“Abstain from Ignorance on All Levels”

Momodou Njie is a student in Hertfordshire, UK. On Friday the 12th of June, he attended a Black Lives Matter protest in St Albans. However, his activism did not stop there, as he repeatedly addressed the crowd of over 200 people, recalling his experiences of racism, demanding systematic reform, and expressing his determination to eradicate stereotypes. It was a powerful afternoon led by passionate and enthusiastic changemakers. Elizabeth Bratton interviewed Momodou to learn more about his perspectives on protests, the Black Lives Matter movement, and racism within the UK.

Why did you make the decision to protest, and how did you do so?

Momodou explains, "from the very get-go of this movement, I was very active on social media, with voicing my opinion. It didn't take any thought." Rather than contemplating or how, why, and if he should protest, Momodou describes the "instinct" he felt to make a change. He explains that the killing of George Floyd was "inhumane", and believes that everyone should have reacted in a similar manner, no matter what their race is.

He elaborates, "I promote peaceful protesting", encouraging others to "keep it as peaceful as possible". The result of this, he believes, is that "it has more of an effect, and prevents the media from picking out the bad parts, and overlooking what was really good about the protest." Protesters are naturally reluctant to be unfairly labelled violent or thuggish; by keeping these demonstrations peaceful, the likelihood of the media distorting their intentions is reduced.

What did you personally gain from protesting?

Momodou led chants and delivered multiple compelling speeches, which he says helped him feel "a level of empowerment". He explains that these protests are about more than just George Floyd’s death, and are, in reality, about “racism in general”. The demonstration meant that he was able to "get a lot out of [his] chest," having "gained a lot of respect from other people.” The crowds listened intently as he addressed onlookers, as to better understand the need for systematic reform; specifically, he noted that black history is insufficiently addressed within schools. Perhaps most poignantly, Momodou explained that the curriculum lacks diversity, which has meant he has had to actively research his own culture and history, while his white counterparts are educated on their past from an early age.

How do you feel the public responded to your protests? What do you hope they learnt from it?

“The turnout was fantastic; I feel like everyone really put their foot down that day, and everyone really showed that racism doesn’t have a place in Hertfordshire.” Momodou describes racism as a “universal” issue, which everyone has a “moral duty" to address and "stand up against". He does, however note, that some people describe the Black Lives Matter movement as “controversial”, as they choose to place emphasis on the negative aspects. Most notably, there has been an especial emphasis on the vandalism and looting conducted by smaller groups across the globe, while many feel that their peaceful efforts have been ignored. As the protest in St Albans ensued, he noted: “we had a few funny reactions” and received some “swearing”, although the protest was generally met with appreciation from passers-by.

Momodou acknowledges that we all have different perspectives, and explains: “I feel like people should abstain from ignorance on all levels. I think people should start to approach different views and different opinions with an open mind.” Bolstering this idea of open-mindedness, he continues: “in order for us to work as a society together, people should be open to sharing their own views, and receiving opposing views.” In order to enforce these tolerant attitudes, he encourages others to "try to understand what we're protesting for and the real black struggle." While many remain blissfully unaware of the systematic racism across the globe, it is important not to "shy away" from the truth, as "Black people are at a disadvantage in every sense", even if they may not have explicitly experiences it. The aim of Black Lives Matter, he summarises, is to "solidify equality that we're just slightly missing in the UK".

What societal reform do you hope to see as a result of these protests?

Having experienced racism at a "micro-level" himself, Momodou explains why protesters are so determined to seek change: "the thing that people are most mad about is that our policies and our institutions are clearly not builty for the success of ethnic minorities, which really needs to change." He proceeds to ackowledge the positive impact the Black Lives Matter movement is having, as the general public is becoming increasingly aware of the widespread oppression of ethnic minorities. However, he does recognise "we’re not really asking for anything. We’re not actually demanding the correct changes, or applying the BLM movement in our society so that it leaves a long-term change. That means we need to learn how to apply it; we need to start demanding things: demanding change to policies, demanding change to the education curriculum, to how the police force is run, to the government laws." Ultimately, it seems that societal changes need to be implemented among the highest ranks, if activists are to successfuly pursue longstanding change.

Why does BLM matter in the UK?

Momodou puts it clearly and simply: "black lives matter haven't mattered in the UK", emphasising a now-renowned motto: "the UK is not innocent". He recognises the importance of preserving this legacy in the future, as to prevent it from becoming a short-lived trend that is quickly dismissed by those in power. “This movement has to matter. This movement needs to mean something. This movement has to lead towards change - not just for us, but for our future generations” . Unfortunately, it must be recognised that some people are ignorant and so stuck in their ways that they refuse to acknowledge there is an issue with racism, and are unable to understand why changes need to be made.

How do you think the BLM movement will develop in the future?

In terms of how Black Lives Matter should operate in years to come, it "needs to develop into an actual political movement." Momodou emphasises the need to "step into enemy territory", which can be done by university students who pursue a career in law, medicine, or police. He encourages young people to "attack" these industries "in the most peaceful way possible", by defying stereotypes, and creating a position for themsleves in white-dominated areas. He also suggests introducing Black Lives Matter into schools through clubs and more diverse lesson content. Acknowledging the determination and the perseverance of protesters, Momodou states: "We're not going to rest until we get those changes."

Do you think the media have fairly / accurately portrayed the protests?

Momodou does not regularly watch the news, but has begun to notice patterns emerging online. Referring to the media's portrayal of the protests, he explains: "On social media, I feel like people have rejected what the news have said, and are accepting the reality for once, because the news shapes our perceptions." He proceeds to describe the younger generation as "enlightened" and "smart" as they have begun to recognise that the news can sometimes "mislead" and "misguide", so have taken it upon themsleves to seek the truth and the reality. It seems that the youth are recognising racism to be a very real issue - a tendency which Momodou applauds - concluding: “The recognition is what we need. The realisation is what we need.”

Could you talk about your experiences with racism or times you have witnessed it?

Momodou recalls having been called the N-word and "monkey", while others have imitated "whip noises" to his face. However, he explains: "that's not what affected me." What did take an emotional toll on him was arriving at a predominantly-white school and "instantly feeling rejected": a feeling that manifested itself in many shapes and forms. Throughout his time at school, he recalls: "I lost value in myself because I wasn't with people like me (...) I didn't see any value in my skin colour, or my hair, or my nose and lips, and really my strong African features." As a student, he immediately attributed any "misfortune" to his race.

"When I started hanging out with people in the same economic group as me, I was lablled a gangster at my school." These harmful stereotypes led to exclusion from friendship groups, and, again, Momodou concluded that this isolation was a result of his skin colour. He explains, "when I was stereotypically acting black, I was rejected further by being slapped with a label." However, as trends evolved, these same judgmental individuals began to idolise the token black friend.

"When I saw that I was finally getting some sort of inclusion at my school, I felt like the only reason I did was because of the stereotypes and the trends that were taking place on social media. All of a sudden, it was cool to have a black friend, and it made your friendship group look a little bit tougher." Momodou continues, "There were times where rap music was hot and drill music was hot, and it was based on that stereotype that I felt like I was being included and involved in these predominantly white friendship groups.”

Momodou also remembers times that he has "witnessed racism to other ethnic minority students as well" - something which he describes as "appalling". Reflecting upon these incidents, he realises that he was "the only one who stood up for people like that", noting the "level of ignorance" which was prevalent in his school. However, he chooses not to "hold onto that anger", as he feels this discrimination was "subconscious", from "a place of ignorance", and a "product of a lack of appreciation for ethnic minorities."

Click below to watch a small clip of Momodou's speech.

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