Show Navigation

Cinzia D'Ambrosi

  • PROJECTS
  • HATE HURTS PROJECT
  • Blog and News
  • Photo books
  • Tearsheets
  • About
  • Contact
  • ARCHIVE

Cinzia D'Ambrosi

All Galleries
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
x
Download

36 images Created 18 Jan 2017

Prejudice and us

Prejudice and us documents the lives of young people in one of the most deprived and poor neighbourhoods in west London, North Kensington and White City. The project focuses on the effects of prejudice and racism in young people’s lives. Even at a young age, prejudice enters their lives in a number of ways; they are judged by what they wear, their skin colour, demeanour and socio-economic standing. Whilst the project provides an insight of young peoples daily lives, it also highlights how certain events such as profiling, and in particular racial profiling and police stop and search have become normal occurrences. The project aims to shine a light on the lives of young people, and the need to strengthen communication and understanding of their lives.
View: 100 | All

Loading ()...

  • Research conducted by the coalition StopWatch demonstrated black people were stopped and searched at over 3 times the rate of white people across London in 2014/15. Under section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act officers acting with inspector approval can search anyone, with or without reasonable grounds. Of the 539,788 stop and searches made in England from 2014-2015 only 14 percent led to an arrest. It seems that a systematic bias sees young black people stereotyped as drug dealers.
    _DSC2725.jpg
  • "I have known for families, female families, where they are harassed and ended up splitting up. The general public is against it. This is why so many people are so afraid to come out. They still hide it, still scared to be themselves. Nobody should be living afraid of who they are. They end up pretending that they are something else and they are not and that is causing more harm to themselves and others around them.  If you are in peace with yourself, you accept who you are, why would they need the approval of somebody else."Tee, July 2016.
    _DSC3307.jpg
  • “It is usually when we are around in the estate the police stops for absolutely no reason. It is more because they think we get up to stuff because of the way we dress because we cover ourselves up with hoodies. Let's say if I was to dress with tracksuit and hoodie I would have more chance to stop than a business look clothes suit, tie and everything. It depends on the officer that stops you if they are in bad or good mood. I have been in some situation where that made a difference. Some of them they actually marked me just for being out in a group.. seven of us. They ask things like why are you out, just excuses for stopping. It is normal now. I don't know anybody that has not been stopped by the police.” S., June 2016
    _DSC3279.jpg
  • There are many examples I could give you, but there was one time I was walking down Hammersmith Broadway and a police officer stopped me to ask for my name and details. I answered why was he asking that.  I am not obliged to give you my details unless you suspect me of a crime. Most black people unfortunately don't know their rights. Anyhow, the police said that a woman had escaped the psychiatric ward and that I fitted the description. I asked in what way I did. On what account, is that because the woman is black? I am walking with my two year old, did this woman escaped with a child? How can I possible fit into that description. It sounds like you are using your power to gather information from me. He left. Sandra, September 2016.
    _DSC4585.jpg
  • “It would make a society better free of prejudice. My friend has ginger hair and she is constantly bullied because she looks different. I think her hair is beautiful” L., April 2016
    _DSC1637.jpg
  • _DSC1631.jpg
  • “My friend started to wear the hijab. One day she went to the post office. At the counter the clerk serving her began speaking to her loudly and very slowly.. continuously asking her if she was understanding. My friend said there is not need to speak to me in this way. My friend was born and has lived in the UK for 30 years and ever since she has began wearing the hijab people has been treating her as if she doesn't know anything, does not speak the language.  In terms of terrorism, I am more wary of certain areas I am going to. I wouldn't feel very safe in areas of predominantly white working class like the Docklands for instance or certain areas in Hounslow. I wouldn't feel comfortable if it is late at night or I am on my own because  maybe it is just in my head but I hear of what is happening to muslim women being stripped of their scarves  off on the street, being shouted at, called names I just wouldn't feel same.  It happens frequently, I heard one lady was beaten up in Fulham and that's very west London and she was walking and a guy was very aggressive to her. She was wearing jilbab, the full cover, and he started to pull off her clothes and being shouting to go back to her country, effing terrorist, it is more like people are encouraged to come out and feel hatred towards others.” A., October 2016.
    _DSC4550.jpg
  • Davoud, Sofyen and Devante outside the White City youth club.
    _DSC6904.jpg
  • “On Facebook.. They are just threatening me. They wrote: I want to kill you. I did know these people. They are from my previous school. The police came to me to ask me questions. I did not call them. My mum called them.”
    _DSC3259.jpg
  • _DSC3204.jpg
  • _DSC6938.jpg
  • “We were stopped because we were wearing certain clothes, tracksuits and Nike and stuff. They annoy you. They are annoying.” May, 2016
    _DSC3237.jpg
  • Sometimes people stare at you in the street and I can feel their judgement in their eyes. And I think, for what reason? <br />
If you wear a truck suit, or your hair is in a certain way, they judge you.
    _DSC5433.jpg
  • On the day I took this photograph, these two girls were at the the Harrow Club. I have in more than one occasion talked to them about the project and this time they agreed to work with photographs and audio. I gave them a camera and an audio recorder to interview people outside the club (or among each other) to voice their experiences and thoughts around prejudice. Following this  photo/audio session, they became more relaxed around me and asked to have their photographs taken. This photograph is one of this sequence and it allowed me to start a more in-depth conversation with the girls. After this session in fact we have often sat down and talked about prejudice.  Some of their thoughts: “It does not matter what colour you are, whether black , white or mixed race. We are all human.” “Every community, not matter what, one should be able to join in. Not matter what colour you are. Everybody should have fun together.  It shouldn't be that if you are black you cannot do this or that. Everybody should be together. It think that's how it should be.” May, 2016.
    _DSC1697.jpg
  • Everyone sees someone that wears a tracksuit so that's where I am guessing they get the name from, but everyone calls me a Chav because I wear a truck suit. But I would rather wear what I want to wear to feel comfortable. Just because I wear a truck suit it does not make me a Chav. Unemployed, on benefit – you are a Chav- that's what people think. Tasha, October 2016.
    Hammersmith United Charities
  • “Some of my friends have been treated differently because of how they look or for their disability.” “What about disability?” <br />
“Some of them cannot do things up to standards of what other people can do and then they are thought of as 'rubbish'. I think we should give them time to improve.” April, 2016.
    _DSC2778.jpg
  • _DSC2718.jpg
  • “Mostly I have witnessed incidents of people arguing in a bus for instance and their colour of skin becomes part of the argument. It shouldn't be brought up. It has nothing to do with any person's opinion or behaviour.” Anonymous, young people's interview, August 2016.
    _DSC1618.jpg
  • “CCTV cameras were not there. They used be a lot of burst off, bad things. There used to be a lot of going on. Since the cameras have been put in the estates, it is much better. It is more normal now.” Julio, June 2016.
    _DSC3232.jpg
  • Being asked to pay before my meal... more things like that. Nothing so drastic. For me there have been more the small things. To be honest, I think it only effects people maybe in their work place more than anything. On the outside most people in Britain are rather friendly. It is only with work opportunities.. that's when it is felt the most. For instance, not being able to move up on the work ladder, not given opportunities. That's were it effects the most. These are the things going on here in Britain more that the most drastic events like mass violence. That happens a lot less here. It is more economical here. Sometimes I think what does it take to be a Prime Minister? In my mind it is almost impossible to become a Prime Minister for anybody of my colour. I don't know why. June, 2016.
    _DSC3187.jpg
  • Daniel, White City.
    _DSC6998.jpg
  • _DSC6996.jpg
  • _DSC3284.jpg
  • _DSC5434.jpg
  • _DSC1639.jpg
  • There are many examples I could give you, but there was one time I was walking down Hammersmith Broadway up the top by the housing office is a police stopped me asking for my name and details. I answered why was he asking that.  I am not obliged to give you my details unless you suspect me of a crime. Most black people unfortunately don't know their rights. Anyhow, the police said that a woman had escaped the psychiatric ward and that I fitted the description. I asked in what way I did. On what account, is that because the woman is black? I am walking with my two year old, did this woman escaped with a child? How can I possible fit into that description. It sounds like you are using your power to gather information from me. He left. Sandra, September 2016.
