Page 39 - Powerlist 2020

eyes but actually we are elevated to to have belief in what you’re doing. You A few months ago, with 10 other
the human race when we speak of our have to want to say what you’ve got to artists, I was invited into the Ethiopian
stories. I do see the arts though as an say; have a sense that it must be said. parliament to have a chat with the
inspiring place if you are a person of I’ve been filming the BBC’s Imagine and PM. Being a boy who was stolen Arts, Fashion & Design
colour. I remember walking down the going back and talking to people and from his mother, family and country,
street and not seeing a black face on they seem to say, “that’s how you were”, hidden in the northwest of England, to
any advert. I feel positive about how we “that’s just what you wanted to be”. receive an invitation to go and meet the
are in this culture because I’ve known Prime Minister and sit with him… that
what it was like before. Can you recall being introduced to was beautiful.
writers of colour?
Your journey – from young black kid in My English teacher was a bald- What advice would you give to your
care to published poet – is formidable. headed Lancashire socialist called Mr younger self?
How did you have the confidence? Unsworth and he used to tell me about Read as much as you possibly can.
It just seemed to make Linton Kwesi Johnson, and Benjamin
sense to me. On the Zephaniah. Both those men now feel Today, which writers would you tell a
last day of school I like older brothers to me. young ‘you’ to look out for?
wrote a poem for Oh my, such great role models. I’d
the whole year What became of Mr Unsworth? Is he say read Inua Ellams; look at Ashley
and got up on still around? Walters; Salena Godden, her poetry
stage and read Oh yes, when I became Chancellor of memoir, Springfield Road. Jay Bernard,
it. You’ve got the University of Manchester, I invited who has been writing with Linton Kwesi
him to come! Johnson. And then there’s the new
wave of African sci-fi they call Afro-
Talking of which: you have an MBE, Futurism. Oh my days, when you read
you’re winner of this year’s PEN Pinter Binti by Nnedi Okorafor you realise
Prize, you were official London 2012 everything else you’ve read in sci-fi – a
poet, your Channel 4 documentary on lot of it which may be brilliant – you
the care system is up for a BAFTA… see how biased the narrative has been.
What do the accolades mean? All those clichéd noises about western
They’re an acknowledgement of a eastern blah. Then Toni Morrison, Maya
journey I’ve Angelou, Alice Walker; they wake up
been on. the world not just to who we are but to
There are times beautiful, wonderful writing.
when nobody
is looking, or Do you see yourself as a leader?
telling you to I think all people can be leaders
continue in the because all people can be an example
direction you’re on. to one another. I don’t lead by thinking
You’re on your own I have the right to tell anybody to do
thinking, “am I doing anything. Make mistakes and make
the right thing?” When amends, live by integrity. It’s not all
I receive an award I’m about who you are in the public space.
moved to think of those And the other stuff – status, money,
moments. I think of that’s not leadership; that’s trappings.
searching for my birth
family, how I’ve had What words do you have for budding
to make a country my young writers?
family – Ethiopia. They’re If you feel passionate about something,
an acknowledgment of all find how you can develop it. The
these things that nobody biggest thing with fear is, it isn’t getting
actually saw. on stage, it’s failing once you get there.
If you can lean into these things, hear
You’ve travelled worldwide criticism and walk on anyway then you
with your poetry. What are on the first steps of the journey
single place has been the towards becoming the writer you
most mind-blowing? already are.

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