Anybody Everybody Tottenham
Anybody Everybody Tottenham
Bone selling, Queer Africa and Mental Health - Ollie, journalist
My youngest guest! At the same time one of the deep thinking ones. Serious topics are being discussed and looking at these early articles, hopefully we get to follow Ollie's career for a long time. I for once learned so much (yet again!)
The promised links:
Bones article http://exposure.org.uk/2021/10/is-it-right-to-sell-human-bones/
History of Queer Africa article https://exposure.org.uk/2021/02/africa-and-its-queer-history-i-am-not-less-african/
Ollie's blog https://ollieopara.wixsite.com/oliviaopara/blog
Ollie's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/oliviaoparawrites/
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Jamila 0:05
Hi, I'm Jamila and anybody, everybody Tottenham is a bi monthly podcast, introducing the good people of Tottenham to you. In today's episode, I'm talking to Ollie, a young journalist from Tottenham, and we're talking about her path into journalism and her recommendations how to get started. We also talk about two of her articles and we talking about mental health now what I would say it is a little bit of a heavy episode. So you got to be in right frame of mind. And also there were some audio problems. I hope that the website that I tend to send it through that it's going to clear it up, but there might be some still some distortions at some places. Okay, so it's really a very meaningful, deep episode, I would say. I hope you enjoy it. Today on the pod, I've got Ollie, and she is an aspiring or current journalist, writing about a variety of topics and we're going to find out from the youth today. Thank you for being on the pod. Thank you. Hey, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your connection to Tottenham?
Ollie 1:21
Basically, I'm basically a Tottenham Tottenham girl. I grew up in Tottenham I was actually born in Tottenham I'm just Tottenham my connection to Tottenham runs quite deep because I went to all my schools in Tottenham minus my college that was in Finchley yeah a lot of my communities and a lot of the activities that have done growing up are all in Tottenham so that's why I have a very strong connections to Tottenham
Jamila 1:46
so what is Tottenham for you? What do you feel and has changed over the years?
Ollie 1:51
I think the Tottenham is is community like for me Tottenham is my communities my home because a lot of important people in my life are based in Tottenham, but I think in terms of like Tottenham as its self is ever changing, is like now, times everything will change communities change over time. I think the one thing that will never change about Tottenham is our deep sense of community and our neighbors and our neighborhood like we do care a lot about Tottenham and like ourselves, even though yes, there's a lot of negative stereotypes about Tottenham. But at the end of the day, our strongest attribute is our sense of community in Tottenham, and it's very diverse so that is another thing I love about Tottenham, you see all types of people of all races, sexualities, backgrounds, like the whole, the whole thing. You just like Tottenham is just so colorful.
Jamila 2:48
So how did you feel when you went to woodhouse college and Finchley?
Ollie 2:52
Going to Woodhouse was quite a very big change. Because obviously I went from an area that I know, to an area I don't know. So there is a lot of there is a lot of nervousness and low key Some fear that comes with that.
Jamila 3:10
So why why did you go there, then? What was the draw?
Ollie 3:14
The draw was the English department is actually the biggest part because I love English. And the topics that we that we did was what drew me in - the Gothic era, and the romantic periods that we did. And also the type of texts and the authors that we were going to explore that was actually what made me decide okay yes, Woodhouse!
Jamila 3:40
And when did you start your own creative writing and your journalistic writing?
Ollie 3:45
As I was younger, I always I've always been creative, if I wasn't writing, drawing, singing, music, anything creative. I've always doing that. But I was doing that like on the side because obviously, in my family, I'm labeled as the academic child. So basically, though there is well there was a lot of pressure for me to be the studious one. Because when I was younger, like a lot of my career paths changed a lot, at first going into medicine, you know, and then it went into architecture and that my creativity actually started in secondary school. I think that was because of my experiences in secondary school. Creativity, literature was basically my escape from what was going on. And that's when I really like came to terms that I have passions in creative medias, so I was writing back then, like I used to have like a mini diary or a journal something I used to just keep my things, but then when I got to Woodhouse what happened was it was actually talking to the careers advisor we're talking about what I could do with my English because my English. And all my teachers were like astonished and amazed with my English skills and stuff. So I was like, wow, I didn't know I could do English because I thought if you do English, you're going to be a teacher, I didn't know that there was more to it. So it was actually her, she told me when we were researching she, there's this like quiz thing, I can't remember what it's called, but it's very good, that she made me do. And it brings up like it asks about personality or interests. And it brings up suitable pathways that you can go into based on your interests. And for me, a lot of things that I was picking was like, investigating researching, writing, creativity, like along those lines, and then it brought up journalism. And I was like, okay, but it brought a specific type of journalism it brought, like investigative journalism. I looked into it, and I was like, This is me. This is something that I do anyways, because I do like, researching into things in my own time, I love to research, documentaries, podcasts, reading. And then just me writing down my thoughts on. So I was doing that all the time, and I was like, This is something that I already do. And then we start with the careers advisor started to explore that. And she was the one who then told me I should I should start, I should start a blog. Yeah. So it was through her. She was like, I should start a blog. And I was like, Okay. And then I you start researching , I started blogging, and I started my blog. And coincidentally, when I started my blog was during the time when there was a lot of activism arising so it was, Black Lives Matter movement, all these movements are happening, that is inflamed, cause I just started my blog last year. So during that time, because I started my blog, then that's why a lot of my work was reflecting the times, like how it was last year. And also because of my age, because my year group were very sensitive to that's actually a very good thing we have, we are more like sensitive and conscious, and very aware of what's going on around us socially, politically, environmentally, like, So, because of that, that's what really, that's what really drove what I was writing about all the time. And also because me as myself, but I want my writing to not just be an escape for myself, by my work to help others in any way, shape, or form. Even if that is helping them learn something that they weren't aware of, or helping other people be able to tell their stories to be able to get their experiences across cause you know, a lot of time is what's going on the people that are most affected don't have a platform or they don't have people willing to give them a platform. So that was basically what just started the whole - well my blog.
Jamila 8:05
What is your next step? Because you're what I saw Junior journalists at the pioneers post? Is that your job now? Are you going to go to uni? What how do you want to develop this?
Ollie 8:19
So um, yeah, that's that is my current job. Like I do work for the pioneer's post but I'm trying to be a journalist, I'm not going to uni just yet. I want to - just not now, so I'll go when I'm ready. But if I do go when I do go to uni, I'm doing English. But yeah, with the pioneer's post, I'm just is my job. And I say like, I'm using it as a learning experience to learn more about like, how formal journalism is because my journalism so far has just been informal through this placement with pioneer's post is a very good opportunity for me to learn more about what journalism really looks like when you're in the actual field.
Jamila 9:02
Have you published articles there yet? I'm not sure
Ollie 9:05
No no no, I just started. But I have published a lot with exposure, the youth magazine, and with Metro, I have been published.
Jamila 9:17
I was also gonna ask you about exposure, what kind of project is it? so you say it's a youth magazine?
Ollie 9:23
Yeah. So from my understanding, it was a magazine created by students for students when it when it first began, and now it's evolved into like, a youth it's mainly for young people, that's their audience. And it's basically just they bring topics and discussions, explorations concerning young people and what we're interested in. So I've been writing for them for over a year now. And I completely enjoyed it, like they're a great team, and they're an amazing platform, they are an amazing platform. I love what they're doing. Because it's like we need more of that, you know, for young people,
Jamila 10:04
because I was gonna ask you, how are the steps? are you pitching them an idea? Or are they saying, Can you write something about this topic or this kind of area?
Ollie 10:14
I mean, it's been a mixture of both. So some of my blogs, what I've posted on my blog, they've actually, a lot of them, they asked for me, if they could use it. And then basically, what, what we do is we tailor it to their audience which is in young people. And then there's other times where they've actually found topics that they wanted to explore. And they've given it to me too, because they see that I am like the best fit to do so.
Jamila 10:41
And what would you say now that you've made your first steps into it? What would you recommend young people do?
Ollie 10:49
Yeah, I'll just say start, just start writing. It can be about anything, but document it. So have a port, we want to build some form of portfolio. So whether it's through a blog, like I say , highly suggest you do through a blog, because when it's your own blog, you can control like you have a certain control over what you're writing and how you want it to be displayed or not. And then when to just start with a blog first. And then when you feel comfortable enough volunteer to write for local magazines, or student led magazines, like I did, I was writing for you, for the university journalism students, they run their own publications, they're always looking for contributors, who wants to volunteer to write a piece for them. And just record that. So put links in your blog to those articles. And make sure that you'll get the credit for it. So make sure that your name and stuff is on, you know. Start with writing in some way, shape or form, that would be my first advice. And it doesn't matter if you think your writing isn't good. Because when you write a blog, like this happened to me, when you write when you start writing, well, you have a document. Over time, even though you won't be able to notice you will get better at it over time. And that is for any niche, like it could be writing about like social media, celebrities, entertainment, food, travel, politics, whatever it is, whatever you like. That's another thing. Write about what you'd like don't write about something that you have no passion for, because then you're not going to continue it you're going to lose. do it about what you love, and enjoy it like see it as a pastime, a hobby that could potentially grow into a career,
Jamila 12:44
I was really impressed by the range of your articles when I looked at them on your blog and on your own exposure. So what I say I overall think is very much about Youth Activism or generally activism and how to get involved into changing things and raising awareness for being black lives matter, LGBTQ, the way I found your was about your speech at the climate emergency march. So what what are your passions?
