Yaaya Asked ...

Yaaya asks:

Who or what is your
most valuable
support network?

Darren (Facebook):

Family

Jake (Facebook):

Family,"positive friends" as well as astute men & women I read about and those I have had the opportunity to meet ...

Obiocha (Facebook):

In this particular order => Father: Sisters: Min Elskede: Sisterhood: Friends: Mentors

Caroline (Facebook):

Family, friends, colleagues, mentors, connect group at church. A valuable support network isn't built overnight. I've learnt the importance of listening and being open to advice. And yes, pro-actively reaching out to people: you have to network to build a supportive one that is valuable to you. Cheesy but true.

Loretta (Facebook):

Parents, siblings and friends, and the various mentors that have come into my life

Read More

Event: Africa @ Spitalfields | 27th May 2013

Africa
@ Spitalfields

"Come and join London's biggest shopping experience inspired by Africa ... Feed your curiosity, your eyes and your taste buds ... Get Involved, Get Inspired"
More information on the Spitalfields What's On Guide.

When:

Monday 27 May 2013 (Bank Holiday Monday)
10am – 5pm

Where:

Spitalfields Market,
16 Horner Square,
Spitalfields,
London E1 6EW

Admission Cost:

Free entry

Contact Info:

Twitter: @Aatspitalfields
www.facebook.com/africaatspitalfields
info@africaatspitalfields.co.uk

Image Source | Spitalfields What's On Guide : Africa At Spitalfields.

Click here for more upcoming events!

Read More

Event: Afro Hair & Beauty LIVE | 26th-27th May 2013

Afro Hair & Beauty LIVE 2013

"Afro Hair & Beauty LIVE celebrates its 31st birthday this year and it promises to be the biggest show ever. Having started life as a trade show, Afro Hair & Beauty Live has evolved into a lifestyle event for young Black women."
More information on Afro Hair & Beauty LIVE.

When:

Sunday 26th and Monday 27th May 2013

Where:

Business Design Centre,
52 Upper Street,
Islington,
London N1 0QH

Admission Cost:

£12 on the door or £10 with discount offer

Contact Info:

020 7498 1795
info@afrohairshow.com

Image Source | Afro Hair & Beauty LIVE : Press Information.

Click here for more upcoming events!

Read More

Dreams, Advice, And The Journey Ahead

"... It’s not about being a genius, it's about hard work and dedication”.

In Part 3 of this 3-part interview, Monique speaks about young people and academic careers, academics she looks up to, and what she hopes to achieve after her PhD.

Click here to read Part 2 of Monique’s interview.

And so the conversation begins …

Yaaya:

Do you think that careers in Academia are encouraged amongst young people?

Monique C:

I don’t think so, and the reason I think this, is because it’s really abstract. Even when people ask me what I’m doing, they then say, “what are you going to do afterwards?” I say I may teach, or I may do a bit of research, so it’s really abstract. I think because it’s not a tangible career, a lot of people don’t understand what an academic does. They have the idea of the crazy professor. It’s not something that people would even think to discuss.

So hopefully with more people networking and supporting each other, that in itself will promote a different image of us (academics and PhD students) that can encourage young people to enter Academia. I mean for me, my Dad would always tell me you are going to university, so I’ve always thought that, and of course I have always enjoyed learning. For me, my mind has to tick.

Yaaya:

So would credit your Dad as being a big influence for you to study for a PhD?

Monique C:

Yes. He always would say things when I was younger like: “when you get older and go to university...”. This was when I was just 5 years old! So when you’re young, you believe what your parents tell you, so I thought “oh yeah that’s what I’m going to do”. I’ve never thought will I, or won't I go to university, as I knew I was always going to go. My Dad again would always say, “don’t study for money, study the things you enjoy, as once you do that at some point you will make money, so don’t let that be your motivating factor”. So maybe that’s why I did it.

I also did it because I like the idea of challenging people. I may look a certain way, or speak a certain way, and you might have an idea of me based on that, but I like the idea that I may be able to think around you. I think that’s part of it as well.

Yaaya:

What can be done to encourage more young people into Academia?

Monique C:

The work you’re doing is great, and I think there needs to be a platform like what you’re doing, somewhere where young people who are in the Academy can talk about what they do. As you were saying, for me researching Grime music, who would have thought that was possible? So there needs to be a platform.

There may need to be events at career days about getting into Academia. The careers spoken about at career days are usually tangible and traditional. Academia is abstract. So a platform is one way to promote it, as well as events where speakers who work in Academia can speak to young people, and inspire them.

Yaaya:

Which Academics do you look up to and why?

Monique C:

I like Tricia Rose. I like her but that’s because she is kind of in my area of research. I like the fact that, mentally, we click … at least because we share the same interests. I went to see her at the Barbican for the Hip Hop debate. I like the way she articulates herself, and she’s successful. Her work, especially on rupture and flow in her ‘Black Noise’ book, started to open my mind, and is one of one of the key literatures that I’m going to use in my work. I really do like her.

Somebody I’ve recently come across, but I don’t know if she’s done any written work is a woman called Angelette Tucker, and she’s using a sociology of religion approach which I will be applying to my PhD. She’s looking at ‘Chicago Stepping’, or Steppin’ as she calls it. She looks at the spiritual or sacred meanings that could be drawn out from ‘Chicago Stepping’. I really do like that as well.

There are other people I’m really interested in for example, I like Michael Eric Dyson as well. but I don’t think I have a particular academic that inspires me. It’s more the ideas than a person. It’s all about the knowledge. If something opens my mind in a way that I’ve never thought of something before, that’s what gets me … rather than the person. I hope that my work does that when I eventually get there.

Yaaya:

What opportunities have opened up to you as a result of studying for a PhD?

Monique C:

One of my supervisors got me to teach a lecture recently. It was part of my project on contextualising Garage music. I gave the lecture to students studying Religion at Canterbury University who had never heard of Grime or Dubstep.

