Page 84 - Future Leaders 2018-2019

Publishing

STAY

Future Leader Theophina Gabriel’s frustration with
the lack of spaces for young black writers to express
themselves, encouraged her to create one herself

orting through old papers in my mention race and oppression as this
bedroom the other day I found could often make me feel tokenised.
Sa magazine a friend and I had And then it hit me, if you can’t fi nd a
designed back in secondary school. It space: make one.
was printed on A4 paper and fi lled with In my student bedroom, I started
pictures drawn on Paint. As I fl icked excitedly brainstorming names and
through, I noticed that 99 per cent of decided to call the publication Onyx. My
the content was centred around white research showed me that as early as the
people. This was not to blame us in Second Dynasty, Ancient Egyptians had
any way, we were just two young girls used onyx to form sculptures and create
internalising what was around us in the beautiful pieces of artwork. I chose this
publishing industry. name because I envisioned Onyx as the
Since that magazine, I had developed medium that black creatives would
as writer, poet and creative. I felt use to express their valuable voices
validated when I won my fi rst poetry that remained unearthed in the
award, but despite this still felt a literary world. black voices not just in
lack of creative places that would I wanted to create a the publication industry
accommodate my voice. publication with a wide range but also universities,
I had changed, but unfortunately of publishing sections such as and by detailing
the publication industry hadn’t. After Poetry & Fiction, Art & Fashion, which institutions we
reading up on articles, I quickly noticed Lifestyle & Culture, Film & were receiving student
a pattern of exclusion in the literary Theatre and History & Politics. The submissions from, we could
establishments. One or two names are vision had two elements. Firstly, break down the stereotypes
often championed, the Zadie Smiths a printed publication dedicated that talented black voices
and Malorie Blackmans, but this didn’t solely to young student creatives are not existent within
change the shocking statistics: the UK like myself, giving them a these spaces. This
publishing industry remains 90 per cent chance for their work to was especially
white. be platformed. And important as
Writing from the identity of being as secondly, a website a student
young black woman I felt the effect of for black creatives studying
this. There were hardly any spaces in of all ages, with at Oxford
literature where I felt that I wouldn’t the purpose of University.
have to edit or adapt my voice to fi t an uplifting and The next
‘aesthetic’ if I wanted to be published. I celebrating their step was
was once told that I should avoid being artistry. fi nding
‘loud’ or ‘political’. I also craved spaces The beauty of a team,
where I was allowed to be completely Onyx was that it and I was
expressive without my work having to would platform lucky

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82 FUTURE LEADERS 10 ANNIVERSARY EDITION