One Question
Where were you ten years ago?
Ten years ago I was newly ordained, living in Southgate and preparing for my first High Holy Days with the Chavurah. I’d never been to Tottenham, and my only vague knowledge of the area was the existence of the Spurs football stadium.
Ten years ago the area erupted into chaos and anger. Every year during this week journalists descend on the area and “stick a microphone under anyone’s nose, looking for negative stories. The majority of youths in Tottenham were at home terrified. Most of the rioters came from outside. Where are the positive stories?” It was in a Citizens UK Haringey meeting with our two MPs that David Lammy said this. And it is a story we know all too well. We are only shown a certain segment of an area, and only in a certain light, and always as if one story and one question covers everyone and everything.
And so we, the co-chairs of Citizens in Haringey, decided to see if we could not create some positive stories, stories that tell a different tale than the usual one about Tottenham. Stories that ask different questions. And so we agreed on three questions; Where were you ten years ago? One thing you love about Tottenham? One thing you would like to see changed?
We’ve sent the request for videos to school children, to mothers, to youth, to the MPs, to churches, and local organizations. And the response has been inspiring. You can see an example here. By changing the questions we ask, not only are we now able to hear different stories, but for local residents of any age, to be asked a different kind of question means being seen and being taken seriously, for who they are now and the lives they lead, rather than what happened.
On Friday 6th Aug there will be a Walk of Witness from where the riots began 10 years ago led by the local community and faith leaders, reflections and prayers by young people from the churches in the area, as well as a commitment to work towards justice and equality for all who live in Tottenham.
There is power and hope in asking different questions, and listening to different stories.