When the issue of young Afrikan people being under attack is addressed there is a tendency to focus on males. But as the “Child Q” case, where in 2020 a 15 year-old girl was stripped-searched by police officers at school while on her period and the “Child A” where another 15 year-old Afrikan was assaulted in 2023 by a gang outside of school, egged on by adults while school staff looked on, females are also very much in the crosshairs. (1)

In typically drawn out fashioned the fate of the officers in the “Child Q” has yet to be decided with the three involved being subject to a gross misconduct hearing scheduled to start on June 2 this year, where they are said to be “facing the sack.” The adult that encouraged “Child A’s” attackers was sentenced to 20 months in custody while the girl thugs were given referral orders and fined £300 and £30 respectively. (2)

There is also the scourge of Afrofemicide, typified by the Elianne Andam case that has her peers querying whether they should carry knives for protection. (3)

Internally, our young people also face a myriad of challenges, not least on the relationship front where some research suggest that “Relationships cause ‘mental health problems for black people.” In addition to this Afrikan people have among the lowest marriage rates in the UK and are most likely to engage in “inter-ethnic” relationships – for the “Black Caribbean” it is 65%, compared to, for example,19% for Indians. (4)

But there are some determined to meet the challenges head and foster a sense of community while raising social awareness. The Umoja Projects was founded by a group of community oriented young sisters and held their for event in 2022. Most recent they organised the Black Brit(Ish) Pt. 2 event in Brixton.

“The Umoja Projects is a grassroots community collective committed to raising social awareness and providing support for the Black community in Britain. As a colledctive, we aim to unify our individual passions for arts, activism and social awareness. Umoja in Swahili means unity, and that is the driving force and motivation behind who we are and what we do.

The Umoja Projects works as proof that the community does not need help from outside resources and rather needs to work within and with one another. We firmly believe that in order to advance the community it is imperative to bridge the generational gap, fostering strong connections between older and younger generations.” (5)

(1) Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff (23/02/23) Black girls aren’t safe in British schools. https://thelead.uk/black-girls-arent-safe-british-schools; UK Youth (13/10/20) Being a young, Black woman in Britain – Part one. https://www.ukyouth.org/2020/10/growing-up-black-being-a-young-black-woman-in-britain/
(2) Anthony France (13/02/25) Met officers facing sack over school strip-search of Child Q revealed. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/met-police-school-strip-search-child-q-london-mark-rowley-b1210882.html; Surrey Police (13/05/24) Woman jailed for encouraging and assisting assault in Ashford. https://www.surrey.police.uk/news/surrey/news/2024/05/woman-jailed-for-encouraging-and-assisting-assault-in-ashford/
(3) Afrika Speaks with Alkebu-Lan on Galaxy Radio (03/03/25) Are Black women safe in the UK? Pt. 2. https://alkebulan.org/2025/03/03/aswag-526-are-black-women-safe-uk-2/; Sonja Jessup (16/01/25) After Elianne’s murder, girls were asking if they needed to carry a knife. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c623mz8184ro
(4) Vic Motune (14/02/20) Relationships cause ‘mental health problems for black people.’ https://www.voice-online.co.uk/news/uk-news/2020/02/14/relationships-cause-mental-health-problems-for-black-people/; Office For National Statistics (03/07/14) 2011 Census analysis: What does the 2011 Census tell us about Inter-ethnic Relationships? https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/marriagecohabitationandcivilpartnerships/articles/whatdoesthe2011censustellusaboutinterethnicrelationships/2014-07-03. For “Black Caribbean” as a whole group the proportion is 43% (Men – 48%; Women – 37%). The amount for “Black African” is 22% (Men- 25%; Women – 18%).
(5) The Umoja Projects (27/11/24) What Is The Umoja Projects? https://www.instagram.com/p/DC4mYrMOBQ-/?igsh=MW1oNnV6eHNiMnBsbQ==

Young Black Queens? What’s going on?

1) Do issues facing young females tend to get overlooked?
2) Are relationships really a cause of mental health challenges?
3) What is influences the relationship choices our young people are making?
4) How can we effectively bridge the generation gap?

Our Special Guests:

Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka: Resident guest who is Spiritual Leader of the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement and an Afrikan-Centred Education Consultant. Bro. Ldr is a veteran activist of over 40 years standing, a featured columnist in The Whirlwind newspaper and author of Mosiah Daily Affirmations and Education: An African-Centred Approach To Excellence.

The Umoja Projects: is a grassroots collective advancing a passion for Arts, Activism and Social Awareness, founded by a group of young sisters. (https://www.instagram.com/theumojaprojects/)

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