I’ve had opportunities to teach, and I have some papers that my other supervisor has said that I should think about publishing. I am focusing on my upgrade, so they have yet to be published. There are some conferences coming up that I may be speaking at as well. I’ve spoken with my Dad who may connect me with a radio station so I can speak about my work, but nothing is set in stone at the moment.

I view being interviewed by Yaaya as an opportunity, so for me at the moment, I think the opportunities are starting to come and I’ll take them to promote a cause, and shine some light.

Yaaya:

What do you hope to gain from your PhD?

Monique C:

One of the things I hope to gain is authority of voice. If I speak about something that is in my area, the chances are even if it’s an opinion I’ve backed it up with some academic rigour. That’s the first thing. I hope it becomes a platform where I can influence other people. Don’t get me wrong you need money to live, but it’s not monetary, it’s about opening people’s minds. This is a bit of an odd sentence, but it’s to gain in breaking down the stereotypes of what it is to be a black woman.

Yaaya:

Following on from that, what do you see yourself doing next after your PhD?

Monique C:

I would like to teach, and have contact with people. I don’t know if I want to teach full time, but I would definitely like to teach. Once you’ve studied, chances are you are going to keep doing something related to that. I’ve come across a wide selection of young people hopefully that I can inspire.

One of my supervisors, Dr Robert Beckford has done documentaries, and I would like to do things like that as well. He’s worked with people in the Arts profession, he has contacts with people in the BBC and Channel 4, he has written books and journals, and he goes to conferences here and there as well.

I’m the sort of person who is focused and dedicated, yet I can get bored. I’m an administrator where I work, and the people are lovely there, but if that was all I had, I couldn’t cope with it, as nothing is going on up here (points to head). So I would have to be involved in varied activities, or maybe do a post doctorate in the States. However, part of me thinks if I go to the States, not that I think it’s my responsibility, but who is going to be here in UK? I don’t know as yet, but I will have to see what comes up, and what opportunities come from my networks.

Yaaya:

What advice would you give to someone that would like to undertake a PhD?

Monique C:

One of things Dr Robert Beckford said to me is, “it’s not about being a genius, it's about hard work and dedication”. So you have to think about the reasons you want to do it, because if its self-glorification, and having the title of ‘Dr’ you will not get to the end. It’s not going to happen.

There will be times when people around you won’t understand why you can’t hang out with them, or why you’re always at your computer. You have to allow it to take over your life, so if you are going to allow something to take over your life, you’re going to have to be really committed to the subject, and the reasons why you're doing it.

If you’re passionate about doing a PhD, don’t put it off because you think you shouldn’t be doing it. You need to ‘shop’ around to find a supportive supervisor, or two supervisors because some people have two. Provided you get the money together, because funding is really hard to come by, and have a support network around you, it will help as it’s not going to be plain sailing in the Academy itself.

Yaaya:

I imagine that you do not eat and breathe your thesis all the time. How do you unwind and take your mind away from deadlines, transcript writing and reading?

Monique C:

If I’m honest with you, I’m somebody that thinks all the time! But one of the things I do, and this is something I’ve always done before I started the PhD, is go to the gym. I get the best ideas when I’m in the gym. It just pops into my head, and I’ll be looking around to see if anyone is watching, because when I think, I look around at lot of people. And so I’ll be like, “I have to remember that when I get home!” So for me, I’m one of these people that finds it hard to switch off

. I’ve kind of tried meditation, but I can only keep my mind clear for about 8 seconds (laughs). I’m one of those people that always thinks, but the gym does help, and singing as well.

Yaaya:

What advice would you give to someone that would like to undertake a PhD?

Monique C:

One of things Dr Robert Beckford said to me is, “it’s not about being a genius, it's about hard work and dedication”. So you have to think about the reasons you want to do it, because if its self-glorification, and having the title of ‘Dr’ you will not get to the end. It’s not going to happen. There will be times when people around you won’t understand why you can’t hang out with them, or why you’re always at your computer. You have to allow it to take over your life, so if you are going to allow something to take over your life, you’re going to have to be really committed to the subject, and the reasons why you're doing it.

If you’re passionate about doing a PhD, don’t put it off because you think you shouldn’t be doing it. You need to ‘shop’ around to find a supportive supervisor, or two supervisors because some people have two. Provided you get the money together, because funding is really hard to come by, and have a support network around you, it will help as it’s not going to be plain sailing in the Academy itself.

Yaaya:

We’d like you to complete the following sentences. I hope my PhD thesis will contribute to ...

Monique C:

Opening people’s minds.

Yaaya:

I feel at my best when ...

Monique C:

I’m opening people’s minds but also … (pauses to think) … that’s a good question. That’s a really good question. I suppose when I’m making myself of value to somebody else. I haven’t been as good lately as I have to study, but I think when I can be of support or service to somebody and it’s valued. I think that’s it. When my efforts are appreciated, and not because I’m doing it, but because they value it.

Yaaya:

Yaaya for me represents ...

Monique C:

The beginning of something big! It’s like the seed for more brilliance, because we do need things like this. We really do, because I feel like there is a lot of people walking around thinking that they’re the only one.

Yaaya:

Thank you very much for your time Monique!

This post concludes the final part of our 3-part interview with Monique Charles. Catch-up on the earlier parts of our conversation.

Part 1: Monique Charles, The New Generation Academic On Grime Music

Part 2: The World of Academia: The Challenges And The Support

Read More

The World Of Academia: The Challenges And The Support

“... and I’m driven by the idea of speaking the truth , and using knowledge to empower others.”

In Part 2 of this 3-part interview, Monique speaks about the challenges of being a PhD student, the importance of support networks, and her views on why ethnic minorities and women are under-represented in Academia.

Click here to read Part 1 of Monique’s interview.

And so the conversation begins …

Yaaya:

Studying for a PhD is no easy feat. How do you keep motivated and focused on writing and researching a thesis that can take up to 4 years?

Monique C:

As I’m a part-time student it will take longer. But for me, I’m the sort of person that is driven by knowledge. Some people are driven by money or fame, but I’m driven by knowledge, and I’m driven by the idea of speaking the truth, and using knowledge to empower others. I’m passionate about the subject as well. Although I don’t listen to Grime music outside of study, I can appreciate elements of it, as I know where it comes from.

For me, while growing up, Jungle was my thing, so I can take influences from that. I feel like it’s my purpose, I also feel it’s important because people don’t know about Jungle, Drum and Bass and Garage. When I was looking at music courses, no disrespect to Classical music, but I just didn’t want to learn about the Baroque or Romantic era or Beethoven. I realised that academic institutions are a reflection of what the elite value. I feel like it’s my purpose to correct this, because why can’t people learn about subjects that actually interest them at university? I want to make it available to them, and open up people’s eyes to other types of music. It’s knowledge that I feel that everyone should have access to, and have the opportunity to pursue and study it if they wish.

I can only do my part to open minds to get people to pursue their passions. I’m studying this topic because it’s what I'm interested in, and I want to do it because nobody else has done it. I just want to inspire people, and introduce things that I think are significant into the Academy as well. This needs to be done for everyone’s benefit. That’s how I feel about it.

Yaaya:

How important are networks of support in the academic community when studying for a PhD?

Monique C:

I think networks of support are really important because at times I’ve found it very difficult. I still do find it very difficult at times, but fortunately the passion, and my sense of purpose keeps me going. At the moment I have moved back in with my Mum so I can afford to pay the fees, and it is isolating because they (my family) don’t necessarily understand what I do. It’s (a PhD) not often understood in the same way as you have an idea of what a lawyer, accountant or teacher does. A PhD is really abstract, so sometimes it’s hard to explain to other people.

Yaaya:

And by “other people” are you referring to people outside of the academic world?

Monique C:

Yes, those who are outside of the academic world. It is a lonely journey. As my supervisor told me, “it is self-imposed exile”. At the beginning I was like “yeah I believe you”, but now I actually know what he is talking about. So it is important to network with people who are in the same field of study, in your profession and also academic peers. I don’t think individually but collectively, so a pool of people who can support each other, which also represents a knowledge network, is really useful. I believe we are stronger together, as we provide each other with support, and we all have the immediate understanding of isolation. Even when you finish your PhD, you will be teaching, doing research and all sorts of other things, and through networks of support you can help and strengthen each other.

The U.K. is different from the U.S. as you have a large number of black academics, but that had to start from somewhere. So I feel like the network is important to help me with my isolation, but it’s also a building block to bigger things. I think it’s only once the bigger things start to kick in, family or partners will kind of understand what you’re doing as it becomes tangible. My Mum is like “why are you on the computer all day?” It's work, but it doesn’t necessarily look like work. It’s not like I’ve got an assignment to do and then that’s it. You’re pulling random papers together, because it’s so abstract. You’re pulling an idea into theory and making it into something. Sometimes you get overwhelmed, as it’s an idea, and it can shift unexpectedly. It’s very isolating, very isolating. If you’re going through the process and have people around that have empathy and try to understand what you’re going through, it’s great.

Yaaya:

Do you often meet other black female PhD students and academics in the U.K. or Europe?

Monique C:

I do.

Yaaya:

Do you feel like you have a network in that sense?

Monique C:

At the moment it’s really strange as Tony, from ‘Black History Walks’, has had two seminars this year where I’ve met black female academics. And when people were putting up their hands at the end of the seminar and asking questions, they were saying things like how they feel isolated. So it was like a relief as others (black women) felt the same. We have sent e-mails here and there, but I think knowing that I am no longer alone anymore, has been one of the most important things I’ve gained from this network, as it has brought feelings of relief. Every so often we send an e-mail, we tweet and we have planned to meet up. I know one of the women has a child, so it’s not easy for her to meet up. I speak to another academic a bit more. She doesn’t have any children, I don’t have children, so there’s a bit more flexibility. We speak every now and then, but there are plans to meet and we will see how that goes.

Yaaya:

How many are in this network?

Monique C:

I’ve met many, but I’ve kept in touch with mainly with two. There is another woman that I speak to, although I’ve never met her. She is looking at male identities in music from Blues to Grime, so because our subjects are similar we have emailed one another, but I’ve never met her. At the moment its psychological relief, but hopefully we will get to meet up and discuss. So far we are encouraging each other to go for call for papers so we can present at conferences. It’s just all e-mail at the moment, but hopefully overtime we will meet up.

Yaaya:

Does this network also include lecturers/professors, as well as PhD students?

Monique C:

Yes.

Yaaya:

Why do you think that ethnic minorities and women are not particularly represented in academia?

Monique C:

Racism and sexism. That’s it. The Academy....

Yaaya:

When you say “the Academy”, what do you mean?

Monique C:

By the Academy I mean academia and universities. The Academy stems from the Enlightenment period, and these philosophers were all white men. That’s the kind of culture it started in. It (the Academy) was also influenced by white rich men, or people of influence and power. I think it was Birbeck University where over 100 years ago the first woman graduated as a doctor, and then black people came after that eventually.

I recently attended a talk where it was stated that there are 15,000 academics and professors in the U.K., but only 50 are black. This was in the Guardian as well. The problem with the Academy is that it likes to present itself as objective, and a founder of knowledge. But one of the problems you may find, especially at PhD level, is that it’s ok to teach you at Undergraduate or Masters level, but at PhD level it’s your own ideas. You have to find professors to supervise you. Now if they are not interested in my work, I can still do the research, but I will not get any academic accreditation for it. So what you find is that people with research interests stick together, as you support people that have similar ideas as you.

While it is presented as objective all the way through your studies, when you get to PhD level and above, which I can’t speak too much about, to secure funding and all these other things, someone else has to support your ideas. If your ideas do not necessarily agree with what a person is about, they won't take it on. I have had one friend who wants to do her PhD, and she’s had to ‘shop’ her PhD proposal around at different universities.

Some academics are too busy, and some aren’t interested. When I look back to my studies on ‘whiteness’, there is a kind of subconscious superiority thing. Les Back has produced some work on it, and he’s a white man himself. I’ve got a friend from Barbados who is doing her PhD at the moment, and she faced many challenges towards her ideas and some assumptions reminding her of her ethnicity.

On top of that, the Academy is not accountable to anybody for racial discrimination. At least in the States, not that it’s a good thing, but segregation forced people to set up their own institutions. So you have Howard University (a Historically Black College and University) for example. But here we are integrated and it’s more covert, so we work our way through a system that, in some respect, tries to contain or keep you in a certain position.

I think both women and men can be put off. I think it can be more difficult for a black man at postgraduate level because at least if you’re a woman there’s the view that “I can kind of deal with that.” But masculinity in that environment is more threatening. There’s a lot of unspoken politics, and so this is why a support group is important.

Look out for the final part of this 3-part conversation on Sunday 26th May, where Monique speaks about young people and academic careers, academics she admires, and her future plans after her PhD.

Read More

Monique Charles, The New Generation Academic on Grime Music

What is the link between Grime music, Religion and Academia? As juxtaposed as these subjects may initially appear, one young woman is keen to illustrate how Grime represents a musical genre that is worthy of serious study, and how its existence not only represents a significant part of the history of British music, but also the African Diaspora. Monique Charles is currently studying for a PhD. Her thesis, entitled ‘Hallowed be thy Grime? : A musicological and sociological genealogy of Grime music and its relation to black Atlantic religious discourse’.

Yaaya caught up with Monique in North London, in Part 1 of this 3-part interview, to discover what motivated her to undertake a PhD, why Grime music is her topic of research and what exactly is this music genre.

And so the conversation begins …

Yaaya:

Monique, it’s really nice to meet you! What influenced you to agree to be interviewed by Yaaya?

Monique C:

Because I think we need this space. And by we, I mean black people, or people of the African Diaspora. We need a space where we can converse, inspire, and share our knowledge. I think that’s really important.

Yaaya:

You are currently studying for a PhD. Can you tell us why you decided to embark on a PhD?

Monique C:

I do think about this quite a lot. I put a lot of it down to my Dad. I remember being quite young, and when we would have talks. Dad would say “you’re going to go to university one day.” I don’t know if it was subliminal brainwashing, but I always knew I would go to university. I’ve always liked to know and find out about things, as I’m always asking questions. I would always be interested in why things were presented in the way that they were, and so I went to University and did my first degree. I wanted to study race and cultural studies primarily, but then I thought I might not secure a job afterwards, so I combined it with Psychology.

The race, culture, sociology, class and gender topics in my degree really intrigued me. I could see how it impacted on me, and on other people. I also like music, and have been singing since I was a child, but I’ve only started to pursue this more seriously within the last 10 years. So my decision to undertake a PhD was kind of like an appreciation of music, enjoying singing, enjoying studying, and the fact that when I was growing up I wanted to know everything. I now realise that this steered me on this path. I suppose that I want to have something that I can share with others to inspire them, and get them to question things, think about things differently, and not accept everything that they see or hear.

Yaaya:

Your PhD is on Grime music which we find fascinating, as it shows that you can virtually research any topic of interest! What is Grime music … what does it mean to you?

Monique C:

Grime music is ... Well I don’t like the term ‘hybrid’ but its influences are primarily Hip Hop, but even Hip Hop comes from Jamaican Toasting. Toasting is chanting or talking over a rhythm or beat. It was developed in Jamaica during the later 1960s and early 1970s. So it’s Hip Hop, Jamaican Toasting, and then there is a Rap element to it too. Grime is also influenced from bass cultures, which if we go back far enough comes from the African drum and the Griots (a West African historian, storyteller, poet or musician that is a repository of oral tradition). The bass and sound System cultures of Jamaica kind of ties in with that. The bass culture and sound-system culture has influenced or rather helped start Hip Hop. DJ Kool Herc was Jamaican, and when he went to the States he transferred the sound-system culture, and it kind of became Hip Hop in its own right. You also have an electronic influence which stems from Chicago House. For many people, when they think of electronic and house music, they think it originated from Europe, but it actually started in Chicago.

It is also influenced by Jungle music as well - a genre of fast tempo music similar to drum and bass. I suppose its (Grime music) relatives are Jungle and Garage. But Garage not so much, as Jungle has got the percussive poly-rhythmic layering, which Tricia Rose says are sound signatures of African Diaspora. These are the kind of influences that are most strongly known. You know it’s quite loud. You can feel it. It’s something that they say started in Bow, East London. We have, and had, artists like So Solid Crew, Ms Dynamite, Oxide and Neutrino. These artists mixed Garage and Hip Hop before it became known as Grime.

Yaaya:

Can you tell us why you chose Grime as a research topic?

Monique C:

That is also quite a long winded story! Like you said, you can research anything that interests you, and provided that you can fill a gap in knowledge, in the academic scholarly sense, you can pursue it! It all started with the singing and the studying. By this time I was doing a Masters in Race and Ethnicity, and my thesis looked at Hip Hop in the music industry, the political economy of the industry, and also the strongest representations in the industry. I did a comparison of that with colonialism and slavery. I have some of that work online.

What I found was that the most successful black artists that were young and female conformed more strongly to the stereotypes that were around during slavery. You had the 'Jezebel' stereotype of black women during slavery. When I was doing my Masters, the most sexualised black female artist during that time was Lil' Kim. Even Nicki Minaj fits into that category. 50 Cent was also popular at the time and he fit into that 'coon' stereotype. When I was doing my thesis, my Godmother was like “you really shouldn’t listen to Hip Hop. It's the devil music”. So I then started to realise that Hip Hop was often attacked for being immoral. It kind of gets the blame for a lot of things. The religious community have been condemning it as well. I was thinking about all these sort of things, and spoke to a couple of people, and discovered that no-one has really done anything on British (urban) music. In the States you have an extensive body of work on Hip Hop. They’ve got scholars like Cornell West, Michael Eric Dyson and Tricia Rose, but here (in the UK), there isn't really anybody. So I thought to myself - that's a gap!

I also wanted to see how I could bring that element (religion) in, as my research has shown that interest in religion has declined in Europe. Since the 1980s it has dropped from around 68% to around 53% as shown by the BBC's religion and ethics survey. So I thought to myself, “could this possibly be a new religion?”, “what meaning can we get from it?”, and “what significance does it have to young people?” So there were lots of questions surrounding this topic, which made me commit to this subject. As I thought about it more, I came across people that made me think about the sounds of music like the bass and percussive sounds. So I’m trying to draw on that element as well, and put it in its chronological place with genres like Jungle and Grime. It’s becoming a firmer idea as I prepare for my upgrade. But these are all the influences that have fed into it (my decision). I don’t know if I’m taking it on single-handedly, but I want to show that it (Grime music) is not all bad. There has got to be some good in it, and I want to see if I can find it.

Yaaya:

Where are you in your PhD journey?

Monique C:

I’m doing my PhD part-time and preparing for my upgrade.

Yaaya:

What’s an upgrade?

Monique C:

When you register for a PhD, you start off as an MPhil student. If you are a full-time student, your PhD takes three years. After your first year, tutors assess what you’ve done and decide if you can progress to do a PhD. I’m preparing for my upgrade to a PhD.

Yaaya:

We can see that you have a very musical background, and are interested in what you describe as “afro-centric” activities. Did these interests influence your PhD research topic?

Monique C:

It has. I feel like the reason why it has is because of one person in particular. Mykaell Riley, who is from Steel Pulse, used to be in a Reggae band back in the 80s. I work at the University of Westminster and he teaches there, and we have discussions. He used to teach a music module here. Have you heard of ‘The Police’ with Sting?

Yaaya:

The name rings a bell.

Monique C:

Have you heard of Ska music?

Yaaya:

Yes.

Monique C:

Ska is a Jamaican sound, so instead of being on the beat, the music starts on the off-beat. So when he (Michael Riley) is teaching people about ‘The Police’ i.e. Sting (the artist), people are thinking that they invented the sound. Because of the way music is presented, the links aren’t immediately obvious. It’s just presented as this is this music, and this is that music.

I’ve got a cousin that wants to study vocal performance, and she was going to do a diploma in it. You study Rock music, and then you’ve got options to study Reggae or Blues, but you can only choose one of these options. I like Reggae a lot, but there’s other music genres here in the U.K. such as Drum and Bass, Jungle, and Garage. These genres are not taught. I’ve had a look at some courses to help my argument that British music isn’t really out there. When you talk about Reggae and Blues you’re taught that it’s music from over there. It’s not British but just from over there. There’s no body of work on garage or Drum and Bass, and all of these music genres have the sound signatures of the Diaspora. For example, the heavy bass drumming, if we go back far enough, is the African drum. Similarly, the MC-ing heard in Jungle music and the chatting (spitting or rapping) with Garage, if you again go back far enough, are the influences of the Griots.

Part of what I want to do, and I guess this is my afro-centric side, is start to draw these dots together so that people can hear it and recognise it. No music is essentially Black or White, but we need to trace the cultural influences that have led to its existence. Especially nowadays when young people hear music, they have no idea of where the inspiration comes from. It is useful for children of the Diaspora to have a real understanding of their connection to music, and how their heritage has influenced music. That’s something that I hope will come out of my work.

Look out for Part 2 of this 3-part conversation on Thursday 23rd May, where Monique opens up about the challenges of being a PhD student, the importance of finding and utilising support networks, and her views on why ethnic minorities and women are under-represented in Academia.

Read More

Yaaya Asked ...

What does social invisibility
mean to you?

Obi (Facebook):

To me, to be socially invisible is to "be", but not to "exist" - To be drowned out by the sea of voices presiding over your chances, and limiting your choices. To be socially invisible is to lack real power or influence. To have no distinct identity. To live among a people, but not belong with them.

Loretta (Facebook):

The first thing that comes to the top of my head, is that social invisibility means to lack voice, or have issues, problems or concerns deliberately or accidentally ignored.

Read More

Telling It Like It Is: The World Of Academia

" I strive to do everything I undertake competently , and that is my secret weapon."

Dr Olufemi Sallyanne Decker is a woman who has been in academia for a significant part of her life, and has been able to articulate an insightful view into the world of Academia, including some of the experiences of women, and what it takes to succeed in this industry.

In the final part of our 2-part interview, Dr Decker gives a revealing account into the world of Academia, what she likes best about being a Lecturer, and the where she sees herself going next in her career.

Click here to read Part 1.

And so the conversation begins …

Yaaya:

The world of academia is known as being typically male, middle class and white. What’s it like to work in a profession where you are (for all intents and purposes) an anomaly?

Olufemi S D:

You might be an anomaly in terms of the typical face of the average academic. But I’m lucky to be an academic in London, because London is such a cosmopolitan place that attracts people from all walks of life and different countries in the world. As a result you find that you do not feel as much as an anomaly in the university context, because you are very much like a lot of people who come to London to study, who you’re likely to meet in the classroom.

With regards to not being the average looking academic, you then you serve as a role model, and get to be involved in interesting discussions and debates in relation to issues such as diversity and gender in the academic community. You are asked for your opinion, you contribute, and you are there as someone people always turn to as an example, or come to ask for some sort of input. So it is a useful place to be at times, and causes you to reflect on your position and how you got to that position, and what the pros and cons of it are. But I don’t think its something that should enable you to feel isolated. You have to work against that, and use it as something as a confidence booster, something that allows you to reflect on what your strengths are and how you managed to get there.

Yaaya:

What challenges have had to deal with as a result of your minority status?

Olufemi S D:

The typical challenges that any woman would face in a male dominated environment! I think these are things that people talk about generally, such as not feeling like your voice is not heard, and that the same thing could be said by a male counterpart and then it would be heard. That’s something that people generally refer to.