Ollie 13:18
I'm not an activist. But I do by do encourage activism, if that makes sense. The main reason why I like why I write the articles I write is because I want to help raise awareness for other people who can't raise awareness for themselves to help others amplify their voice through my list as basically what is my writing, I think what is my writing shouldn't be seen through the lens of activism. That sounds ironic, it shouldn't be seen as a lens of activism. It should be seen as an amplification of other people's experience. I've realized that even though we're in an age of technology and information, people still don't know a lot of things like people tend to just live in their own world and in their own bubble. And is like, yes, there are times when you need to step out of it. And if my writing should help you do that, way more. So that's that's basically what my writing is
Jamila 14:25
Of your articles that you've written is there one where you're particularly proud or that is especially close to your heart?
Ollie 14:33
I think it will be my most recent one, the bones, the human bones that one. That's my longest article. And that is the most investigative piece I've ever done. The reason why that one for me is the most, one of the ones I highlight is because of all the elements involved in it.
Jamila 14:54
Could you just give us a brief overlook what what it's about?
Ollie 14:57
it was about this Tiktok user he had a bunch of bones in his house he was always showing them on the book and people asked questions about it. People started to look into the company people started to get concerned. Because A, the person that was running this account was so nonchalant about the fact that he literally has human bones dangling from his ceiling, and will show them off as if their prizes, right. These are human bones. And he were very concerned, how is he getting this? Where is he getting this from? And he couldn't answer these questions. And what blew it up even more was when people could recognize what type of bones they were. And a lot of them were indigenous bones. And that's what made it even worse. Because indigenous people throughout history have just faced inhumane things like, and still to this day, they still go through hell, just because of their status in society, it was just so just a lack of morality, or lack of humanity in the whole thing. And the reason why it drained me so much was because I had to actually watch all these tiktoks, I had to watch both sides tiktoks I had to do a lot of research into indigenous people and the Sami people. And when I was doing my research, it was so draining because I had to, I was just reading what happened, what went on with them, and it was just so gruesome and horrifying. The fact that they had to endure this, and it was just, it was just really bad. The article I actually had to shorten it myself, like 1000 words, if I had gone on, it would become a dissertation. It's that heavy. And that's why I say that that's my most proudest, that's the one I find the most pride in. Because because of the amount of energy I put into emotionally mentally, but also because I was learning, I learned from it myself, other people, as well. And also because it was on the tiktok platform, I was able to like help other people who aren't on the platform, know what's going on with it was just absolutely horrible. Like, how can you be okay selling bones, he said oh, that he gets his bones from China, India, and these countries have a history of bones being sold on the black market, because even though the bone even though the selling of human remains is illegal across the world, and what made it worse was that when I looked into the only places they sell those to, are in certain states in America where it is legal to sell the bones there are certain states in America that allow you to sell human remains. And that is the only only places he's selling to you. So that was what it was they are hiding behind science. And in history, a lot of things that happened to indigenous people and the grave robbings - I had to look into grave robbings, I kept looking into the illegal selling of their remains was also hidden behind the idea of science.
Jamila 18:09
I really liked your article about homosexuality in Africa because I thought that was so well researched and all your links into it. And I thought that was super interesting. How did that come about?
Ollie 18:22
I think that mainly came from like a personal (perspective). Homosexuality, everything to do with it is pretty much banned in Africa. And that's also because I've been going on a personal journey myself to reconnect to my roots as an African, African person, especially to areas as in Igbo. So that that's that's my tribe, I've been just going on my own personal journey, learning about my true self, my history, my ancestors and stuff. And in doing so, I learned Africa changed in so many ways due to colonialism. And this was obviously during the LGBT History Month and our research into this because usually when we do LGBT history month, you get a certain demographic that's always talked about and it's very rare when you hear black LGBT or you know, non white LGBT being spoken about. So I was like, let's put a different let's let's talk about something different for once not just the same interviews. So I learned a lot like actually, I think what I like about the piece is that I hope it helps a lot of people who are like me who are African who are part of the LGBT reconcile with their sexuality because a lot of time we tend not to because of how Africa is and when I was doing the research I still to this day, I still get backlash for it, but I don't care. That's a cross that's the hill that I will die on. I don't care. Our history that we have, a lot of it hasn't been written by ourselves, as often I'd say a lot of it hasn't actually been written by ourselves. A lot of our true history has been changed, been altered due to biases, due to bias in every form - religious bias, political bias, wherever. But a lot of our history isn't documented a lot because us as Africans, we're very oral, we tell our we talk. So because of that, a lot of our history is gone. So obviously, because of that, and also because of the demonization, that's another thing our cultures have been demonized so badly. That's, that's, that's another that's another thing that I think that's where homophobia in Africa comes from as well as because the demonization of our cultures because in our indigenous cultures, LGBT people we were seen as the gatekeepers to our spiritualities you're the gatekeepers to a lot of things, you're divine - another thing that we didn't have a lot of these societal constructs we're not as rigid as it is now. Everyone's masculine, everyone's feminine. And there's a fluidity to it. And researched into it, obviously,I had, be careful with the sources because again, bias plays a big part when it comes to African history. So that's why I always link to things and that's why my articles I don't see my articles as a tell all, I see my articles as a stepping stone, cause that's why I do the links, I put the link, go and do further research where you don't see this as the whole curriculum that is there for you. No, no, go and do your further reading. Go do your own research, you know how they tell you at school. Do further reading.
