Key stories 6

Pre-Covid my head and body energy were focused on Japanese classes, my organic allotment, reading, attending talks on Diasporan History, theatre, art galleries and concerts. Post-Covid, I went back to my first love – writing about our communities past, present, and future. But I didn’t return to writing like a child, focusing only on (super) Heroes. Instead, I turned the spotlight on real men, women and children – saints with warts and sinners with wings.

And here I am now, a reluctant Elder. When I was a frequent speaker on the conference circuit, our diasporan history was dominated by White male historians, mostly of U/SA/K origin. So, it’s interesting that White women on both sides of the pond control that history now, followed by Asian-Americans, and African-Americans. (As it goes, for trauma historians we are a rich source of material, partly because we had more free people on UK soil in the days of legal mass state human trafficking. And, some other countries have huge research pots from institutions with leaders that love to reduce our history to SLAVERY.)

The good thing about historiography is the landscape changes; once drapetomania and hypodescent theory ruled, as did the people who identify as White. One day, the main batons and the rules will pass to those with our ancestral lived experience, hopefully producing supportive and non-extractive histories. But perhaps, not in my lifetime.

For the health and wellbeing of our descendants, please don’t leave it too late to consolidate the necessary change!