The Metropolitan Police have been in the news a lot in recent years, for arguably more bad than good. This short film, and it’s major recognition, arrives at a pertinent moment to illustrate some of the difficulties from inside the force, in a frank and searing light.
G grew up in a time when many West African children and babies were cared for by private foster parents, since their own were working or studying. It was entirely permissible to place a kid in care without telling the authorities during this period. This practice was informally known as "farming", white families being paid to care for black children.
Some children predictably struggled with identity and discrimination, while many had a great experience – G can identify with both. "I see a mixture of joy and sadness”, he recounts. |
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G transitions from living with his foster mother in an all-white setting to meeting his father and moving to an all-black one, where he struggles to comprehend the new dynamics of living: the cuisine was different, the people were different, the language was different.
The majority of people of mixed heritages and backgrounds, including myself, can immediately identify with G's struggle to assimilate into cultural norms. I was born in Congo and spent a large portion of my childhood moving between countries and families, before meeting my dad. I recall the first time I met him: around six years old with no idea how to respond or even whether he was indeed my dad.
Continue reading the full blog post by Barish Mata...
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