I have lived in the UK for just over five years and eleven months. Within this time, I’ve grown to love this country and all it represents, and despite what anyone, upon looking at me, might believe, I’m British. But I’m also more than that, I’m a Brummie Muslim immigrant, and I’m so thankful for every part of my identity.
My dad likes to remind me that wherever I end up in life, and whatever I end up doing in it, I must always take the time to pay back Britain.
“This place has done more for you than your own country has,” he says very quietly, very periodically, on drives to school and walks to the shops as he replies to when I speak of various everyday things, when I complain about school and talk about one opportunity or another. “Remember to give back to it.”
And it grounds me. Every time my father says something like this, I remember how lucky I am to have a school to go to, a community to integrate with – how lucky I am to live in a country where human rights are observed, where democracy is practised and where pure existence isn’t a burden.
That being said, I recently read an article written by an EU Immigrant speaking of how the referendum has made them feel unwelcome in the UK for the first time in eighteen years, and it really addresses how awful this entire thing has been.
From the campaigning to the results, the entire referendum has put the country into a chaos never so avidly seen before, with MP’s murdered brutally and deep divisions made to run deeper within our previously quiet, rain–coated existence.
And now, Brexit-er MP’s like Boris Johnson, Theresa May and education–murderer Michael Gove are starting up their campaigns for Prime Ministership, the Labour Party is effectively dying, and public opinion is starkly split.
It’s terrifying.
But the fear and worry (or excitement and jubilation?) can cloud everyone’s judgement. Whether you were for Brexit or Bremain, Britain is going through a dangerous time, and the biggest, most prevalent way the public can combat the cold, hard politics surrounding us is to be united. United in hope, united in humanity, united in appreciation.
Want to write a guest blog? The theme for August is ‘Creativity & Youth Arts’. Send your blog to bradley@beatfreeks.com, or contact for more information.
We’re creating a counter-narrative to the rise in hate crime following the results to the EU referendum results. We want you to send us tiny moments of hope, positive stories, notes, messages and delectable tales of goodness and heart-felt poems that we can share with the world. We want to stay United in Hope.