Emily Yuen of Greenpoint's Lingo is serving bowls of Bone-In Shio Koji Tonkatsu with Hong Kong curry and Chinese pickles. Settepani will finish the series with something sweet by serving a Cannoli Crumble with mango and honey. Each dish will be on rotation for a two-week period. And once it's gone, it's gone. So check out the full lineup of eats below and plan your summer calendar accordingly. Kings Co Imperial's Dishes of a Decade:
