“London has changed, and it’s out of my control”. Thoughts like this one often flit through my mind as I make my way through the bustle of the big city.
Although I wasn’t born in London, I have lived in the same East-end locale for more than 30 years. In this time I believe I have experienced the discomfort of change that would rival that of those who have moved across cities and regions. I have been witness to my friends and family’s growing irritation with the demographic - the general mess, disorder, crime and litter that comes with fast changing populations, the increased number of women in headscarves and men in traditional wear, and overwhelmed public services.
People may have heard of "White Flight"; I have also experienced the flight of the Black and mostly Hindu and Sikh South Asian population. While I have stayed, prioritising building community through the church and getting to know my transient community (if tentatively and imperfectly), the thoughts persist, “London has changed, and it’s out of my control”.
Following Jesus as a black girl in Britain: What I wish I’d known
It’s Black History Month, and while my relationship with this month is rather complex, it’s a good opportunity to stop …