Are We Getting The Band Together?
- Imani Ahiro
- Dec 2
- 7 min read
A frustrated, feeling-full reflection on a community meeting
I went to a community meeting yesterday. It was about the violence that had taken place, the uni students had been targeted — one victim in particular was posted online, a young black boy being beaten and then publicly humiliated. He was whipped by Black man who is not a student.
I think the salaciousness of it is what drove everyone to gather. An emergency meeting was organised — I think it’s great, the swiftness in the call to action. Though I was frustrated, I do feel some steps have been made. My hope is that it’s not just a flash in the pan, my hope is this is the building of community.
This piece is me airing my frustrations, giving my thoughts.
This is not an objective piece.
It’s full of my feelings.
Memory of What Community Looked Like
Maybe I’m remembering through rose-tinted glasses, but I remember when the African Carribean Centre (at one point it was called Imani Umoja Centre) was a cultural hub.
Conversations.
Bob Marley day.
Community day.
Talent shows.
After school clubs.
Karate, dance lessons, lectures.
That all changed when it became council-owned, also the funding cuts that affected youth clubs. So many places that helped create safe spaces for children had funds slashed and their doors closed.
But the community owns that building now. The African Carribean Centre is ours -
It can be a hub again, it is becoming one again. The centre has range of programmes targeted at helping the community, but seemingly not many people are aware.
It’s coming up to planning season, and I feel like we should have umoja, unity. We could be engaging in the seven principles of Kwanzaa:
Umoja (Unity) – Like we tried to yesterday, come together to hold each other. Not just stand in the same room, but actually be together.
Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) – Even when there’s frustration, irritation, ego or tension, we must still stand strong in who we are and what we’re trying to build. No folding.
Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility) – We are all in it together. Whatever you can do, no matter how small, helps us all. We all carry responsibility for how the youth are developing — not just your biological kids, but all our children. Community means everybody’s child is our child.
Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) – Money talks baby, but it’s not just money. I know we’re in an economic crisis, but showing up is also a form of wealth. Show up for each other. Support the spaces that already exist. Support the people already doing the work. Contribute in whatever way you can — resources, time, skills, connections.
Nia (Purpose) – Have a reason. Know why you’re stepping into the room. Know what you’re fighting for. Know the purpose beyond the outrage, beyond the incident. A community can’t move without direction.
Kuumba (Creativity) – Being creative is not just art and floofy talking. Creativity is also how things are documented, how we heal, how we solve problems. Creating spaces. Creating solutions. Creating outlets. Creativity is strategy.
Imani (Faith) – My namesake. We need to believe in each other. Remember we are survivors of the transatlantic slave trade, colonialism, systemic failings — and still here. We must have faith that we can build differently. We must have faith in our capacity to heal. We must have faith in ourselves as a people.
I know it doesn’t take one person ranting, but ranting is how I express myself. I also know pointing fingers does not help — I’ve got fingers to point at myself. I hold my hands up, I was a little late to the meeting so I did not catch it all. I want us to be stronger together. That means all of us speaking respectfully.
The Meeting
The air was heavy, the heat of frustration rising in the room.
George Cole, the former Lord Mayor, and Tariq Freedom Zampaladus were chairing the meeting.
I missed the first part of the meeting, so I can’t give an opinion on how the space was set.
When I walked in, the immediate discomfort hit me when I saw the police present.
Why are they here? I thought.
I was under the impression this was for us to speak.
The people to make plans of action.
The police stood up and spoke, it was all just smoke — that’s the moment I walked in. They spoke for an unnecessary amount of time, giving absolute waffle answers to questions the community was asking. They gave an update. The only thing I found helpful was that they stated that charges had been pressed against the young man who had committed those violent acts, and there is an ongoing investigation
The community asked: “What are you doing to combat the rise in violence?” The answer: more police in the area. But how would that make students, especially young people of colour, feel safe? With documented issues of over-policing, does this protect them—or just make them feel surveilled?
Forever Family Community Security asked: “What outreach are you giving the victims? Have you signposted different community spaces? Have you offered support?”
Because their programme has a 12-step system for building emotional intelligence and confidence.
But the police just talked about policing the area.
They should’ve come in the second half, and not for long.
Five minutes max.
A point for improvement: no police, then they can send updates via email and possibly have someone who liaises with them specifically. I do not want them in our spaces — they offered nothing but hot air.