Also I think that you may feel challenged in the sense that you may not have the same social capital as your colleagues, especially by virtue of the fact that number 1 you are from a different country, so you may not have gone to the same schools or have the same sort of experiences. I didn’t go to school in the U.K. You might also have to develop those sort of interpersonal skills that will enable you to build the same networks and connections that other people may find easier to make, and will definitely help you to further your career faster. I think that is something that you have to think about.

Yaaya:

How have you managed to overcome these challenges?

Olufemi S D:

I strive to do everything I undertake competently, and that is my secret weapon. Being good at what you do gives you confidence and provides platform from which you can begin to reach out, and develop further.

Yaaya:

Why do you think that ethnic minorities and women are underrepresented in academia?

Olufemi S D:

I think we have to look at the reasons why women are generally underrepresented in academia. Women tend to do different things or pursue other careers. For example, they may not have gone as far as to gain a PhD which is what you need to pursue an academic career.

Also some women go off to have families which reduces the amount of time they spend in academia, or they chose another career. So I think that some women may feel, the longer they stay in the profession, that they become less relevant and are affected by both gender and age discrimination. They may find it difficult to see a clear career path after a certain age.

Yaaya:

Why do you think ethnic minorities are underrepresented in academia?

Olufemi S D:

Why are ethnic minorities under-represented in academia? Well I mean maybe taking the time to study for the qualifications that are needed for you to become an academic takes time and resources, and maybe they may not be in a position to want to do that or they find attractive options much sooner outside of academia. I think to be able to stay in academia there has to be a real genuine love of learning and a real desire to want to communicate that, and maybe they find other ways of doing that rather than in academia.

Yaaya:

What do you think can be done to reverse this trend?

Olufemi S D:

I have a lot of colleagues here who are ethnic minorities so it’s not a clear cut case of saying that ethnic minorities are underrepresented in Academia. It may not be a career of choice as maybe they (ethnic minorities) have not seen a lot of people doing it, and there might be some misconceptions about whether it’s a difficult career to access.

And I think that some of the things that you are doing here at Yaaya are getting people to know that it is a profession that people from ethnic minorities are involved in, and I think that it might inspire and encourage people. I don’t think that there is a bias which is in place to stop ethnic minorities from becoming academics. It just might be something that they have not chosen. There might be some issues to look at, such as the choices in which people feel they can make, or what is attractive to people. Academia is not well paid also, so if people are looking to become rich and become well paid quickly, Academia may not be the profession for them and may put people off.

Yaaya:

So it’s about individual choice?

Olufemi S D:

To a certain extent I feel it has to do with individual choices, and maybe balancing the demands of an academic life with other demands they might have.

Yaaya:

What advice would you give to young black women that are currently considering a career in academia, and to those who at the beginning of a career in this field?

Olufemi S D:

One of the things I would say to somebody who is looking to enter an academic career or who has just started one is to really understand what is required to have a successful academic career, and take time to understand how you can progress in an academic career. And actually have a plan of how you would like to make a successful career. Sometimes there is a tendency for people to start working without having a clear idea of milestones and goals, and how they would like to progress.

I think well developed communication skills do help for you to have a successful academic career, and building networks with other academics are really important things that you need to do, because in this way you can exchange ideas, keep your ideas fresh. You can also improve your mobility by working as a visiting academic in different universities and broadening your experiences by doing this. All of these things keep an academic mind fertile, which I think are important as well as really having a conscious idea of how you are going to progress in the career

Yaaya:

What’s the best thing about being a Lecturer?

Olufemi S D:

For me personally, the best thing about being a Lecturer is meeting people from all parts of the world, and being able to interact with them, and share my experiences from my own part of the world in the way I teach, and also being able to learn continuously. It’s great to be able to share knowledge and yet keep your knowledge, so I think that that's a beautiful thing about being a Lecturer. You give, but you also do not lose out by giving. That’s great.

Yaaya:

For a busy woman such as yourself, I imagine that Time is quite a luxury. How do you find time to recharge your batteries?

Olufemi S D:

I think that’s something that I’m working on, trying to find time to recharge my batteries. One of the things I really like to do is to be in touch with nature. So going for long walks in the countryside is really one of the things I love doing, and also having spa days, little pamper treats and massages. I find these things de-stressing, and really give me time to keep on going in my profession.

Yaaya:

Where do you see yourself going next in your career?

Olufemi S D:

Well I've just given advice about people being conscious in how they develop their careers. For me, my passion at the moment is actually building bridges between academia and industry. So what I’m really trying to do is work in areas where I can transfer the knowledge which we have at the University, and which I have personally, to businesses which can use that in industry.

I have been working with and researching credit unions- these are the financial cooperatives/community type banks. They are committed to promoting financial inclusion. I have worked with credit unions on a number of business development and financial inclusion projects to raise public awareness of credit unions and develop new products that would enable people who may find it difficult to open accounts with banks to access financial services.

I am also keen to develop policies which can help businesses to grow and economies to develop their financial sector. So for me, my direction is in terms of how I use the knowledge. That’s what I’m looking to do.

Yaaya:

We'd like you to complete the following sentences. I have managed to achieve successes in my career because ...

Olufemi S D:

I am determined and I try to learn from failure.

Yaaya:

I am aiming to be ...

Olufemi S D:

A decent human being who continues to share knowledge and make the world a simple place for younger people.

Yaaya:

I still find it a challenge to ...

Olufemi S D:

Manage my time effectively (laughs).

Yaaya:

Yaaya for me represents ...

Olufemi S D:

A forum where people can express views. Yaaya for me represents an opportunity for people to develop networks. Yaaya for me represents an opportunity for people to see that there are other people out there who have tried to achieve things, and that achieving your goal is possible no matter what. Yaaya for me represents the fact that it is ok to talk, to share your experiences and hopefully people will learn from what people have to say.

Yaaya:

That was very beautiful Dr Decker. Thank you very much!

This post concludes the final part of our 2-part interview with Dr Olufemi Sallyanne Decker. Catch up on the earlier part of our conversation.

