The recording was made as part of an interview for Liberation to mark 75 years since the arrival of  the ship HMT Empire Windrush at Tilbury docks in 1948, bringing more than 800 passengers from the Caribbean. On 22 June 2023 we will mark its 75th anniversary.

Eulinda Antonette Clarke-Akalanne was born in Barbados and came to the UK as part of the Windrush Generation, having been invited along with other women and girls to train as nurses in England; she worked in this field throughout her career. Antonette, as she is known, is also a poet, and published her first anthology of poems, EUANCA, in October 2021 to celebrate her 80th birthday. Since her retirement, Antonette received a Bachelor of Arts honours degree in Anthropology in 2018 as well as a Master of Arts degree in Black Humanities from the University of Bristol in 2022.

Liberation wishes to thank Antonette for agreeing to the interview. 

The interview, conducted by Liberation volunteer Adrian von Bonsdorff, will be published in our Journal Saturday 24 June 2023. The journal is distributed with the Morning Star newspaper and is mailed to Liberation members.

The Windrush Generation And The Hostile Environment Bill - Poem

An extract from Who We Were; Who We Became by Danaé Wellington.

A Sheffield City Council Windrush 75 Poetry Commission.

This is the second half of a nearly 8-minute-long poem commissioned by Sheffield City Council to commemorate the 75th year anniversary of the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush. 

There was nothing that could have prepared our elders for the journey from the Caribbean islands to the UK. I wanted parts of the poem to focus on the moments before the journey and the memories that helped their generation to keep going. I think it’s important we recognise the people our elders were – even if just a glimpse in time – who you were back home prepared you to survive and build a foundation in England.

I wanted to highlight their humanity, the culture, those tiny moments that we don’t get a look into, oftentimes due to being overshadowed by the pain and injustice. Their story – though incredibly hard  – is one that also transcends pain. Our Windrush elders and the wider Caribbean are a people of faith, culture, love and strength. Those are the threads I’ve used to tie this poem together.

Who We Were - Who We Became (An Extract)

WINDRUSH 75 DAY 1 - 23-06-23 V. ROCKET & FRIENDS - REGGAE & DANCEHALL

FEAT: 
BLACK SQUAD
V. ROCKET INT
TOP SHOTTA

WINDRUSH 75 DAY 1 - 23 - 06 - 23 V. ROCKET & FRIENDS - REGGAE & DANCEHALL

Danaé is a Jamaican-British poet, performance artist, and Neo-Soul/R&B vocalist based in the north of England. She is currently the Poet Laureate of Sheffield, scholar and creative producer.

New tracks tagged #Windrush75