    _DSC4587.jpg
  • Being asked to pay before my meal... more things like that. Nothing so drastic. For me there have been more the small things. To be honest, I think it only effects people maybe in their work place more than anything. On the outside most people in Britain are rather friendly. It is only with work opportunities.. that's when it is felt the most. For instance, not being able to move up on the work ladder, not given opportunities. That's were it effects the most. These are the things going on here in Britain more that the most drastic events like mass violence. That happens a lot less here. It is more economical here. Sometimes I think what does it take to be a Prime Minister? In my mind it is almost impossible to become a Prime Minister for anybody of my colour. I don't know why. June, 2016.
    _DSC3194.jpg
  • Everyone sees someone that wears a tracksuit so that's where I am guessing they get the name from, but everyone calls me a Chav because I wear a truck suit. But I would rather wear what I want to wear to feel comfortable. Just because I wear a truck suit it does not make me a Chav. Unemployed, on benefit – you are a Chav- that's what people think. Tasha, October 2016.
    _DSC4622.jpg
  • “It would make a society better free of prejudice. My friend has ginger hair and she is constantly bullied because she looks different. I think her hair is beautiful” L., April 2016
    _DSC1650.jpg
  • “I was with a child as I am an ESOL nurse and I was entering Notting Hill station and was going up the stair and there was this lady with a bull dog. She was not taking care of the dog and he was pushing the child, so I asked her to watch out with the dog. I said this nicely but she turned around and started to say that I should go back to my country and continued with racist remarks.” Anonymous, interview by young people in White City.
    _DSC3203.jpg
  • Harrow Club in North Kensington is one of the very few youth centres open for young people. Due to cuts, nationally many youth clubs have had to be closed or reducing their facilities.
    _DSC1616.jpg
  • “On Facebook.. They are just threatening me. They wrote: I want to kill you. I did know these people. They are from my previous school. The police came to me to ask me questions. I did not call them. My mum called them.” July 2016.
    _DSC3257.jpg
  • “ With the war on terror, hate crimes are increasing. The laws that are currently being put in are even more marginalising the Muslim communities. (We) feel been attacked instead of trying to work together to stop terrorism. But then, if we don’t say anything, the government seems to perceive us as terrorists and wanting to protect terrorists. <br />
Then there is the growing fear when you wear hi jab, the fear that you might be attacked. My sister she was on a train and she had a lot of hate. She had headphones on and did not realise what was happening at first. When a commuter tried to stop a man talking to her, she took the headphone off. The man was not saying nice things, he was accusing her of being a terrorist. Thankfully, there were people defending her on the train.<br />
Another friend of mine, she was told to go back to her home and then once I was at a bus stop and there was a lady wearing a hi jab with a push chair and someone asked her if there was a bomb in the push chair. It was really shocking.” H., March 2016
    _DSC0189.jpg
  • “ I witnessed  stop and search a few times. They are all wear the same style. If you look from coming from another country or you are black, you get stopped and searched. I witnessed something really bad in Ireland. A friend of mine got by the police for no reason. He did under a car to stop the beaten but the police pulled him from under the car and beat him again.” I ask: “Do you have any idea of why this happened?” “ Yes, he is a Traveller.”.
    _DSC3274.jpg
  • “When I was a youngest... I used to wear hoodies and all that. People used to associate all this with gang violence, criminal activities.. so when you wear a hoodie people seem to assume that you are going to something bad. I had a lot of that. For that reason after many years I stopped wearing hoodies and dress more formal.” Young people's interviewing a passer-by in North Kensington, April 2016.
    _DSC1691.jpg
  • One time at school, one of my friends we were playing football and after we went outside the pitch. Another person came up and said: “What do you want to fight?”and he answered: “No, I am just trying to go home.”. And this person said: “Oh, sure whatever. You are a nigger.” June 2016.
    _DSC2714.jpg