Part 1: Olufemi Sallyanne Decker, A Journey into Academia

Read More

Olufemi Sallyanne Decker, A Journey into Academia

Dr Olufemi Sallyanne Decker is not your stereotypical British academic. For starters she is a woman, secondly, she has no roots in Middle England, and thirdly she is African (Sierra Leonean to be specific). A woman dedicated to simplifying concepts for young people, and a passion for sharing and receiving knowledge, Yaaya caught up with Dr Olufemi Sallyanne Decker - Principal Lecturer in Banking and Finance, and Programme Leader for the MSc in International Banking and Finance at Greenwich University.

In Part 1 of our 2-part interview, we discuss her journey into academia and her love for learning.

And so the conversation begins …

Yaaya:

Dr Decker so lovely to meet you! What influenced you to agree to be interviewed by Yaaya?

Olufemi S D:

I agreed to be interviewed by Yaaya because I thought it was an interesting concept to have a group of young driven women decide to highlight success stories in the black community, because they want to influence and inspire others.

Yaaya:

Can you tell us what or who inspired you to become a Lecturer?

Olufemi S D:

I think I became a Lecturer by accident. I always wanted to be very well educated. My Mum’s best friend was a professor at the University of Sierra Leone. She is now late, and she was my earliest role model. I wanted to be exactly like her. I don’t think I’ve quite achieved that, as I haven’t filled her boots, but I’m on my way there. I was inspired by the fact that she was very well educated, very loving, and a warm individual at the same time. She cared about people a lot.

Yaaya:

You speak about these traits of this Professor as being an early influence in your life, did she teach in the area of banking and finance?

Olufemi S D:

No. She was actually a professor of Geography. She was one of the very few female African professors in Africa. She was also the warden of female students at the University,so she had a pastoral role as well as being an academic.

Yaaya:

What kind of relationship did you have with her?

Olufemi S D:

Well she was my Mum’s best friend, and she visited our house regularly. She was just someone who I felt I could be open with, who understood what it was like to be a young girl growing up in a very male dominated world that Africa is, so I think I kind of related to her on that level.

Yaaya:

Being a Sierra Leonean national, I’m assuming that your journey to becoming an academic may have been more difficult than your British counterparts due to employment restrictions etc? Is that a fair assumption?

Olufemi S D:

Well I think being a Sierra Leonean national actually changed my game plan, because when I finished my PhD in 1997, I really had no intention of becoming an academic, but there was a war in Sierra Leone at that time and it was virtually impossible to go home. There were no flights going to Sierra Leone at that time, and after being unemployed for a year because I needed a work permit, I decided to apply to become a Lecturer. I was able to get a work permit, so it definitely made a difference being a Sierra Leonean national.
Once I started working as an academic, it's dawned on me that over the years my biggest passion in life has been a love for learning, and that’s what has kept me in academia because I love to learn and having learnt things, I want to simplify them and communicate them to others. I think it came from being a show off as a child, and wanting to show off everything I knew. I think this is what I do best as a Lecturer which is: communicating what I have learnt in an innovative and interesting way so other people can enjoy the joy of knowing these things.

Yaaya:

You have had an interesting career and life journey to date. Share with Yaaya some of your highlights and curve points.

Olufemi S D:

The first curve that I can remember in my life was deciding what to study for my first degree. I remember having a conversation with my parents because I was one of those people who was relatively competent at most subjects, so I wasn’t really sure if I wanted to go to the science field, or commerce field, or study Geography or Languages. So we had discussion and I decided to study accounting for my first degree. So that was the first thing that started to define what I wanted to do.
After university I worked for a Bank, which changed my direction a bit. When I decided to study again, I actually did an MBA because I wanted to move into a managerial position in banking. After completing that, I then moved into the research field by completing a PhD in Banking. I think that I decided then that my passion was Banking and from that I moved into lecturing. So I think it has all been related to finance and commerce in some way, but I've moved from industry to academia.

Yaaya:

You’ve spoken about your career journey. Did you find it quite natural to progress through these different fields, or was it you just searching for where you best fit?

Olufemi S D:

I’ve always been driven by the fact that whatever I’m doing, I’m learning something new. I always remember by Dad saying to me when I was a young child that “no knowledge is wasted.” You never know when you are going to use the things you’ve learnt so that is the common theme. Be it research, be it practice oriented or a completely different field, I always feel as if I’m learning something and that I will be able to use at a later date.

Yaaya:

You’ve spoken of curvatures in your journey through life and career . What have been some of the highlights?

Olufemi S D:

What has been a highlight in my career to date? Obviously being able to get a PhD, which is a huge achievement. But I think for me after I did my first degree in Sierra Leone, I came to the University of Birmingham to do an MBA. Being able to succeed and do quite well in that MBA was something that I cherished, as I was able to move from one country to another and do quite well. It wasn’t easy but it gave me a boost.

Yaaya:

How have these experiences shaped you as an individual?

Olufemi S D:

I think one of the things which most people do is to underestimate themselves, and I’m probably one of those people who does this. They (career highlights) shaped me in the sense that they are concrete examples I can always refer back to reassure myself that if I commit to certain things I can achieve difficult things.

Look out for Part 2 of our 2-part conversation on Thursday 16th May 2013, where Dr Olufemi Sallyanne Decker discusses gender and race in Academia, what being an academic is like, and where she sees herself going next in her career.

Read More

Cecile Kyenge, Asserting Her Right To Be

Recently, news on European politics has diverged briefly from the towel dry narrative that is the crisis of the Eurozone, to an unassuming woman, newly appointed to ministerial office in Italy.

If one Googles “Italian Minister of Integration”, the image of Cecile Kyenge will appear on your screen - a 48 year old, Congolese born eye surgeon, now Italy’s first black minister, and one of seven women in the new Italian cabinet.

