The Invisibility of Black People in Peckham

Part of The Peckham Documentary: In this interview I sit down with Chidera Eggerue (The Slumflower) Kelechi Okafor and Natalie Worgs from Girls About Peckham to discuss the social changes that have taken place in the area and how they are affecting the black and ethnic community.
Please watch Hairytage - a film by Alix Bizet and Mercedes Quezada: vimeo.com/3043...
And check out the rest of the series here and subscribe to not miss out on future projects:
• The Peckham Documentary
Music composed by Ketsa:
- Capable
- Tired Thought
- Summers Grace

[@Shemra]

I moved from Stoke Newington to Walworth in 1969, and then to Peckham in 74/75. Neither East Street Market nor Peckham Rye Lane was Caribbean or African. These neigbourhoods were solidly cockney working class areas. The black community was small, so we basically all knew each other. I remember my mom badgering the guy, who used to sell fruit and veg by the train arch, to start carrying yam, plantain, etc, which he finally did. We had a Caribbean food stall in the arcade, where the lady owner used to make the best homemade patties you could ever taste. I've watched a number of these videos, and the voices of those who saw the North Peckham estate get built, who bought their first pair of trainers from Mark II, who used to rave at Bouncing Ball or Settlement Hall, or who saw Star Wars at the Odeon seems to be missing. Those folks are still around. Document their stories before they're gone. Peace.

[@Georgeokello93]

Absolutely - and it’s fascinating that you’ve overseen this transition. Peckham has it’s stylish Victorian heritage which then transitioned to working class suburbia, and then to a neglected but thriving immigrant population. We’re now seeing a commercialised middle class-ation of both Peckham and a lot of London which is driven by the capital forever becoming more expensive to live in. I see the traces of real communities when I visit areas like South or East London - and hopefully by sharing their stories I can help preserve a little bit of what’s amazing about the city :)

[@Shemra]

@@Georgeokello93 The series is well shot and directed. So, kudos for your hard work and dedication. The owner of www.lovejuicin.co.uk/ is from the generation I'm describing. Maybe, you could talk to her when you shoot again. Keep up the good work.

[@davidgrocott88]

Oh, watching this video i'd assumed Rye Lane had always been black

[@devogrant2817]

True Talk ...started off in East Dulwich (conceived) and moved to Stoke Newington (born ) then moved back to East Dulwich, then Peckham in 72, and I have been in Peckham ever since at the ripe age of 65 years young ....

[@lanamercury710]

Hey man random but I just saw a tweet of this video then binge-watched the documentaries (amazing stuff!). I'm actually thinking of making something similar I'd love to connect see what we can create perhaps.

[@Georgeokello93]

Hey Lana - thanks for the feedback and I’d love to connect! Drop me an email at [e-mail] and we’ll go from there 😊

[@lanamercury710]

@@Georgeokello93 Great!

[@tadeoluwatobi5380]

Miley Cyrus?!!!!!!!!!

[@Georgeokello93]

The assimilation of black culture never stops 😂

[@silvergorilla6354]

This just sounds just like racism to me.

[@chantellea9938]

"... They credited miley Cyprus as one of the originators of twerk, so I knew that spirits were dealing with them". Kelechi, what?!?!

[@LifeWithLyvonne]

Kelechi my absolute faveeee 🤣❤ also I love this documentary

[@Georgeokello93]

Thanks for the feedback Lyvonne - a Kelechi is great. I love how fearless she is with her commentary, it was a privilege to work with her :)

[@Unknown-fe6mj]

Tbh I do understand and agree to some extent what there saying but I think also really gives white people the opportunity to be like “well this is how we felt”. Really truly and there’s right or wrong, one group is always going to feel a type of way when another demographic comes and changes the face of the area, it’s just human nature.

[@Georgeokello93]

I hear you man, and it’s sizeable one to tackle. I tried to give a voice to the various cultural groups and concerns in the other videos: kzbin.info/aero/PLcFSJ3SXE5pe6iUBf_df_J17DhXNd2T3W But to summarise I think there are 3 distinct groups of people when referring to modern day Peckham. The Immigrant community and their children, the white working class population and the middle class new comers who are now thriving in the neighbourhood. Imo a lot of the working class community have moved towards Greater London amidst cultural change and it would be great to document their thoughts on urban change - indeed it is something that hasn’t been done and I understand how their community may feel marginalised. But to clarify I wanted this video to be eye opening as not many people can contextualise racism or the impact of gentrification on modern day migrant communities. They assume new builds and whole area social cleansing is completely positive and not sinister in any way. Ultimately every community wants to feel served and respected and I hope that’s the lasting impression of the project 🙌🏿

[@Addsz17]

Good work 💪🏾 enjoyed this doc

[@brvndxxxn]

💚💚