This isn’t a one-point issue. It’s not just a young Black man being beaten. It’s systemic violence in the Black community — not just boys hurting boys, but Black people hurting each other.
Black parents teaching violence is the answer by beating childern, instead of giving them an overstanding of the world, we beat young black children into subservience. Then elders are shocked the youth is full of rage. It was beaten into them. This is not to excuse the abuse, just some insight.
The police ate up a significant amount of time with their waffling.
It was ridiculous.
I suggested sitting in a circle to help the conversation flow. Because it felt like an audience, like there was no connection to the space.
When I said sit in a circle, someone said:
“We can do the burning sage shit another time.”
That burned me.
Made rage course through me.
How are we going to have a conversation if we are disrespecting each other?
It’s rude.
If you are reading, rude boy — just know I have a bone to pick with you and some very strong words.
I know the seating arrangement is “not that deep”, but to me it is.
It helps ground the space, especially seeing each other’s faces.
Everyone making grandiose statements, complaining about “the Black community” like it was one bad apple and not a systemic issue. It’s the legacy of slavery.
The community needs an agenda, ground rules, and respect.
For us.
For us to organise.
We are a community.
Systemic Violence & Nobody Listening
I know it’s not a pissing contest of whose pain matters more.
At the end of the day, a child was harmed.
That’s not the issue.
My frustration with the Black community is that we don’t listen.
We don’t hear each other.
Just scream to the top of our lungs about who is right and who wants to be heard.
Forever Family community security came all the way from London.
They discussed what they do.
I felt they were absolutely disrespected.
There was this elder going: “What’s the profile of these young people who’ve done this?”
Community security said: “It’s a systemic issue that starts at home.”
The elder was not hearing any of it.
Forever Family said: this is an issue that starts at home. When your parents beat you. Because why would you think it’s okay to beat someone else if you weren’t beaten?
This is the legacy of slavery being passed down.
Parents beating children because they love them.
And we still think that’s normal.
That point was important, and I don’t think the room took it in.
Constructive Criticism
I am enraged.
This is no disrespect to those who organised.
Things that went well: It was organised in two days. There was an attempt at organisation.
But the fact is this was not a conversation I think can happen in 1 hour 30 minutes — so many things were resting on everyone’s chest.
Ways it could’ve been better:
seating arrangement
being able to see people’s faces (I’m on the spectrum, it threw me)
grounding the space
rules on how to discuss
timeframes for speakers
structure, structure, structure
clarity on what each person was speaking about
clear next steps
acknowledgement that this is NOT a one-meeting thing
We need constant conversation — not just when violence erupts. How are we, as a Black community, going to come together meaningfully?
Why I’m Writing
I don’t write this to slate the community or say we shouldn’t speak. I write this as constructive criticism on how we can organise better, talk better, listen better.
I’m thankful there was a space to begin with. But that’s not all I want to be thankful for.
Next steps seem to be being made — tentatively — even amongst chaos.
Hopefully this won’t just be a one-off meeting because of that violent incident. Hopefully we’ll be meeting regularly to discuss issues and to highlight the greatness in the Black community. Not just in Leicester. Across the UK.
People Already Doing the Work
I want to take a moment to highlight community-led spaces centring marginalised folks across the UK:
Forever Family – Community Patrol Training, Intervention, Mentoring, Workshops, Financial Literacy, Family Support, Street Patrols & More https://www.instagram.com/foreverfamilyuk/
Urban Equestrian – Connecting Inner City Communities to the Equestrian World https://www.instagram.com/theurbanequest/
Opal22 – Preserving Black history, heritage and delivering the Black experience https://opal22.co.uk/
Apittame Arts – Holding space for unheard voices through creative workshops, community cinema and performance showcases https://www.instagram.com/apittame/
Literati – Poetry & Black Care support https://www.literatiarts.com/
Neuro Noir – Black neurodivergent community for women and LBTQ+ people https://www.neuronoir.net/
WeCreate – Student society at UOL elevating Leicester creatives https://www.instagram.com/wecreateuol/
Queer Coffee Linkups – Community centring queer joy & stories https://www.instagram.com/queercoffeelinkups/
PRIM.BLACK – Library curation, creative agency + support for queer people of Black ancestry https://www.instagram.com/prim.black/
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