25 years ago, to the day (Jul 31st), I boarded a BA flight to Miami and after a very short stop flew on the London. My now departed Uncle and cousin were dutifully waiting for me at Gatwick Airport, just as my mom had done for them, decades before. My memories of the last 25 years are too many to recount, but here are just a few of the highlights. Walking from Norbury to Brixton and being astonished at the amount of young black women pushing prams. The nightly discussions with my UK cousins which normally ended with one of them saying….”Are you sure you are from Jamaica???” Me asking if The Sun was actually a genuine newspaper My Aunt crying with embarrassment when I tried to give her money out of my first pay cheque. Attending my first Christmas work do and taking a bus home………upstairs layered with vomit. Becoming aware of the hostility between UK black women and men. My first real encounter with racism. Being confused as to why anyone was unemployed. Not understanding how anyone could claim benefits The birth of my son Joining the 100 Black Men of London Seeing the look on white folks faces when 6 (or was it 7) coaches pulled up at Chessington full of only Black men and their children. Unemployment Vowing never to have only one source of income Collecting my first payment as a self employed man Meeting the women who would prepare me for “The One”. Thanks. Dropping my son at the airport for his first holiday with no parents….fretting for seven days and seven nights. Worldwide travel Working EU wide 25 years is a long time, but as they say…time flews when you are having fun and boy oh boy the last 25 years have flown. So yes I have had a great time here in the UK and will continue to do so for perhaps the next five years…beyond that I make no promises.
Posted on: Thu, 31 Jul 2014 18:24:34 +0000
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