Black History Month

Matthew Dawkins:

"Being black means many things to me but ultimately, it is a reminder that my place in this world is not happenstance. The stars did not align nor was luck in my favour rather, my ancestors moulded strength from shackles and forged a new destiny to make space for me. And so my dark skin tells me that I come from a line of fighters, change-makers, law-breakers and world-shakers. It is a reminder that for every last drop of freedom, education and strength that I can be proud of today, there were thousands of lives given in exchange for it.

For that reason, my blackness is a constant reminder that I have entire villages standing behind me in unity but more importantly that I stand behind the new ones to come, and for them I have to create a bigger legacy."

(Matthew Dawkins, photographed by J. Bradley Photography).