Our prayers go out to the people of St. Vincent in light of the eruption of La Soufrière volcano that has displaced tens of thousands. You can help the relief effort by donating to the “Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency” (CDEMA). 
The CDEMA bank account info is :
CDEMA’s Emergency Assistance Fund 
Account number 10 3666 589 
Swift Code : FCIBBBBB
First Caribbean International Bank,  Rendezvous, Christ Church, Barbados.

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In recent years any perusal of community social media would give the impression of Afrikan people, particularly young people, going missing has almost reached epidemic proportions. Indeed, Afrikan people are going missing in “vast numbers” (four times more likely to be reported as missing in England and Wales, according to the National Crime Agency), yet “their cases are being ignored.” (1)

Campaigners say this disregard is bourne out by recent cases like Richard Okorogheye, Blessing Olusegun, Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman where the authorities brazenly dismissed families’ concerns. In fact in the case of the latter two it was friends and family that conducted the search and discovered their bodies. These examples were in stark contrast to the response to the Sarah Everard, Libby Squire or Madeline McCann cases. (2)

The reasons people go missing vary and may include: Being unhappy at home or in care, including conflict, abuse and neglect in the home; Risks around exploitation, including sexual exploitation and criminal exploitation (e.g. “County Lines”); Mental health concerns as well as other factors (https://www.missingpeople.org.uk/key-facts-about-missing#1-why-do-people-go-missing).

Some cases, like those mentoned above have tragic outcomes but others remain unknown, due to under reporting and/or lack of updates, meaning that many may be unware of the scale of the issue. In the USA, where there’s reportedly an “urgent crisis of missing Black women and girls”, the Black and Missing Foundation, Inc (BAM FI) was established “to bring awareness to missing persons of color; provide vital resources and tools to missing person’s families and friends and to educate the minority community on personal safety.” Their website also includes testmonies from families who found their loved ones with the help of BAM FI (http://www.blackandmissinginc.com/cdad/testimonials.htm). (3)

(1) nadine white (08/04/21) black people are going missing in vast numbers – but campaigners say their cases are being ignored. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/black-people-missing-b1827530.html; chimene suleyman (26/04/16) there’s an epidemic of missing people of colour who aren’t photogenic enough for us to find. https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/there-s-an-epidemic-of-missing-children-of-colour-who-aren-t-photogenic-enough-to-find-a6989666.html; Desire Thompson (08/12/17) There’s A Troubling Amount Of Black Teens Missing In The UK. https://www.vibe.com/news/national/missing-black-london-teens-enfield-553545/

(2) Ibid; Martin Evans (26/03/21) Mother of black sisters stabbed to death says police did not give killing same attention as Sarah Everard case. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/03/26/criminal-death-black-sisters-didnt-cause-public-outcry-sarah/

(3) Treva Lindsey (20/02/20) The urgent crisis of missing Black women and girls. https://womensmediacenter.com/news-features/the-urgent-crisis-of-missing-black-women-and-girls

We ask the question:

Black & Missing: What Should WE Do?

1) Do we know why Black people are four times more likely to go missing?

2) Why do cases involving Afrikan people seem to get less coverage? What can we do about it?

3) Is there anything the community can do to reduce the numbers going missing?

4) Is there an effective way to know if the missing people have been found?

5) Do we need a Black and Missing Foundation in the UK?

Our Special Guests:

Sis. Patricia Wharton: has spent over 30 years of her professional career, working with children and families to ensure that they are fully functioning caring and providing the emotional and social support that they need. She is a qualified Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA). Sis. Patricia is a freelance Parenting Practitioner offering Parenting Seminars workshops and courses, including running programmes in prison. She also offers talking sessions to young people at risk of Social Exclusions, Exclusion from school, self-harming depression, school refusers amongst other challenges. Sis. Patricia is the presenter for ‘The Let’s Talk Show’ on Chalkhill Community Radio Station.

Bro. Paul McKenzie: has spent all of his life in Tottenham. When he was 15 years old he was stabbed in the hand with a machete and shortly afterwards decided to start carrying a knife to protect himself. Just months later police caught him with the weapon, and he was sent to a young offender’s institute. Since then Paul has spent an astonishing 20 years working with young people to educate them about the dangers of drugs, gangs, knives and guns. This incredible role model founded an organisation called oneteen, sending a message across the nation that all teenagers are one and that knife killing must stop. His dedication and the time he invests was applauded by voters, with one endorsement stating ‘one of the greatest men walking this earth’. Through endless workshops and YouTube videos garnering over 75,000 views, there is no doubt Paul is having a significant impact on the community.