For our production event module at university I was part of the journalist group. I have written articles for print media (a multiculturalism magazine), an online magazine and our events' website. This article is for the print magazine, and I wanted to do a serious piece focusing on the darker aspects of diversity. I took it upon myself to do extra research and by being persistant with my communication, I secured an interview with a respectable police officer who has specialised in such issues. Here's the finished result:
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| Kirk Dawes in his office |
Your work focuses heavily on multiculturalism. What culture do you feel you belong to?
“My parents are Jamaican, therefore I have a West Indian element, but I consider myself Black English because I’ve lived in England all my life. I speak Jamaican Patois; my father used to hate it, but you had to speak it to fit in.”
“My parents are Jamaican, therefore I have a West Indian element, but I consider myself Black English because I’ve lived in England all my life. I speak Jamaican Patois; my father used to hate it, but you had to speak it to fit in.”
How would you define multiculturalism?
“Multiculturalism has different meanings which can give so much confusion. It may denote the need for respect for diversity. It might be to do with the fact that so many of us have grown up in two cultures, like me. I was born in England (with its definite culture) to Jamaican parents with their own West Indian culture, and I needed to fit in to both.”
“Multiculturalism has different meanings which can give so much confusion. It may denote the need for respect for diversity. It might be to do with the fact that so many of us have grown up in two cultures, like me. I was born in England (with its definite culture) to Jamaican parents with their own West Indian culture, and I needed to fit in to both.”
Do you feel you were split between the two cultures?
“I was split because I was living in England but I had Jamaican core values. Such values included being very religious; we would regularly go to church. Another difference is the food; West Indian food is full of spice, such as ackee and saltfish, and school food consisted of mash and meat without seasoning. There’s a real shift – with food, respect and religion. It’s a totally different world.”
“I was split because I was living in England but I had Jamaican core values. Such values included being very religious; we would regularly go to church. Another difference is the food; West Indian food is full of spice, such as ackee and saltfish, and school food consisted of mash and meat without seasoning. There’s a real shift – with food, respect and religion. It’s a totally different world.”
Is it different now you live in Solihull?
“I would walk down my road and people would look at me. Some ignore me and others say hello, but I know they’ll be thinking “where’s he come from?” but it’s not racism – it’s a lack of understanding. Predominantly white villages don’t know what multiculturalism is. Rural villages are less affected by multiculturalism than cities.”
“I would walk down my road and people would look at me. Some ignore me and others say hello, but I know they’ll be thinking “where’s he come from?” but it’s not racism – it’s a lack of understanding. Predominantly white villages don’t know what multiculturalism is. Rural villages are less affected by multiculturalism than cities.”
What work have you done as the lead for the National Black Police Association?
“My work has mostly been to do with gun and gang crime once thought to be mainly an issue for black communities. I see my job as one where the truth is reflected, which is that whilst it does affect the black community, it also affects many other communities in the UK. I’ve dealt with race conflicts in Birmingham; cases of white organised crime gangs conflicting with black gangs – mostly issues regarding drugs. You wouldn’t expect it, but racism isn’t as prominent in guns and gangs as people think; most gang members shoot within their own gang in conflicts over power.”
“My work has mostly been to do with gun and gang crime once thought to be mainly an issue for black communities. I see my job as one where the truth is reflected, which is that whilst it does affect the black community, it also affects many other communities in the UK. I’ve dealt with race conflicts in Birmingham; cases of white organised crime gangs conflicting with black gangs – mostly issues regarding drugs. You wouldn’t expect it, but racism isn’t as prominent in guns and gangs as people think; most gang members shoot within their own gang in conflicts over power.”
What impact have you made with your multiculturalism work?
“I sit on the Board of Directors of Birmingham Royal Ballet. People assume ballet is for white, upper class people. However, thanks to our work, people of differing cultures go to ballet now. We gave inner city kids the opportunity to audition for the ballet.”
Do you think Birmingham celebrates Multiculturalism?
“Birmingham has let immigrants here for over 100 years, and statistics have shown that in 2015 there will be more ethnic minorities than white in Birmingham. We don’t get racial disorders here. Nationally, Britain has an ever changing face because of its immigration policies leading to a melting pot society.”
“Birmingham has let immigrants here for over 100 years, and statistics have shown that in 2015 there will be more ethnic minorities than white in Birmingham. We don’t get racial disorders here. Nationally, Britain has an ever changing face because of its immigration policies leading to a melting pot society.”
What’s your take on multiculturalism?
“We talk about multiculturalism, but don’t mix as much as we should. People live with people from their own cultures – from a multicultural point of view, its natural.”
BY HANNAH MONTGOMERY
PHOTO CREDITS - CHLOE JONES
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