Jamila 21:41
You mentioned mental health quite a few times. Do you think mental health is linked to the pandemic is that what kind of brought things out?
Ollie 21:50
Like when someone's physically sick, you encourage them to go to hospital, you encourage them to go get help, right? So then why is that not the same? Why has that not been the same for mental health? And the pandemic I think the pandemic has really has shown that everyone has mental health, everyone. Like your mental health and your mental well being is very important, whether it's good if if your mental health is sound, and if it's not sound, there is nothing to be ashamed of. There's nothing wrong with that with the pandemic, because everyone especially I think the isolation, the isolation is the main thing I think that really showed how important everyone needs to take mental health because when you're isolated from people or isolated from everyone, it really did affect everyone. Like you're not seeing people as much you're not talking to people as much you're lonely. And then that can just trickle down to depression, anxiety and all these things. And then with the thing going on, everyone was anxious, everyone's worried stuff like that. So I think that really showed that I think the pandemic even though yes, that was the main thing that happened pandemic, mental health is also a pandemic in of itself, especially amongst young people, I don't know. But there was a study that showed that there is a worsening mental health state amongst young people today. And it's true because I, we young people, everyone. We are living in a world of turbulence. We have the environmental issues that are going on, we have the social issues that are going on, we have political issues that are going on. And then the pandemic came, and on top of that we're expected to still go to school, still learn, still get our degrees, still go to work. We're expected to live good lives, we're expected to to this, this and that. And it's like, how can we do all these things? And all these things are happening around us? Like, yes, we're still doing it. But it's so much more harder. And then when we have of the older generations, who are just breathing down our neck, making it worse, is like what did you expect was going to happen? And I think another thing with mental health is that it really shows how different communities respond to it in different ways. Again, that's the cultural differences as well. But yeah, like I am very passionate about mental health because I am living through that and it's very important like no one should feel as though they shouldn't get help.
Jamila 24:24
So would you have some tips, some advice for people who are going through a mental health crisis, things that have helped you?
Ollie 24:33
The first thing that I'll say is as hard as it is - don't feel bad for it. Don't feel bad for having to go through what you're going through because even though it doesn't feel like it you are trying to survive and that's why your mind that's why your body that's why what is happening to you is happening to you. Try to see past the guilt or what's happening to you . And secondly try to at least even like it doesn't matter who it is have one, one person in your life who you can go to who you can call, or you can text. It doesn't matter how you communicate at least one person who when you are getting to that point you can call in. If you're not telling them anything, they're able to pick up on that you need. At least one person if you don't have that person, as scary as it is, call someone like there are the helplines online, I know that sometimes the waiting time is bizarre, but try and find some way to release that. Don't keep it in if you can't go on the helpline, for instance, or you're too afraid to go to a&e because I am like, they do not treat you in a&e when you have a mental crisis in certain hospitals anyways. But if you're too scared to get any, you don't want to call emergency services, you don't have anyone try and find try and find a way to keep yourself safe in the best way possible. If even if it means you, I don't know listening to music, or you staying in your room, or you having to leave your house because you don't feel safe in your house, to go into public space, do whatever is at a time that you keep you as safe as possible. And another,the third tip is have a plan for when that does happen. So yes, you will have I remember when I was, when I had to make my own safety plans , I was so angry I was so upset, but it does help you.
Jamila 26:45
Okay, only let's do the happy part. Top Tips for Tottenham? What are we doing? What are we exploring? Yeah, well, where are we going? Where are we going to eat? Where are we dancing.
Ollie 26:58
So anyone that's into dancing, music, and roller skating - roller nation, you enjoy it, even if you can't rollerskate, they will help you. Rollerskating is amazing. So that!
Jamila 27:12
Thank you very much for taking the time to talk to me, and all the best for you.
Ollie 27:16
Thank you.
Jamila 27:18
So in the show notes, I will link Ollie's article about bones and the one about homosexuality in Africa. And both times, if you scroll to the bottom of it, you can click on "see further articles" from Ollie. And that is the exposure page. I will also link in her blog. And with social media. She said to me that she was off it, but maybe she's back on it now. So I'm not sure I'll see if it is and she also recommended an app called vent that she sometimes uses when she just can't you know when she just wants to get emotions out. So that's the app stores vent
Transcribed by https://otter.ai