In a nation that lacks the racial diversity exhibited in other European countries, and possesses an uncomfortable history of fascism, public and political reactions to Ms Kyenge’s appointment did much to perpetuate the unprogressive and “racist” image of Italy. Her new role received a horrific wave of racist, sexist and violent opposition from political parties such as the Northern League and the Italian public alike.

Kyenge’s response to this opposition, however, has been to assert an unapologetic confidence in her identity, stating “I am not coloured, I am black and I say it with pride.” A woman of action as well as words, she is already confronting a culture of casual racism in Italy by proposing a law to enable children born in Italy to immigrant parents (i.e parents who do not have Italian nationality), to gain Italian nationality; dealing a hefty blow to the current concept of nationality derived solely from Italian ancestry.

It is not easy for anyone to work in a hostile environment, or implement changes around sensitive and explosive issues. Anyone who has ever experienced bullying, or occupies a leadership position will tell you this. This is why to us, Cecile Kyenge is a woman to be celebrated. Long before her role as Minister of Integration will have run its course, Kyenge would have left behind her legacy: as a woman confronting racism in a nation that has been her home for the past 30 years, while also asserting her right to be an equal and valued member of Italian society. For us, she is Yaaya.

Image Source | Huffington Post : Cecile Kyenge, First Black Italian Cabinet Member, Defiant In Face Of Racist Remarks.

Read More

Yaaya Asked ...

Who are your top 5 celebrated black women in Europe?

Rosalyn (Facebook):

Sadly I can only think of one ... how bad is that? The rest are outside of Europe (e.g. US and Africa).

Loretta (Facebook):

Doreen Lawrence, Bonnie Greer, Mame Ramatoulaye Yade, Elizabeth Uwaifo and Sade Adu. I hope that through the work of Yaaya, there will be more women who are even more easy to recall than these.

Mahad (Facebook):

Aminata Forna, Bola Agbaje, Debbie Tucker Green, Hannah Pool, think Afua Hirsch is cool.

Read More

Lonely Ebony in the Ivory Tower: Life As A Black Female Professor In The UK

" If black women are not in academia, it becomes very dangerous. Somebody else will tell your story. "

In Cecile Wright’s own words, the under-representation of black female academics in Higher Education institutions is a “disgrace”, not least because universities legitimise the socio-cultural norms of many societies, and are a greenhouse for cultivating future leaders of society.

In Part 3 of our 3-part interview, Yaaya explores the challenges facing black female academics today, and Cecile shares her perspective on the under-representation of black women at senior levels in Higher Education.

Click here to read Part 2.

And so the conversation continues …

Yaaya:

Let’s talk about your perspective. Do you agree that there is a chronic under-representation of black women in academia today?

Cecile W:

It’s not chronic. It’s a disgrace! The situation is a disgraceful blight on what are quintessentially liberal institutions, and our cultural centres of ideas and enlightenment.

Yaaya:

Why do you think that this is still the case? You have been in academia for 30 years, yet a black woman today is almost certain to face the same challenges that you did.

Cecile W:

Or worse! They (universities) should reflect, imbue, and demonstrate equality and inclusivity. But these values have become secondary to ensuring that they are financially sound institutions. It’s not an either or. Let me be clear about this. Inclusivity does not refer to universities deploying measures of positive discrimination. The ways of recruiting and staffing that many universities deploy, are leading to a ‘whitening’ of HE. Whether (or not) this is deliberate, I don’t know.

Perhaps they think they don’t have to recognise issues of racial diversity, because we are in a post-race era. Where little regard is given to ensuring that your staffing reflects the make-up of the community, it would be quite a challenge for a young, gifted black woman to get into Higher Education. You are talking about people who are highly capable. It’s not about ability.

Yaaya:

What, in your view, should be done to rectify the state of affairs?

Cecile W:

Universities do not like bad publicity. No university would take kindly to being implicitly considered to be discriminating against any group. One of the reasons why they appear to get off so lightly is because they are closed institutions. They are very good at being seen as docile, relatively harmless, ivory tower settings where people are divorced from reality. These institutions define the culture of society. Your future leaders come out of them. Universities create a veneer of what is normal, and students imbibe this. They legitimise to white students that only white people can be imbued with influence and power, because only white is reflected in the senior lecturers, deans and professors. So, this reinforces and reproduces a sense of inequality.

We are not using the means and measures we have, to hold these institutions to account. Firstly, communities need to challenge their respective universities to ensure that their civic duties are being performed. Secondly, 99% of all universities are funded through the public purse, so there is the opportunity to use the parliamentary system to hold them to account. Thirdly, there is the opportunity for initiatives like yours (Yaaya) to be asking the challenging questions. To top it off, all you need is a powerful documentary that goes to the media.

Yaaya:

What advice would you give to a young black woman who is considering a career in academia?

Cecile W:

Go for it. If you are inclined and motivated and aspire to this career, you have to go for it. And you have to inspire others to aspire to it as well. Don’t be in there on your own. You will not survive it. You need a network to support you. Until we are adequately represented, it (academia) will be isolating.

If we (black women) are not there (academia), it becomes very dangerous, in terms of knowledge production. Somebody else will tell your story. (pauses) But we have to be in there. Black women have to be there!

Yaaya:

Let us wrap up on a lighter note. I have a couple of one-liners that I want you to complete.

People will be surprised to know that ...

Cecile W:

There are female professors in the UK.

Yaaya:

I am inspired by ...

Cecile W:

Women like Diane Abbott, Doreen Lawrence, and Rosa Parks. I am inspired by women who are prepared to put their heads above the parapet and push boundaries.

Yaaya:

Yaaya for me represents ...

Cecile W:

Our voice. Or voices. Or, a voice.

Yaaya:

I still find it a challenge to ...

Cecile W:

To be taken seriously as a highly intelligent, gifted, capable, and creative black woman. Within the work context, not within my political activism.

Yaaya:

Thank you Cecile!

This post concludes the final part of our 3-part interview with Cecile Wright. Catch up on earlier parts of our conversation.

Part 1: Cecile Wright, The Woman Behind The Wonder

Part 2: Activist First, Academic Second

Read More