A is for Amplification
allyship stands in place of one singular voice
we are stronger together than we are alone
B is for Borders
constructed and enforced
within the colonial imagination
C is for Classification
citizenship defined by conservative relics
archaic systems of rule that govern us still
D is for Displacement
and those drunk on its power or held by it
E is for Enemies
created and exiled through bureaucracy and policy
F is for Fascism
far-right embers stoked into flames
history repeats itself endlessly
G is for Gaslighting
governmental practice for centuries
the civilising mission we never asked for
H is for Hostile Environment
the home office is anywhere but home
I is for “illegal immigration”
so illegal, it must be fought with illegal measures
one word for you and another word for us
J is for Justice
she doesn’t live here. She has never lived here.
K is for Kingdom
united by supremacy and ignorance
built by the commonwealth, yet wealth is not that common amongst us
L is for Leave
being told to leave followed by leave to remain
our true history never really leaves us
M is for Migration
the cornerstone conveniently forgotten and named as the enemy
N is for Nationalism
whitewashed agendas accepted as national pride
rejected by the very country that we helped to rebuild
O is for Operation Vaken
reserved only for Barking, Dagenham, Barnet, Brent, Ealing, Hounslow and Redbridge
but not for Kensington and Chelsea
P is for Politics
morality is nowhere to be found – just ask Machiavelli
Q is for Quantify
data replaces humanity as experience becomes 1s and 0s
R is for Removal
of “otherness”
of history
of records culled in the name of The Empire
S is for Settlement
as we find new homes away from home
T is for Trauma
physical, emotional, collective, intergenerational
U is for Us
for Us vs Them
for the right to self-define and identify
V is for Violence
the only language that the coloniser speaks
the irony of being seen as a threat when your way of life is being threatened
W is for Windrush
the winds of change are yours, and yours alone
X is for Xenophobia
for the 52% who propped up Farage
the brown and black faces scapegoated for Brexit
Y is for You
you are responsible
we are all responsible
Z is for Zeitgeist
the collective amnesia practiced by this island and its subjects
for this “post-colonial” world that shudders at its own contemporary history
Nikita Chadha
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