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Gang culture and poetry in the spotlight at UEL debate

Tuesday 6 November 2007

The rise of gang culture came under the spotlight when University of East London (UEL) Black History Month celebrations culminated in an exciting panel debate and poetry reading on Wednesday 31 October.

Poets Michelle Marie, Morgan Dalphinis, and shortMAN performed their acclaimed work in front of an audience of over a hundred at the UEL Docklands campus.

Morgan and shortMAN were then joined on stage by local magistrate Justin Moore MBE, youth advisor Belinda Creary, and UEL Education and Community Development lecturer Lionel McCalman for a debate entitled Keeping the peace? Gangs, culture and identity.

Morgan Dalphinis, resident poet and senior faculty manager at Newham College, said: “The key to addressing contemporary problems is reflecting on our history of resistance, revolt and revolution.

"These themes must be readapted and channelled towards building a positive black identity, working diligently to gain a good education and competing effectively to secure worthwhile employment.”

The lively debate explored a wide range of issues, including the role of the media, the rise of gun crime, and the changing relationship between children and adults. Panellists and audience members expressed a variety of ideas and opinions on everything from youth clubs to recent school exclusion statistics.

shortMAN, one of the most sought-after performers on the UK poetry circuit, said: “Gangs aren’t necessarily a bad thing – if anything, we should be encouraging young people to come together in groups. What’s crucial is that we ensure they have something enjoyable and constructive to do when they meet.”

Belinda Creary, who works for the Connexions youth support service, agreed that attitudes towards young people have become skewed by negativity. Belinda said: “Far too much emphasis is put on what’s going wrong – what we really need to do is focus on what’s going right! The vast majority of young people I come across are positive and well-mannered; unfortunately, it’s the minority who steal all the headlines.”

Belinda’s daughter Carla Harris (11), a student at Bishop Chanellor’s School in Tower Hamlets, concluded the event by reading a poem that she had written specially for the occasion.

UEL’s Library and Learning Service organised the debate as the climax of this year’s Black History Month celebrations. For further information about free public events at UEL, visit www.uel.ac.uk/lectureseries.

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For details and pictures contact Patrick Wilson: 020 8223 2061 or 07951 797 975

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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